GTM Helios

The GTM-13 Helios is the most powerful, most devastating, and the most awe-inspiring weapon that can be crammed on a bomber. A single Helios antimatter torpedo has several times the destructive payload of the GTM Cyclops. The large weapon is so expensive and dangerous, that its issue is limited only to those who have been given special authorization by the GTVA Security Council.

A Helios torpedo is even slower than a Cyclops, making its effective deployment difficult. As with the more common torpedo, range is everything: you don't want any. Get in close and make your shot count. Due to the Helios's slow speed, it is advised to engage your burners before you release the weapon and begin your evasive maneuver. This will give the torpedo some badly needed speed as it crosses the (hopefully short) distance to the target.

Puzzlingly, the GTF Myrmidon space-superiority fighter has the ability to mount up to four Helios torpedos in its three bays. It is unknown whether this was a very quiet design feature, or an interesting quirk of fate.

Weapons in Descent: FreeSpace

Primaries Secondaries Turrets Weapon Comparison Table, FS1

Weapons in FreeSpace 2

Primaries Secondaries Turrets Weapon Comparison Table, FS2

The GTM-13 Helios

Tech Room Data

The GTM-13 Helios is the product of an entire generation of high-energy physics research, based primarily at the GTVA particle accelerator complex near Antares. The most powerful warhead in the fleet's arsenal, the Helios generates a massive shockwave from the cataclysmic annihilation of matter and anti-matter, triggered upon impact with its target. Each bank of Helios warheads can fire only once every 30 seconds. The Helios is prohibitively expensive to produce, thus its deployment is severely restricted.

Performance

Statistics

Range	1 950 m
Reload time	30 s
Velocity	65 ms-1
Base Damage	6 800*
Armor Damage	Full	6 800*
Shield Damage	Minimal	136*
Subsystem Damage	Very Good	5 780*
Shockwave Radius	100 / 270 m
Type:	Aspect Seeking
View Cone:	N / A
Minimum Lock Time:	7.0 s
Turn Rate (360 degrees):	1.5 s

Notes

• Weapon is capable of easily damaging (Huge) even larger vessels.
• Weapon can be shot down (Bomb)
• Weapon must be locked onto the target in order to be fired (No Dumbfire)
• The shockwave doubles the damage against any target that takes a direct hit

Veteran Comments

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It's a big bomb that creates an equally big boom. The Helios is the bomb of choice for anti-destroyer work, or blowing up heavily armored juggernaut turrets.

The bomb is physically huge, looking funny coming from a GTF Myrmidon and also making it easy to visually target and destroy.

Despite its apparent purpose, the Helios does little damage against Sathanas juggernauts, but is very effective against its turrets.

As befits its role as an FS2 Harbinger replacement, the Helios does do a lot more damage than a Harbinger. However, it lacks the Harbinger's ultimate anti-subsystem capabilities.

Calculations point out that this weapon has a yield equivalent to approximately 10.5 GT (Gigatons of TNT).