Helsing

The Helsing (Russian: Хельсинг) is a multi-stroke pneumatic air rifle that was created from scrap and the Revolver by the Metro dwellers at some point after the Great War of 2013.

Tactics and UseEdit

At a glance, the Helsing is one of the most effective guns around. Silent, powerful, and with ammunition that is near infinitely reusable, the Helsing seems like the ideal weapon for stealth, however in practice it does not perform perfectly. It works very much in the same way the Tihar does, so the guns are frequently compared to one another, as both are stealth weapons with an emphasis on marksmanship. It hisses just like the Tihar when over-pressurized, and both use a similar pumping mechanism.

The differences between the Helsing and Tihar are numerous, however, and worthy of note.

The most obvious is that unlike the Tihar's ball bearings, the Helsing fires arrows, which have much more consistent damage than the ball bearings, especially when used for stealth attacks (where the arrows are often lethal). These arrows, again, are reusable provided you can reach them, making them one of the best ammo types for cost. The Helsing can equip a scope like the Tihar, but this scope is the PK-AV Scope used by the Kalash, not the open-eye optical scope of the Tihar. This can aid mid-range accuracy, and makes the Helsing quite lethal in skilled hands. Over-pressurized, the Helsing's arrows possess even heavier damage than the Tihar's bullets, though the difference is not quite overwhelming.

However, the Helsing suffers at slightly longer ranges; arrows, putting it simply, have poor ballistics. The Helsing's arrows have a short travel time as well as a notable dip to their trajectories at extreme range (even fully-pressurized), made worse by a tendency to drift slightly at mid-to-long-range. Hitting a man-sized target at this range is little trouble for a skilled shot with the Helsing, picking that same target at a longer range becomes a lesson in aggravation as shots that would be easily landed by the revolver, Tihar, or VSV are infuriating endeavors for Helsing users. A good example is the Light Bulb in the small alcove on Black Station - normally, this must be shot out in order to reliably get inside this area to progress, should you be going the Merciful route. This shot is virtually impossible to take with the Helsing; the bulb is too small a target, and even with the Helsing fully-pressurized, you will find yourself habitually unable to shoot out this light with the Helsing. All in all, the Helsing is simply not very good at longer ranges, especially without the scope; up-close and out to medium range is where the Helsing is at its best.

The Helsing has other drawbacks, as well. It tends to go through pressure quicker than the Tihar, and its pump is less efficient than that of its sniper rifle cousin. Worse, due to how the pumping system on the Helsing operates and short ready-time before it can fire, it's extremely easy to accidentally discharge an arrow when trying to over-pressurize the tank. It holds about half as much ammo as the Tihar, and fires and reloads much slower, which means that the Tihar is genuinely better for rapid-firing when the situation intensifies or goes awry. Making the situation a bit more finicky, the Helsing's pressure gauge is somewhat hard to read compared to the blatantly-obvious Tihar's. It's especially prominent on 4:3 displays.

The biggest drawbacks of all, however, are financial; arrows are extremely expensive ammo because of their re-usability; for the price of 20 military grade rounds, you can get as many as 40 rounds of 12-gauge buckshot, 100 5.45mm rounds, or 160 Tihar rounds. One may laugh at this due to the re-usability of arrows, but bear in mind - arrows that cannot be recovered are lost, this can happen if you do not scavange the dead body or fire the arrow to unreachable areas. Arrows are by far the least common ammo type encountered in Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light. The arrows are mostly found on walls, target ranges, or sometimes, windowsills and other Helsings. You will wind up losing some - guaranteed. Moreover, the Helsing is also extravagantly expensive - one of the most expensive weapons in the game, with only the Heavy Automatic Shotgun and Kalash 2012 being worth more, should you wish to buy the scoped version - which is only available in Armory Station in 2033.

Later in the game, the player will encounter enemies who carry more pouches and armor. While the Helsing can penetrate pouches and some armor, it will usually cause the item to fall off the enemy. This can be a problem if the item falls out of reach, or if it penetrates an ammo pouch (as picking up the ammo pouch first will cause the arrow to vanish). If the enemy falls over on top of the arrow there is a risk the player won't be able to recover it.

Play to its strengths and the Helsing is incredibly powerful and useful; unfortunately all that power comes with a cost. Bear this in mind and it is a true professional's weapon and one to be respected. All in all, this is in fact, and by far, the best stealth weapon in the game. When properly pumped, it is an instant and completely silent kill weapon except for when you're aiming for the helmets of armored soldiers. It can best be compared to the throwing knives, but a lot more reliable: carry as many as you can instead of just five, better range, can pierce through armor and easier to aim (on Ranger Mode). Both the scoped and unscoped versions are great, although the scoped version allows a better ranged view although the weapon isn't accurate enough to actually make proper use of it.

It is actually overpowered to a point where one can reliably murder every single person in levels like Dry, Outpost, Frontline or Black Station without ever raising an alarm or even a bit of suspicion. That, and the reusable ammo make it an absolute dream weapon on ranger difficulty, the only problem being not being able to carry a shotgun too (though this is no longer a problem in redux version); since it's not very useful against mutants. Still, carrying a proper Kalash should be more than enough to take care of any of the mutants, since the game is, even on ranger hardcore, a lot easier than the sequel, Last Light. The Librarians, as an exception, are very easy to take on with the Helsing; a few arrows should do it, its recommended to take Helsing to the Library if you don't want to run from them. Consider swapping it out only at Driving to Sparta, from whereon only heavy fighting with nosalises and the like will occur.

Upgrades and customizationEdit

Metro Last LightEdit

List of available attachments:

• Airtight valve
• Reflex sight
• 2x Optical sight
• Infra-red sight
• Laser sight

Metro ExodusEdit

Helsing has the same Stock upgrades as the Valve, but they have to be collected separately, possibly due to Artyom losing most of his gear at the beginning of the Taiga level. Helsing doesn't have a barrel, so instead, the bow mechanism can be upgraded, increasing bolt damage and the range of the weapon by lowering bolt dropoff over distance. The bow can even be replaced with a pneumatic system, which, unlike in previous games, doesn't have to be recharged manually and it only affects rate of fire, as it removes the necessity to cock the weapon after each shot.

List of upgrades
Slot	Icon	Name	Effect	Description
Stock		Light grip and forend	None (default)	Light grip built of readily available materials allows its user to shoot safely.
		Assault stock, grip and forend	Stability +2	Handmade light stock. Slightly reduces recoil.
		Sniper stock, grip and forend	Stability +3	Sniper wooden stock that looks like it was salvaged from a professional rifle. Greatly reduces recoil.
		Heavy stock	Stability +6	A piece of pipe fashioned into a stock. Significantly increases weapon stability.
Mechanism		Recurve bow	None (default)	Recurved limbs can give greater amount of energy and speed to the arrow than the straight-bow equivalent.
		Compound bow	Damage +1	Compound bow limbs include a pulley system, providing a substantial increase in bolt speed.
		Twin bow	Damage +3	Compact and powerful pulley system ensures extremely high bolt velocities.
		Pneumatic bow system	Rate of fire +3	Pneumatic bow system speeds up the crossbow reloading process, increasing its rate of fire considerably.
Sights		Iron sights	Aim with iron sights	Standard sight used to assist in aiming.
		Reflex sight	Iron sight replaced with reflex sight	This pre-war sight makes aiming the gun at close and medium range easier, without sacrificing much of the field of view.
		NV scope	Iron sight replaced with night vision scope	This night-vision scope allows for accurate placement of shots even in complete darkness.
		Scope 4x	Iron sight replaced with 4x scope	4x variable zoom scope.
Magazine		Small magazine	1 bolt	The simplest magazine, containing one bolt on the top of the bow, is also the lightest.
		Medium magazine	3-bolt magazine	Heavier than the small magazine, but capable of holding 3 bolts.
		Extended magazine	6-bolt magazine Stability -1	Big cylindric magazine containing up to 6 bolts. Noticeably heavier.
		High capacity magazine	8-bolt magazine Stability -2	Huge cylindric magazine contains 8 bolts. A lot heavier than all the other ones, but allows you to reload less often.
Gadgets		No gadget	None (default)	Less gadgets, less problems.
		Red laser	Crosshair replaced with red laser dot	Made from a cheap laser pointer that was heavily modified to increase power output at the cost of reliability.
		Green laser	Crosshair replaced with green laser dot	High visibility laser sight reassembled in a custom-made body along with a bunch of modifications.
		Infrared laser	Crosshair replaced with IR laser dot with NV active	The IR laser sight's invisible beam produces a very small dot on the target, which is only detectable with a night vision device.

Variants and ObtainingEdit

Metro 2033Edit

There are two versions of this handy weapon that can be picked up.

Helsing: A standard Helsing with no scope. Not sold in stores. First one can be found at the near the end of Dead City 1. Go past the body the demon was feeding on - preferably after dealing with the beast - and head down the stairs and over the wall on the right, and towards a body. Now turn around and walk up the iron bar which comes up to the second level near the bus. Turn around again and jump onto the ledge, there will be a room with a body in it, near it is a Helsing and several Arrows. Be careful - this area, especially the entrance, is highly radioactive, and you will lose health rapidly and die if you get disorientated in here. It's recommended to pick this one to replace the shotgun, as it will help greatly with stealth in Dry and the communist part of Front Line. Another can be found in a room guarded by Nazi soldiers in Front Line, right in front of you as you come up the ladder from the canals after going through the secret passage. One in Defense level, in the secret cache with two safes (where you get a Moral Point), near a body. In Black Station inside the train after crossing the first bridge and going down the stairs. It is on the seat at one end with a smattering of ammunition, and at the other end is a target with a couple more arrows.

Helsing with Scope: A standard Helsing with a scope. The Helsing with scope cannot be salvaged; it can only be purchased in Armory station (and it costs a bundle - 87 MGR if you have a scope-less Helsing to trade in) at the weapon shop. This version is actually not recommended - the scope is custom and thus "dirty", meaning it's hard to see anything through it except when in broad daylight, and if used with night vision it flares a lot. Finally, at the range at which scope is useful the Helsing is not - it's rather inaccurate, the arrows drop as it travels through air and it's not an instant-hit weapon so you have to lead moving targets.

Metro 2033 Redux:Edit

Here's a list of the differences observed with Original game with regards to obtaining the Helsing:

• 3 or 4 arrows can be looted in Dry station.
• The Helsing is still available for purchase at Armory. Though the Scoped version is no longer for sale, the player can purchase the basic model and update it through the regular store upgrade system . Air tight valve attachments are no longer for sale at this station, neither for Helsing or Tihar.
• Helsing can no longer be salvaged on the Frontline level.
• Players can take advantage of an ammo stash located next to Artyom's seat during the Cart ride of the Depot level to increase their arrow supply.
• It can be still be salvaged during Defense level (Hole station) in one of the offices upstairs (the one that's surrounded by metal bars). It can be found next to the locked safe.
• Air-tight valves can be purchase at the very end of Defense level, in the little refugee camp next to the doors that lead to Nazi outpost.
• It can be looted from a corpse at the very beginning of Nazi Outpost. Corpse is located in a giant room/hole, in a corner by the ramp not too far from the ramp that.
• It can still be looted in Black Station in the train car (comes with one arrow and 4 other arrows available on other side of train car).

(note this information may not be complete, if you observe anything missing please add it)

Metro: Last LightEdit

The Helsing returns in Last Light a few changes to its animation and sound, but as the same weapon otherwise. It is still an instant kill on any humans, except for the heavily armored Reds during levels like Depot. This weapon is extremely rare to find, due to the fact that you can customize it yourself, the Helsing you find has little or no attachment on it. One should be very careful here, although there is no other weapon in the game that would kill them in one shot either. This still leaves it as one of the best stealth weapons in the game. If the player does intend to use it, don't forget to buy some arrows as they are also hard to find.

• The Helsing can only be bought in the Quarantine level, don't miss if you want it.
• It can be found in Contagion on a table (unmodded).
• Next to a corpse by a pillar in The Crossing (with laser sight, reflex sight).
• In the room under the playground in The Dead City (with laser sight).
• In the Faction Pack DLC, in Kshatriya, it is found on the floor next to a dead body in the bathroom of the Library, near the Balaika. It is likely the 'crossbow' that Bar and Su mention earlier in the level, owned by the previous stalker, Grisha.

Metro ExodusEdit

The Helsing makes yet another appearance in Metro Exodus, where it can now be extensively modified in ways that drastically change how the rifle functions - one option allows the player to transform the gun into a full crossbow that can also use arrows with explosive tips.

The Helsing first appears in the Taiga level, found attached to the back of a statue shortly after Artyom awakes following a railcar crash. By default the Helsing comes in the crossbow configuration with a one bolt ammo capacity that must be reloaded and cocked after every shot. This can be upgraded to various magazines which allow 3, 6 or 8 shots respectively before reloading, however the weapon still has to be cocked after every shot. Artyom has the option of upgrading the helsing with a pneumatic system, this changes the Helsing drasticaly allowing it to fire in semi auto at the expense of a slight decrease in damage as well as having to regularly pump the pneumatic system to keep performance optimal. The crossbow Helsing is the weapon of choice of The Children of the Forest.

Related Achievements/TrophiesEdit

Metro 2033Edit

	Air Gunner	30
	Kill 30 enemies using pneumatic weapons

	Air Bender	20
	Kill 30 humans with only pneumatic weapons

	Weaponsmith (Metro 2033)	40
	Kill at least 1 enemy with each weapon available in the game.

Metro 2033 ReduxEdit

	Air Bender	Bronze Trophy - 15
	Kill 50 humans with pneumatic weapons

Metro Last LightEdit

	Gunslinger	Bronze Trophy - 15
	Kill at least one Enemy with each Weapon available in the game.

	Van Helsing	Bronze Trophy - 30
	Kill a Demon with the Helsing.

TriviaEdit

• The name of the weapon is a reference to the repeating crossbow used by the protagonist in the 2004 movie Van Helsing, which used compressed gas to fire bolts in a similar manner.
• Khan carries the scoped variant, and uses it to help Artyom in Dry Station, if the player chooses a stealth approach.
• If Artyom stands idle long enough with the non-scoped version equipped, he will clean the iron sights and adjust the fittings.
• In the twelve-minute E3 preview of Metro: Last Light the Helsing is seen with a reflex sight attached to it.
• It is the only weapon that can be found (and not purchased) by the player in the Kshatriya DLC mission.
• There is a bug in 2033 Redux, at least in survival Ranger hardcore, where if you carry the Helsing during reloading a checkpoint/dying, all the spare ammo you have will disappear.

GalleryEdit

In-gameEdit

In-game Helsing, as seen from the first person perspective in Metro: Last Light

The Helsing equipped with a 2x optical sight

Crossbow Helsing conversion aimed in first person perspective

Loading the crossbow with explosive projectiles

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Concept art by Ilya TolmachevEdit

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