>An SMG that fires caseless ammunition and is equipped with a non-removable suppressor. Produced by Martian Armory.

M7S SMG - The Helldivers Wiki

Tactical Information

• As a suppressed weapon, the M7S benefits from having a reduced detection presence compared to other weapons.
  • Suppressed weapons have reduced bullet noise. Instead of immediately being aware of a Helldiver's position, enemies will instead become suspicious of the shots and start to investigate. Enemies still can be alerted after several rapid missed shots.
    • Helldivers can use that advantage to eliminate their targets such as Troopers on objectives without revealing their position. Helldivers must be aware that killing any unit in patrol will still alert the rest of the group and will be engaged.
• The M7S SMG shares some stats with the StA-11 SMG, but has a lower fire rate in exchange for more controllable recoil.
• The M7S lacks a laser sight; it only has a flashlight. It works much like the flashlight on other weapons, being toggleable between Auto, Always-On, and Always-Off.
  • Lacking a laser dot may make the M7S more difficult to use in first-person with the Ballistic Shield Backpack.

>A single-use weapon that fires a missile containing napalm cluster bombs that release upon impact.

EAT-700 Expendable Napalm - The Helldivers Wiki

Tactical Information

• The NEAT is a disposable cluster munition support weapon similar to the RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher which releases bomblets on impact. It exchanges bomblet damage for fire pools as well as fire and napalm damage over time.
  • Unlike the RL-77, the NEAT's bomblets "bounce" off of surfaces, primarily walls or rocks. This makes the coverage area of the NEAT inconsistent, as its bomblets do not spread far when shot directly at the ground; the NEAT must often be shot at a surface to allow its bomblets to spread and cover a wider area.
• The NEAT is the first disposable horde clear support weapon.
  • The NEAT is also the first disposable support weapon that uses napalm DoT (Heavy Burn) which makes it extremely deadly for area denial.
  • The area denial provided is unmatched when used in tandem with support weapons such as the LAS-99 Quasar Cannon or APW-1 Anti-Materiel Rifle that cannot clear hordes.
• The NEAT can be compared to other crowd-clearing stratagems like the Orbital Gatling Barrage, Eagle Napalm Airstrike, Eagle Gas Airstrike, or MD-8 Gas Mines.
  • The NEAT boasts better range and response time so long as the user already has a NEAT on them before engaging an enemy group or reinforcement.
  • However, the cooldown on the NEATs is significantly longer than other stratagems popular for this job. This, combined with the awkward nature of being sent two at once like typical EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tanks, makes it more difficult for general usage.
• Despite not having an extending animation like the EAT-17, the NEAT still has the same readying delay.

(Extra Info: The impact explosion from the projectile has an 8m radius that does 250 explosive damage at AT2 and AT1 depending on how close you are to the impact area.)

Tactical Information

• The Bushwhacker is a one-handed shotgun that offers two distinct firing modes. The first mode fires each barrel individually, while the second mode fires all three barrels of 10-Gauge Buckshot simultaneously. Its unique design and versatile firing capabilities make this weapon well-suited for close-quarters combat situations.
• Like the P-4 Senator or SG-8 Punisher, the Bushwhacker reloads one shell at a time. No shells are discarded during the reload, but each expended shell makes the reload progressively longer.
  • Pairing this coach gun with the Gunslinger armor effect shortens reload times to the point where the Bushwhacker is capable of sustained single-barrel fire if reloaded immediately after every shot.
  • Volley-fire mode expends all chambers at once for a massive burst of damage. The full reload that follows means users should save this for  Light armored targets with large health pools.
    • The Alpha Commander and Fleshmob are prime examples of valid targets. Using this fire mode on a chaff enemy - while potentially hilarious - is a waste of ammunition.
• The Bushwhacker is a suitable Secondary weapon for Helldivers seeking close-range burst damage and stagger. The Bushwhacker has enough stagger force to keep even Stalkers at bay.
• The One Handed trait means that the Bushwhacker can be used while holding the Ballistic Shield or Directional Shield. Its stagger force and damage output make it a solid choice for aggressive Shield users.

SG-22 Bushwhacker

I'll say my idea would be the Stim Rifle, shoots em fast and far, 50 ergo and an Underbarrel Dagger.

Also, if you shoot em in too close proximity (~14m), it hurts them a little before it heals them.

2x as potent as the Pistol Stim version

Edit: some of the top ideas ive seen

• Underbarrel Stim Pistol
• Stim Missile - Acts like M-Pistol, long reload and fewer reserves but it locks on and heals like a full Stim
• A lot of people want Stim grenades and Stim Gas but i dont know if it works like that
• Stim Lasers or Beams seems to be more in line with HD1
• Stim Shotgun
• Weapons that heal friends and hurt enemies automatically. (laser or stims with gas if they hit an enemy instead)
• and Stim Guard Dog of course

Allow me to present the Gas/Stim Slugger.

A primary weapon for a plausible Permacura based warbond.

One magazine is loaded with stim slugs, capable of healing wounded Helldivers from moderate distances.

And the other magazine is loaded with gas filled slugs that act mini Speargun rounds that do a surprising amount of damage while also confusing the enemy.

The gas/stim slugger acts as a counterpart to medic diver's favorite primary, the Halt.

Helldivers using the gas/stim slugger should put considerable effort in remembering which magazine is loaded before shooting a friendly.

If I had a Hot Take, it would be this is equal to Democratic Detonation as a first pick Warbond.

Either one you pick will open up your build variety in similar ways, from now on id tell a new recruit to inspect BOTH of these and pick between them.

How did you feel about it?
Did you Divers come up with some crazy new loadouts?
What's been your favorite part/thing to do with the new equipment?

Tactical Information

• The Trident is a side-grade to the SG-225 Breaker, providing very high damage against large groups of Enemies at close range.
  • The Trident fires 6 beams per shot along a very wide horizontal spread.
  • Due to it's massive duckbill-style spread, the Trident struggles to hit smaller weakpoints at range, such as Devastator heads.
  • Like the Breaker, Helldivers are advised to tap-fire the Trident instead of firing in full-auto, as to preserve the very few heat sinks that it has spare.
• The Trident is very effective against large groups of lightly armored enemies, such as Voteless, Troopers and several types of Terminids.
• Being a shotgun, the Trident's main weakness is its spread, making it less effective at range than other Primary Weapons.
  • Additionally, the Trident's spread is very dramatic and unpredictable. Some beams may hit towards the center of the reticle while others may drag very far to one side.
• Like other laser weapons, the Trident has a very low stagger force, meaning that enemies will not be slowed or staggered after being hit, which can be problematic in close quarters.
• Due to the Trident's nature as a laser weapon, the Trident has the potential to never run out of ammo, and is affected by the Intense Heat & Extreme Cold modifiers.
  • Since the Trident's rate of fire is much slower than other laser weapons, it will begin to cool down before the next shot is fired, making its effective firing time (in full auto) roughly 2.75s on standard and Intense Heat weather, and 3.5s on Extreme Cold weather.
• Uniquely, the Trident fires individual bursts of beams, rather than energy projectiles like the LAS-16 Sickle, or a continuous beam like the LAS-5 Scythe.
  • However, unlike other beam-firing laser weapons, the Trident does not set enemies on fire.

imo this is probably one of the best Primaries in the game for small to medium duty. RoF is on point and it feels like a burst takes out a whole medium patrol by itself sometimes. I'd rate it 1 out of 1 patriotic salutes.

Tactical Information

Saber Specific

• The Saber is tied with the CQC-5 Combat Hatchet for the deadliest melee weapons in terms of DPS, but this is offset by its relatively short range and lack of stun.
• This is an excellent melee weapon for killing Voteless due to its high damage and attack rate.
  • Its attack pattern consisting of a diagonal right to left swing, then horizontal mid-level left to right, after that a low right to left swing, back to mid left to right makes it far more consistent for chopping legs off Voteless hordes than the CQC-5 Combat Hatchet, arguably making it better suited against said units.
• Helldivers can swing the Saber 20 times before running out of stamina. This number is not affected by Stamina Regen value or the Stamina Enhancement Booster.

Melee Weapons

• Melee weapons deal all of their damage to the first segment or "body part" of any given entity that they come into contact with. Additional segments of the same unit that the weapon passes through will be ignored.
  • Wearing Armor with the Peak Physique or Rock Solid passive will increase melee damage by 40%, greatly increasing its lethality. Armor with the Reinforced Epaulettes passive will increase melee damage by 20%,.
• Melee weapons are able to hit multiple enemies with one swing.
• Attacking with a melee weapon drains stamina.
  • Holding the attack button will allow you to continuously attack, even when stamina is empty.

>An incendiary device that shatters on impact, without explosive force, instantly creating a localized and persistent combustion field.

>— Armory Description

1. How does it fit in your build?
2. What's your favorite use for it?
3. Situations where it has surprised you?
4. Suggestions for adjustments?

Tactical Information

• The G-8 Immolation serves as a variant of the G-13 Incendiary Impact, with an increased radius, at the cost of lacking Demo Force.
• When thrown, the Immolation creates an immediate explosion and pool of fire upon impact which covers a large radius and lasts for 27 seconds.
  • With its large radius, damage, and duration, the Immolation is extremely effective at eliminating patrols of chaff enemies, such as Troopers and Scavengers, but can struggle to kill medium enemies such as Devastators and Bile Spewers.
  • The Immolation is also effective at denying enemies deployed by reinforcement calls.
• Unlike the Incendiary Impact, the Immolation lacks any demo force, this means that it cannot be used to break enemy spawners such as Bug Holes and Automaton Fabricators.
• Uniquely, the Immolation has a significant stagger force of 40. Meaning that most enemies caught within its blast will be momentarily stunned, taking extra damage by staying in the fire longer.
• Throwing an Immolation grenade directly at larger targets will easily ignite them, which can be useful for counteracting enemies with regenerating health like Stalkers and Crushers.
• Impact grenades can potentially be thrown further than grenades with a timed fuse, which may explode mid-air even when uncooked if thrown in a higher arc or from a high elevation. This can allow the G-8 Immolation to ignite more distant crowds or chokepoints than the G-10 Incendiary which has a relatively short fuse.

I personally love this thing; it lights up an enormous area and seems to last 2x as long as other fire grenades, and getting to hold 6 makes it perfect for a consistent horde clear, it's the perfect amount to see you through to the next resupply.

From the desk of our Creative Director, Mikael Eriksson

Helldivers,

The Void has been pierced and the Illuminate's latest shenanigans have been decisively dealt with! Well done! 

The Devoid of Liberty launch has run its course and history has been written. Before we dive into whatever comes next, I wanted to take a moment and talk about how I personally think this update landed. 

What We Were Going For

I consider Devoid of Liberty to be a ‘vertical slice’ of what we want this game to be every week. Not in terms of new content (we can’t keep up with that), but in terms of fantasy cohesion. The Void’s presence transcended the game: it was felt outside of the SE Destroyer windows and the Galactic War map. It was in what you read in the mission descriptions, what you saw on the battlefield, what you heard in the war reporting, and what you created as a community. The throughline was strong across the game and the community. 

This is the future that we’re aiming for: a future where the Galactic War is this interesting and dynamic every day, and felt inside and out of the game. 

With the Void specifically, we wanted to dive deeper on Illuminate lore. We had already explored the Terminid Hive Worlds and the Automaton Cyborg Factories, so it felt like the logical next step to expand our universe. The Illuminate are all about mystery, exploring the unknown, and being confronted with technology and intentions you can't fully understand. With Heart of Democracy, we had already told the classic invasion story of "Aliens attacking innocent civilians!" This time we wanted to explore more about who they really are and how they work.

We wanted the Void to feel like stepping into an oppressive, alien environment that actively resented your presence. From the haunting environmental audio design to the unsettling visual distortion of the Void flora, every element was built to keep Helldivers on edge.

The new enemy variants earned their teeth. The twisted, razor-limbed human experiments proved once again the Illuminate’s blatant disregard for the sanctity of human life, something Super Earth could never relate to. We also expanded on the Illuminate Fleet system, and grouped all Illuminate enemies into different Fleets, which gives flavour but also adds to the believability and gives you more to consider when choosing loadouts. Going forward, this sort of thing is what we’re considering for all factions. We don’t want a one size fits all loadout for any Faction, you should always need to consider what you’re about to engage with. 

SEAF squadmates are the thing I'm most hyped about in this update. Fighting with a squad that follows commands, reacts to the fight (and occasionally hugs you mid-firefight, for reasons) is something Niklas Malmborg and I have talked about doing for a long time. It’s a war, after all! As we continue to expand the game, we want to both explore tighter, less crowded spaces as well as bigger, more chaotic battlefields, and this was a crucial step in that direction for us. We also wanted to give solo players and understaffed squads a genuine lifeline without breaking the four-Helldiver core experience.

The Warhammer 40,000 ‘Castellan's Creed’ Warbond brought new blood in without diluting the tone. As always, we chose our partners with great care. If done wrong, a crossover could feel like it's wearing Super Earth's uniform without buying into Managed Democracy, and that is something we won’t do. I think we threaded that needle and ended up with a Warbond that's genuinely great while staying true to the original IP, and I was very happy to see positive reactions from the Warhammer fans. You guys are known to be particular about details!

What We’re Still Working On

Launch stability was too patchy (pun intended). We had nasty crashes on fullscreen terminal interaction and issues for players using ultra-wide monitors. An update of this size needed a cleaner landing, and it took us two follow-up patches to get there.

These big beats should run for longer, and the endings should be more clearly shaped by the community. The two things we've heard most since the Devoid of Liberty launch: you wanted more time in the Void, and you wanted the community choices to shape the ending in impactful ways. Both of these are impacted by how we structured the campaigns: how many phases a Campaign runs, how long content stays live, and how much room our Game Masters have to react to the community in interesting ways. That's the part we're working on iterating on for the next big update.

Some quality-of-life asks are still sitting in the backlog. Assist-reloading and backpack icon clarity were great wins, but there's still a long list of smaller frictions behind them, and they're on the board.

Where We Go From Here

I'm happy with this update, and it was as fun as always to follow the developments live, but I know there's still room to improve. The Void isn't finished with us, and neither are we with it. Stability will stay the priority between updates, and the campaign structure work above is the one to watch for going forwards. 

Thank you for your devotion to diving and dying and diving again. Stay frosty, Helldivers.

For Super Earth. For Liberty.

So... this has become my new Helldidentity and I couldn't be happier.

My explosives deficiency has been taken care of; everything is now grenades.

Everything explodes, shoot, toss, it's all the same.

I am complete, a one-man sending machine, receiving booms.

For if you see me i am burning it down enroute to the objective.

I burn things too with the new 6 pack of immolators.

This might be my favorite warbond guys.

*explodes*