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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 faction in Helldivers 2 is a formidable adversary, renowned for their advanced technology and tactical precision. As you battle their light infantry, you must remain vigilant against their elite units that can swiftly close in from both ground and air. The secret to triumphing over the Illuminate lies in meticulously selecting loadouts and builds that capitalize on their vulnerabilities while safeguarding against their powerful tech.

To combat the Illuminate effectively, you need to find the perfect synergy of weapons, support gear, and stratagems tailored to counter their unique strengths. It's crucial to balance your arsenal to handle both the swarms of lesser units and the tougher, armored foes. Neglecting either type can render your loadout ineffective against the full might of the Illuminate horde.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the most effective loadouts and builds designed specifically to tackle the Illuminate. Whether you're a veteran or a newcomer, these strategies will enhance your combat prowess against this challenging, squid-like faction. Let's equip ourselves and dive into the battle against the Illuminate.

The Laser Cannon Loadout: Melting the Illuminate

The PLAS-1 Scorcher and PLAS-101 Purifier are among the top-tier primary weapons in Helldivers 2. These weapons excel at obliterating Overseers, including those using jetpacks, and are equally potent against the Voteless. The Siege-Ready armor passive enhances your combat efficiency by providing additional ammunition and quicker reloads, allowing you to tackle multiple high-priority targets with ease. The increased damage per second is invaluable when every shot counts.

The Eagle Strafing Run combined with the GP-31 Grenade Pistol forms a devastating duo for annihilating grounded warp ships. Since energy-based weapons struggle to deplete their shields, a single Strafing Run can strip the shields from multiple ships in a row, allowing you to finish them off with a well-placed grenade into their open bays. This strategy is particularly effective when dealing with medium to heavy Illuminate nests, requiring the destruction of several warp ships. While the G-13 Incendiary Impact grenades can also be used in the bays, they are more effective against swarms, so reserve them for when you're using the Grenade Pistol.

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

The A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry is ideal for securing areas during objective defense. If crowd control isn't your primary concern, consider swapping it for an Orbital Laser to target Harvesters or future heavy units.

Finally, the LAS-98 Laser Cannon rounds out this loadout, excelling at melting both Overseers and chaff within seconds. It's also highly effective against Harvesters; use a Strafing Run to deplete their shields, then aim for their weak points (thighs/eyes) with the Laser Cannon. A single clip is sufficient if your aim is precise. The Laser Cannon's long range makes it an ideal anti-squid weapon. On higher difficulty levels (9 or 10) where multiple Harvesters are common, an Orbital Laser becomes essential.

The Lightning Loadout: Shocking (& Staggering) the Illuminate

The ARC-12 Blitzer and ARC-3 Arc Thrower are perfect for dealing with both melee and ranged Illuminate units. They effortlessly clear out chaff, but the Arc Thrower's ability to chain and stagger lightning arcs makes Overseers nearly useless. Continuous attacks from a distance 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 exceptionally effective against all Illuminate types, particularly flying Overseers. It provides consistent crowd control and disrupts enemy formations, making it easier to manage large waves. Combine it with the Arc Thrower for multiple chained lightning attacks to lock down an area. Prioritize targeting key enemies with the Arc Thrower to prevent them from reaching and destroying your Tesla Tower.

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

The Eagle Strafing Run and Grenade Pistol remain essential for destroying parked warp ships, as the Blitzer and Arc Thrower are less efficient at depleting their shields during combat. Don't replace them unless another teammate can handle this task.

For dealing with heavy units, the Orbital Railcannon Strike is invaluable due to its unlimited uses. The Orbital Laser is effective against multiple Harvesters, but with only three uses, you'll need to rely on your team eventually. Always use a Strafing Run to disable their shields first. This build is one of the most potent against the Illuminate, especially when coordinated with teammates.

The Machine Gun Loadout: Shredding the Illuminate

The MG-43 Machine Gun is the most versatile support weapon against the Illuminate, making it a cornerstone of this loadout. It efficiently shreds 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.

It's a true all-rounder against the squids, providing a perfect balance of power and reliability. Pair it with the Engineering Kit to reduce recoil or the Peak Physique armor passive to minimize drag, the latter aiding in targeting flying Overseers or Watchers.

The high fire rate of the Machine Gun is 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 prevents reloading while moving. This 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 in your build is crucial for dealing with multiple heavies. The Orbital Laser can manage two to three shielded Harvesters simultaneously, whereas the Railcannon Strike is effective only against unshielded targets.

For the primary weapon in this loadout, you can choose any from the Armory. If you prefer to maintain the theme of sustained firepower, the StA-52 Assault Rifle, introduced in the Helldivers 2 x Killzone 2 crossover, is an excellent choice. It features a large drum magazine and delivers sustained fire with light-armor-penetrating capabilities, matching the damage output of the standard Liberator.