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The Helldivers 2 meta has been shaken up recently with the Escalation of Freedom update. This latest patch nerfed fire and multiple fire-based weapons leading to fan-favorite weapons such as the Breaker Incendiary Shotgun to become weaker, along with further nerfs to them. As players look at what could become the next go-to loadout, one player suggests using the Autocannon as your support weapon.
U/KillerXDLZ took to the Helldivers 2 sub-Reddit to detail why they think that players should carry the Autocannon Stratagem when jumping in to serve Liber-tea to the Automatons and Terminids.
- Kill every single enemy in the entire game, Bile Titans are the hardest enemy to kill and Dropships are the only enemy unit that the autocannon is not capable of killing.
- Destroy every single Terminid Structure from hundreds of meters away.
- Destroy Automaton Mortars, Cannon turrets, and AA turrets from hundreds of meters away.
- Destroy from hundreds of meters away Bug holes (including Stalker nests) and Fabricators (Including Stratagem jammers with fabricator variant).
- Kill large groups of weaker enemies packed together easily with the high explosive damage and high ammo provided by the backpack. Like Scavengers, Shriekers, or Automaton Troopers.
- Kill Devastators and Brood Commanders with a single round to their heads.
- Kill Bile Spewers, Nursering Spewers, and Hulks with 2 rounds to the head (or visor).
- Kill Scout Striders and Rocket Striders with 2 rounds to the battery.
- Kill Behemoths and Tanks by wasting a single clip from 12 clips (you can kill 12 of these before running out of ammo!).
- Never be concerned about reload time since it has one of the shortest reload times in the entire game (as long you don’t leave the chamber completely empty), completely discarding the requirement to have someone to assist you with reload.
- Never be concerned about lack of ammunition: Using only a single Stratagem slot you’ll receive both the backpack containing the ammo and the weapon.
- Have an additional stratagem slot, since the Autocannon does not require a Supply Pack to be sustainable in terms of ammo (unlike the Grenade Launcher for example)
- Never be worried about the Autocannon being nerfed since as Arrowhead designer Alex K stated themselves: “The AC-8 Autocannon is a good example of a well-balanced weapon: it packs a powerful punch, has a very good range, but requires you to carry an ammo backpack or have a friend assist you.”
With so many weapons and Stratagems to choose from, it can be daunting trying to find what works for you. But the Autocannon looks to be a great fit for multiple play styles. To help you optimize the rest of your loadout, I highly recommend checking out our Helldivers 2 best weapons guide and best armor guide.
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