I know that clan is like very recent, like 30 years old or something. So how to you organized a clan that old. Because you cannot have samurai familly in the classical sense of the word. Cause, it would only be the second generation so you would have something like 50 samurai max, being generous. How do you make theme a legitimate minor clan an threat to the scorpions and the lions ? I know there are are really more powerfull, but the lore make me feel like they are powerfull enough to make tip a conflit between major clan. Or the I use the Mantis clan tatic, that they don't really use last name.

I do not know about the Wasp clan, but generally, a new minor clan probably either are raised Ashigaru or are former samurai of another clan (or ronin) that have gained independence.

In both cases, they can have a large extended family and can have a surname.

In the old lore, the Wasp were founded by Tsuruchi after he seized the castle that he believed was his birthright, Kyuden Ashinagabachi. Tsuruchi was born from Lion and Scorpion parents, felt he'd been screwed over by both, so after taking his castle he appealed his case to the Emerald Champion, Doji Satsume. As it happened, Satsume didn't like the Scorpion or Lion much either, so used his influence to have Tsuruchi and his followers made a Minor Clan, which meant that, thanks to Imperial law, the Great Clans couldn't go to war with them.

In the new lore, I don't think we have all the above detail, but the story is probably much the same. The key is that the Wasp consists of Tsuruchi, his family AND his "followers". However, we don't know how many "followers" he actually had, which means it could be as many as dramatically necessary for whatever story is being told. Given that they are considered the finest archers in the Empire, even a hundred or so could easily be enough to give whomever they ally with a significant advantage. But if you need them to be larger--or smaller!--for your particular game, go for it...there's really nothing in canon to say you're wrong!

For a time, they used the Ashinagabashi family name.

11 hours ago, DGLaderoute said:

In the new lore, I don't think we have all the above detail, but the story is probably much the same. The key is that the Wasp consists of Tsuruchi, his family AND his "followers". However, we don't know how many "followers" he actually had, which means it could be as many as dramatically necessary for whatever story is being told. Given that they are considered the finest archers in the Empire, even a hundred or so could easily be enough to give whomever they ally with a significant advantage. But if you need them to be larger--or smaller!--for your particular game, go for it...there's really nothing in canon to say you're wrong!

This. Remember that adoption is as legally solid as being descended by birth in the eyes of Rokugani law. So in addition to a few dozen immediate family members, you could 'adopt' a load of your more senior followers, friends and allies from other clans, or even ronin.

Also note that for every 'named' clan samurai - each Hiruma or Kaito or whatever - you will have a bunch of Ji-Samurai who are legally members of your clan but aren't senior enough to have a family name. Because quite often, that's who new vassal families get founded from ; a bunch of low ranking vassals who do something worth recognising and their lord says, "you lot get collectively recognised as the [insert name here] family, vassals to me and mine", usually taking the name from either the most notable individual or from something to do with the place or event they got noticed for.

Equally, Ji-Samurai themselves can be 'created' by elevating peasants who've distinguished themselves.

So the actual Tsuruchi bloodline might only be a couple of dozen individuals, but various family members might have adopted two or three times that into the family on the understanding that they're waaaaay down the line of succession, and you might have two or three times that as 'wasp clan' samurai who aren't entitled to the Tsuruchi/Ashinagabashi name.

Of course, giving a bunch of Ji-samurai and ronin a new livery coat does not instantly instil the Tsuruchi's archery skill into them, and the more you do this, the more you risk being seen as 'diluting' or 'debasing' the clan name granted you by the Emperor. But it does allow a newly-minted clan to acquire enough numbers to protect its own holdings.

There is also the fact that you do not need many members of a clan to be fearsome. In the official L5R fiction, the Crane champion killed the Lion champion (I think) with but a single arrow. And she is not known as Rokugans greatest archer.

Per the rules with the Hawks Precision kata, you can attack with a Daikyu from "more than a few hundret yards" away. A deadly archer is a reason for fear.

Don't know in the new lore, but they overtook Kyuden Ashinagabashi in a single night, so based on average of 300 samurais defending the place you can think about 200 of them sided with Tsuruchi.

Don't forget that those adopted into the family will often take the name in place of their original family name. The recent Lady of Kyotei Castle is an example of changing family names.