How the banzai works

Since there is no clear coverage of how the japanese banzai mechanic works or how to use it, I feel the need to explain it here for ALL players.

Banzai rules

To actually initiate a banzai as a Japanese soldier, and activate the banzai bonus mechanics, you only need to melee charge.

If you are doing this successfully you will see an icon of a ♥♥♥ soldier in the bottom left corner of your screen next to x1.

This means that you are the only one in a small area banzaiing and you get: a stamina boost, a small speed boost, more health/resistance to bullets, and you suppress enemies around you.

If more soldiers banzai near you, each of you gets these advantages on a larger scale than if you were banzaiing alone. You will know if it's working when the banzai icon lists either x2 or more rather than just x1.

The largest bonus possible is currently at x5.

At some point it has been implied that a squad or team leader joining the banzai with their katana grants an extra bonus to the charging soldiers.

Banzai Defensively

Since my guide hasn't been clear so far, you get the damage (bullet) resistance even if you banzai alone. Using a banzai charge while moving between pieces of cover can in fact save you from gunshots that would otherwise kill you and makes playing as ♥♥♥ a bit easier. A whole team using this effect while moving around as the defending team can make the japanese side much more effective and harder to kill.

Now start/join a banzai damn it

Since these bonuses are capable of becoming very big, it seems clear the game was balanced for the japanese team to use the banzai to counter the americans firepower. Lack of banzai in the dozens of hours I have already played would explain the frequent Japanese losses against the more simply designed american team.

So next time you hop in a match, pay attention to the banzai ability and stay away from those flamethrowers, no bonus saves you from instant death.

[Flash:FM]

he is speaks truth

[Sticks]

how do i use my bajonet? can i use it?

[Sinistral]

Believe it or not, but this works for each Army.

[stuka444]

While banzai does suppress, people can still peak out of cover when being charged at, throwing a type 96/99 into the mix will likely increase the effectivness significantly

[CrazierSnow]

The banzai suppresses opponents on it's own so mg support isn't needed, but communication really is needed to use the banzai defensively.

[stuka444]

It would have only really been effective with proper mg support and communication between groups of soldiers, so like real life, the banzai in this game falls flat because of that

[Banzai Sniper]

well actually while the Japanese did Banzai charge it became less often after Guadalcanal but i do see the point though

[Arakosia]

The trick to this, and relationships, is communication. People fail to orchestrate their efforts en masse. Great guide man.

[A100percentBEEF]

Lol I hate the banzai mechanic, it was proven at guadalcanal that it doesnt work against trained soldiers (it was used to great effect against the terribly trained and motivated chinese army, which lead the Japanese to believe it would work against americans too)

[Tourist]

This is actually a pretty good guide.