“	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.

Operation Racing Penrose

Esker would remain in Terminid hands for the next 3 months. The planet constantly remained in limbo between being accessible to fight on and being locked behind Bore Rock, a planet the Terminids would frequently return to time and time again. Esker would also be the first planet outside of the Umlaut Sector where the Predator Strain appeared, and the Strain eventually launched a successful attack on Bore Rock, locking Esker away once again.

In mid-March, efforts on the Terminid front would be concerned with gathering large quantities of E-710 while holding the construction site of the Penrose Energy Siphon. The Siphon would be launched into the Meridian Singularity, sapping the energy out of the rapidly moving Wormhole that the Illuminate were moving toward Super Earth. At the time of construction, the Wormhole's next target following the destruction of Moradesh was Ivis. As such, the Helldivers were ordered to quickly collect E-710 to activate the Singularity's advance.

Sadly, these efforts were forced to be delayed. The Automatons, largely neglected by High Command for months, returned to the forefront on March 18 with a new horrid strike force to replace their Jet Brigade known as the Incineration Corps. The new Corps featured bots equipped with incendiary weaponry and artillery, and began a massive offensive across Martale and Bekvam III, in addition to a normal Automaton assault on Vega Bay. All Helldivers were now ordered to make a choice: to either collect the necessary E-710 for the Siphon by killing 1,500,000,000 Terminids, or fending off against the brutal Automaton advance.

Overall, Operation Tormenta de Fuego was a massive failure. Not only did the Helldivers fail to collect enough E-710, but the defense against the Automatons miserably failed as the bots swept through planet after planet after multiple blunders in coordination, plunging the Western Front back into crisis. More importantly, however, the failure to halt the Automatons or kill the required quota of Terminids stalled efforts to halt the Meridian Singularity's advance toward Ivis. Now, the planet was in grave danger of imminent destruction.

With the Automaton advance slightly stalled save for a new attack on Ustotu, the Helldivers received new orders from High Command to commence rapid E-710 collection by liberating Bore Rock and Esker, hoping to finally activate the Siphon to slow down Meridia.

After just 24 hours of battling on Bore Rock, the planet was freed swiftly from the Terminids, officially opening up the path to Esker. Thousands upon thousands of Helldivers deployed to the acidic world, braving the strong Terminid resistance and crushing their hives within hours of reaching the planet's surface. After a swift liberation battle that took roughly 30 hours, Esker was easily liberated by the valiant Helldivers, and the Siphon was officially activated as a result of their efforts. The Siphon was then launched into Meridia, draining its energy and significantly slowing its movement in a major victory.

Operation Vermintide

Esker would finally enjoy liberty's embrace for the first time in months. More importantly, it seemed that this peace was surely slated to last longer than previously. The Helldivers had taken the front foot against the Terminid scourge, making their second ever foray into The Gloom on Nivel 43 at the beginning of April. Seeking to halt the Singularity's advance completely, High Command authorized this expedition to Nivel 43 by collecting the extremely rewarding quantities of E-710 from The Gloom, in addition to wanting to further research Gloom-infested worlds.

After days of fighting, Nivel 43 was "liberated" from the Terminids, completing yet another successful foray into the odious Gloom cloud. With the Terminids resoundingly defeated, the Helldivers would shift their focus elsewhere, attempting to retake Lesath, which had fallen to the Automatons during the operations on Nivel 43.

Suddenly, these efforts were forced to be postponed. On April 16, the Predator Strain, tired of hiding in The Gloom, resurfaced in an unprovoked assault. Sadly, Esker would be the first location to be attacked, with Crimsica and Fenrir III following suit 20 minutes later. New orders were immediately issued by High Command, ordering all Helldivers to the defense of at least 9 incoming attacks from the virulent Predator Strain.

With 3 simultaneous assaults, the Helldivers were forced to choose where to make their stand. With the Centre of Science on Fenrir III critical to hold, most Helldivers deployed to the defense of the crucial planet, leaving Crimsica and Esker to fend for themselves. In a major development, however, the Helldivers had funded the Eagle Storm tactical booster enough to halt enemy advances. As such, with the defense of Fenrir III practically successful, the Helldivers were to choose which planet to save between Crimsica and Esker as time ran out on both planets. Eventually, the Helldivers elected to save Crimsica, sending the Democracy Space Station with its Eagle Storm there to halt the Terminids and secure freedom on the planet. Esker, left to its own devices, fought valiantly against the Predator Strain, but with meager means. The strain swept through the planet unimpeded, mauling thousands upon thousands of martyrs and overrunning the planet. Esker fell by the next day.

That wouldn't be all for Esker, as they would eventually go on to assault Bore Rock once more. Though this attack was successful, Esker wouldn't be locked away for long, as Bore Rock would be re-liberated shortly after in a masterful gambit that saved Bore Rock, Terrek, and Erata Prime simultaneously by liberating their original attack point on Bore Rock. Bore Rock stood as a bright light of freedom, enabling further operations to be conducted on Esker.

Interim & Operation Capitalized Industry

Sadly, even with the successful gambit pulled off on Bore Rock, the planet was once again invaded by Terminid forces from Esker, and with the Helldivers concerned elsewhere, the planet fell, locking Esker away for good once more. This time, Esker was slated to stay much longer in Terminid hands as the Predator Strain continued its advance all the way south to Nublaria I in the Celeste Sector. As such, Esker and the rest of the Falstaff Sector were left to rot under the Terminid infestation and the looming threat of The Gloom on Erson Sands.

Esker would eventually see Helldivers on its surface again in late August as Bore Rock was liberated from the Terminids as the designated new site of Tyranny Park 2. However, once again, Esker's newfound hope didn't last long as Tyranny Park 2 suffered an internal breach, leading to the fall of Bore Rock. Esker, once again teased with freedom, was now mocked by the ever-persistent Terminid scourge once more.

Into late September, Esker watched on as the Second Galactic War had shifted entirely. Following the massive joint Terminid- Automaton- Illuminate offensive in late August, High Command would summarily identify the Terminids as the main culpable catalyst for the brazen assault on freedom. As such, it was determined with high confidence that a defensive posture was no longer viable. The Gloom had to be destroyed. Thus, September would see the Helldivers liberate Hellmire from The Gloom's clutches, granting the S.E.A.F. a springboard by which to attack deep into The Gloom on Oshaune. Upon their first foray on this so-called Hive World, the Helldivers would be violently mobbed by new Terminid mutants-including the thought-to-be-extinct Hive Lord from the first Galactic War a century ago. Terminid resistance on Oshaune on the ground and in their underground cave systems proved to be nearly impossible to gain ground on, but High Command would encourage the Helldivers, stating that even though liberation on the planet seemed undoable for now, it would only be a matter of time.

Following their first trip to Oshaune, the Terminids launched yet another assault on multiple planets, this time led by their Gloom mutants of the Rupture Strain and the Dragonroach. Amidst this defense, High Command would also alert the Helldivers that The Gloom was beginning to spread for the first time since its initial expansion in both the Sten Sector and the Falstaff Sector. Esker was now surrounded by low-density Gloom spores, not enough for complete envelopment, but enough to cause serious concern for Super Earth. Seemingly, the only way to stop this new Gloom spread was to liberate planets within both sectors to halt the advance.

Sadly, this couldn't come to fruition. Following the successful defense against the Rupture Strain, new orders would be issued that the Automatons were engaging in deep-mining operations on Mintoria using our own technology. Though their intentions for their mining operations remained unknown, the Automaton menace was clearly up to no good. As such, the Helldivers were ordered to liberate Clasa, Zefia, and Mintoria while holding the latter planet, leaving The Gloom to continue to spread dangerously in the Sten and Falstaff Sectors.

Amidst ongoing liberation efforts on Clasa, Socorro III, Esker's northern flank, which always had constant low Gloom spores in its atmosphere for over a year, became completely enveloped in extremely dense Gloom spores, a fate that seemed eerily inevitable now for Esker.

Sure enough, at the tail end of Operation Capitalized Industry, amidst an Automaton assault on Mintoria, Esker became completely enveloped in dense Gloom spores. The planet, once the border between liberty's embrace and the disgusting, tyrannical Gloom, had now fallen to the tide of sickening, grotesque tyranny in the shape of the odious yellow-orange Gloom cloud.

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.