Excavation

Excavation is a new game mode introduced in Update 14.5 for the Operation Cryotic Front event. This game mode tasks players with searching and then extracting various artifacts buried deep within a planet's surface. This game mode is slated to replace Survival missions that take place on planet surfaces in the future.

Mechanics
Initially, players are tasked with locating a Scanner, which will make landfall upon players approaching its landing site somewhere on the map. Once established, the Scanner will begin to scan the entire map for the location of buried artifacts. Scanners will detect a buried artifact every 25 seconds of scanning, but no more than 3 active or waiting for deployment excavators at a time, which reveals the artifact's location on another part of the map.

Players will then need to locate dig site, which will drop in an Excavator on the location once players step within the dig site. This Excavator requires 100 seconds to accomplish its task, and must be protected from enemy fire during the duration of its operation; failure to do so will result in the artifact not being recovered. Once its task is successfully completed, all players will receive a random reward, along with a small amount of Cryotics. Additionally, the mission's extraction point will be revealed after the first artifact of the mission is successfully excavated.

Both the Scanner and the Excavator require Power in order to maintain operation, as both machines have a limited operating time determined by their Power level; 1% point of Power equals 1 second of operating time, with the Scanner and Excavators initially starting with 50 Power. If the Power levels for these machines reach 0, the machines will stop functioning until additional Power is provided. Power levels for both machines can be replenished by giving them Power Cells, special items that restore 20% Energy each, which are found from killing designated Power Carrier enemies that visibly carry the Cells on their backs. Like the Datamasses found on Mobile Defense, Deception and Spy missions, Power Cells are large items that must be carried by hand to the appropriate machine, restricting the player carrying it to using their Secondary or Melee weapons. Power Cells are consumed simply by delivering them within a small radius of the desired machine, which will automatically remove the Power Cell from the player and replenish the machine's Power.

Similar to Survival missions, the rewards for every successful excavation stack, and players can claim all artifacts that have been recovered upon extraction. Also, multiple Excavators can be active at once if desired, limited only by the ability of players to defend them.

Bugs

 * Sometimes when picking up a Power cell, you will become stuck and unable to shoot or move.
 * Using a revive seems to fix this bug.