Update: success, but with many features left for the future:
- a setup phase where you can dig moats, place fences, and train farmers
- different bandit abilities
- ranged weapons
- different samurai attacks for each of the seven
- little speech bubbles above the heads of units, with random flavor text responding to events
- a title screen
This was a lot of fun, and got me to start actual work on a project that's been on my mind for over a decade. I'm really impressed by the submissions I've seen so far. Congrats to everyone.