1:35 Reinforced base for AT gun (15 x 15 cm)

A reinforced firing position for an anti-tank gun

The crew of an anti-tank gun had to level the barrel with the terrain and at the same time keep the carriage still at every shot. Where the ground was waterlogged or sandy, planks, stone paving or a concrete slab were laid under the trail spades and under the wheels. Without that the weapon would have dug itself in after the first round, the spades would have twisted and the aim would have stopped holding before the crew could load.

A base fifteen by fifteen centimeters presents such a position as a finished whole. The surface is varied, with the reinforced area and the surrounding terrain clearly marked out, so the weapon need only be seated and the scene holds together of itself.

Which models it suits

The area is worked out for 1:35 scale and will take a light or a medium anti-tank gun including a crew of several figures. Around the remaining edge there stays room enough for ammunition crates, low growth, a camouflage net or discarded kit. It is just those small things that make the difference between a model on display and a scene that tells something.

The base also solves a problem a number of builds get stuck on, namely where to put the finished weapon. A gun standing free on a bare board comes across as an exhibit, whereas seated in a position it gains a context and an explanation of why it stands just here and why the barrel points this way. A single well-chosen piece of groundwork is all it takes.

Before painting, the surface is usually unified with a primer, and only then are the shades of earth, concrete and wood played out. The gun itself, figures and accessories are not part of the item.