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The no-dachi is perhaps the largest weapon commonly wielded by samurai. It is similar in most respects to the katana, save that it is 5 io 7 feet in length. It was conceived as primarily an anti-cavalry weapon, at which it excels. Brash or highlytrained bushi also wield it in melee, however, which is difficult but highly effective when mastered.

The simplest and most common weapon in the Empire, the bo is a simple wooden staff 5 to G fc:et in length. It is used as a walking staff by travelers and monks, and doubles as a weapon for those bold enough to use it. Like most staves, the bo has almost no power to defeat armor.

The yari is a basic spear, six to eight feet in length. It is used two handed when wielded on foot, and one handed when on horseback. Yari are typically given to ashigaru legions and anri-cavalry forces. Like the nage-yari, it can be thrown short distances with limited accuracy.

The nage-yari is essentially a javelin, a shorter but slightly heavier version of the yari. It is roughly 3 to 4 feet in length with a metal tip, and can he used effectively in melee combat or thrown shon distances.

The lance is a weapon adapted from gaijin cultures, and is virlually nt:ver !:it:t:n uu l!:iitk lh~ ranks: uf Unicorn ur Ox !:iamurai. The lance is used only from horseback, where it is braced under the rider's shoulder with the tip pointing outward. The horse is then spurred to a gallop and the sharpened tip of the long, wooden shaft is levied against a target. The effects can be devastating, although most lances shatter upon impact. The lance is very poorly designed for anything other than a charging attack, and is virtually useless under any other combat circumstances.

The mai chong is a curious and unique weapon, developed and used almost exclusively by the samurai of the Boar Clan deep in the Twilight Mountains. A handful of travelers who have visited the Boar lands took to the weapon, and passed the teachings regarding its use on to their children or students. While it is not unheard of to fmd a samurai wielding the mai chong outside the Boar province, it is extremely rare. The mai chong is an eight foot wooden shaft with a foot long metal tip. The tip has three points, one fon¥ard- facing and two at right angles to the first.

Even the Mantis Clan has not truly embraced the use of the kumade as a weapon. It is essentially a rake, consisting of a wooden handle with a sharpened metal tip at one end and a series of metal hooks at the other. The hooked end is used to pull stumps or weeds from the ground, while the spear- like end is used to prod or puncture objects in the way and then move them aside to be collected later. The generally flimsy construction of the kumade is the principal reason it has not been adopted for use as a weapon by the Yoritomo family.