Type 92 Heavy Machine Gun

This weapon was based on the French Hotchkiss M1914 and utilized the 7.7X58mm Arisaka cartridge. It was introduced into service in 1932 as a replacement for the Type 3 HMG. Nicknamed the “Woodpecker” by Allied forces due to its distinctive sound, it was capable of firing 400-450 rounds per minute with a muzzle velocity of 800 m/s and was deployed on a tripod.

Type 96 Light Machine Gun

This weapon was based on the French Hotchkiss M1909 and utilized the 6.5X50mm Arisaka cartridge. It was introduced into service in 1936 as a replacement to the inferior Type 11 which had issues with jamming in various battlefield conditions. It was capable of a 450-500 rounds per minute firing rate with a muzzle velocity of 735 m/s and employed a detachable top mounted 30 round box magazine.

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.

PACOPS Type 99 Arisaka Rifle

The Type 99 rifle was meant as a replacement to the Type 38 and was based on the German Mauser design. It is considered one of the strongest military bolt action rifles ever produced, but late war models were made of lower quality materials and fabricated through rushed production resulting in weapons that were noticeably inferior to their original model.

Produced at nine different locations and in four variants, over three million rifles were built between 1939 and the end of the war. The weapon weighed 3.7kg, was 44 inches long and had a barrel length of 25.87 inches. It fired a 7.7X58mm Arisaka cartridge at a muzzle velocity of 730 m/s and had a five round internal box magazine with a stripper clip.