This is my entry for the Commonwealth in Normandy campaign (for twhich I've missed the deadline ).

The idea of the story is a Churchill and crew being welcomed by a farmer who is dishing out some of his plonk, while a pair of disconsolate POWs are being prepared for escort back to reserve areas.

There is some empty space, but I plan to fill that with some hens, geese and possibly other livestock. Fencing and vegetation can also be added for additional interest. I could add a bren carrier, but think eveything might look too cluttered if I do.

Do you think this works with the POWs in the scene?
Should I replece them with the bren Carrier? If so how do I incorporate that into the scene (and I do like the POWs!)
Would a different layout work better?

The positioning of the farm (which has no detail on the back) limits the options slightly: it has to act a backdrop, and therefore won't work at the side of the scene.

I'm interested to hear any ideas or feedback people have.






Sean

Hi Sean,
Firstly i like your idea in regards to the storyline.I think the idea of having the POW's is plausible and extra figures take up extra space of which you have alot of.
After looking at the layout i think an option is to add a dirt type road going parallel across from where the POW's are to where the tank is at a slight angle.This would give some added depth to the layout and take the viewers eye off the flat positioning of the farm house.Which make is that BTW?
Also with so much open space you could add a large tree to the back right hand corner of the dio as a sort of feature and then some fine trees to the far left where the dog's box is situated.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do mate,that was my two quid's worth of input for today!
Cheers,Shay

Mmm, you can also move the Churchill more to the middle of the scene and replace this whole side with a field, where you can better incorporate your livestock.

That's one idea

Cheers
Claude

Gday Sean
The boys have provided some good ideas, but why not pivot the whole scene within the base, so things are not running parallel with the edges? Makes the scene more dynamic in my book... You may lose a little space, but it may help to compact the scene if needed...
Looking good
Cheers
Brad

I was thinking the same way. Maybe swing the farm house on an angle and forward. You might even have a little activity in/behind the barn. Just a thought.
Overall, I like the idea you've got going.

I would angle the farm building at a 45 degree angle across the top left corner. This will create space at the rear of the building....use a large leafy tree to fill this space...don't put figures or gear there as it will just beocme lost.

Angle the Churchhill so it is then central in the scene. Remember a dioram is about telling a story and not about filling dead space on a large base. The troops and the POWs should bring the focus towards the tank. I know you are limited in doing this as you have already completed the figures. More interaction between the troops on the ground and the tank crew would tell a better story.

The option of the Bren Gun Carrier would work as long as it relates to the troops with the POWS. Having the POWs closer to the opening of the farm building might tell a bit more of the story and tie things in...have a tripod mounted MG42 in the big opening of the building with lots of empty casings, ammo boxes, food, empty wine bottles, white flag, and German gear....that lends to the fact that they surrended and are in that area.

Another option is to get a slightly smaller base and there won't be as much empty space.

Play around with moving the large pieces...tank, building, ground troops. Try to keep items such as the barrels an ddog house out of the distinct corners

i agree with LeoCmdr.
maybe a mg42 siting on the barn door then where the big opening is in the barn but maybe haystacks and add things around them like bottles,sleeping bags,food containers,if you may not what to swing the barn on the angle maybe put the dog kennel on an angle. maybe put the tank where the well is know which would bring it closer to the pows,put a tree next to the well.maybe have the figures amerging more out of the barn big door/hole,and maybe for a bit more detail you could open the door on the shed/outhouse and put things in that.

0.02

matt

Hi Sean. My gut feeling, when seeing this, is to recommend a smaller base. Instead of looking to fill this big base up with items that are irrelevant to the scene, a smaller base will compact all the items, and give more effect.
If this is not an option for you, why not try to incorporate some height into the scene. Adding a balsa frame to two sides, and sloping the scene from one side to the other, will add a lot of realism to the scene, but also take away some of the size. A flat plane like this appears bigger when totally contour-less.
Some smaller scratch out-houses would be another realistic addition, you could consider.

Thank you all for your replies.

I think I will set this on a smaller base. The barn looks to me as if it's attached to a larger building (the farm house?) that we don't see. So having it against a flat edge, rather than diagonally, is the only way to set it on the base (although I agree that diagonals improve things on the whole).

I'll omit the POWs because the more I think about it, the more I think that having POWs looking like they recently been captured when the celbrating farmer is also in the scene doesn't work. (Did the farmer help catch them? How has he had the time to find his hidden wine when fighting has only just finished?).

So, I'll go for a smaller base with the only real story being the celebrating farmer and the tank crew he's rewarding. I think might add a scout car, and will look for suitable kits. I'll sort out a new base and post some new pics of the layout soon.

Thanks again for your help.


Sean

Sean ,

This looks really good , there is a lot of dead space to deal with , I would place the POWs on the perifferies of the scene being marched out , currently they look abit lie they are gosping with the British troops. While the farmer dishing out wine , you could possibly include a group of soldiers "chatting up " the farmers daughter , or getting intell from a farm hand possibly in the Resistance ? Smaller base maybe?

Jerry

why not keep the pow's but get a set of the Masterbox 'german captives', instead and have them rambling past the major elements of the scene, that gives your farmer time to have found his wine stash as the pow's could be from anywhere as a pose to having been based on the site to start with

Thanks for all the suggestions and replies. I have been thinking things over and decided that I like the idea of depicting French Resistance fighters. I'll keep the POWs for another project, but have found a figure suitable for converting to a resistance fighter who I'll depict showing an officer some point if significance in the distance. I've also splashed out on an Accurate Armour kit if a Humber Scout car. It puts the completion date even further back, but I think it will ultimately add to the scene.

So, back to AFV and figure work and put the dio work on hold for a time. I'll post again when all the components are complete.


Sean