Layout for a trenchboard?

[traveller]

I am considering to build a trenchboard in styrofoam but I struggle to find a layout that would be both flexible and allow for interesting games. Any ideas out there? 

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

You can make a German trench line as one set of tiles and an English trench line as another set (they have different shapes & constructions). Then you can make various tiles for "No Mans Land" which can create different distances and terrain between the lines.

[Mad Gadgeteer]

The following blog is filled with ideas.

https://sidneyroundwood.blogspot.com/search/label/Great%20War?m=0

[traveller]

You can make a German trench line as one set of tiles and an English trench line as another set (they have different shapes & constructions). Then you can make various tiles for "No Mans Land" which can create different distances and terrain between the lines.

Thanks Mick, I was thinking about some sort of general trenches that could also be used in WW2 but that is maybe not possible? Would there be considerable difference between the different styles?

[traveller]

The following blog is filled with ideas.

https://sidneyroundwood.blogspot.com/search/label/Great%20War?m=0

Awesome! Many thanks!

[marco55]

https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/modelling-ww1-trench-warfare.324568/#post-1143533

https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/trench-sections.116564/
Mark

[traveller]

Great links, thanks!

[marco55]

Great links, thanks!

Your welcome.
Mark

[tin shed gamer]

If you take a step back from the stereotypical idea of trenches.  Then you'll be able to achieve a much more flexible  and period diverse set of scenery. For example the inclusion of sand bags and corrugated tin will only take you from the present day conflicts throught Vietnam and Korea and back into the mid to late 19th century ( a little earlier without the tin.)
Where as if you primarily use planks,  half rounded timbers  wattle hurdles, and brush wood.Your trench set will take you as far back as Rome( and even a bit earlier as siege works.)
Or even Lord of the Rings.
The most valid type of revetment for wargaming that's period correct and oddly enough ignored by gamers.It the types of revetment built where the water table was too high to dig down, or the ground to hard as to close to bed rock.
Above ground revetment of sandbags.these are easily made modular and can even be used as heavy duty road blocks in other games. Sandbag revetted pillboxes,and bunkers are equally suited to the late 20th century as the early.
It's also possible to represent entrench areas with a pre made salient as a series of slit trenches and bunkers rather than two or three lines of trench. Especially if space an storage are an issue..
As it's Christmas I'm banned from the workshop so I can only proffer a couple of old design and table edge/ base margin solutions. For raised revetment models.

Personally I'd recommend regardless of the trenches  being raised or sunken an internal construct of wattle panelled walls and duck boards for the footing.
As the wattle texture is achievable In minutes. You can used cereal packet card and cocktail sticks to make flexible 30cm + lengths in under 20 minutes that can be applied in one piece straight to your main body/ construction.
Even simple duck boards will give the added texture to your builds whilst keeping a stable and level area for figure bases.

[traveller]

Tin Shed Gamer,

many thanks for your comments! Much appreciated as I earlier were mostly thinking about a WW1 board I today started to think how to include the Swedish trenches outside Poltava 1709 into the setting, your advice solves the problem 

I have the blue foam planks lined up so it will be a sunken trench. The duck boards and wall wood support sounds straightforward but how do you make the wattle texture? I have some Renedra wattle fences lying around so I could use those but if it is easy to make the structure directly on the walls that would be great!

[tin shed gamer]

No worries.

Here's a quick overview of the process.

Making Wattle at speed is just a case of doing the opposite of what you'd expect.  Rather than weaving the horizontal elements between the vertical elements.  You weave the vertical elements through the horizontal ones.
I've used cocktail sticks for the picture but absolutely anything can be used from wire,to twigs.
As for the main part I've used cereal packet card.  But a good quality paper or thin sheet plasticard will work too.
I've used a blunt blade( as it's all that's in the house and I'm not allowed out  ) definitely use a brand new blade.
It's simply a case of drawing a series of horizontal lines spaced at a distance your comfortable cutting at 1.5-2 mm is reasonably repeatable.
You need to leave a vertical strip at either end of the horizontal lines around 5mm at each end. Then cut along each horizontal line ensuring you don't cut through the 5mm strip at each end.
After which you should have a series of horizontal strips attached at either end to the 5mm strip.
Once you've done this it's simply a case of weaving the verticals in and out of the horizontal strips .
Then dress the ends of the verticals to your personal taste.
Once you've the wattle in place then a thinned layer of PVA. ( I use Mod podge)
Once you've tried it and got the aesthetics right with strip width and number of up rights per inch. (To your personal taste) it really does take minute's to make.

[traveller]

Wow! Looks great. I will try it 

Many thanks!

[tin shed gamer]

What I should have mentioned is once you've got to the stage in the photo. Glue the last vertical nearest to the 5mm strips in place. Before removing the 5mm strips.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with .

[traveller]

What I should have mentioned is once you've got to the stage in the photo. Glue the last vertical nearest to the 5mm strips in place. Before removing the 5mm strips.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with .

Great! I will make a note of that. It will take some time before I get to finishing the interior of the trenches. I need to figure out how to make the trenches as flexible and modular as possible in order to use them for WW1, Poltava and other possibilities