Helldivers 2 Best Weapons For Automatons, Bugs, Each Faction, Illuminate 2026

Helldivers 2 Best Weapons For Automatons

Against the Automatons, precision and armor penetration are your top priorities. Since most bots have exposed "eyes" or medium-armored vents, weapons that reward accuracy or deal explosive damage perform best.

Best Primary Weapons

• PLAS-1 Scorcher: Widely considered the gold standard for bots. Its explosive plasma rounds can destroy Scout Striders from the front and deal high damage to Devastators.
• R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper: Ideal for players with good aim. It has medium armor penetration and can one-shot Devastators with a single hit to their small red eye.
• JAR-5 Dominator: A heavy-hitting rifle with high stagger. It is excellent for stopping Berserkers and Devastators in their tracks while shredding through medium armor.
• SG-8P Punisher Plasma: Exceptional for crowd control. The arcing plasma shots provide massive stagger, allowing you to "stun lock" entire groups of Devastators.
• LAS-16 Sickle: Best for clearing "chaff" (smaller foot soldiers). Its infinite ammo (if heat is managed) and near-zero recoil make it a reliable workhorse.

Best Support Weapons

• AC-8 Autocannon: The most versatile anti-bot tool. It can destroy Fabricators (by shooting the vents), kill Hulks in two shots to the eye, and take down Gunships and Tanks.
• RS-422 Railgun: Highly effective against medium and heavy elites. In "Unsafe Mode," it can one-shot Devastators and Hulks (to the eye) with a charged shot.
• Anti-Materiel Rifle (AMR): A high-skill choice that allows you to take out Hulks and Devastators from extreme range. It offers similar utility to the Autocannon but frees up your backpack slot.
• Laser Cannon: Surprisingly effective against Automaton weak spots, particularly Gunship engines and Hulk eyes. It also has infinite ammo if you manage the heat.

Essential Utilities

• Stun Grenades: Essential for freezing Hulks in place so you can easily hit their tiny eye-slits with a precision weapon.
• G-12 Impact Grenades: Useful for instantly destroying Scout Striders or dealing quick damage to the heat vents on Tanks and Turrets.
• P-4 Senator / P-11 Stim Pistol: The Senator provides a pocket-sized medium-armor piercing option for emergencies.

Helldivers 2 Best Weapons For Bugs

To squash bugs effectively in Helldivers 2, you need a mix of crowd control for swarms and high-penetration tools for armored heavies.

Primary Weapons

• SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary: Widely considered the "GOAT" for bugs. Its fire damage-over-time (DoT) ignores armor and melts massive swarms of small-to-medium enemies.
• SG-451 Cookout: A top-tier alternative to the Incendiary Breaker that adds significant stagger. It is particularly effective at stopping Stalkers and Hunters mid-leap.
• ARC-12 Blitzer: Excellent for infinite ammo and its ability to stun-lock almost every bug up to a Charger.
• R-36 Eruptor / CB-9 Exploding Crossbow: Best for utility; these can close bug holes from a distance, allowing you to use a non-explosive secondary or grenade.
• LAS-16 Sickle: Great for clearing "chaff" (small bugs) with pinpoint accuracy and potentially infinite ammo if managed well.

Support Weapons

• LAS-99 Quasar Cannon: A premier choice for anti-tank duty. It has infinite ammo and can one-shot Chargers (to the head) and destroy Shrieker Nests or Spore Towers from across the map.
• FLAM-40 Flamethrower: High-risk, high-reward weapon that incinerates everything in front of you, including Chargers. Pair with a Jump Pack for safety.
• MG-43 Machine Gun / M-105 Stalwart: Pure horde-clearing power. The Stalwart is mobile, while the MG-43 has enough penetration to shred medium-armored bugs like Hive Guards.
• GL-21 Grenade Launcher: The king of clearing clusters of small bugs and closing bug holes quickly.

Secondaries & Grenades

• GP-31 Grenade Pistol: Highly recommended as it gives you a way to close bug holes and destroy nests without using your primary or support weapon slots.
• P-19 Redeemer: The standard "oh-crap" button for when you get swarmed.
• G-16 Impact Grenade: Essential for instant kills on clusters or quickly finishing off damaged armored targets.

Best Weapons For Each Faction

Choosing the right loadout in Helldivers 2 depends on the specific threats each faction presents. While individual playstyles vary, certain weapons consistently dominate based on enemy armor and behaviors.

Terminids (Bugs)

The key against bugs is crowd control, high fire rate, and fire damage to manage overwhelming numbers and fast-moving swarms.

• SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary: Widely considered the gold standard for bugs. The fire damage-over-time (DoT) can clear waves of smaller enemies while you reposition.
• SG-8S Cookout: Exceptional for its high stagger, which can stop aggressive Stalkers or Commanders in their tracks.
• ARC-12 Blitzer: Great for infinite ammo and high stagger, effectively chain-stunning multiple enemies at once.
• Support Weapons: The Stalwart is elite for clearing trash, while the GR-8 Recoilless Rifle or Quasar Cannon are essential for taking down Chargers and Bile Titans.

Automatons (Bots)

Against bots, precision and medium armor penetration are vital to hit small weak points like heads and heat sinks from a distance.

• JAR-5 Dominator: High damage and medium armor penetration make it perfect for shredding Devastators and Berserkers.
• Diligence Counter Sniper: The best choice for players who prefer long-range engagements, as it can one-shot most basic bots and two-shot Devastators in the head.
• PLAS-1 Scorcher: Effective because its explosive splash damage can bypass the frontal shields of Scout Striders.
• Support Weapons: The Autocannon is the ultimate bot-slayer due to its versatility, while the AMR (Anti-Materiel Rifle) is excellent for safe, long-range removal of heavy units.

Illuminate (Squids)

Note: This faction involves high-mobility enemies and energy shields.

• AR-2 Coyote: A top-tier choice for its high rate of fire and reliability against the unarmored but fast-moving "Voteless" units.
• PLAS-101 Purifier: Useful for its high stagger and splash damage, which is effective against Illuminate rushes and their shielding.
• LAS-16 Sickle: Infinite ammo (if managed well) and high accuracy make it great for picking off Illuminate observers and small swarms.
• Support Weapons: The Laser Cannon and Stalwart are highly recommended for their ability to shred shields and maintain high uptime.

Universal Top Picks

• R-36 Eruptor: A unique primary that can destroy bug holes and bot fabricators, freeing up your grenade slot for utility like Stun Grenades.
• SMG-37 Defender: The premier choice when carrying a Ballistic Shield against bots or objective items, offering surprising stability and power for a one-handed weapon.

Best Weapons For Illuminate

Against the Illuminate, weapons that excel at stripping energy shields, providing high fire rates for crowd control, or dealing splash damage are top-tier. Because Illuminate units often lack the heavy physical armor of Automatons, Medium Armor Penetration and sustained DPS are generally more valuable than pure anti-tank burst.

S-Tier Primary Weapons

• LAS-17 Double-Edged Sickle: Widely considered the "GOAT" for this front. It strips shields rapidly and has the fire rate to decapitate entire "Voteless" hordes.
• PLAS-1 Scorcher: Highly effective due to its splash damage, which hits through shields and punishes grouped enemies. It has the fastest non-headshot TTK against Overseers.
• PLAS-101 Purifier: Offers high stagger and AoE, allowing you to lock down multiple elite units like Overseers at once.
• ARC-12 Blitzer: Excellent for close-quarters crowd control; it has infinite ammo and provides essential stagger against rushing units.
• R-36 Eruptor: A utility powerhouse that can one-shot many mid-tier units and destroy grounded Warp Ships.

Top Support Weapons

• Laser Cannon: Perhaps the most versatile support choice; it provides infinite ammo, burns through energy barriers, and can track flying Overseers easily.
• MG-43 Machine Gun: Frequently cited as the best overall weapon for the Illuminate due to its medium penetration and high fire rate, which can even shred Harvester leg joints.
• WASP: An S-tier specialized support weapon that excels at locking onto and eliminating flesh mobs and Overseers at range.
• ARC-3 Arc Thrower: Highly effective for stunning and chaining damage through Illuminate formations.

Essential Sidearms & Grenades

• GP-31 Grenade Pistol / Ultimatum: Essential for destroying grounded Warp Ships and Lightning Spires.
• P-4 Senator: Its high medium penetration allows it to one-tap the heads of shielded infantry.
• Gas Grenades: The most recommended grenade for this front; the lingering effect is devastating against Voteless swarms.

Recommended Stratagems

• Ballistic "Guard Dog": Often preferred over the Rover for its higher TTK against jetpack squids and its ability to shred shields without the risk of the laser beam friendly-firing the squad.
• Tesla Tower: A classic anti-Illuminate tool that electrifies and disrupts shield regeneration for entire groups.
• Eagle Strafing Run: Excellent for quick horde clear and stripping shields off larger structures.