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Helldivers 2: Best Loadouts for the Illuminate

Author：Kristen Update：Mar 19,2025

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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 in Helldivers 2 are a tough nut to crack. Their advanced tech and overwhelming numbers make them a serious threat. While you're dealing with their light infantry, their elite units will be swarming you from all directions. Success hinges on smart loadouts that exploit their weaknesses while mitigating their strengths. The key is finding the right balance of weapons and stratagems to handle both their light and heavy units – neglecting either will leave you vulnerable.

This guide explores top-tier loadouts for tackling the Illuminate, regardless of your experience level. Let's dive in and prepare for battle!

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 primaries in Helldivers 2. They obliterate Overseers, including the airborne Elevated units, and are equally effective against the Voteless. With the Siege-Ready armor passive providing extra ammo and faster reloads, you'll always be ready for multiple targets. The increased DPS is crucial when every shot counts.

The Eagle Strafing Run and GP-31 Grenade Pistol are a devastating combo against parked warp ships. Energy weapons struggle against their shields, but a single Strafing Run obliterates them, leaving the grenade pistol to finish the job. This is especially useful for clearing out larger Illuminate nests. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact works well against groups of weaker enemies, save them for when you're using the Grenade Pistol.

The AX/AR-23 "Guard Dog" is surprisingly effective against medium-armored Overseers. Each burst takes down a single elite unit, making it a great flank-guarding stratagem.

The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry secures areas during objective defense. If crowd control isn't a priority, swap it for an Orbital Laser to target Harvesters or future heavy units.

Finally, the LAS-98 Laser Cannon rounds out this loadout. It melts Overseers and chaff, and excels against Harvesters. Use a Strafing Run to break their shields, then target their weak points (thighs/eyes). One clip is usually enough with accurate aim. Its long range is a major advantage.

On higher difficulties (levels 9 or 10) with multiple Harvesters, the 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 Illuminate's mix of melee and ranged units makes the ARC-12 Blitzer and ARC-3 Arc Thrower incredibly versatile. Both handle chaff easily, but the Arc Thrower excels against Overseers, stunning them with chained lightning arcs. Repeated attacks can perma-stun airborne Overseers.

The Arc Thrower can also damage unshielded Harvesters, though it takes multiple hits.

The A/ARC-3 Tesla Tower is highly effective against all Illuminate types, especially flying Overseers. It provides consistent crowd control and disrupts enemies. Combine it with the Arc Thrower for devastating area control. Prioritize targets for the Arc Thrower to protect your Tesla Tower. Harvesters tend to target sentries, so don't waste these if you're engaging them.

The Eagle Strafing Run and Grenade Pistol are needed to destroy warp ships; the Blitzer and Arc Thrower are inefficient against their shields. Don't swap them unless a teammate can handle ship destruction.

For heavies, the Orbital Railcannon Strike is excellent due to its unlimited uses. The Orbital Laser is effective against multiple Harvesters, but its limited uses might leave you relying on teammates later in the game. Remember to use a Strafing Run to disable their shields first. This is a powerful build, especially with teamwork.

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 incredibly versatile against the Illuminate. It shreds light and medium enemies, and even Harvesters. Compared to the MG-206, it's more manageable and faster against infantry.

It's a true all-rounder, offering a great balance of power and reliability. Use the Engineering Kit to reduce recoil or Peak Physique to reduce drag for easier targeting of airborne units.

Its high fire rate is effective at depleting shields, making the Eagle Strafing Run unnecessary for destroying warp ships. Choose a turret sentry to handle crowds or defend objectives.

The Machine Gun's only downside is its stationary reload. This is where the LIFT-850 Jump Pack helps, allowing for quick repositioning.

While the Machine Gun handles Harvesters well (aim for weak points), an Orbital stratagem is helpful for multiple heavies. The Orbital Laser handles two to three shielded Harvesters, while the Railcannon Strike is best against unshielded targets.

For the primary, consider the StA-52 Assault Rifle (from the Killzone crossover). Its large magazine provides sustained, light-armor-piercing fire, similar to the Liberator.

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