Gemini on Question 15, Sep 22

In Helldivers 2, the definition of an "enemy squad" (a patrol) changes drastically depending on whether you are fighting Terminids (Bugs) or Automatons (Bots). Bugs swarm you with numbers, while Bots shoot from a distance behind heavy armor.

Because of this, there is no single best loadout. Here are the two most ruthlessly efficient loadouts for wiping out enemy squads before they can even call in a Bug Breach or Bot Drop.

Loadout 1: The Terminid (Bug) Swarm Eraser

This loadout focuses on massive Area of Effect (AoE), fire damage, and infinite crowd-control.

• •Primary Weapon: SG-225IE Incendiary Breaker or Cookout
• •Why: You don't need to aim perfectly. Spray into a bug patrol, and the fire damage-over-time (DoT) will burn all the smaller enemies (Hunters, Scavengers) to death while you reload or reposition.
• •Secondary Weapon: GP-31 Grenade Pistol
• •Why: Strictly for closing Bug Holes so you can save your grenades for the enemies.
• •Grenade: Impact Incendiary or Stun Grenade
• •Why: Impact Incendiary creates an instant wall of fire that a squad will walk into and die. Stun grenades freeze the squad in place for a Stratagem.
• •Support Weapon: M-105 Stalwart or Arc Thrower
• •Why: The Stalwart (set to maximum RPM) acts as a primary weapon on steroids, mowing down unarmored bugs in seconds. The Arc Thrower is slower but has infinite ammo, ignores armor, and chains between multiple targets, frying whole squads in 3-4 shots.
• •Backpack: "Rover" Guard Dog
• •Why: This drone will passively wipe out half a bug patrol on its own before you even pull the trigger.
• •Offensive Stratagems: Eagle Cluster Bomb + Orbital Precision Strike (OPS)
• •Why: The Eagle Cluster Bomb is the ultimate bug squad-wiper. One throw will instantly kill 15-30 light/medium bugs in a massive horizontal line. Use the OPS to instantly delete the Charger or Bile Titan walking with the patrol.

The Tactic: See a bug patrol. Throw an Eagle Cluster Bomb right in the middle. Let the Rover and your Incendiary Breaker mop up the 2 or 3 bugs that survive.

Loadout 2: The Automaton (Bot) Scrap-Maker

Bot squads (Devastators, Berserkers, Striders) require stagger, armor penetration, and explosive precision.

• •Primary Weapon: PLAS-8 Plasma Punisher or JAR-5 Dominator
• •Why: The Plasma Punisher arcs explosive energy that staggers multiple bots at once, penetrating Scout Strider shields. The Dominator fires rocket-propelled rounds that stagger and destroy medium armor (Devastators) in just a few hits.
• •Secondary Weapon: P-4 Senator (Revolver)
• •Why: High armor penetration to one-tap basic bots or headshot Devastators in a pinch.
• •Grenade: Stun Grenade
• •Why: Mandatory for bots. Throw this at a bot patrol, and they will freeze, stop shooting, and group up.
• •Support Weapon & Backpack: AC-8 Autocannon
• •Why: The undisputed king of the Bot front. It two-taps Devastators, blows up Scout Striders from the front, staggers groups, and can kill Hulks in two shots to the eye slit. It has massive ammo reserves and rapid fire.
• •Offensive Stratagems: Eagle Airstrike + Orbital Laser
• •Why: The Eagle Airstrike is the best all-rounder in the game. It runs perpendicular to where you throw it. It destroys bot armor, fabricators, and infantry all at once. The Orbital Laser is your panic button for when 3 squads converge on you.

The Tactic: See a bot patrol. Throw a Stun Grenade to freeze them. Immediately throw an Eagle Airstrike on their heads. If any Heavy Devastators survive, crouch and double-tap them with the Autocannon.

The Universal "One-Button" Squad Wipers

If you want stratagems specifically designed to erase a patrol in a single input, always equip these:

• 1.Orbital Airburst Strike: Fires three massive shrapnel bursts over a wide area. Throw this at a patrol, and the first burst will kill the squad, while the second and third bursts will kill the enemies walking in to investigate the noise. (Better for Bugs).
• 2.Eagle Airstrike: The most reliable explosive in the game. Capable of wiping out heavily armored Bot and Bug squads alike.
• 3.Eagle Napalm Strike: Drops a horizontal wall of fire. Throw this between you and the enemy squad; as they aggro and walk toward you, they will all burn to death.

Best Armor for Squad Wiping

• •CE-74 Breaker (or any armor with the "Engineering Kit" passive): Reduces recoil by 30% when crouching (making weapons like the Autocannon and Dominator laser-accurate) and gives you +2 grenades. Having 6 Stun or Impact grenades allows you to wipe out multiple squads in a row without needing a resupply.