The player is first presented with a turn-based strategy phase – a map of Japan divided into provinces in which armies are formed and moved. Once all the players (including the AI-controlled faction) have submitted their armies' orders, all troop movement is executed simultaneously. When two opposing armies are present in the same region, the player has the option of determining the outcome automatically or switching to a real-time tactics battlefield.
Sieges are played out using the same engine as the battles in the field. The advantage to the defender comes from the narrow gateway to the castles which prevents a larger force attacking with more than a small part of its strength.
There is no naval warfare. Armies can jump across straits without restriction; for movement of armies over longer distances, there must be ports in both the starting province and the destination province, and if the destination province is held by another player, the attacking player must have a spy in that province...