Helldivers 2: Best Loadouts for the Illuminate

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• The Laser Cannon Loadout: Melting the Illuminate

• The Lightning Loadout: Shocking (& Staggering) the Illuminate

• The Machine Gun Loadout: Shredding the Illuminate

The Illuminate in Helldivers 2 are a tough nut to crack. Their advanced tech and sheer numbers make them a formidable foe. While you're battling their light infantry, elite units will be swarming you from above and below. Success hinges on smart loadouts that exploit their weaknesses while mitigating their strengths. The key is finding the right balance of weapons and stratagems to handle both their lighter and heavier units – neglecting either will leave you vulnerable.

This guide details top-tier loadouts for taking on the Illuminate, perfect for both veterans and newcomers. Let's dive in and prepare for battle!

The Laser Cannon Loadout: Melting the Illuminate

The PLAS-1 Scorcher and PLAS-101 Purifier are top-tier primaries in Helldivers 2. They obliterate Overseers, including the airborne Elevated units, and are equally effective against the Voteless. Siege-Ready's increased ammo and faster reloads ensure you're always ready for multiple targets, maximizing their impressive DPS.

The Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol combo is devastating against warp ships. Energy weapons struggle against their shields, but a Strafing Run easily removes them, leaving the grenade pistol to finish them off. This is particularly useful against larger nests requiring multiple ship eliminations. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact is great for clearing chaff, prioritize the Grenade Pistol against warp ships.

The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" surprisingly excels against medium-armored Overseers, taking down single elites efficiently, making it a great flanking tool.

The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry secures areas during objective defense. If crowd control isn't paramount, swap it for an Orbital Laser to target Harvesters or future heavy units.

Finally, the LAS-98 Laser Cannon completes this loadout. It melts Overseers and chaff in seconds and is excellent against Harvesters. Use a Strafing Run to strip their shields, then laser their weak points (thighs/eyes). One clip is usually enough with accurate aim. Its massive range allows for long-range target selection. An Orbital Laser is highly recommended on higher difficulties (9 or 10) where multiple Harvesters are common.

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. Both handle chaff well, but the Arc Thrower stuns Overseers, particularly effective against Elevated units, creating opportunities for sustained attacks.

The Arc Thrower can also damage unshielded Harvesters, although it requires multiple hits.

The A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower is highly effective against all Illuminate types, especially flying Overseers, providing consistent crowd control and disruption. Combine it with the Arc Thrower for devastating chained lightning attacks. Prioritize enemies threatening the tower. Remember Harvesters often target sentries, so don't waste them unless absolutely necessary.

The Eagle Strafing Run and Grenade Pistol remain essential for warp ships, as the Blitzer and Arc Thrower are inefficient against their shields.

For heavy units, the Orbital Railcannon Strike is excellent due to its unlimited uses. The Orbital Laser is effective against multiple Harvesters, but its limited uses necessitate reliance on teammates. Remember to use a Strafing Run to disable their shields first. This is a powerful build, especially when coordinated with teammates.

The Machine Gun Loadout: Shredding the Illuminate

The MG-43 Machine Gun is incredibly versatile against the Illuminate. It shreds light and medium enemies, including Harvesters. Compared to the MG-206, its better handling makes quick work of infantry. Use the Engineering Kit to reduce recoil or Peak Physique to reduce drag when targeting airborne units.

Its high fire rate effectively depletes shields, negating the need for the Eagle Strafing Run against grounded warp ships. Choose either turret sentry to control crowds or defend objectives.

The Machine Gun's only weakness is its stationary reload. The LIFT-850 Jump Pack solves this, allowing for quick repositioning.

While the Machine Gun handles Harvesters well (target weak points), an Orbital stratagem is beneficial for multiple heavies. The Orbital Laser handles two to three shielded Harvesters, while the Railcannon Strike is better against unshielded ones.

For the primary weapon, the StA-52 Assault Rifle (from the Killzone 2 crossover) provides sustained, light-armor-penetrating fire, similar to the Liberator.