MAKING SLIT TRENCHES (CoC) & LONG TRENCHES

I have finished some more support options for the excellent WW2 rule set, Chain of Command. I have previously made the barbed wire, road blocks and minefields and to finish off the static defensive options from the support list, I have now done the slit trenches.

I have made these using the high density insulation foam that you get from the builders merchants. These come in sheets 2 inches thick and are 20 x 48 inches in size and are a fraction of the price of what you will pay for a tiny sheet of the stuff in a model shop. You will need to get yourself a sharp knife with a blade at least 2 inches long and a long steel rule or other suitable straight edge.

 

   Slice off a one inch strip (you will then have a piece 1 x 2) and then cut this length ways so you have two pieces 1 x 1 inch. Your slit trenches have to be long enough to hold a team, so depending what you have your figures based on, you have to make them long and deep enough for the figures to fit.
 Glue the foam to a piece of hardboard and when fully dried, shape the bank using a sharp knife and sandpaper.

 
For realistic looking slit trenches you would cut them into the surface of your terrain boards but for stand alone pieces we have to have them above the surface of the table. To make them blend in with the surface, ideally we would make them on a bigger base so the angle of the bank would be more gradual but we have to compromise otherwise they would be to big and take over the whole playing area.
Next stage is to cover them in tile grout, then white glue and sand and when dry white glue some twigs (I have been pruning the apple tree in the garden) and green stuff made into sandbags.

  
Once dry paint the whole thing in dark brown paint, again use cheap paint that you get from the builders rather than tiny pots of hobby paint.

Then dry brush lighter colours and flock to match your existing terrain.

TRENCHES.

I purchased some second hand trenches from a wargame show last year for a very good price. They were originally made by Grand Manner but they had been glued down onto some plywood and there were no roofs and a few bits broken. Unfortunately the trench was very well glued down to the base and broke into many pieces, which resembled a jigsaw puzzle.
So I re based the trenches into two pieces, each 2 foot long. I also had to make ends for them and also I did new roofs for one length. They were then repainted and flocked.

     

 

Some pictures with all the defences together.

 

I hope to use the trenches for my WW1 collection when I finally get around to painting them.