The Second Galactic War, sometimes referred to as the Second Intergalactic War, the Galactic War on Tyranny, or simply the Galactic War, is an intergalactic armed conflict between the Federation of Super Earth, the Automatons, Terminids, and the Illuminate. Outside of lore, the Galactic War is a real-time, live-service game mechanic in Helldivers 2 in which all players actively contribute and interact with an evolving conflict on a galactic scale.
In early 2184, one hundred years after the end of the First Galactic War against the Bugs, Cyborgs, and Illuminate, enemies of Freedom, Liberty, and Managed Democracy rose up against the Federation of Super Earth. In response, the Helldivers were mobilized for the first time since the last war to defend Super Earth.
Event prior to February 8th 2184[ | ]
| “ | It is past time we respond to this unprovoked incursion against democracy. The Helldivers are deploying as we speak to strike a number of Automaton Military Installations. These invaders will soon discover the steel of Super Earth resolve. | „ |
| ~ President of Super Earth |
In the lead-up to Operation Valiant Enclosure, the Terminids, descendants of the Bugs from one hundred years ago, now farmed for E-710, broke out of their confined farm worlds and invaded the Galactic East. At the same time, the Automatons, a robotic race who share several similarities with the Cyborgs of old, made unprovoked incursions into the Severin Sector, building a number of military installations. In response to the outbreak of violence, Super Earth mobilized the Helldivers to an extent not seen since the First Galactic War.
Special Military Operations in February 2184[ | ]
Galactic Map on February 8th 2184
The first Special Military Operation was issued by S.E.A.F. High Command on February 8th. Operation Valiant Enclosure's main objective was to create the Terminid Control System, a planet-wide bug extermination network. The first phase of the operation was to push the Bugs back to the Barrier Planets by first liberating all planets between the Umlaut Sector and Super Earth. Heeth was successfully liberated on February 10th, and Angle's Venture four days later on February 14th. With the first phase completed, the Helldivers readied for the establishment of the Terminid Control System. However, with surprise Automaton invasions on developed worlds, the activation of the system was postponed, with Operation Bulwark now taking priority.
Operation Bulwark's main goal was to defend eight planets. The operation lasted for twelve days, with the Legion and S.E.A.F. fighting for every inch of the Xzar Sector. The outcome was just shy of the goal, with seven of the eight planets defended and Draupnir, Ingmar, Pöpli IX, Vandalon IV, and Troost all falling to the Automatons. Operation Veld Containment was the next operation. Lasting twenty-nine hours, its main objective was to liberate Veld, a strategically important planet.
Special Military Operations in March 2184[ | ]
Galactic Map on March 1st 2184
During Operation Veld Containment, Terminid spores had engulfed Angel's Venture, overwhelming the colonial forces. S.E.A.F. High Command ordered the immediate liberation and defense of Angel's Venture and Heeth, so that S.E.A.F. reinforcements could repel the invasion. Both worlds were successfully defended, allowing for S.E.A.F. reinforcements to pour in and stabilize the situation. Tien Kwan is the location of the sole arsenal of Super Earth Exosuit technology. On March 5th, 2184, the SEAF announced that the EXO-45 Patriot Exosuit was in full production and would be ready for deployment on the battlefield soon. The Automatons became aware of this, and attacked Tien Kwan on March 7th. Operation Patriot was issued, and within 21 hours, Tien Kwan was liberated, and the EXO-45 Patriot Exosuit was now available for requisition to all Helldivers.
Operation Valiant Enclosure[ | ]
After being delayed for weeks, the second phase of Operation Valiant Enclosure was issued on March 12th. The Terminid Control System was to be erected on all planets in the Umlaut Sector. Helldivers were ordered to activate Terminid Control System towers across the sector to eradicate all Terminids on the Barrier Planets. The first TCS tower to be fully activated was on Fenrir III, then Turing, Meridia, and finally on March 15th, the final TCS tower on Erata Prime was activated. The Terminids were now unable to enter the Umlaut Sector.
Following this success, the civilian population expanded, as did new energy demands for FTL travel. In response, S.E.A.F. High Command issued Operation Prime Liberation for the liberation of Zagon Prime and Fori Prime. It was considered a nearly impossible task to liberate these planets, but a method of accomplishing it was devised by the Helldivers. First, Estanu was to be liberated, gaining access to Fori Prime. Crimsica was to be abandoned in favor of Hellmire and Nivel 43, in order to finally reach Zagon Prime. The Helldivers would then liberate Fori Prime, but instead of liberating Hellmire as planned, a majority of Helldivers went to Oshaune to get to Zagon Prime, as it looked like the fastest way there. In actuality, it took much longer to go through Omicron. After Operation Prime Liberation, many Terminid corpses were left behind in the blitz. Civilian Biomass Collection Teams (CBCTs) were ordered to gather and process them, and S.E.A.F. High Command ordered the Helldivers to protect them during the Operation. The Order was easily completed, putting the Draco Sector in Super Earth hands.
Operation Swift Disassembly[ | ]
Interrogated bots had leaked an Automaton plan called "The Reclamation". In response, S.E.A.F. High Command authorized Operation Swift Disassembly, its objective to destroy the Automaton Legion at all costs. This operation consisted of four phases:
- Phase One: Disrupt Communications
- Phase Two: Reduce Non-Sentient Combatant Production
- Phase 3: Hold Your Ground
- Phase 4: Annihilation
A long-range communications array on Troost had been identified sending signals into deep space, and High Command called for its immediate destruction. After the blitz through the Trigon Sector and the array's destruction, it was found to be broadcasting outside the galactic frontier to an unknown something. Also found in the wreckage of the blitz were blueprints for an Aerial Gunship. These blueprints had made their way to Tibit, where the craft was being produced, and the loss of Tibit would cripple the Legion's ability to fight. Helldiver forces would have to go through Ubanea to get to Tibit, which seemed simple at first. However, the Automatons had already attacked Draupnir and were threatening to cut off forces liberating Ubanea. Instead, a plan was created called the "Ubanea Gambit". Ubanea was to be liberated first, with a skeleton force on Draupnir holding the line. Unfortunately, the Ubanea Gambit was ultimately unsuccessful. Draupnir's defense collapsed, causing the S.E.A.F. to lose access to Ubanea. Helldivers blitzed through Draupnir and Ubanea and reached Tibit with hours to spare. Helldivers fought valiantly for Tibit, but the deadline was missed and the Operation was a failure.
Special Military Operations in April 2184[ | ]
Galactic Map on April 1st 2184
Morale was low in the Helldivers Corp after the failure of the Ubanea Gambit. To boost morale, High Command issued a Major Order to liberate Malevelon Creek. The Creek had seen non-stop fighting with the Bots for fifty-four straight days, but that had come to an end as within five hours of the order being issued, Malevelon Creek was freed. But the planet would not see twenty four hours of peace, until April 3rd, 2184; Malevelon Creek Memorial Day.
Phase 3's main objective was to hold all ground previously gained. With the Automatons on their last leg, they had invaded world after world but were now backed into a corner that they could not escape. The Automaton neural network is incapable of computing defeat, so with their last resources, they launched an all-out offensive. Their final offensive was to try and last just a few more days, but they had dug their own grave. Attacks on Malevelon Creek and Ubanea were easily beat back, and not even a sneak attack on Vandalon IV could stop their inevitable fate.
Phase 4 was short and to the point: the annihilation of all Automotan forces. The Automaton Legion, a nation soon to be forgotten from history, now resided on three planets: Maia, Durgen, and Tibit. This scar on the Galaxy that used a non-democratic governmental system over four hundred years old would finally be wiped from existence. Maia was the first to be freed, then Tibit, and finally Durgen. The two months of tyranny in the west had finally come to an end. Freedom reigned supreme as the Super Earth Flag flew over the crumbling remains of the Automaton stronghold of Durgen. The end of the war was in sight.
Now with only one front, the S.E.A.F. only had to eradicate the Terminids from the Milky Way and Managed Democracy would be the sole and righteous ideology in the galaxy. Hellmire, Estanu, and Crimsica were the only planets significant to the S.E.A.F. in the whole galaxy, so all were quickly liberated with ease. Minor communication network delays were detected in the Valdis Sector, but were nothing of importance.
The Reclamation[ | ]
"HIGH PRIORITY BROADCAST. ALL UNITS TO LIBCON 1. FEDERATION UNDER ATTACK. MULTIPLE PLANETS HAVE FALLEN."
This message rang out across the Federation as a massive Automaton invasion fleet jumped into the Valdis Sector. Within hours, the entire Valdis Sector had fallen. The S.E.A.F. scrambled their reserves and all Helldivers were ordered to the immediate defense of the Lacaille and Hydra Sectors. The new Automaton fleet far dwarfed the forces seen in the Severin Sector, as they were evidently a mere vanguard precluding the main force. Sectors burned as the Automatons stormed world after world, and it became apparent that the Reclamation had finally come. The Automaton fleet was now hurtling full throttle towards Super Earth. S.E.A.F. High Command ordered the Helldivers to "slow its advance as much as possible" so that the S.E.A.F. could recover and stabilize the line. Only four of the defenses were successful, with the fleet reaching Marfark in the Andromeda Sector. As the Automatons started to run out of steam, the S.E.A.F., now fully repaired, were itching for a way of getting back at the metal monstrosities. This would come in the form of the Menkent Line; an interplanetary defense line stretching from Lesath to Menkent. The Helldivers could not resist the temptation of such a battle, and within a few days, the line was completed, bristling with orbital cannons. It was widely believed that the Automatons would never risk attacking this line. With the Federation safely shielded behind the Menkent Line, the Automaton fleets decided to concentrate all their forces on Marfark to try and break through and encircle the Menkent Line. They also deployed new Factory Striders to the planet to strengthen their forces, but their efforts were no match for the Helldivers, as the Automaton forces on Marfark were obliterated within days.
The constant defenses again struggled, as the Automatons had depleted the E-710 reserves of the S.E.A.F. As a result, High Command ordered the culling of two billion Terminids to replenish their supplies again. Within twelve hours, two billion Terminids had been slaughtered. This was a monumental achievement which shocked all of High Command, but not all were pleased by this news, as a joint Automaton-Terminid offensive began to encroach into the Federation. The goal of the S.E.A.F. was to defend ten planets. Most of the prowess was in the East with Estanu being defended five times during the operation. However, the West was in crisis. The Automaton fleet had broken through the Menkent Line at Lesath and Marfark, had stomped their way though Martale, and had made it all the way to Mort in the Xzar Sector, The Automatons even launched an attack on Vernen Wells, knocking out the S.E.A.F.'s long-range communications arrays and preventing the S.E.A.F. from tracking the galactic war's progress. As the communications arrays were returned to operating status, it became apparent that the Automatons had re-entered the Trigon Sector and attacked Ustotu. If Ustotu was successfully defended, then it would be the last planet to complete the Major Order. The Helldivers fought valiantly, and Ustotu was successfully defended, completing the first Major Order of a defensive manner in Super Earth history. Huge swathes of territory had been lost to the Bots, but would be liberated three months later.
Operation Legitimate Undertaking[ | ]
Operation Enduring Bulwark had extended the Automaton's territory twofold. This could not be allowed, so Operation Legitimate Undertaking was enacted as a multi-stage operation to push back the advances made by the Automatons and retake Cyberstan.
The first phase of this operation was to rescue citizens put in harm's way. Civilians had been trapped on Choohe and Penta during the Reclamation, along with the MD-17 Anti-Tank Mines and RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher. Helldivers unanimously chose to liberate Penta, with Choohe never seeing a Helldiver until July. Penta was liberated and efforts were moved to Chort Bay where they continued until the operation was unexpectedly and prematurely terminated; a much bigger threat had emerged on the Terminid Front.
The Terminid Control System had failed. A Terminid Supercolony had been created on Meridia, and three more supercolonies were at risk of forming. Operation Umlaut Firebreak would be the most important operation in Super Earth history: if it failed, the Milky Way as we know it would be changed forever. The first Terminid Control System towers to be deactivated were on Fenrir III and Turing. Erata Prime had over 100,000 Helldivers on its surface when the last tower was deactivated. The Mirin and Draco Sectors were now completely under the Bugs' control, and a Terminid Supercolony was three sectors away from Super Earth.
Special Military Operations in 1-15th May 2184[ | ]
Galactic map on May 1st 2184
Outbreaks of Terminid spores that originated from the Meridia Supercolony landed on many worlds in the Orion and Jin Xi Sectors. Operation Outbreak was issued, calling for the defense of these worlds. Most attacks were repelled except for Acamar IV, which was still under Terminid control. With this defeat, High Command ordered the decommissioning of two billion Automatons in order to receive the MD-17 Anti-Tank Mines for the Helldivers. Unfortunately, this Operation failed, with only small territorial changes to show for the valiant but unfortunately unsuccessful effort shown by the Helldivers.
Second Galactic War 15-31st May 2184[ | ]
Galactic Map on May 15th 2184
Declaration of the Second Galactic War[ | ]
At long last, the Second Galactic War was declared: all enemies of freedom were now officially at war with the Federation of Super Earth. All operations up to this point were only labeled as "Special Military Operations" Now every man, woman, and child would do their part by contributing to the war effort. S.E.A.F. recruitment went up, and the production rates of almost everything skyrocketed. Additional S.E.A.F. Training Facilities were built, giving a 1.5% boost to all future liberation rates.
Galactic Map on June 1st 2184
Second Galactic War June 2184[ | ]
Galactic Map on July 1st 2184
Second Galactic War July 2184[ | ]
Second Galactic War August 2184[ | ]
Galactic Map on August 1st 2184
Escalation of Freedom[ | ]
Second Galactic War September 2184[ | ]
Galactic Map on September 1st 2184
Second Galactic War October 2184[ | ]
Galactic Map on October 1st 2184
Second Galactic War November 2184[ | ]
Galactic Map on November 1st 2184
Second Galactic War December 2184[ | ]
Galactic Map on December 1st 2184
Omens of Tyranny[ | ]
Previously thought to be eradicated, the Illuminate returned in a shocking attack on Calypso on December 12th, 2184. All forces were ordered to LIBCON 1, and waves of new recruits and veterans came to defend the planet in Operation Ancient Vengeance, topping at 201,000 SEAF Personnel and Helldivers fighting in the Galactic War on the first day of the attack. Soon after this, a new warbond, Urban Legends, was released, and production of the new Fast Recon Vehicle was started on Achernar Secundus. As gleeful recruits dove to the surface of Calypso in their hellpods, the entire Federation realized that the Second Galactic War had permanently changed course. After three days of grueling fighting, Illuminate forces were finally pushed from the surface of Calypso on December 15th, 2184.
The following day on December 16th, 2184, Illuminate forces landed on the planets Genesis Prime and Mog, prepared to make a permanent foothold in the Milky Way galaxy. Andar, Acubens Prime, and even Achernar Secundus would come under attack in the following weeks, making it clear that they have returned in force to menace Freedom once again, only to find a stalwart opponent in the Galactic Federation, reminding the xenophobic aggressors why their previous attempts at galactic domination failed so utterly.
The illuminate would continue with cowardly hit-and-run tactics for the remainder of the year, sneakily striking at undefended colonies before slipping back into the shadows to hide. They clearly endeavor towards some larger scheme, but their refusal to stand and fight has kept their intentions hidden.
Meanwhile after novel anomalous phenomena was observed in the vicinity of the Meridian Singularity, astrophysicists from the Ministry of Science discovered that the Singularity is not, as many uninformed laypeople have assumed, a typical black hole. It is, in fact, the first observed instance of a wormhole: a tunnel in spacetime connecting two disparate points in space.
Second Galactic War January 2185[ | ]
Galactic Map on January 1st 2185