In a situation where troops were organized by a single samurai group, the leader of the samurai clan served as Sodaisho, or in many other cases, a Sodaisho would be selected from high-ranking warriors of a clan such as the Karo (chief retainer) and they held great authority in battles.
ひとつの武士団のみで軍勢を編成する場合、総大将は武門の棟梁が自ら務めるか、或いはその一門ないし家老など、身分の高い者の中から選抜されることも多く、陣中にあってその権限は大きかった。