Although the Unicorn Clan is known for its cavalry, the tactics of Shinjo’s children also require infantry to serve as a base of maneuver and to “fix” enemy infantry in place. The need for such tactics became clear during the clan’s years of wandering in gaijin lands, most notably during the 200 years after Shinjo disappeared in battle against the Lying Darkness. During those two centuries the clan fought a variety of opponents, many of whom could not be defeated with a simple cavalry charge. To deal with this problem, the Unicorn developed a force of mounted infantry - soldiers who rode horses while the army maneuvered, but then dismounted and fought on foot. From the beginning, this force attracted a disproportionate number of men from the Otaku family, who were forbidden by family tradition from fighting on horseback alongside the Otaku women. In fact, it was one such man, Otaku Buki, who devised the first specific Techniques for the mounted infantry, drawing inspiration from the gaijin fighting techniques he had seen.
Over time, the School which developed from Buki’s techniques came to be known as the Otaku Mounted Infantry School (in modern times, the Utaku Mounted Infantry); although it drew recruits from all of the families, the Otaku men always predominated. However, it remained a distinctly secondary choice for most Unicorn, since the cavalry schools were considered the premier symbols of Unicorn might, and enrollment in the school was never as high as its sensei (or the Unicorn generals) would have liked. That finally changed, however, after the disgrace of the Shinjo family during the Hidden Emperor era. The Shinjo Bushi School had always been the preferred choice of Otaku/Utaku men who wished to serve in battle, but after the revelation that many of the Shinjo had served the Kolat, a rift opened between the families and the bulk of the Utaku males began training in the Mounted Infantry School instead. This resulted in a sharp expansion in the overall size and strength of the Unicorn infantry forces, and many samurai in the other clans finally began to take note of the school and its students.
Rank One: Choose Your Weapon
The Utaku infantry are trained to fight with sword, spear, and polearm, but each student of the School is expected to choose one such weapon on which to focus his training.
You may choose either the Kenjutsu Skill, the Polearms Skill, or the Spears Skill you gain a free Emphasis of your choice in that skill. You are trained to use that weapon for both attack and defense. You add a +1k0 bonus when attacking with that Skill. If your chosen Skill is Spears or Polearms, when you are in the Defense or Full Defense stance while wielding a weapon using that Skill, you may add your Skill Ranks to your Armor TN. If your chosen Skill is Kenjutsu, you add half your Skill Rank (rounded down) instead.
Rank Two: Speed of My Sisters
The Utaku Infantryman is taught to move swiftly in order to support the Unicorn cavalry on rapidly-evolving battlefields. On foot you move as though your Water Ring is 1 Rank higher and add a +1k0 bonus to your Initiative rolls.
Rank Three: All-Fronts Attack
The Utaku Infantrymans mastery of his chosen weapon has now reached the point of allowing him to strike in all directions with blinding speed. When using your chosen weapon Skill, you may attack as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.
Rank Four: Utaku's Thunder
Like the women of the Utaku family, the men of the Utaku Infantry are taught to call upon their Honor to strengthen their purpose and their blows. Once per Skirmish while wielding your chosen weapon, you may spend a Void Point to add your Honor Rank in unkept dice to your attack roll. In addition, your movement bonus (from your Rank 2 Technique) now lets you move as though your Water Rank is 2 higher (instead of 1).
Rank Five: Epic of My Name
The fully trained Utaku Infantryman is an unpredictable whirlwind on the battlefield, striking and dodging with equal skill. The Armor TN bonus from your Rank One technique now also applies while you are in the Attack Stance. Once per skirmish while in the Full Attack Stance you may add a +4k2 bonus to your damage roll with your chosen weapon; if your chosen weapon is Spears or Polearms, you may do this in the Attack Stance as well.