Helldivers 2 Guide#
Helldivers 2 is a third-person co-op shooter from Arrowhead Game Studios, released on February 8, 2024 for PS5 and PC (Steam). As an elite soldier of Super Earth, you team up with three other players on procedurally generated battlefields to fight off alien threats and spread Managed Democracy.
This hub gathers the game’s core facts — platforms, factions, difficulty tiers, loadouts, and the community-wide planetary war — into one place. Everything below follows the source guide’s verified figures; anything unverifiable has been left out rather than guessed.
Game Overview#
| Item |
Detail |
| Developer |
Arrowhead Game Studios |
| Publisher |
Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| Genre |
Third-person co-op shooter |
| Players |
1-4 players, online co-op |
| Cross-play |
PS5 and PC, fully cross-platform |
| Factions |
3 — Terminids, Automatons, Illuminate |
| Core loop |
Drop in → complete mission objectives → extract → upgrade your ship → drop again |
| Online modes |
Quickplay / friends / online-only (no single-player campaign) |
| Languages |
Full Chinese support (interface + voice) |
Core Features#
| Feature |
Detail |
| Stratagem system |
Input directional codes to call in airdrops — weapons, strikes, and support all arrive through stratagem codes |
| Friendly fire |
Friendly fire is always on — every bullet you fire can kill a teammate. Watch your fire. |
| Dynamic planetary war |
A persistent war shared by every player — each planet carries a community-wide progress bar |
| Procedural battlefields |
Map layout, enemy positions, and objective placement are different on every mission |
| Ragdoll physics |
Explosions send enemies and teammates flying — exaggerated and hilarious |
| Ship as home |
Your ship is your operating base: choose missions, configure your loadout, and upgrade the vessel there |
The Three Factions#
| Faction |
Type |
Difficulty |
Detail |
| Terminids |
Melee swarms |
★★☆☆☆ |
Bugs that swarm you in melee — the faction for learning the game |
| Automatons |
Ranged machines |
★★★★☆ |
Robot armies with precise shooting — demand cover and coordinated tactics |
| Illuminate |
Shielded aliens |
★★★☆☆ |
High-tech enemies with energy shields — break the shield, then burst them down |
The Warbond System#
| Concept |
Detail |
| Free warbond |
Base progression rewards — unlocked with experience |
| Premium warbonds |
Unlocked with Super Credits — exclusive weapons, armor, and cosmetics |
| Super Credits |
A paid currency, but also pickable on maps (about 10-30 per mission) |
| Current warbond |
Each warbond lasts about 6-8 weeks and may return after it expires |
Quick Tips#
| # |
Tip |
Detail |
| 1 |
Friendly fire kills |
Never stand between a teammate and the enemy — turrets and airstrikes can kill teammates too |
| 2 |
Memorize your codes |
Muscle-memory the codes you use most (machine gun, resupply, orbital cannon) and input them while running |
| 3 |
Complement the squad |
A four-player team needs a balanced mix of anti-armor, wave clear, supplies, and crowd control |
| 4 |
Don’t rush extraction |
Clear the area before calling extraction — getting swarmed at the ramp wastes the whole mission |
| 5 |
Learn the dive |
Jump plus a direction performs a combat dive — dive plus smoke grenade is the life-saving combo when surrounded |
| 6 |
Mark enemies |
Ping key targets — teammates can see the marker, and aim assist helps on marked enemies |
Quick Reference#
| Item |
Info |
| Platforms |
PS5, PC (Steam) |
| Price |
PS5 ¥468 HKD |
| Online modes |
1-4 player co-op, cross-platform |
| Difficulty levels |
1-10 (1 casual / 10 hell) |
| Factions |
3 — Terminids / Automatons / Illuminate |
| Friendly fire |
Always on — shooting a teammate is lethal |
| Stratagems |
80+, spanning weapons, strikes, and support |
| Core loop |
Drop in → mission → extract → upgrade → repeat |
FAQ#
| Question |
Answer |
| Is there a single-player campaign? |
No pure single-player campaign — but you can play solo, and matchmaking fills the squad with AI teammates |
| Best starter weapons? |
SG-225 Breaker (shotgun) + P-19 Redeemer (pistol) + G-12 HE grenade |
| Friendly fire is annoying — what do I do? |
Mind your positioning: don’t stand in teammates’ firing lines, and don’t fire toward melee teammates |
| Can Super Credits be earned for free? |
Yes — they spawn randomly on maps, about 10-30 per mission |
| How is it different from the first game? |
Helldivers 2 moved from top-down to third-person — modernized controls, same core mechanics |
| Play with friends or random queue? |
Friends with voice chat is the best experience — randoms work too, but coordination is weaker |
| Does crossplay lag? |
Lag between PS5 and PC is minimal — they sit in the same server ecosystem |
Difficulty Recommendations#
| Difficulty |
Name |
Fits |
Detail |
| 1-3 |
Easy |
Learning controls, farming low-tier warbonds |
Low enemy density — good for practicing stratagem codes |
| 4-5 |
Medium |
Normal resource income, mid-tier materials |
Armored units start appearing — prepare anti-armor weapons |
| 6-7 |
Hard |
Advanced materials, better experience income |
Requires full team coordination — control, anti-armor, and supplies are all mandatory |
| 8-9 |
Extreme |
Farming Super Credits, top-tier challenge |
Full four-player squad with optimal loadouts — almost no room for error |
| 10 |
Hell |
Pure challenge — proving yourself |
Elites everywhere on the map — every step is a life-or-death decision |
Recommended Loadouts#
| Role |
Primary |
Support weapon |
Stratagems |
| Anti-armor |
Any primary |
Recoilless Rifle |
Orbital cannon + airstrike |
| Wave clear |
SG-225 Breaker |
Machine gun sentry + mortar sentry |
Cluster bombs + incendiaries |
| Support |
AR-23 Liberator |
Supply pack + heavy machine gun |
Shield generator + smoke grenades |
| Scout |
Stealth tactical SMG |
Scout drone + machine gun |
Precision orbital strike + stun grenades |
Update History#
| Version |
Highlights |
Date |
| 1.0 launch version |
Base game — Terminids and Automatons factions |
February 2024 |
| First major update |
Illuminate faction returns + new stratagems |
2024 Q2 |
| Warbond system |
A new warbond every 6 weeks — new weapons and cosmetics |
Ongoing |
| Balance overhaul |
Full weapon-data adjustments + enemy AI improvements |
2024 Q3 |
| Anniversary edition |
Anniversary event + community challenges + exclusive cosmetics |
February 2025 |
| 2026 update plan |
New faction content + new planetary war regions |
Through 2026 |
Planetary War Guide#
| Concept |
Detail |
| Planet liberation |
All players contribute to campaign objectives — every completed campaign adds liberation percentage |
| Major Orders |
Dev-issued global objectives — time-limited, rewarding Warbond medals and Super Credits |
| Defense campaigns |
Triggered when a faction attacks a liberated planet — a successful defense protects resource output |
| Resource output |
Every liberated planet produces specific resources (XP / credits / materials) — more planets mean higher passive income |
| Community goals |
Planet-specific kill / mission-count targets — all players are rewarded when they are reached |
Getting Started Fast#
- Finish the tutorial — the mandatory in-game tutorial teaches stratagem inputs, shooting, mission objectives, and other basics.
- Start at difficulty 3-4 — learn the enemy types and mission patterns first, then climb toward higher difficulties step by step.
- Unlock the key stratagems first — prioritize the machine gun sentry, the supply pack, and the orbital cannon; those three cover most situations.
- Watch your teammates’ positions — never fire into a teammate’s front; a small sidestep avoids team kills.
- Call extraction 30 seconds early — call in the landing zone ahead of time, and use the remaining time to clear nearby enemies before boarding.
Advanced Tactics and Resource Management#
Difficulty Tiers vs. Rewards#
| Difficulty |
Enemy traits |
Main rewards |
Recommended gear level |
| 1-3 (Recruit) |
Sparse patrols, no elites |
Common samples, a few Super Credits |
Basic weapons + 2 stratagems |
| 4-6 (Veteran) |
Armored units appear; Terminid / Automaton mixes |
Rare samples, Super Credits, Warbond medals |
3-4 stratagems unlocked, weapons at level 2 |
| 7-9 (Elite) |
Elites frequent, extraction points easily sealed |
Super samples, premium Warbond medals |
All stratagems unlocked, level-3 weapons, carry a supply pack |
| 10 (Hell) |
Endless reinforcements; bomber bugs and giant mechs everywhere |
Exclusive cosmetics, large amounts of super samples |
Squad play with a clear division of roles |
Stratagem Priority (by unlock value)#
- Orbital Gatling Barrage (unlocks at T1) — the most efficient crowd-clearer, with a cooldown of only 60 seconds.
- Supply Pack (T3) — solves ammunition and medical shortages; make it a priority.
- Sentry: Autogun (T5) — auto-targeting, ideal for defending the extraction point.
- Orbital Laser (T7) — one-shot kills on heavy armored units, but the cooldown is as long as 3 minutes.
- Eagle Strike: 500kg Bomb (T9) — wide-area clearing with high friendly-fire risk; placement must be precise.
Weapon Setups and Ammo Loads#
| Weapon type |
Recommended modules |
Ammo to carry |
Where it fits |
| Assault rifle (primary) |
Extended magazine + stabilizing grip |
4 magazines, 6 spare |
Mid-range suppression, fits bug swarms |
| Shotgun (primary) |
HE rounds + fast reload |
3 magazines, 4 spare |
Close-quarters brawling, good armor breaking |
| Sniper rifle (primary) |
Thermal imaging + piercing rounds |
2 magazines, 3 spare |
Picking off elites at range; avoid melee |
| Pistol (sidearm) |
Suppressor + laser designator |
2 magazines, 2 spare |
Stealth kills on patrol sentries without alerting the main force |
| Thrown weapons |
Impact grenades x3 |
2 incendiary, 2 EMP |
Incendiaries seal off paths, EMPs interrupt reinforcements |
Terrain Use and Extraction Planning#
- First 30 seconds: confirm every high ledge, cave, and second-floor building entrance on the map, and mark them as temporary cover.
- Mid-mission: take abandoned outposts with ammo boxes first rather than rushing straight to the objective.
- 2 minutes before extraction: place 3 sentries around the extraction point in a triangular formation covering every approach path.
- Special terrain: on ice fields, use incendiary grenades to melt the ice and make pursuing enemies slip; in swamps, use the mud to slow enemies and loop around behind them; in city ruins, destroy the second-floor stairs to create a one-way choke point where enemies can only come up the stairwell.
Super Sample Spawns and Farming Routes#
| Map type |
High-probability spawn points |
Suggested order |
Safe window |
| Jungle (Terminids) |
Root cracks under large trees, wrecked transport aircraft |
East first, then west, center last |
Within 15 seconds after each reinforcement wave ends |
| Desert (Automatons) |
Shaded sides of dunes, buried armored vehicles |
Loop counterclockwise along the map edge |
During patrol rotations (about every 40 seconds) |
| Snowfield (mixed) |
Ice cave entrances, crashed scout aircraft |
Cave first, then tail, then wing |
30 seconds before a blizzard arrives |
Team Roles and Voice Calls#
| Role |
Core duty |
Must-have stratagems |
Common voice calls |
| Focal attacker |
Frontal fire suppression, drawing aggro |
Orbital Gatling + sentry |
“Focus the left” / “covering my reload” |
| Support |
Ammo supply and healing |
Supply pack + healing gun |
“Who needs ammo” / “you’re behind cover” |
| Scout |
Marking enemies, planning routes |
Scout drone + smoke |
“3 patrols ahead” / “go around the right” |
| Demolitions |
Destroying nests and factories |
500kg bomb + orbital laser |
“Target locked” / “mind the shockwave” |
Common Deaths and How to Avoid Them#
| Cause of death |
Trigger |
Avoidance move |
| Flattened by a charging bug |
Within 20 m in a straight line, no sidestep |
On the roar, roll sideways immediately — never back away |
| One-shot by an Automaton rocket |
Stationary for more than 2 seconds in the open |
Force yourself to move after every 3 shots, using cover windows |
| Intercepted at extraction |
The extraction point is covered by enemy turrets |
Throw smoke first, then call the shuttle |
| Friendly-fire throw |
A thrown explosive detonates in a tight space |
Press the V key to confirm teammate positions before throwing, and call it out loud |
Daily Missions and Warbond Exchange Priorities#
- Daily missions: prefer “complete 1 mission at difficulty 7 or above” and “collect 30 rare samples” — the two can be done in the same run.
- Warbond medals: first priority is the “expansion pack” (adds 2 stratagem slots), second priority is the “emergency extraction beacon” (cuts extraction wait time by 50%).
- Super Credits: don’t buy ordinary cosmetics; unlock the “free upgrade pack” (bonus sample rewards on every level-up) first.
Hidden Tricks for Speed-Clearing High Difficulties#
- Use the “orbital smoke strike” to create a blind spot and sprint straight through the enemy blockade without engaging at all.
- Place sentries near the mission objective before triggering it — the sentries will clear the area for you.
- If the map has an “underground tunnel” entrance, take it: it bypasses about 90% of the enemies on the surface, but you need to carry a flashlight.
- On final extraction, if the shuttle is more than 10 seconds late, immediately call an “orbital laser” around the extraction point to keep enemies away.
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Full Guides#
In-depth sub-guides — beginner basics, stratagems and equipment, the weapons database, armor and passives, enemies and factions, missions and progression, advanced tactics, and hidden secrets — are available in Chinese on NTGame’s Helldivers 2 section.
If you read Chinese, the hidden-secrets sub-guide there collects the easter eggs, hidden mechanics, and collectibles beyond the tables above.