PACOPS Type 38 Arisaka Rifle

The Type 38 rifle was designed by Colonel Arisaka Nariakira and first saw combat action in Japan’s war with Russia in 1905. Influenced by the German Mauser design, over three million weapons were built in several variations. The 6.5X50 mm cartridge was perceived to be weaker than other available at the time so the Japanese Army moved towards the Type 99 rifle with its more powerful 7.7X58 mm cartridge.

The Type 38 I am currently modeling in the game is the “standard issue” 1.280 mm (50.4 in) version, however this might change with additional research into Japanese combat formations, especially when it gets down to the creation of specific force lists for actual battle. At this length it was the longest rifle of the war primarily due to Japan’s emphasis on bayonet training at the time.

Establishment Editor

I cloned the ammunition file previously created for the Type 99 rifle.

The General Tab where the weight was adjusted.

The Performance Tab where the Calibre and Muzzle Velocity was adjusted (other statistics such as the accuracy decay at the designated distances can be adjusted once I receive additional research, so feel free to contribute anything that can be referenced on the internet).

The "basic package" required to move into the Scenario Editor and eventually play the mission in the game. A bullet, a rifle and a unit to assign the weapon system to (Bn HQ, Coy, etc.)

Scenario Editor

This is a generic setup only following a basic infantry battalion configuration and will be modified to specific Japanese combat units at a later date.

Game Play

The Bn HQ statistics as represented in game.

The infantry companies as represented in game.

A battalion of Japanese soldiers attempting to hold the Aslito Airfield on Saipan against a regiment of United States Marines. The map is a work-in-progress effort by jimcarravallah over at the Matrix Games forums.

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