The Dig | Campaign - Artifact missions SC II: WoL Guide

Last update: 11 May 2016

Main objectives:

1. Recover the Laser Drill
2. Destroy the Xel'Naga Temple
3. The Laser Drill Must Survive
4. Find Protoss Relics (3) (green dots)

Additional objectives:

The Moebius Foundation inform about another planet with Xel'Naga Artifact. It's Xil, onto which a team of specialists has been sent, but any contact with them is lost. They only left a giant laser behind, which apparently wasn't able to protect them...

[#1]

The mystery behind their disappearance will become clear right after you land. Your units will encounter a group of Tal'darims, fanatic Protoss fraction, which you've robbed of ancient treasures twice already. Deal with the threat an you will receive Siege Tanks, which will take care of the next line of defence, this time consisting of Photon Cannons [1] [#1]. Move on until Raynor suggests placing the artillery on the slope [2], which you of course have to do. The incoming Stalkers will be practically defenceless and you'll take over the Moebius base with no problems [3].

[#2]

From now your task is to defend the Laser Drill, which is drilling a path to the monumental temple with an Artifact inside [#2]. The Protosses are of course trying to prevent it, but you happen to be on a hill, which provides you with great defence position. Just be sure to have some Bunkers and Tanks on the cliffs, which will shoot at any heroic Protoss. Such are also Raynor's directives and you should follow them.

[#3]

Tal'darims will attack from attack from both ways [#3], so you have to systematically strengthen each side. While you're at it, keep developing your base, most of all placing two Refineries, as you'll need lots of gas to construct tanks. You can also place some additional Turrets by the edge where the Laser is - they will come in handy later on.

[#4]

Once the temple entrance's health drops to around 75000, the Protosses will send out the powerful Archons, which you shouldn't try to fight directly. Matt will let you steer the Cannon manually, with which you'll be able to discharge the blue killers' power [#4]. The Archons' (and other dangerous units') location can be seen on the minimap.

[#5]

10000 points later the Tal'darims will attack from the air [#5], although it's hard to it an offensive in the full meaning of the word. They will send a couple transporters to your base. If they manage to get through the defence, they can cause quite a mess inside, but the first group shouldn't be able to achieve that. The Protosses will repeat this manoeuvre several more times, with increasing power.

Eventually you will learn about three altars, containing precious relics (research). The ancient buildings can be destroyed only using the Laser [#6], so you have to be nearby the building to "point" it. You can head to each building with just a bunch of units, as their protected by just a single Photon Cannon (and some more units on higher difficulties).

[#6]

Focus on destroying the Xel'Naga Temple door, aiming the Laser on Archons or Colossuses (they will appear later in the mission) from time to time. Once the door is left with a couple thousand hit points, the Protosses will throw everything they've got on you, but I'm quite sure they won't be able to stop you from gaining the third artifact.