helldivers


“ The lifeless grey of this planet is interrupted only by the violet flowers that grow from strange, parasitic outcroppings. „
~ Official Description

Troost is one of the seven planets that reside within the Trigon Sector. The planet once housed an automaton long-range communications array, the capture of which would reveal critical intelligence about the enemy's plans.

Topography

In terms of topography, Troost is very similar to Penta and Nivel 43 in terms of both plant life and geography. Interestingly all three planets are even home to similar species of violet flowers that grow from strange, parasitic outcroppings; whether there is some sort of correlation is currently under investigation by Federation scientists. The Automatons likely choose Troost as their communications hub because of it's location on the edge of the galactic rim, as well as it's grey fog covered surface more easily concealing the automatons facilities from orbital observation. An assumption which cost them dearly...

History

Special Military Operations

Automaton Expeditions

Troost had been a peaceful planet colony of Super Earth for at least 100 years, without any happenings of note occurring before 2184 as its colonists toiled happily among the ashen trees and parasitic flowers. However, the Automatons were only programmed to hate things such as peace and freedom and, as such, launched a cowardly attack upon Troost. On February, a massive Automaton force would invade the Western Galactic Rim and take over many planets in the Xzar and Severin Sectors, Troost being among the first to fall.

The colonial defenses fought hard, but were no match for the robotic tide that fell onto them. Shortly after making planetfall, the Automatons would occupy Troost and install an abominable communications array to further spread their mechanized horror across the Severin Sector.

Operation Swift Disassembly

Following the successful liberation of Troost during the first phase of operation Swift Disassembly, the Automaton communications array was decommissioned. Strangely however, it appeared that the array was broadcasting outside of the Galactic Frontier. Super Earth's intelligence analysts salvaged what they could to determine more, but unfortunately much of the data was already deleted.

One transmission that was salvaged however did contain the blueprints for a new Automaton type: aerial gunships. Thanks to this advanced warning, the hardworking factory laborers of Super Earth were able to accelerate production of new anti-air weapons.

Only weeks after the liberation of Troost was it discovered that the Automatons were communicating with their main fleet, which was preparing a surprise invasion of the Valdis Sector.

Second Galactic War

Automaton Invasion of Cyberstan

What many failed to realize at the time was that Troost was a warning for what was to come. Nevertheless, the Helldivers carried on with their righteous quest for freedom, crushing the Automaton forces after a decisive battle at Malevelon Creek. However, this would not be the last Super Earth would see of the robots.

A mere 3 days after their victory, the Automatons would return en masse, with a force 10 times larger than the one encountered prior. They would swiftly conquer Cyberstan and the Valdis Sector and then began to invade all the adjacent planets.

As the Helldivers scrambled back towards the Automaton front, the robots' advance would be halted at the Menkent-Lesath line, forcing them to search for a flank through Marfark, which would fail. After failing to flank the Menkent Line, the Automatons turned West and South, their aims refocused on regaining their old lands.

Operation Xzar Lockdown

As the months progressed, the Automatons inched towards the Xzar sector more and more, one planet at a time, getting closer and closer to Troost. It wouldn't be long before they then captured Choepessa IV and returned to the Severin Sector, now through the planets that they hadn't touched before. While the Helldivers managed to secure victories in the Severin Sector, such as the destruction of the Petafactory and the capturing of Database One, the Automatons continued to push into the Severin sector nevertheless, eventually retaking Varylia 5 and then, on June 9th, Ustotu. Then, on June 22nd, the Automaton force on Ustotu launched an assault onto Vandalon IV then began to launch assaults into the Xzar Sector, prompting the SEAF to redirect all their forces towards it in order to prevent the Automatons from regaining Malevelon Creek.

While the Automatons were successfully repelled, they would consolidate their defenses and capture Troost on June 25th, putting it under their control once more.

Operation Lighthouse

However, the Automatons at Troost would not get to enjoy the recovery of their old communications array. Some weeks after the lockdown of the Xzar sector, the Helldivers would manage to score a number of key victories that culminated in Operation Andromeda, which severed the Automaton front in half. As June and August passed, the robot territories west of Cyberstan would be slowly and methodically recovered by Super Earth, with the only setback being the delayed liberation of Wezen, which resulted in the failure of Operation Liberty Crush.

Operation Martyr's Calling and Operation Crew Downtime Adjustment

As the SEAF pushed the Automaton further north-west, the citizens of Troost would get the chance to enjoy their regained freedom well into the new year, until the Automatons launched a large-scale offensive led by the recently formed Incineration Corps. Troost would be one of the planets to fall to the automaton's vigorous assault and would ultimately fall to the red tide on the 31st of March. Immediately afterwords, the bots would attention to Pöpli IX where they would be dealt a crippling blow by the combined forces of Super Earth. Two elite divisions were destroyed, along with a great portion of their conventional forces which had previously been deployed on neighboring worlds, including Troost.

Whilst many planets were liberated by the following counter offensive, Troost would unfortunately not be one of them. However with the liberation of Ustotu on the afternoon of the 8th of April, Automaton forces on Troost would find themselves cut off from reinforcement and resupply, causing the enemy's potential to resist to collapse. Unfortunately the Helldiver's attention would be focused on other fronts in the following weeks, resulting in the liberation of Troost yet again being a slow but sure affair. After a twenty five day long siege, Troost would be finally liberated on the 3rd of May, 2184.

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FTL Timeline