Sunday, September 25, 2011

28mm WWII: Japanese Infantry Test Paints

I haven't had too much time to work on miniatures or much else this week.  However, I've got an itch to return to my 28mm WWII project.  Those bags of West Wind Japanese Infantry have been staring at me long enough.  Time for them to hit the painting table.  So I spent most of my available time cleaning up the models, mounting them on bases, and then adding basing texture.  They're now primed and ready to go.  But I got stuck on the uniform colors.

I've always imagined Japanese to wear khaki colored uniforms.  It's probably a Hollywood thing.  My research didn't turn up anything in those colors.  Basically it's a few different shades of green for either the Pacific Islands or Southeast Asia.  For China, uniforms were brown gray.  So I imagined my US Rangers to be in the vein of Merril's Marauders.  Therefore, the Japanese Infantry should be painted for the SE Asia scheme.  But I plan to some day pull together US Marines for the island hopping campaigns.  I did test paints for both.
On the left is the Southeast Asia scheme.  It's Vallejo Green Ochre.  On the right is the Pacific Islands scheme, which is Vallejo Middlestone.  Both got a wash of Citadel Sepia.   Though the left side looks more like the Japanese you see in old war movies, I think the right side looks better.  So I'm leaning that way.  If anyone has an opinion, I'd like to hear it.

Once I settle on a color scheme.  I've got a full rifle platoon to paint.
That's three squads of 13 men, NCO and Jr NCO, LMG, and ten riflemen.  The HQ is a two man squad.  I still have enough infantry to do another full squad.  I also got all of the West Wind line.  So I have a lot of weapons teams to complete.  But when it's done I will have a nice sized Japanese Infantry force with different options for it.  The challenge will be finding 28mm sized vehicles for them.

5 comments:

Dagreenskins said...

Jerry they both look nice and I will be happy to play against either army. If you can't find a tank from a gaming company you might have to find some plastic model kits. The scale might be off slightly but you will have tanks. Keep up the good work buddy.

Tom O said...

Jerry, Brigade Games carries the "Company B" range of 1/56 vehicles and they have plenty of stuff for the S. Pacific.
http://www.brigadegames.com/WW2--Pacific-War-Vehicles_c_123-1-4.html

Tom

Jerry said...

Thanks guys! I might have to get that Japanese elephant driver just because!

Tim Kulinski said...

Jerry,

Talking to Rob tonight & I told him about your Japanese, he suggested you get Vallejo Paint color 923 Japan Uniform Green, although I do like the model on the left using the Green Ochre color.

Jerry said...

@Tim, Strange thing is that in every website that mentioned colors, the Japanese Uniform Green Color was considered the worst choice! I was going to get it too. But apparently it is way off. I'm going with Green Ochre, which I think looks great on these models. Thanks!