Interesting thread guys-I cut my teeth building terrains for one of the biggest war-gaming clubs in London way-back in the silent movie days
As manufacturers matte metal figures started to appear in the late 90's I began my collection and thought they were so good (although some now look almost primitive) that I began to place them in small vignettes with a few home-made rocks/bushes and trees etc. As the collection grew over the next few years they progressively took over more and more shelves of- she who must be obeyed- domestic nest so I advanced the mass of blue and gray at the double quick up to the loft-my man cave- and built over time my first "big" dio of Pickett's Charge, scrapping the dozen or so mini-dios along the way.
I designed it in modular sections due to gaining access to the roof space and added electrics for artillery gun-flashes and soundtracks of Johnny Comes Marching Home etc. It impressed my chums, even though to a man all were non TS collectors but one of them suggested I display it at a local toy soldier exhibition which with their help I did. It drew quite a crowd primarily because of the battle sound effects and the martial music but one guy who was studying the lay-out asked me if I was a Tree Frog member?????. I thought he was talking about a gardening or wild-life organisation until he told me to go on-line and take a look.
To this day I have no idea who this Brit was or even if he is one of you guys he never gave me his name. But a couple of months later I logged on to the forum for the first time and was completely blown away by the dios and their diversity that you guys were posting everyday. Wow! this was toy-soldier heaven to me and have enjoyed this forum ever since. And of course with the advancement of digital photography enabled us to share our work with each other like never before.
So as far as I am concerned the totality of the genre started right here with your incredible set-ups regardless of era-and your expertise at building accessories to enhance your dios which I have no doubt has influenced the manufacturers to release a plethora of diorama accessories onto the market that just didn't exist 10 years ago-I know that only to well-having to adopt old Britain's lead farm yard bits and pieces in an attempt to turn them into reasonable and passable civil war artefacts.
Thanks to all you fellow froggers you have definitely influenced me as I have stolen and adopted a hell of a lot of your brilliant diorama ideas and hopefully will continue to do so. Thanks guys.
Reb
