One of the things that I'm keen to have a go at is a gladiatorial amphitheatre type thing for the gladiatiors to bash each other about in. I could go for the easy option of a 2' x 2' square of mdf covered in sand but this seems a little mundane, given the subject matter and the potential for some ersatz scratchbuilding.
So, I've been bouncing around some ideas for a provincial style Romano-British amphitheatre, based on the one I visited at Silchester last year with the family. The idea would be to build a modular arena based on a 2' or 3' circle of mdf or chipboard, with removable stands and seating constructed from balsa, cardboard, coffee stirrers and high density polystyrene sheet, amongst other things.
It's all a bit tentative at the moment but I've found some good source material that I can use to develop a basic plan and work out how to go about it. I'm now trying to locate a cheap chipboard sidetable to use as a base for the arena, with the stands being cut up and used as formers for the side walls and seating area.
They're surprisingly pricey, so I may just have a word with the tech department at work to see if they can cut me a base out of mdf rather then use a commercial tabletop at extra expense. I'm sure they'd be happy to run one up for me if I did the marking up and provided the mdf sheet. I'll get onto it tomorrow, if I can find the time.
I think its a great idea with arena!
ReplyDeleteI think the arena would certainly add a lot of character to any game. I certainly like the idea of one with removable stands - sounds very versatile!
ReplyDeleteI've completed my arena so read all about it: http://thehistoricalminiaturist.blogspot.com/search/label/Gladiators
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