I've finally made up my mind and now start the topic around my latest (and probably last) diorama project. I must warn you guys that this is still very much WIP, so don't expect anything to be completed...and be lenient, will you!!
The setting is the old Imperial town of HUE in central Vietnam, a scene of violent urban combat during the 1968 TeT offensive.
Just to "locate" the diorama on the map...it is the residential area south of the Perfume river, the zone where the administrative elites had their villas (recuperated from the french colonial administrators and accredited ambassadors when they left).
HUE was roughly divided into 2 different "towns", the one south of the Perfume reaching down to the Phu Cam canal, called the "modern city" (strong french influence) and the part north of the Perfume, dominated by the old Imperial citadel and Palace.
The NVA in their surprise attack took most of the town (except for 2 "Alamoes", the barracks + airfield of the South Vietnamese forces ( 1st ARVN division) inside the citadel perimeter....and on the south bank the MACV compound (advisory team 3), both able to resist the attacks until the relief force joined up.
There weren't many units available for a counter attack, and so the task fell to the Marines from the sprawling base of Phu Bai (some 10 miles south of HUE).
For those interested in more details I can only recommend Eric Hammel's excellent book "Marines in HUE City".
Back to the diorama....the idea for a little vignette is more than 15 years old..and was intended to incorporate (roughly) half a dozen figures behind a stretch of wall, firing overhead and (maybe) recovering one WIA to place him on a mule for a medevac....one small tree, a bit of exotic vegetation...et voilà!
And then the idea was "forgotten", and other projects moved in the foreground!
And then Vladi Demtchenko started his series of irresistible figures...and the idea came to the surface again! A quick check provided more interesting figures ...and the small project quickly evolved into a sort of monster thing, as you will discover for yourselves!
Have fun!
A quick sketch of the "new" layout:
The size was set at 3 modules, each 120x40 cm, together producing a square of 120cm edge length. This made sure the dio could still be transported in a (more or less) normal car.
The modules are 1cm strong particle board with a 35mm layer of pink Styrodur foam. I needed these 35mm in order to provide an "anchor" for the alley trees!
The "villa" (just as most of the diorama) is completely scratched, except for the ballustrade elements of the terrace/balcony, which are from MecModels (Mark was extremely friendly and helpful! Thanks m8!).
The man responsible for the buildings is of course my old buddy Leo. I draw the plans..and he builds.
That's part of our teamwork: he produces the buildings and builds the vehicles......and I am responsible for the painting/weathering, the terrain and the figures!
And so the Saga began...
More of this in my next post!
Cheers
Romain
