Thursday, 27 August 2020

WW2 Japanese for Burma


Japanese Type 97 Tank Chi-Ha. I remember building the Airfix kit of this many, many years ago

Well this is a post that I would not have thought of drafting six months ago! Since the whole Burma/Pacific WW2 thing became a thing I was mindful of the fact that of course I would need some Japanese opposition. I spent a pleasant couple of hours on and off over a few days looking at various ranges of figures to match up with the 14th Army opposition. I finally settled on the range produced by Frontline Wargaming, based in the wilds of deepest Kent at Gillingham.


A selection of codes from the Frontline 20mm Japanese range....


....including the sword wielding officer and a rather stout ‘knee’ mortar.

The range covers all the basics of infantry, support weapons, command and various personality types including the inevitable sword wielding officer, banzai charging types and ‘knee mortars’.

My modus operandi with this lot is quite simple. I shall be raising a force of around 50 or so riflemen with support weapons and gun crews etc bringing the overall total to around 100 figures in total. This will also be the size of the 14th Army and after having had a look through Eric’s collection this is slightly less than a quarter of the whole!

I have the artillery I need for the 14th Army and a quick look at the Irregular Miniatures Really Useful Gun range will furnish me with what I need for the Japanese.

I shall be adding a smattering of vehicles in due course - who can resist the lure of some Japanese armour? - and for buildings I reckon that something from any of the Vietnam ranges would work although I do not expect to be needing many of them.

After a period of sorting out an immense of amount of Eric related stuff it will be good to get back to attending to some of my own bits and pieces in earnest. The Del Prado collection and the Spencer Smith 30mm ACW set up has been staring at me as if to guilt trip me into action with them - and they would be quite right to do so!

I shall look to attend to the Burma front later in the year once the priority stuff has been tackled and it will be something to look forward to.

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8 comments:

  1. Steve J.27 August 2020 at 18:32

    It's a campaign that rears its head now and then for me, but I just can't take the plunge. I think the type of fighting and the terrain and the issues that I find too much of an effort to overcome. However I do love the Japanese tanks, so the Manchurian campaign is an option.

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  2. Geordie an Exiled FoG28 August 2020 at 20:01

    Stop tempting me
    Ah yes the Airfix Chi-Ha classic

    I seem to remember a Type 89 calling me from IBG

    https://meditationsonahobby.blogspot.com/2018/04/ibg-models-172-type-89-japanese-medium.html?showComment=1598641273043#c8034407170483656140

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  3. Geordie an Exiled FoG28 August 2020 at 20:05

    Frontline do look cool
    I am not so keen on Resin tank kits anymore .. too much filling and fiddling .. small details always seem to break

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  4. David Crook29 August 2020 at 16:39

    Hi Geordie,

    The Airfix Chi Ha is a splendid kit and I am fond of the paint scheme. I will look to add some of these in due course - not sure where from as yet.

    All the best,

    DC

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  5. David Crook29 August 2020 at 16:43

    Hi Geordie,

    I will be looking at a few options for the vehicles and to be honest I rather fancy the idea of kits but we shall see.

    All the best,

    DC

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  6. David Crook29 August 2020 at 16:50

    Hi Steve J,

    I am looking at this very much from the low level tactical side and the challenges this will bring - there is a huge variety of terrain types to fight over so that will be part of the challenge, especially with the jungle element!

    All the best,

    DC

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  7. David Manley30 August 2020 at 13:20

    This is something I've been working at on and off for a few years, although mostly with Airfix and Matchbox figures. I'm using the same rules for this as for my 15mm Eastern Front winter skirmish. Hopefully I'll get the Burma collection on the table in the next few weeks

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  8. David Crook31 August 2020 at 15:15

    Hello there Mr Manley,

    I remember both of those from back in the day! I would be interested in seeing the rules you use as I am struggling to see the connection!

    All the best,

    DC

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