On the Workbench: 6mm Trees, Fences and dugouts.

This week I completed all the terrain planned for the next WW2 battle in N. Africa together with a bunch of fences and trees.

First up - Dugouts:

I decided to use the metal sandbags from Perfect Six in several desert dugouts. From the left, each base will hold 2, 3, 3 and 1 base of infantry respectively. Filler was used on a card base and before dry the sandbags were added. I had given the card a coat of gloss varnish on each side to reduce the risk of warping. Once dry they were sprayed Army Painter Skeleton Bone.

Further filler was added to build up the banks between the sandbags. A mix of sand and small stones was added to the banks.

Sand alone was added to the dugout base. The sandbags were given a black wash and the bases painted with Coat d' Arms Desert Sand, Valejo Iraqi Sand and Artiste Chocolate Brown blended together to produce an irregular look.

The completed bases having been drybrushed a variety of very light, almost white, sand yellow and Valejo Silver Grey.

Continued -

On the left are new snake rail fences and at the back and to the right are repainted existing fences. The fences are primed white and then given a wash of a mix of Valejo Khaki Grey and black. 

To finish the fences they are given a white drybrush. The bases are textured using the Baccus basing method. I will need to create roughly the same number again for Gettysburg.

These are trees purchased from China through ebay. I have cut down the length of their trunks to vary the height of my tree collection. Normally I base them on either 15mm or 20mm round mdf bases but here I am experimenting with 1 penny pieces which just happen to be 20mm in diameter. The added weight should make them more stable. Filler has been applied to the top of the coin.

I drill holes in the dried filler and glue the trees into place using PVA glue. 

In order to maintain consistency I have again used the Baccus basing system for texturing and flocking the bases. They will be given a spray of matt varnish to help hold the flock tree material in place.

Next up will be some buildings for Gettysburg and Grissburg.