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So I want to make a WWII diorama. I've decided to do 15mm scale, so I can paint something different (since I only paint 28mm). I think Flames of War would have the best models for this, right?

So right now I have a few scenarios in my head:

1, US Paratroopers sneaking around a hedge, about to open fire on a german Flak cannon,
2, a russian platoon doing a suicidal charge towards a farmhouse occupied by germans,
3, a german convoy being ambushed by russians hidden in trenches

These would probably be pretty small, maybe around 30x30?

Anyways, do you have any tips?

First thing I'd suggest, especially for a WWII diorama, is choose the 1:35 scale. You have an abundance of choice in figures and lots of terrain models too. For example, for your farmhouse idea: http://www.miniart-models.com/index.htm?/1-35_Dioramas.htm

Despite the larger scale, you'll find it'll be cheaper than 15mm because of its availability.

I'm knee deep in my new diorama so I'm happy to give whatever advice I can to help! Good luck.

I dunno about going 1/35, I've seen some really cool 15mm dioramas. Though to me the point of doing a 15mm diorama is partly so you can have tanks without making the diorama too huge. At 15mm infantry often have odd proportions and don't stand up to super close scrutiny (though I'd say the same about Warlord's bobble head 28mm WW2 figures ).. 1/72 or 1/76 is also a decent scale to work in for dioramas.

As for how to proceed, just plan it out and look at lots of figures to see if you can find the poses that match how you want them to look. Be aware that some 15mm ranges have different proportions so you might not want a 15mm dude from one range standing right next to a 15mm dude from a different range, but it depends which specific models you pick.

At 15mm the bases are very prominent so I'd remove them or embed them seamlessly in to the board rather than having loose models (which you can sometimes get away with for larger models).

Something like the Open Fire set can actually be made in to a pretty good diorama. All the models in that set are really top notch and hold up well to close examination if you put the time in to paint them well.

One thing to think about with a larger scene like this is that you might want it to 'work' on multiple levels.

Taking your farmhouse idea, you'll have the overall impression of an assault in progress, but you might also want several smaller scenes within the scene as that's where you can really build in a narrative. Maybe a medic tending to a wounded comrade, a hidden sniper taking aim, two small groups either side of a doorway about to get in to some brutal fighting, that sort of thing. Every model should be interacting with at least one other in some noticeable way, you don't want guys just standing there.

That leads you into thinking about poses. If you're using a model in a shooting pose, make sure he's clearly pointing his gun at someone, if you've got a crouching model make sure there's a reason for them to be in that pose (ie. behind some cover ect). Basically, you want to be sure that everyone in this 'snapshot' of an event is actively doing something, rather than just sitting there to make up numbers.

Have a think about what kind of base you want as well. If you're trying to convey motion and aggression, perhaps a rectangular base would be best as you can focus the action towards one end, if you want to give the impression of a last stand against an encircling enemy, maybe use a round base to suggest the danger is coming from all sides. To 'focus' the diorama, you'll want a centrepiece (though note this doesn't necessarily have to be in the centre!), whether that's just a larger concentration of models or a tank or a wrecked aircraft, you want something to draw the eye and then work out from there.

Finally, if you want to plan this out, just grab a couple of boxes of 1/72 airfix infantry, they're slightly larger than 15mm but very cheap, so you can 'sketch out' your idea before committing to buying more expensive models and scenery components. Also handy for practising the paint schemes and such.

Thanks for the tips everyone! I looked at the FOW models, and making a big diorama might not be a bad idea since you get a lot of things in them. A larger battle would be cool, maybe around the outskirts of a town?




Automatically Appended Next Post:
And does anyone know if Zvezdas 1:100 vehicles are the same size as Flames of War vehicles? They're a lot cheaper

Yes Zvezda are but the quality isn't there for a diorama.
Also FOW models are pretty bad.
If I were you I'd get everything from Peter Pig.

 Alex Kolodotschko wrote:
Also FOW models are pretty bad.
If I were you I'd get everything from Peter Pig.

I've been quite happy with the more recent FoW plastics I've bought, I like the level of detail on the tanks, particularly the tracks. Infantry wise I don't own any Peter Pig figures but from pictures I'd say they're quite comparable, if anything I like the faces more on my Grenadiers and Paratroopers than I'm seeing of the Peter Pig figures.

I don't own any of the older FoW infantry to know how they stand up, but from the pictures they don't look as good.