1:35 Bunker base

What it is

A diorama base in 1:35 scale whose dominant feature is a bunker. The fortified structure gives the scene a firm point and a background at once: the massive wall closes the view off from one side, so the viewer's eye concentrates on the hardware or the figures in front of it. The terrain around the structure holds the scene together and decides where the road will run, where the approach will lie and where the trench will be.

Where it is useful

• a defensive scene with a crew at an embrasure or a sentry at the entrance
• an armored vehicle or a car halted in front of the structure
• a separate base under a group of figures, where the wall forms the background
• a part of a larger diorama into which you set the base

The base is finished, so cutting out and modeling the terrain from nothing falls away; the work starts straight at the painting and at placing the scene.

Painting tips

First clean and degrease the surface and carefully sand down small flash and unevenness. Spray a base that evens out how much the surface absorbs, and only then paint. Never paint concrete as one flat gray: spray it with several close tones, so that the area comes alive. A glaze will flow into the joints and the hollows and bring them out, and a dry brush will then draw out the edges and the chipped places. Apply dust and deposits of soil with pigment at the foot of the walls and take them off toward the top, otherwise the whole scene will turn gray. Blend the transition between the structure and the terrain with paste or pigment, so that no sharp boundary shows on it.

Who it is for

For modelers who want to put a model into a setting and do not want to build a base from the beginning themselves. The model, the figures, the paints and the glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.