Helghast

The Helghast are a human civilisation that features in the Killzone series.

History

The Helghast were a human civilization that was based on the world of Helghan. Their origins were traced to the events that saw the Earth being rendered uninhabitable following nuclear war. In the aftermath, the international United Colonial Nations (UCN) formed in 2055 that began to partner with industries and private firms to establish colonies on other worlds. Among the industries that formed during this time was the Helghan Corporation that was an energy company which became involved in this venture. An expedition was launched to the Alpha Centauri system whereby two worlds were discovered namely habitable Vekta that was named after Helghan Corporation CEO Phillip Vekta and the other being resource rich but barren Helghan named after the corporation. Whilst settling Helghan, the corporation also intended to purchase ownership of Vekta as well. However, the UCN imposed sanctions against the company due to what it deemed as unfair business practices used by the corporation. A conflict emerged that was known as the First Extrasolar War that lasted from 2199 till 2204 whereby the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance was formed as the military wing of the UCN. Ultimately, they were successful in defeating the Helghan Corporation who were dismantled with all its assets being seized by the UCN. The Helghan Corporation members were thus driven from Vekta and forced it into exile from the world. The exiled colonists then settled on Helghan where they established their own civilization with them engaging in the greatest exodus in the history of mankind. This new civilization was based on the principles of authoritarianism and militarism where they attempted to live on their new homeworld. The harsh environment of Helghan killed many of the colonists forcing the survivors to make use of respirators and air tanks in order to breath. Early life on the world was hard as the heavy radiation in the atmosphere and began to cause their hair to fall out with their children being deformed. In time, their bodies began to adapt to their environment with the Helghast mutating from normal humans to pale-skinned hairless humanoids that had increased strength, stamina along with intelligence.

Measures to curb expansion were not working and sanctions proved to be counter-productive.

From 2330, incredibly unfair trade rates enforced by the ISA caused Helghan to fall into a major economic depression which led to widespread poverty and famine across the planet that was not seen for over a century. This grim situation gave rise to Scolar Visari who was a highly charismatic politician that capitalized on the economic crisis and the people's growing anger against the ISA and the Helghan Administration. This led to millions from all segments of Helghan society falling under his sway. By 2347, Visari staged a successful popular coup against the ruling Helghan Administration after feigning an attempt on his own life and declared himself as Autarch. Under his rule, he reforged the Helghast into a true independent power in which he rebuilt Helghan's economy by breaking the ISA embargo to trade directly to off-world black-market suppliers and unaligned colonies before settling a contract with the ICSA for energy and materials as well as drastically enlarging the Helghast Military.

Multiple Helghan vessels approached the planet Vekta whose defenses were sabotaged allowing the craft to drop into orbit and deploy their military. This led to a wide scale invasion of the planet as they sought to take control of the world. It was the 3rd Helghan Army that led the campaign of attacking the planetary defenders.

By 2381, a Helghast terrorist organization began to operate on Vekta with these being the Black Hand.

Overview

Biology

In appearance, the Helghast were largely similar to their human forebears as being humanoids with similar features. However, life on the hostile world of Helghan led to them holding a paler skin and tending to be bald. Helghast were said to had mutated to gain increased strength, stamina and intelligence due to life on Helghan. The early colonists on Helghan suffered from Lung Burn as a result of the toxic atmosphere which led to corrosion of the lungs and poisonous gasses seeping into the individuals' skin and blood before the inhabitants became the Helghast. The hostile conditions led to them developing improved resilience where their lungs had increased lung function, strengthened tendons and more oxygenated blood.

They were biologically compatible with normal humans and able to produce offspring. Any children were half-human and half-Helghast who were referred to as half-breeds.

Society

Under Visari, the Helghast were exclaimed as being a superior species and a master race over the rest of mankind. They considered humans to be beneath them and dreamed of reconquering Vekta before expanding their empire to Earth.

Leadership of the Helghan Empire was held by an individual who held the title of Autarch. A central governing body was the Helghan Senate or Helghan High Council that consisted of nine members that governed their nation alongside their empire's leader.

Helghan soldiers were said to carry three things with them; the absolute justice of the Helghast cause, the superior might of Helghast forces and the inevitalbility of Helghast victory. These was symbolised in the imagery of the Helghast Triad that represented these three aspects.

The Helghast Soldier's Oath Of Allegiance was, "My duty to the Emperor. My life for Helghan."

On Vekta, the Helghan Security Forces were responsible for defending the Helghan civilian population from both internal and external threats. They enforced the peace through constant surveillance and were noted for their cruelty with them being more mobile and faster to respond to incidents despite lacking the heavily armed gear of their military counterparts.

After Helghan's destruction, the Helghast population were forced to make changes to their military doctrine as they could no longer make use of endless formations of light trained soldiers to overwhelmed their enemies. Thus, the New Helghan Army had to created a new breed of soldier to adapt to events after the decimation. Helghast Assault Troopers served as the backbone with these being better trained and equipped than their historical counterparts who were now smarter and deadlier. The most aggressive and physically powerful of their number were selected to become Commandos that specialised in brute force and overwhelming firepower with them typically armed with shotguns for close quarter combat or with miniguns with emplaced Nano Shields for battlefield support.

Within the empire, there were a number of organizations and companies. Among these included Stahl Arms that was the largest arms corporation that focused on weapons development and production for the military. Its corporate rival was the Visari Corporation that similarly produced and developed armaments. A shipping company that operated in the empire was the Thoralf-Sigurd-Vig.

Technology

They bred special Guard Dogs that were native to their world and were used in areas where sentry bots were not reliable.

A particular ore used by the Helghast was Petrusite that served as a potent power source.

They had constructed harvester drones that were responsible for the harvesting and collection of raw Petrusite.

Among the infantry weapons included:

• StA-2 Battle Pistol :
• StA-3 Stova Light Machine Gun :
• StA4 Stova :
• Emplaced StA-3 Light Machine Gun :
• StA-5X Arc Cannon :
• StA-11 Submachine Gun :
• StA-11SE Submachine Gun :
• StA-7 Submachine Gun :
• STA-12 Inferno Shotgun :
• StA-14 Rifle :
• StA-18 Pistol :
• StA19 Reigner :
• StA25 Vlug :
• StA-52 Assault Rifle :
• StA-52SE Assault Rifle :
• StA-52 SLAR :
• StA59B Pulver :
• StA61 Vultur :
• StA-62 Minigun :
• StA101 Kameraad :
• StA409 Keyzer :
• TR-X Teslite Grenade : Petrusite powered device that emitted electricity by extracting it from the environment and then releasing it in one big blow.

Spider Mines were automated area denial devices developed from landmine technology that activated upon the presence of a target though their movement sensors did not distinguish between friend or foe infantry. They operated on a tripodal locomotive system allowing them to pursue enemy from their deployed position where they detonated its anti-personnel charge once they came in range of their target.

A mechanical augmentation use by their empire was the Helghast Trooper Carrier that as an armed autonomous quadrupedal vehicle able to carry 3 troopers into the field.

They made use of EAW-25/4 Chimera Heavy Weapons Platforms that were used to control the airspace over Helghast-occupied territory.

Vehicles used by the Helghan Empire included:

• Helghast Sawblade AAPC : nicknamed 'the Bull', it was well respected due to the heavy firepower it fielded in its linked turret and passenger LARs. In addition, it had front mounted mining blades able to tear through or crush enemy armor. The front armor was quite heavy making it perfect for ramming through obstructions or mine-sweeping. A top-mounted light machine helped provide cover fire for the deployment of its crew of 6 Helghast warriors that disembarked upon reaching their destination.
• Helghast Hivelord Tank :
• Spider Tank :
• Helghast Tank :
• Helghast Strike Fighter :

Their empire made use of Overlord Dropship for the rapid deployment of troops on the battlefield.

Among the largest vehicles in their arsenal was the MAWLR that were massive 280 meter tall multi-legged war machines designed to dominate both ground and airspaces.

Parasite crafts were used to penetrate a vessel and drop troops onto them. These modules were packed full of explosives as a final exit strategy to damage their targets.

Members

• Scolar Visari :
• Joseph Lente : male General that commanded the 3rd Helghan Army invasion forces of Vekta.
• Gregor Hakka : a male Colonel who was actually an in-field operations agent spy that reported to the I.S.A.
• Jorhan Stahl : Jorhan Bimve Stahl
• Kuisma :
• Vyktor Kratek : a male Colonel in the military who was a zealot for the cause of Helghast superiority and largely was responsible for the conquest of Diortem.
• Hera Visari :
• Mandor Savic :
• Mael Radec :
• Anton Saric :
• Orlock :
• Vladko Tyran :
• Maya Visari :
• Michal Drago : a male Lieutenant who operated as a Helghast Commando trooper.

Notes

• The Helghast were antagonists that appeared in the Killzone series.

Appearances

• Killzone:
• Killzone 2:
• Killzone 3:
• Killzone: Shadow Fall:

External Links

• Killzone Wiki Entry

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