In this guide entry we explain everything about How to Fight the Illuminate in Helldivers 2.
The Illuminate is an extraterrestrial faction that employs advanced technology and massive swarms of expendable troops to dominate players in Helldivers 2. Their reputation as the toughest faction to battle in the first game is well-deserved, and they’re poised to maintain that legacy in the sequel, compelling players to embrace an entirely new playstyle distinct from the Automatons and Terminids.
To conquer the squids, players must equip themselves with the ideal loadout and tackle each mission using the right strategies. Mastering the fundamentals of Helldivers 2 will ensure your survival, but to truly excel in every mission, consider these targeted tips tailored for facing the Illuminate.
How to Fight the Illuminate in Helldivers 2?
Opt for armaments that deliver powerful, consistent damage over time.
All Illuminate units possess a common characteristic: they boast impressive health pools while lacking significant armor. Certain units address this issue by utilizing robust energy shields with high health instead. Given that their shields accumulate, creating a formidable health barrier, it's advisable to employ weapons that deliver significant damage and/or can unleash a substantial volume of fire.
The Illuminate are designed to be showered with bullets. Even the mightiest unit, the Harvester, can be easily dismantled by weapons designed for medium armor penetration. If you're uncertain about what to pack, consider bringing something that delivers power or speed—ideally, a combination of both.
Remove the Barriers
Take out shields swiftly with rapid-fire guns, then unleash AT weapons on your foes.
Expanding on the previous point, Illuminate energy shields have the capability to absorb astonishing levels of burst damage. A shielded Harvester or Warp Ship can withstand the impact of a 500KG bomb or a shot from a recoilless rifle. Nonetheless, the shields are not designed to endure prolonged damage.
Having a quick-firing weapon dedicated to dismantling shields is essential. The P-15 Redeemer stands out once more in this arena, showcasing its remarkable capability to dismantle various types of Illuminate shielding.
In Outposts, the shields of Illuminate Warp Ships are vulnerable to small arms fire, allowing you to take them down. Once the shields are down, you can obliterate the ships using any weapon capable of destroying a Fabricator or Bug Hole. Focus on the opportunities ahead.
Identify Their Vulnerabilities
Steer clear of Overseer heads and Harvester eyes. Target the chest and leg joints accordingly.
The Illuminate enemies in the game challenge traditional weak spot conventions. Taking down the Voteless is a straightforward task, but when it comes to the Overseers and Harvesters, the challenge intensifies. Success hinges on precision; aim for the right spots, or you may find yourself struggling.
Target the chest for Overseers. Continuous fire from a weapon akin to the Tenderizer from the Polar Patriots Warbond in Helldivers 2 can shatter their chest armor, exposing their delicate flesh to attack. To simplify takedowns of flying Overseers, you can detonate their jetpacks. Overseer helmets offer superior protection, boasting an armor class that surpasses other armor pieces. They effectively deflect light penetration weapons and mitigate damage from medium penetration primary weapons.
When dealing with the Harvesters, target the leg joints for maximum effectiveness. While their eyes are indeed vulnerable points, targeting them can be quite challenging. It's more effective to focus on the knees and leg sockets for a better chance of success.
Harvesters can be easily overwhelmed by explosive primary weapons such as the Purifier and Exploding Crossbow. The Laser Cannon proves to be exceptionally effective when targeting the leg joints.
Top Strategies to Combat The Illuminate
Provide a minimum of one tactic that effectively addresses shields.
Some of the top strategies in Helldivers 2 may not be as effective against the Illuminate, or at least, they require a bit more effort to implement successfully. Similar to the initial suggestion, employing tactics that deliver high volumes of fire is advisable, as energy shields are capable of absorbing significant damage bursts. Area denial weapons excel at managing overwhelming swarms of Voteless. The most powerful tactics to counter the Illuminate include:
- Eagle Strafing Run: Decimates enemy forces, dismantles shields, and inflicts heavy damage on Harvesters.
- Orbital Gas Strike: Devastates and disorients waves of minor foes. Capable of obliterating shielded vessels with pinpoint accuracy.
- Guard Dog Rovers: Your ultimate defense against lurking zombies. Any of the drones will suffice.
- The Machine Gun/Gatling Sentry: A formidable force that secures entire zones against infantry threats.
- Tesla Tower: Identical to the previous description.
- Majestic bird of prey 500KG Bomb/Orbital Precision Strike: Ideal for eliminating specific targets with precision.
- The 120mm Orbital Barrage surpasses the 500KG Bomb and Orbital Precision Strike in obliterating Outposts.
Strategies for Managing Monoliths and Cognitive Disruptors
Your plans may be thrown into disarray, but they will remain intact. Embrace the challenge and dive right in.
Illuminate Monoliths and Cognitive Disruptors will disrupt your strategic codes. In contrast to Automaton Stratagem Jammers, you still have the ability to call in stratagems while affected by these buildings. Remember, your codes will be scrambled every three seconds. Therefore, it's advisable to enter codes once they've been scrambled. This will provide you with ample opportunity to enter the correct code.
Two 500KG Bombs or a Hellbomb can effectively eliminate both Monoliths and Disruptors. If neither option is available to you, consider searching for capsule-shaped power supplies nearby. Eliminate them all, and the structures will power down.
Skip the Incoming Warp Ships
Shooting down Warp Ships isn't a worthwhile endeavor. Targeting the reinforcements is the more straightforward option.
Although witnessing a series of UFOs burst and plummet to the earth can be exhilarating, it often doesn't justify the effort. The SPEAR and Recoilless Rifle fall short when facing the Illuminate. Although they can take down Warp Ships before they release their payloads, a more effective strategy is to simply toss a grenade at the reinforcements directly.
Moreover, the massive size of Warp Ships means that their wreckages can entirely obstruct key lines of sight and may even sever escape routes for players. A Warp Ship landing on you could also lead to your demise.
We hope that our guide on How to Fight the Illuminate in Helldivers 2 is useful and that you continue enjoying everything that this game offers you.
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