Helldivers break into the atmosphere armed with a primary weapon and a secondary weapon no matter what. But while you pick your stratagems, you should never forget your support weapon. These optional weapons vary in usefulness depending on objectives, enemies, planets, and more.
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But what are the best support weapons to bring? We have you covered if you’re looking for the perfect loadout for your next dive. Here are our eight favorite support weapons in Helldivers 2 to squash bugs with.
Don’t want to bring a support weapon? You can often find some scattered along the map if you want that fourth stratagem spot for something else.
8
MG-43 Machine Gun
The MG-43 Machine Gun is an all-around good choice no matter what you’re doing in Helldivers 2. This weapon is a middle-ground between the lightweight, small-caliber Stalwart and the unwieldy, armor-penetrating Heavy Machine Gun.
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The MG-43 requires you to be stationary while reloading, which can pose an issue against swarms of bugs. But if you have the space to go prone, you can take out wave after wave of bugs before you need to reload.
Having a full-auto bullet hose for a support weapon gives you more versatile options for your other weapons. Consider bringing a shotgun or explosive primary to round out your arsenal.
7
LAS-98 Laser Cannon
The LAS-98 Laser Cannon is a solid choice if you want to go full microwave on some bugs. We love this choice for Chargers and Bile Spewers in particular.
When it comes to heavy-armor enemies, this won’t be the best choice for you. But if you’ve brought a Primary and Secondary that can cover that weakness, this is a great choice for nearly any planet.
Laser weapons overheat faster on hot planets but last longer on cold planets. Plan accordingly before you dive.
6
LAS-99 Quasar Cannon
The LAS-99 Quasar Cannon is a stellar support weapon, no matter what faction or planet you’re dropping onto. This is ideal for heavy-armor enemies, from Bile Titans to Chargers and everything in between.
The main downside is that this is a one-shot weapon with a decent recharge time. But because of that, it also never runs out of ammo. You won’t love this when you need to take out a swarm of Scavengers, but it’s great any other time.
Aim for the soft spot! One hit from the Quasar Cannon can take out any bug if you hit them in the right spot.
5
EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank
The EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank has a few perks but more than a few downsides. The main downside is that it’s expendable – one shot and you’re done, so don’t miss. It’s also mostly only good for anti-tank uses, so shooting down a flock of flyers won’t go well.
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But to make up for the one-shot nature, you get two per call down. The cooldown for the EAT-17 is also remarkably low, making it easy to litter the field in anti-tank launchers if you call it down on cooldown.
Tanks aren’t the only victims of the EAT-17. Spore Spewer towers are taken down in one hit, as are flyer nests.
4
AC-8 Autocannon
The AC-8 Autocannon is often ranked as the best support weapon. It’s versatile, goes great against any enemy, is accurate, and has a wonderful ammo capacity. Against bugs, there are very few enemies against which it won’t be amazing.
One thing to keep in mind is that the Autocannon has a backpack with it to carry ammo. Make sure you don’t accidentally double-up on Backpack Stratagems or you’ll have to drop one in the field.
If you’re playing with friends, they can help! The Autocannon has a buddy-loading system where someone else takes the backpack and feeds you shots as you go.
3
FLAM-40 Flamethrower
The FLAM-40 Flamethrower is the classic bug-fighting weapon across media. As the name suggests, this weapon ejects a massive spray of flame. Accuracy and range are irrelevant here, you can make entire zones of denial against the mostly-melee bugs.
That said, this weapon does damage over time, so it can be less effective against immediate threats like a charging Charger or bile-spewing Bile Titans. With the right Primary, this weapon is the best-in-slot.
The Flamethrower doesn’t tell its victims apart, and you can just as quickly kill yourself with this one if you aren’t careful. Flame-resistant armor is a great choice.
2
M-105 Stalwart
The M-105 Stalwart is a fan-favorite for practically being a Primary weapon. With its enormous magazine and insanely high rate of fire, this bullet hose is one of the most versatile weapons in the game.
Since it only penetrates light armor, you’ll want to bring a Senator or Verdict for medium armor bugs. An Eruptor or Exploding Crossbow will work just as well.
Want to turn up the hose on this bullet hose? You can alter the RPM to go even faster, making it so you can mow down hordes of bugs in seconds.
1
GL-21 Grenade Launcher
The GL-21 Grenade Launcher is effective against every bug you’ll encounter. Swarms of Scavengers, taking down single Impalers, and everything else on the ground will be blown to bits with a few grenades.
Another benefit is that the GL-21 can plug Bug Holes when you’re taking down a nest. That frees you up to bring grenades that aren’t ideal for that use, such as Thermites, which gives you another tool for heavy armor enemies.
The GL-21 is an ammo-hungry weapon. Consider pairing it with a Supply Pack stratagem or be ready to conserve your shots.
- Released
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February 8, 2024
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
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Arrowhead Game Studios
- Franchise
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Helldivers
- Multiplayer
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Online Co-Op
- Engine
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bitsquid
- Metascore
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83
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
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PC & PS5
- Number of Players
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1-4
- PS Plus Availability
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N/A
- OpenCritic Rating
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Strong
- Cross-Platform Play
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PC & PS5