SEAC (South East Asia Command)


  • I also thought about first edition ANZAC pieces but the only problem is that you might get them mixed up with the actual ANZAC forces.


  • As a little research project, I had a look through the HBG website to see what the options were for putting together from scratch a plausible SEAC force consisting entirely of HBG battle pieces (not OOB A&A pieces) which have already been produced (not sets which are still on pre-order).  My aim was to see if, by combining same-colour versions of two or more types of sets, it would be possible to supply all 14 of the G40/2 unit types: Infantry, Mechanized Infantry, Tanks, Artillery, Anti-Aircraft Artillery, Strategic Bombers, Tactical Bombers, Fighters, Aircraft Carriers, Battleships, Cruisers, Destroyers, Submarines and Naval Transports.

    To my suprise, I discovered that it wasn’t really possible.  Initially I looked at combining three obvious candidates: the WW2 UK Supplement Set, the Allied Supplement Set and the WW2 Neutrals Basic Set.  The first problem I ran into was that, although any two of these sets are available in several matching colours, there is no colour common to all three.  The second problem was that none of them technically includes an Anti-Aircraft Artillery unit either – although the Priest Self-Propelled Artillery from the Allied Supplement Set and the Sexton SP Artillery Gun from the WW2 UK Set could have been pressed into service for lack of anything better if all the other units types could be accounted for.  Problem number three, however, was the fact that none of these sets includes a submarine – so that killed the concept of using a combination of those three sets.

    The next thing I tried was to see which countries had submarines and then work backwards from there, even if that meant using non-Allied equipment.  It turns out that there are in fact only two HBG sets with subs: the WW2 Japan Expansion Set, and the WW2 Germany Expansion Set.  Unfortunately, neither of those sets includes a naval transport (nor do the WW2 Japan Supplement Set or the German & Axis Minors Supplement Set 1), and neither of the German sets has a destroyer or a cruiser (though Japan does have such units).  I thought for a moment that these holes could be plugged using the WW2 Neutrals Basic Set, which includes a naval transport, a cruiser and a destroyer – but it’s not available in exactly the same colours as any of the ones used for Japan or Germany.  The nearest match appears to be the Neutral light grey and the German dark grey…but even if a set with two different shades was considered acceptable, it turns out that the WW2 Germany Expansion Set (the source of the submarine) is currently out of stock in dark grey.

    So it looks as if, for the time being at least, we’re out of luck constituting a full array of SEAC units using only HBG battle pieces (unless I’ve overlooked a combination which someone else is able to identify, which I’d be glad to hear about).

  • Sponsor

    @CWO:

    As a little research project, I had a look through the HBG website to see what the options were for putting together from scratch a plausible SEAC force consisting entirely of HBG battle pieces (not OOB A&A pieces) which have already been produced (not sets which are still on pre-order).� � My aim was to see if, by combining same-colour versions of two or more types of sets, it would be possible to supply all 14 of the G40/2 unit types: Infantry, Mechanized Infantry, Tanks, Artillery, Anti-Aircraft Artillery, Strategic Bombers, Tactical Bombers, Fighters, Aircraft Carriers, Battleships, Cruisers, Destroyers, Submarines and Naval Transports.

    To my suprise, I discovered that it wasn’t really possible.� � Initially I looked at combining three obvious candidates: the WW2 UK Supplement Set, the Allied Supplement Set and the WW2 Neutrals Basic Set.� � The first problem I ran into was that, although any two of these sets are available in several matching colours, there is no colour common to all three.� � The second problem was that none of them technically includes an Anti-Aircraft Artillery unit either – although the Priest Self-Propelled Artillery from the Allied Supplement Set and the Sexton SP Artillery Gun from the WW2 UK Set could have been pressed into service for lack of anything better if all the other units types could be accounted for.� � Problem number three, however, was the fact that none of these sets includes a submarine – so that killed the concept of using a combination of those three sets.

    The next thing I tried was to see which countries had submarines and then work backwards from there, even if that meant using non-Allied equipment.� � It turns out that there are in fact only two HBG sets with subs: the WW2 Japan Expansion Set, and the WW2 Germany Expansion Set.� � Unfortunately, neither of those sets includes a naval transport (nor do the WW2 Japan Supplement Set or the German & Axis Minors Supplement Set 1), and neither of the German sets has a destroyer or a cruiser (though Japan does have such units).� � I thought for a moment that these holes could be plugged using the WW2 Neutrals Basic Set, which includes a naval transport, a cruiser and a destroyer – but it’s not available in exactly the same colours as any of the ones used for Japan or Germany.� � The nearest match appears to be the Neutral light grey and the German dark grey…but even if a set with two different shades was considered acceptable, it turns out that the WW2 Germany Expansion Set (the source of the submarine) is currently out of stock in dark grey.� �

    So it looks as if, for the time being at least, we’re out of luck constituting a full array of SEAC units using only HBG battle pieces (unless I’ve overlooked a combination which someone else is able to identify, which I’d be glad to hear about).

    Great research CWO Marc, I myself already knew this when tring to workout the SEAC power months ago. My ultimate solution was to use the French blue sculpts for SEAC and than try to use HBG to fill the French needs in Europe as it’s slightly easier considering they don’t need Subs, Mechs, or Tacs, and can’t really make purchases. The only issue I have come across is the French destroyer and cruiser setup requirments.


  • For the destroyer problem…Simply use a combo of UKWW1 sea units. E.g.ww1 Battleships and ww1cruisers could be Cruisers and destroyers. Or the way I do it(although those gunless destroyers look awful) use ww1cruiser for cruisers and ww1transports for destroyers. After all my poor Free French Forces never get to do much…in many games the only sea unit left for Frence by F1 is the Madagascar destroyer(then just use the ww1 cruiser)

    –Charles de Gaulle leader of France

  • Sponsor

    @Charles:

    For the destroyer problem…Simply use a combo of UKWW1 sea units. E.g.ww1 Battleships and ww1cruisers could be Cruisers and destroyers. Or the way I do it(although those gunless destroyers look awful) use ww1cruiser for cruisers and ww1transports for destroyers. After all my poor Free French Forces never get to do much…in many games the only sea unit left for Frence by F1 is the Madagascar destroyer(then just use the ww1 cruiser)

                         --Charles de Gaulle leader of France

    I agree that the solution for substitute G40 French units lies within the Celery green WW1 UK units from the 1914 game. You will need 3 sets from HBG to get the necessary amount of infantry required for the setup, and how you wish to arrange your cruisers and destroyers is up to you. I myself think that the battleships look to much like battleships, and the transports look too much like ocean liners… so I knife half the cruisers to make destroyers. I like the celery green UK units from 1914 because the color contrast of units in Europe will require France to use a light color, and the tanks, artillery, and fighters are durable and are very cool pieces to add to your set up.


  • Er….why would we need three sets from HBG?

  • Sponsor

    @Charles:

    Er….why would we need three sets from HBG?

    Each set only comes with 3 infantry, and the french territories need 9. Or you could just buy everything you need separately.


  • I did not buy any of it seperately. It came with 1914  :-D

  • Sponsor

    @Charles:

    I did not buy any of it seperately. It came with 1914  :-D

    Well that’s one way to get what you need… lol.


  • 1914 is fun but unbalanced. Global is way better.

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