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Re: PSR GUY ANNOUNCES UPCOMING STRELETS SETS!

Wow!!...Japanese airborne troops....i hope they will not be all in combat pose.
Furthermore looking forward for more ww2 Japanese set....Tank crew set wouldn't be bad at all!! (not much choice in the market at the moment).

Jap paras & SA (South Africans)

To answer a question, Japanese airborne saw action against the Dutch. That means we could hope for KNIL ( their Dutch opponents). Regarding the SA, they saw action in North Africa, and would be identified by khaki drill with pith helmets.
Thank you Strelets, for the good news. How about adding some WW I cavalries: early French & Austrian, plus the german mounted Jager. These had specific helmets, not easy to convert. The Strelets WW I cavalries are great.

Re: Jap paras & SA (South Africans)

Am absolutely loving the WW2 items! Thank you Strelets!

No Portuguese Cazadores

O well guess I will wait till 2016 for a box of Napoleonic Cazadores in Stovepipe shako.

Re: No Portuguese Cazadores

Looks like something for everyone, the Roman Senate could be interesting, maybe some back stabbing?

Re: No Portuguese Cazadores

Is there any Senate without back stabbing?

Re: No Portuguese Cazadores

I might actually become interested in Napoleonic era sets for the first time ever! Like the sound of the WWII stuff, especially the South Africans - on that theme, it would be really nice to see some Free French for North Africa, what is on offer at present is not great.

Re: Jap paras & SA (South Africans)

petrovici radu
To answer a question, Japanese airborne saw action against the Dutch. That means we could hope for KNIL ( their Dutch opponents). Regarding the SA, they saw action in North Africa, and would be identified by khaki drill with pith helmets.


Many thanks for the info. Sounds like we could use the SA to defend Malaya and Singapore in 1941! Anyone interested in the paratroopers might find these links of use:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_marine_paratroopers_of_World_War_II
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teishin_Shudan
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=65&p=1201170

petrovici radu
How about adding some WW I cavalries: early French & Austrian, plus the german mounted Jager.


I'd certainly be interested in 1914/15 Austro-Hungarian cavalry as well. Regards, Pat

Re: Jap paras & SA (South Africans)

Early WWII Americans:

US Army troops get the M1 rifle, the M1917 helmet, the BAR, the Thompson usually with drum magazine, the Lewis Gun, the Colt M1911 pistol.

Philippine troops get the Springfield Rife as do the US Marines. Marines get the other weapons I mentioned, Philippine troops don't get the Thompson.

US Army and Marine troops as well as Philippine troops may also have the Montana Peak Hat (Smokey the Bear hat, Campaign Hat) but in combat would usually wear the flat helmet, M1917.

US Army horse mounted cavalry did fight their last cavalry charge as mounted troops in the Philippines.

US Navy, Naval Infantry Battalion; just like the guys in the movie The Sand Pebbles. They had a variety of small arms, Springfield rifles, BAR, and they wore the naval uniform with both the M1917 helmet and the "sailor cap." They fought in the Philippine Campaign and also in small unit actions in various places.

So early war US military requires five sets:
US Army Infantry
Philippine Scouts Infantry
US Marines
US Army Cavalry, Horse
US Navy, Naval Infantry Battalion

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

These forces saw combat on Wake Island, mostly US Marines, but some US Army too, as well as civilians in a combat role. The Philippine Campaign that was almost six months long, and in Java where US Army troops were sent briefly.

Re: Jap paras & SA (South Africans)

Hi All

One of South Africa's (S.A.)main efforts during the early part of World War II was in Italian East Africa(ie - Abyssinia). This was during 1939 -1940. I hope Strelets is producing these figures as to date nobody has produced them yet. The SHQ figures in metal are wearing the correct sun helmets(the South African "Polo Pattern"-totally different to the British sun helmet") but are depicted in shorts for the desert campaign. In the East African campaign they had a distinct South African "look"about them as they wore the S.A. bush jacket, long trousers, World War I webbing and the distinct S.A. gaiters which where higher than the British army gaiters. They also wore brown boots not the black boots used by the British and other commonwealth countries. Weaponary carried was British Lee Enfield .303(not the number 1 mk 4 - but the earlier weapon), Bren guns, 1907 pattern sword bayonets and the support companies had Vickers medium machine guns and 3" mortars. The infantry had 2" infantry mortars.

In the later part of World War II, after the North African campaign was concluded the 6th South African Armoured Division was deployed to Italy around mid 1944 until the end of the war. They wore mainly British style battle dress made in South Africa so ordinary British infantry can be used for them.The only distinctive South African item was the brown boots as opposed to the black boots used by the British and other commonwelth divisions in Italy.

It should be noted that all South African soldiers, sailors and airmen were volunteers as like World War I there was no conscription. On their shoulder straps of their uniform an orange/red strip of cloth was proudly worn to signify that they were volunteers from South Africa. The only blot on the South Africa's war effort was the terrorist tactics of the "ossewaar brandwag"(literally translated as ox wagon fire watch) an extremist afrikaner nazi orientated bunch of thugs and gutter louts. They used to go around in gangs beating up any South African or allied servicemen they could find on their own or in small groups. Typical gutter louts and bullies. However the South African and allied servicemen took to going anywhere in large groups and many a ossewar brandwag street thug and bully felt the end of heavy hob nailed military boot when caught. After 1948 the ossewar brandwag gutter louts, bullies and terrorists took political power and apartheid was the result. Then 1994 came and the ANC took power. The French have a dictum which states "the more things change, the more they stay the same". Truly did Alon Paton write "Cry the Beloved Country". Relevent for when it was written and for post 1994.

Regards
Neil.