Description / application in missions

This self-propelled missile launcher became a basis for more successful Spiders, Locusts and some experimental and technical-engineering vehicles. Having good armor and maneuverability Helix fells short of firepower that is why in combat they are applied in units of 2-4 vehicles. Nevertheless, due to their simplicity and universality Helixes won the respect in the army.

The Empire new monoblock UM-2 was developed just before the Watchful Peace. The first model made on its basis became the self-propelled launcher Helix. As the Empire military evaluated the successful application of the missile launchers Varan by the Protectorate forces, they demanded a similar machine from the Empire Directorate of Armored Machines. Helix should have become such an answer to Varan. Helix is well armed and also has a good maneuverability. Just in the first battles, this self-propelled launcher showed itself as a handy means of the fire support of troops. Very soon its simple control and armament made Helix popular in the army. As the Empire engineers didn’t have at their disposal so powerful missile system as the one mounted on Varan, they had to content themselves with the standard heavy unguided missiles. Thus Helix’s firepower leaves much to be desired. However the universality of this caterpillar machine is highly rated in the army. The point is that directly in the front units, Helix is often altered into the mortar UMC-2M and the repair-evacuation complex UMC-2E. For some period of time the manufacturers of Helix even produced standard complete sets for such re-equipment. The pre-production model of Helix was applied in battle on Rusty Splinter. There were seven machines of this type in all (three mortars, three missile launchers and one repair-evacuation machine) and they all were destroyed in the course of the battle. The most useful appeared, strange as it may seem, just self-propelled mortars, which foiled one of the decisive attacks of the opponent. However this type of the machines didn’t get a wide distribution in the time of the Watchful Peace, when clashes of large masses of infantry (against which mortars as a rule are used) became a thing of the past and gave place to operations of small in number elite elements.

The armament of the self-propelled launcher Helix:

-- Twin missile launcher “Double Hammer” for unguided missiles R-6. The missiles R-6 and the launcher “Double Hammer” were developed by the Empire Directorate of Missile Weaponry. There were produced some Helixes that carried instead of the launchers “Double Hammer” the twin missile launchers “Storm” for heavy self-guided missiles.
The mortar modification:
-- 120 mm mortar. This is a common mortar used both by the Protectorate and the Empire everywhere. It shoots with high-explosive bombs. The Empire model of this weapon has the notation M-120M (mobile).
The repair-evacuation machine has no armament. It is equipped with a crane-manipulator that is used for evacuating machines been put out of action and for taking to pieces obstructions