Overview of Draupnir
Draupnir is one of the five planets in the Xzar Sector, known for its grassy, barren terrain and unpredictable weather conditions that obscure visibility with persistent fog and storms. The battles over Draupnir have been some of the fiercest on the Automaton front, plagued by logistical issues that have challenged the Helldivers’ ability to maintain control.
Topography
Draupnir is a craggy grassland world, featuring archipelagos and scattered mountain ranges. The planet is frequently shrouded in dense fog, creating a mystical atmosphere. However, its tranquil appearance is shattered during violent thunderstorms, which blacken the sky and unleash deafening thunderclaps. Unique bioluminescent lifeforms have been observed swimming through the air amidst these storms, yet their origins and nature remain unknown.
History
As the Automaton Expeditions began in February 2184, Draupnir became a key staging point for the Helldivers advancing toward the Severin and Trigon Sectors. Its strategic location and challenging terrain made it a high-value target for both sides, ensuring that it would become a battleground of extreme significance.
On February 15th, the Automatons launched their first major offensive into the Xzar Sector, marking the First Battle of Draupnir. The Helldivers used the terrain to their advantage, effectively slowing down Hulks and Tanks while using natural cover to engage enemy forces. The propaganda campaign surrounding the battle was immensely successful, rallying thousands of Helldivers to deploy, leading to Draupnir’s first liberation on February 18th.
However, Draupnir would not remain free for long. The Automatons counterattacked immediately, initiating the Second Battle of Draupnir on February 19th. The Helldivers, caught off guard, suffered massive casualties, and by February 20th, the planet fell to enemy control, marking one of the most devastating losses of the early war.
Over the next several weeks, Draupnir became a constant flashpoint, with control shifting seven times between February and March. Each battle was defined by intense combat, unexpected counteroffensives, and strategic miscalculations. The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Battles of Draupnir were hard-fought conflicts, with the Helldivers briefly reclaiming the planet only to lose it again within days due to overstretched forces and enemy reinforcements.
The Sixth Battle of Draupnir (March 4th–18th) became one of the longest and bloodiest conflicts of the Automaton campaign. The Automatons used Draupnir as a staging ground for an offensive into the Theseus Sector, threatening the experimental weapons facilities on Tien Kwan. The Helldivers, in turn, launched an intense guerrilla warfare campaign, utilizing their deep knowledge of the terrain to cripple enemy forces. This period saw unprecedented Helldiver deployment numbers, culminating in Draupnir’s decisive liberation on March 18th—a critical turning point that opened the pathway to the Severin and Theseus Sectors.
The Seventh Battle of Draupnir (March 29th–31st) marked the final major engagement on the planet. The Automatons, desperate to disrupt the Helldiver advance, launched a surprise assault to split their forces between Draupnir and Ubanea. Helldiver High Command presented two strategies:
Defend Draupnir first, securing the Severin Sector before advancing further.
Prioritize the “Ubanea Gambit”, focusing on a swift offensive toward the Automaton factories.
Ultimately, the Ubanea Gambit failed, and Draupnir fell once more. However, Super Earth quickly redirected its forces, reclaiming the planet for good by early May 2184, securing one of the most significant victories of the early war.
By June, the Automatons launched their second major galactic offensive, reclaiming Mort and Charbal-VII while threatening Draupnir’s stability. Recognizing the symbolic and strategic importance of Draupnir, Super Earth issued a Major Order, directing all Helldiver forces to hold the Xzar Sector at all costs. Though Draupnir was spared from direct combat, it stood as a frontline observation point, witnessing the Automatons’ shocking ability to create new FTL Lines, which led to their surprise attack on Mantes from Vandalon IV.