Diorama "Counter Strike"

The Wespe's figure is waaay too casual and disconnected from the sense of urgency displayed by the infantry, MM...  It looks like he's oblivious to everything, and "in the rear with the gear" or just sittin' on a firing range somewhere near Grafenwoehr..  I'm curious... Anyone else in the gun?  If not, it'd be much more effective and dramatic if the gun was knocked out and the crew dead or missing entirely...   I'd give it, overall, some high marks for workmanship, but the crew/lack of crew takes away any real "point value" from the story...

As for the dio workmanship, there's the recurring problem of AI not carying the ground color up onto the vehicle and the figure's boots again... That little step ties the models to the groundwork...

 

Looks like he used too much glue or plaster or something on the ruin too.  In areas it looks like it has been frosted or its melting.  Doesn't look like stonework at all.

The rusty base to the lamp is very nicely done. It looks like he has used the salt masking technique.

i think u did a nice job. even if no one else likes it or thinks its wrong. if nothing else you build it the way you wanted to and personally i consider this a form of art. everyone has their opinion about it but ultimately its your form of expression (there are no gold medals here). no offense to any of the other posts, those guys know alot and have really good work and i know they are just trying to help you out.

Yeah, I like it too. There is room for improvement, but I think that overall, you did a nice job. Hans does have a point with the tank driver, but other than that, looks good!

camo junkie wrote:

i think u did a nice job. even if no one else likes it or thinks its wrong. if nothing else you build it the way you wanted to and personally i consider this a form of art. everyone has their opinion about it but ultimately its your form of expression (there are no gold medals here).

Welcome new guy... Hope to see some of your work in here soon..'

Now a couple things may need explaining... First, Model Maniac doesn't build his dioramas.  He has them built. 

Second, diorama building is the ultimate modeling form, combining a number of genres and materials, planning, layout, construction, and finishing.  The standards are indeed higher here than they are for display-only models... Even higher when you depict actual or historical events.  You can build a blue-ribbon national champion model, but if you just plonk it on a board with some sawdust and cat-litter, you got a piece of junk...  Every aspect of the diorama is part of the buiild, so unlike a display model, there's way more to it once the kits are done.  You wouldn't expect "ooohs and ahhhs" from a display model that's only half-done or missing parts and you're calling it finished, same with the diorama... It's not done until it's ALL done, and the base, groundwork,  structures, figures, story, and everything else are all part & parcel of the build... 

You can build the greatest models ever seen, but if you don't tie them together with the rest of the stuff on it, and do just as good a job on the surroundings, you have, at best, a mediocre project... If you don't set out to bring your models to "life", to just "build it the way you want to", you might as well stick to building "shelf-dwellers"...  Dioramas are, IMHO, the ultimate from of modeling, and the hardest to do well... And if you ever compete with dioramas, you better bring your "A"-game...

Looking forward to seeing your work in here...

  

 

 well hans, i certainly agree with you in that regard and i hope you dont think i was bashing you guys (far from it). i admire you guys for your abilities and your "stamina". i dont have the patience to sit there and throw every little thing into a model to ensure it's an exact miniature replica of the real thing. (i'd lose my mind). but that's why there are people like you...so those of us mediocre shelf dwellers can appreciate looking at a really good model, figure & diorama. thanks for the welcome and... i'll only show my stuff if you guys remember i'm not gunning for perfection.

Well, just for the reord, I'm way down on the food-chain in here, lol... But when I post my work, I expect these guys to be straight with me and not pipe sunshine up my tailpipe...

Hmmm....I dunno...I just like it. It has a nice sense of action.

Nice camo outfit painting as well.

Great weathering on the lamp post (love the rust) and detail on the vehicle, nice camo on the figures. I think there should be a little more dirt on the figs, I am a firm beliver in dirty figs. The layout is fine, to the point. The ruins are a good backdrop, are these bought or made? Overall its a great piece, always room for inprovement on details. well done!

Hans von Hammer wrote:

Well, just for the reord, I'm way down on the food-chain in here, lol... But when I post my work, I expect these guys to be straight with me and not pipe sunshine up my tailpipe...

I know i'm new meat, but for the most part I feel thats the reason anyone would post their work here! Views good or bad should be respected. If we all wanted sugar coated critiqes we take them to a kindergarden class an revel in the oohs and ahhs. Honest opinions are the only way inprovements can be made. I count on them. (still eagerly awaiting my lumps from Hans and Dogg)

 i like this one MM the action seems to flow all the same direction for the title.i particularly like tthe camo smock on one of the troopers back while the lead is wearing his.my impression on the building ruins was moss the kind that grows agressively if not constantly kept at bay.also the helmets not showing wermacht,luftwaffe or ss is a nice touch,alot of the period photos i've seen of combat very few if any have any markings on thier helmets.IMHO this is one of AI's better builds.

the helmets not showing wermacht,luftwaffe or ss is a nice touch,alot of the period photos i've seen of combat very few if any have any markings on thier helmets.

Depends on what period you're depicting... The helmet decals were standard until about mid-war and the issue of the M43... The M43 was a thinner helmet without the rolled edges, in order to conserve steel. They were still available for purchase by troops, and were included in the shipment, but not applied at the factory anymore...

For depicting troops from 1935 to 1942 , the decals are practically mandatory, except for helmets that were repainted in the field, and helmets that had the expedient rough sand-finish applied... A mix of helmets with and without could be found from 1943 onward...  Germans weren't re-sissued helmets every time there was a design change either. Troops were issued whatever helmet fit when they reached their units in the field and they were only replaced on a one-for-one basis due to loss or damage... The only absolute in Stalhelms was that there was no absolute, lol...

Thanks for all kind comments and suggestions! I really appreciate them. A new dio will be available on Thursday.

Was the Wespe a direct or indirect fire weapon?

I believe that it was primarily an indirect fire artillery piece. The SPA used a Panzer II chassis.