All,
You've seen my Marines, so let me introduce you to their primary antagonists, the Imperial Japanese Army. I bought the Warlord Games' Island Assault starter set, and then another box of their plastic Japanese infantry. The metal figures from the starter set are nicely done, as are the extra scenery items, and the plastic infantry are a snap to slap together and paint up. As is my usual, I painted them up using Contrast paints; probably pretty boring for you to look at, but they were quick and easy to paint up and look fine on the tabletop (at least to my eye).
The whole mess; there's a platoon+ worth of infantry and officer types, a Type 97 Chi-Ha tank, a 70mm Type 92 battalion gun (actually, a howitzer), a 20mm Type 98 anti-aircraft gun, two Type 92 heavy machine guns, an 81mm Type 97 mortar, a flamethrower team, a sniper team, a Forward Observer team, and then a concrete bunker and two 'spider holes.' The infantry platoon has its normal compliment of Type 96/99 light machine guns, Type 89 Grenade Dischargers ("knee mortars"), and Arisaka rifles, with a few Type 100 submachine guns thrown in just for fun.
A few officer types.
A closeu0 of the first one, firing his Type 14 Nambu pistol.
Reverse.
The next one, ordering some POWs to build a bridge or something...
Reverse.
And the last, charging in with his samurai sword drawn.
Side.
Reverse.
The 70mm battalion gun.
Again.
And one more.
The 20mm AA gun.
Another look.
And once more.
The two Type 92 machine guns.
A closeup.
Another.
And one more.
The mortar team.
Again.
The flamethrower team.
Reverse.
Closeup.
The Forward Observers. The right guy is metal, the left plastic from the platoon box.
Again.
One more.
The sniper team.
Again.
A couple flags. Not sure which flag I was supposed to use, but I like this one so that's what I went with ;)
Another look.
And one more.
A couple pole charges, or lunge mines, for close-in anti-tank work.
Another look.
And one more.
A couple riflemen, just chilling.
The Type 96/99 light machine guns (yes, for simplicity and quickness' sake, I built a lot of the Japanese infantry in the same pose and moved out, assembly line fashion, so all the LMGs are this pose).
Nicely sculpted, weapons and gear look great.
Another look.
And one more.
The knee mortars.
Closeup.
Again.
Some NCO-types pointing.
Closeup.
Again.
One more.
Some Type 100 submachine gunners.
Closeup.
Good looking model of a pretty rare weapon.
Some riflemen moving up, muzzle to the dirt.
Closeup.
Again.
Some riflemen sighting in.
Closeup.
Again.
Some riflemen sauntering about, bayonet presented.
Again.
One more.
Some riflemen taking a knee, preparing to throw a hand grenade (just smacked the thing on their helmets to light the fuse; well, except the dude in the cap, must used a nearby rock).
Closeup.
Again.
Some riflemen double-timing it.
Again.
Once more.
Some riflemen charging.
Classic 'banzai!' pose.
Once more.
My Type 97 tank, painted up using Contrast paints as well.
Another look.
Again.
The tank commander.
Some terrain; a concrete bunker and two spider holes.
The bunker.
A spider hole, with Arisaka muzzle protruding.
And the other spider hole, which was just a wood-lined hole in the ground, so I cut down one of the metal figures and threw him in there.
Well, there you go, my IJA, ready to do battle. I also have a Special Naval Landing Force platoon, but they're not painted, and not sure when they'll get painted as I'm finally to my painting break, time to play some games!
V/R,
Jack
