Vimy Ridge Project Hill 145

[wrgmr1]

As this was the 100th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge, I decided to do a game recreating part of this famous Canadian battle.

It will be the 87th battalion's, The Canadian Grenadier Guards attack on hill 145. This was one of the toughest sections to attack.

This project was completed at the end of March, I posted it on LAF and TMP but thought it would be appropriate to post here as well.

My plan was using 1.5 inch foam, cut out trenches and glue to hard board. There will be 9 – 2'x 2' sections to build a 6'x8' table. I've looked at various other gamer's trenches and what I found on the net to create an accurate table of the battlefield.
The map I used to create the trenches/table.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... H%20bN.jpg

I drew this map to trace onto the foam boards.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2180.jpg



Using a sharpie I traced the trenches onto the foam for cutting. I put in a 2.5" trench with a 1.5" fire step to accommodate the figure bases of 45mm square.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2179.jpg

The complete terrain boards, foam cut and glues to 1/4 thick hardboard.

Here is a look at Hill 145 taking shape. Some slope carving needs to be done and a few little tweaks.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... 0shape.jpg

View of a Canadian front line trench with fire steps and shell holes. The fire steps are necessary for the rules we will use. A WW1 variant of Chris Leach's "Battles for Empire 2".

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... lholes.jpg

Seems I don't have problem with warping. Once the shell holes are done on all the boards, a cover of white glue, sand, dirt and latex paint will be applied to them all.

Canadian front line trench.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... trench.jpg

German front line trench.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... 20line.jpg

German 2nd and 3rd line Trenches.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... 20line.jpg

Canadian trenches in the foreground. 1st German trench then, 2nd and 3rd with interconnection communication trenches 4th, 5th German trenches in the back. Hill 145 on the right rear.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2228.jpg

I went over to my friend Chris Leach's place, to use his table and space for this phase. Together we painted white glue on all the edges, then Chris painted the edges brown.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2231.jpg

Chris put white glue on the top and I spread sand.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2232.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2233.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2234.jpg

The sand was applied and an initial coat of dark brown latex paint applied.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... 2252_1.jpg

Then a heavy dry brush applied to the dark brown, with a lighter brown, as you can see. Also painted corrugated to simulate the iron used to support the walls.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2262.jpg

Also matchsticks cut to size and glued to the trench floor as well as a wood veneer glued to the side. Support posts will be added as well for both types of wall.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2265.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2267.jpg

Progress with 4 boards completed through phase 2 only 8 more to go. However I tackled the more difficult boards first, 2 of them having 3 trenches 1 more with 1-1/2. The next three will have 2 trenches each with the last four only 1 trench each.
One time consuming detail was cutting matchsticks and gluing individually to the trench floor. This was replaced by a suggestion from one of our group to use bamboo mats cut to size. Works Great!

Phase three will be painting the trenches with dark brown and dry brushing lighter colors on the ground everywhere. Adding bits of green and grass towards the rear trenches.

Bamboo mat, used for trench duck boards.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2277.jpg

Progress with 4 boards completed through phase 2 only 8 more to go. However I tackled the more difficult boards first, 2 of them having 3 trenches 1 more with 1-1/2. The next three will have 2 trenches each with the last four only 1 trench each.
One time consuming detail was cutting matchsticks and gluing individually to the trench floor. This was replaced by a suggestion from one of our group to use bamboo mats cut to size. Works Great!

Phase three will be painting the trenches with dark brown and dry brushing lighter colors on the ground everywhere. Adding bits of green and grass towards the rear trenches.

Bamboo mat.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2277.jpg

Heavy Mortar position on Vimy Ridge.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2276.jpg

2 Boards Finished.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2280.jpg

[URL=http://s219.photobucket.com/user/tjm3/media/Vimy%20Ridge/IMG_2281.jpg.

Tools of the trade.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2282.jpg

Shellholes.

[URL=http://s219.photobucket.com/user/tjm3/media/Vimy%20Ridge/IMG_2284.jpg.

Section of trench.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_2287.jpg

Drybrushing done.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_0016.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_0013.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_0019.jpg

Some green drybrush and sandbags.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_0022.jpg

A few details left to do, paint a few more sandbags.You will see some whitish ones in the pics below.
Cover all the sandbags with a good coat of white glue.
Dry brush a light brown on the barbed wire bases.
Add a few more casualties.

Pics are of German 2nd, 3rd lines and Vimy Ridge.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_0032.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_0033.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... 0035_1.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_0037.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... G_0038.jpg

I put this game on at Trumpeter Salute Convention in Vancouver, Canada and Enfilade, in Olympia Washington.
I will post a report on the game at a later time.

[Etranger]

Lets fix those links!

As this was the 100th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge, I decided to do a game recreating part of this famous Canadian battle.

It will be the 87th battalion's, The Canadian Grenadier Guards attack on hill 145. This was one of the toughest sections to attack.

This project was completed at the end of March, I posted it on LAF and TMP but thought it would be appropriate to post here as well.

My plan was using 1.5 inch foam, cut out trenches and glue to hard board. There will be 9 – 2'x 2' sections to build a 6'x8' table. I've looked at various other gamer's trenches and what I found on the net to create an accurate table of the battlefield.
The map I used to create the trenches/table.


I drew this map to trace onto the foam boards.




Using a sharpie I traced the trenches onto the foam for cutting. I put in a 2.5" trench with a 1.5" fire step to accommodate the figure bases of 45mm square.



The complete terrain boards, foam cut and glues to 1/4 thick hardboard.

Here is a look at Hill 145 taking shape. Some slope carving needs to be done and a few little tweaks.


View of a Canadian front line trench with fire steps and shell holes. The fire steps are necessary for the rules we will use. A WW1 variant of Chris Leach's "Battles for Empire 2".



Seems I don't have problem with warping. Once the shell holes are done on all the boards, a cover of white glue, sand, dirt and latex paint will be applied to them all.

Canadian front line trench.



German front line trench.


German 2nd and 3rd line Trenches.


Canadian trenches in the foreground. 1st German trench then, 2nd and 3rd with interconnection communication trenches 4th, 5th German trenches in the back. Hill 145 on the right rear.



I went over to my friend Chris Leach's place, to use his table and space for this phase. Together we painted white glue on all the edges, then Chris painted the edges brown.


Chris put white glue on the top and I spread sand.






The sand was applied and an initial coat of dark brown latex paint applied.



Then a heavy dry brush applied to the dark brown, with a lighter brown, as you can see. Also painted corrugated to simulate the iron used to support the walls.



Also matchsticks cut to size and glued to the trench floor as well as a wood veneer glued to the side. Support posts will be added as well for both types of wall.





Progress with 4 boards completed through phase 2 only 8 more to go. However I tackled the more difficult boards first, 2 of them having 3 trenches 1 more with 1-1/2. The next three will have 2 trenches each with the last four only 1 trench each.
One time consuming detail was cutting matchsticks and gluing individually to the trench floor. This was replaced by a suggestion from one of our group to use bamboo mats cut to size. Works Great!

Phase three will be painting the trenches with dark brown and dry brushing lighter colors on the ground everywhere. Adding bits of green and grass towards the rear trenches.

Bamboo mat, used for trench duck boards.


Progress with 4 boards completed through phase 2 only 8 more to go. However I tackled the more difficult boards first, 2 of them having 3 trenches 1 more with 1-1/2. The next three will have 2 trenches each with the last four only 1 trench each.
One time consuming detail was cutting matchsticks and gluing individually to the trench floor. This was replaced by a suggestion from one of our group to use bamboo mats cut to size. Works Great!

Phase three will be painting the trenches with dark brown and dry brushing lighter colors on the ground everywhere. Adding bits of green and grass towards the rear trenches.

Bamboo mat.


Heavy Mortar position on Vimy Ridge.



2 Boards Finished.





Tools of the trade.



Shellholes.



Section of trench.



Drybrushing done.







Some green drybrush and sandbags.



A few details left to do, paint a few more sandbags.You will see some whitish ones in the pics below.
Cover all the sandbags with a good coat of white glue.
Dry brush a light brown on the barbed wire bases.
Add a few more casualties.

Pics are of German 2nd, 3rd lines and Vimy Ridge.











I put this game on at Trumpeter Salute Convention in Vancouver, Canada and Enfilade, in Olympia Washington.
I will post a report on the game at a later time.

Terrific work!

[wrgmr1]

Thanks Etranger!
How can I do that myself?

Cheers,
Thomas

[Etranger]

Thanks Etranger!
How can I do that myself?

Cheers,
Thomas

Put the http to jpg link within the [img]box opened by the button above. There are probably other ways but that's what I do.

[subedai]

Wow, very impressive and great tutorial.

MickS

[Nordic weasel games]

Love these step-by-step things and the end result is positively wonderful. Very nicely done.

[wrgmr1]

Thanks Gents!