Hi everyone. First I want to say I appreciate all the comments and feedback everyone has given. Andy, I will keep it in mind about the snow. I am planning some experimenting later this next week with some snow stuff. Paul, Thanks for the info, its good to have info to back me up if I go that way Thanks again for the comments!!! Cheers Kevin

About the snow. It depends when and where your diorama is taking place. It appears there was very little snow until after Christmas, or even Jan. '45. Pics of Pattons tanks entering Bastogne on Dec. 27 show little or no snow on the ground. Even La Gleize and Stavelot area was snowless after re-occupation by the US. It would appear that heavy snow didn't fall until late in the first week of Jan. '45. However, areas further east, closer to the German border, had snow in the week before Christmas. Possibly because of fluctuating daytime temperatures, snow one day might be totally melted the next day.
Best to choose a specific location and date, and reference your photos , so no one can say, " Well, gee, that's wrong because there's supposed to be 10 feet of snow on the ground!"

Kevin,

what a fantastic groundwork and scenery. These pics just look like they just came out of the Ospreybook on terrain modelling.

Wonderful work. Every time you post over here, you tie me to my screen wanting more.... I just love it.

AWESOME !!

Hi again I want to thank everyone for there kind comments and feedback!! I have been thinking about Biggles2's post. Does anyone have any good reference links for the ardennes? I really would appreciate a few links if possible. Thanks in advance. Cheers Kevin

Fantastic groundwork as always..congrats bro.

Brother , one more gem ir born. Trees and general foliage and groundwork is very nice , and the setup as we have discussed will work great i bet . On the snow item my personal opinion is the one we talked privately. Use start of snowing feature, to give the idea of location and era and to tone better the trees and the foliage, but not heavy snow to cover thsi masterwork.

Keep safe

Costas

A marvellous piece of forest ready to be inhabited by the whermacht and the american tanks and AFVs! A masterpiece! A very nice work!
Cheers and good modelling! Prato

The groundwork is great, the trees capture the 'winter pines' look very well, but like Honeycut said on page 1, it looks a little too symetrical to me.

The road is not parallel with the front edge, but with the tanks in place it looks more so than it is.

Also, I think that anyone trying to pass the knocked out sherman would swing farther off the road into the brush. I can't imagine that the vision blocks for the driver gave great side views of "where is my fender?"

In the same vein, the junction of the side road is also too symetrical to my eye.
Most dirt road/trail junctions I've seen here in the states, mostly logging roads and snowmobile trails up here in the NE, have a larger curved area where people have cut the corner over time widening the junction.

Mike

Thanks for the comments and critiques!! Mike since the pics have been taken the intersection has been reshaped some and also there is a track cutting through the bramble patch where traffic has had to adjust to go around the sherman. Also with the intersection reshape there is a wider arc leading into the the side lane. You have a good eye!!! Thanks for noticing the problems. Cheers Kevin

That is looking great! Awesome work.