A game of Bushido proceeds in turns. A turn is completed when all models of both players are exhausted. During a turn, players take turns to activate models: player 1 activates a model of his/her choice and performs an Action with it (Simple or Complex), and when that action is completed and resolved, player 2 activates a model of his/ her choice and performs an Action with it. Thus play proceeds until all models on both sides have taken all the actions they can take.
Each game turn is divided into four phases – the description in the preceding paragraph applies specifically to the third phase. The four phases are the Ki phase, the Tactical phase, the Action phase and the End phase:
1. Ki phase
• All models are restored from Exhaustion to Rested by turning their Profile Cards to their original position.
• All models receive new Ki markers. All models receive a number of Ki tokens equal to the first number of their Ki statistic.
2. Tactical phase
• The players make an Opposed Test to determine who has the Tactical advantage in the turn. The Opposed Test is taken with a single die for each player. Certain Traits may allow a player to roll more dice or reroll dice for this Opposed Test. The winner of the Tactical advantage roll decides whether s/he or his/her opponent will activate a model first.
3. Action phase
• Calculate the number of Pass tokens. Each player counts the number of non-insignificant models in their force still on the battlefield. The player with the fewest models receives a number of Pass tokens equal to the numbers difference between the two forces (e.g. Carlos has 4 models left in his force, Gordon has 3. Gordon will receive 1 Pass token). When a player with one or more Pass tokens is the Active player, s/he may decide to spend a Pass token instead of taking an action with one of his/her models, the other player then becomes the Active Player.
• The player who was given the first activation in the Tactical phase activates one model and performs an action with it. This player is considered to be the Active player. The action is then resolved. • The other player then activates one model and performs an action with it. This player is now considered to be the Active player. The action is then resolved.
• Repeat these two last steps until all models have completed all of their actions. • If one player completes all actions of all his/her models, the opponent is then free to complete all his/her models’ remaining actions.
4. End phase
• All Wounding effects are resolved.
• All other effects are resolved.
• All upkeep costs are paid (some Ki Feats require players to pay a number of Ki markers each turn to keep powering the Feat; this is referred to as an upkeep cost).
• Check if the game time limit (normally 6 turns) or if victory conditions are met. If so, calculate victory points. If not, proceed to the next turn (which begins with a Ki phase, followed by a Tactical phase, and so on).