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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

In Helldivers 2, the Illuminate stand out as a formidable enemy faction, renowned for their advanced technologies and precise tactics. These squid-like adversaries employ a mix of light infantry and elite units that can approach from both ground and air, making them a challenging opponent. To effectively combat the Illuminate, you need to carefully select loadouts and builds that target their vulnerabilities while offering protection against their tech.

The key to success lies in crafting a balanced arsenal of weapons, support gear, and stratagems capable of handling both the swarms of chaff and the tougher, armored units. Neglecting either type can render your loadout ineffective against the full spectrum of the Illuminate's forces.

This guide delves into the most effective loadouts and strategies for tackling the Illuminate, suitable for both seasoned veterans and newcomers to Helldivers 2. Let's gear up and prepare to take on this challenging faction 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 are top-tier primary weapons in Helldivers 2, excelling at obliterating Overseers, including the jet-pack-equipped Elevated units, and the Voteless. The Siege-Ready armor passive enhances their effectiveness by providing extra ammunition and faster reloads, allowing you to engage multiple high-priority targets with increased damage per second.

The combination of the Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol is perfect for annihilating grounded warp ships. Energy-based weapons struggle against their shields, but a single Strafing Run can strip the shields of multiple ships in a straight line. Following this up with a grenade into the open bay doors will cause them to explode, making this an ideal tactic for clearing medium to heavy Illuminate nests. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact grenade can also be used in the same way, it's more effective against lighter enemies, so save it for when you're not using the Grenade Pistol.

The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" proves surprisingly effective against medium-armored Overseers, capable of taking down a single elite unit with each burst, making it an excellent choice for protecting your flanks.

The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry is crucial for locking down areas during objective defense. If crowd control isn't your priority, consider switching to an Orbital Laser to target Harvesters or future heavy units.

Lastly, the LAS-98 Laser Cannon is the crowning jewel of this loadout, capable of melting Overseers and chaff within seconds. It's also highly effective against Harvesters when used after a Strafing Run to deplete their shields. Focus on their weak points (thighs/eyes) for maximum efficiency. The Laser Cannon's long range makes it an ideal weapon for picking off targets from a distance. On higher difficulty levels where multiple Harvesters appear, the Orbital Laser becomes indispensable.

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 perfect for dealing with both the melee and ranged units of the Illuminate. They efficiently clear chaff, but the Arc Thrower's ability to chain and stagger lightning arcs makes it particularly effective against Overseers, stunning them momentarily. Continuous attacks can keep Elevated Overseers permanently stunned in mid-air.

The Arc Thrower can also take down unshielded Harvesters, requiring about a dozen hits, each causing a moderate stun that accumulates over time.

The A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower is invaluable against all Illuminate types, especially flying Overseers, providing consistent crowd control and disruption. Combined with the Arc Thrower, you can lock down an entire area with multiple chained lightning attacks. Prioritize targeting key enemies with the Arc Thrower to prevent them from reaching your Tesla Tower.

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

The Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol remain essential for destroying parked warp ships, as the Blitzer and Arc Thrower are less effective against their shields during combat. Don't replace these unless another teammate can handle this task.

For dealing with heavy units, the Orbital Railcannon Strike is ideal due to its unlimited uses. The Orbital Laser is effective against multiple Harvesters but limited to three uses, so coordinate with your team. Always use a Strafing Run to disable their shields first. This loadout is one of the most potent against the Illuminate, especially when used in coordination with other players.

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 the most versatile support weapon against the Illuminate, making it a cornerstone of this loadout. It excels at shredding light and medium enemies, as well as Harvesters. Compared to the MG-206 Heavy Machine Gun, the standard Machine Gun offers better handling and faster infantry dispatch.

Its high fire rate is also effective at depleting shields, eliminating the need for the Eagle Strafing Run to destroy 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, allowing you to quickly reposition to safety and navigate urban maps more effectively.

While the Machine Gun can handle Harvesters 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 handle two to three shielded Harvesters at once, while the Railcannon Strike is effective against unshielded targets.

For the primary weapon, the StA-52 Assault Rifle from the Helldivers 2 x Killzone 2 crossover is a great choice. It features a large drum magazine and provides sustained fire capable of penetrating light armor, matching the damage output of the standard Liberator.