[tsofian]

Earlier I posited that there are five types of entrances into Prime Base. This includes the construction entrance, an entrance for use after construction but before full activation, a number of escape exits, at least one sally port and main entrances for use during full activation.

Each of these is a different size, performs a different function, is hidden and operated in different ways.

The escape exits are the easiest-These are tubes that lead to the surface. They are steel tubes a couple of feet in diameter and the top few hundred feet are cofferdammed with sand. On the surface is a counterweighted stone cap that blends in with the natural surface. They are entered from various parts of the base via outward opening armored doors, each of which has vision pistol ports. These will suffer over the decades. If their lid comes loose water will infiltrate down the tube and possible cause the bottom of the cofferdam to fail and release all the sand into the repository designed for it, leaving a hollow tube with a camouflage cap. If the tube is in an area hit hard by a blast wave the tube can be partly uncovered and perhaps crushed. Erosion may similarly leave a tube sticking out of the ground, which may or may not be visible through the vegetation. In any case the players may find these over the top of the base area. If they can dig through a couple of hundred feet of sand they face a 6 inch steel armored door.

The Sally Port exit(s) might be the next most simple. I designed these so that they are secret until opened, and then they are pretty much visible. The Sally Ports open from small garages which hold equipment that would be of value around the base just after they open up. The exterior wall is drilled from inside and is ready to have charges placed to break it open (and the rubble has an internal pit into which it can fall. If there has been enough erosion the drill holes might go all the way to the surface and water might be dripping into the sally port tunnel. This might be a CLUE!

The construction entrance is a former mine entrance, one designed for heavy equipment, however you do this when construction is complete the ceiling gets dropped and so much for any worries there.

The sneaky pete entrance is down a 2500 foot fairly horizontal gallery. It ends in a cave in, behind which is a steel door. To one side of the cave in is a side gallery which appears to be flooded. the pool does go all the way to the ceiling. The gallery goes around the blockage and into a lined tunnel.

The final entrance is the one for the main operation, and I'm still gonna stick with it being partly dug but either a tunnel boring machine or a bunch of pre-drilled holes ready for explosives.