Hello all I've just snapped some pictures of my latest diorama in progress. I've been giving you alot of posts on updates of my figures and vehicles etc that will be included but only recently have i started to make a base.

So the story goes...A Marder IIIm (2nd SS Das Reich) accompanied by 2 trailing halftracks are traveling through the ardenne (before the snow started / Autumn). Theres a steep switchback where the Marder slows down to corner the turn, as he is turning he is shot in the left drive wheel by a light anti-tank gun and has lost the track. Due to the lack of traction on the left side...he can only drive straight (understanding that tanks use both tracks to turn), and concequently drives straight down into a shallow creek bed. The dudes in halftracks jump out and start firing on the enemy ambush while the injured driver of the Marder climbs out of his cockpit and is being assisted by a fellow crew member. Other soldiers cover the injured driver and are cautiously searching for other enemies.

Heres my pics:
Also not that the toothpics are where trees will be!








NOW FOR A QUICK SURVEY!

Which setting do you prefer...Take note of the halftrack
PICTURE A:


OR PICTURE B:


Any thoughts, suggestions, criticism are welcome. Also the radio halftrack is not going to be in the dio, i have not built the appropriate Halftrack yet.

Thanks All,
Ian

I personally think it looks great so far.

If I had to be in one of the halftracks, I would have jumped off behind the vehicles and use them for a bit of cover.

Maybe I'm just giving away my intelligence here, but I would say that there should be a couple of cautious soldiers using the vehicles as cover. Placing the vehicles between themselves and the anti-tank position....

Just a suggestion maybe.... (I could be wrong...)

Regards
Dieter

In the sense of filling the space of your dio, you have done a good job, and if the Marder had been disabled earlier, and the halftracks where passing now and been 'ambushed' themselfs, the positioning of the vehicles would be good. But as the Marder has just been hit, I think the lead halftrack would have stopped where the second halftrack is, rather than going on around the corner, thereby exposing it's side. Other than that I think it looks very promising.

Cheers
Henk

Bodymovin -

This is a terrific diorama and idea, lay out is looking very well supported. I agree with Orffer's and Henk's accessment. I'd think the Grenadiers closest to the "ambush" would be firing, using the 251 and Marder (and "toothpicks") for cover. Then you'd have those moving up, ready and aware, and so on back. Those aiding the Marder crew if, as Henk suggests that Marder has just been hit and gone off road, wouldn't be too exposed . There are a couple of figures that look a little too "casual" and exposed near the front, so I'd think they need to be moved back some behind the action. Also agree that front 251 would pull up short of Marder with the crew man inside down low behind MG shield providing cover fire (I think there are a couple figures out there that have this position for a 251 crewman). The following 251 would show the rest of Grenadiers "dismounting" and moving up. This is going to be an outstanding diorama and anxious to watch it develop. I've got that Warrior Grenadier figure jumping out and would be honored to donate him to the "cause". Let me know,

Blade48mrd

Ian,

the set-up looks pretty good. Just one thing. If every toothpick is going to represent a tree, then they are, IMHO a bit close to eachother... That close the would either by quite small (and hence offer no coverage), or be bigger and being so close together that they would block the field of fire for the AT-gun in ambush. And the latter would be more likely, as normally these trees would not be planted in one thin line alongside the road. But form the edge of the wood.

So this positionng might actually suggest they are looking too far to their left if looking for the gun.

Hope this helps a but,

Harm.

Hi! It looks very interesting. The figgies really looks good.
My opnion is, since the dio is so big in size, that three vehicles and the figgies taken into consideration, would be to much. I would give one of the half-tracks and the Marder a place in the dio, and then give the forest and nature attention - perhaps loose some of the (good ) figgies.

Thats just my humble opinion. I'm confident that you will do a great job, and I llok forward to see it finish.

Simon

Thanks for all your comments!

Orffer: I agree with you but due to the heavy vegetated...or will be heavely wooded area, they soldiers can take cover behind the trees. If you look closely i have a figure behind the 2nd halftrack seeking cover to call in reinforcements on the radio.

Henk: I also agree with your comment about the position of the first halftrack. When i was laying out the diorama i found that the composition is far better in this layout than if the 2 halftracks stopped before the marder. I guess you could rationalize that the halftrack was already entering the turn as the marder was shot, and the best thing would be to complete the turn and seek cover.

Mike: Yeah, i was also concerned about the variotions in the intensity the figures express. Although i wasnt too afraid of the figures firing between the trees. I was more concerned with the figures in the creek bed who are slowly investigating. The problem with moving figures further back is that some line of sights are directly infront of another figure...which wouldnt lend well to shooting. Believe me I've fiddled around with the positions of figures and i find this format better. Although i will probably switch em around more. Btw Thank you so much for the donation!

Harm: I was thinking about this as well, and ive come to the conclusion that there are too many trees because i need to leave gaps for line of sight and line of fire. I did make sure to leave a gap where the Marder was hit. When i put in the toothpicks i wasnt picky (no pun intended) so that they would not look too staged, and have a more random look.

Simon: Thanks for the suggestion, IMHO i think there is too little. Because the problems I've had with dioramas is having a base that has too much dead space. And everyone knows that dead space is very very hard to make look realistic and to contribute positively to the piece as a whole. But in modeling groundwork and the flora is my favorite thing to do so dont worry i will be spending quite alot of time makeing the forest and all else good.

Thank you all for the comments and suggestions and KEEP EM COMING!

Ian

Just my 2 cents... I think the crew of the Marder should be hiding at opposite the line of fire rather than inspecting/investigating the damage. As you mentioned, the other figs are still cautiously searching for the enemy w/c would mean that there is still a threat...and those crew investigating is very prone to snipers...If I were the crew I look at the damage later after the situation is under control....Just a suggestion.

Hey, but overall I like the story line and the layout reminds me of my current project. Keep us posted I would love to this finished...

Cheers

Arvin

One thing to keep in mind with the Marder. If it was making that turn and the outside track was blown off it would not have continued straight as you stated. It would have slewwed off to the lost track side as the track is driven from the front sprocket. If the track is split and there is no tension on it, there is nothing to permit forward motion.

I do want to add that the concept is very good and you have a wonderful start, just reconsider the impact point. Perhaps the driver was killed in a side penetration?

Ian

I like the location of the 251 in photo A. The trailing vehicle would most take a few seconds to figure out what was going on before stopping (fog of war type thing).
Also they would being using their heavy mg's - either on the vehicles or dismounted (Germans squad tactics revolved around their mg's).Just my two cents.

Camo on figures looks outstanding. Nice job.

Good Luck
N E O

Ian, wow, man! It looks brilliant. I love these complex action dios.

I like picture A (with the halftrack further down the road) for a couple of reasons.

First, it gives you a bit more space and balance rather than have all three tracks huddled together.

Second, the lead halftrack would instinctively move past the damaged vehicle to cover the road ahead with its MGs, expecting a blocking force.

I think a disabled left track would anyway take the Marder off the road to the left, especially if the driver'd been hit as well, so you could just leave it there.

Can't wait to see the finished dio.

Ian, so far so good. It is looking great. With some fine tuning of vehicle position I think it will be excellent. Looking forward to seeing the stat of your ground work. Cheers Kevin