Welcome to the front lines, Helldiver. Whether you’re a fresh recruit dropping in for democracy or a “Creek-hardened” veteran, Helldivers 2 is a game of beautiful, chaotic depth. But behind the friendly fire and Bile Titan explosions is a complex layer of strategy.
What’s the best Stratagem? What armor actually matters? And what loadout should you bring to fight the Automatons versus the Terminids?
We’ve liberated countless planets on Helldive difficulty and tested every weapon in the Galactic War. This is your complete field manual. For Super Earth!
Part 1: The Core Loop – Your Ship & The Galactic War
Your ship is your home. From here, you’ll manage your entire arsenal.
- The Galactic War Map: This is the live, global campaign. Your primary focus should be on planets with an active Major Order—completing these group objectives is the best way to earn Medals.
- Ship Modules: As you play, you’ll earn Samples (Common, Rare, and Super). You spend these on your ship to upgrade your Stratagems, such as reducing cooldowns or increasing the number of bombs in an Eagle strike.
Part 2: The Arsenal – Best Stratagems
Stratagems are the core of your loadout. These are the “call-ins” that separate a successful mission from a failed extraction. They are divided into four main categories, but here are the S-Tier, must-have options that every Helldiver should unlock first.
S-Tier Stratagems for Any Mission
- [S-Tier, e.g., Quasar Cannon]: A powerful anti-heavy weapon that recharges, saving you an ammo slot.
- [S-Tier, e.g., Eagle 500KG Bomb]: The single best “delete button” for a Bile Titan, Factory Strider, or major outpost.
- [S-Tier, e.g., Shield Generator Pack]: A personal shield that prevents you from being stunned, slowed, or one-shotted. Essential for higher difficulties.
- [S-Tier, e.g., Orbital Laser]: A fire-and-forget Stratagem that will clear an entire massive nest or base on its own.
Part 3: The Arsenal – Weapons & Warbonds
Your primary weapon is what you’ll use 90% of the time. You unlock all new weapons, armor, and boosters by spending Medals in the Warbonds (Battle Passes).
- How Warbonds Work: There is no FOMO. Warbonds never expire. You can always go back and unlock items from previous Warbonds.
- Best “Must-Have” Primary Weapons:
- [Top-Tier Primary, e.g., Sickle]: An energy-based rifle with infinite ammo (if you manage heat) that shreds through smaller enemies.
- [Top-Tier Primary, e.g., Breaker]: The high-damage shotgun that remains a top-tier choice for its versatility and stopping power.
- [Top-Tier Primary, e.g., Dominator]: An explosive-round rifle that’s excellent for staggering medium-sized enemies.
Part 4: The Arsenal – Armor & Boosters
In Helldivers 2, your armor isn’t just for looks. It has three key stats:
- Armor Rating: How much damage you can take.
- Speed: How fast you run.
- Stamina Regen: How quickly your stamina bar refills.
The Truth About Armor: After extensive testing, most veteran players agree that Speed is King. On higher difficulties (7-9), you will die in a few hits regardless of your armor. The ability to run away from a fight, reposition, and kite enemies is far more valuable. We recommend Light Armor for almost every mission.
The most important part of armor is its Passive Perk. Always try to find armor with the [Top-Tier Perk, e.g., Med-Kit] passive, which gives you [Perk Effect, e.g., +2 stims and extends stim duration].
Part 5: Know Your Enemy – Faction-Specific Loadouts
A good Helldiver never brings the same loadout for bugs and bots.
Terminid (Bug) Loadout Strategy
- The Threat: You will be swarmed. The main challenge is crowd control and piercing the heavy armor of Chargers and Bile Titans.
- Best Stratagems:
Fire (e.g., Flamethrower, Napalm),Crowd Control (e.g., Gatling Sentry),Anti-Heavy (e.g., EAT, Quasar Cannon). - Your Goal: Kill the small bugs before they surround you; use your anti-heavy tools to strip armor from Chargers and Bile Titans.
Automaton (Bot) Loadout Strategy
- The Threat: They shoot back. The challenge is long-range rockets, tanks, and Hulks. Cover is essential.
- Best Stratagems:
Shields (e.g., Shield Generator Pack),Explosives (e.g., Eagle Airstrike),Anti-Armor (e.g., Autocannon, Spear). - Your Goal: Use cover and smoke. Prioritize killing rocket-wielding Devastators. Bring Stratagems that can destroy fabricators and tanks from a distance.
[Internal Link] -> Get the exact builds in our guide: Terminids vs. Automatons: Best Loadouts for Each Faction
Part 6: How to Farm (The Legit Way)
You need Medals, Samples, and Super Credits. Here’s the 100% legit, AdSense-safe way to farm them.
- For Super Credits: (Premium Currency)
- Set the difficulty to Trivial.
- Run around the map to Points of Interest (POIs) and look for the golden beams of light.
- Open the pods/bunkers. You can find 10-100 Super Credits per mission. Extract and repeat.
- For Medals:
- The fastest way is to complete the 8-mission-long “Defense” campaigns against the bots.
- For Samples:
- Samples are tied to difficulty. You must play on higher difficulties (7+) to get Super Samples.
Helldivers 2 FAQ
Q: How do I kill a Bile Titan?
Their weak points are their green sacs. Break them, and they’ll stop spitting acid. To kill them, aim for their mouth with a Railgun, EAT, or Quasar Cannon just as they are about_ to spit. Alternatively, a 500KG Bomb is a one-shot kill.
Q: How do I kill an Automaton Hulk?
Their weak point is the glowing red/orange vent on their back. Use an Autocannon or Anti-Materiel Rifle to hit it from a distance. If it’s facing you, two Railgun shots to the “eye” will kill it.
Q: What is the best first Ship Module to unlock?
In the Hangar bay, get the [e.g., Liquid-Ventilated Cockpit] module to reduce the Eagle Stratagem cooldown by 50%. This is the best first upgrade in the game.
This guide is a living document, just like the Galactic War. We update it with every patch and new Warbond. Bookmark this page, and we’ll see you on the front lines.
