Nov/Dec '18 Lite Challenge: Artifact Site 17

[bkh1914]

I've been tempted by several challenges...
This time I've got a reasonable starting sketch, so I thought I'd jump in.

The Exploration Service today released preliminary information about the mostly recently discovered artifact site, Site 17. This is the second artifact site that has been discovered with intact structures. The government immediately moved to seal off the site pending investigation by qualified personnel.

"We don't want a repeat of the disaster at Artifact Site 9," said Chief Liaison Officer O'Matt. "As you might remember, Site 9 was discovered by Captain Kyme and her band of Adventurers. They immediately started exploring the intact structure and on the third day... Eye-witness reports state that the ground gently shuddered, making a sound like a soft sigh, and the entire artifact site turned to dust that slowly rose and was carried away by the breeze. After the dust had cleared, all that remained at Artifact Site 9 was a perfectly hemispherical hole 2.16 kilometers in diameter."

Like several previous Artifact Sites, this site appears to have been the scene of a major battle and much of the land is still barren after who-knows how many centuries. But whatever was protecting the core structure seems to have withstood the onslaught – the structure appears intact and vegetation is growing around it. The current consensus is that the attackers disengaged before completely destroying the site and that the site was subsequently abandoned.

Here is my initial digital sketch. (You don't want to see the pencil sketch, trust me.)
### Latest WIP ###
Artifact Site 17a.jpg

The intact structure is the pentagon in the center. It is the command center and primary structure. There might have been other buildings. And there probably was a landing field with hangers somewhere nearby.
Obviously it was a military or para-military location – a civilian location wouldn't have survived an attack.
So it had both offensive and defensive capabilities.

Defense field (shields) - a three-layer system. Each layer has five generators that form a pentagon. The outer and middle layer generators have been reduced to rubble. The generators for the inner layer are mounted on the corners of the pentagon structure and they probably survived the attack.
Offensive beam weapons (pulsed turbo phaser blaster cannons or whatever) are light-of-sight weapons so they need to have a wide field of fire (i.e. be above ground). That makes them vulnerable, so they are within the defense field. The defense field can be briefly turned off while the weapons are firing. The primary location for these weapons is the ring between the outer and middle shields. The middle shield protects the inner areas during firing.
Offensive object weapon launchers (missile / photon torpedo / plasma globe / whatever). These are guided weapons, so they can be in hardened locations – underground, in the side of a mountain, etc. and scattered around the countryside.
Site defense weapons (both beam and object) are dispersed in the surrounding region and are in hardened or semi-hardened locations.


Right now I've stalled out – I don't have a clear vision for the next steps, although writing the description has simplified the project.

I'm wondering if I should zoom in. But I really want the pentagram / pentacle layout to be obvious.

I've even contemplated changing to a slightly isometric view. (Isometric is not my friend!)

At least I have some ideas on how to do some craters, but I'm not sure how appropriate 'small' craters would be with advanced weapons of mass destruction.

[Bogie]

Welcome to the challenge bkh1914!
I think what your map needs is more rubble. I'm picturing in my mind that each of those blasted field generators might have had a dome or a perimeter wall around them, so there would be a ring of rubble surrounding each blasted area.

[bkh1914]

Thanks Bogie.
I was thinking of pylons, so there should be some of those laying around as well.

I dropped the concept art details and added some terrain blast damage.

### Latest WIP ###
Artifact Site 17a2.jpg

The right side took a pounding after the outer shield failed and there's not much left in the way of rubble.

[bkh1914]

I spent *way* to long designing and building the force field generators.
And even longer destroying them.
(It's been seven years since I last did digital art and I've forgotten a lot.)

### Latest WIP ###
Artifact Site 17d.jpg

So, the outer ring of force field generators failed and four of them were demolished
The middle ring held long enough. Looks like at least one of the stations is toast.
Added debris from the generators.
And a title box.
The scale is 1px - 1 meter

Still to do:
- Laser/blaster/phazer cannon remains
- Vegetation

[Bogie]

The details are coming along nicely.

[Kier]

This is coming along nicely. Really like the colors.

[MapMappingMapped]

Nice work so far!

[bkh1914]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys.
@Keir: I'm glad you like the colors. I always struggle with digital color selection.

I added the turbo laser blaster cannons.
The two on the left side were at ground zero and they got creamed.
The turntable for the upper left emplacement ended up in the upper right.

### Latest WIP ###
Artifact Site 17e.jpg

I think that's about all the debris I can generate.
But I'm open to suggestions.

Next is the vegetation. I hope that it does take as long.

[bkh1914]

I didn't like the bent cannon barrels. That why I only made one of them.
This morning I tried doing shattered debris - force crystals and metal.
The shock waves carried most of the metal away, but the crystals are heavier.
The upper right has more debris because it was caught in the dead zone between the blast and the force field.
I hope this looks better.

### Latest WIP ###
Artifact Site 17f.jpg

Now on to the vegetation.
The site is on a plateau (all of the structures are anchored to bedrock) so the greenery will be more sparse.
At least that's the current plan.

[bkh1914]

I added the vegetation and final details...

The story line for this map is:

The Exploration Service today released preliminary information about the mostly recently discovered artifact site, Site 17. This is the second artifact site that has been discovered with intact structures. The government immediately moved to seal off the site pending investigation by qualified personnel.

"We don't want a repeat of the disaster at Artifact Site 9," said Chief Liaison Officer O'Matt. "As you might remember, Site 9 was discovered by Captain Kyme and her band of Adventurers. They immediately started exploring the intact structure and on the third day... Eye-witness reports state that the ground gently shuddered, making a sound like a soft sigh, and the entire artifact site turned to dust that slowly rose and was carried away by the breeze. After the dust had cleared, all that remained at Artifact Site 9 was a perfectly hemispherical hole 2.16 kilometers in diameter."

Like several previous Artifact Sites, this site appears to have been the scene of a major battle and much of the land is still barren after who-knows how many centuries. But whatever was protecting the core structure seems to have withstood the onslaught – the structure appears intact and vegetation is growing around it. The current consensus is that the attackers disengaged before completely destroying the site and that the site was subsequently abandoned.

### Latest WIP ###

Artifact Site 17g.jpg

This a large installation located on a plateau.
The map covers an area over 2½ km (1½ miles) wide.

I developed a fair amount of backstory as I worked on the map.
Basically, this installation can hold it's own against a task force,
but it will be in deep do-do if a hostile fleet pays it a visit.

This took a lot more time than I expected.
But I'm happy with the results.

Unless someone catches something that I missed, this is probably the final version.