| “ | Scorching temperatures, high winds, and low precipitation cause a near-constant cycle of fires to sweep this planet, punctuated by short bursts of lush rebirth between infernos. | „ |
| ~ Official Description |
Hellmire is one of four habitable planets in the Mirin Sector. It is covered with vast, hazardous deserts that can pose a threat to even the best Helldivers. This planet, alongside Oshaune, marks the border with the Draco Sector, as it contains a supply line out of the sector into Estanu.
Following the establishment of Gloom Base Alpha, Hellmire has been successfully defended 8 consecutive times over the course of 7 major orders, beating Gatria's streak of consecutive cross-operational defensive victories.
Only beaten by Oshaune, Hellmire is the planet with the second most Helldivers killed in action. As of October 24th, 2185, 213,249,974 have died on Hellmire's surface
Topography and Astrography[]
A Pelican shuttle flies back to its assigned Super Destroyer Squadron waiting in orbit over Hellmire, amidst Operation Righteous Reclamation
Hellmire has earned a reputation as the Terminid front's equivalent to Malevelon Creek, and for a very good reason. The entire planet is a dry wasteland where the sky bursts into flames!
Fire tornadoes form frequently in the planet's scorching atmosphere, incinerating humans and Terminids indiscriminately. It is theorized that the little plant life that manages to survive on Hellmire uses the tornadoes to germinate, similar to some plants species on the southern continent of Sector One. The deserts of Hellmire are divided by narrow, craggy canyons that may hamper movement. 
S.E.A.F. personnel are advised to avoid lingering in these, as being stuck in one with a fire tornado can mean certain death. The "short period of lush rebirth between infernos" mentioned in the worlds description is not really witnessed ingame. Following the absorption of Hellmire into The Gloom, the climate of Hellmire no longer allows for the planet's usual fire tornadoes to form and the environmental impact on its ecosystem is evident. Fortunately the recession of the fascist spore nebula after stage one of Operation Righteous Reclamation would see the fire tornadoes return to Hellmire.[1] In time, the rest of the planet's fiery ecosystem will heal.
A Helldiver, having seen all of his teammates die, runs towards the emergency extraction shuttle during one of Hellmire's regular, pre-Gloom Fire Tornadoes. March 24th, 2184
Hellmire doesn't possess any known cities, but its surface is dotted with now abandoned urbanized settlements which have a number of facilities and appliances that can still be utilized for short-term military gains. A number of ICBM Silos, LIDAR Stations and SEAF Artillery bases can occasionally be found and activated during missions to great effect.
The Hellmire System consists of the planet Hellmire itself, which has at least 1 moon, and at least 2 other astronomical bodies, which are a volcanic planet with a ring system and a moon of said other planet that also showcases high volcanic activity. Prior to the activation of the Terminid Control System, Hellmire was the farthest point where Helldivers had ever reached, as it had been one of the first planets lost during the Initial Terminid Outbreak of February 2184. Following the activation of the TCS, Hellmire became one of the many frontline worlds in the Terminid Front, constantly switching between Super Earth and Terminid control in a tug of war that wouldn't be put to an end until Operation Enduring Peace, when the resulting 
Meridian Black Hole made it impossible for the Terminids to spread due to it siphoning in all of their interstellar spores within several billions of kilometers around it.
The Scorched Deserts of Hellmire, once polluted by The Gloom.
However, with the apparition of the Gloom on August 2184 and the subsequent loss of Hellmire to it, the Hellmire System now poses the greatest immediate threat of the entire Terminid Front. It's immediate connection to Fenrir III, and the 
Centre of Science on it, is both an invaluable advantage in matters of Gloom research and an immense threat to the precious research there. It's location as the southernmost reach of the Gloom and its FTL Lines to Fenrir III, Erata Prime and Estanu, along with its specific environmental conditions make it one of the most critical and perilous battlegrounds on the entire Terminid Front. Following the success of stage one of Operation Righteous Reclamation, Hellmire would become the home of Outpost Alpha, later upgraded to Gloom Base Alpha, and would see the Gloom rescind from its surface, allowing it to breathe free once more. With Outpost Alpha on its surface, Hellmire is now an essential forward base to be held for all operations within the Gloom.
History[]
Special Military Operations[]
Activation of the Terminid Control System[]
A Pelican shuttle flies over the scorched wastes of Hellmire. September 12th, 2185.
Hellmire was, for most of its recorded history, a peaceful planet colony of Super Earth. Having been settled during the Great Democratization after the end of the First Galactic War, Hellmire would remain a mostly uneventful planet following its initial colonization. However, come February 2184, Hellmire would soon see itself caught as one of the many planets to first feel the oppressive yoke of the Terminids, being one of the many planets to fall during the initial Terminid Outbreak of February 2184.
Helldiver expeditions first began dropping on Hellmire shortly after the installation of the Terminid Control System on the Barrier Planets, allowing the SEAF to push the hated insectoids into the Mirin and Draco sectors. However, Hellmire's hostile environment made it difficult to stem the tide of fascism there. High Command wisely shifted Super Earth's attention to higher-priority targets, especially as the Automaton Front hardened during the siege of Tien Kwan.
Operation CBCT Protection[]
In March 2184, several Civilian Biomass Collection Teams were deployed on Hellmire, alongside Fori Prime, Crimsica and Estanu. The Helldivers were tasked with maintaining the planet's defense until the operation's completion.
Though inclement weather forced the sacrifices of many brave soldiers, superior work by the Helldivers kept the planet under Super Earth's control. Upon successful completion of the operation, the SEAF tactically retreated to avoid unnecessary occupation-related paperwork.
Operation E-710 Farms[]
In April 2184, the Helldivers were ordered to liberate and hold control of Hellmire, Crimsica and Estanu to enable the construction of safer, more efficient E-710 farms. This endeavour was carried out flawlessly. Hellmire remained stubbornly resistant to Liberty's hands, yet the Helldivers proved they could tame it with their indomitable spirit.
Unfortunately, the Terminids' hatred for peace knows no bounds. Hordes of bugs quickly overwhelmed the newly-constructed farms, and Hellmire fell into another bloody deadlock.
Second Galactic War[]
Failure of the Terminid Control System[]
A Helldiver advances towards an abandoned urban settlement in flames amidst their deployment on Hellmire. September 12th, 2185
The unexpected failure of the Terminid Control System prevented the SEAF from approaching Hellmire for several months. Thankfully, on May 30th, 2184, the Terminid Supercolony at Meridia was utterly eradicated through the Helldivers' judicious deployment of Dark Fluid. This development instantly crippled the Terminid advance, opening a path toward Hellmire once more.
Operation Hive Breaker[]
The development of the Hive Breaker drill enabled the liberation of planets which had consistently been occupied by the Terminids. In June 2184, High Command ordered its deployment to Hellmire, Estanu, Crimsica, Fori Prime, and Nivel 43.
By the late hours of June 19th, Hellmire had been successfully liberated by the Helldivers. The planet's fiery deserts were doused with Terminid blood, enabling its future colonization. The Ministry of Science has calculated a 102% probability that the Terminids will never return, proving once again that Democracy overcomes all.
Operation Andromeda[]
Hellmire would see its peace cut short once again as, due to the diversion of Helldivers towards the Automaton Front shortly after its liberation, the Terminids would launch multiple assaults upon it and Esker. While the Helldivers managed to defend Hellmire the first time on July 11th, the second assault came immediately after on July 13th. Due to the ongoing Operation Andromeda funneling the majority of Helldivers towards the Automaton Front, Hellmire fell on July 14th, alongside with Esker and nearby Estanu.
Hellmire remained under firm Terminid control after its fall on July, with many attempts at its liberation having been valiantly made without any success and many hundreds of thousands of Helldivers being lost during these campaigns.
After the end of Operation Andromeda, The Gloom would appear around Enuliale and soon started expanding across the Eastern Front, quickly engulfing the world in a matter of hours. The status of Hellmire remained unknown, as any and all ships sent inside the Gloom lost signal almost immediately. Following this, the Terminids would unjustly use this planet as a launching pad they consistently troubled Fenrir III and Erata Prime, forcing the Helldivers to repel their massive gloom-driven incursions time after time.
A Helldiver proceeds to extraction after successfully completing their mission. September 12th, 2185.
Operation Emperor's New Brood[]
Hellmire would remain mostly forgotten, as other campaigns soon dragged the Helldivers away to more critical endeavors, such as the construction of the 
Democracy Space Station and other crucial ventures such as the construction of the Xenoentomology Centre on Turing and the 
Factory Hub on Achernar Secundus.
Going into 2185, the Helldivers still weren't capable of breaking through the Gloom and remained in a relative standstill on the Eastern Front. This standstill would only come to an end with the shocking reappearance of the 
Illuminate in the Galactic South and the movement of the Meridian Singularity toward Super Earth, which necessitated an all-hands-on-deck response to the squid threat.
On February 15th, 2185, the bugs at Hellmire thrust themselves back into the spotlight and partially revealed what horrors lie behind the Gloom. A new, mutated strain of bugs known as the 
Predator Strain would surface on Fenrir III in a mammoth assault on the planet and its Centre of Science. All Helldivers would immediately be ordered to defend the planet to save the Centre and stop this new formidable foe.
After 35 hours of grueling fighting on Fenrir, the Strain would be defeated impressively and convincingly by the righteous Helldivers. The SEAF wouldn't have long to rejoice however as the same Predator Strain resurfaced on Erata Prime just moments after their defeat at Fenrir.
Starting here, the Bugs would intensify their attacks and further spread chaos and destruction all across the Eastern Sectors, with Hellmire being at the forefront of many of these assaults for months. However, Hellmire would be given a chance at freedom that very few would have expected.
Operation Righteous Reclamation[]
A Helldiver witnesses the explosion of an ICBM shortly after its successful launch, amidst one of Hellmire's well known Fire Tornado Storms. September 12th, 2185.
Following the massive Tripartite Invasion by the 
Terminids, 
Automatons and Illuminate in the latter half of August 2185, as well as the loss of dozens of worlds and millions of citizens, High Command would declare that a defensive posture was no longer sufficient and that the Gloom had to be destroyed. Although the DSS was still not yet capable of traversing the Gloom, research into Gloom-resistant polymer coating had paid off, with all Super Destroyer FTL systems received a minimum of two layers -- finally allowing them to operate within the Gloom.
The time for idle research was over, now was time for decisive retaliatory action. With countless new recruits joining the 
Helldivers, and the Destroyer fleet expanded to accommodate them, the Helldiver Corps was now more powerful than it had been the year prior, and they are prepared to begin Operation: Righteous Reclamation.
Spore outflow analysis placed a potential Gloom source in the Mirin Sector. However, before it could be reached, the Helldivers would need to establish footholds and a permanent forward operating base within the Gloom's perimeter. Hellmire, Nivel 43 and Fori Prime were chosen as potential targets for this purpose, with the Helldivers overwhelmingly choosing Hellmire as their first target, resulting in almost 50% of fleet deploying there.
While minimal progress was made early into the operation, constant operations by the Helldivers had whittled down enemy resistance from 4% to 2%, with real time projections showing that Hellmire would be back under the Federation's rightful control within the Major Orders time limit.
On the following day, when most of planet has been purged of the Terminid presence, multiple Helldivers reported sightings of new strain of Terminids, capable of burrowing into the ground and performing surprise attacks from there. They have since been dubbed the 
Rupture Strain. Possessing a reddish carapace and rounded head plates, they did not changed the outcome of liberation, especially once High Command accelerated the strategic timeline in order to maintain momentum -- ultimately resulting in Hellmire being declared liberated by the afternoon of September 2nd.
Following this, the Helldivers immediately moved to Oshaune, spring boarding from the rapidly-deployed forward operating base dubbed: Outpost Alpha. As long as the outpost remained operational, the Helldivers would have unprecedented access to the gloom.
Operation Rock And Stone[]
During the second phase of Operation Righteous Reclamation, the Helldivers would work to collect samples on Oshaune. However on September 5th, spores from Oshaune would make landfall on Hellmire, spawning Winged Terminids of unprecedented size which would directly siege Outpost Alpha. The Helldivers would respond in force, with some reports saying that even the planet itself was fighting back the Tyrannical swarm as Hellmires iconic fire tornadoes would re-appear following the rollback of the Gloom.[1]
Not only that, but the galactic spore cloud had dissipated enough for the Democracy Space Station to jump to Hellmire, aiding in the planet's defense. By the following day, the Helldivers had successfully safeguarded Outpost Alpha against the Terminid Dragon Roaches, allowing them to return to the important collection of samples on Oshaune.
Operation Gloom Tide[]
A Helldiver squadron on the ground encounters a Hive Lord during their mission. September 12th, 2185.
Hellmire would not have seen the last of the Terminids just yet. Following the debacles at Oshaune, multiple Gloom-adjacent planets came under Terminid attack. Hellmire would be attacked on September 12th shortly after a massive victory over the Terminids at Gacrux. However, this attack would soon prove to be unlike anything seen before. Hellmire would be attacked by 18 million Terminid broods, accompanied by the Predator Strain.
The assault onto Hellmire could not have been any more poorly timed nor more ill-placed. With the Helldivers having immediately freed up the majority of their forces with their victory at Gacrux, the Helldiver Fleet was quick to relocate onto Hellmire's surface. Within just the first 4 hours of the Terminid attack making planetfall, the situation had quickly and decisively been turned around and, within 6 hours from the initial Terminid planetfall, the Helldivers had quickly caught up to the invading Terminids, with projections indicating an early defensive victory.
A Helldiver celebrates with their squad after slaying a Hive Lord on Hellmire. September 21th, 2185
With the Democracy Space Station soon joining in, the Terminids would stand no chance, as the Helldivers pressed their advantage and continued repelling the fascist aggressors. Significant subterranean disruptions would be reported on Hellmire, alongside several reports of massive Terminid creatures. Hive Lord presence was considered possible until reports from Helldivers on the ground confirmed their validity and, immediately after, got to work at culling the colossal menaces.
After hours of battles in the surface of the scorching, at 19:07 SEST, the remaining Terminids fled back to Oshaune, and the Terminids still on the planet were swiftly erradicated, and their corpses were transported to Element-710 extraction facilities by S.E.A.F. forces, and then, Outpost Alpha was repaired after the damage caused by the planetary invasion, granting the Helldivers another victory over the Terminid invaders.
However, it seemed that the Terminids had grown too used to their year-long occupation of Hellmire and, as such, wanted it back at any cost. On September 14 at 17:30-SEST, a new swarm of the Rupture Strain would descend upon Hellmire with a force of 16 million broods. Luckily, the Helldivers were already on the brink of victory at yet another invasion of Gacrux, and as such would deploy to Hellmire knowing that victory on the hellish world would complete the final defense needed to succeed in Operation Gloom Tide.
As expected, when the main Helldiver fleet completed their defense of Gacrux and turned up to Hellmire, the ravenous Rupture Strain stood no chance against the might of over 150,000 Helldivers. As such, by 11:00 SEST, the Terminids had been decisively repelled by the Helldivers, ending their offensive while the majority of the Corps deployed to Terrek to finish off the week-long siege of the planet.
Operation Capitalized Industry and Calamari Damacy[]
Hydrobius-Hellmire double gambit
After the liberation of Mintoria, the Terminids quickly mobilized to invade once more the Hellmire System, now with the Spore Bust Strain, instead of the Rupture Strain after it's departure from the Oshaune system, the attack was a Level 15 (750K hp), but even so, not enough Helldivers mobilized, and several remained behind in the already lost battle for Choepessa IV.
Fortunately the Helldivers were eventually able to rally to the defense of Hellmire in time, with the Terminid outbreak brought under control by the 20th of September. Unfortunately this pattern of events would repeat itself once more on the afternoon of the 28th, as Terminid Sporefall would once more occur on Hellmire, putting Outpost Alpha in danger once again just when the Helldiver Corps was positioning itself to liberate Hydrobius.
However in a display of tactical brilliance, the corps were able to divide themselves equally between Hellmire and Hydrobius, allowing for both the defense of one and the liberation of the other on the 29th of September. Truly our greatest heroes are also our greatest tactical geniuses.
Operation This Belongs in a Museum[]
On October 13, After the liberation of Starpass on Zea Rugosia, the Terminids, taking advantage of the fact that the Helldivers were distracted by the Illuminate front, they attacked Hellmire once again, with a invasion level of 13, being this the 29th Battle of Hellmire. The Helldivers were swiftly able to focus on Hellmire, eradicate the Terminids that same day of the beginning of the invasion, and refocus on their front with the Illuminate in the Ferris Sector.
Interim (October 20, 2185)[]
Shortly after the end of the liberation of Marfark and the end of the operation against the Automatons, Hellmire would be attacked by Terminid forces once again, this time from Erata Prime with the Spore Burst Strain leading the charge. Prior to this attack, Hellmire's FTL Line with Nivel 43 was destroyed.
Operation Heatshield[]
Two Helldivers start the power generator. October 22nd, 2185.
After the unsuccessful operation of the Helldivers on Oshaune, which was turned into a Hive World by the fascist Terminids, to collect samples, the Super Earth Armed Forces began careful preparations to return to the desecrated planet. And so, after a few weeks of preparations, almost everything was ready for this purpose. However, the incessant bug attacks on Hellmire, in particular, on the Outpost Alpha located there – an advanced base for operations in the depths of the Gloom – pose a serious threat to any planned actions. To ensure the safety and stability of the rear, the Command gave the order to oust the Terminids from the planets Erata Prime and Estanu.
Two Helldivers look at a nuclear explosion after launching an ICBM at a target. October 22nd, 2185.
On the 21st of October, at 23:07 SEST, Hellmire was attacked by Terminids from Estanu once again. Despite the recommendation of the Command to deploy forces on the planet from which the attack was carried out, the Helldivers preferred to focus on the defense of Hellmire, continuing the liberation of Erata Prime in parallel. The battles with the insect invaders continued throughout the next day. The surface of this world scorched by fiery tornadoes was being covered by the corpses of millions of bugs every hour, as it had been many times before. The result of this barbaric attack, of course, was the usual outcome: the aggressors were completely destroyed, and humanity continues its righteous struggle to build a great society free from tyranny and despotism.
Helldivers destroy Predator Strain Terminids, supported by an Eagle airstrike. October 25th, 2185.
However, the Terminids would not get the lesson through their thick, despotic exoskeletons and stubbornly attempted a second attack onto Hellmire on October 24th at 8:15 SEST. And much like the first time, the Helldivers were quick to respond to this second assault. However, on a bout of what may seem as a "strategic play" by the unthinking insectoids, a Terminid onslaught from Bore Rock would make planetfall on Terrek just 3 hours after Hellmire's own attack started, forcing the Helldivers to split. And yet, despite their forces being divided in 2, the Terminid scourge still didn't stand a chance to win in either planet.
Expectedly, the attack at Terrek would be successfully repelled, allowing the forces there to immediately begin redeploying onto Hellmire just as the Democracy Space Station's Eagle Storm came online, pinning the bugs in place and guaranteeing their complete annihilation. On October 25th, at 07:45 SEST, the last remaining Terminid broods on Hellmire were cleansed and the battle had been won.
FTL Lines[]
- Estanu - Draco Sector
- Erata Prime - Umlaut Sector
- Fenrir III - Umlaut Sector
- Oshaune (Established on September 02, 2185)
FTL Timeline[]
- June 13, 2184: Hellmire is connected to Estanu, Erata Prime, Fenrir III, and Nivel 43.
- September 02, 2185: New FTL Line to Oshaune is established.
- October 20, 2185: FTL Line to Nivel 43 is destroyed.
Notes[]
- According to it's description, the colonists of Hellmire managed to recover a lost shipment of the CE-35 TRENCH ENGINEER Armour. After which the local pastime of fence-smashing was born.
- In Polish translation of the game, Fence-Smashing was translated to "Muromłot", which itself could be returned to English as "Wall-Hammer". It is unknown if this may be a genuine reference or an accident.
