BA5 - WW1 Trench Scene - Entry 4

I want to set my scene in a typical British trench during the First World War, drawn straight out of my game; 'Beast's of Battle'. The model that I will build will not contain anything too specific relating to the storyline of the game. Rather, the model will be one that could happily fit into most of the missions throughout the game.

Previous to this project, I have seen many movies and television programs showing what life was like for British soldiers in the trenches, during WW1. However, I know that to create a professional, game-ready model based on that viewpoint, would be folly. Although it wouldn't be entirely useless. I have found this interesting and informative diagram on how trenches were structured during the First World War.

I found out that trenches were often built in a 'zig-zag' pattern, as opposed to being in one straight line.
This was done so because of the theory that a direct hit from a shell would do less damage to a trench that had corners. Or so that the force of the blast was dissipated as it would be forced to travel around these corners. Generally though, trenches were propped up with man-made defences; corrugated iron, wooden planks, wooden weave, sandbags etc. There was a raised firing step, from which soldiers would defend their positions.

A modern recreation of a firing step

Wooden duckboards would be placed along the 'floor' of the trench, as water and mud would make the ground sodden and almost impossible to walk on.

Soldiers would sometimes dig small holes out of the side of the trench, so as too sleep in some form of shelter. Officers would get more elaborate and comfortable surroundings with a 'dugout'. Bunkbeds, a hot stove, furniture could be of some comfort to these men.

Officers 'Dugout'