Border forts are the most-looked-at buildings in Battles for Arthos, so this week I gave them the art pass they deserve.

The problem

Old forts read as gray blobs at a distance. Players could not tell a repaired fort from a ruined one, which matters a lot when you are deciding where to retreat.

The fix

• A warmer stone palette so forts pop against the fog.
• Damage states you can read from across the map.
• Little banners that change color by faction.

I paint these in layers, silhouette first, then material, then the tiny storytelling details like scorch marks and hasty repairs. Here is a work-in-progress plate:

The banners were the fun part. Each faction gets a distinct hue, and I keep a cheat sheet so I stop mixing them up:

CODE red    = besieged
blue   = holding
yellow = neutral / abandoned

If you have opinions about fort colors, and I know you do, bring them to https://madsplash.net/community. Gentle opinions only.