Japanese Army Weapons Teams

Infantry weapons teams are a key component of any Bolt Action army, providing as they do great tactical flexibility for your force. Sniper teams, anti-tank teams and flamethower teams are among the most prevalent, presenting your opponent with multiple challenges to overcome.

The lack of anti-tank guns capable of taking on heavier tanks such as the Sherman led the Japanese infantry to develop desperate anti-tank weapons. These often called upon a soldier to take an extreme risk or even to sacrifice his life. The most famous of these was the lunge mine, a shaped charge mounted on a bamboo stick. In other cases, soldiers waited in disguised pits holding an artillery shell they would ram into the bottom of a tank as it passed overhead, or strapped themselves with several magnetic mines or satchel charges and threw themselves upon the enemy vehicle.

Combat engineer units formed a constituent part of every IJA division. They carried explosives for demolition work and attacking enemy fortifications, and were also equipped for mine clearance. Some carried the Type 100 flamethrower that saw action in the early years of World War II in Indonesia and the Philippines.

The jungles of South Asia provided plenty of opportunity for snipers to make their mark, and the Japanese sniper was well served by the Type 97 sniper rifle with telescopic sight. The rifle was especially suited to use by concealed snipers as its small-calibre bullet and long barrel resulted in very little muzzle flash or smoke, enabling the shooter to remain unseen by the enemy.