Introducing the Japanese Infantry

Latest edit: Speira Miniatures Japanese Infantry

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The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) was one of the toughest in WWII. They were deployed at a massive scale and engaged in ferociously intense and brutal fighting across Asia and the Pacific. At the war's outset in the late 1930s with the expansion of the conflict in China, the IJA already fielded a substantial number of infantry divisions, in the range of 40-50 divisions. This number grew significantly as the war expanded into Southeast Asia and the Pacific, peaking at over 220 infantry divisions by the war's end, although many of these later formations were understrength and poorly equipped. These divisions were deployed across a vast theater, from the frozen plains of Manchuria to the jungles of Burma and the island chains of the Pacific all the way to the Aleutian islands. In this expansive theater, they fought US, British, Soviet, Chinese, Australians, New Zealanders, Indian, and even Dutch forces. 

The standard equipment of the Japanese infantrymen included the Arisaka rifle, light machine guns, and hand grenades. Submachine guns saw increased use by specialist troops later in the war. The ubiquitous Type 89 "knee mortar" was a key fire support weapon at the company level. As the war progressed and resources dwindled, the quality and quantity of equipment for the average infantryman often suffered, particularly for newly formed units.

Japanese infantry tactics, initially successful, often relied on overwhelming offensive spirit and close-quarters combat. Night attacks and bayonet Bansai charges were common, reflecting a doctrine that emphasized aggressive engagement. Their sense of honor led them to fight with extreme determination and to obey what were often suicide orders, rather than allow themselves to be captured. Not only did they often fight to the last man, but they also showed little mercy towards their adversaries, looking down on those who surrendered. This mindset contributed to staggering casualty figures. It is estimated that the Imperial Japanese Army suffered over 1.5 million soldiers killed in action during World War II. Given the infantry's central role in ground combat, it is estimated that at least 70-80% of these KIA were infantry personnel, potentially placing their battlefield deaths in the range of over 1 million, with approximately two thirds of these deaths resulting from starvation and disease as they endured terrible conditions in the field, often stranded on isolated islands without food or medicine.

By the end of the war in August 1945, despite its large losses, the IJA still numbered in the millions, with a significant portion of the remaining infantry defending the home islands or still deployed in various parts of Asia. It is estimated that over 6 million men served in the IJA throughout World War II, with the infantry constituting the overwhelming majority. 

In terms of availability of figures, this is a country that has received a good amount of attention, as you can see from the pictures below. 

21st Century Toys Japanese Infantry

This was one of the last figure sets produced by 21st Century Toys. They came already factory-painted. The sculpting, the poses and the painting are all among their best. The only thing that seems a bit odd to me is that several of them seem to be looking up rather than forwards. But overall, this is a very nice set, ready to be deployed into action.

Airfix Japanese Infantry - Part 1

A typical Airfix set. Well proportioned and well posed figures. The paint job came off a bit lighter than I would have liked. I will probably touch them up when I paint the other sets with a darker and slightly greener color.

Airfix Japanese Infantry - Part 2

The only complaint I have about the Airfix figures is about the kneeling guy. Without a base it is very easy for him to get knocked over. On the other hand I like the prone guy with the MG. The flaps behind his cap give him a nice touch for the tropical settings where he is supposed to be placed.

Atlantic Japanese Infantry - Part 1

As is often the case, Atlantic offers a mixed set of figures. Some of them, like the guy on the left, are in a bit of an awkward pose. The guy feeding the ammunition to the MG is also a bit stiff. Some of the other figures are better thought out and at least they are well proportioned.

Atlantic Japanese Infantry - Part 2

Some of these guys are good to deploy them as part of a raiding party or a Banzai charge.

Atlantic Japanese Infantry - Part 3

The guy with the branches is an interesting idea, but I think the execution fell short of its potential. If the guy is wearing camouflage, then he probably does not want to be seen. So why is he standing upright?

BMC Japanese Infantry - Part 1

BMC is a producer of relatively inexpensive figures, however I was very pleasantly surprised with their Iwo Jima figures, both the Japanese and the Marines. They are very well made. Superior to their price point.

BMC Japanese Infantry - Part 2

The figures are a bit on the larger side for 54 mm, but still a very good set. Can't wait to see how they look once they are painted.

First Gear Japanese Infantry

Recent recasts of the old Britains Deetail figures. They come with round bases and brown uniforms. I actually like the new color scheme better than the original.

Britains Deetail Japanese Infantry

The original figures. I have a hard time deciding which ones I like better. These or the First Gear recasts. The uniform colors are too light and green compared to the real ones, however their age holds some special appeal.

Britains Deetail Japanese Infantry - Recoilless Rifle

Part of their special Combat Weapons series. Not sure if the Japanese Army actually had this weapon in the field, but nonetheless it makes a good addition to the army and provides some welcome firepower if you are wargaming with these figures.

CTS Japanese Infantry - Part 1

Classic Toy Soldiers came out with 6 poses of Japanese Infantry. They are slightly on the larger side for 54mm. My favorite poses are the two guys working the machine gun.

CTS Japanese Infantry - Part 2

These other three guys, have very long rifles which are hard to keep straight and they are standing too straight for my taste.

Hing Fat (ESCI Clones) Japanese Infantry - Part 1

These guys came with the 'Big Bucket of Fun' from Hing Fat. It took a bit of research to figure out that they were clones of the original ESCI figures. They are supposed to be 54mm tall, but they are more like 50mm.

Hing Fat (ESCI Clones) Japanese Infantry - Part 2

Some of these poses are not my favorites, like the guy standing in the middle. He would really look out of place in a battlefield. ESCI produced 15 figures, at least that's what I counted on their 1/72 set, but Hing Fat only cloned 9 of them.

Hing Fat (Airfix Clones) Japanese Infantry - Part 3

To complete the set of 15, Hing Fat cloned the 6 Airfix figures which actually resemble very much the 6 poses that they left out from ESCI, but look better than the ESCI equivalents.

Glencoe (Marx Recasts) Japanese Infantry - Part 1

Now, here are some of the most dynamic poses in the WWII plastic figure world. A bit on the slim side, but fully action-packed. Definitely Banzai material!

Glencoe (Marx Recasts) Japanese Infantry - Part 2

Other than the prisoner guy, who would be a very rare case, these are also a very dynamic bunch.

SWTS (Recasts of Marx 6"" figures) Japanese Infantry

These are supposed to be reproductions of the 6" Marx figures in 54mm. I bought them advertised as SWTS (Steve Weston Toy Soldiers) but I have never been able to verify if that is the real vendor who made them. In any case, you can see that they have a very close resemblance to the Glencoe/Marx figures, which makes sense given their common origin.

MPC Japanese Infantry - Part 1

MPC figures tend to be tall and slim, and their poses a bit stiff, however I have a soft spot for old figures like these, and I trust that once they are painted, their appearance will improve.

MPC Japanese Infantry - Part 2

The guy without a base tends to fall over, and the rifle strap belonging to the second guy from the left is often broken when you find these figures. The same goes for the tripod on the machine gun. So if you find these guys without broken weapons grab them!

TSSD Japanese Infantry - Part 1

Toy Soldiers of San Diego came out with these figures relatively recently -a couple of years ago- and they did a very nice job with the sculpting and the poses. They actually have 8 poses only, but the guy with the flag can also hold a rifle instead - see below. 

TSSD Japanese Infantry - Part 2

The rest of the pack. As you can see, they also project a good dose of action and energy. The fixed bayonets very much in line with their tendency to engage in close quarters combat.

Oliver 60mm Japanese Infantry - Part 1

I had never heard about these figures until one day that I was browsing through eBay. They offer 11 good poses to complement your Imperial Army. Certainly they are a bit larger, but they should still fit in. I also saw them listed in a brown color.

Oliver 60mm Japanese Infantry - Part 2

The only thing I did not like about them is that they seem to be unofficial recasts (i.e. clones). If you pay attention to the base of some of the figures you will see how the base of the original figure is contained within a larger base which indicates that a second mold was made using an original cast. If the molds are lost, I suppose that is a good solution. What I didn't quite like was that the eBay listing did not point that out, and on close inspection, the figures have other imperfections typical of clones.

DGN Japanese Infantry - Part I

This set seems to be a fairly unique set in the sense that only a few of the figures seem to be influenced by prior sets -Airfix in this case. A few of the other poses have a very vague resemblance to the ESCI guys, but it is questionable. The rest of the poses seem to be originals. The man on the right for instance is a sniper which will be a good addition to my Japanese army since I do not have any so far. 

DGN Japanese Infantry - Part II

The size of the figures is also a bit on the shorter side, but considering that the Japanese were also smaller, this does not seem to be an issue. Here we have a couple of Airfix look-alikes. 

DGN Japanese Infantry - Part III

Another two more Airfix-like figures, and two originals. I just wish these guys were displaying a bit more action. I am not a big fan of guy who are just standing around.

Lido Japanese Infantry - Part I

Here are 4 of the six poses that I am aware of. These guys are really hard to find and if you do find them, they can be quite expensive. I got lucky with them, but I only found 4 of the poses. The sculpting and the detail are OK. Not the best, but decent enough. I am debating whether to paint them or not...

Lido Japanese Infantry - Part II

Here is one more pose. It is interesting that the shape of his helmet resembles that of a German soldier. Not sure what to make of that. He might be better suited to serve as a Chinese officer. The only one missing at this point is a man firing his rifle while advancing.

Lido Japanese Infantry - Part III

I think these are the last two poses. Unfortunately both of them are a bit broken. The man on the left is just missing the tip of the rifle. The officer on the right is missing a hand in which he was holding his binoculars. I'll probably end up painting them in which case I will try to repair them as the fix will be less noticeable. Even in this state, I was happy to run into them, as they are very hard to find and also got them at a great price compared to what they regularly sell for in better condition. 

Trojan Japanese Infantry

You don't often see this set and when you see it, it is often quite pricey, so I felt lucky when I was able to score one recently. I should say that I had only seen them in pictures, so it was a bit of a shock when I got them and realized that they are actually quite undersized for 1/32. At best they are 1/35, but they really feel small compared to the rest of my collection. The poses are decent and I suspect that I am missing a couple more. Unfortunately, the man on the left has the rifle tip broken off. I am sure that helped bring down the price. I'll see if I can repair it. The factory paint is still in fairly good condition. All in all, I see them more as a rare collectible worth having for the sake of completeness, than as figures I would want to mix in with the rest of my troops.

Unknown Japanese Infantry

This is a 60 mm figure. It came with a lot that I bought from the UK, so I suspect the manufacturer might be British. I can't recognize the base and sculpting, and I have not found it in my reference book or online. If you happen to know who made him, please leave a comment. I only got this pose, so it would also be good to know how many and what other poses exist. Overall, it is a decent figure in terms of detail, even if it is not the most exciting pose. As far as I can tell, that is the original paint still on it. 

Starlux 60mm Swiss Officer - painted as Japanese

This is a figure I ran into by chance, but picked up without hesitation. It was advertised as a Japanese officer, but one of our fellow collectors confirmed that it is a Swiss officer. I suspected that might be the case based on the shape of the helmet. In any case, it will be placed at the front of the column of Japanese troops which I am in the process of painting. The uniform is a bit darker than I'd like so I might need to give him a bit of a touch up. It looks like the prior owner already did touched up the paint a bit, so I am not too bothered by the thought of modifying the original. Anyhow, as you can see, it is a nicely made figure. The rider can be removed from the horse. The pose could have used a bit more action, but even like this, I find it a nice addition to the collection. The reality most likely is that officers did not ride their horses into battle, but rather used them for transportation, as shown in the picture.

Mars Imperial Japanese Infantry

This is a a set that has been made before plenty of times. But at least you can tell that the Mars sculpting team is getting more adventurous in terms of adding dynamism to its poses, and they have given us two charging men. That is offset however, by the man who is throwing (or holding?) a grenade. If he is meant to throw it, I hope his squad has time to hit the ground because that's going to land a bit short! Other than that, this set is not that remarkable, considering that there's already a good variety of Japanese Infantry poses in the market from prior manufacturers. 

Expeditionary Force Japanese Infantry - Part I

A nice set from Expeditionary Force in what nowadays is being referred to as Big 1/32 scale. Meaning, more compatible with TSSD than Airfix. As is EF style, their figures are produced as a set of bodies to which you can attach different heads and arms/weapons. Each set comes with 9 figures and 6 base body types. In this post, I have created 18 different figures from 2 sets, but you can certainly create more/different poses. The level of detail is very nice, and the quality of the plastic is also good. Robust so that you don't have a lot of bent tips, but not hard. And it is also easy to glue. In this first picture I have 3 different bodies. Unfortunately, some of the bodies have very similar stances, you have to watch the feet very carefully to tell them apart, which makes me wish they had made them more different so that we could see the variety more easily.

Expeditionary Force Japanese Infantry - Part II

The next body type is a man advancing with his right foot forward. Note that by giving them different weapons they already look quite different. On top of that you can attach a head with or without the flaps hanging on the back of the helmet, and you can also tilt them slightly to give the body language a different expression.

Expeditionary Force Japanese Infantry - Part III

This next base body is stepping forward with the left foot, and leaning forward slightly more than the men in the next picture. And not seen here, there's also some differences in the pouches attached to the back of the belt. One thing to note about the figure with the flag is that the flag does not come attached to the rifle. Therefore, you need to attach the flag to a man who is holding the rifle horizontally. I almost glued it to a man who was carrying the rifle across his chest, but then realized that gravity would make the flag hang differently. Same thing with the tassel on the officer's sword from the first picture. You need to watch how it hangs, or else be ready to cut it off and reattach it at the right angle. 

Expeditionary Force Japanese Infantry - Part IV

Another base body stepping forward with the left foot, but these guys also have the back foot pointed forward, more than the men in the previous picture. So as you can see, some of these base bodies are pretty hard to tell apart. It would have been better to make one less base body stepping forward with the left foot, and add a crouching or kneeling pose. But even with so many similar base bodies, the variety of arms and weapons, makes it possible to avoid having two figures turn out exactly the same. You just have to plan things out well before you start gluing them so that you don't end up making a clone by mistake. 

Expeditionary Force Japanese Infantry Machine Gun section - Part I

This MG set can be purchased with one or two MGs. You still get 9 figures, which means that if you only ask for 1 MG, then you will get 7 additional infantry men. Since I already had 2 sets of regular infantry, I opted for the two MGs. What's interesting in this set, aside from the obvious nice addition of the MG teams, is that the officer comes with the option of looking through binoculars. You also get a new head type, wearing a bandana around the head with the rising sun design on it, like the one that the kamikaze pilots used to wear. I gave it to one of the MG men who is likely making a final stand at his position. And you also get a couple of ammo boxes to round up the scene. 

Expeditionary Force Japanese Infantry Machine Gun section - Part II

What was a pleasant surprise with this set is that it also comes with a couple of extra options for the arms/weapons. Apparently these had been intended for the original set, but ended up being a bit late and got released with this set instead. So with this set you can look forward to being able to assemble a grenade thrower, and also a man firing a submachine gun. As you can see I opted to 'sacrifice' the second MG ammo handler and instead armed him with the submachine gun, which turned out nicely. Lastly, note that in this set, we also got a new body type: the kneeling guy on the background. I chose to arm him with a rifle in the aiming position. All in all a nice add on to the original set.

Expeditionary Force Japanese Infantry Mortar Team

This set forces you to make some interesting choices. You have the option of assembling 3 mortar teams. 2 of the figures -the kneeling ammo handler, and the standing ammo handler- could be assembled in the same position, but that would make the set a bit dull. In order to introduce some variety I assembled one set the intended way. For the second team, I gave the standing ammo handler, the arms of the kneeling ammo handler, which requires him to stand on the opposite side of the mortar, and I also turned the kneeling handler into a sub machine gunner. For the third team, I gave the kneeling handler the arms of the standing handler, and also turned the standing ammo handler into a grenade thrower. On top of that you get a commander, and two other standing figures that you can give a variety of weapons, from the ones included in the set, or from any extras that you might have from the previous sets. You also get a few options of headgear in the set which provide some additional variety. This set also came with a wall section, but I used it for the picture below.

Expeditionary Force Japanese Infantry - Jungle Defense Set

What makes this a jungle set is the helmets and cammo worn by the sniper figure, all covered in leaves. I am pretty sure the sniper is going to look really cool once it is painted. The highlight of this set is the 20mm anti-tank rifle team -note that there's also an ammo handler/loader. This 2-man team can be nicely emplaced behind the wall, which BTW is made of dirt on the outside, and lined with wooden planks on the inside. There is also a light mortar in the set, which offer a good contrast with the heavier mortars in the previous set. The rest of the figures are average poses. You will need to get a bit creative to find ways of making them look sufficiently different, given the similarity in the base bodies -I wasn't too thrilled that all of them are kneeling, but I guess that's why they are a 'defense' set. Once they are mixed together with the figures from the previous sets, this will all be less noticeable. 

Plastic Platoon Japanese Infantry

This is Plastic Platoon's first set (along with the US Marines) outside of the Eastern Front, and even though we already have a nice range of Japanese Infantry released by previous manufacturers, it is definitely a welcome set, given the exquisite level of detail and sculpting typically delivered by their figures. Take for instance, the writing on the flag attached to one of the rifles. I can't read Japanese, but it feels like it's real! But even beyond the little details and the action-packed sculpting, these poses are also nicely diverse, covering a good range of weapons, headgear, and equipment. The only thing that I noticed which seemed a bit odd to me is that the flag that we just mentioned would be 'floating' upwards. As fast as that man is running, I have a hard time imagining that the flag would defy gravity that much. But let's not get picky. It is still an amazing set that should be charging at the US forces trying to take their island!

Plastic Platoon Japanese Infantry Heavy Weapons - Part I

This is an exciting set for a couple reasons. The first one is simply that there are not that many Japanese artillery crews or artillery pieces out there. The Deetail recoilless rifle comes to mind, but that's it as far as I remember. And then there's the fact that the figures and the gun are so well sculpted and detailed. I believe this gun is a Type 92, 70 mm howitzer. The gun comes in several pieces which can be easily attached together. Glue seems to be optional. In terms of the figures, my favorite one is the man operating the sight and elevation lever.  The fact that he is straddling the gun gives it a nice touch. The officer and the loader complement the crew very nicely. 

Plastic Platoon Japanese Infantry Heavy Weapons - Part II

This MG crew is part of the same heavy weapons set. The MG is a separate sculpture itself and the man firing it can be seated on the base separately. The ammo feeder lines up just right to be able to feed the belt into the MG. This is thanks to a notch in the bases. As you can see, the whole set is rich in detail. From the bullet holes in the sandbags to the Japanese writing on the side of the ammo box. or the hobnails on the boots. The facial features on the men are also extremely well done. The only thing that is less than ideal on this set is the amount of flash on the figures. It is quite a bit and it is also hard to remove. You can still see some left on the leg of the ammo handler. Other than that. this set is a great addition to my Japanese troops.

Speira Miniatures Japanese Infantry - Part I

This is a decent batch of figures. I like that they are overall pretty dynamic in their poses. The grenade man could be leaning back of forward a bit more and the wounded man, could also be falling back more, but other than that, the sculpting is pretty good and the level of detail is also good. For example, the chin straps for the helmets are two pieces tied at the chin, as was the case in real life. You can also see the star on the front of the helmets. 

Speira Miniatures Japanese Infantry - Part II

In this other batch, the squad is ready to launch a Banzai charge. One thing to point out is that I ordered these figures in Big 1/32 scale, made to match TSSD, Conte, etc. That made a positive difference, primarily for the weapons. In prior sets that I ordered in traditional 1/32 some of the tips were broken, but not this time. That small increase in size and thickness makes the figures substantially sturdier. A few of these guys are carrying backpacks and a few of them are wearing a cap, instead of a helmet. That gives the group a bit of variety. 

Click here to take a look at WWII Toy Soldiers by Country

Click here to take a look at WWII Vehicles by Country

Click here to check out more Japanese Troops

Click here to see a very cool post of Japanese troops in action against US Marines.

Here you can see a more detailed description of the Atlantic Japanese guy with the cammo

Click here to see a post about the Marines

Click here to see a post about clones and recasts

Introducing the Soviet Naval Infantry

Latest edit: Added Hanomak 'Baltika Set 2' Soviet Naval Infantry

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The Soviet Naval Infantry (Morskaya Pekhota) played a significant, though often overlooked, role in World War II. Initially, many naval infantry units were formed hastily from sailors, ship crews, and shore-based personnel to bolster the Red Army's land defenses against the rapid German advance in 1941. These hastily formed brigades and battalions, often lacking specialized amphibious training and equipment, were thrown into the thick of some of the war's most brutal battles, including the defenses of Odessa, Sevastopol, Leningrad, and Stalingrad. Despite their improvised nature and often heavy losses, they earned a reputation for fierce fighting and unwavering tenacity, becoming known by the Germans as the "Black Death" due to their dark naval uniforms and fierce resistance.

The organization of the Soviet Naval Infantry evolved throughout the war. While theoretically an amphibious force, large-scale amphibious landings were relatively few. More commonly, naval infantry brigades, which could vary in size from 3 to 10 battalions, were deployed as regular infantry reinforcements in critical sectors of the land front. These brigades typically included rifle companies, machine gun companies, mortar companies, and sometimes artillery and anti-tank elements. Over time, as the war progressed, the training and equipment of the naval infantry improved, and they became more integrated into the overall Red Army structure, sometimes even adopting army uniforms, though their distinctive naval character and fighting spirit remained.

Uniforms and equipment of the Soviet Naval Infantry initially reflected their naval origins. They often fought in their dark blue or black naval pea coats and sailor caps. As the war continued and they operated further inland, they sometimes transitioned to standard Red Army uniforms for practicality and camouflage. However, the black pea coat often remained a symbol of their identity and fighting prowess. Their weaponry mirrored that of the regular infantry, primarily the Mosin-Nagant rifle, PPSh submachine guns becoming more prevalent later in the war, DP-28 light machine guns, and various mortars. Anti-tank weaponry evolved from early war anti-tank rifles to grenades and later rocket launchers.

It is estimated that somewhere between 350k to 500k men served in the ranks of the Soviet Naval Infantry, up from just a few battalions and brigades at the start of the war. Casualties were exceptionally high, mirroring the immense losses suffered by the Red Army as a whole on the Eastern Front. Due to their deployment in some of the most contested and strategically vital areas, these units often faced relentless enemy attacks and endured horrific conditions. While specific casualty figures solely for the naval infantry are difficult to isolate from overall Red Army losses (estimated to be in the millions), their contribution in manpower and sacrifice was undoubtedly significant in stemming the German tide and ultimately contributing to the Soviet victory. Their bravery in the face of overwhelming odds cemented their place as an elite and formidable fighting force within the Soviet military.

In terms of toy soldiers, this is a service branch that did not get much attention until the start of this century with the introduction of Pegasus' set, and has only gained steam as more new Russian-based manufacturers like Publius, Plastic Platoon, Hanomak, etc. have stepped into the ring and have paid more attention to the manufacturing of Soviet sets. Let's take a look.

Pegasus Hobbies Soviet Naval Infantry - Part I

Pegasus scored a big hit with me providing us with a branch of the Soviet military that had been neglected to that point. That was a great call, as when these guys are painted they look really nice. They also scored big because their set contains 12 poses! And the poses are really dynamic, well proportioned, and ready for some action. Take for instance the guy on the far right. A really well done and unique grenade thrower. Or the two guys charging forward on the left. Ready to storm the Tractor Factory in Stalingrad!

Pegasus Hobbies Soviet Naval Infantry - Part II

The only thing to be aware of, is that in order to manufacture some of these complex poses, some of the figures come in two parts, and the arms, weapons or legs need to be glued to the figure, which requires finding the right glue so that they remain attached. But I find that only a small inconvenience in exchange for the nicer -less flat- poses compared to what can be manufactured with one mold. The whole set is so well done that I find it hard to pick a favorite figure. Perhaps the prone man firing the sub machine gun, but it is a very hard call.

Publius Soviet Naval Infantry - Part I

Here are a few more Naval Infantry guys made by a Russian company called Publius. They are really hard to find. I got these guys courtesy of my friend and fellow collector, The Plastic General. He discovered them and managed to obtain some from a contact in Russia. The level of detail and fluidity of movement in the sculpting is among the best I've seen. They are so well done that leave you longing for more poses. 

Publius Soviet Naval Infantry - Part II

I also like the fact that every pose is an action pose, as opposed to having some marching or standing guys, which tend to have a more limited use. And as you can see, there is a nice variety in the weaponry and outfits of the figures. I also like the fact that the bases have some detail and texture, but they are not bulky as has been the trend recently in the hobby. These guys are certainly a great complement to the Pegasus figures and add much needed variety to this service branch of the Soviet Army.

Publius Soviet Naval Infantry - Part II

These are the same figures as above, just as a group and in a different shade of color. I must admit that I forgot I had already bought and posted them, but the picture turned out well, so we can repost them :-)

Plastic Platoon Soviet Naval Infantry - Defense of Leningrad, 1941

A great set depicting the intensity of  close quarter combat happening in an urban theater. These naval infantry figures would be equally at home in Stalingrad or Sevastopol, and they will be a great complement to Publius' and Pegasus' naval infantry troops. Again, the plastic is a bit soft, and that makes the tips of the weapons point in odd directions, but other than that, the sculpting -i.e. the level of detail and action- on these figures is exceptional. I can't wait to see how realistic they look with some paint on them!

Speira Miniatures Soviet Naval Infantry

Speira makes 3D printed toy soldiers. They only offer a handful of Soviet Naval Infantry figures, so when I saw this guy I grabbed him. What's interesting about him is that you can also select the head that you want for him. There are three or four variations, with different headgear and facial expressions. He will go well with my other Soviet Naval Infantry guys from Pegasus, etc. 

Hanomak Soviet Arctic Troops

Even though this set is supposed to represent troops fighting in or around the Arctic Circle, there are only two guys who seem to be dressed adequately for the occasion -the officer and the man sitting on the ground seem to be pretty snug, but the other guys would be freezing. Or perhaps they are fighting in the summer months and we now have figures to defend the Arctic year-round? Jokes aside I actually bought this set to get my hands on the four naval infantry figures. I also don't have much use for the officer who is just standing around. But the three guys on the left, are in very nice action/fighting poses and will be a good addition to the unit. The guy who is aiming his handgun upwards is nice in terms of the sculpting and detail, but will also have limited uses on the battlefield. 

WW23D Soviet Naval Infantry

What attracted me the most about these Soviet Naval infantry guys is the fact that they are wearing helmets. Most of the other figures I have representing this service branch are wearing sailor caps. I actually prefer that look, but I like that these guys will create some variety in my ranks. Ready for defending Sevastopol or as reinforcements for Stalingrad.

Plastic Platoon Soviet Naval Infantry, Defense of Sevastopol

For some reason I really like Soviet Naval Infantry troops, so I was very excited to learn that Plastic Platoon had come up with its own interpretation. The set does not disappoint. Perhaps the only thing to criticize is the fact that some of the bases are almost like the base that you would have for an actual sculpture, particularly the anchor, the cannon, and the steps, but even those elements are well done. I also like that we get a guy wearing a cape, as well as one wearing a helmet instead of the usual cap. We also get a good variety of weapons, my favorite being the light machine gun. These guys will definitely go very well with the rest of the detachment! BTW, The title of the set refers to Sevastopol, but I feel like deploying these guys within the ruins of Stalingrad... WDYT?

Engineer Bassevich Soviet Red Army Continued - Part II

It was these five guys which convinced me to get this set. As you may already know by now, I have a soft spot for Soviet Naval Infantry, and these five sailors are definitely more interesting and dynamic than the other five figures in the set - at least they are engaged in battle! They are not the best naval infantry figures in my collection in terms of poses and sculpting detail, but they will add a bit more guys and variety to the unit. Maybe the most interesting guy is the one going cowboy, who also got rid of his jacket along the way - and will look nice when his striped shirt is properly painted. I also like the man throwing the grenade and how he has loaded himself with extra ammo belts as did a couple more of his fellow sailors. All in all a good second half of the set.

Tihon Figuren Soviet Naval Infantry 'Sailors of the Revolution'

Based on the name of the set, I am not sure if these guys are actual WW2 figures, or late WW1/Russian revolution. They do not have any submachine guns, so based on the weaponry they could be either. Which is a good thing for me! The poses are well done, with a lot of nice detail and also a nice level of dynamism. In terms of detail, the faces, including the mustaches are very well done and I also like how they gave the officer a round belly, perhaps due to extra vodka rations being a perk of his rank? Another nice detail I noticed is how the man who is advancing to strike with a knife is biting on to the flaps of his hat, likely to make sure they don't make any sound and betray his approach. The man who is whistling to his mates is also a unique pose. The material of these figures is relatively soft which means that I had to work a bit on straightening the bayonets. /nothing that a bit of hot/cold water won't fix, but it did take a few tries. Maybe that's why someone chose to clip them off in some pictures I saw online. Anyhow, a really nice set which will blend well with the other Naval Infantry sets in my collection!

Hanomak Soviet Naval Infantry 'Baltika' Set 1

I am not sure why Hanomak has released their Naval Infantry figures in two sets of 3. Here are the first 3. The two men standing are OK. The man on the left is a bit too straight for my taste, but his redeeming quality is that he is actually firing a captured German light machine gun - looks like an mg 34. The man on the right is just right as far as his stance and I like that he is wearing a helmet to give the unit a bit of variety in terms of head gear. And that leaves the prone guy. I think he is the most interesting guy in the set. If you look closely, he is holding a cluster of hand grenades, the kind that you might use to blow up the tracks of a tank. Is that the reason why he is crawling? It is also a nice detail that he is wearing two full ammo belts across his chest which will give him some good color once he is painted. I really like Soviet Naval infantry, so I am happy to add these to the ranks and I am eagerly waiting to get my hands on part 2 of these 'Baltika' guys!

Hanomak Soviet Naval Infantry 'Baltika' Set 2 - Part I

Here is the rest of the squad. Very nicely done, both in terms of the poses and the detail. The man firing the light machine gun on the go is nice enough, but the two man team carrying the machine gun is the special treat here. I am usually not a fan of figures that can't be deployed on their own as it limits their use. In this case, these two guys clearly go together. While the guy in the front could be made to drag the machine gun on his own (and I did glue the MG only to the guy in front to preserve that possibility), the second guy would look awkward leaning down and grabbing nothing, so not a lot of other things for him to do than help his buddy. But theses guys are unique enough that it's worth it to invest two poses to create this team vignette.

Hanomak Soviet Naval Infantry 'Baltika' Set 2 - Part II

To better appreciate the detail on the MG and also how the back man is grabbing it I took a second picture. The second guy's hand is made so well that he can hold the tip of the muzzle in the cup of his hand formed by his folded fingers. It is also worth mentioning that the bipod for the light machine gun also comes detached and it must be glued to it. I use Maxi Cure from Bob Smith Industries. You need very little and it creates que seems like a permanent bond even across very small attachment surfaces.

Hanomak Soviet Naval Infantry 'Kerch Set'

I an a big fan of Soviet Naval infantry figures, so when I saw this set I had to get it. I know that many will find the guy getting off the boat a bit odd. I do to. In fact, I really dislike such figures because they limit extremely where and how that figure can be used. Obviously not many of us have a harbor setup where we can attach the bow of this boat to some other partial ship. Anyhow, my plan is to cut off the section of boat and use the plank to get in and out of some ruined buildings. I considered giving the man another base entirely, and that would not be too hard because he is not fixed into the base. His feet simply plug into it. But the angle at which he would be standing relative to level ground would be off. Another figure which is a bit odd is the one walking on water. Yes, they have sculpted a wave under him! And it is not even a great looking wave. It resembles more a big foot with toes. So here what I am planning to do is to simply decorate the base with rubble once I paint the guy. Other than that the figures are really nice, well posed, with realistic uniforms and weapons, and well detailed -look as those mustaches :-). They will be a nice addition to the Soviet sailors fighting in the ruins of Stalingrad or Sevastopol! BTW, if you were wondering about the name of this set, Sevastopol and the Kerch Peninsula are both in the Crimea, which the Soviet sailors helped to liberate.   

ESCI Soviet Spetznaz - Part I

The Spetznaz are Soviet Special Forces, however they are post-WWII figures. I find their uniforms however close enough to the Soviet Naval Infantry that decided to use them as such to complement the Pegasus figures (that was before other manufacturers released additional sets). The weaponry is a bit modern, so I had to overlook that. In terms of the poses I like the men who are crouching better than the ones who are standing.

ESCI Soviet Spetznaz - Part II

Some of these guys are wearing a different head gear. Not sure if those will blend in with the Naval Infantry. Their weapons however would fit quite well in the WWII period. Again, I have my reservations about the poses of the guys who are running. I would like them better if their upper bodies were leaning more a bit forward.

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Next there are a few pictures of the Soviet Naval Infantry men in action. I took these back when Pegasus released the first set of Soviet Naval Infantry guys. I tried to show them launching a counterattack on a street that has already exchanged hands several times. Will they prevail this time?

The men up front rush forward.

The rubble on the street offers some amount of cover.

The front elements are already in grenade-throwing range.

The guys immediately behind provide covering fire.

A couple of sub-machine gun bursts to make the enemy take cover.

Rush forward in the meantime!

Looks like this machine gunner is about to do some damage...

Taking a well-aimed shot.

The captain bringing up the rear.

The more cautious guys following a few steps behind.

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