There were numerous designs of casemates (reinforced concrete bunkers) in the Normandy Section of the Atlantic Wall. Several of these are available commercially and no doubt many more will be added by various manufacturers over the next few years. Here is a suggestion for those wishing to make their own.

When I make casemates I don't attempt to make exact scale models as these will usually take up too much room on the table. I try to capture the style of the design and make it to fit the weapon is intended to protect. In the example below I'm making a type H679 (ish) artillery casemate to house a Russian 122 mm artillery piece (a SHQ model) of the Mont Fleury battery (Gold Beach).

Phase 1

Create a basic shape out of some bits of wood. For this model I've used three layers of hardboard stuck together with wood glue and some quarter section doweling to form the rounded corners.

The three layers are useful to reproduce the stepped embrasure.

I've stuck the walls onto a piece of hardboard which is designed to drop into one of my existing terrain boards but it could as easily be on a free standing base.

Painting. Prime all concrete areas with a mixture of Humbrol khaki drill (number 72) and matt black. When this is dry heavily dry brush with neat 72. The photo shows the contrast.

All other areas are ares are primed in our standard matt chocolate brown emulsion.