Warlord Games Add Papuan Infantry Battalion to Pacific Theatre
August 9, 2017 by thisisazrael
Warlord Games have released a new Pacific unit for Bolt Action, the Papuan Infantry Battalion.
The Papuan Infantry specialist in scouting, setting up traps and engaging in stealth reconnaissance.
Historically these were local men led by Australian Officers and recruited in New Guinea.
Being local men they utilised their knowledge of terrain and jungles, becoming almost impossible to ambush as they fought through the Kokoda campaign and up to the end of the war against Imperial Japan.
The set comes with ten metal minis consisting of one NCO with SMG and nine Papuan men with rifles.
Will you be adding some of the Papuan to your table?
Those are very nice.
On behalf of my northern neighbours can I make an important point for any future miniature makers. Papuans don’t like to be called New Guinean, New Guineans don’t like to be called Papuan, and while the distinction is largely geographic, it is very important to them. You don’t use the terms interchangeably, and if you do want a generic term for both use Papua New Guinean. That said they were incredibly brave and indispensible men. The modern PNGers that I have met in my life are some of the friendliest, nicest and most loyal people I know … (but don’t… Read more »
I think that this text was lifted from the Warlord web page so you may wish to inform them of the inaccuracies 😉
Well, it’s historically correct, that’s what the battalion was called. And warlord is generally correct with its authenticity. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papuan_Infantry_Battalion
Thanks for the info @deaddave , I enjoyed reading it, but as I presume Warlord are going to be using the same troops for the first and second New Guinea regiments (also mentioned in the article) I still feel Warlord should have used a more generic term, as Papuans are proud to be Papuan, (the North) New Guineans are proud to be New Guinean (the South) and if you use the specific term the really do find it offensive. I suspect this is why the Australian Army in World War 2 Gave the three regiments distinct identities …. If Warlord… Read more »