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Mainland China 1939

While many gamers are familiar with the battles on the Pacific Islands, Burma, and even New Guinea, much of the fighting in this theatre occurred in China, where the Japanese invaded in the early 1930's. The bulk of the Japanese Army was engaged here, even while the Allied forces captured the Pacific Islands and put the B29s within range of the Japanese homeland. Pacific enthusiast Jon Rigley gave me some photos of a battle he ran between Chinese and Japanese forces set in 1939. This period has been long neglected by wargamers, but its geographical scale and size of the forces involves was comparable to the battles in Europe. Like the early Blitzkrieg period, the armor is fairly weak on both sides. The Chinese purchased a lot of equipment from Germany in the 1930s so you have an interesting mix of forces.
Click on the Thumbnail for a full-size photo Description
Chinese Positions
Chinese positions
Chinese infantry dug in behind barbwire,awaiting Japanese infantry.
Japanese Naval Infantry
Japanese Naval Infantry
Japanese Naval Infantry advancing.
Chinese on a hill
Chinese on a hill
Chinese units sitting on a hill, overlooking rice paddies.
Japanese Tanks and Infantry
Japanese Tanks and Infantry
Japanese tanks supporting dismounted infantry whose mounts are waiting in the background.
Chinese counterattack
Chinese counterattack
Chinese counter attack Japanese Naval infantry from off board with the first of two infantry companies.
Chinese Infantry running
Chinese Infantry running
Chinese Infantry running away from the fight.
Chinese PzIs
Chinese PzIs
PzIs backing away from oncoming Japanese infantry and tanks. One of the interesting aspects of this period is the strange mix of equipment.
Tankettes attack
Tankettes attack
Japanese Tankettes do mass overruns of Chinese Infantry.
PzI and Type 89s
Tank battle of the pygmies
Chinese PzI and Japanese Type 89s get close.
Tankettes and anti-tank guns
Tankettes and anti-tank guns
Chinese Tankettes move past a PAK 36 on their way to a big hole in their line.
Burning PzI
Burning PzI
PzI is a burning wreck with Japanese infantry moving up.
Bicycle Infantry
Bicycle Infantry
Japanese bicycle infantry move in as reinforcements.
Naval Infantry move up
Naval Infantry move up
Japanese Naval Infantry moving up to the fight.
Burning Chinese Armor
Burning Chinese Armor
Lots of burning Chinese tanks

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