1:35 Trench entrance WW I base

What kind of accessory it is

A base for a diorama in 1:35 scale with the motif of the entrance to a trench of the period of the First World War. It captures a small section of a trench line, so it forms a finished base for a scene on which it is enough to arrange figures and small equipment. Neither the terrain nor its ground has to be built from nothing.

The real subject

On quieter stretches of the front, the trenches of the First World War were braced with timber, the walls were revetted with boards and stakes and the floor was laid with wooden duckboards. The entrances to trenches and to underground shelters were sunk below the level of the terrain and were among the places where soldiers spent most of their time. That is exactly the kind of display that is rewarding for dioramas: it gives figures a reason to be heading somewhere and the scene looks natural even with a small number of figures.

Tips on painting and setting up

First wash the surface and let it dry thoroughly, otherwise the paint will hold poorly. It is a good idea to build the soil up from several shades of acrylic paint, to bring the hollows out with a dark glaze and to lighten the edges with a dry brush. The wooden items come into their own when a grayish cast of weathered wood is laid over a brown base. At the close, pigments suit dried mud, and static grass or scatter suit the surroundings. Arrange the figures dry and glue them in place only after the ground is painted, so that they can still be positioned.

Who it is for

For modelers who are building a scene from the First World War in 1:35 scale and are looking for a finished ground with a pronounced motif. Figures, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.