Summary
- Heavy Machine Gun provides high power but requires recoil control and is not ideal against swarming enemies.
- R-63 Diligence excels at precise hits on armored units, struggles in close-range combat.
- AR-23 Liberator is a reliable starter Assault Rifle with decent firepower and larger magazine size.
An integral part of Helldivers 2 is the weapons. Assault rifles, shotguns, and high-grade explosives dominate the battlefields of Helldivers. Outside the equipment that you bring in as part of your loadout, a wide variety of stratagem weapons are available to be called in and unlocked while on and off the field.
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Each loadout and stratagem weapon has different stats and excels in different areas. The weapons you call in and bring will determine whether you become a pro-Helldiver or just another body on the field.
10
Heavy Machine Gun
Pros |
Cons |
---|---|
High power against all armor. |
Relatively small magazine size. |
Variable rate of fire. |
Lack of accuracy makes it difficult to use on the move. |
The Heavy Machine Gun stratagem orders a high-caliber machine gun to be dropped at a location of your choice. This gun is fantastic for taking out hard hitters quickly before having to reload. The primary downside comes from the small magazine size and the fact that it requires a ton of recoil control, which is hard to manage when on the move.
The HMG boasts a variable fire rate, meaning it can be altered from 450 rounds per minute to 750. It’s good against Automatons, but with Terminids, it struggles to retain relevancy. This is largely due to the HMG forcing you to be stationary when reloading while Terminids are swarming. You’ll have to load the gun often since each magazine only carries 100 rounds.
9
R-63 Diligence
Pros |
Cons |
---|---|
Extremely effective against light/no armor. |
In close range, the magazine size can hinder effectiveness. |
Highly accurate. |
Fairly ineffective against heavier armor. |
Diligence is a hard hitting, semi-automatic marksman rifle that is great for sitting back and landing precise hits on key targets. When used, it’s best to have a good amount of distance between you and the fighting so you’re able to shoot unbothered.
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This rifle truly shines against the Automatons and their armored units. Devastators in particular should fear the marksman using Diligence, since a few well-placed shots can drop the heavily armored units with relative ease. It struggles in fights against the heavier Terminids like Brood Commanders, since they often have armored heads.
8
AR-23 Liberator
Pros |
Cons |
---|---|
High rate of fire. |
Low armor penetration. |
Large magazine size compared to other ARs. |
High rate of fire burns through ammo. |
The Liberator is the humble starter Assault Rifle for all Helldivers, and it’s a great weapon even in higher difficulties. This simple rifle has a great fire rate coupled with respectable firepower. The scope can also be toggled to zoom in further for longer-range engagements.
The magazine size is also larger than the standard 30 bullets we see for most rifles in games, putting it at a nice 45 rounds per magazine. These extra shots can save lives in the field when facing off against massive Terminid hordes or when an assault of Automatons is forcing you into a corner.
7
AR-23C Liberator Concussive
Pros |
Cons |
---|---|
Larger magazine size than the standard Liberator. |
Slow rate of fire. |
Stumbles most enemies when hit. |
Lower damage output than most Assault Rifles. |
The Liberator Concussive is a variant of the starting Assault Rifle that fires concussive rounds. This can effectively render many targets helpless as they’re constantly being stunned.
The magazine is also larger but has a slow fire rate to balance things out. It can be effective against Terminids as well as Automatons as long as your team capitalizes on the stun effect. The overall damage output is lower than other ARs since the rate of fire is lower, making it more of a supporting weapon than a damage dealer.
6
SG-225SP Breaker Spray & Pray
Pros |
Cons |
---|---|
Larger ammo capacity compared to other shotguns. |
Little to no armor penetration. |
Great against light/no armor. |
The duckbill muzzle makes most pellets spread horizontally, decreasing accuracy. |
The Spray & Pray decimates small targets like the Hunters and Scavengers of the Terminids. When it comes to mowing down a horde of little bugs, this is the shotgun you want to have with you. The increased horizontal spread makes it easy to hit multiple targets at once. Thinning out a horde has never been so easy.
The primary con of using the Spray & Pray is the lack of armor penetration, but even then it still makes short work of the fleshy bits of the heavy hitters like Chargers. The large ammo capacity and full-auto fire rate make it a favorite among those fighting against the bug menace.
5
SG-8S Slugger
Pros |
Cons |
---|---|
High damage. |
The gun is pump action, resulting in a lower rate of fire. |
Higher than average range for a shotgun due to slug rounds. |
Each slug is reloaded one at a time. |
Precise shooting is a must when fighting either faction in Helldivers. If you’re a shotgun user, you’ll love the Slugger. It fires extremely accurate and hard hitting slug shells that can often decimate targets. Depending on their armor and where the shot lands makes all the difference, but the damage output is good nonetheless.
It can be used to great effect against Automatons and Terminids, especially when firing at Devastators. Terminid Stalkers also become subject to democracy via slug rounds since they have zero armor to stop the shells.
4
Las-16 Sickle
Pros |
Cons |
---|---|
Very high damage. |
Limited heatsink replacements. |
Very accurate even when moving. |
Limited armor penetration. |
Fast rate of fire. |
The Sickle is a very powerful energy-based rifle that is best fired in short bursts. Although it’s energy-based, it functions much like a conventional assault rifle. The primary difference is that you have unlimited ammo unless the gun overheats. That requires a replacement heatsink, which are very limited in quantity.
The gun is also very accurate, which makes it viable at both mid-range and long range. The Sickle is great for taking out light targets and can be effective against the weak points of the heavily armored as well.
3
BR-14 Adjudicator
Pros |
Cons |
---|---|
Extremely high damage. |
Hefty recoil that can be hard to manage. |
Good effective range. |
Restrictive magazine size. |
The Adjudicator is a menace against Automatons due to the heavy hitting rounds it fires. Precise shooting will show just how powerful this battle rifle is in the right hands. The 30 round magazine is more restrictive than most other assault rifles but it makes up for that with good armor penetration and long range
The gun comes with eight spare magazines, which is plenty of extra ammo to use against those opposing liberty. Despite having heavy recoil, the Adjudicator is one of the best assault rifles available.
2
AR-61 Tenderizer
Pros |
Cons |
---|---|
Very high damage. |
Smaller magazine capacity than the Liberator. |
Long effective range. |
Assault rifles are known for being well-rounded and effective in a lot of situations. When the Tenderizer is used, every situation becomes a breeze to handle. High damage coupled with high accuracy makes this gun a beast against most targets.
Terminids and Automatons alike falter before the Tenderizer thanks to its extremely high damage despite low armor penetration. The long range also makes it great for engaging before the enemy gets too close.
1
Railgun
Pros |
Cons |
---|---|
Easily takes down Hulk Automatons and Terminid Chargers with a few headshots. |
You must reload after every shot. |
Extremely high damage. |
Unsafe mode has potential to kill you and destroy the gun. |
Unsafe mode, allows you to overcharge the Railgun past normal parameters. |
Since the 60-day patch, the Railgun has returned as the king of weaponry in Helldivers 2. The damage output is amazing and is able to kill heavy targets in a well-placed shot, provided you hit what you’re aiming for.
It has an alternative firing mode where it removes the charge limit for even more power output into your shots. While dangerous, the trade is worth it since you’ll be faced with multiple heavy hitters at once at higher difficulties. It is still capable of dropping Hulks and Chargers with two-three headshots.
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