| “ | Dense, toxic fumes from deep within the planet's crust seep out of cracks in the earth and coat the ground in a sickly haze. | „ |
| ~ Official Description |
Esker is one of the four planets that reside within the Falstaff Sector. This planet, alongside Erson Sands, marks the border between the Falstaff and Mirin Sectors, as it contains an FTL line with Nivel 43.
Topography[]
The planet is covered by a sickly moor, characterized by it's high temperatures and abundant toxic fumes, which seep up from the planets crust, bearing an eerie resemblance to Chort Bay
History[]
Second Galactic War[]
Operation Hive Breaker[]
Esker had been sitting on the sideline of the Terminid front unscathed, as war raged on in the neighboring Mirin Sector from February 2184 onwards. However, it soon would become inevitably engulfed by the raging conflict. As the Helldivers righteously approached Nivel 43, in hopes of crushing all of its bug hives by use of drilled nuclear bombs, the hives on the ashen planet emitted intergalactic spores beyond their usual level and quickly reached Esker as a means to ensure their continued survival.
The Terminid outbreak made landfall in the late hours of the afternoon of June 18th, with the calls for defense mounting. However, early analysis predicted that, due to the required focus on the Hellmire offensive and the subsequent Nivel 43 offensive, Esker's defense was going to be unsuccessful.
By the late hours of June 19th, Esker's defense had failed, immediately leading to a liberation campaign on it, leaving it stuck in a bloody deadlock that only produced dead colonists and bugs alike.
Operation Falstaff and Jin Xi Lockdown[]
Esker would remain captured for the rest of the month of June. Then, in July, Super Earth High Command issued a major order mandating the liberation of Bore Rock, Erson Sands, Acamar IV, Phact Bay and Pandion XXIV. While Esker wasn't part of the objective planets, it was the one planet blocking access to Erson Sands, which meant that it would have to be liberated regardless. By July 2nd, after several hurdles, it would be liberated, allowing the Helldivers through.
Operation Andromeda[]
However, Esker would not enjoy its freedom for long. As the Helldivers were ordered away to the Automaton front once more, Esker would be left underdefended and the bugs, repeating their strategy from their first attempts, sent a spore barrage from Nivel 43 to Esker. Due to the higher priority of the Automaton threat, Esker fell alongside Hellmire in a double assault.
Operation Benevolent Santitation[]
Esker remained under Terminid control for the remainder of July, as the Helldivers were kept away from the Terminid front in order to crush the Automaton encirclement. However, a new development in the Eastern front would force the Helldivers back. With the appearance of The Gloom, an unusual nebula of Intergalactic Terminid Spores, around Enuliale, the colonists at nearby Socorro III would send a call for aid, reporting new Terminid variants incoming from Esker, as a massive Terminid onslaught attempted an invasion of the planet. As such, the Helldivers would be diverted back towards the Terminid front, with orders to liberate Esker and Bore Rock, as well as to conduct eradication operations on Socorro III.
Esker was liberated on August 8th, shortly after Socorro's onslaught was successfully repelled and the eradication operations were finished successfully.
Operation Brute Force[]
Esker would finally see a time of relative peace after its liberation. However, while its colonists began to rebuild, the war began to loom upon its surface once again. Shortly after the rescue of Socorro III, the Gloom began to expand, shrouding Erson Sands and slowly growing to encompass more and more planets while making the Terminids mutate further. Esker remained in a dubious peace for most of August until, in August 25th, the Terminids in Nivel 43, now being bolstered by the Gloom's effect, sent a barrage of Terminid spores upon it. With the Helldivers having been ordered back to the Terminid Front after their successful victory during Operation's Lighthouse and People's Shield, Esker's defense would see its ranks filled with Helldivers and brave colonists alike.
Esker would be successfuly defended by the end of the day, just as the Helldivers managed to finally liberate Acamar IV.
Operation Courageous Exodus[]
Esker would remain in a relative peace following its final defense in August, with not much events of note happening since, as the Terminids shifted their focus towards Gatria and the Jin Xi sector amidst the start of the Democracy Space Station project. However, this peace was not going to last for much longer. Having been seemingly contained, the Terminids began to focus their assaults back towards the westernmost planets on the front, with Socorro III and Esker standing right at the edge of the Gloom.
As such, on November 4th, the Terminids sent out an attack from within the Gloom towards both Socorro and Esker. Unable to save both planets, the Helldivers opted to aid Esker's defense against the Terminids, with the assault finally being repelled on November 5th.
However, this wouldn't be the final attack. A day later, on November 6th, the Terminids launched another triple attack against Esker, Heeth and Bore Rock, pretty much immediately after the triple attack against Erata Prime, Estanu and Fenrir III.
Given Bore Rock's strategic importance, it was chosen after Heeth to be defended by the Helldivers, leaving Esker to its own devices. Esker would fall on November 7th, the Helldivers being unable to save it due to the Terminids launched a dual assault onto Crimsica and Estanu.
On November 28th, 2184, Bore Rock was attacked by the Terminids, and 2 days later, it unfortunately fell as the Helldivers did not prioritize its defense. With this, Esker's supply lines all led to Terminid space, locking its access away for the time-being, forcing trapped colonists to flee to bunkers and hide from the wrath of the tyrannic bugs.
Operation Crop Dust[]
On December 5th, 2184, orders were given to liberate Esker, along with Mintoria and Blistica on the western front, all of which are locked behind enemy lines. Such mentioned planets have been identified as being rich in salt-mines, which is needed in order to rectify the shortage of chlorine and finally commence the production of MD-8 Gas Mines and its requisition to all Super Destroyers. Bore Rock, which was the only roadblock in the path to Esker's liberation, was liberated on December 7th, 2184, starting the battle to retake the acidic desert world. The battle lasted 2 days and on December 9th, 2184, the caustic planet was finally retaken from the tyrannical bugs, fulfilling 1/3 targets for the major order.
Operation Wormhole Spaghetti[]
Esker would not be able to spend much time free nor in peace. As the Illuminate made their resurgence, the Helldivers had to divert manpower towards the new front in the southern sectors which, consequently, further depleted their available forces to fight the Terminids, who quickly capitalized on the occasion with their own offensive.
On December 22nd, the Terminids would send an attack onto Esker from within the Gloom. With the Helldivers busy both with the Illuminate and the ongoing operation at the Umlaut Sector, Esker was left to mostly fend for itself.
FTL Lines[]
- Nivel 43 - Mirin Sector (Established on June 18, 2184)
- Bore Rock (Re-established on June 18, 2184)
- Erson Sands (Re-established on June 18, 2184)
- Socorro III (Re-established on August 6, 2184)
FTL Timeline[]
- February 8th, 2184: Esker is connected by FTL to Bore Rock, Erson Sands and Socorro III.
- June 13th, 2184: FTL lines to Bore Rock, Erson Sands and Socorro III are destroyed.
- June 18th, 2184: FTL lines to Bore Rock and Erson Sands are re-established, new FTL line to Nivel 43 is established.
- August 6th, 2184: FTL line to Socorro III is re-established.