WWI Minifigures & Trench Warfare Diorama Guide

The First World War is one of the hardest settings to build well, and one of the most rewarding. The look is mud, wire and trenches rather than tanks and aircraft, which means the base and layout matter more than the figures. This guide covers how to build a trench scene that reads clearly.

The short answer

Build the trench first, figures second. A WWI scene works when the viewer can see a trench line, a no-man's-land and a place where figures sit below ground level. Get those three right and a handful of figures is enough.

Figures for the era

We sell historical singles that cover WWI and WWII: WW1 and WW2 Historical Figures start at $5.99 each, which suits a trench scene well since you only need a handful. Add the Medical Regiment minifigure ($5.99) for a stretcher-bearer or medic. Browse single minifigures and the WWII and historical collection for more, and check each page for exactly what is included and available. For the next era, see the WWII collector guide.

Step 1: plan the trench layout

Real trench lines zigzag, so that a single hit cannot send fire along the whole line. Copy that. Lay out the trench as a gentle zigzag across the base rather than a straight line, which also looks better. Leave room on one side for no-man's-land and on the other for a rear area.

Step 2: build the depth

A trench needs to sit below the ground. Build the base in two layers: a lower layer for the trench floor and a higher layer for the surrounding ground, leaving a channel between. A baseplate plus stacked plates does this cheaply, and bulk bricks fill the hidden layers.

Step 3: colour the ground

Mud is brown and dark brown, with a little grey. Use mixed tones, not one colour, and put the darkest pieces in the trench floor where water would collect. Keep green to a minimum, since the front line was churned ground, not meadow.

Step 4: add the details

• Wall supports. Planks or bricks along the trench walls.
• Sandbags. Along the top edge facing no-man's-land.
• Wire. Thin pieces or fencing in front of the trench.
• Craters. Dips in no-man's-land filled with darker pieces.
• Duckboards. Flat tiles on the trench floor.
• A stretcher. The white medical stretcher ($3.99) adds a human moment to the rear area.

Step 5: add figures

Place figures inside the trench, not on top of it. Two or three at the firing line, one at a corner, one further back. Put one figure looking over the top to give the scene a focal point. Keep figures low and close to the wall.

Common mistakes

• Straight trench. Use a zigzag.
• Trench above ground. Build depth first.
• Too green. Use browns and greys.
• Too many figures. A crowded trench loses its shape.

Where to start

Start with the base. For terrain methods, read how to build a realistic battlefield diorama base, and for composition, how to build a military diorama. Browse figures in military.