You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here
Your Super Destroyer ship in Helldivers 2 lets you call in powerful offensive abilities which can be upgraded with ship modules. Having the best ship modules gives you a massive boost to your damage in-game, so you’ll want to make sure you prioritise unlocking the right ones for you. Read on to find out which ones you should pick first in Arrowhead’s hit co-op shooter.
Our ship modules tier list
Here’s our Helldivers 2 ship modules tier list based on the time we’ve spent in-game. Since they’re all passive buffs, you don’t have to pick between them. Instead, pick what to upgrade first and get the rest later on as you acquire more resources – primarily samples.
| Tier | Ship modules |
|---|---|
| S | Donation Access License Dynamic Tracking Expanded Weapons Bay Liquid-Ventilated Cockpit Synthetic Supplementation Targeting Software Upgrade |
| A | Advanced Construction Blast Absorption Enhanced Combustion Exploding Shrapnel Morale Augmentation Payroll Management System Power Steering Shock Absorption Gel Zero-G Breech Loading |
| B | Advanced Crew Training Atmospheric Monitoring Circuit Expansion Cross-Platform Compatibility High-Density Explosives High-Quality Lubricant Nuclear Radar Streamlined Launch Process Streamlined Request Process Superior Packing Methodology Pit Crew Hazard Pay XXL Weapons Bay |
| C | Hand Carts More Guns Rapid Launch System |
What are the best S-tier ship modules to unlock first?
Ship modules can be purchased in the Ship Management Terminal in Helldivers 2’s Destroyer ship. You can also unlock new stratagems here in a different section. Ship modules are split into six groups, each with a specific target focus in terms of buffing up stratagems or granting bonuses. We’ve taken a specific look at our S-Tier modules, what they do, and why you should unlock them in the section below.
Donation Access License
- Cost: 60 Common samples
- Effect: Support Weapons deploy with the maximum number of carriable magazines.
This affordable ship upgrade increases the magazines that come with every support weapon drop. This includes lethal weapons like the Laser Cannon, Grenade Launcher, Machine Gun, Railgun, Stalwart, Anti-Materiel Rifle, and Flamethrower. You can survive alien onslaughts without spamming the resupply stratagem right at the start of the game, saving you time and resources in the long run. This pairs up well with many of the best weapons you pick.
Dynamic Tracking
- Cost: 60 Common, 20 Rare samples
- Effect: All Sentry stratagems launch immediately once called in, reducing overall deployment time.
This module reduces the deployment time for all Sentry Stratagems. With how powerful Sentries can be if used effectively, this will not only help you get set up for oncoming waves of enemies more easily, but you can also quickly drop one down in a pinch if you get caught out and are in trouble, dishing out some serious punishment on any Terminids or Automatons unfortunate enough to be in your wake.
Expanded Weapons Bay
- Cost: 80 Common, 80 Rare, 10 Super samples
- Effect: Increases the number of Eagle stratagem uses per Rearm by 1.
With how powerful and popular Eagle stratagems are in Helldivers 2, this module is a no-brainer. Getting more effective uses out of your Eagle summons, this upgrade beats out most others in Hangar. There are plenty varied stratagems in its category, so you can plan ahead and tailor them for each mission, knowing that they will be more effective per each call-in.
Liquid-Ventilated Cockpit
- Cost: 80 Common samples
- Effect: Eagle stratagem cooldown time reduced by 50%.
Eagle stratagems are some of the best stratagems in the game for good reason, so reducing their cooldowns by 50% is pretty a pretty massive buff if you use them often. Morever, it’s the first Hangar upgrade and comes at a low cost, you can get this without spending too much of your resources, and in return you get to drop Eagle 500kg Bombs, Eagle Airstrikes, Eagle Cluster Bombs, and others even more often.
Synthetic Supplementation
- Cost: 60 Common, 10 Rare samples
- Effect: Reduces cooldown time for Sentry, Emplacement, and Resupply stratagems by 10%.
This one pairs well with the previous ship upgrade, with a solid cooldown reduction of 10% to Supply, Sentry, and Resupply stratagems. It’s one of those upgrades that you might not even notice how useful it is while you’re using it, but as soon as you turn it off, it becomes extremely clear just how big a reduction 10% can be to your cooldowns. Moreover, it hits a trifecta of three useful categories and is the first in Engineering Bay, making it pretty cheap to get.
Targeting Software Upgrade
- Cost: 60 Common samples
- Effect: 1-second reduction in call-in time for all Orbital stratagems.
Another module that’s first in its line, making it affordable while providing a strong effect. This module starts the Bridge upgrade tree, providing a great boost to your orbital stratagems. You will certainly feel that one-second difference while waiting for the stratagem to activate. It makes them much more precise, letting them fall sooner, without the need to set up a “lead” for them while accounting for the prep time.
Save your Samples for ship modules but don’t hoard them
There’s a limit on how many Samples you can have so don’t wait for the endgame to use all of them. It’s better to use them on a Ship Module you might not use than to have them sitting there doing nothing after all.
How to unlock all ship modules
To unlock new ship modules in Helldivers, you’ll need to purchase them using Samples obtained from missions. These modules can only be purchased successively one after the other in a specific category. For instance, the Streamlined Request Process can only be purchased after unlocking the Donation Access License.
Samples come in Common (Green), Rare (Orange), and Super (Pink) variants. These upgrades will enhance your performance in combat against the Terminids and Automatons. You’ll need a whopping 3830 Common, 2920 Rare, 305 Super Samples, and 335,000 Requisition slips to unlock all the ship modules in Helldivers 2.
You will want to eventually unlock all ship modules, but that will take time and a lot of resources. Each one provides a buff, so there’s no wrong answers, but you may look to prioritize those that supplement the weapons and stratagems you use most often.
Lower your Sentry deployment times with this upgrade. Image captured by VideoGamer.
Drop your Sentry, Emplacement, and Resupply stratagem cooldowns with this item. Image captured by VideoGamer.
Want a better minimap? Get this upgrade. Image captured by VideoGamer.
Get your Eagle stratagems quicker with this. Image captured by VideoGamer.
Deal more damage with Orbital strikes. Image captured by VideoGamer.
Need more ammo? Consider this upgrade. Image captured by VideoGamer.
List of all ship upgrades and their costs
Here’s a detailed list of all the ship upgrades you can find in the game. We’ve split this based on the different types available in Helldivers 2. We’ve also added the new ship upgrades introduced alongside the Democratic Detonation Warbond. You don’t need to purchase it to access the new upgrades.
Patriotic Administration Center Ship Modules
| Ship Module | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Donation Access License | 60 Common | Support Weapons deploy with the maximum number of carriable magazines. |
| Streamlined Request Process | 80 Common 40 Rare | Decreases Support Weapon stratagem cooldown by 10%. |
| Hand Carts | 80 Common 60 Rare 5 Super | Decreases cooldown for all Backpack stratagems by 10%. |
| Superior Packing Methodology | 150 Common 150 Rare 15 Super 20,000 Requisition | Resupply Stratagem boxes refill Support Weapons with the maximum number of carriable magazines. |
| Payroll Management System | 200 Common 200 Rare 20 Super 30,000 Requisition | Reduces reload time for all Support Weapons by 10%. |
Orbital Cannon Ship Modules
| Ship Module | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Exploding Shrapnel | 100 Common | Reduces damage fall-off from centre of explosions caused by orbital stratagems. |
| More Guns | 80 Common 60 Rare | Barrage orbitals fire 1 additional salvo(s) per barrage. |
| Zero-G Breech Loading | 80 Common 80 Rare 10 Super | Orbital stratagem cooldown time reduced by 10%. |
| Atmospheric Monitoring | 200 Common 150 Rare 15 Super 25,000 Requisition | Orbital HE barrage spread reduced by 15%. |
| High-Density Explosives | 250 Common 200 Rare 20 Super 35,000 Requisition | Increases the damage radius on explosions caused by orbital stratagems by 10%. |
Hangar Ship Modules
| Ship Module | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Liquid-Ventilated Cockpit | 80 Common | Eagle stratagem cooldown time reduced by 50%. |
| Pit Crew Hazard Pay | 80 Common 40 Rare | Reduces Eagle Rearm time by 20%. |
| Expanded Weapons Bay | 80 Common 80 Rare 10 Super | Increases the number of Eagle stratagem uses per Rearm by 1. |
| XXL Weapons Bay | 150 Common 150 Rare 15 Super 25,000 Requisition | Eagle Stratagems that drop multiple bombs will drop 1 additional bomb(s). |
| Advanced Crew Training | 200 Common 250 Rare 25 Super 30,000 Requisition | Eagle Rearm cooldown further reduced by 10% if called in while Eagle uses still remain. |
Bridge Ship Modules
| Ship Module | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Targeting Software Upgrade | 60 Common | 1-second reduction in call-in time for all Orbital stratagems. |
| Nuclear Radar | 80 Common 40 Rare | Increases minimap enemy ping radius by 50%. |
| Power Steering | 80 Common 80 Rare 10 Super | Improves steering for Helldivers during Hellpod deployment. |
| Enhanced Combustion | 200 Common 150 Rare 15 Super 25,000 Requisition | Fire damage from stratagems increased by 25%. |
| Morale Augmentation | 200 Common 200 Rare 20 Super 35,000 Requisition | Reduces cooldown time for all Stratagems by 5%. |
Engineer Bay Ship Modules
| Ship Module | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Synthetic Supplementation | 60 Common 10 Rare | Reduces cooldown time for Sentry, Emplacement, and Resupply stratagems by 10%. |
| Advanced Construction | 80 Common 60 Rare 5 Super | Increases health of Sentry stratagems by 50%. |
| Rapid Launch System | 80 Common 80 Rare 10 Super | All Emplacement stratagems launch immediately once called in, reducing overall deployment time. |
| Circuit Expansion | 200 Common 150 Rare 20 Super 20,000 Requisition | Lightning arcs, fired from weapons and turrets, jump to one additional enemy. |
| Streamlined Launch Process | 250 Common 200 Rare 25 Super 30,000 Requisition | All Support Weapon stratagems launch immediately once called in, reducing overall deployment time. |
Robotics Workshop Ship Modules
| Ship Module | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic Tracking | 60 Common 20 Rare | All Sentry stratagems launch immediately once called in, reducing overall deployment time. |
| Shock Absorption Gel | 80 Common 40 Rare 5 Super | Increases ammo for all Sentry stratagems by 50%. |
| High-Quality Lubricant | 80 Common 80 Rare 10 Super | Sentries rotate toward new targets more quickly. |
| Blast Absorption | 150 Common 150 Rare 20 Super 25,000 Requisition Slips | Sentries take 50% less damage from explosions. |
| Cross-Platform Compatibility | 250 Common 200 Rare 30 Super 35,000 Requisition | Mortar Sentries prioritise fire at marked targets. |
About the Author
