Vernen Wells

"The arid, rocky biome covering this world has driven the evolution of exceptionally efficient water usage in its various organisms."

- Official description

Vernen Wells is one of the three planets that reside within the Hydra Sector. The name of the planet is no doubt a reference to the actor Vernon Wells. Additionally the difference in spelling might be another nod to Jules Verne and H. G. Wells.

Following the establishment of the Menkent Line, the planet would play host to a SEAF Forward Command Base, which would provide fresh recruits and supplies to the frontlines on Menkent and Lesath.

Topography
Nicknamed "The Red Planet", Vernen Wells is an arid, rocky planet featuring great shallow basins, sunken deserts, picturesque buttes and mesas, and rare verdant sections of valley. By and large though the planet is dominated by a series of continent mesas and plateaus, some of which are the size of skyscrapers. This has created an unexpected challenge for Helldivers operating on the planet, as this geography has been reported to obstruct some stratagems.

Iron minerals, and particularly hematite, are responsible for coloring the planet's sedimentary rock layers, which when combined with the planet's seismic instability has created large quantities of dust due to soil surface disturbance. This combined with strong winds has resulting in a fine layer of red dust that covers most of the planet (thus it's charming nickname) which has also been known to clog up both unprotected machinery as well as lungs.

The majority of plant life on the planet consists of dry grasslands and shrub lands, with the arid nature of Vernen Wells also driving the evolution of exceptionally efficient water usage in its various organisms.

The Lesath Breach
In an act of sinister syncronicity, both the Terminids and Automatons launched large-scale assaults on the Federation at the same time. The Helldivers were forced to defend citizens on two fronts at once, stretching their numbers and resources thin, with Lesath being the breaking point. Following the breach of the Menkent line at Lesath, Vernen Wells itself would come under heavy assault by Automaton forces on the 21st of April. Whilst the Helldivers would contest their invasion of the planet, they lacked the numbers needed to a decisive win and could only slow down the invasion.

During the invasion, the Automaton horde were able to knock out the planet's long-range communication arrays which had been used to track our forces across the galaxy. This meant that, unfortunately, High Command were unable to provide updates to liberation percentage and ongoing galactic war progress for the foreseeable future. Super Earth High Command then dispatched expert S.E.A.F. engineering teams, under the protection of the Helldivers, to repair these arrays as soon as possible. In the meantime, some errors and incomplete data would be displayed on Destroyer systems and tracking software.

Communications would be nominally restored in the early hours of the 22nd of April, although by this point significant ground had been lost both on Vernen Wells and across the Galaxy. Never the less, S.E.A.F. and the Helldivers would remain resolute, with the war for the survival of humanity and the Federation continuing.

[ALERT: ENCRYPTED TRANSMISSION RECEIVED: DECRYPTING...]

CLASSIFICATION: TOP SECRET

MINISTRY OF DEFENSE

DIRECTORATE OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE

ORIGINATING STATION: Super Earth Armed Forces Forward Command Base, Vernen Wells

MEMORANDUM FOR: Super Earth High Command

SUBJECT: Analysis of Lesath Breach and Defense West

AUTHENTICATION BY THE MINISTRY OF TRUTH

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AUTHENTICATION CONFIRMED: Accessing file

Analysis of Lesath Breach and Defense West

Ongoing analysis by the Directorate of Military Intelligence has confirmed that the eastern Terminid front is stabilizing, whilst the western Automaton front is nearing total collapse. This document seeks to understand why this is the case, beyond higher concentrations of Helldivers.

Discounting the disproportionate deployment of the Helldiver Corps (40 - 60% as of this analysis) as well as difficulties in coordinating such a chaotic defense, success in the galactic west vs the galactic east is largely thanks to the success of the TCS system. The Terminids are unable to advance further into federation space, which has allowed the majority of fighting in the east to be contained to Estanu, Oshanune and Fori Prime (as well as provide a steady supply of much needed E-710).

On paper the Menkent line should have served a similar purpose as the TCS, containing the fighting to Matar Bay, Martale and Charon Prime. However the Lesath breach two days into the Automaton's fresh offensive put an end to any plans of using it as a bulwark to contain the Automatons. Additionally the failure of the Martale Gambit has allowed the Automaton's to spread their forces over a much wider front than anticipated, which in turn has forced S.E.A.F. and the Helldivers to do the same. This has resulted in fighting spreading out over almost a dozen planets in five different sectors, including (as of the time of writing): Vernen Wells, Menkent, Choepessa IV, Meissa, Marfark, Charbal VII, Charon Prime, Lesath, Chort Bay, Choohe and others.

This has only exasperated the already existing coordination and supply issues present within the Super Earth Armed Forces, with the Helldiver Corps spread too thin over too many fronts to put up any organized defense. Coincidentally the strategy employed by Automaton forces may be accidentally (or more worryingly, purposefully) bares some resemblance to Deep Operation Theory. This is a military theory developed by the Communist Soviet Union for its armed forces during the first half of the 20th century and emphasized destroying, suppressing or disorganizing enemy forces not only at the line of contact but also throughout the depth of the battlefield. (see attached historical document for more information)

Unfortunately the best way to counter at this time is to dig in and weather the storm. Deep Operation Theory will only works with superior numbers and although the situation on the western front is still unfolding, the Automaton's are having to spread themselves over a larger and larger front by the day. Combine that with the millions of losses the Automatons are suffering and the offensive should (Liberty willing) run out of steam eventually. Even so, drastic measures may need to be taken in order to preserve the remaining military strength of the Federation and prevent the total collapse of S.E.A.F. West.

Recommendations for adaptations to strategy and tactics to follow within seven standard solar days.

END TRANSMISSION

FTL Lines

 * Menkent
 * Lesath - Lacaille Sector
 * Aesir Pass