Starting Bolt Action - Fall of Singapore

I finally found some time to return to this project and round out my Japanese forces to the full 1000 points.

One thing I wanted to do was use as many of the models from my original army box as possible, so I assembled the prone models with some rifles (3) and a submachine gun (1). One was modelled as a spotter that I could use as either an artillery or air strike forward observer, or even as an addition to the mortar team I already have.

Another thing I wanted to do was use the iconic Japanese knee mortars, so I made three soldiers with these to unlock a fully equipped grenadier unit as an option.

I did have to make a new purchase which was the Type 92 70mm infantry gun team from Warlord. I needed a type 41 75mm mountain gun for my list and this is the closest they do. I may look elsewhere at some point for the exact gun (cos I’m like that) but for now it will do.

The remaining sprues I used to make 3 rifleman, a submachine gunner and a feature model with a pistol, rifle and some base details.

As I said previously, I used a great video from Sonic Sledgehammer Studios on YouTube to base my paint scheme on. There were some differences so I’ll put a bit more detail here.

Everything is airbrush primed in Vallejo Ghost Grey.

Everything is then airbrushed in Vallejo Model Color (VMC) Japanese Uniform.

The rest of the colours break down as follows:

Skin – VMC Light Flesh

Webbing straps, rifle straps, bread bags, ammo pouch bodies for machine gun and mortar – VMC German Camo Beige WWII

Other pouches, belt, boots, ammo pouch top flaps for machine gun and mortar – VMC Saddle Brown

At this point I dry-brushed the miniatures all over with VMC Dark Sand.

Water Bottles, helmets – VMC Brown Violet

Rifle and machine gun stocks – VMC Beige Brown

Bayonets, metal gun parts, glasses frames (a few heads only), hair, officer’s katana, binoculars, knee-mortar – VMC Black

Katana and bayonet blades – VMC Oily Steel

Glasses lenses – VMC White Grey

As a final touch I went back and touched up the strap cradles for the water bottles and the grip at the base of the knee-mortars with VMC German Camo Beige as it was easier to paint those at this stage.

I painted the mountain gun all over with VMC US Field Drab.

With the base colours done all of the models were brush painted with Army Painter Soft Tone Quickshade.

After this had dried I painted all of the exposed bases with VMC US Field Drab to act as base colour for Geek Gaming Scenics Base Ready Mediterranean Soil.

All the models were then sprayed with watered down PVA to both seal the base ready and act as matting agent over the Quickshade.

So the final finished 1942 Fall of Singapore 1000 point list is:

Regular rikugun-shoi (2^nd lieutenant) with 2 bodyguards all armed with submachine guns.

Three regular 10 man infantry squads – NCO is armed with rifle and one soldier is armed with a type 96 light machine gun.

Regular forward observer (air) with a single bodyguard – both models are armed with rifles.

Regular 11 man grenadier squad – MCO is armed with a rifle. Three soldiers are armed with knee-mortars.

Regular 3 man medium machine gun team.

Regular 3 man medium mortar team with an additional spottter.

Regular type 41 mountain gun and 3 crew.

Regular type 97 chi-ha tank.