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After the release of Dark Journey Home, Toturi's Army has become a rising power. In this article I will touch upon the many strategies of the Ronin.

1) Think Big, Hit Fast:
This is a strategy I have found very powerful, although risky. The Palace of Otosan-Uchi allows followers to deploy for a lower gold cost. Toturi's Army players have been too used to the follower base of old: ashigaru, peasant levies, bandit gangs; cheap, fast, deadly. However, the new stronghold is most useful when using a limited number of large followers on large personalities. Card efficiency: by deploying more force per card per turn, you are using the Otosan-Uchi stronghold to its maximum potential. For example, followers such as naga guard, imperial honor guard, medium infantry, heavy infantry, etc., etc. can be attached to medium size personalities(Mirumoto Hitomi, Daini exp1-2, moshi hito, ginawa exp1-2, Hida Sukune, and Shotai) for the gold from one base camp or bushi dojo. In this case, you are reducing 3-5 gold for one follower a turn instead of 1-2 gold for a horde of followers each turn. One unit in this case is enough to do the job of two or three units of ginawa/hasame/ashigaru. This may seem like a very slow combo, however, it can be pulled off on the third turn, frequently getting you a 7-10 force unit. Your imperial favor and 7 province strength will hold off other military speed decks. Unlike TA decks of old, which tend to slow down after the 6th turn, a deck based on larger followers has an exponential growth, and works very well in breaking stalemates against other military decks in the late game. The most important thing I've found working for type of deck is the fact that there are specifics no combos or cards you depend on, so the luck factor is out of game play for you most of the time. This usage of TA's main weakness is personality denial cards. When a personality dies, it takes down large follower(s) with it, making it easier for your opponent to cut down your army with fewer cards. This effect can be somewhat with the help of rally troops, sherikans, duel denials, and other cards of this type.

2) TActicians:
DJH brought to us Tzurui, Toturi's Army's 3rd non-unique tactician and generally the most useful one yet. Tactician decks works best in extended jade, with all of its important actions still in the card pool and the game general slowed down. Tacticians rely mainly on playing actions in battles, whether from cards in hand, or from personalities and followers. Followers are the most important, because they are the key to supplementing your lack of printed force. However, considering that your fate deck should be mostly high focus cards for tacticians, followers like ashigaru, sherikan, Imperial legion, imperial honor guard, lion's pride, and the 12 ronin all work for tactician related decks. The most important cards in a tactician deck are your superior strategists. These can search for stand against the waves, flank maneuvers, mushins, storms of wars, superior tactics, and of course, wedges. Focus + wedge has always been the great equalizer for Tactician decks, one battle can be won by a sacrificed general. However, when using tacticians, beware of arrows. One blackened skies mostly means death for your low force strategists. Action denial cards also means that you won't be able to use tactics to overcome brute force, so look out for sneak/crush.

3) Way of Toku:
What works for TA countless times before still works now. A horde of small and fast attackers still can wreak havoc before your opponent knows what is going on. Small doesn't mean weak. TA's large pool of first turn personalities (Makashi, Tohaku, Ginawa, Hasame, Moshi Hito, Yotsu Seou) with the guaranteed second turn free follower (light infantry, ashigaru archers, ashigaru spearmen, imperial legion, peasant levies, bandit gang) means a fast growth in numbers and force. Unfortunately this type of decks are usually more effective and faster when corrupt, since your gold become free. However, against ninja, this tactic loses its sting and have to slow down to a point where its not in control anymore.

4) Way of the Honor Monkey:
Toturi's Army honor runners are usually laughed at and crushed under the old stronghold. Now, Seppun Toshiken has something to say about that. Toturi's Army now has the components for an honor runner.
a) High personal honor: Toku, Toku exp, Toku exp2, Tohaku, Shotai, Seppun Toshiken, Yoritomo Kamoto.
b) Dueling capability: Seppun Toshiken, Kitsuki Kaagi
c) Defense: 7 province strength, start with favor, tacticians, Shotai
d) Against other honor runners: free Imperial Ambassadors
However, Toturi's Army cannot honor run in the same fashion as Crane, Phoenix, or Dragon. TA is not extremely dominating at one aspect of honor running, but instead is good at everything save kihos. One thing I've noted is that TA needs more gold than most honor runners. Like the Dragons, TA has costly personalities, so Shinsei's Shrines may hurt you more than it helps you (I suggest using only 2, limiting the chances of having more than one shrined province before your defenses and gold scheme is up). Duels are extremely important, both for personality elimination and for honor gaining. Your fate deck should have high focus cards for both dueling and tactician bonuses. These tacticians (mainly Kaagi and Kamoto) also provide enough power to take on provinces themselves. Having swords also help, for anti honor, honor, high focus, and defense. With lots of gold, you can pay for these swords too.