Far East project - part three

This post covers a second platoon for my 1942-3 Malaya, Singapore and Burma project and that platoon is a Sikh one;

Above is the platoon HQ, plus a Vickers MMG support option. These are all, once again Peter Pig 15mm figures from their 8th Army range.

Next, the three infantry sections that make up the platoon;

The platoon is structured the same as a British one, with the HQ consisting of a Lieutanant, who is British, a Havildar (platoon sergeant), a Boys anti-tank rifle team and a 2" mortar team.

Each section is led by a Naik (corporal) with a SMG, a three-man Bren team and six riflemen.

Peter Pig does a nice selection of Sikh infantry with beards and wearing the dastār or turban, but sadly not for everything. Therefore, I have used some British figures wearing the Mk II helmet where necessary. Needs must etc.

As with the British platoon, I have put a radio operator on the lieutenant's base, but I didn't do this with the havildar, because his pose is different to the one I've used for the naiks.

I wanted to use troops from the Indian Army because they provided the largest part of the manpower of the formations that fought in most of the campaigns between 1942 and 1945, as also suffered the heaviest casualties.

Far East project - part two

To go with my initial platoon, I have some support options. First, a 2-pdr anti-tank gun and a Lanchester 6x4 armoured car

The gun and crew are from Peter Pig and the armoured car is a 3-D print from Butlers. I would have preferred to get the Skytrex version of the Lanchester but it was out of stock, so I took my first step into the world of printed vehicles. It is OK, but it has a lot of visible printing lines on the model. It will do, though because I doubt that it will survive on the table for very long. If it does, all those Vickers MMGs will come in handy.

The 2-pdr gun should be a threat to any Japanese tanks that might turn up. 

My other supports are, from left to right, a FOO, a Vickers MMG team and a sniper. These are all Peter Pig. The radio operator with the FOO is actually a late war British figure, with BD trousers and a MK III helmet, but at this scale it doesn't make any difference. In any case, his legs are covered by vegetation. The sniper is also a late war figure, but underneath that camo netting, who will ever know?