Vimy Ridge The Game, Photos (Heavy) and AAR

[wrgmr1]

Thanks for the comments gents. I agree with mixing up the look, which will happen more towards the front lines, these are second and third lines so most likely in better shape.

I like the wicker look however this needs to be finished by the end of the month. Really no time to get wicker in the mail, I could try though?

[wrgmr1]

Hi Gents,

All 12 boards are near completion. Final browns painting is done, just need to add some green grass in the rear lines, sandbags and details.







German 1st, 2nd and 3rd lines.

[tin shed gamer]

If you're set on using wicker. I can suggest a quick homemade solution.
180 gsm or heavier cartridge paper. Medium or rough water colour paper( in fact you could use cereal packet card.) and cocktail or match sticks.
You simply mark out a rectangle to the length required and the height with horizontal lines between 2-5mm apart.(these lines stop 5mm short of both vertical ends of the rectangle. You just cut along each line without cutting completely across the rectangle.So in effect you end up with a series of 2-5mm thick horizontal strips joined together by a 5mm wide vertical strip at each end.
Then its simply a case of weaving the cocktail /match sticks in and out of the horizontal strips.So you end up with a length of wicker fence that you can flex into any curve or angle you require.Once its glued into place you just cut off the 5mm wide tabs that were holding it  together.(this works for gabions just as well.)
It's alot faster than it sounds,and odds on you can source card and cocktail/sticks without leaving the house.
It really is worth taking 20minutes to try it out.

[fred]

Looking good

[carlos marighela]

If you're set on using wicker. I can suggest a quick homemade solution....

Come to think of it I've seen some woven table mats in our local $2 shops that do the job, in fact I even had one. Was a greenish and the filaments quite fine. Just cut into lengths. Now whether that sort of thing is available in Canada, I don't know.

[wrgmr1]

Thanks for the ideas gents. I'm pretty much done with all the trench details, just adding green paint for grass, sandbags and dirty water in deeper shell holes.

[tin shed gamer]

No worries,
After all it was a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

[wrgmr1]

Further developments over the weekend.

Sandbags and some green to break up the mud.



My feeling is the sandbags should be a darker grey, I did a light wash of grey but they do get darker over time.
Thoughts?

[fred]

The extras really liven it up. I'd mix the colours up a bit for the sandbags, do a few in different shades in the light gray ones, and do other batches in different colours entirely.

Your sandbags  look very much like British ones, all neat and sergeant-major approved. The Germans (and later the British) realised that having a more irregular appearance, in both placement and colour, made it much easier for your chaps to observe without being spotted by enemy snipers. The Germans made use of all sorts of material to make sandbags to break up the colours, and went for irregular laying of them too.

[wrgmr1]

Thanks Fred, great advice!

[carlos marighela]

I can't speak with any authority on the colour of Great War era sandbags but I do know that the ones I used to fill as a lad ranged from a khaki not dissimilar to the frame of this website to various shades of light olive green. Being burlap and somewhat porous, they quickly took on the colour of the dirt contained therein, be that reddish or er earth coloured.

[Metternich]

A very impressive board.

[wrgmr1]

Continuing with this project, almost finished.
A few details to be done.
Paint a few more sandbags.You will see some whitish ones in the pics below.
Cover all the sandbags with a good coat of white glue.
Dry brush a light brown on the barbed wire bases.
Add a few more casualties.

Pics are of German 2nd, 3rd lines and Vimy Ridge.
Comments are welcome.

[El Grego]

Outstanding; I wish I could see it at game time   

[wrgmr1]

El Grego, I'll be putting it on at Enfilade Saturday afternoon?