Back to the Basilica Canus!  Here are some more images of the interior and the build-up of the walls.

I knew that I was going to have to reduce at least one of the walls to rubble, for a few reasons.  First, I would need a large, flat area for a vehicle such as the Raider, which was going to have a long footprint.  In addition to the extra room for placing the transport, it would get some more light into the area.

The tournament room was going to be very dark, as we all know, which put any light at all a premium.  This would also make it appear that there was fighting going on, just like the story. :-)

Using the weathering techniques I learned on the ruined cathedral, I hacked away at it with the super sharp exacto knife.

You can see that I am 'clearing a path' in this image.

Another view of the now reduced wall.

I chose to keep the other side intact.  On this side, I wanted to have the freehand on the walls and floors to match the bases..  Plus, if I get the chance to build the other side of this board for racing, I want some of this intact to connect the two halves.

You can see the extra decorative pieces added to those walls to give them some substance.  I am also starting to lay out the fortified tops of the towers, making sure there is enough room!

This picture shows the tops of the towers almost complete.  The metal sheets are in place, so that the magnets will hold things onto the board as firmly as possible!  Plus, the roof was added to the intact wall.  I had to make that section a bit wider than I wanted, so that the venom base would still fit.

My original thought was to make it shorter, so that light could get in, and that it would not be as hard to look down into the arena at the smaller infantry figures, and so on...

Speaking of magnetizing, this interior view shows some big sheets of metal that would hold the jetbikes.  There would be another big sheet on the curved section above the door.  That would have to hold the very tall venom with some heavy miniature riding inside.  

Once all the sheets were painted with the metallic primer, it would have the texture needed to simulate the floor of the arena, while not interfering with the 'holding power'.

There is one last stage to the construction remaining.  The final weathering!  Stay tuned!