Arena Rex: Column Terrain

It was time to get back to work on adding some terrain to our arena for Arena Rex.  We have been using the card board Pits that come with the Starter Sets, along with the new Spikes that I had worked on last week, now it was time to add some of the trademark Columns to the arena.

Columns are a Hazard: The first time during each attack a model is pushed into base contact with a hazard it gains fatigue.

Before starting on this project, I knew exactly what I had wanted to use for my Columns.  Years and years ago I helped my middle son with a volcano school project.  Since at that time I had worked on a lot of Warhammer Fantasy terrain, I had the tools to help him with his project.  Instead of just a basic volcano, we modeled ours after Mount Vesuvius near Pompeii, so of course we had to have some columns in the area.

These are the same Columns I was planning on using for Arena Rex and they are called “Wilton 5in Grecian Pillars”.  They can be purchased at your local Michael’s store (as of this writing, they are out of stock online, but your local Michael’s may still have some) for only $5.99, you can always find a coupon for 30-50% off to same even more.  When I purchased mine, I had a 40% off coupon so the package came to just under $4 with tax.  The pillars also come in 3in and 7in sizes, but I thought 7in would be a little to tall.

One of the dislikes about these pillars (Columns) is that they are hollow with a hollow top (they are also very hard to cut through if you decide to model some damage ones).  One of the first things I did was to cut some squares out of left over plasticard (from my train hobby) and glue them to the tops.

Hollow top Column

Hollow top covered with plasticard

Next thing I wanted to do was to find a base that I could mount them too.  I could have left them as is, but one, I wanted a little more stability and two, I wanted to have an even base so when a model gets pushed into a Column, the distance is equal around.  So I elected to mount them on a round base.  I had some left over 50mm Privateer Press bases, and since the Privateer Press bases are lipped, I needed an insert for them so that it would be easier to glue the Column.  Luckily I still had some Bolt Action bases boxed up that I could use.

Insert for Privateer Base

Column glued to circular base

Now it was time to paint them.  I added sand onto the base like I do with all my models first, and then I primed the model grey.  I had some left over “Granite” color spray that I used for these Columns.  After I let the grey dry, I then drybrushed the entire Column with P3 Menoth White Highlight and proceeded painting my sand bases the same way I have been on my other models (2 coats of P3 Rucksack Tan, then drybrush Vallejo Iraqui Sand, light drybrush of Vallejo Pale San).  Once the bases were dry, then it was time for my Testors Dullcote and my Columns were finished.

Primed Columns

Finished Columns

Painting Points: 8