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The Illuminate in Helldivers 2 are a challenging adversary, renowned for their advanced technology and strategic prowess. They overwhelm players with precision and sheer numbers, deploying both light infantry and elite units that can approach from the ground and air. To triumph over them, you need to craft loadouts and builds that exploit their vulnerabilities while safeguarding against their formidable tech.
So, how do you effectively combat the Illuminate? It's all about striking the perfect balance with your weapons, support gear, and stratagems to handle their diverse threats. You must address both the swarms of lesser enemies and the more resilient, armored units. Neglecting either type will render your loadout ineffective against the full might of the Illuminate.
In this guide, we'll explore the best loadouts and builds tailored specifically for battling the Illuminate. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newcomer, these strategies will boost your combat effectiveness against this squid-like faction. Let's gear up and prepare to confront the Illuminate head-on.
The Laser Cannon Loadout: Melting the Illuminate
PLAS-1 Scorcher / PLAS-101 Purifier
GP-31 Grenade Pistol
G-13 Incendiary Impact
Siege-Ready
- LAS-98 Laser Cannon (Support)
- AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog"
- Eagle Strafing Run
- A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry / Orbital Laser
The PLAS-1 Scorcher and PLAS-101 Purifier stand out as some of the best primary weapons in Helldivers 2. They excel at melting Overseers, including jet-pack-equipped Elevated units, and are equally effective against the Voteless. The Siege-Ready armor passive enhances their utility by providing additional ammunition and quicker reloads, allowing you to tackle multiple priority targets with ease. The increased damage per second is crucial when every shot counts.
The Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol form a potent duo for annihilating parked warp ships. Energy-based weapons struggle to deplete their shields, but a single Strafing Run can strip the shields from every grounded warp ship in a line. Follow up by lobbing a grenade into their open bay doors to trigger an explosion. This combination is particularly effective when clearing medium or heavy Illuminate nests, where you need to destroy multiple warp ships. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact can also be used in the open bay doors, it's more effective against chaff, so reserve it for when you're using the Grenade Pistol.
The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" proves surprisingly effective against medium-armored Overseers. Each burst can take down a single elite unit, making it an excellent choice for watching your flanks against the Illuminate.
The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry is invaluable for locking down areas during objective defense. If crowd control isn't your primary concern, you can swap it for an Orbital Laser to target Harvesters or future heavy units.
Finally, the LAS-98 Laser Cannon rounds out this loadout. It's exceptional at melting Overseers and chaff within seconds and is highly effective against Harvesters. Use a Strafing Run to deplete their shields, then aim the Laser Cannon at their weak points (thighs/eyes). A single clip is sufficient if your aim is steady. The Laser Cannon's long range allows you to engage targets from a distance, making it a true anti-squid weapon.
On difficulty levels 9 or 10, where multiple Harvesters are common, an Orbital Laser becomes essential.
The Lightning Loadout: Shocking (& Staggering) the Illuminate
ARC-12 Blitzer
GP-31 Grenade Pistol
G-13 Incendiary Impact
Electrical Conduit / Med-Kit
- ARC-3 Arc Thrower (Support)
- Orbital Railcannon Strike / Orbital Laser
- Eagle Strafing Run
- A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower
The Illuminate's mix of melee and ranged units makes the ARC-12 Blitzer and ARC-3 Arc Thrower ideal for covering both threats. They easily dispatch chaff, but the Arc Thrower has the added benefit of rendering Overseers nearly useless. Each lightning arc chains and staggers, briefly stunning Overseers. Continuous attacks from a distance can keep Elevated Overseers permanently stunned in mid-air.
The Arc Thrower can also take down unshielded Harvesters, requiring about a dozen hits, each causing a moderate stun that accumulates over time.
The A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower is highly effective against all Illuminate types, particularly groups of flying Overseers. It provides consistent crowd control and disrupts enemies, making it easier to manage large waves. Combine it with the Arc Thrower for multiple chained lightning attacks to lock down an area. Prioritize targeting key enemies with the Arc Thrower to prevent them from reaching your Tesla Tower.
Harvesters often target sentries, so avoid deploying your Tesla Tower or other sentry stratagems if you're already engaging them.
The Eagle Strafing Run and Grenade Pistol are essential for destroying parked warp ships. The Blitzer and Arc Thrower are less efficient at depleting their shields during combat, so don't replace them unless another teammate can handle this task.
For dealing with heavy units, the Orbital Railcannon Strike is invaluable due to its unlimited uses. The Orbital Laser is effective against multiple Harvesters, but its limited uses mean you'll eventually rely on your teammates. Always use a Strafing Run to disable their shields first. This build is one of the most powerful against the Illuminate, especially when coordinated with other players.
The Machine Gun Loadout: Shredding the Illuminate
StA-52 Assault Rifle
GP-31 Grenade Pistol / CQC-19 Stun Lance
G-13 Incendiary Impact
Peak Physique / Engineering Kit
- MG-43 Machine Gun (Support)
- LIFT-850 Jump Pack
- Orbital Railcannon Strike / Orbital Laser
- A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry / A/G-16 Gatling Sentry
The MG-43 Machine Gun is incredibly versatile against the Illuminate, making it a top choice for this loadout. It effortlessly shreds light and medium enemies, as well as Harvesters. Compared to the MG-206 Heavy Machine Gun, the standard Machine Gun offers better handling and faster infantry dispatch.
It's a true all-rounder against the squids, balancing power and reliability. Pair it with the Engineering Kit to reduce recoil or the Peak Physique armor passive to minimize drag, the latter aiding in targeting flying Overseers or Watchers.
The high fire rate of the Machine Gun is effective at depleting shields, eliminating the need for the Eagle Strafing Run to destroy grounded warp ships. Instead, opt for turret sentries to manage large crowds or defend objectives.
The Machine Gun's stationary reload animation is a drawback, but the LIFT-850 Jump Pack helps you quickly reposition to safety and navigate urban maps more effectively.
While the Machine Gun can easily defeat Harvesters by targeting their weak spots, having an Orbital stratagem in your build is crucial for dealing with multiple heavies. The Orbital Laser can handle two to three shielded Harvesters simultaneously, whereas the Railcannon Strike is only effective against unshielded targets.
For the primary weapon in this build, you can choose any from the Armory. If you want to maintain the bullet-storm theme, opt for the StA-52 Assault Rifle from the Helldivers 2 x Killzone 2 crossover. It features a large drum magazine for sustained, light-armor-penetrating fire, matching the damage output of the standard Liberator.
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