Battlefield trench

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**david brumby**

Hello

I’ve done a few rough sketches for some modular trench works and wanted to share my ideas and what you guys think and if you had any ideas ?

**Sherrypie**

Looking good, trenches are lovely even if they always feel a bit off when rising from the ground like that. If not for realities of gaming, I'd go for wider slopes, so they'd look more like they've been dug than being walkways that have dirt pushed against them. Zigzagging the lines more would also be a good idea, since longer straight paths lead to more casualties when bombarded. Have you considered including details like doorways going downwards into the earth, like sleeping quarters or ammo depots? Machine gun nests that slot into the line? Crenellations that cover mens' heads as they fire? Larger points where a tank could be dug in?

**david brumby**

Hello Sherrypie

Thanks for your feedback on the drawings

Yes Iam looking to make these around 250mm wide x 100mm deep with 40mm wide trench for bigger models.

Defiantly going to create zigzag sections and like the idea of hatches in the ground

sections for artillery and tanks is a good shout will sketch up some layouts later

**david brumby**

Hello

Small update please see some working in progress photos of how the trench lines are looking.

They all fit together nicely and now need loads of texture and detail added

Not sure how to do the ground inside the trench maybe planks of wood or metal not sure let me know what you guys think

**david brumby**

Hello

Please see some more updates on the trench lines

Just starting the wooden walkways which will be sunk into mud a bit later

The wood is cut from strips of foamex and cut lines with a small disc cutter very time consuming

**xKillGorex**

This looks a cool project. The wall supports look good although maybe for the duck boards on the trench floor I’m thinking ice lolly sticks may have been better.

Any plans on adding sandbags on the lips of the trench.

**Snake Tortoise**

I like reading people's terrain projects, looks like its coming along nicely

**edwardmyst**

This looks great! You also might look at Balsa wood strips to save you time on the wood supports etc. Your bit of shaping looks great, but the detail may be way out of scale? Thanks for sharing, great ideas and execution here.

**david brumby**

Hello guys

Thanks for your feedback always aprachated

Yes the deck boards look a little tall but this will all be filled in with a mix of fine gravel and tile grout so the boards will be almost level

Yes and bags is a good option will have to see how best to make these any ideas ?

Yes the wood is a little on the chunky side could always cut them in half and add finer lines

Thanks again guys will keep you all updated

**xKillGorex**

Miliput or das model clay for the sandbags bud. Far cheaper than using greenstuff. Check out the terrain tutor on YouTube for some great tips and vids if you haven’t already.

Ps he has several vids for making sandbags. Worth the watch for sure.

**Briancj**

A wire brush (available at auto parts stores for cleaning automobile battery terminals, or DIY stores) will put a very nice wood texture on plastic and foam, VERY quickly.

--Brian

**david brumby**

Yer will check the YouTube vids tomorrow about the sand bags

Fine wire brush sounds like a good idea thanks for that

Will have some more pictures soon

Cheers guys

**david brumby**

Some more pictures of texturing

**xKillGorex**

Looking nice bud. How many feet are you planning to build. Could take a while with such detail, will look fantastic when finished mind.

**Briancj**

These are really shaping up nicely!

**david brumby**

I think when finished they will make up a little under 4 foot

Although duplicate sections could be used to make it larger depends how good they come out after casting etc

**david brumby**

Hello guys another small update

All the bases have been textured and the wood effect re worked with a small wire brush

And lots and lots of rivets

Sand bags next

**Flapjack**

Looking good. I admire your fast pace, it's shaping up nicely.

**david brumby**

Hello guys another update

Added a few sand bags as suggested made from modelling clay and textured to look like canvas bags filled with sand
Hopefully they will look alright when painted

**Briancj**

Your progress is....riveting.

**david brumby**

Hello Briancj

Glad your enjoying the progress and iam glad the rivets are all finished with they take hours

Going to give the scenery a light undercoat to see how they come out soon

**Briancj**

You might be interested in buying a NWSL Chopper 2, Micromark also sells one. It'll shave a LOT of time off of your custom builds!

https://www.lacewig365.com/ii-short-line-chopper-northwest

Hopefully you can find a UK supplier.

--B.

**david brumby**

Thanks mate

that should save me a lot of time, can’t believe I never seen one of these before

Will have a little hunt see what I can find

**Briancj**

It's primarily marketed to model railway builders, especially here in the US.

Make sure you get the version 2 kind, the original chopper is a lot less sturdy and less functional.

--Brian

**Cypher226**

Antenocitis Workshop used to sell the Chopper. Not sure if they still do, after the downsizing.

**david brumby**

I’ve found one not as posh as the ones you guys have found but should do nicely

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F400911536548

**Briancj**

As we say in Model Railroading "good enough is better than best". 'cause best means you're never done.

Good find!

--B

**tinbee**

Love the attention to detail here David. Great work!

**david brumby**

Hello guys

Given the trenches and light base coat to see how the detail comes out

**Briancj**

These are shaping up nicely! Battlefield defenses, hastily thrown up in the face of the enemy!