Highlights

  • Proper planning is key to success in Helldivers 2; smoke and static stratagems have proven their worth in recent missions.
  • Dark Fluid mission highlighted the importance of defensive equipment in dealing with overwhelming enemy swarms.
  • Players may need to reconsider loadouts and focus on defensive stratagems for upcoming missions in Helldivers 2.

Players of Helldivers 2 must fully understand that proper planning and adaptation is the way to galactic freedom and democracy. Many have tried to figure out the best loadouts against the Terminid and Automaton threats, most having been tested through numerous successful or disastrous field experimentations. While much of the equipment in the game is highly valued, those based on smoke and static are usually brushed aside for others with more destructive power. However, the recent update has shown how coveted these two types of stratagems can be and why players should consider using them more often.

Helldivers 2 recently introduced a new major order that players scrambled to complete. It involved having Helldivers inject Dark Fluid at specific locations within Meridia, resulting in the total obliteration of the Terminid-inhabited planet and its Supercolony. The level of difficulty the mission possessed was more than what players expected, with many often seeing failure rather than success. This forced the creation of new strategies, ones strongly involving smoke and static-based stratagems. The success players have been seeing with the two types has skyrocketed their value, making them a part of nearly every loadout. The Dark Fluid mission can be seen as the reason why such stratagems have increased in worth, which could result in players reconsidering their loadouts for other planetary operations.

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How the Dark Fluid Mission Showed the Usefulness of Smoke and Static Stratagems

Players who participated in the Dark Fluid deployment mission will recall how difficult and hectic it was to complete. Its challenge helped deem it as one of the missions in Helldivers 2 that requires a properly unified team or a very exceptional solo player. Although it and the planet of Meridia are no more, the lessons it managed to teach Helldivers have become invaluable. This is especially the case for smoke and static-based stratagems as the mission has taught players how useful they can be through the following factors:

  • The possible destruction of the Tectonic Drill used to inject Dark Fluid into the planet
  • The overwhelming number of Termind swarms aiming to destroy the drill
  • Overly powerful weapons and stratagems, possibly destroying the objective rather than protecting it

Each of these had to be carefully considered, making the non-destructive smoke and static-based equipment the ideal tools for such a mission. Their ability to suppress the Terminids and render them immobile gave players enough time to protect and complete their objectives without being overwhelmed. It also promoted proper teamwork, as players had to coordinate who would deploy what and when to ensure enemies were constantly blinded or paralyzed. The Dark Fluid mission has effectively shown that stratagems in Helldivers 2 that offer defensive purposes, such as the Eagle Smoke Strike and the EMS Mortar Sentry, also play a vital role in dealing with the galactic threats and achieving Super Earth's goals.

The Future of Smoke and Static Stratagems in Helldivers

Although the order for the destruction of Meridia has concluded, it has left lasting effects. The mission has shown the usefulness of defensive equipment, possibly changing players' views on what the best loadouts in Helldivers 2 could be moving forward. Many will likely use more smoke and static stratagems in other missions to see how better or worse they are than their usual preferences. The developers may consider the introduction of other missions similar to the Dark Fluid deployment due to its impact on the gameplay meta. Should that be the case, the players can use the experience they have gained using smoke and static armaments to prepare themselves.

Completing major orders in Helldivers 2 usually involves players figuring out how in the quickest way possible. While aggressive play is usually the way toward success, there are times when being defensive is the better option. Arrowhead Game Studios could consider developing more missions that require a more careful approach, further showcasing the viability and effectiveness of smoke and EMS stratagems and weapons.