MikeH asks about Japanese tin-cans with tracks:
BTW, can anyone clue me into an actual ‘significant tank unit’ in the Japanese Army?
In China, tanks were attached to infantry units for fire support. No tank divisions were created until mid-1942 and none of the formations so formed appeared in battle until 1944. Including self-propelled guns, only 3,500 AFV were built during the war, half by Mitsubishi; the IJA had another 3,000 older vehicles that had been constructed between 1931 and 1940. 1,700 were surrendered to the Allies, some of which were passed onto the Chinese Communists by the Russians.
Types 97A and 97B CHI-HA were the most common, technically considered medium tanks and considered advanced for their 1937 design. They were armed with relative popguns, however, the A with a 57mm main armament and the B with a 47mm gun. 1,500 were produced. Three CHI-HA to a platoon, ten to a company.
And no, I am not such a geek that I rattled that off the top of my head. I had to go to the trouble of leaning over and pulling out my custom ASLRB Chapter H from the bookshelf. Okay, never mind, I’m just going to go kill some Horde now….