"Does each Japanese squad have a flag?" Topic

As I'm building up my Japanese BA forces a question has arisen which is does each Infantry Squad carry a Flag?

I ask this because I simply don't know and since the Japanese are one of the few countries that carried flags into battle during WWII that's why I'm asking.

The way I was going to do it was that one squad was going to get the Army Rising Sun Flag and the other squad will get the Nation's Flag.

Also each squad will have a soldier with a bugle as well.

I think that would be fine – as to the actual practice I suspect not, but it would sure make them look better on the table!

I believe that only the company HQ had a bugler and flags perhaps at the platoon level -- but it's just a game and whatever look you like is important.

Chris

I would suspect that many small unit flags were attached to rifles and as can be seen from the attached pictures could vary in style many individual soldiers also 'wore' flags as good luck tokens that were signed by family and friends when he oined the army These are often the most common 'captured flag'

obonsociety.org

The last three flags are Yosegaki Hinomaru, good luck flags. Most were made by the soldier's family and signed by his family, relatives, friends, and neighbors. As such, they are family heirlooms. The Obon Society, see the link above, is dedicated to returning the Yosegaki to the remaining familly members. We've returned quite a few flags since November when the search parameters were changed.

U.S. War Dept. Handbook on Japanese Military Forces has a Color Bearer (lieutenant) at infantry regimental headquarters and a color guard of 5 men. It shows no similar outfit at any lower level.

Yes Regimental Flags were the only official flag. However I have seen reference to a Battalion Flag not sure whether official or not?and it seems that many Battalions, companies -even platoons may have carried unofficial ones.
Many individuals carried the ones illustrated above attached to rifles. Warlord Games does a sheet of these.
I wouldn't give each squad a flag and bugle but that's me they are your toy soldiers.

I think I'll have enough Japanese troops for a Company when it's all said and done which means that I can have 2 Flagbearers for my Company and no more.

I do thank you all for your comments on this subject.

Michael

Bolt Action allows each Japanese squad to have it's own flag at a cost of (I believe) 50 points each. The flags have important in-game morale effects, and so should not be fielded if not costed.