The Hutchinsondrome is my attempt to craft a Gaslands specific battle arena that allows for maximum utility and maximum carnage.
It’s pretty basic construction, with batting for the walls and 10mm particle board for the base. The starting block and checkpoints and even the containers come from the Dropship line of terrain. The gtes are 10mm scale MDF urban terrain originally designed for highway signs, but they paint up great for a starter’s block. I think the containers are supposed to be used with a homeless encampment for some post-apocalyptic flavor.
The tire barricades are just beads painted and stacked appropriately. With the addition of 15 mm scale science fiction barrels from Khurasan miniatures, you get a few bits of explodey terrain for more lulz.
I went with a figure 8 track layout, but at this scale it’s a little too big. One loop is sufficient for a full game, two loops just makes everything drag out way too long. And the loops are so big you’ll never really have much cross traffic or potential for T-Bone accidents.
Still, for a battle arena, it works really well. You have plenty of pain services for when you hear absolutely need that reroll on hazard dice. You have plenty of unpaved areas to justify spending points on off-road tech. And you have plenty of different ways to drop terrain for variety. I was smart enough to use card stock to create texture for entry gates, for when you don’t want to line up to start the festivities.
My biggest mistake was basing the Micro Machines. The cars themselves are perfectly suited to 10mm scale racing, and the bases result in a ground footprint that is simply too large. You wouldn’t think an extra 5 mm width would make a difference, but it really does. Things get crowded fast, which ups the ramming potential, but slows the movement. Hence, my preference for using this obvious figure eight track as just a battle arena. Something to consider when you sit down to build one of your own.