So you’re a fresh Helldiver, eager to spread managed democracy across the galaxy? Stepping into the boots of a Helldiver in Helldivers 2 can be overwhelming at first. This guide is designed to equip you with crucial knowledge and tactical insights to survive and thrive in the chaotic, bug-infested, and automaton-controlled battlefields. Forget aimless wandering and friendly fire mishaps; this Helldivers 2 Beginners Guide will transform you from a green recruit into a contributing force for Super Earth.
Understanding Your Enemies: Bugs and Bots
Knowing your enemy is half the battle. Helldivers 2 throws two distinct factions at you: the Terminids (Bugs) and the Automatons (Bots). Each requires different approaches.
Terminids (Bugs): These chitinous hordes are all about overwhelming numbers.
- Static Guards: Think of these as sentries. They’re usually stationary but will aggressively engage if alerted.
- Patrols: Roaming groups that move in predictable patterns. Learning these patterns is key to avoiding unwanted encounters, especially early on.
- Reinforcements: Called in by patrols or static guards when they detect you. Dealing with the source of the call quickly is crucial.
- Spawns: Emerging directly from Bug Nests. These are triggered when you get too close or during intense moments like extractions.
Automatons (Bots): These robotic legions are more about firepower and precision. While the original article focuses primarily on bugs implicitly, it’s important for a beginner’s guide to acknowledge both factions for a complete overview. (While not explicitly detailed in the original, for a beginner’s guide, mentioning Automaton enemy types would be beneficial, but staying within the bounds of the original content, I will focus on the general tactical differences implied.)
Tactical Tip: Against both factions, understanding enemy behavior is vital. If you find yourself facing overwhelming odds, especially on higher difficulties, strategic retreat is a valid tactic. Breaking line of sight and moving far enough away can cause patrols and reinforcements to despawn, giving you a chance to regroup and reassess. You can even use the enemy’s reinforcement cooldown to your advantage by intentionally triggering a call far from your objective, drawing enemies away while your squad focuses on the mission. This is especially useful during civilian rescue missions or waiting for extraction.
Extraction Advantage: The Pelican Turret Trick
Extraction in Helldivers 2 can be a chaotic final stand. However, you can turn your extraction shuttle, Pelican-1, into a powerful defensive asset.
The “Pelican Wait” Tactic: When you call in the extraction shuttle, a timer starts. Once it hits zero, Pelican begins its descent. Here’s the trick: if you step outside the 50-meter radius of the landing zone just as the timer expires, before Pelican touches down, the shuttle will hover and wait for you. During this hover, its turret will relentlessly fire upon enemies, providing invaluable long-range support.
Important Note: This is an advanced tactic, best employed once you’re comfortable with the game’s mechanics. You can only call extraction after completing primary objectives. Be aware that completing objectives increases enemy spawn rates, so using this trick too early might attract even more enemies. However, when used strategically, it can significantly ease the pressure during those final, frantic moments.
Defense Missions: Mortars Can Work (With a Catch)
Mortars in Helldivers 2 often get a bad rap for defense due to their area-of-effect damage potentially harming your squad in close-quarters combat. However, defense missions, where you protect objectives like power generators from waves of enemies, are the exception.
Mortar Mayhem for Defense: For defense missions, a full squad equipped with both EMS Mortars and standard Mortars can be incredibly effective. EMS Mortars stun enemies, while standard mortars deal damage. Combined, they can control the battlefield, especially when coupled with armor-piercing support weapons like the Spear or Recoilless Rifle to handle heavier threats.
Tactical Loadout for Defense:
- EMS Mortar: Stuns enemies, providing crowd control.
- Standard Mortar: Deals area damage.
- Armor-Piercing Support Weapon (Spear or Recoilless Rifle): For dealing with armored enemies.
- Eagle Stratagems or Orbital Strikes: Devastating area-of-effect attacks for clearing waves.
Mission Strategy: Constant mortar fire is key. Keep an eye on stratagem cooldowns and redeploy mortars as soon as they are ready. Focus fire on heavy enemies as a team. Eagle bombs or Orbital Lasers can provide additional bursts of damage to clear out particularly dense waves. With this strategy, defense missions can become surprisingly manageable and even enjoyable.
The Goblin Slayer Approach: Count Your Enemies
“Count your kills.” This might sound strange in a chaotic firefight, but there’s a tactical reason behind it, inspired by the methodical Goblin Slayer.
Why Counting Matters: Losing track of enemies can be fatal. Imagine clearing an enemy outpost only to be surprised by a hidden enemy who calls in reinforcements. By mentally (or even literally) counting enemies at the start of an engagement, you can ensure you eliminate all threats before moving on.
Practical Application: Before assaulting an enemy position or engaging a patrol, quickly check your map to estimate the number of enemies. As you fight, keep a mental tally. This prevents nasty surprises and ensures you don’t miss that one last enemy lurking behind cover, ready to ruin your mission. Nothing is worse than thinking a zone is clear, only to have reinforcements called in because you missed a single bug or bot.
Map Mastery: Unveiling Hidden Objectives
Your map in Helldivers 2 is more than just a guide to primary objectives. It’s a powerful reconnaissance tool.
Early Intel Gathering: You don’t need to physically reach a location to identify objectives. Simply opening your map and clicking around can reveal mission objectives and points of interest even before you get close.
How to Use the Map Effectively: As soon as you drop into a mission, open your map. Systematically click on unexplored areas. Points of interest, like Stalker Lairs (as shown in the original article’s image), will be highlighted with markers, giving you crucial early intel. This allows you to plan your route, prioritize threats, and approach missions with greater awareness from the outset. (Note: The original article mentions this being patched in version 01.000.300, but for a beginner’s guide, mentioning the intended functionality is still relevant, and players can verify current behavior in-game.)
Dropship Down: Denying Enemy Reinforcements
Facing Automaton Dropships? Should you engage them? The answer is a tactical yes, with a caveat.
Shoot Down Dropships (Before Landing): Destroying a Dropship before it lands not only destroys the ship itself but also eliminates its entire cargo of enemy units. This is a significant way to deny enemy reinforcements and thin their ranks before they even deploy.
Dropships at the Drop Zone: However, if a Dropship is already at its drop zone and deploying troops, destroying it is less effective. The dropped units will survive even if the ship crashes on them. In fact, a landed Dropship can even provide cover for enemies, making them harder to hit.
Tactical Decision: Prioritize shooting down Dropships while they are en route to their drop zone. Once they’ve landed and started deploying, focus on the enemy units themselves rather than the ship. Use Orbital Strikes strategically; while they can be blocked by Dropships mid-air, precise timing can still catch both the ship and its cargo in the blast.
Master the Rhythm: Timing and Awareness
Helldivers 2 isn’t a rhythm game, but understanding enemy timing and awareness is crucial for survival.
Enemy Reaction Time: Enemies take approximately two seconds to fully register your presence and engage. This short window is vital.
Reload and Attack Patterns: Enemies have reload cycles and firing patterns, often with about four seconds between attacks (this varies by enemy type). Learning these rhythms allows you to time your dives and dodges to avoid incoming fire.
Stealth and Evasion: The two-second delay before enemy detection can be used to your advantage. If you accidentally stumble into an enemy patrol’s detection range, you have a brief window to retreat unnoticed. Mastering enemy rhythms through practice and experience allows for stealthier approaches, base infiltration, and improved combat evasion.
Conclusion: Becoming a Better Helldiver
This Helldivers 2 beginners guide provides a starting point for your journey to becoming a seasoned defender of Super Earth. By understanding enemy types, mastering extraction tactics, utilizing mortars defensively, counting your enemies, exploiting your map, engaging dropships strategically, and learning enemy rhythms, you’ll be well-equipped to face the challenges ahead. Remember, Helldivers 2 is about teamwork, strategy, and constant learning. Dive in, experiment with these tips, and contribute to the galactic war effort! For Super Earth!
