Here's something I've been kicking around, and have started a bit on the figures and the jeep...

Imagine this... An American staff officer and his driver, somewhere in France, early fall after DDay... They are out in the country side somewhere, took a wrong turn which put them on the wrong side of the front line... They realize their error and have turned around, just as they come to a small stone bridge, their trusty ole Willy's jeep craps out on them... They don't seem to be in any immediate danger, so the driver pops the hood and starts trying to figure out what has gone wrong... Thinking that maybe the ignition points are the problem, he has the distributor cap off, spark plug wires and all when they hear an approaching German patrol. They immediately hide under the bridge... (It is a small bridge, lazy stream) This is where the dio will find the scene... I'll have the German squad leader standing next to the broken down jeep, holding the American officer's cap in one hand, other hand on his hip, like he's thinking, "They might still be close if they left in such a hurry, and this is obviously not a line officer to be wearing his dress cap on the front lines. Then I'll have another German, leaning over the side of the bridge like he is trying to see under the bridge, but he can't see the Americans from his vantage point. Meanwhile, the two Americans are under the bridge, the officer with a .45 in his right hand and he has one finger to his lips "shushing" his driver (who is an experienced sargeant and probably wants to smack the officer), the driver, still has his sleeves rolled up, engine grease on his hands and forearms, his Thompson in his right hand and the distributor cap trailing the spark plug wires (which he probably hasn't realized that he is still holding in his left hand.)

I would like to include maybe 2-3 more German soldiers and I'm curious if anyone has any ideas of what they could be doing? I'm pretty set on the two Germans I have already mentioned, (Have the figure modifications done on the commander and nearly done on the soldier looking over the side of the bridge) And I don't really want to make it seem as if the Americans are definitely going to be discovered... Would like to leave it open... The Germans will be kind of relaxed, but the Americans will be very tense... I thought maybe one soldier poking around in the back of the jeep looking for anything interesting... Any ideas would help! :-)

Hi, First of all, great idea........
Ok.........
Why not one or two germans walking or running off down the road to check for them, or one rummaging through the contents of the jeep for Intel or just being nosey.

Or a german posing for a photo with a friend of his new trophy!!!!
A german kicking the tyres or looking under the hood himself.....

Good luck anyway.....................Let us know how you do.......

Hi, I agree this is a cool idea.
Have u thought of having it so the german officer is i only one who has realised the Americans are close by. Therefore the 2-3 remaining germans are very relaxed, like longshanks said, taking photos, or even walking away.
Good Luck

I like Kereru's idea. 2-3 Germans enjoying the spoils of the jeep while a lone officer standing a little ways from the jeep inspects the cap between the jeep and the hiding GIs.

Great Idea! I think that the Germans going through the contents of the Jeep would be the most realistic (you know the Germans were starting to feel the supply pinch), plus it will give you the option of putting lots of interesting goodies in the jeep (like crates of wine - or better still - cartons of cigarettes!)
Cool idea. I look forward to the pictures. Post them up so we can see them
Rob

Thanks for the ideas guys! Keep 'em coming!

And don't worry, I'll be putting up in progress photos soon! Hoping to get the base started this weekend. :-)

good...good...good....if we go that way we can make it a movie instead of a diorama ..and maybe academy award..who knows. :-)
Great dio idea and great additions..would like to see it.

Definetly rummaging the jeep!

OK...

The soldier that was going to be looking over the side of the bridge... I've reworked him a bit... He will be looking into the Jeep's engine compartment... And I think I have the parts lined out for a german soldier digging through the contents of the back of the jeep (haven't yet decided what he is finding yet...) And I think I may put another german soldier sitting either on the edge of the bridge smoking a cigarette or maybe leaning on a tree nearby... (He's probably just thankful for the chance to pause and take a break that the apparently abandoned jeep has provided...)

More ideas welcome!

Maybe put a map on the front seat? or on the dash?..Also, to make the situation not too obvious (space permitting), have the jeep further down the road..not on the bridge..the allies had to run back to the bridge to hide and the german vehicle parked on the bridge...with the german guys at the jeep...a juxtaposition of the sides.

ould have one with his gun raised checking off to the side of the road.

Make sure that it is obvious the hood was up from the American breakdown and that the Germans didn't raise the hood.

have one with his hand over the engine seeing if it's still hot and talking to the officer saying yes they have just not long left feel the heat from the engine,maybe have the german looking for maps, as if he was a staff offcier he might have left some maps maybe even add a coat with his rank in it so that it gives the impression of how/what the officer is