The PTO

[Weird WWII]

Well I have to say that the PTO gets totally overlooked in WWII wargaming.  I have been looking for some good minis to start my Pacific gaming but the industry tends to ignore it.  I know the Japanese didn't have the tech and armor that us gamers like to play with but I can't think of a better theater of war that involves small unit tactics for skirmish wargaming better then this one.  With all the bunker busting, prepared positions, suicide attacks and thick built up terrain the war in both the Pacific and mainland Asia should get all us gamers excited.  I've only played a handful of PTO games and when done realistically they are some very exciting and stressful games. 

Do you play the Pacific in your WWII or Weird War II gaming?

Brian

[Plynkes]

One game, that's all. Our first game of Crossfire was done with plastic 20mm Japanese and Aussie soldiers to test out the rules. I really liked Crossfire but everyone else in our group hated it. I tried one more with a Normandy setting (thinking it might be more palatable there) but got the same reaction.

Gave up on it after that.

I must admit when I saw "PTO" I had no idea what you were referring to (Palestinian Terror Organisation? Never heard of that). I'm not sure non-Americans think of it in those terms. The Pacific seems quite a long way away when you are fighting the Japanese in India. I guess we all focus on what our own nations were up to. That's only natural.

My brother is obsessed with this part of the war, especially the British experience in Burma and India. I'm sure he wouldn't take much convincing to play such a game. I don't know why it isn't more popular. Might become so if a bunch of ranges get launched off the back of the Spielberg series that is supposed to be coming out.

Not really my cup of tea. Can't put my finger on exactly why. Just not my thing. I'd be more than happy to play if somebody else did all the painting, though.

[Keith]

Brigade do very good figures for it in 28mm, Warmodellig (Fantassin) do great ones in 20mm and Eureka do beauties in 15mm. When I decide on a scale I'll be sorted 

[Gallowglass]

I've got a lot of the Brigade Games WW2 USMC and Japanese, sculpted by Mr Hicks. Lovely figures.

The more I read about the island-hopping campaign etc, the more interested I get.

TAG's Chindits are nice as well, as are the Brigade Games Australians - I don't have any of those yet, but they're on the list.

So, yeah - Pacific and Far Eastern theatres are very interesting, and something I'm in the process of building

[redzed]

Frothes Jap Showcase Link

I went for a mix of Brigade & TAG Japanese, all the Brigade figs are excellent, some of the TAG figs have stupid poses so 'pick & mix', both ranges do go together well.

The TAG  Brits etc are the DB's.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

just underlined your link, Red

[Cory]

We've done some WWII pacific games, but my 20 or so Japanese have seen more action in Pulp games than in real WWII. Still, a friend and I keep discussing a fall of the Phillipines campaign.

[Jules]

I use PBI for pacific games and I think it really gives the feel of the close in fighting lots of dice and cheap figures just a platoon or so each side.  Great fun.

www.peterpig.co.uk

[Arlequín]

I have to say I've never really took an interest in the far-east campaigns. I'm also very Euro and afro-centric in all my periods come to think of it. I haven't a clue why either 

[CompanyB]

I'd say anyone that plays these games would be hooked.  You just need the proper scenario.

Here's the game set up we had at enfilade last week.  Peleliu!


http://homepage.mac.com/brentdietrich/companyB_Peleliu.htm


Some shots from beach invasion games (though we only do a few of these...more games are inland, or raids against elite bases.  Having Marine commandos storm a Seaplane outpost and radio tower is a pretty fun scenario..at least until the Japanese SLNF show up....

http://homepage.mac.com/brentdietrich/companyB_gamegal.htm

The Japanese are not easy to beat.  I've won against marine players while outnumbered 10 to 1 in a few games ...all I had is three snipers and a mountain gun, against a platoon of stuarts, flame tanks and three squads.  Fanatic suicide troops help, as well as taking out american commanders in the opening rounds with sniper fire.

Brent
CompanyB

[Keith]

That looks excellent!

[Prof.Witchheimer]

the waves on the beach look really good, would like to see some close-ups of them

[Gallowglass]

Those pics are beautiful.

I have to say it was the Brigade USMC and Japanese (and the cool Company B vehicles) that really sold me on the PTO as a project. "Flags of or Fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima" didn't exactly hurt either, nor did having a fiancée whose grandfather was an Iwo Jima Marine!

I think there will be a big swing towards the theatre on gaming tables once the HBO series "The Pacific" is released next year. The series is basically "Band of Brothers - the Pacific" and looks to follow the same 10-episode format as the original. AFAIK, it'll be based on two memoirs "Helmet for My Pillow" by Robert Leckie, and "With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa" by E.B. Sledge. I picked up Sledge's memoir a few weeks ago in the US and it has been an excellent read. I'd recommend it to anybody simply as a WW2 memoir.

This is a link to a fansite for the series:

http://www.pacificfans.com/

One to look out for, folks. 

[Ray Rivers]

 

Nice table!!!!

The game must have been great fun!