Bo-hiya Warriors Set | Japanese Miniatures STL for Wargaming – 3D Printable

This digital STL file set includes four unique Bo-hiya warrior miniatures and one separate, fittable Bo-hiya arrow projectile, allowing for dynamic posing and gameplay representation. The models are expertly sculpted with authentic clothing textures, determined facial expressions, and accurately detailed hiya-zutsu (fire arrow launchers). Designed to the popular 28mm/32mm heroic scale, these miniatures are perfect for a wide range of historical and fantasy wargames. The files are optimized for resin 3D printers to capture every intricate detail, from the wrap on the launchers to the folds in their hakama.

From a gameplay perspective, this Bo-hiya squad serves as a powerful specialist unit. Deploy them in your wargames to breach fortifications, set fire to enemy siege equipment, or create zones of terror on the battlefield. In role-playing games, they can be formidable castle defenders, expert pirates, or members of a secretive ninja clan specializing in gunpowder warfare. Their presence on the tabletop introduces unique tactical possibilities centered around ranged incendiary attacks and psychological warfare.

Historical Context: The Bo-hiya (棒火矢, literally ‘stick fire arrow’) was a type of Japanese firearm used during the tumultuous Sengoku period (c. 1467 – c. 1615) and into the Edo period. Far more than a simple incendiary arrow, the bo-hiya was essentially an early form of rocket projectile. It consisted of a thick wooden shaft, often made of paulownia wood, packed with a coarse gunpowder mixture. It was fuzed and designed to ignite upon launch, flying towards its target propelled by its own rocket motor and trailing fire and smoke. The head was typically a large iron point designed to punch into wooden structures or ship hulls before the main charge detonated or burned intensely.

These fearsome weapons were launched from handheld tubes called ‘hiya-zutsu’ (火矢筒), which acted as simple mortars or rocket launchers, or from larger cannons known as ‘ōzutsu’ (大筒). While inaccurate compared to matchlock arquebuses (tanegashima), the bo-hiya’s value was not in precision but in its devastating area-of-effect and psychological impact. They were primarily used as siege and naval weapons. During sieges, they were invaluable for setting fire to wooden castles, gates, and watchtowers from a safe distance. In naval warfare, a volley of bo-hiya could turn an enemy vessel into a raging inferno, a terrifying prospect for sailors on tightly packed wooden ships. The Mori clan’s navy and the forces of Oda Nobunaga were known to have made effective use of these weapons. The inclusion of a Bo-hiya unit on the tabletop authentically represents the technological innovations and brutal realities of warfare in feudal Japan.