Killzone 2: Back Story

Swollen with pride and new strength the Helghast embark on a bold plan of conquest to rejoin the two halves of the Alpha Centauri system and rebuild their great empire. Their gamble fails and their armies on Vekta are defeated, leading to their worst nightmare: the invasion of Helghan itself. But does Visari have a trick up his sleeve?

1. PLANS FOR INVASION (2357)

(The Start of Killzone 1)

Autarch Scolar Visari outlines his bold strategy for changing the face of governance in this system by returning to Vekta and seizing it again as a Helghast colony. Ignoring the many generations of UCN settlement under the ISA he inflames the passions of the Helghast for revenge. The Helghast High Command takes the bait and eagerly declares loyalty to Visari for the coming campaign, offering to make him Emperor if it succeeds.

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Visari’s plan is simple:

1. Utilize deep-cover agent ISA General Stuart Adams to neutralize the orbital defense platforms.
2. Utilize deep-cover agent ISA General Dwight Stratson to gain access to intelligence and lure the ISA troops out of the cities.
3. Mount an invasion of Vekta whilst the orbital defense platforms are down, under the command of General Joseph Lente.
4. Reactivate the defense platforms in time to defend Vekta against the inevitable support fleet sent by the UCA.
5. Declare the system to be under Helghast control and sue for peace with the UCN whilst the UCA is still reeling from the loss of its fleet.
6. Use the resources of Helghan and Vekta, as well as technology captured from the wrecked UCA Navy fleet, to build a Helghast fleet capable of defending the system from the UCA Navy.
7. Begin charging trade tariffs for passage through Helghast space to Earth again.
8. Blockade the Earth and strangle the UCN into submission.
9. Capture the UCN Navy shipyards and orbital defenses. Leave Earth’s population to starve to death. Build an enormous fleet and establish Helghast hegemony over all colonies.

2. THE SECOND EXTRASOLAR WAR IS DECLARED (Early August 2357)

Visari’s plan works like clockwork. Generals Adams and Stratson send word that their plans are in place. Visari sends most of his fleet after the ISA Navy, and a second fleet to invade Vekta.

Early warning is given by a UCA scouting force, but word doesn’t reach the ISA in time to prevent the bloodbath in space. The UCN votes unanimously to dispatch a heavy fleet of UCA reinforcements to Vekta, to prevent the destabilization of that entire sector.

3. LENTE FALLS (Late August 2357)

(The End of Killzone 1)

The invasion incurs casualties on both sides. It is only with the help of four unlikely heroes, led by Jan Templar, that Vekta City does not fall. The Helghast have been thwarted but a sizable contingent is still present on Vekta. Lente is killed by his former chief of staff, Colonel Gregor Hakha, and the ground campaign is disrupted as a result. The ISA traitor who enabled the Helghast to invade Vekta, General Adams, is also killed when Templar and crew sabotage the orbital platform to prevent its ambush of the UCA fleet from Earth – which arrives in a timely fashion. General Stratson manages to keep his cover intact.

4. METRAC APPOINTED TO HEAD HELGHAN VEKTAN FORCES (September 2357)

(The Start of Killzone: Liberation)

The ISA Council stops the development of the second orbital defense platform as a result of the Helghast capture of the first one. General Dwight Stratson proposes a nuclear program to purge the remaining and regrouping Helghast from Vekta. The suggested nuclear weapons are being prepared in Rayhoven base – but require ISA Council approval to use in the field. Because nuclear weapons have always been seen as a taboo weapon, the political consequences of possessing them, let alone using them, is likely to be high.

Helghast General Armin Metrac arrives on Vekta and takes command of remaining forces. Establishing a stronghold in southern Vekta, the Helghast are gaining ground again.

5. THE VEKTAN COUNCIL (March 2358)

With the Helghast forces on Vekta shattered, a council is called at Vekta City to decide the best policy for pursuing the war against the Helghast to its conclusion. The Council quickly establishes a working list of priorities:

– Remove the Helghast as a military threat.
– Capture Autarch Visari for a public trial.
– Establish a more easily controlled regime on Helghan that avoids the oppression that sparked this conflict.

These priorities are in clear violation of the UCA orders given before their fleet’s withdrawal, but the ISA Council becomes concerned that the UCN wishes to blame past decisions regarding treatment of the Helghast upon them.

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6. OPERATION ARCHANGEL COMMENCES (September 2358)

The ISA fleet launches for Helghan to begin the most complex military action in human history.

7. THE INVASION OF HELGHAN BEGINS

Twelve battle groups arrive at Helghan. Among them is Battle Group Mandrake, comprised of one division of ISA and 10 divisions of Legionnaires. ISA Cruiser New Sun is the flagship of the battle group, under the command of war hero Colonel Jan Templar. Mandrake is to deploy to Pyrrhus and take the city, hopefully snagging Visari in the process. Pyrrhus is of the utmost strategic importance, because it constitutes one of the primary population bases, as well as a centre of trade for the planet.

The ISA and Helghast warships engage each other in orbit. The ISA fleet outclasses the Helghast fleet significantly and quickly establishes a total orbital blockade.

At this point the ISA Council reaffirms its decision to break the UCA orders to simply isolate the Helghast, and launch their invasion. Channels are cleared for the troop deployment and the way is paved for the invasion. Negotiations are not a possibility. Visari vows that the entire world of Helghan will repel the invaders. The ISA knows it has to complete the invasion swiftly.

Text and Images courtesy Killzone.com