with lower column densities compared to the smooth gas distribution, and spreads out the peak on the higher end of the column density distribution. Both of these effects are more in line with observational surveys of AGN [@Risaliti1999; @Akylas2009; @Malizia2009; @LaMassa2009; @Treister2009]. At the same time, our clumping prescription tends to make the column density distribution bimodal, with a division between sightlines that intersect no clumps versus those that intersect at least one clump. This bi-modality, which is not present in the observations, persists for all clumping parameters considered in this study, although it can be avoided if a larger fraction of the mass is allocated to the diffuse phase.

![Top: Column density histogram (integrated for all gas from 0.1 pc to large radii) for a smooth density model with the fiducial parameters listed in Table \[FiducialParameters\]. Middle: Clumpy gas column density distribution with same clumping parameters as those used in Figure \[BuildingUpSnapshot\], also integrated for all gas from 0.1 pc to large radii. Bottom: All parameters are the same as the panel above, but this time the column density is integrated from the sublimation radius outward (i.e. these are the dusty gas columns). []{data-label="ColumnDensityHistograms"}](f3a.png){width="\textwidth"}

![Top: Column density histogram (integrated 