Lets play world war II mix and match!

[RickC Sniper]

Originally Posted by Raptor1

This was all true as long as they were fighting in jungles and islands and not in an open war (And they still lost most of those jungle and island battles). At every point the IJA fought a proper army (That is, everyone but the Chinese) in a maneuver war the Japanese were absolutely obliterated because of the lack of proper doctrine and equipment. The utterly one-sided Soviet invasion of Manchuria is probably the best example of this.

Tenacity they might well have had, but tenacity doesn't compensate for the many other deficiencies of the IJA.

+1

If you take the Japanese line infantry you also have to take their rifles, rations, boots, etc.

They did well on small islands where they had months to dig in and prepare. Put them on offense and it was a bit like mowing down zombies.

[August]

Originally Posted by RickC Sniper

+1

If you take the Japanese line infantry you also have to take their rifles, rations, boots, etc.

They did well on small islands where they had months to dig in and prepare. Put them on offense and it was a bit like mowing down zombies.

You also have to take into account their total inflexibility in battle. No matter how much the situation might change they would follow their original battle plan to the letter.

[Growler]

Originally Posted by August

You also have to take into account their total inflexibility in battle. No matter how much the situation might change they would follow their original battle plan to the letter.

My mistake for misunderstanding; I thought we were combining attributes of all the nations that fought. So, you know, fanatical, dedicated IJA infantry supported by Soviet artillery, German armor, the US Navy, logistics, and aircraft, and mostly US/UK S1 through S5.

[August]

Originally Posted by Growler

My mistake for misunderstanding; I thought we were combining attributes of all the nations that fought. So, you know, fanatical, dedicated IJA infantry supported by Soviet artillery, German armor, the US Navy, logistics, and aircraft, and mostly US/UK S1 through S5.

Well yeah but along with the IJA troops you also get the IJA Officers and NCO's to lead them, as well as the IJA training and discipline practices. That makes the IJA Infantry what it is but it also gives it the tactical inflexibility that I mentioned earlier.

[TLAM Strike]

I say if you took an IJN infantryman gave him German weapons, conscripted him in numbers like the Russians and had him lead by an American they would be unstoppable.

[Freiwillige]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

I say if you took an German infantryman gave him German weapons, conscripted him in numbers like the Germans and had him lead by Erwin Rommel they would be unstoppable.

Fixed

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Freiwillige

Fixed

I mean lead on the Squad Level. US NCOs and LTs were some of the most inventive leaders in the war.

EDIT: Oh I see what you did... wasn't Rommel stopped one time? By an Englander at that!

[August]

I say that American and British Airborne Forces were the best Light Infantry of the war. Fact.

Sicily, Normandy, Burma, Holland, New Guinea, Bastogne, Corregidor. Both on the offense and defense they proved indomitable against opponents many times their size and strength.