Snow-biome red-card monument with locked science vault and patrol heli spawns.
Endgame puzzle monuments. Multi-card progression, scientist NPCs, high radiation, often multiple fuses. Top-tier rewards (elite crates, blueprints, weapons) and the focal points of every late-wipe meta.
| Keycards | 1× Green + 1× Blue + 1× Red |
|---|---|
| Fuses required | 1 |
| Scientists / NPCs | 6-8 (patrolling) |
| Radiation | High (hazmat required) |
| Recycler | Yes |
| Workbench | Tier 2 |
Arctic Research Base is the snow-biome Tier 3 monument — green→blue→red puzzle progression, patrolling scientist defenders, locked science vault, and occasional Patrol Helicopter spawns overhead. Smaller footprint than Launch Site but no less challenging. The cold-biome location adds environmental risk: bring warm clothing or warming tea or you'll lose HP from exposure on top of combat damage.
Three-card Tier 3 with a single fuse:
All three: green + blue + red keycards. Plus one electrical fuse. Standard Tier 3 progression.
6-8 patrolling heavy scientists. Same combat profile as Military Tunnels scientists — moderate-to-heavy damage, respawn over time.
Yes — high radiation inside the main building. Full hazmat is required.
The snow-biome cold drains your HP if you're not equipped for low temperatures. Wear a wolf headdress or snow jacket, or drink Warming Tea, or build a campfire to warm up.
No — it spawns only on maps with sufficient snow biome. Roughly 60-70% of procedural maps have it; the rest do not.
Arctic Research Base is the geographically distinctive Tier 3 monument — uniquely tied to the snow biome, with environmental cold as an additional risk on top of standard scientist combat and radiation. The result is a slightly tougher engagement than Military Tunnels for any player not specifically prepared for cold exposure.
The compensating factor is the relative isolation. Arctic Research Base spawns far from most popular roads and bases, meaning contested mid-wipe fights are less common here than at Launch Site or Military Tunnels. Solo players and duos who can manage the cold and combat often have the monument to themselves on later wipe days.
The Patrol Helicopter event has a high spawn affinity for Arctic Research Base — the open snow biome makes the heli's targeting AI prefer the visible scientist NPCs as combat anchors. If the heli is up when you arrive, the entire monument becomes a death zone within minutes. Wait it out or come back later.
For the rest of the Tier 3 chain, see Launch Site and Missile Silo. Cold-biome survival also benefits from Warming Tea; raid math at the Raid Calculator.