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“World at War: Gear Krieg Banzai!” is available to download at the Wargames Vault.
 The book follows our established and successful format.
Gear Krieg - Banzai! is a comprehensive guide to using the Japanese superscience infantry forces and the famous superscience walker in Battlefield Evolution World at War: Gear Krieg. It also provides the rich and detailed background of the Pacific War in the Gear Krieg universe. Over 10 pages will just be on the background of the conflict in the Pacific theatre of the Gear Krieg universe.
Gear Krieg - Banzai! takes a close look at superscience infantry units and the many types of the Shiki, Watatsumi and Hachiman walker for your Japanese forces from all periods of World War II!
Each unit and vehicle is detailed with background information, factory variants, field modifications and a modelling guide.
Included are 5 Shiki 38 variants, 6 different Shiki 41, 2 Watatsumi and 1 Hachiman combat walker configurations. The book also provides new Traits and weapons, four Infantry Army lists (Betsudotai Ninja Special Forces Platoon, Imperial Japanese Koumajutsu (Zombie) Platoon, Imperial Japanese Oni Trooper Platoon, Imperial Japanese Bushi Gunjin Supersoldier), an AFV and Combat Walker force list and an extended Japanese armoury to add to your games of World at War: Gear Krieg.
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After long discussions with our creative consultant Reuben Molloy, we also decided to add rules to use multi-based infantry (as in Flames of War) in Battlefield Evolution including many examples and clarifying photos. The section will be similar to the corresponding section of the Gear Krieg book, but will feature adjusted points values for the multi-based infantry units of the Mongoose Pacific war book.
The book will also include a lot of weird Pacific War background and 4 Infantry army lists:
Oni, Bushi Gunjin - drug enhanced Supersoldier, Koumajutsu - Zombie like troopers and Betsudotai Ninja special Ops.
Koumajutsu Troops - (WWII US Army Zombies) by Rebel Minis
Shiki 38 - by DP9, Jungle Buildings and Peasants by Peter Pig
Shiki 38 and 41 - by DP9, Jungle Buildings by Peter Pig
Shikis - by DP9, Infantry minis by Skytrex (Command Decision)
Shikis - by DP9, Infantry minis by Rebel Minis by Skytrex (Command Decision), Jungle Buildings by Peter Pig, Isuzu Truck with 20mm AA Gun, Type 95 Ha-Go and Type 97 Shinhoto by Quality Casting, Trucks and Type 1 Ho-Ki APC by QRF
Shiki - by DP9, Infantry minis by Skytrex (Command Decision)
Shikis - by DP9, Infantry minis by Skytrex (Command Decision)
Shiki - by DP9, Infantry minis by Skytrex (Command Decision)
The keen reader will have noticed two new Japanese Walker names! The Watatsumi and Hachiman are new designs! Robert and I talked a lot about the possibility of the new Shiki models and agreed to use them a bit more to provide the Japanese players some more toys.
Shiki 38 and 41 - by DP9; Type 95 Ha-Go and Type 97 Shinhoto by Quality Casting
The Watatsumi
 The Watatsumi combat walker was based on the German Panzerkämpfer VI, known as the "Donner" ("Thor"). In 1944 some Donner walkers, along with a few Tiger tanks, were sold to Japan. The blueprints could be delivered in 1943 by a successful Yanagi submarine mission. At the time the German walkers were delivered to Japan, Japanese Engineers already worked on unique solutions to adapt the German design to the Pacific operation theatre. The first combat ready Watatsumi walker was delivered in March 1944 to the Imperial Japanese Army.
Since the German Donner was designed from the beginning to be highly modular, with multiple reinforced hardpoints, redundant wiring and hydraulic networks, and spacious engine compartment most modifications proved to be easily done.
 It was very soon decided to use the same multifunctional turret that was used on the Shiki walker variants. The sturdier frame of the Donner walker enabled the vehicle to carry a better armoured turret that could also mount bigger guns. The unusual – at least for a Japanese AFV - big engine compartment could take the 400 HP Air-cooled Type 4 V12 Diesel engine with supercharger that was also used in the Type 4 Chi-To Medium tank. The combination of the Donner frame and the V12 Diesel engine proved to be a great success, no Watatsumi walker was plagued by the random shutdowns of the frequently overheated engine that bugged the original Donner walker.
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Shiki 38 and 41 - by DP9; Isuzu Truck With 20mm AA Gun by Quality Casting; Infantry minis by Skytrex (Command Decision); Type 1 Ho-Ki APC by QRF
The Hachiman
 A single Uller was sold to Japan in early 1943, but was never delivered thanks to an Allied commando operation. Later that year another Uller – including all necessary blueprints to rebuild the walker - was successfully delivered to Japan by a Yanagi mission. The walker was renamed Hachiman, as the Shinto god of war and divine protector of Japan and the Japanese people.
As with the Watasumi walker Japanese engineers could benefit a lot from the experiences made during development of the German original. It was soon decided to make the armour on the heavy Hachiman walker a little bit thinner on the sides to decrease the weight of the walker. Mobility and engine endurance was more important in jungle warfare as thick armour.
The Type 3 Hachiman was initially to be powered by a Diesel engine, but the advancements needed to provide the necessary horsepower could never be realized, and a 800 HP V-12 gasoline-driven aircraft engine designed by BMW in Germany and licensed to Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan was selected instead. The "Kawasaki Type 98 800 HP engine Ha-9-IIb" was detuned for the walker to 550 HP. The engine performed better the original Uller engine, which required continuous maintenance.
In June 1943 the first production Hachiman walkers immediately shipped to frontline units in the Solomon Islands and the rest of the Pacific theatre.
Both walkers are based on the Donner and Ullr models, to build them you will obviously need a fitting Shiki blister and either a Donner or Ullr blister. I am working currently on the models and will show them asap.
Shiki 38 and 41 - by DP9, Jungle MG Bunker by Peter Pig, Infantry by Rebel Minis, Trucks by QRF
Shiki 38 and 41, Hachiman and Watatsumi - by DP9, Infantry by Rebel Minis and Skytrex (Command Decision)
 Bushi Gunjin Japanese Supersoldiers
Minis by Rebel Minis; the head from the second soldier from left is by Skytrex (Command Decision)
We have reached an agreement to use the fine 15mm Titan Marines from Rebel Minis as our weird WW II Japanese Supersoldiers.
In July 1943, Unit 100 received the chemical formula of the chemical cocktail used for the creation of the German Supersoldiers. Together with their own research Unit 100 scientist were able to create a highly addictive, breathable drug that could be given for a prolonged time to humans.
The test subjects showed the same increased strength, endurance and reaction time as the German Supersoldiers without the constant risk of physical collapse. The drug needed to be applied almost constantly via a specially designed breathing apparatus. As soon the drug was not used for more than two days all test subjects died within minutes.
 Still the Japanese high command did not hesitated for long and ordered the production of the combat drug for field-testing. The effects of the breathable drug allowed the soldiers to wear heavy body armour without penalty and carry the Type 4 light machinegun as a standard weapon!
Owing to their greater effectiveness and the limited amount of the drugs a Supersoldier squad consisted of just two teams of three members each.
Add the lists of my Mongoose published Pacific War book and you are well covered for the weird Pacific War!
Shiki 38 and 41 - by DP9; Type 95 Ha-Go and Isuzu Truck With 20mm AA Gun by Quality Casting; Infantry minis by Skytrex (Command Decision); Type 1 Ho-Ki APC by QRF
DP9 also finished sculpting the new Japanese Shiki 38 and Shiki 41 Walkers for Gear Krieg. Which will be the first new miniature releases for Gear Krieg in many years. The Shiki was a solid early war walker design. They were fast and equipped with a powerful (if limited) punch in the form of the teppoyari anti-tank lance, and they carried two machineguns to deal with enemy infantry.
Shiki 38 and 41 - by DP9, Jungle Buildings by Peter Pig
Shiki 38 and 41 - by DP9; Type 95 Ha-Go by Quality Casting; Infantry minis by Skytrex (Command Decision); Type 1 Ho-Ki APC by QRF
I alreaqdy received the resin master and want to share some pics of the possible variants:
Shiki 38 - basic variant with one turret mounted MG and one rear turret mounted MG, one Teppoyari and Anti-Tank Explosives
Shiki 38 Flamer - variant with one turret mounted Heavy Flamethrower and MG, one Teppoyari and Anti-Tank Explosives
Shiki 38 1.8cm gun - variant with one turret mounted 1.8 cannon, one turret mounted MG, one Teppoyari and Anti-Tank Explosives
Shiki 38 Artillery Rocket - variant with one turret mounted MG, one top turret mounted Artillery Rocket (Heavy), one Teppoyari and Anti-Tank Explosives
Shiki 38 Sonic - variant with turret mounted Sonic Projector, one Teppoyari and Anti-Tank Explosives
Shiki 41: The Shiki 41 was basically an upgraded Shiki 38 combat walker. The Japanese were quick to adapt the Shiki walker designs to the jungle environment. Some of the advances included rubber seals to prevent flooding, snorkels to ford small rivers and wide feet to spread out the walker's weight. All together resulted in the 1941 Shiki 41 amphibious walker. The Shiki 41 also received improved frontal armour and a slightly better engine.
Shiki 41 - basic variant with one turret mounted MG and one rear turret mounted MG, one Teppoyari and Anti-Tank Explosives
Shiki 41 Flamer - variant with one turret mounted Heavy Flamethrower and MG, one Teppoyari and Anti-Tank Explosives
Shiki 41 Laser - variant with one turret mounted Light Laser, one Teppoyari and Anti-Tank Explosives
Shiki 41 AA - variant with turret mounted 2cm Quad AA gun and Anti-Tank Explosives
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