Overview of Choohe
Choohe is one of the four planets in the Lacaille Sector, serving as a strategic gateway to Matar Bay and beyond. Its control is critical for opening a frontline into Aurora Bay and, ultimately, the Valdis Sector. This planet holds historical significance as the site where, on October 13, 2184, the Automaton Jet Brigade was first sighted.
Topography
Choohe is a blistering desert world, bearing similarities to Durgen and other outer-rim arid planets. Its landscape is dominated by an endless sea of dunes, occasionally broken by towering rocky mesas. The inhospitable environment is further compounded by massive sandstorms, which, while short-lived, can blind both human and machine alike, disrupting optical sensors and battlefield visibility.
The Automatons have exploited the high ground, establishing fortifications atop mesa formations, allowing for wide fields of fire and strong defensive positions. However, these same formations provide valuable cover for Helldivers, making them ideal staging points for assaults.
Before its conquest, Choohe was home to hardy desert flora and an equally resilient human colony. However, the Automatons mercilessly slaughtered all inhabitants, feeding their remains into bio-processors to fuel their war machine. Today, the planet serves as a key Automaton foundry, mass-producing war machines—most infamously, the Jet Brigade.
History
Choohe’s history was uneventful until the Automaton Invasion of Cyberstan in April 2184, when the entire Valdis Sector fell to the relentless mechanical onslaught. Despite valiant resistance, the SEAF forces were overwhelmed, forced to abandon the planet early in Operation Enduring Bulwark. Its loss was devastating, as it opened FTL lanes to Marfark and Menkent, compromising Super Earth’s defensive lines.
Though the Automatons controlled Choohe, Super Earth’s citizens did not falter. They covertly conducted weapons testing, successfully developing the MD-17 Anti-Tank Mines—a critical countermeasure against Automaton armored units. However, their bravery was not enough. The Automaton forces closed in on the last civilian enclaves, leading to the massacre of all remaining personnel.
In April 2184, Super Earth launched Operation Legitimate Undertaking, a major offensive aimed at reclaiming lost ground. While Penta was liberated, securing airburst rocket launchers and chemical stockpiles, Choohe was not. The Automatons dug in, repelling multiple assault waves. The loss of Choohe’s fortification materials significantly delayed the production of vital Anti-Tank Mines. The last remaining explosive technicians perished, their bodies torn apart by the merciless blades of the Automatons.
By July 2184, after Operation Andromeda, Choohe found itself on the frontlines once more. However, by then, the Automatons had converted it into a fortress world, making liberation increasingly difficult.
On October 13, 2184, the Automatons unveiled their most dangerous military innovation yet—the Jet Brigade. This high-speed aerial strike force, constructed from stolen SEAF jetpacks and scavenged metal, devastated Helldiver forces, contributing to the fall of Matar Bay and Martale. The Jet Brigade was finally halted at Marfark on October 22, 2184, but not before inflicting severe losses.
Recognizing the strategic importance of Choohe, Super Earth High Command issued Operation Jetclipper, a bold campaign to liberate the planet and eliminate 150 million Automatons. Intelligence suggested that Choohe housed Jet Brigade production facilities, making its capture imperative. However, before the Helldiver Corps could deploy, the Democracy Space Station (DSS) initiated an orbital blockade, marking the first time it operated independently.
A small force of 629 stranded Helldivers bravely fought against impossible odds, exemplifying the spirit of Super Earth. Though they could not turn the tide, their sacrifice delayed enemy reinforcements. Once the DSS departed, full-scale combat operations began on December 2, 2184.
Despite deploying up to 63% of the Helldiver Corps, Choohe’s reinforced defenses proved exceptionally difficult to breach. Rogue Helldiver platoons diverted their forces elsewhere, slowing progress to a crawl. By the campaign deadline, Choohe was 85% liberated, but Automaton reinforcements arrived, preventing final victory. Operation Jetclipper was ultimately deemed a failure.
However, the Helldivers refused to concede defeat. They persisted, and by December 5, 2184, Choohe was liberated, with Automaton forces retreating to Aurora Bay. For the first time in months, the planet was free.
Though Choohe was under Super Earth’s control, its strategic vulnerability remained. With Automaton forces regrouping, a counteroffensive was inevitable. On January 1, 2185, the Automatons launched a full-scale invasion, dispatching 11 invasion fleets from Chort Bay, Menkent, and Aurora Bay. Super Earth forces were stretched thin, as the return of the Illuminate diverted Helldiver attention to the Galactic South.
The Automaton offensive succeeded, recapturing Choohe within a day. With its fall, the robotic menace reestablished FTL links to Aurora Bay, threatening Super Earth’s war effort.
In the weeks following its fall, Choohe saw little direct combat, as Super Earth forces focused on Tarsh and Mastia. However, on January 8, 2185, Automaton forces launched a coordinated attack on Matar Bay, severing Choohe’s last connection to liberty. By January 9, 2185, Choohe was completely cut off from the Helldiver Corps, surrounded by Automaton-occupied worlds.
As of now, Choohe remains trapped in the mechanical grip of the Automatons, serving once again as a major production hub for their war machine.