SAMURAI SHOWDOWN

[EdwinLi]

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While on the frontlines of battle access to full body armor was actually a luxury for Samurai. The Samurai that can gain access to armor are usually those who have the money, member of military group( if the group can afford providing the armor), or part of a family/clan.

Most often lesser members of society Samurai only had access to lighter or parts of a armor (usually only a chest piece) and sometimes no armor which result in their basic tactic of avoiding damage (either blocking enemy attacks with their sword or dodging the attacks through their natural reflex) and attempting to strike down their enemies fast. The one thing they keep maintained was their weapon of choice ranging from the Japanese sword, Yumi (longbow), Pole weapons, and etc.

[DWolfwood]

While on the frontlines of battle access to full body armor was actually a luxury for Samurai. The Samurai that can gain access to armor are usually those who have the money, member of military group( if the group can afford providing the armor), or part of a family/clan.

Most often lesser members of society Samurai only had access to lighter or parts of a armor (usually only a chest piece) and sometimes no armor which result in their basic tactic of avoiding damage (either blocking enemy attacks with their sword or dodging the attacks through their natural reflex) and attempting to strike down their enemies fast. The one thing they keep maintained was their weapon of choice ranging from the Japanese sword, Yumi (longbow), Pole weapons, and etc.

You're confusing Samurai with Ashigaru. Samurai always had armor and served lords. When a Samurai lost his lord, or when the period started becoming peaceful, eliminating the need for Samurai, they would become Ronin and often had to sell their armor to make a living. On the battlefield though, during the warring states period, the Samurai were almost by definition the equivalent of knights while the footsoldiers are the ones you're mistaking them for. Samurai going to battle because of war is a very different thing than simply fighting, or protecting a village ala 7 Samurai, etc. People revered Samurai in a way that could arguably surpass even the way Knights were revered in medieval times. To this day, the Samurai legacy has left a great mark on Japanese culture.

And yes, they did learn many weapons and would use them in battle. Much like Knights and what we think of when we think of "warriors."