Automaton Threat

Lore & Background

According to Super Earth records, the Automatons are creations of the defeated Cyborgs, intending to get revenge against humanity. The initial Automaton expedition culminated in battles on Malevelon Creek, resulting in two months of fighting and high Helldiver casualties before the planet was finally taken. As a result of many costly battles, the Helldivers embarked on an expansive project to construct the Democracy Space Station (DSS), a massive orbital battle station capable of supporting Helldiver campaigns with ordnance and soldier optimization. The Helldivers were deployed to defend the construction of the DSS, while destroying Automatons to utilize their technology. In December 2185, Super Earth discovered the Automatons were conducting large scale mining operations for resources on volcanic planets. The Helldivers were issued emergency orders to take these planets and to repossess all the resources extracted by the Automatons. In January 2186, Super Earth constructed the Star of Peace, a planet-destroying superweapon. The Helldivers voted to test the weapon on the Automaton held world, Penta, turning it into a black hole. However, firing the Star of Peace resulted in the DSS being severely damaged and taken offline for repairs. Additionally, the plans for the Star of Peace were seemingly accessed by a then-unknown enemy. As a result, Super Earth deployed the Helldivers as commandos deep behind Automaton lines in covert stealth operations with greatly reduced support from their Super Destroyers. Super Earth discovered the Automatons were behind the theft of the Star of Peace plans and immediately mounted an offensive toward planet Cyberstan, home world of the Automatons. As Super Earth invaded Automaton-held planets on the path to Cyberstan, their communications systems were hacked by the Automatons, who initiated a campaign of demoralization propaganda against humanity.

In Their Own Story

The initial Automaton expedition culminated in battles on Malevelon Creek, resulting in two months of fighting and high Helldiver casualties before the planet was finally taken. In December 2185, Super Earth discovered the Automatons were conducting large scale mining operations for resources on volcanic planets. The Helldivers were issued emergency orders to take these planets and to repossess all the resources extracted by the Automatons. In January 2186, Super Earth constructed the Star of Peace, a planet-destroying superweapon. The Helldivers voted to test the weapon on the Automaton held world, Penta, turning it into a black hole. However, firing the Star of Peace resulted in the DSS being severely damaged and taken offline for repairs. Additionally, the plans for the Star of Peace were seemingly accessed by a then-unknown enemy. As a result, Super Earth deployed the Helldivers as commandos deep behind Automaton lines in covert stealth operations with greatly reduced support from their Super Destroyers. Super Earth discovered the Automatons were behind the theft of the Star of Peace plans and immediately mounted an offensive toward planet Cyberstan, home world of the Automatons. As Super Earth invaded Automaton-held planets on the path to Cyberstan, their communications systems were hacked by the Automatons, who initiated a campaign of demoralization propaganda against humanity.

Reader's Guide

Super Earth's communications regarding the Automaton Threat are characterized by urgent, stark language designed to galvanize immediate action. Official broadcasts frame these machines not merely as enemies, but as creations of the defeated Cyborgs seeking revenge. This rhetoric reinforces the necessity of Managed Democracy, suggesting that only a unified front can prevent technological enslavement. The cultural impact is profound; citizens view every industrial advancement through a lens of suspicion and potential danger. The Automaton serves as the ultimate reminder of why sacrifice is required for liberty. Propaganda posters depict mechanical hands crushing human symbols, visually cementing the idea that freedom must be defended physically. This shapes the Helldiver mindset to prioritize aggression over caution. Soldiers are conditioned to see efficiency in the enemy as a weakness to be exploited by superior human will. The narrative suggests that while machines calculate odds, humans possess the intangible advantage of fighting for something greater than survival.

Did You Know?

• The Automatons are creations of the defeated Cyborgs, intending to get revenge against humanity.
• The initial Automaton expedition culminated in battles on Malevelon Creek, resulting in two months of fighting and high Helldiver casualties before the planet was finally taken.
• In January 2186, the Helldivers voted to test the Star of Peace on the Automaton held world Penta, turning it into a black hole.
• The Automatons hacked Super Earth's communications systems and initiated a campaign of demoralization propaganda against humanity.
• The Automatons were behind the theft of the Star of Peace plans, leading Super Earth to mount an offensive toward planet Cyberstan, home world of the Automatons.