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Helldivers 2: Top Loadouts Against Illuminate

Author：Kristen Update：Apr 24,2025

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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 faction in Helldivers 2 presents a unique challenge with their advanced technology and strategic prowess. Known for their precision and ability to overwhelm players with sheer numbers, the Illuminate can quickly turn the tide of battle with their elite units sneaking in from both the ground and air. To conquer them, it's essential to select loadouts and builds that not only target their vulnerabilities but also offer robust defense against their tech-heavy assaults.

Effectively combating the Illuminate involves a strategic blend of weapons, support gear, and stratagems that can handle both the light infantry and their more formidable armored and heavy units. Neglecting either type could render your loadout ineffective against the full spectrum of Illuminate forces.

This guide will explore the most effective loadouts and builds tailored to enhance your combat efficiency against the Illuminate. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or new to the game, these strategies will help you dominate this squid-like faction. Let's gear up and prepare to face the Illuminate head-on.

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 stand out as some of the most effective primary weapons in Helldivers 2 for dealing with the Illuminate. These weapons excel at melting through Overseers, including the jet-pack-equipped Elevated units, and are equally potent against the Voteless. The Siege-Ready armor passive enhances their effectiveness by providing additional ammunition and quicker reloads, ensuring you're always ready to tackle multiple priority targets. The increased damage per second is crucial when precision is key.

Combining the Eagle Strafing Run with the GP-31 Grenade Pistol is an excellent strategy for annihilating parked warp ships. Energy-based weapons struggle to deplete their shields, but a single Strafing Run can eliminate the shields of multiple grounded warp ships in a line. Follow up by launching a grenade into their open bay doors to cause a devastating explosion. This tactic is particularly useful when clearing medium or heavy Illuminate nests requiring the destruction of several warp ships. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact grenades can also be used in this manner, they're more effective against light infantry, so reserve them for when you're using the Grenade Pistol.

The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" proves surprisingly effective against medium-armored Overseers, with each burst capable of taking down an elite unit. This makes it an invaluable stratagem for protecting your flanks against the Illuminate.

The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry is perfect for securing areas during objective defense. If crowd control isn't your primary concern, consider swapping it for the Orbital Laser to target Harvesters or potential heavy units that may appear in future updates.

Finally, the LAS-98 Laser Cannon is the crown jewel of this loadout. It can melt through Overseers and chaff in seconds and is highly effective against Harvesters. Use the Strafing Run to deplete their shields, then aim the Laser Cannon at the Harvesters' weak points (thighs/eyes). A single clip is sufficient if your aim is precise. The Laser Cannon's long range makes it an excellent choice for sniping from a distance, truly earning its title as an anti-squid weapon.

On higher difficulties, such as levels 9 or 10, where multiple Harvesters are common, having an 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 ARC-12 Blitzer and ARC-3 Arc Thrower are ideal for handling both the melee and ranged units of the Illuminate. These weapons excel at clearing chaff, but the Arc Thrower's ability to chain and stagger lightning arcs makes it particularly effective against Overseers, rendering them temporarily useless. Continuous attacks can keep Elevated Overseers stunned mid-air.

The Arc Thrower can also take down unshielded Harvesters, though it requires around a dozen hits. Each hit contributes to a cumulative stun effect, gradually immobilizing the target.

The A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower is exceptionally effective against all Illuminate types, especially against groups of flying Overseers. It provides consistent crowd control and disrupts enemy formations, making it easier to manage large waves. When combined with the Arc Thrower, you can lock down entire areas with multiple chained lightning attacks, targeting priority enemies to prevent them from reaching your Tesla Tower.

Harvesters often target sentries, so avoid deploying your Tesla Tower or other sentry stratagems if you're already engaging them.

The Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol remain essential for destroying parked warp ships, as both the Blitzer and Arc Thrower struggle to deplete their shields in combat. Do not replace these with other stratagems unless another teammate can handle this task.

For dealing with heavy units, the Orbital Railcannon Strike is invaluable due to its unlimited uses. The Orbital Laser is effective against multiple Harvesters, but its limited uses mean you'll need to rely on your teammates eventually. Always use a Strafing Run to disable their shields first. This loadout, when coordinated with other players, is one of the most powerful options against the Illuminate in Helldivers 2.

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 a versatile powerhouse against the Illuminate, making it a cornerstone of this loadout. It efficiently shreds through light and medium enemies, as well as Harvesters. Compared to the MG-206 Heavy Machine Gun, it offers better handling and faster infantry dispatch.

This weapon is a true all-rounder against the Illuminate, providing an excellent balance of power and reliability. Pair it with the Engineering Kit to reduce recoil or the Peak Physique armor passive to minimize drag, enhancing your ability to target flying Overseers or Watchers.

Its high fire rate also allows it to deplete shields, eliminating the need for the Eagle Strafing Run when destroying grounded warp ships. Instead, opt for turret sentries to manage large crowds or defend objectives.

The only drawback of the Machine Gun is its stationary reload animation, which is where the LIFT-850 Jump Pack comes in handy for quick repositioning. It's also useful for navigating the new urban maps.

While the Machine Gun can handle Harvesters effectively by targeting their weak spots, having an Orbital stratagem like the Orbital Laser or Railcannon Strike can quickly deal with multiple heavy units. The Orbital Laser can take out two to three shielded Harvesters at once, while the Railcannon Strike is best for unshielded targets.

For the primary weapon in this loadout, consider the StA-52 Assault Rifle from the Helldivers 2 x Killzone 2 crossover. Its large drum magazine supports sustained fire and light armor penetration, matching the damage output of the standard Liberator.

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