The Best Secondary Weapons For Bugs In Helldivers 2

Secondaries in Helldivers 2 are integral to rounding out your arsenal before each game. Different enemies, objectives, and even planets can call for a different secondary. Still, these are the weapons we usually use the least, so why bother optimizing?

Helldivers 2: A Helldiver standing next to the Wasp delivery pod.

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Bugs are weak to a variety of secondaries. Since they’re so versatile, you often can pick off of your tastes rather than min-maxxing. Here are our eight favorite secondaries in Helldivers 2 to take against the bugs.

Secondaries are super versatile, and there’s rarely a “wrong” choice. Try out the secondaries you have unlocked to see what works best for you.

8

P-113 Verdict

The Armory screen for the P-113 Verdict in Helldivers 2.

The P-113 Verdict is an excellent sidearm that makes a good case for being the best one in the game. Inspired by the usual Desert Eagle nearly every shooter has, the Verdict is ideal for medium-armor enemies. It has a huge ammo capacity and can take out smaller bugs in one hit.

If you’re carrying a package, having this as your one-handed weapon barely feels like you’re being restricted.

The Verdict is good in any situation but isn’t the best at any one thing. This is a great all-around choice if you aren’t sure what you’re going up against in a mission.

7

P-4 Senator

The Armory screen for the P-4 Senator in Helldivers 2.

The P-4 Senator is the king of armor-piercing secondaries. Against Bots, this weapon is famous for being able to pick off the heads of most Bot models. But how’s it fair against our favorite bugs?

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This is a great one to keep on your hip for fighting Hive Commanders and Warriors. It can pop heads off with one hit, which is great since it has such a limited capacity.

The Senator has the Round-Reload trait. That means you can reload a couple of shots at once if you’re under duress.

6

P-2 Peacemaker

The Armory screen for the P-2 Peacemaker in Helldivers 2.

The P-2 Peacemaker is the bread and butter, serving as the standard-issue Helldiver pistol. Some would think that it being standard means it’s inferior to the secondaries locked behind Warbonds, but that’s far from the case. The Peacemaker is versatile enough to serve in any mission.

You can pop Scavengers with ease, and most mid-tier bugs like Warriors are still quickly taken down. It may not have armor-piercing, but it does have an extensive magazine.

A full magazine from the Peacemaker is less damaging up front than the Senator or Verdict, but its higher accuracy and better handling make it more likely you’ll land every shot.

5

CQC-19 Stun Lance

The Armory screen for the CQC-19 Stun Lance in Helldivers 2.

Getting into a melee with the bugs is a dangerous game, but the CQC-19 Stun Lance makes it a bit easier. If you’re running solo, this is a riskier pick, but if you have a group with you, then you’ll fill a great utility role. The Stun Lance lives up to its name, dazing most bugs that don’t die in one hit.

It’s also ideal for quickly taking out Scavengers before they can call in reinforcements. Best of all, since it’s a melee weapon, you don’t have to worry about ammo.

Try to find ways to keep the bugs on one side of you. It’s easy to get surrounded if you run into melee.

4

P-72 Crisper

The Armory screen for the P-72 Crisper in Helldivers 2.

Want to bring a flamethrower but don’t want to spend your Primary or Support slot on doing so? The P-72 Crisper is the youngest sibling in that family, letting you still bring the heat without losing out on other weaponry for it.

The P-72 Crisper does exactly what you need it to do. It is the weakest flamethrower weapon, but a blanket of fire is still a blanket of fire. Consider this weapon next time a horde of Scavengers is running at you.

Fire burns you too, so be careful where you spray with the Crisper. Fire-resistant armor is also a good choice.

3

LAS-7 Dagger

The Armory screen for the LAS-7 Dagger in Helldivers 2.

If you’re tired of running out of ammo, the LAS-7 Dagger is a perfect sidearm for you. This Laser weapon never needs to reload unless you let it overheat, meaning you effectively have unlimited ammo.

Its damage is low, and many bugs will shrug it off. But knowing you’ll always have Old Reliable on your hip will help you be a bit more liberal with your ammo on your other weapons. It’s also still plenty potent enough to pop the head off most bugs.

Laser weapons heat up faster on hot planets and last longer on cold planets. Keep the environment in mind before you select this weapon.

2

P-19 Redeemer

The Armory screen for the P-19 Redeemer in Helldivers 2.

The P-19 Redeemer is the machine pistol we all need on our hips when we see bugs coming over the hill. This weapon has one of the highest rates of fire in the game. That’s somewhat limited by a 31-round magazine, which is emptied almost instantly.

With light armor penetration, this is a great weapon for getting behind a Bile Spewer and popping its bubble. Scavengers, Warriors, and even Hive Commanders rarely live through a full clip from this bullet hose.

This weapon ends up being ammo-hungry because of the fire rate. Consider bringing weapons like the Stalwart and Sickle, which are better at managing their ammo stockpile.

1

GP-31 Grenade Pistol

The Armory screen for the GP-31 Grenade Pistol in Helldivers 2.

The GP-31 Grenade Pistol is one of the most useful utility options you can pick. This weapon can plug up bug holes, making it possible for you to close up a nest from a distance if need be.

Still, that doesn’t make it useless for combat. A grenade is a grenade, and lobbing one at the head of even a Bile Titan is going to do some damage. Just make sure you round out your arsenal with something that isn’t a one-shot explosive.

This is a great weapon to make sure you still have a grenade when you bring Thermites or Napalm grenades.