"Late 2017 - WW2 project" Topic

Okay…

Early 2017 is filled with winnowing and painting of current figures plus beta testing a football set of rules.

So –

IF I get rid of some 25+mm figures in the basement
And
IF my retirement income is good enough (should be as soon as OPM gets cracking)

I think I want to do some US Army/USMC/Japanese forces early war WW2 gaming with THW NUTS 2nd edition War Against Japan rules.

Wake Island, New Guinea, Guadalcanal, that sort of thing.

I have terrain from VSF/Tarzan as a start.

I need figures. In an ideal world they would be 15/18mm sized.

Are there adequate sources in that size to do this?

If not, I would look to 20mm or 1/72nd figures. Sources for these?

In NO WAY am I willing to go 25+mm figures. Or 6mm/3mm for that matter at this time because of current terrain available.

These look good: TMP link

Those are perfect for USMC on Wake, need a source for later American figures through Guadalcanal plus Japanese and I would be good to go in 15/18mm!

Great start. Thanks Wargamer Dave!

link

link

link

Strelets have Plastic 1/72 Early War US Army in Brodie helmets and a Lewis gun as the LMG, as well as BAR. There are two sets of them, as well as US Navy (Pearl Harbor attack) with some sailors armed as well as doing damage control, and there's a water-cooled 30 on a ship's mount. They're also doing Japanese paratroopers (released) and Japanese in tropical uniform (pending). The sculpts are pretty good too. They've also got WW2 New Zealand troops wearing the lemon squeezer which I plan on using for between-the-wars USMC.

ESCI have some nice Japanese figures too – you can usually find them fairly cheap on Ebay (where I got all mine). Waterloo 1815 and Revell also have Japanese (again Ebay is where I got mine). Check them out on Plastic Soldier Review. link

I bought the Eureka figs – Americans and Japanese. They are excellent figures, no flash, and painted up easily. I also got very good service from Eureka too here in the states.

Eureka makes nice minis, and the Battlefront/Flames of War minis are likely to be readily available locally.

I don't have any of the BF island-troop Japanese, but the early war Japanese are excellent sculpts (and actually come with extra troops so you have a choice of rifle banners or none).

QRF also has Japanese troops: link

You should also have a look at the 20mm FAA Miniatures…

Japs.. link

US Marines.. link

Merrill's Marauders.. link

I haven't been able to find Marines suitable for Guadalcanal in any scale, just haven't found anyone that makes men in M-1 helmets with Springfields (much less Reisings and Johnson LMGs).

I'm going 15mm all the way through the war, with Eureka for USMC in the Philippines:

Eureka Japanese for the whole war:

Peter Pig for Guadalcanal:

That's a BAR, but the M-1s will just have to do for Springfields. Plenty of Thompsons as well, though they have the stick magazines, not the drum.

Peter Pig for going up the Solomons:

And Peter Pig for Tarawa to Okinawa:

V/R,
Jack

Platoon 20 did USMC with Springfields in 20mm and these are now available from East Riding Miniatures: link

Well I'll be damned. Just four poses, and they shouldn't have the helmet covers (which may only be painted on, can't tell), but there are Leathernecks with M-1 helmets and Springfields.

Too late for me, but great find, Mag!

V/R,
Jack

Oh, those are nice.

I really want US Army troops for New Guinea and Guadalcanal too so I have time before June or July.