I am coming up with some ideas to make a WW1 trench system for playing "Flanders Fields", and by adjusting the bas size for the platoon stands I might have come up with a cheat and simple way of making the playing area.

The photo shows three layers of foam card - the base, and two 'trench' layers with a 20 x 20 mm platoon base.

As it is only a concept I haven't gone ahead and painted the base nor painted the trench system.

Cool!
I was thinking on the same lines; only I will be making my bases less deep (just three men wide, one deep) so that they can also actually be placed on the firing step.
That way I can also keep the trenches narrower which I think looks better. The 'one man deep' bases also fit our rule system better.
I hope to have some time the upcoming weeks to get an example done...

Cheers,
Rob

Looks very promising.

I've played around with a couple of ideas on this - but not built anything yet.

One pro-type was to use blue foam, and then cut into this with a Dremel sanding drum attachment, this more melts than cuts the foam, but it is a pretty quick way of digging out the trenches. 

Also so towards the end  of this thread on LAF shows a neat method of building an add on trench board - a bit green for my liking, but the idea is great
http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=65420.0

I built a trench system and kept the trenches as narrow and simple as possible.

I didn't bother to model the firestep as it was the overall effect rather for a big battles in 10mm that was important rather than an accurate model.

Since then I've simplified the process even more and haven't tried to build more trench systems, instead I've made a lot of barbed wire entanglements and cut a lot of felt strips about 120mm long and 15mm wide to repressent trenches.  The overall effect is ok and a lot more flexible than building lots of trench boards.

The full trench system



The cut down system

That looks great especially like the barbed wire .I agree with the fire step, seem a bit pointless in 10mm given base sizes

Those really look good.

Very nice.

Like the trench and the figures.

Like those lots !! 
Cheers - Phil

Very impressive attack going in.

Quote from: DanJ on 09 September 2014, 09:05:48 AM
Since then I've simplified the process even more and haven't tried to build more trench systems, instead I've made a lot of barbed wire entanglements and cut a lot of felt strips about 120mm long and 15mm wide to repressent trenches.  The overall effect is ok and a lot more flexible than building lots of trench boards.

The cut down system

I'm interested in the cutdown system, particularly the felt strip trenches.  Do you have picture that shows the trenches more?

Right - hopefully all the piccies work ok here!



I had some spare 60mm by 30mm bases and needed some trenches ASAP - I popped some chopped up foam bits & filler along the front, with cocktail stick backing to make it like the reinforcements on the walls and left the back open. Then sand and a wash and so e scatter grass and a coat of varnish and done. Any depth of base fits (with an overhang at the back!) as the front goes against the cocktail stick wall and the back either fits or hangs over. Sits flat on the table AND looks the part!

The album has a couple more shots - they're technically for 10mm but go acceptably a scale up or down so long as you're not picky!

https://m.facebook.com/jtppainting/albums/1426170824299384/

Both the above look equally effective and Paul's shot has a definite 1917 Flanders feel about it.

I really need to make some wire tbh, it's one of the things I keep meaning to do but never get round to! Adds loads to the look and feel, as with previous posters' piccies

It will be a week or so before I can get some pictures of my felt trenches and barbed wire entanglements set up as they're all at the club.

However here's a description of how to make the barbed wire entanglements, this is the final perfected method after several years and attempts.

1) Cut platic card to shape, I use 3mm and two paterns, 60x20mm strips and 60mm triangles.

2) Use .6mm drip to drill a neat double line of holes in the platic card about 10mm appart.

3) Take a box of steel dress makes pins and push a pin all the way through the plastic card until the pin hes is flush with the card.

4) Snip the pin off at about 10mm hight, this will be the post for the barbed wire.

5) Take the snipped off pin and push it through the next hole and snip off the point to the same hight as the first post.

6) Repeat until all the holes are filled.

7) Apply basing compound of choice.

Strip out the copper strands from an old length of electrical flex.

9) Wind the wire arround the 'posts' until happy with the result.

10) Add super glue to the post/wire joints to keep it all in place.

11) Paint wire/posts and add any sme human body parts if desired.

This method is difficult and tends to result in multiple pin procks and scratches but looks good.  I keep each section relatively short to make the process manageable and the final result more flexible.  The triangular sections are based on WW1 designs which wer intended to funnel attackers into mg killing zones.

I've also a method for making 'blasted trees' which look quite good.

Take a steel washer and small nail, push a bit of broken twig from the garden onto the twig and apply baseing compound to the washer.