Basic Tactics

Learn essential Helldivers II tactics for random encounters! Master patience with new players, keep pace with veterans, adapt loadouts, and drop smart for galactic success.

Hey there, Helldiver! So you're diving into the war and want to get a handle on the basics? Awesome. Look, the game is all about finding your own style, and I totally encourage you to mess around and see what works for you. I mostly play with random folks online, so this guide is all about what most people hope for in those pickup games. There's definitely more you can do with a coordinated squad, but for now, let's focus on making those random encounters awesome.

Be patient with low-level players

Remember, a Level 1 player is literally on their very first mission. Anyone under Level 10 is probably just a few hours into the game. They won't have many stratagems or weapons unlocked, and even fewer upgraded. They're still getting the hang of the core mechanics. If you're more experienced, please help them out! Drop them some gear, help them grab samples, and don't rush them through everything. They need time to feel out their new toys and get a sense of the game.

Seriously, give them space to figure things out. Sometimes, experienced players get impatient and push new players out of their own groove. I once dropped into a game with a new player on a cyborg planet who was a total sharpshooter with the Patriot. He'd stand still (yeah, I know, crazy, right?), let patrols come around a hill, and pick them off one by one without raising an alarm. He'd even check his screen after fights to make sure no one was following. He wasn't the fastest, but he was playing smart. Then, a couple of higher-level players joined, and suddenly it was all about rushing, throwing stratagems at tanks, turrets shooting other turrets, friendly fire everywhere, and alarms popping off constantly. Did we finish faster? Sure. But it totally sucked that the new player we were supposed to be