Going underground: "BMP in Aleppo ll"

[Steven]

So, guys with the first of two Syrian civil war dios wrapping up time for the next
As you might know originally planned as a one piece the dio had to be split up and one developed into "a ZU-23 Technical...."
The second will be following the story line from the original which can be found Here
I had been pondering how the storyline could support him being on that roof sneaking up as it were on the BMP and ground personnel and a bit of research gave the answer:
tunneling.
I read about FSA tunneling under a SAA HQ placing and detonating a huge amount of explosives during the battle of Aleppo and how ISIS
took forever to drive from Raqqah due to extensive tunneling making it possible to move troops around the city out flanking YPG forces and sheltering from airstrikes
Thought I might show this tactic- but how?
My plan is to make a street scene with a walled garden section in front showing an entrance partly concealed and by way af making the socket of the diorama be cut away showing the tunnel running underneath and continuing under the street exiting amongst the rubble behind the larger building- maybe showing a rebel crawling out to further bring the point out
I will try to draw the idea later today

 

[Steven]

Drawing showing the above concept - no, my two year -old did not do this
the part of Tunnel going under the road might be lit to show it better - I have some experience in lighting my dios
C&C welcomed

 

[Jim R]

Hi Steven
Sounds like a plan and if it progresses as well as the other it will be a winner.
Jim

 

[Steven]

Thanks Jim one concern is that the cut- away element at the front might draw too much attention- Could be moved to be a feature on the side instead showing tunnels branched out to the rear as well
The entrance at the front could be kept adding interest to the front and stimulating curiosity of the wiever as the eye moves over the dio ,satisfied when reaching the side and rear ?

 

[Steven]

Construction well underway on the second dio based on the idea outlined:

BMP crew believing to be a "secure area" are discussing further route outside the vehicle.
Unbeknownst to them ambush plans are afoot: a recon team is observing the BMP behind a broken wall directing troops moving through tunnels -
Scene is a streetscene with a street corner facing a ruined three story building
The building in the pics below won't be used ( proved to waaay out of scale)

cut - away showing tunnels:


Tunnels wil have two excits - this one is behind the wall


Tunnels will be lit:



overwiev:
Burned out car is Mig's
figure is to indicate position of one of the recon team members

One member will be peering around the wall observing the BMP

 

[Steven]

further construction i various stages of completion:
Sidewalk
corner section (column is from an old Verlinden set)




Blue -tacked at this point

 

[Steven]

corner section mounted, bulletholes and damaged ends of wall sections made more realistic, vines added to wall trial placement of small bush

 

[Steven]

As mentioned, I have discarded the original building and will be constructing a new one . It will as with the old one feature a restaurant in the ground floor and two residental stories each with a corner balcony

 

[Neil Merryweather]

This is looking very interesting, Steven. You don't think small, do you ?

 

[Steven]

This is looking very interesting, Steven. You don't think small, do you ?

Thanks,
Well my dio's sort of grow, take the end piece of the wall for example, I was planning tp paint the edge black to indicate that it continues "outside the frame" (as does the sidewalk) but I got the idea to make a gate which will be blown askew hanging from one hinge

 

[minitnkr]

Some excellent modeling going on here. PaulE

 

[Jim R]

Hi Steven

Well my dio's sort of grow,

.... and get better and better. Great to see this develop and grow.

Jim

 

[Steven]

Thanks Jim
Gate ready for chipmedium and a coat of - yellow or bright green - which in turn then will be chipped away

 

[JR]

Fantastic Steven.
Every thing thought out and constructed perfectly.
A great idea, has such possibilities. Taking a front row seat.

 

[scottie3158]

Steven,
Great start I will follow this along.

 

[Steven]

Mounted on wall - while it lasted - bond gave way - will be placed on the ground next to the entrance instead - blown off its hinges as it were

 

[Steven]

Wall fixed , rubble in progress - door ends up on pavement - bond was too weeak

 

[scottie3158]

Steven,

Looking good.

 

[Steven]

Thanks Paul
More rubble - seems a lot in the pics but I have tried to keep it proportional to the damage done to wall

 

[Steven]

making some corner - filler : Amo box out of coffee stirrers
Corner section pretty much done in terms of Rubble - gate attached
Videos from the conflict often show tunnel exits that are out in the open camouflaged by being hidden from the prying eyes of the Syrian/Russian air force and the various drones buzzing by, amongst debris or vegetation - or in this case I have tried to do both by adding shrubbery and a corrugated metal plate around the tunnel exit.