Overview of Calypso
Calypso is one of the four planets in the Saleria Sector, notable for being the first planet attacked by the Illuminate in the Second Galactic War. The battle for Calypso resulted in the highest number of Helldiver casualties in a single engagement, with 38,746,807 Helldivers KIA over a four-day conflict. Despite these losses, the Helldivers successfully defended the planet, marking the first recorded defeat of the Illuminate in a century.
Topography
Calypso’s terrain is similar to Fori Prime and Vernen Wells, characterized by arid, rocky landscapes with an environment that has driven the flora and fauna to become extremely water-efficient. Despite its harsh climate, Calypso was a highly developed urban colony, with large population centers and strategic military installations before the Illuminate invasion.
Urban warfare on Calypso proved vastly different from battles in open terrain. Tight alleyways, visibility-obstructing buildings, and Illuminate lightning traps created significant challenges for Helldivers. While SEAF artillery emplacements and SAM sites provided defensive advantages, the dense, maze-like structures often led to close-quarters combat with swarms of Voteless.
Beyond its fortified cities, Calypso’s landscape consists of vast dust dunes, rocky canyons, and lifeless wastelands. Frequent continental shifts and geological instability result in constant tremors, kicking up dense clouds of red sand, further hindering visibility. The planet’s unusual rotation disrupts a traditional day-night cycle, creating a perpetual twilight of deep reds and teal-green skies, an effect caused by atmospheric oxidation.
Marsh-like pools of steaming, contaminated groundwater can be found in low-lying regions, though their origins remain unclear. Scientists debate whether these pools are natural geothermal springs or industrial runoff. Regardless, the planet’s harsh environment presents constant challenges for both defenders and invaders alike.
History
Calypso was a prosperous colony of Super Earth, thriving under managed democracy after being settled during the Great Democratization. Its distance from both the Eastern and Western war fronts allowed it to remain largely untouched during the initial phases of the Second Galactic War. However, mysterious disappearances began occurring in late 2184, sparking concern among colonists and attracting media attention. These reports were initially dismissed as reckless frontier exploration, a miscalculation that would prove devastating.
On December 12th, 2184, the Illuminate launched their first attack in over a century, targeting Calypso in a massive planetary invasion. The Helldivers, despite lacking the support of the DSS due to suspected sabotage, deployed over 170,000 troops, reaching a peak force of 200,000 Super-Destroyers on the third day of the battle. They faced overwhelming numbers of Voteless, Overseers, and Walking Harvesters, with the Illuminate employing deadly Obliteration beams and advanced war tactics.
Despite their inexperience fighting the Illuminate, the Helldivers held their ground, preventing the planet’s total collapse with only 8 minutes and 59 seconds to spare. The battle was recorded as one of the closest defenses in history, second only to the last-minute defense of Achird III against the Terminids.
With the enemy retreating, SEAF reconnaissance teams began eradicating any remaining Illuminate forces, ensuring no remnants remained. Despite the heavy toll—over 38 million Helldivers killed in three days, surpassing the 25 million casualties suffered over nine weeks on Malevelon Creek—the Illuminate suffered far greater losses. Over three billion enemies were eliminated, with roughly five million confirmed as true Illuminate soldiers, while the rest were Voteless—former human captives twisted into mindless warriors.
Though Calypso was saved, its cities lay in ruins, and thousands of colonists remain missing or presumed abducted. This battle marked the first major confrontation with the Illuminate in over a century and the first recorded victory against them since their return. The implications of their resurgence, however, remain a looming threat to Super Earth and the galaxy at large.