Hi Guys,

I'm in process of building a dio for the Tank Destroyer campaign and I need inputs from you guys on how to improve my dio....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/warthog2/Img_2402.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/warthog2/Img_2399.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/warthog2/Img_2397.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/warthog2/Img_2390.jpg

My plan is to show an Elefant knocked out by a russian mine. The panzergrenadiers from the schwimmwagen are giving the escaping crew protection from would be attackers. The setting is supposedly in Russia 1944. Although the dio will not be historically correct, but I guess incidents like these definitely would have happened. I'm actually not sure where the Elefants were used in Russia.

Any inputs for improvement would be appreciated.

Cheers

Ola Arvin

Well I can put a great list of things you could add to your dio to improve it but Robert Doepp has made a beautifull Diorama of a Tiger1 with Mine damage. I would think it is very usefull for inspiration
Here is the link
Mine Damage by Robert Doepp

I hope it is of some use for you.

Hi Warthog:

I really like your idea with the Schwimmwagen and the Elephant. One of the nice parts is that you've made the terrain with a little rise and fall; it isn't real flat. More work but more interesting to the eye; as in nature!

I looked at the other dio pix of the Doepp Mine damage as well. I am wondering if you would consider changing the placement or position of the tank and the schwimmwagen on your base. Speaking from a compositional standpoint, I'd like to see the big gun barrel pointing into the composition rather than away from it. And pehaps have the schwimmwagen in front of the tank at a more interesting angle to the tank. IMO, that strong line of the gun going away from the center of the base, takes the eye away from the heart of what is going on. In the Deopp's composition, the builder has the gun pointing out the front, which in my view, leads the viewers eye along the muzzle and right into the heart of what is going on. However, what ever you decide as to placements of the two main elements, I am sure that it will be sucessful. Good luck

Hi Rick,

My original plan before was the same as your suggestion which is to place the schwimmwagen in front of the elefant, but it dawned on me that if I do that, the schwimmwagen would probably be the one hit by the mine. That is the reason why I just opted to move the schwimmwagen to the rear. BTW, the placement of the schwimmwagen is not yet permanent, so I could probably make some adjustments in-line with your suggestion.

I also plan to add grass and some shrubs.

Thanks for the inputs....

Cheers

Arvin:

Roger that, mate. Wishing you well to a successful and fun project.