Tunnel Rats

[Sardoo]

I am planning a Tunnel Rats diorama using the excellent Gringo40’s Vietnam figures and could use some advice.

During my research on this project I found that, apparently, much of Vietnam has soil which is red. Can anyone suggest how I could replicate this for the diorama?

Grateful thanks in advance for any advice offered.

[carlos marighela]

Vallejo and Mig both offer pastel powders for reddish Vietnamese soil. They are designed to muddy up armour kits and the like but I've also used them for some basing projects. There's no reason why you couldn't apply them to a diorama.

You could also just go with paint. Mahogany Brown and Red Leather highlights works well. Do bear in mind that the tunnels are rather humid and sometimes quite dank. I've been in the recreated ones at Cu Chi although those are quite shallow. The soil being damp will tend to appear darker than on the soil on the surface, unless of course it has been raining.

[carlos marighela]

Sorry,

I thought it was Vallejo but Mig and AK do the weathering powders.

https://ak-interactive.com/product/vietnam-earth/

https://www.migjimenez.com/en/ammo-paints/1792-pigment-vietnam-earth-amig-3022.html

[Sardoo]

Thanks for getting back to me with this really helpful information so quickly - much obliged!

Also, very impressed that you’ve been down the tunnels yourself. My latent claustrophobia would end me about two metres in. 

[dickiegranthum]

AK powders are my go-to - they will get eaten by Testor’s Dullcoat, so I tend to get a bit heavy when I use them; they are a learning process for sure.

[carlos marighela]

Thanks for getting back to me with this really helpful information so quickly - much obliged!

Also, very impressed that you’ve been down the tunnels yourself. My latent claustrophobia would end me about two metres in. 

Don't worry, even though they have been made larger to accomodate Western tourists like myself, I wasn't keen to linger, they really are claustrophobic. Then again, I could never really adjust to sleeping in holes deeper than a shell scrape.  Stage 3 sleeping bays in rifle pits felt too grave like. Still, when you're there and it's the main attraction....

What is remarkable is how well engineered they are and how compact the soil is. No timber props or revetting. Oh and even in the Disneyfied ones at Cu Chi, there's evidence of lots of wildlife. Bats, centipedes and other creepy crawlies and apparently the odd snake.

One of the things you want to model is the amount of leaf litter on the surface, if you are modelling Cu Chi. It's a forested area.

I did take some pleasure in educating my guide to the fact that it was the Australians in 1 RAR who were the first westerners to enter the tunnel complex itself.

[Sardoo]

AK powders are my go-to - they will get eaten by Testor’s Dullcoat, so I tend to get a bit heavy when I use them; they are a learning process for sure.

Thanks for the tip!

[Sardoo]

Don't worry, even though they have been made larger to accomodate Western tourists like myself, I wasn't keen to linger, they really are claustrophobic. Then again, I could never really adjust to sleeping in holes deeper than a shell scrape.  Stage 3 sleeping bays in rifle pits felt too grave like. Still, when you're there and it's the main attraction....

What is remarkable is how well engineered they are and how compact the soil is. No timber props or revetting. Oh and even in the Disneyfied ones at Cu Chi, there's evidence of lots of wildlife. Bats, centipedes and other creepy crawlies and apparently the odd snake.

One of the things you want to model is the amount of leaf litter on the surface, if you are modelling Cu Chi. It's a forested area.

I did take some pleasure in educating my guide to the fact that it was the Australians in 1 RAR who were the first westerners to enter the tunnel complex itself.

Bats, centipedes, snakes (!) - that's a hard "nope" from me!!!

Many thanks for the tip about the leaf litter!

[mikedemana]

I actually crawled through the admittedly "tourist-ified" Cu Chi tunnels myself when I visited Vietnam. Here's my travel blog entry from there if you're interested:
https://world-wide-mike.travellerspoint.com/52/



One of the guides posing (in period costume) where soldiers could pop up, fire, then "disappear" back into the tunnels.

The guides challenged me to see if I could crawl through all of the 100 meters or so of  re-done dirt and cement tunnels. I made it further than anyone else on the tour, about 2/3's of the way before opting to climb out one of the exits that were spaced every 20 meters or so. Stupidly, I had worn shorts and as it was supposed to get a lot narrower from that point on. I would have to crawl on my knees, so I stopped. Plus, I play a mental game with claustrophobia. As long as I can keep my mind on something else, I'm good. The minute I let my very vivid imagination take over ("What if there is an earthquake? Power outage? Animal down here?"), it isn't long before I'm like, "Outta here!!" 

Still, I can't imagine being in the tunnels while B52 strikes were going on. My mind would be picturing being stuck in there by collapsed tunnels and I would be freaking out, for sure! 

Mike Demana

[Merlon]

Depending on how much scenic terrain is in your diorama, red tile grout may work out cheaper. Just a thought.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

If you are in the UK, Humbrol have weathering powders including iron oxide in a 28ml jar.

[gringo]

Sardoo appreciate the kind comments look forward
to seeing some pictures when finally done!
regards
Ged
www.gringo40s

ps rather you them me down there Carlos!!

[Sardoo]

Here's my travel blog entry from there if you're interested:
https://world-wide-mike.travellerspoint.com/52/

Really enjoyed the blog entry about Vietnam, Mike! Also enjoying the entries about the other places you have been Fascinating stuff!

[Sardoo]

Thanks for all the suggestions, folks! I will be following them all up in the next few days.

I knew I could depend on the LAF hive mind for ideas about the way forward!

[ErikB]

You won't need any special minis to fit in those tunnels.

They're already only 28mm tall.  ;-)