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Hello everyone!

Here's a project I began recently that I want to keep track of in blog format. It's the first time I've attempted a proper diorama and I want to keep a record of my progress, and being still in the "Waiting for stuff to arrive" stage I thought now would be as good an opportunity as any to start!

I had the idea to do a Trench Raid diorama after reading into WW1, watching some documentaries and just generally becoming interested in the period. I'd intended to do a late-war French army using Peter Pig models, but currently he only has early war stuff. Whilst I still intend to build this army eventually when they're released I thought that in the meantime I might do a diorama using some British and Germans.

Anyway; enough of my ramblings and on to some pictures! Not much model based yet due to being in the aforementioned "Waiting for stuff to arrive" stage; but I hope to show you my basic layout; along with some of the references I've used to get the scale.


Firstly we have the information I found on the web below; from what appears to be a trench construction manual.



Using the dimensions given I was able to roughly scale them down to 1:200, which is the scale I did my sketch in. This scaled up perfectly to 1:100 to go on the board itself!

This is the base I'm going to be building on, it's 200mm square, just a bit less than 8". The trenches, at 1:100 are about 18mm wide.

This is the trench with some Battlefront and Peter Pig WW2 Brits for scale.

And just for fun, some of the research material I've picked up. I'm still waiting on books for British infantry, German Stormtroopers and Western Front fortifications; along with models and material to begin building up the trench sides.

Thanks for reading, please let me know if you've got any comments, or ideas you want me to try. I hope to update this as soon as I get some more stuff as I want to get building as soon as possible!

Hey mate!

Good start! Really good work getting together all of those reference materials and images! Really interesting!

Looking forward to seeing how this progresses having just finished a trench piece of my own!

Good luck!

This looks neat - I'm excited to see some true-to-life historical scenario depicted. I guess you could say that ...I dig it

As a huge WW1 history fanatic, I'll be following this. You've certainly got the layout right. What kind of stuff will you be adding? MG positions, maybe a caved in trench section?

Looks like a fun build. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Thanks for the comments everyone! Much appreciated.

No update just yet unfortunately, I got a few things delivered today but not the stuff I really needed to begin. Hopefully that should arrive tomorrow and I can begin updating in earnest!

 Paradigm wrote:
As a huge WW1 history fanatic, I'll be following this. You've certainly got the layout right. What kind of stuff will you be adding? MG positions, maybe a caved in trench section?

I intended to put an MG position in, but I'm not sure there'll be space to get one in with everything else I want to do. I'll try and fit one if I can get it in there though Caved in section is a definite. Well, not caved in as such but one that's taken a direct hit from artillery. I was going to put that at the corner on the right hand side, that's where the Germans will be getting into the trench, with the Brits trying to hold them off and bringing up reinforcements.

I also hope to build some dugouts and shelters, styled after the ones below and really try and make the trenches look lived in.



These drawings are a fantastic resource BTW They've been so useful for planning. I found them here under the schematics heading if anyone else is interested

When it comes to that, does anyone know of any kind of loose British equipment in 15mm? I'm thinking things like shovels, canteens, loose webbing and rifles to have lying about. I'm not particularly good with greenstuff...

Sounds like a good plan, especially the tin grooves. Those are an oft-missed element of trench designs. I'd probably avoid a full 'dugout', though. The full structures tended to be in the reserve trenches, on the very front line (ie. The bit being attacked) you'd more often than not just get a hole in the wall with a few wooden props and maybe a metal roof unless the trench has been there a very long time and fortified.

Not to rain on the parade, I just thought I'd mention it. I'm very much looking forward to what you come up with. And yes, the drawings are fascinating. I have a facsimile of the Western Front Officer's handbook, which has all sorts of stuff like that in it. If you need any measurements or details and can't find them, let me know and I'll take all look if you want.

 Paradigm wrote:
Sounds like a good plan, especially the tin grooves. Those are an oft-missed element of trench designs. I'd probably avoid a full 'dugout', though. The full structures tended to be in the reserve trenches, on the very front line (ie. The bit being attacked) you'd more often than not just get a hole in the wall with a few wooden props and maybe a metal roof unless the trench has been there a very long time and fortified.

Not to rain on the parade, I just thought I'd mention it. I'm very much looking forward to what you come up with. And yes, the drawings are fascinating. I have a facsimile of the Western Front Officer's handbook, which has all sorts of stuff like that in it. If you need any measurements or details and can't find them, let me know and I'll take all look if you want.

I'm aware not to build a full dugout, I meant more of a shelter like in the second image above; which looks like one of those curved tin roofs buried into the ground; or the type seen here. (Spoilered for large image)



And thanks for the offer! I should have all I need dimensions wise, but I'll definitely give you a shout if I need any

Yep, I see it! I kind of figured that was what you meant, I was just clarifying. No harm done.

These reference images are great! Really interesting.... dont get me wrong.... it looks like hell on earth and for the men who were there i cant imagine much of a worse way to live.

But saying that.... the elements themselves and the functionality of the dugouts and shelters.... the layers of trenches and the sheer scale of it all is really interesting! The way they had their basic plans to follow and then as time went on they adapted and grew as the requirements of the men changed etc is nice.

Like i said before... am looking forward to seeing where this is headed!

Don't you just love coming home to deliveries of new stuff?


The important stuff!

And some more relevant reference materials.

Construction is to start imminently.

Waaaargh! Get those whirring teknikol bits away! Dat is too complikated for dem orkses.

Tonights progress. The first layer is down. I'm going to shape the second layer, which I've started doing; but I want to do some detailing of the trench walls before I glue them down permanently. The matchsticks are going to be part of the detailing progress, along with corrugated plastic.

When I've got some more bits ready I'll try a basic layout with the models.

Any comments and criticism is appreciated!

Really looking forward to seeing this come together.

Not much progress tonight; but I've started some of the initial detailing.

I like how it's turned out so far, I'll try and get this section near complete and then do the front part, try and get part of the firing step built to see how that looks.

As usual, any comments and criticism is welcome Thanks for looking!

Nicely done, simple yet undeniably effective! Out of interest, how are you planning on doing the sandbags?

 Paradigm wrote:
Nicely done, simple yet undeniably effective! Out of interest, how are you planning on doing the sandbags?

By using these

They're 1/72, so a little big, but if I cut them in half they should look to be about the right size.

Great Ideas Looking forward to seeing more. Trench wouldn't be complete without one of these rolling over it. I only know of one company that makes WW1 Tanks 1/35 scale but, I know they have 1/72 as well.

http://www.wonderlandmodels.com/models/plastic-models/emhar/

Can't wait to see how this turns out

Ref the sandbags,much easier to make them yourself from green stuff or something similar

Thanks everyone!

I'm not currently planning on any tanks just yet. Although I've bought far more infantry than I need so I might get some of Battlefront's new Great War stuff and put some armies together with the spares!

I may end up sculpting a couple of sandbags, but for the amount I need It's easier to use ready made ones. Unfortunately noone makes them in 15mm. Or at least none that I can find.

Again, does anyone know of any loose British equipment in 15mm? Webbing, rifles, canteens and such or am I going to have to sculpt it?

The weekend's progress!

I did quite a lot of work on this over the weekend, more detailing, built a dugout shelter, started painting some infantry.

But enough words. Pictures!


Continued detailing this section of trench. Added the top layer and covered it in filler, also added a crater with a British casualty. It still needs work, but I think it's looking great so far!

Close-up of the casualty crater. When it's painted I intend to part fill this with water-effects.

View of the trench from a different angle. The dugout is visible here. It'll mostly be covered when I stick the next layer on, so I've basecoated it, and I'll pick out the individual sandbags before that gets fixed.

Picture of the dugout taken with flash. It's a bit dark to see the individual sandbags really, I don't think the flash helped much either....

A handful of British infantry I've started. Still very much WIP,

Any comments on this would be great!

Really taking shape now! Everything is coming together nicely.

Really nice work! Really like the look of the sandbag shelter! Will be nice to see it complete with the roof!

Really like where this is headed!

Waaaargh! Get dis technicol bit away!

Updates

Taking advantage of the weekend to get some more progress made, albeit not very much (Curse you Civ V! )

I've made more progress with the detailing on the trench, but the part I'm most happy with is that I've managed to finish painting those 5 Tommies

Anyway, on to the pictures.


The first 5. I'm going to need to paint another dozen or so to fill the diorama, and paint a load of Germans too...



I don't know how well you can see on these pictures, but the NCO in the centre, and the one with the bayonet next to him both have the sleeveless leather jerkins.

Now for the Trench progress.

This is an overview, you can see the corner I've been detailing, the dugout (which is almost completely hidden ) and some craters, the one near the top of the picture where it cuts into the trench is where I plan to have the Germans breaching in.

Some more of the detailing, I have loads of filler down now, it looks like mud. Ideal.

A shot of some of the German casualties. I may place more down, but these will do for now.

The dugout. I don't know whether to build a duckboard firestep over the entrance, I think I should, but it means the dugout is basically pointless since it can't be looked into, it's difficult enough to see into anyway!


So, thanks again all for looking, please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions for things I should do or add in.

This is a great thread. Its nice to see something besides GW, especially when it is so well done.