Helldivers 2gives players the ability to customize their loadout, making themselves better prepared for certain encounters. TheseStratagemsfall into three categories: Support, Offensive, and Defensive. Each with their own pros and cons. Offensive Stratagems are among the most mobile, allowing players to call them down on the go without a drop in effectiveness, but not all Offensive Stratagems are created equal.
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Instead, each has a damage type, size, and cooldown which changes how good they are against certain enemy types, and with individual playstyles. Keep reading to hear about the top ten Offensive Stratagems according to impact, cooldown, and versatility, as well as suggestions on which ones to take on common mission types.
Helldivers 2
10Orbital 120MM HE Barrage
A Tiny Barrage For Concentrated Enemies
The Orbital 120MM HE Barrage is a multipart bombing of a smaller area. The explosions do significant damage, clearing out small to medium enemies. With a cooldown of 240 seconds, it falls somewhere in the middle of Eagle Stratagems and Orbital Strike.
Because of the long Call-In Time and small radius of the Orbital 120MM HE Barrage, you can effectivelykite large groups of enemies into a tight ball, throw the stratagem slightly in front of you, and then run through before it goes offto clear overwhelming numbers of enemies.
However, this Stratagem can be somewhat unreliable. Its barrage nature means that only a portion of the targeted area is damaged at a time, and enemies seem to frequently dance through the zone without getting hit. For the best results, use it in densely packed groups.
Ship Module
Orbital Cannons
How To Unlock
Call-In Time
240 seconds
Size of Explosion
Damage Type
9Eagle 110MM Rocket Pods
Targeting Enemies You Hate In Particular
The Eagle 110MM Rocket Pods, like all Eagle Stratagems, are designed to be spammable. With a cooldown of only 15 seconds, you can use it several times in the same engagement. However, after the 2 uses are exhausted, your Eagle pilot will head back to the ship and refuel, which is a much longer cooldown.
What makes this Eagle Stratagem so good is the targeting. When you call down an Offensive Stratagem, you often have to deal with enemies that move, slightly inaccurate throws, ect. This Stratagem, however, automatically seeks the largest enemy near the Call-In Laser, which makes you more likely to hit your target. Its only downsides are the small size and long refueling time.
15 seconds
8Orbital Precision Strike
Your First Stratagem, But Far From Your Worst
The Orbital Precision Strike is one of the two Stratagems every Helldiver has unlocked when they start the game. It is a high-damage, single shot that covers a small area. This makes it somewhat difficult to aim, as enemies can easily walk out of the area, but it is very effective against what it hits. You can also learn to target it effectively, as the hit box is sensible and reliable.
In addition to being reliable, this Stratagem has a low cooldown for an Orbital of only 100 seconds. This means you should easily have it off cooldown for every major engagement. Use it to clear out spawns from a Bug Breach, kill Automatons as they land from a Dropship, or take out slow, armored enemies likeBile Spewersor Tanks.
100 seconds
7Orbital Gatling Barrage
Bird? Plane? No - Autocannon In The Sky
The Orbital Gatling Barrage is likely to be one of your first Stratagem purchases. This is because it unlocks at level 2 and is pretty cheap to buy. However, it will also remain a key part of your toolkit due to its short cooldown (80 seconds) and larger target area.
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The best way to use the Orbital Gatling Barrage is to throw it toward groups of smaller enemies. It is effective even if the group is spread out, since the shots rain down rapidly over the entire area. This makes itideal for taking out a patrol before it sees you, or clearing an objective of enemiesbefore running in to set up your defense.
80 seconds
6Eagle Cluster Bomb
An Average Player’s Best Friend
The Eagle Cluster Bomb is a medium radius, medium damage Stratagem. While it will handily take out some armored enemies such asScout Striders, andDevastators, it will not removeChargersor Hulks. This, combined with its nonexistent Call-In Time and four uses between refuels, makes it one of the best Eagle Stratagems in the game for Medium difficulty and below.
While the Eagle Cluster Bomb isn’t capable of destroying buildings (in addition to lacking real armor penetration), it can be argued that this is a benefit, not a drawback. Indeed, if you can airstrike a point of interest or objective without destroying the buildings, then you can preserve the available cover for when you set up a defense in the area. This is especially useful in King of the Hill type objectives, such as missions to extract key personnel or the Extraction Countdown.
5Orbital Railcannon Strike
A Precise, Autotargeted Strike For High-Armor Enemies
The Orbital Railcannon Strike, likethe Railgun Supply Weapon, is the pinnacle of your Stratagem unlocked in Helldivers 2. Available for purchase only after you reach level 20, it may be surprising to see it ranked so poorly on this list. However, it has a pinpoint damage radius and really only shines against a few enemies.
The Railcannon’s intended purpose is to take out heavily armored enemies such as Bile Titans or Hulks. Other enemies will die to Stratagems with a larger damage radius, which will likely take out many other enemies as well. In most situations, a different Stratagem would serve you just as well while being more versatile.
210 seconds
4Eagle Airstrike
A Basic But Effective Solution
The Eagle Airstrike, much like the Eagle Napalm Airstrike, comes down in a long, line shape. Along this line, a series of bombs are dropped in quick succession. The damage dealt by each of these bombs is substantial, and they come down fast enough that enemies running away isn’t a concern.
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The only issue, of course, is that most enemies come toward you in a long train, while this Stratagem goes on a narrow, horizontal line. As a result, you are unlikely to take out an entire group with the Eagle Airstrike unless they weren’t aggro’d onto you.
Very Large
3Orbital 380MM HE Barrage
Kills Titans & Friendlies Alike
Unlike other barrages in the game, the Orbital 380MM HE Barrage rarely misses its mark. This is due to the incredible size of the targeting area, and the increased size of each individual explosion. You can easily use it to clear enemies from a Nest or Outpost, before moving in to destroy its spawn points.
However, the sheer size of this strike can be as much of a negative as a positive. It is very easy to kill yourself or your squad mates with this one, as anything (or anyone) within a 75-meter radius of the target will get bombed. It can also destroy previously deployed fortifications, such as turrets, and nearby cover. Use it when you no longer need to defend an area.
2Eagle 500 KG Bomb
Level Any Enemy Near Ground Zero
The Eagle 500 KG Bomb is the most powerful explosive Stratagem in the game, as it covers a medium to large area with minimal Call-In Time and high damage. As of now, it is believed that this Stratagem is powerful enough to kill any enemy at any difficulty.
However, it is important to keep in mind that it only has one charge before your Eagle Pilot needs to refuel, so it is not nearly as spammable as other Eagle Stratagems. To prevent wasting it on smaller enemies, most players take an additional Offensive Stratagem on the mission, such as the Orbital Gatling Barrage or Eagle Cluster Bomb.
1Eagle Napalm Airstrike
Zone Control Useful In Every Situation
While a number of the Offensive Stratagems on this list are versatile, none apply Damage Over Time or stay on the map to provide zone control. This is the purview of the Eagle Napalm Airstrike. When you call in this Stratagem, a long line of explosive Napalm runs horizontally over the area, covering it in fire for 5–10 seconds.
Not only does the impact of the initial bombing destroy most smaller units in the area, but the remaining fire will tear apart any who try to approach you from that direction, and continue applying damage to survivors. This is especially effective against Terminid Enemies, who are vulnerable to fire and primarily operate in melee.
Incendiary (DoT), Explosive (Impact)
For more unlocks in Helldivers 2 (and how to get them) try our guide onunlocking the SG-225 Breaker, andhow to load and use the SEAF Artillery Gun.
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