The Commander Series Forum

I've been working on some 28mm WW2 and WW1 troops recently and have come across a few things that might be interesting.

I've been making trenches for the above troops and also various things like rocky outcrops for LOTR amongst others but these things should work for other scales and uses.

My first trench section was an mdf base with common or garden polystyrene to make the built up ground. A devil to cut (what a mess) but does the job. Then I covered it in Art-Roc (plaster impregnated bandages - also know as Mod-Roc) which you can get in Hobbycraft (£1.60 for a roll). They make a wonderfully light but rigid base to then do the usual pva and sand then painted, flocked etc

The second discovery is flower foam which you can get in Home Bargains for 80p for a brick sized block. Make sure you get the dry stuff (the water one just crumbles).
Its light, rigid and really easy to cut to size - I'd suggest doing large areas in polystyrene and then use the flower foam for smaller things and in tandem with polystyrene. Again, use the Art-Roc to cover the shapes.

The Flower Foam I also think might make terrific bunkers etc and at a pinch even buildings - although I'd say foamcore is the preferable material in that case.

Is the flower foam the green stuff for making floral arrangements, not sure I could bear the shame of buying that

Shame aside though, how does this stuff react to being sprayed, various glues etc?

Is it less messy to work with than polystrene and what size are the bricks

It is the floral stuff, its grey in colour and you have to get the dry stuff- the wet green stuff just crumbles. It cuts like a dream, I covered it in the Art-Roc - it certainly needs a skin of some sort before paint etc - it glues with PVA ok though.
I'm going to try putting plaster on it as well.
The beauty is the weight (incredibly light) and the ease of which it cuts as well as still being quite dense.

Roughly about the size of a house brick.

Thanks for that, sounds like it's worth a look

A word of warning - when arranging with dry foam keep it away from your eyes. It stings like hot needles. It only lasts for a few seconds however it is not recommended!!

Hot Needles!!!

Thanks, that's most useful.