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A Mantis/Crab Alliance
By Nick Zube
Stronghold: Kyuden Yoritomo
Personalities
Hida Amoro x2
Hida O-Ushi
Hida Tsuru x2
Hiruma Yoshi x2
Mukami x2
Mukami (Exp)
Tsuruchi x2
Yoritomo (Exp. 2)
Yoritomo Hogosha x3
Holdings
Island Wharf x3
Large Farm x3
Pearl Divers x3
Small Farm x3
The Hiruma Dojo x3
Trading Port x3
Regions
Otaku Meadows x3
Events
Alliance (Crab)
Doom of the Brotherhood
In Time of War
Kisada's Funeral
The Return of Fu Leng
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Dynasty Total: 42
Followers
Heavy Mounted Infantry x2
Hida House Guard
Lieutenant Sukune
Medium Infantry x3
Shiryo no Kisada
Items
Ancestral Armor of the Crab
Ancestral Weapons of the Mantis
Armor of Earth
Bloodsword
Die Tsuchi x3
The Dragon Pearl
The Jade Hand
Yoritomo's Armor
Actions
Another Time x3
Block Supply Lines x3
Charge x3
Confusion at Court x3
One Koku x3
Refugees x2
Strength of Purity x2
Test of Might x3
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Fate Total: 40
The Crab and the Mantis are near-perfect allies. The Crab have the strength, and the Mantis the defensive capabilities, to pull off a nice military deck. And that's just what this is.
The key to A Mantis/Crab Alliance is simple: Yoritomo Hogosha. Since most of the Personalities in this deck have a "-" honor requirement, you can usually bring him out without even paying his cost (although it is nice to do with One Koku or whatnot, just for the cheap honor). Once a few Hogoshas, or the Alliance, are out, then you can really kick into high gear. Hida Amoro provides a huge amount of Force, and Hida Tsuru is great with the Followers in this deck--he is the main reason that Otaku Meadows, rather than Farmlands, are the Regions of choice, since keeping Tsuru's cavalry trait gives you a mighty nice advantage. Hiruma Yoshi is an economical samurai who can also be targeted with Strength of Purity. Hida O-Ushi provides the secret dueling strength of this deck. Giving her her little brother, Lieutenant Sukune, makes it possible for you to duel two people each and every turn (!). In fact, she is the reason for the abundance of expensive items in this deck. Give Hogosha or somebody Yoritomo's Armor, then sacrifice it with a Trading Port and get out The Jade Hand to boost O-Ushi's Chi. Combine this with the Bloodsword, the Crab Armor, and The Dragon Pearl (copying either the Hand or the Armor), and O-Ushi can take down almost everybody. Note that many of these items--not all, but many--are findable with Trading Ports, so this combo isn't half as hard as it seems. The Alliance Personalities, on the other hand, are chosen mainly as a support crew for the Crab assault team. Both Tsuruchi and his yojimbo, Mukami, provide a ranged attack defense which can decimate a "superior" force. Yoritomo XP2 is included simply because he's Da Man, and wouldn't have it any other way.