The Type B’ grenadier infantry squad was composed of 16 men: an NCO (usually a corporal or Go-Cho) armed with a rifle or (rarely) a submachine gun, and 15 riflemen armed with Asikara Type 38 or 39 rifles. Additionally, three riflemen carried the famous knee mortar.

The normal organizational structure for a Grenadier Discharge section is as follows:

SECTION HQ:
Sergeant/Section Leader (Type 38 6.5mm Rifle)
3 x SQUADS EACH CONTAINING:
Corporal/Squad Leader (Type 14 8mm Pistol)
Pvt/Gunner (Type 14 8mm Pistol)
Pvt/Assistant Gunner (Type 38 6.5mm Rifle)
Type 89 Grenade Discharger
AMMO SQUAD:
2 x Pvts/Ammunition Carriers (Type 38 6.5mm Rifles)

3 x RIFLE SQUADS EACH CONTAINING:
Corporal/Section Leader (Type 38 6.5mm Rifle)
Pvt/LMG Gunner (Type 11 6.5mm Light Machine Gun)
11 x Privates (Type 38 6.5mm Rifles)

As with previous units I have made the Grenadier sections as flexible as possible. They of course have three Grenade teams, a LMG, a NCO with both rifle and SMG options, as well as having enough figures to equip them all with rifles. This makes for a total of 20 figures all of which cannot be used together.

3 Grenadier Figures

Actually known as the Type 89 Grenade Discharger, US troops nicknamed it the knee mortar as for a time it was thought that the weapon was fired by stabilizing it against the user’s leg. Although this probably could have been done in an emergency, this was not how the weapon was meant to be used and would probably end with significant damage to the knee!

LMG

Bugler – no effect in game terms but looks cool.

NCO’s with SMG and rifle

Flag bearer

Tomorrow a second Grenadier unit or with the addition of a Flamethrower an engineer unit.