Japanese invasion of Taiwan 1895 - advice on conversions needed!

[traveller]

Watching "Seediq Bale - Warriors of the Rainbow" inspired me to start building up forces for the Japanese invasion 1895. These attempts on the fierce Seediq Bale are mostly Foundry, and a few Dixon, conversions, together with a few shots from the movie:

[marianas_gamer]

Thumbs up! Can't wait for an AAR.
LB

[former user]

can't say anything about the movie  (where did You get it btw? looks interesting)

but You got the appearance spot on

[Svennn]

Kudos, I love to see esoteric conflicts realised with passion like this.

[traveller]

I actually watched the full movie on youtube but it is available in DVD with english subs for example at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/279-7355496-6688518?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=warriors+of+the+rainbow

The movie starts with the 1895 campaign but the main part of this 2,5 hour long movie depicts the "Wushe Incident" in 1930-1932 where the mountain tribes waged guerilla warfare against the Japanese. Think a mix of bolt action rifles, machines guns, artillery, bow and arrow, spears and air raids together with....head-hunting  
I was quite touched by the move but to find suitable miniatures is hard so I had to convert. Japanese troops are easier to find from Old Glory, Redoubt, Tsuba and Oshiro.

Hopefully the interest for this "obscure" conflict will grow with time. I am sure anyone who watch the movie will get interested.

[former user]

the other wiki says the big version is 4,5 hours in two parts
and there were some controversies, but this is to be expected with political issues

I'd love to see that movie

[DoctorPete]

Very nicely done conversions!  This is an interesting subject for gaming.   

[Mason]

This is great!

Kudos, I love to see esoteric conflicts realised with passion like this.

^^^
Sums it up perfectly.

Watching this space with interest.

[OSHIROmodels]

Interesting subject 

cheers

James

[Stavros]

I agree, very interesting subject and great conversions. Would some of the Old Glory Moro tribesmen be suitable, been looking to use those minis for 'different' tribesmen closer to mainland China.

[HerbyF]

Some East Indians or Dyak figures would mix in well too. Maybe a few Wako pirates or medieval Koreans would be easy convertions.

[traveller]

Thanks for your comments!

Its a bit of a challenge to find suitable miniatures for conversion so I am grateful for any help and suggestions. The Foundry book by Ian Heath on China provide detailed information on the dress of the different aboriginal hill tribes of Taiwan. I like though the "Movie version" of the Seediq people which maybe generalise the dress a bit. So the wanted apperance is:
-barefoot
-cleanshaven
-bareheaded or with a headcloth/scarf/bandana (no turban)
-loincloth ( no trousers)
-knee-long coat/jacket with long sleeves (it seems only the Seediq who had this, most used sleeveless coats so I have decided to use that as well)
-cloak/blanket
-muskets or captured Japanese bolt action rifles
-bow
-long knife without a handleguard
-medium long spears

I have a new batch of Foundry baluchis and somalis that I am working on. I have run out of the "headcloth-heads" I got from slaughtered Foundry Chinese so I guess the rest will be bareheaded...

[traveller]

Continuing my quest to find suitable figures for the Seediq tribesmen I found these:

http://www.westwindproductions.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=26_78&products_id=252

They look almost perfect if I could just carve out the existing weapons and replace them with muskets/rifles. Does anyone have experience of doing such a conversion? I am afraid it might be difficult?

[efredbar]

How's the quest coming along?

I've just watched this yesterday (netflix)...excellent movie.

I've been converting some Scruby dervish into generic Han (boxers, pirates, etc) and I thought I might recruit them for Han holdouts during the initial Japanese occupation. Jacklex makes Japanese for the Russo-Japanese War that look perfect for the task.

I did wonder about the Japanese soldiers that were in red britches. Is that correct....what were they...regular infantry?

Hope the project is still coming along. I like the conversions.

[traveller]

Efredbar,

Thanks for your post. I am happy to hear that others also have found this exotic conflict interesting. I have lined up some more conversions made from Foundry Baluchis and I am waiting for the West Wind Vietnam Montagnards to arrive from the UK. The project is though a bit on the shelf for the moment. I am going to Malta in a few weeks and I am totally sold on the Great siege of 1565. Hard to keep focus you know 

Regarding uniforms I think the movie depicts mostly police units hence the red breeches. I have though decided to use the Guard uniform since they spearheaded the invasion. Send me a PM if you want some uniform plates. It would be interesting to see some of your work on the dervish conversions.