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Around this time in 2016 I decided to build representation of Vimy Ridge. This is Hill 145, the toughest fight for Canadian Army. It took two days of hard fighting to take it. I started with hardboard and pink insulation foam. Creating a fire step that would hold my figures.
Each board was 2'x2', 12 total 3 wide & 4 deep for a total of 12 a 6'x 8' table. I took a map of the trenches and tried to replicate them as much as possible. I used a drill with a large fitting to create shell holes. I didn't want the table too churned up as it help move figures
The Canadian Grenadier Guards started on one set of boards with the Germans, Bavarians defending 3.
View of the whole table, before adding sand and paint.
I good friend of mine helped me at this stage, using hos gaming table. We painted the edges and I reinforfced the corners with hockey tape. (How Canadian). Then white glue and mixed large and small pieces of sand.
Painting the shell holes and then the entire top with a dark brown latex house paint.
I then cut matchsticks to resemble duck boards but it was way too time consuming so I used bamboo mats and cut them to size. I used wood veneer to line the side along with cardboard to represent corrugated iron. The cardboard was painted grey then rust added.
Bamboo mat as duckboards, I know it's not really what they look like but tie was running out. I also used coffee stir stick in places. I cut matchsticks to be used as posts holding up the trench walls. There were several coats of drybrush lighter colored brown paint applied.
More paint inside the trenches and washes on on the walls.
Starting to come together. I used clay rolled out and cut to create sandbags.
I dry brushed a little green paint so it's not all brown. Also washing the sandbags with brown or grey paint. Finding what color WW1 sandbags proved a tad difficult.
I built the pillbox out of a cardboard tube. This sat up on hill 145. A also used clear water acrylic mixed with brown house paint to make the shell hole puddles.
Printed and cut out trench signs. Also built signs to denote each trench name. I put together a black board with some photos for those who were unaware of this famous Canadian battle.
I put this game on at our local convention in April 2017 and Enfilade in Olympia Washington at the end of May 2017. I know that it's not what the terrain looked like but I wanted to showcase this battle.
