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The Illuminate in Helldivers 2 are a tough nut to crack. Their advanced tech and sheer numbers can overwhelm even seasoned players. While you're battling their light infantry, their elite units will be swarming you from above and below. Victory hinges on smart loadouts that exploit their weaknesses while mitigating their strengths. The key is finding the right mix of weapons, support gear, and stratagems to handle both their lighter and heavier units effectively. Neglect either, and your strategy will crumble.
This guide details top-tier loadouts specifically designed to counter the Illuminate. Whether you're a veteran or new to the game, these strategies will significantly improve your performance. Let's dive in and prepare for the fight!
The Laser Cannon Loadout: Melting the Illuminate
| Primary | PLAS-1 Scorcher / PLAS-101 Purifier |
|---|---|
| Secondary | GP-31 Grenade Pistol |
| Grenade | G-13 Incendiary Impact |
| Armor Passive | Siege-Ready |
| Stratagems | LAS-98 Laser Cannon (Support), AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog", Eagle Strafing Run, A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry / Orbital Laser |
The PLAS-1 Scorcher and PLAS-101 Purifier are top-tier primaries in Helldivers 2. They decimate Overseers, including the airborne Elevated units, and are equally effective against the Voteless. The Siege-Ready armor passive provides extra ammo and faster reloads, ensuring you're always ready for multiple targets. The increased DPS is invaluable when every shot counts.
The Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol combo is devastating against parked warp ships. Energy weapons struggle against their shields, but a single Strafing Run obliterates them, leaving the grenade pistol to finish them off. This is perfect for clearing out larger nests requiring multiple warp ship destructions. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact works well against chaff, save it for those situations and use the Grenade Pistol against the ships.
The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" surprisingly excels against medium-armored Overseers. Each burst takes down a single elite unit, making it a strong flank-protection stratagem.
The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry secures areas during objective defense. If crowd control isn't paramount, replace it with 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 weaken their shields, then target their weak points (thighs/eyes). A single clip is usually enough with accurate aim. Its long range is a huge advantage, making it a true anti-squid weapon. On higher difficulties (9 or 10) with multiple Harvesters, the Orbital Laser becomes essential.
The Lightning Loadout: Shocking (& Staggering) the Illuminate
| Primary | ARC-12 Blitzer |
|---|---|
| Secondary | GP-31 Grenade Pistol |
| Grenade | G-13 Incendiary Impact |
| Armor Passive | Electrical Conduit / Med-Kit |
| Stratagems | ARC-3 Arc Thrower (Support), Orbital Railcannon Strike / Orbital Laser, Eagle Strafing Run, A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower |
The Illuminate's mix of melee and ranged units makes the ARC-12 Blitzer and ARC-3 Arc Thrower ideal. Both handle chaff easily, but the Arc Thrower renders Overseers almost helpless, stunning them with chained lightning attacks. Repeated attacks can perma-stun airborne Overseers.
The Arc Thrower can also take down unshielded Harvesters, albeit requiring numerous hits.
The A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower is highly effective against all Illuminate types, especially groups of flying Overseers. It provides consistent crowd control and disruption. Combine it with the Arc Thrower for widespread lightning attacks. Prioritize targeting priority enemies with the Arc Thrower to protect your Tesla Tower.
Remember, Harvesters often target sentries first, so don't waste your Tesla Tower or similar stratagems on them unless necessary.
The Eagle Strafing Run and Grenade Pistol remain crucial for warp ship destruction, 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 is limited to three uses. 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
| Primary | StA-52 Assault Rifle |
|---|---|
| Secondary | GP-31 Grenade Pistol / CQC-19 Stun Lance |
| Grenade | G-13 Incendiary Impact |
| Armor Passive | Peak Physique / Engineering Kit |
| Stratagems | MG-43 Machine Gun (Support), LIFT-850 Jump Pack, Orbital Railcannon Strike / Orbital Laser, A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry / A/G-16 Gatling Sentry |
The MG-43 Machine Gun is incredibly versatile against the Illuminate. It shreds light and medium enemies and even handles Harvesters effectively. Compared to the MG-206, it's more manageable and faster against infantry. It's a true all-rounder. Use the Engineering Kit to reduce recoil or Peak Physique to reduce drag for easier targeting of airborne units.
Its high fire rate efficiently depletes shields, making the Eagle Strafing Run unnecessary for 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 and easier navigation.
While the Machine Gun can handle Harvesters, an Orbital stratagem is helpful for multiple heavies. The Orbital Laser handles two to three shielded Harvesters simultaneously, while the Railcannon Strike is best against unshielded targets.
For the primary weapon, the StA-52 Assault Rifle (from the Killzone 2 crossover) is a good choice, offering sustained fire and light armor penetration, comparable to the Liberator.
