The clocks have gone back, winter is drawing in, and the Bolt Action release train rumbles on. With Armies of the Soviet Union pre-orders now complete, it’s time for Armies of Imperial Japan to join the fray!
Now on pre-order with a release date of January 29th, 2026, Armies of Imperial Japan: Third Edition is the comprehensive guide to Japanese forces on the Bolt Action tabletop. With 96 full-colour pages packed with everything you need to turn your collection of miniatures into a fearsome fighting force and inspire your painting and modelling, it’s an essential addition to every Bolt Action bookshelf.
New Units! New Rules!
Armies of Imperial Japan brings together a massive range of units from across the Second World War and pairs them with an all-new set of National Special Rules, giving you all the tools to create a truly unique Japanese force. This ensures that a Japanese army both feels different from any other Bolt Action force, and can be tailored to your exact specifications.
New Special Figure!
It wouldn’t be a Bolt Action book without a special figure, and accompanying Armies of Japan is Into the Jungle! It depicts Hiroo Onoda, a Japanese officer who famously held out on Lubang in the Philippines for a staggering 29 years after the end of the war, refusing to believe that the fighting had ended. Eventually discovered in 1974, and convinced to surrender by direct order of his former commanding officer, Onoda would return to Japan before moving to Brazil to become a farmer, surviving until 2014. Into the Jungle, as the name suggests, shows Onoda as he was when he began his long war – fully equipped and impeccably uniformed. He’s a perfect addition to any Japanese force, where he can serve as an NCO or Platoon Commander – just make sure you don’t leave him behind after a game!
New Miniatures!
Armies of Japan completes the first five Bolt Action book releases, and, following our roadmap, it’s accompanied by two new plastic kits. The first is an all-new infantry platoon, which will get its own Sprue Focus article very soon – but in the meantime you can feast your eyes on these pre-release 3D prints which Studio Painter Andrés Amian has been working his magic on. This kit will cover both the Imperial Japanese Army and the Special Naval Landing Forces… and something new entirely! We’ve also got the Type 98 AA truck for all your mobile autocannon needs, and a brand-new plastic vehicle that we’ll be announcing very soon!
New Starter Army!
Building a mighty Japanese force has never been easier, and our new For The Emperor! starter army gives you a battle-ready collection right off the bat, pairing the brand new infantry with the Chi-Ha tank and Ho-Ro self-propelled gun, as well as plenty of supporting weaponry. If you want to dive right in with Imperial Japan, look no further!
We’ve got three months to dive into the new book and range, and if you’re already planning how to conquer the Pacific, you can get your pre-orders in now to be among the first to receive Armies of Imperial Japan and the new miniatures!
