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In Helldivers 2, the Illuminate are a formidable foe, known for their advanced technology and strategic precision. They can overwhelm players with sheer numbers and elite units that attack from both ground and air. To triumph over them, you need to carefully select your loadouts and builds that exploit their vulnerabilities while countering their technological prowess.
The key to effectively combating the Illuminate is to strike a balance with your weapons, support gear, and stratagems. You must handle both their light infantry and their armored or heavy units. Neglecting either type can render your loadout ineffective against the full force 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 player or new to the game, these strategies will boost your combat effectiveness against this challenging, squid-like faction. Let's gear up and prepare to confront the Illuminate head-on.
The Laser Cannon Loadout: Melting the Illuminate
The PLAS-1 Scorcher and PLAS-101 Purifier are among the top 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 performance by providing additional ammunition and quicker reloads, allowing you to tackle multiple priority targets efficiently. The increased damage per second is crucial when every shot counts.
The Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol form a potent combination for destroying 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 shooting a grenade into their open bay doors to cause an explosion. This tactic is particularly effective when clearing medium or heavy Illuminate nests with multiple warp ships. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact can also be used in the open bay doors, it's more effective against light infantry, so reserve it for when you're using the Grenade Pistol.
The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" is surprisingly effective against medium-armored Overseers. Each burst can take down a single elite unit, making it an excellent choice for protecting your flanks against the Illuminate.
The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry is ideal for securing 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. It can melt Overseers and light infantry in seconds and is highly effective against Harvesters. Use a Strafing Run to deplete their shields, then target the Harvesters' weak points (thighs/eyes) with the Laser Cannon. 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 perfect 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
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 can easily dispatch light infantry, 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 and destroying 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 excellent 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 teammates eventually. Always use a Strafing Run to disable their shields first. This build is one of the most powerful against the Illuminate in Helldivers 2, especially when coordinated with other players.
The Machine Gun Loadout: Shredding the Illuminate
The MG-43 Machine Gun is the most versatile support weapon 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, providing a perfect balance of 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 relocate to safety and navigate urban maps more easily.
While the Machine Gun can effectively target Harvesters by aiming at their weak spots, having an Orbital stratagem in your build is crucial for dealing with multiple heavy units quickly. The Orbital Laser can handle two to three shielded Harvesters at once, whereas the Railcannon Strike is only effective against unshielded targets.
For the primary weapon in this loadout, 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 and provides sustained fire that penetrates light armor, matching the damage output of the standard Liberator.
