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The Illuminate in Helldivers 2 are a challenging adversary, known for their advanced tech and overwhelming tactics. They deploy both light infantry and elite units from ground and air, making them a formidable foe. To triumph over them, it's crucial to select loadouts and builds that not only exploit their vulnerabilities but also shield you from their sophisticated attacks.
The key to defeating the Illuminate lies in balancing your arsenal to handle both their light and armored units effectively. Neglecting either can render your loadout ineffective against the full spectrum of their forces. In this guide, we'll explore the best loadouts and strategies tailored specifically for combating the Illuminate, whether you're a veteran or a newcomer. Let's dive in and prepare to take on these squid-like adversaries 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 through Overseers, including the jet-pack-wielding Elevated units, and are equally effective against the Voteless. The Siege-Ready armor passive provides additional ammunition and faster reloads, ensuring you can handle multiple high-priority targets efficiently. The increased damage per second is invaluable when every shot counts.
The Eagle Strafing Run paired with the GP-31 Grenade Pistol forms a potent combo for destroying parked warp ships. Since energy-based weapons struggle with their shields, a single Strafing Run can obliterate the shields of all grounded warp ships in a line. Follow up by shooting a grenade into their open bay doors to cause an explosion. This strategy is particularly useful when clearing out medium or heavy Illuminate nests with multiple warp ships. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact can also be used to target open bay doors, they are more effective at clearing out chaff, so reserve them for use with 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 ideal for locking down areas during objective defense. If crowd control isn't your priority, consider swapping it for an Orbital Laser to target Harvesters or future heavy units.
Finally, the LAS-98 Laser Cannon rounds out this loadout perfectly. It can melt Overseers and chaff in 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 an ideal anti-squid weapon. On higher 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 invaluable. Both weapons excel at clearing chaff, but the Arc Thrower's ability to chain and stagger lightning arcs can render Overseers nearly useless. Continuous ranged attacks 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 flying Overseers. It provides consistent crowd control and disrupts enemy formations, 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 sentries if you're already engaging them.
The Eagle Strafing Run and Grenade Pistol remain 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 ideal due to its unlimited uses. The Orbital Laser is effective against multiple Harvesters but limited to three uses, so you'll need to rely on your team eventually. 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 teammates.
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 efficiently 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. Its high fire rate is also 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 relocate to safety and navigate urban maps more easily.
While the Machine Gun can handle Harvesters by targeting their weak spots, having an Orbital stratagem in your build is crucial for dealing with multiple heavies. The Orbital Laser can manage two to three shielded Harvesters simultaneously, whereas the Railcannon Strike is only effective against unshielded targets.
For the primary weapon, you can choose any from the Armory. If you prefer sticking to the bullet-storm theme, the StA-52 Assault Rifle from the Helldivers 2 x Killzone 2 crossover is a great option. It features a large drum magazine and provides sustained fire with light-armor-penetrating capabilities, matching the damage output of the standard Liberator.
