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Converting Early 20th Century Japanese to WW1 Serbs

  • JTam

    As we found out here:

    https://wargamesatlantic.com/community/xenforum/topic/44406/sneak-peek-what-s-behind-the-curtain

    The Early 20th Century Japanese kit could make serviceable WW1 Serbian troops.  Particularly if the kit went down to one bedroll.  (Sidenote:  I can't find any pictures of Japanese troops with two bedrolls, plenty with one.  I'm certain WGA did their research, but if both [single and double bedroll] are correct than the single bed roll certainly makes a more flexible kit.)  

    The coats, webbing gear, and putees are all a decent match for WW1 Serbs, Salonika time frame.  Were the Serbs still using Mausers there, or did they receive French rifles?  If the Serbs were still using Mausers I would just use the Arisaka rifles, but one could substitute Mausers from the WGA WW1 German kit if one desired. (I don't think the juice is worth the squeeze in 28mm).

    (Serbian Mauser)

    (Arisaka)

    If using French rifles the obvious source is WGAs French Infantry kit. 

    Just need to source shikatch heads.  And/or use WGA French Adrian helmet heads.

    Anyone have thoughts on the viability of this?  Input?

    Anyone know where to get shikatch heads?

     

  • JTam

    Boom.

    https://www.gothiclineminiatures.com/apps/webstore/products/show/7641385

     

  • JTam

    Related.  Dug out a Kosovo bring back shikatch from the back of the closet.

  • Yronimos Whateley

    I don't know why, but I really enjoy these sorts of discussions on how to "fudge" a given kit into a surprising new use - I think it's the problem-solving aspect :)

    Seems like a good match to me.

    I don't know exactly when the Serbs used Mausers, but it sounds like they used them in WWI, and I've got a Cold-War era Mauser and crate of Serb 8mm ammo stashed away in an attic, so if the Serbs stopped using Mausers at some point in WWI, they seem to have started manufacturing them again for at least reserve/militia use by the end of WWII, into the '40s and 50s.  The Mauser was and is a fine bolt-action  rifle, I'm sure the Serbs (and most of the world) would have been using them wherever they could get them and make them work through the early 20th century.  I think the Arisaka is a remarkably good match for the Mauser at that scale!

    The helmets in the reference illustrations in the original posts seem to be WWI French, easily sourced from WA's French soldiers, but the caps are pretty unique; I might use some of the caps from the French Resistance set - a couple are close, but not exact - but it's obviously not going to stand up to scrutiny with a magnifier! :)

    I'm pretty sure these would be the preview pictures in question:

    There was apparently a sneak-peak of a Japanese canteen, but I lost that one before I could post it.

     

    I don't suppose one of those bedroll-like features would be a great-coat, would it? 

     

    Also, I'm starting to wonder if the sculptors sometimes drop little "off", out-of-place details in their preview shots on purpose for some reason - are they having fun with us, keeping things murky to protect intellectual property until they are ready to officially announce something, or maybe there's some other reason beyond my guessing for doing things like double-bedrolls on figures that shouldn't have them, or extra pouches on backpacks that wouldn't normally have them?  I prefer to think they're doing it just to see if we're paying attention, and enjoying the mystified reactions :D 

     

  • JTam

    @Yronimos Whateley 

    The problem solving aspect is enjoyable.

    The other enjoyable element is the research.  One always finds out something new when one starts digging into a campaign or troop type.

    Just doing the "research" for this little thread I learned a great deal about a campaign I previously new little about.  

    I had no idea the incredible casualty rate the Serbian people suffered.  By some accounts a third of it population and 60% of its male population.  How does a country/people come back from that?

    I wasn't really tracking the post fall of Serbia campaign till now either.

  • JTam

    @Yronimos Whateley 

    LOL if WGA is just trolling us with little things that are off.

  • Christopher Tyrer

    I've already bought some 28mm Serb heads from eureka miniatures. Now I'm just waiting for the release of WGA Japanese to convert into Serbian infantry... Hopefully some 1914 Austrians to follow!

  • JTam

    @Christopher Tyrer 

    I had no idea Eureka had WW1 early war Serbs.

    There's no pictures of the heads.  I assume they look much like this?

     

    Going back to the joys of research, I recently learned about the opanci foot wear.  Nice to see them represented on the miniatures.

     

  • JTam

    Shikatchs seemed taller in WW1 than WW2 or modern day.

    (If WGA did a set, could the decal set include rifle stock art?)

     

    This is the most extreme example:

    Conversely, these seem WW2/modern height:

     

  • Christopher Tyrer

    @JTam  

    Yeah, you can get them with beards too!

    0 likes
  • JTam

    @Christopher Tyrer 

    Are you still going to do the conversions/use the Eureka heads if the Japanese Infantry are released with double bed rolls? 

    0 likes
  • Christopher Tyrer

    @JTam  Yes. I can get past the double bed rolls thing. In the field the Serbs were a bit of a irregular bunch so I can work with it. 
      I already have some empress miniatures Japanese which are damn fine figures & I have always wanted some 1914 Serbs & Austrians so I see this as my big chance.

  • jS

    I do hope they get rid of at least one of the bedrolls. Both gone would be better.

    0 likes
  • JTam

    @john Sullivan 

    Bit of a shame, but I think they are committed to the double bedroll.  (I would have gone with one).  I ASSUME these are being painted for the box.

    https://wargamesatlantic.com/community/xenforum/topic/59735/painted-japanese

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