Miniatures for Japanese Artillery in Mongolia?

[FBadger]

First let me say that I was very pleased to run across this Back Of Beyond forum shortly after reading the latest book about Baron Ungern-Sternberg, The Bloody White Baron. It's very gratifying to see lots of other people doing very similar things already, and with great aplomb too, I must add.

I actually found the book so inspiring that I have decided to put together an Ungern-Sternberg army myself. I haven't had too much trouble finding most of the miniatures I need, as it seems Copplestone has produced the majority of them already.

The one thing I'd very much like to include though that I haven't immediately found good examples of is Japanese artillery. I see that Old glory produces a fairly okay Japanese artillery crew set, here but I don't see any artillery pieces on their site.

I am going to go out on a limb and assume that the Japanese were probably using the Model 41 (If anyone knows differently, let me know!). I did find one company that makes a Model 41, Figure Armours Artillery USA, but they don't have a picture of it on their site! Has anyone seen one? Does anyone know of any other good source for this artillery piece or a good stand-in?

This era and locale is totally fascinating to me right now. I look forward to any thoughts or input that anyone else might be able to provide!

--Ben

[gamer Mac]

Are FAA not 20 mm?

[Svennn]

I would probably go with something from the Tiger Miniatures range. Nice AND cheap. Maybe not accurate enough for you but I allow a little leeway in my BoB.

Svennn

[Boggler]

I've just used the Copplestone Chinese Field Gun and crew.

It might not be accurate but it looks the part.

[FBadger]

Are FAA not 20 mm?

I'm not sure what you mean here. I'm hoping to do 25/28mm for my army.

I would probably go with something from the Tiger Miniatures range. Nice AND cheap. Maybe not accurate enough for you but I allow a little leeway in my BoB.

Ah I have not looked at their ranges before!  They don't have Japanese crew, but they do have some nice artillery to be sure. I may well end up with something from them. Thank you for the suggestion!

I've just used the Copplestone Chinese Field Gun and crew.

It might not be accurate but it looks the part.

Interesting suggestion! I am quite fond of many the Copplestone sculpts. I'll take another look at their Chinese guns and see how they look. Thanks!

I certainly don't have my heart set on 100% accuracy. I take it from these responses that there aren't many companies making Japanese ranges from this period? I had expected I might find something more from the Boxer Rebellion that would be pretty close, but the Old Glory stuff was all I could find.


I'd actually be very interested to know what others are using for their armies in general. As I said earlier I'm expecting that most of my force will be made up of Copplestone BoB models. Has anyone run across any other units from the Baron's army that aren't included in the Copplestone range?

[gamer Mac]

I am going to go out on a limb and assume that the Japanese were probably using the Model 41 (If anyone knows differently, let me know!). I did find one company that makes a Model 41, Figure Armours Artillery USA, but they don't have a picture of it on their site! Has anyone seen one? Does anyone know of any other good source for this artillery piece or a good stand-in?

Sorry I didn't explain myself very well. You said above that you were looking at Figure Armours Artillery USA (FAA). I believe that FAA manufacture 20 mm/ 1/72 scale stuff. Very nice stuff it is too. I presumed from the rest of your post you were looking for 25/28 mm guns. Didn't want you ordering the wrong size.

[FBadger]

Sorry I didn't explain myself very well. You said above that you were looking at Figure Armours Artillery USA (FAA). I believe that FAA manufacture 20 mm/ 1/72 scale stuff. Very nice stuff it is too. I presumed from the rest of your post you were looking for 25/28 mm guns. Didn't want you ordering the wrong size.

Ah thanks for looking out for me! I appreciate the info on FAA. The scale and the quality of their figures wasn't immediately obvious from their site.

-Ben

[Svennn]

I presume you are aware of the Redoubt Boxer range. I stumbled across a Japanese officer in the Reaper Chronoscope range last night that may be usefull.

I think you may be looking at head swaps for your artillery crew.  I have been on the look out for miniatures to use for the Russo Japanese war without much luck. Stronghold do some but not entirely to my taste and then the naval side of things seems well sorted in various small scales.

[carlos marighela]

The most common piece in service would have been the Type 38 75mm field gun. Fortunately for you this was essntially a licence made Krupp export piece, pretty much identical to the Belgian, Turkish and a host of other nations versions of the same gun. Nobody makes one specifically but that gun was essntially very similar to the German m/96 nA 77mm and everybody and their dog makes one of those. You can choose from Old Glory, GWM, Renegade, Woodbine design etc etc. All you need do is swap the gun shield for a piece of suitably curved plastic card and Bob's your uncle.

Some photos here:

http://www3.plala.or.jp/takihome/38-75.htm

[sukhe_bator]

There's an example at Firepower Museum, Woolwich

[gamer Mac]

Sorry I didn't explain myself very well. You said above that you were looking at Figure Armours Artillery USA (FAA). I believe that FAA manufacture 20 mm/ 1/72 scale stuff. Very nice stuff it is too. I presumed from the rest of your post you were looking for 25/28 mm guns. Didn't want you ordering the wrong size.

Ah thanks for looking out for me! I appreciate the info on FAA. The scale and the quality of their figures wasn't immediately obvious from their site.

-Ben

I think the banner at the top of the web page sort of explains what scale they make. http://figuresarmourartilleryusa.com/ You have obviously been painting to many small figures and are going blind like the rest of us.
As for quality it was always stunning but when they moved to the USA they became difficult to source of here.
I have some of their 20 mm guns and the detail is great. I always really like their figures as well.

[sukhe_bator]

I had always assumed U-S was employing Japanese 'military advisors' and officers financed by the Japanese, but would have relied on his own 'kit' which would have been a mix of Russian and Chinese ordnance. I have a few Japanese figs making 'guest appearances' in my units (see .
Japanese interventionists however would of course have been equipped with their own kit.

I agree it is somewhat easier to realise in 15mm when if necessary you can 'fudge' some of the uniform and equipment details
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=9258.msg105789#msg105789

[FBadger]

I think the banner at the top of the web page sort of explains what scale they make. http://figuresarmourartilleryusa.com/ You have obviously been painting to many small figures and are going blind like the rest of us.

Ha, yeah I did totally miss that on their site. I blame all these 15mm FoW Desert Rats I've got lined up in front of me! They'll be the death of my eyesight, for sure.

Anyway thank you all very much for the astute advice. I'll probably go with the Type 38's (m/96's) plus Old Glory crew.

Also, sukhe_bator, I had admired your 15mm terrain previously. Very nice stuff indeed.

Some day in the distant future I'll post pictures of my completed and painted army! I've only got 3 or 4 other projects lined up before it so at the rate I paint it should be done sometime in 2015!

--Ben

[Poctaman]

On a related note -- what type of figures are you using for Japanese intervention forces in Siberia?

[sukhe_bator]

Thanks for the compliment. I was originally inspired by the BoB 'Big Brother' scenery and figures that I saw at conventions etc. I hope I can in turn inspire other BoB'ers out there in the Motherscale...
I'm more or less planning the same project in 15mm. My choices for Japanese figures are more limited (Old Glory15s, Irregular etc.) drawn mostly from either Boxer Rebellion or Russo-Japanese ranges but there's useful info to be had on the Irregular Miniatures site. http://www.irregularminiatures.co.uk/Misc/UsefulGuns.htm
Their Really Useful Guns, while intended for 15/20mm use, do have accompanying notes on the various types employed by the Japanese...
Also, while stylised, the Library of Congress have some lovely contemporary Japanese prints of the Intervention published in 1919
http://netmole.blogspot.com/2008/10/siberian-intervention-19181922-was.html
Perhaps we can compare notes on figure painting etc. I'm having trouble finding images of figures 'out there' in 15mm