Ashigaru

"These early ashigaru were invaluable to warrior clans because they added significant manpower at little to no extra cost, but they were totally unreliable. As soon as they'd done their share of looting they would desert, and were just as likely to follow a rival if they thought they had better opportunities on his side."

- Unknown

The first of their kind being from the 14th century, Ashigaru were a staple of the armies of Feudal Japan. Though not nearly as exciting as the better known Ninjas, Samurai, and Warrior Monks, the Ashigaru were very important because of their sheer numbers, and were vital during the Sengoku Period (c. 1467-c. 1573).

While at first the foot soldiers were somewhat unimportant compared with the far more skilled samurai at a warlord's disposal, as time went on, battles grew more strategic. Warfare became less about the one on one fighting the samurai specialized in, and more about group fighting. These peasant soldiers proved most effective when armed with the long yari spear, especially against cavalry.

The fate of Japanese warfare was practically sealed when a Portuguese ship landed on the island of Tanegashima in 1543. While he was disgusted with their manners, the lord of the island noticed their strange weapons they carried with them, and after seeing a demonstration, bought two of their matchlocks and gave them to a swordsmith to recreate. These weapons, while not having as long a range as the local bows, were simple, required little training to use, and were more effective against armor. It was through tanegashima (the type of Japanese matchlock was named after the island) armed ashigaru that Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun.