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I thought we could have a little collective thread here for ideas for the upcoming Armies on Parade. I know, it's what, 10 months away? I like starting early because I won't finish in time.

I came second last year (a fact I mention too much) and I'm aiming for first. So I want to do a more realistic approach this time. Last year I had a mountainside with a Bunker and Aquila, with lots of wolves running around.

I have several concepts I want to incorporate, including snow, ruins, forests, trenches, highways and bunkers. I've got Space Wolves and Guardsmen to display.

Concept 1: A muddy field riddled with shell holes and trenches, with a highway or bridge running diagonally across. The Guardsmen would be in the trenches and the wolves and vehicles on the road.

Concept 2: A crossroads with ruined buildings, lots of rubble and debris, and a Rhino crashing through a building.

What are your plans and thoughts?

I'm going to try an enter armies on parade this year and really want to go all out. I love elaborate bases and want to carry that over into a big diorama. I'm think along the lines of a day in grandpa nurgles garden. Been mulling over ideas and this sounds like my favourite. Some swampy trees a rust coloured stream lots of goop and some nurgle demons was thinking the start collecting box and a great unclean one.

A quick sketch of a tench board. You can see the outlines of the trenches and the road in the middle. Although I've always loved the image of a tank crushing and running through a wall...

Well I think your ideas are pretty sussed and will look good, the only advice I can give is 'realism', make the scene look plausible. You see so many awesome looking heroic posed displays that in a strange way also look boring because of that. One of the best ways is search the net for real photos and then '40k' them. WW2 Stalingrad, Ardennes and Nordwind Offensives and anything from a German perspective in 1945 makes great material. Perhaps not the best for originality but screenshots of Dawn of War 1 set in ruins or winter e.g. winter assault is an easy way to get ideas.

Also giving the display a message theme is good too. Are the Guard holding a strong line? Have they nearly been overrun and Space Marines turned up last minute? Are they preparing an assault from their trenches or are they looking to pull out? Are they ready for battle or have they just been through one? etc etc

Best of luck I am sure if you managed to come second last time, you have it in you to come first this time

Thanks for the advice! I really want to do this one more realistic, so a couple of world war photos might do the trick. I like the idea of the guardsmen just barely holding the line until the Marines arrive...

Been toying with the idea of kit bashing the Ruins of Osgilliath and Goblin Town kits to make orcified looking ruins. Also maybe converting one of the Fellbeasts to look like it's perching with the Witchking riding it to look like the scene from RoTK.