Helldivers 2: Top Loadouts to Defeat the Illuminate

Quick Links

• The Laser Cannon Loadout: Melting the Illuminate

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

• The Machine Gun Loadout: Shredding the Illuminate

The Illuminate are a formidable enemy in Helldivers 2, known for their advanced technology and precision tactics. While you're busy tackling their light infantry, their elite units can quickly close in from the ground and air. To triumph over these squid-like adversaries, you need to select loadouts and builds that exploit their weaknesses while countering their powerful tech.

So, how do you effectively combat the Illuminate? It's all about striking the perfect balance between weapons and stratagems that can handle both their chaff and 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 veteran or a newcomer, these strategies will enhance your combat effectiveness against this challenging faction. Let's gear up and prepare to take on the Illuminate head-on.

The Laser Cannon Loadout: Melting the Illuminate

The PLAS-1 Scorcher and PLAS-101 Purifier are among the best primary weapons in Helldivers 2. They excel at melting Overseers, including jet-pack-using Elevated units, and are equally effective against the Voteless. Whether you choose the Scorcher or the Purifier, the Siege-Ready armor passive provides additional ammunition and quick reloads, ensuring you're always ready to tackle multiple priority targets. The increased damage per second is crucial when every shot counts.

The Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol form a powerful duo for destroying parked warp ships. Energy-based weapons struggle to deplete their shields, but a single Strafing Run can destroy the shields of every grounded warp ship in a straight line. Follow up by shooting a grenade into their open bay doors to cause an explosion. This combo is particularly effective for eliminating medium or heavy Illuminate nests where you need to destroy multiple warp ships. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact can also be used in the open bay doors, it's more effective against chaff, so save it for when you're using the Grenade Pistol.

The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" proves surprisingly effective against medium-armored Overseers. Each burst can take down a single elite unit, making it a top choice for protecting your flanks against the Illuminate.

The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry is ideal for locking down areas during objective defense. If crowd control isn't your priority, consider replacing it with an Orbital Laser to target Harvesters or potential heavy units that may be introduced in the future.

Lastly, the LAS-98 Laser Cannon completes this Illuminate loadout. It can melt Overseers and chaff within seconds and is excellent 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 massive range allows you to pick off targets from a distance, making it an ideal anti-squid weapon.

When playing on difficulty levels 9 or 10, where multiple Harvesters are common, having 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 excellent choices for covering both threats. Both can easily dispatch chaff, but the Arc Thrower has the added benefit of making Overseers nearly useless. Each lightning arc chains and staggers, stunning Overseers briefly. Continuous attacks from a distance can keep Elevated Overseers permanently stunned mid-air.

The Arc Thrower can also take down unshielded Harvesters, though it may require around a dozen hits. Each hit inflicts a moderate stun, building up over time.

The A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower is highly effective against all Illuminate enemy types, particularly groups of flying Overseers. It provides consistent crowd control and disrupts enemies, making it easier to manage large waves. Combined with the Arc Thrower, you can lock down an entire area with multiple chained lightning attacks. Focus on priority targets with the Arc Thrower to prevent them from reaching your Tesla Tower.

Harvesters prioritize sentries, so avoid deploying your Tesla Tower or other sentry stratagems when engaging them.

The Eagle Strafing Run and Grenade Pistol remain essential for destroying parked warp ships. The Blitzer and Arc Thrower are less efficient at depleting their shields during combat, so don't swap them out unless you have a teammate who can handle this task.

For dealing with heavy units, the Orbital Railcannon Strike is perfect, offering unlimited uses. The Orbital Laser can handle multiple Harvesters, but with only three uses, you'll need to rely on your teammates. Always use a Strafing Run to disable their shields first. This build is one of the most powerful against the Illuminate, especially when coordinated with other players.

The Machine Gun Loadout: Shredding the Illuminate

The MG-43 Machine Gun is arguably the most versatile support weapon against the Illuminate. It effortlessly shreds light and medium enemies, as well as Harvesters. Compared to the MG-206 Heavy Machine Gun variant, the standard Machine Gun offers better handling and faster infantry dispatch.

It's a true all-rounder against the squids, providing an excellent balance of power and reliability. Pair it with either the Engineering Kit to reduce recoil or the Peak Physique armor passive to reduce drag, the latter making it easier to target flying Overseers or Watchers.

The high fire rate of the Machine Gun is effective at depleting shields, so you won't need the Eagle Strafing Run to destroy grounded warp ships. Instead, choose turret sentries to disperse large crowds or defend objectives.

The only drawback of the Machine Gun is its stationary reload animation, preventing you from moving while reloading. The LIFT-850 Jump Pack helps you quickly relocate to safety and navigate urban maps more effectively.

While the Machine Gun can easily defeat Harvesters by targeting their weak spots, having an Orbital stratagem in your build is essential for quickly handling multiple heavies. The Orbital Laser can deal with two to three shielded Harvesters simultaneously, whereas the Railcannon Strike is only effective against unshielded targets.

For the primary weapon in this Illuminate build, you can choose any from the Armory. If you prefer to maintain a bullet-storm theme, opt for the StA-52 Assault Rifle from the Helldivers 2 x Killzone 2 crossover. It features a massive drum magazine, providing sustained fire with light-armor-penetrating capabilities, matching the damage output of the standard Liberator.