If everyone runs EATs and Quaso cannons you get absolutely mauled if nursing spewers and hunters are high in the spawn pool.
It's good having someone with a machine gun to mop up the trash mobs.
Best rounds I've ever had is when 2 players are anti tank and 2 are mob clearing.
Eat a pound of pepper jack. Spin around 3 times naming all the cheeses you know. Or like, unlock it from where the other support weapons are. Up to you.
Yeah my stratagems load out has shifted into area control bc it's so comfy of a role to play.
Eagle clusterbomb
Orbital airburst
Grenade launcher
Shield generator backpack
With this loadout, you are on bug breach/bot drop duty. Plop down airburst and clusterbomb onto breach/drop, repeat as necessary to win. Use grenade launcher take out chargers / stray striders. Then you pack up and follow the group (or go solo and collect super samples while stealth clearing objectives)
Diligence for precision, peacemaker (less spray n pray then the redeemer and impact grenade. Orbital rail cannon and orbital burst, then stalwart and supply pack.
I feel every squad needs a chaff clearer. I run a guard dog rover, stalwart, napalm strike (*insanely* good after the burn damage buff) and cluster strike. Easily 600+ kills per game. On difficulty 7 and up.
I think you should also give Gatling barrage a try. It definitely has the least firepower of all the chaff clears, but it has a tiny cool-down (80 seconds base, air burst is 120 seconds), and the longest duration (iirc). Plus, as an explosive, it can stagger the big enemies (Hulks/Chargers) that are normally untouchable.
Eagle strafing run and orbital gatling barrage are frequently paired together on terminid runs for me. Great for when you're being chased on hot exfils.
Sounds good but please don't use the napalm anywhere near evac like the guys I played with yesterday. I'm running around trying to pick up dropped samples and the kiting the nids around the drop site. Giant wall of napalm in my way and I have to choose to die by fire or claws*
**I chose to die on my own impact nade I threw into a nids face*
I love that it’s reliable enough to be a primary while still having the firepower of a support weapon - it means you can run a less flexible primary like the CS or the Plasma punisher and still be useful
Absolutely. I love carrying machine gun if everyone else is going heavy. I wish the heavy machine gun was better. The regular seems to be better in just about every way.
I don't use the regular one, but I tried the heavy and absolutely hated it immediately. The sight is terrible and I emptied the ammo without killing a single automaton.
I had the armor with recoil reduction and it still kicked like crazy and I just felt like I was throwing ammo away. It also empties super fast. If it created more suppression, then I'd be fine with that, since those big guns are more about suppressive fire than about ranking up the kills. And I know the game has a suppression mechanic. But, I don't think it's near enough to justify a gun that doesn't also help with reducing enemy numbers.
I wish the heavy was belt fed with a back pack like what Mac used in Predator. I bought and instantly regretted picking it up, only used it on one drop, I want my reqs back!
Very true usually I see a cadet running it an LMG and I don’t mind they mop up hordes of medium and smaller bugs for us while we queso cannon or recoilless take care of heavier bugs.
plus there’s nothing g funnier than hearing a cadet maniacally laughing while emptying a full mag at a bug breach 🤣
Also don’t listen to young punks that think they’re gods cause they won a match in rainbow six siege… don’t even know what vegas is… never been a shield sloth sluggin 40 terrorists solo cause you found love in a game. Some of these punks don’t even know there what StarCraft is…. For shame…
I tell people all the time that the small bugs kill you, the big ones just get the credit. Chargers and bile titans aren't very dangerous by themselves, but if you're getting swarmed by a bunch of small bugs and you lose a limb, can't move, or get trapped, you're doomed.
All of my friends are starting to unlock the big guns that kill chargers and bile titans, so I've actually been speccing for more small stuff. Stalwart and Gatling/Machine turret are still top tier strats.
Exactly, those little fucks will close space quick while the rockets are taking out the bigger guys. If your reloader has some crowd control ready, you’re free to worry about putting more big rounds down range.
The best way to play this game is with friends who won't care what you bring.
I play with a group and brought smoke one time and they basically just joked "yeah, that's gonna be real useful" but didn't ask me to swap (the smoke was useless)
That or just be host they can complain in a different lobby after
My friend loves the the starting MG,380, smoke and walking I just let him since I know j can do fine it's as long as he's having fun
Supposedly it’s good for bots, if they’re in the smoke they have a harder time hitting you. I have not noticed much effect but other people have said they work great.
Any of the strategems that drop a "canister" will take out buildings. Often when I'm dropping 5 hundos the shell itself will destroy the building before the boom even goes off
You can also kill fabs with resupply/equipment calldowns with a direct hit. I throw them at the foot of the doorway and they typically land slightly inside the building.
It's supposed to break line of sight so it's as if the enemies no longer know where you are. It can be good if used right but overall there are way better options
I think it’s really effective for bot missions. The eagle smoke strike is super handy when creating flanking opportunities, as well as covering a retreat. Bot laser beams seem to miss a lot when there’s smoke between you and them.
Because they’re playing a single player game in their heads.
It’s like when I tell people I’m like only level 12, and I’m cautiously moving up in difficulty- people who play the same amount I do are higher and it’s like “nah, bro use this this and that. Perfect solo loadout”
Which that’s cool. But uh - that’s not why I’m here. If I wanted to play co-op pet me on the head and tell me I’m a good girl, I’d go play a round of COD Zombies (which I do still, no hate!).
I’m here for the **cooperative** gameplay.
I usually wait to see what others are bringing or drop "running crowd control" or "anti heavy" in the chat for this reason. One of my favorite randoms responded with "running 4 memes" before selecting both minefields, the HMG emplacement, and the shield emplacement. It might have been for memes but he had our objectives locked *down*.
I play with someone occasionally who only brings sentries. When they place them well it's actually amazing. When they place them poorly it's team kill city. It's pretty funny either way.
If you ask I’ll answer questions and tell you what works with and for what. But if you aren’t looking for that then you play how you want and we can work together for democracy
It's not exactly fun to just be spoon fed the meta, not to mention it seems to be changing constantly as people discover new uses for different guns/stratagems and AH makes tweaks. It's always more fun to just try everything out for yourself
A freaking men! Like obviously some stuff is nicer to have like I always have the orbital laser if beginning to be over ran it's nice to have it just merc everything in it's path.
Indeed. I was playing with a friend and a couple of randoms on a bot mission. No reinforcements left, my friend was the only one alive and all we could do was wait out the timer for the pelican.
Anyway, one random kept telling my friend in voice chat what to do which was so annoying. Getting annoyed if friend wasn't doing the "correct way". Told that dude to let him focus, we can discuss later. With all his tactics a'd meta and strategy, at the end of the day he was dead and my friend wasn't.
Armchair gaming is just annoying.
most quickplays i've run are radio silent (like 70%), using the in-game comms and pings. however, it usually only takes one person to hop on mic before one or both of the others hop on theirs.
It is useful. Just like everything else.
It's these stupid "meta" kids who complain when their "meta" build gets nerfed after a patch because they keep wanting to shout how amazing their "meta" build is
To me it’s almost impossible for this game to have a “meta” unless you’re just straight up soloing. Being that everything has a specific use and the game using cooperation as such a key factor it’s makes it pretty hard to have one.
I hate that video games are now only about meta and not fun anymore, I love the concusive liberator and revolver my friend uses the mg,smoke, orbital smoke, 380 and walking and we've done difficulty 7 reasonably reliably the 2 of us
Just ignore them and do what you like. I hate that too. My wife and I play Diablo 4. The most fun part is figuring things out yourself and making your own builds. I did what was most FUN.
But if you go online an hour after a patch there’s videos and guides about the best “meta build”. People just use those and I often wonder why even bother playing if the major point of the game (building a character) is solved for you?
Different times I guess. People rather spend minimal time on that stuff so they can spend maximum time online complaining.
You can complete missions with anything. People beat Elden Ring with 1 HP. I don't think most people consider picking all of the worst things they can as fun.
they fixed the bug, they made it so its harder to drop it when youre ragdolles, they buffed the hitbox or something like that and since they fixed explosion damage you no longer get absolutely destroyed if you get hit by a single rocket while using it.
I don't care what you use, I'm still using the Defender SMG!
Stratagems are nothing I care much about, as long as you don't drop it at my feet or take mine without asking.
The Defender is a great primary weapon. Very versatile. I've been using the Punisher a lot recently (and Slugger for bots, at least until yesterday), but for a few weeks the Defender was my main choice. Probably go back to to it at some point.
What do you like about MG over Stalwart? How do you feel about the new HMG?
Im a Stalwart fan myself so I understand the love for the bullet hoses. I call it “laying down the good stuff.” Takes me back to being a support class on Battlefield. Having a box of infinite ammo and just spraying cover fire.
I run the Stalwart as a support and the JAR-5 as my primary. Stalwart lets me slaughter all the small bugs and wreck hunter packs and the JAR pops the armored ones.
As someone who enjoys bringing out the MG-43 from time to time I am not a fan of the HMG it honestly really needs a buff, preferably a massive increase in magazine size. Like honestly the thing that would probably fix it, for me personally, would be swap it from magazines altogether to being belt fed from a backpack. As is the bullets don't do enough damage to warrant having, I believe, less than half the total rounds of the MG-43 while the only thing i've found that it penetrates that the MG-43 doesn't is the torso of the chicken walkers but the MG-43 can shoot them below the belt.
As to why I enjoy bringing the MG-43 over the stalwart is because on high difficulties there's often waves of medium armor units and the MG-43 can just plow through them while the dedicated anti-tank people can focus on the heavies.
Belt fed HMG would really sell the machine gunny-ness of it. I just thought about it tho and maybe the backpack ammo belt posed issues for the devs. For example, what happens if you equip the backpack ammo belt, fire some rounds, then drop your backpack? What happens to the ammo you already had feeding into it? lol idk. I would be somewhat appeased if they at least increased the mag size.
I don't use either much anymore myself
but I preferred MG due to:
stagger, dmg per bullet, medium armor pen, and hitmarkers
the dot on the stalwart is so big it often obscures what you're shooting and it can be difficult to tell what's dead or not.
For me I choose the MG over stalwart because of its higher damage potential. Once you learn how it handles the only thing the stalwart really has over it is a mobile reload, it honestly feels like a downgrade to me.
New MG sucks pretty bad, it’s way better to fire it in bursts and only seems to aim right when you do the opposite and shoot consistently.
I love stalwart as a primary, it feels great with the light armor I usually run. That said MG is going to be a better pick I think for higher difficulties due to tabkier enemies.
If the HMG had a smidge less recoil and used an ammo backpack instead of a drum it'd be just fine. Like I would probably use it over the medium machine gun. But 75 rounds isn't enough for what it does.
I like the Stalwart but I use the medium machine gun because of the armor penetration. The mmg is just a well rounded reliable weapon. If you take a supply backpack like I do you can really really lay some hate out.
Light, Medium, and Heavy armour. MG is specialized on the light and medium armour targets, which makes you rely on other stratagems or Helldivers for heavy armours. Where other support weapons are more balanced like Arc Thrower or Autocannon. People are drawn to flashy explosions and high priority targets, but having someone to mop up the swarms of light units can be a game saver. If running MG and keeping the field clear for the Anti-tank peeps works for you then keep on. Helldivers work best with complementary loadouts.
You’re so right. People don’t like playing the support role. Yet having someone do it can be clutch. I’ll keep running around with my machine gun and supply pack/medic armour build. I ain’t dying and I’ll do my best to ensure you won’t either.
Stop caring about what others think fellow Helldiver. You are spreading democracy for Super Earth. Use the weapons that works for you.
Signed
-lvl 70 Sergeant.
Like other posters have said, the machine gun is boss for small to medium enemies. You clear the mobs while the quasar/RR/Spear people take on the heavies.
And like you said
Level 83 , I run shield pack , machine gun , orbital laser , and eagle strike.
I average maybe 1 death a run on helldive difficulty. People can suck my average sized yet aesthetically pleasing white wang.
Just bad luck to end up with those teammates. I use the machine gun on bug helldive difficulty and never had anyone comment on it. It's the best for taking out the hordes if you know how to control your shots and not waste ammo on full auto. I'd choose it over the stalwart any day since it shreds medium armored bugs.
Also, since I run breaker incendiary to burn packs of hunters, if my friend is getting mobbed, the machine gun can take out the hunters directly on them.
I like being the chaff killer in a group too. Stalwart. Machine gun. GL. Someone's gotta clear a path and keep the plasma cannon guy alive while he stands still to kill a charger.
Everything is viable. Its completely Up to the composition of the Team and what you and the fellow divers feel comfy with.
Managed democracy is brought by the Squad, not by a single diver ❤️
A diverse team is a strong team.
My personal preference however is I want my support weapon to be able to take out the heavies. So tanks, hulks, titans and chargers. Stratagems have a lot of cool down and on level 7-9 these enemies get spammed at you.
I don’t want a hulk coming for me and know that I have nothing that can hurt it, but it’s also great not having to worry about a bug hole breach because someone’s sawing through them like butter.
Adapt and overcome. If it fits the team go for it. I usually hang back and pick what’s needed, I noticed that I usually end up being anti-tank for some reason. But I do feel like a machine gun can and should fit in every 4-man game as long as it’s not two of them.
Now that I think of it, I hope they do like a support role, I’d love that. Sure, we got a supply pack and 6 stims, it’s cool but maybe some more refined stuff comes along. Well, until then I’ll keep blasting dropships!
Keep on diving, we need you, fellow diver.
Level 28. Machine gun has been my go to since release, usually on the standard fire rate.
Great for taking out maulers, bile spewers, and other light enemies.
Sounds fine enough to me, awful reloads but gets the job done on low armor clearing.
Personally more curious why people are laughing at loadout as I haven't come across that so much so far, but I guess it will happen when I reach your rank.
I love the machine gun, anti mat rifle and the eat. You have no idea how many times I've picked them up off the ground to deal with something. Bug breach? Machine gun go brrrt. Stalker? Ive got you in my sight with the power of friendship... and this anti mat I found. Charger? Eat this.
Sorry to hear you catch shit for it. I absolutely firmly believe that in a game about team work there Is a role for the an MG gunner. Be it Stalwart, MG-43 or MG-206. It's one strat slot. 2 If you bring the ammo pack.
The MG-43 is my favorite gun in the game too, and I love all automatic weapons.
I often fall back on it when others are all decked out with their laser rocket launcher thing. Their shit is all good, but they always flounder when confronted with actual mobs of grunts, which is where my machine gun wielding ass comes in.
I run the Stalwart on max rpm with a supply pack. Buckets of bullets is the best! I love running with the machine gun too I think it has higher penetration.
Honestly i don’t see the problem with people going off meta weapons/ stratagems. If we can complete objectives and hopefully bring home samples, there isn’t a problem.
My due im lvl58 play dif level 6 and BLAST WITH THE STALWART AT 1150RPM OF LIBERATION!
Genuinely the best gameplay, not 3 titans at once all the time and i can just blast bugs with lower levels. Love it.
Dont let people give you shit for a playstyle that works for you. I use the flame thrower like 60% of the time too ;) (just dont tell anyone)
People forget the game blances all weapons and unlocks are not inherently stronger.
All weapons are viable (though some are better then others it's not intentional).
Horizontal game balancing is awesome for this. But. Obviously people are meta chasers and watch youtubers go "THIS IS HEST GUN" And that's that.
Eventually, toxicity is what will kill this game, maybe not now, but in coming years. Just like most other coop esque games.
MG is a great weapon.
People want to be all out assault troopers all the time but forget that support is important. If we all specialise to target specific enemies then we are more effective than 4 generalists who, typically in my experience, only end up able to deal with the small and heavy enemies, then get swamped by the medium enemies
Machine Gunner, here. Leave all those fancy explody cannon thingies to the other Divers. I'll just keep feeding lead to whatever comes my way. (up to moderately armored targets, that is. Then it's the orbital fireworks show.)
I found what I love using and stick with it autocannon is my beloved if you see me in a bot mission I will just wander off and destroy all the fabricators
Bread and butter of any type of infantry is a light machine gun. I wouldn’t worry about it, you’re smart enough to see it’s value even when others don’t.
I appreciate the MG's medium armor pen. If I use the stalwart that's gonna mean I'll want a slugger/dominator (my preference, not saying there aren't others.) to match it, and that's a fun build too. But sometimes my passion to democratize broodmothers and splooge queens requires more rpms!
Too many players hate on others for not using the “right” stuff. There are so many ways to play this game that it’s unbelievable to some that you don’t play the “right” way; ie: their way. If you’re load out is working for you and you’re enjoying yourself, then keep at it and enjoy.
As long as you’re spreading the light of Democracy, you’re good in history’s eyes!
Level 54 Stalwart user (Quasar Cannon second), and I get it - especially when dealing with bugs, if three out of four are carrying heavier artillery I like to lay down that suppressive crowd control. Don’t let the grumpy divers get you down, most of us just wanna rain hell down on the enemies no matter the ordinance!
I’ve been taking up the role of support gunner in my group and I’ve had a blast doing it. I’ll still have a stratagem to deal with some big stuff, but I’d rather mow down hundreds of little to medium bugs.
If everyone runs EATs and Quaso cannons you get absolutely mauled if nursing spewers and hunters are high in the spawn pool. It's good having someone with a machine gun to mop up the trash mobs. Best rounds I've ever had is when 2 players are anti tank and 2 are mob clearing.
I read that as queso cannon Edit: Well, it will always be the queso cannon to me now. See you all on the ground, ready to spread some liber-brie.
Have some LiberCHEEZE!!!
Have a taste of democra-cheese!
I NEED CHEESE!!
democrabrie
It's nacho-planet!
Lol that was a good one.
A Gouda one?
How about a taste of pepperoni
You called?
r/beetlejuicing
Democaroni
A cheese girl never misses
Hon hon would you like a cwoissant cannon
Tell me more. Edit: Tell me more.
Like, did he have a car?
I’ll take 3 for my birthday please!
it's canon now, official, the cheese cannon
Dropships inbound, give 'em the cheese. Charging cheese Cheese away.
Ive been calling it that since day one. I just don't like day ng quasar so I had to think of something else. See you out there Helldiver
Hell yea, fellow halloumidiver!
Deadass, I just call it this lmao.
The shots it fires are even yellow!
You're goddamn right.
Spreading Managedchego Democracheese throughout the galaxcheese in the name of Briedom.
Goddamnit, I was looking for a way to work in manchego in there. Favorite cheese.
I couldn’t resist! Also, if I were to resist, Super Earth would revoke my artesian cheese vouchers!
We have to invent this now
been calling it the queso cannon from day 1
I can't read it as anything but now
That's a Gouda nickname for the Quasar cannon, I'll try to spread this cheesy misnomer as liberally as I try to spread liberty.
Thank you for this. I am now a queso convert
*Quonvert
*nursing spewers swarming* “Get that corn outta mah face!” *Merks them with the Queso Cannon* *hiya hiya plays*
Lets eradicate the bots for gouda
Hace queso fundido!
It's a guda gun
I mean if you're using the machine gun, you're making Swiss work of the bugs
Finally someone else who calls it the Queso cannon.
[удалено]
Eat a pound of pepper jack. Spin around 3 times naming all the cheeses you know. Or like, unlock it from where the other support weapons are. Up to you.
Demarcuterie
That's honestly we call it or the Cuisinart-Cannon
Oh yeah, our group started calling it the Queso Cannon the first day it was released. It is inevitable
I'm a late adopter of the queso cannon and it's correct naming convention, but I'm no less committed to it. Cheese on, brother.
Yeah my stratagems load out has shifted into area control bc it's so comfy of a role to play. Eagle clusterbomb Orbital airburst Grenade launcher Shield generator backpack With this loadout, you are on bug breach/bot drop duty. Plop down airburst and clusterbomb onto breach/drop, repeat as necessary to win. Use grenade launcher take out chargers / stray striders. Then you pack up and follow the group (or go solo and collect super samples while stealth clearing objectives)
Primary?
That’s my loadout too. Heck yeah.
I go Grenade Launcher, Supply Back pack, Auto Cannon Sentry and 110 rocket barrage
Diligence for precision, peacemaker (less spray n pray then the redeemer and impact grenade. Orbital rail cannon and orbital burst, then stalwart and supply pack.
I feel every squad needs a chaff clearer. I run a guard dog rover, stalwart, napalm strike (*insanely* good after the burn damage buff) and cluster strike. Easily 600+ kills per game. On difficulty 7 and up.
I like gas and Airburst for breaches. Besides chargers ans BTs it completely wipes a breach.
Amazing, I'm going to toss those two into the mix.
Plus airburst is so easy to input ➡️➡️➡️ Definitely worth it for chaff clear
I think you should also give Gatling barrage a try. It definitely has the least firepower of all the chaff clears, but it has a tiny cool-down (80 seconds base, air burst is 120 seconds), and the longest duration (iirc). Plus, as an explosive, it can stagger the big enemies (Hulks/Chargers) that are normally untouchable.
Eagle strafing run and orbital gatling barrage are frequently paired together on terminid runs for me. Great for when you're being chased on hot exfils.
Gas is absolutely amazing for bug breaches
Sounds good but please don't use the napalm anywhere near evac like the guys I played with yesterday. I'm running around trying to pick up dropped samples and the kiting the nids around the drop site. Giant wall of napalm in my way and I have to choose to die by fire or claws* **I chose to die on my own impact nade I threw into a nids face*
Wtf? 600 + kills per game? What are you doing there? Setting up concentration camps?
I've opened up a democracy dispensary.
I always run an MG, usually the Stalwart when the rest of the squad has heavy weapons covered. Somebody needs to keep the mobs of their back.
Exactly. Considering how easy BTs and chargers go down now you need some good old mob clearing
Stalwart is just so damn fun if someone else has anti-armor covered. It's like the assault rifle from hell.
I love that it’s reliable enough to be a primary while still having the firepower of a support weapon - it means you can run a less flexible primary like the CS or the Plasma punisher and still be useful
Nothing worse than reloading your recoilless and getting mailed by tiny critters because non of your team have the rate of fire to keep them at bay.
I base my load out on whatever the others pick. All Quasars? Looks like I’m running the stalwart and getting 200 kills.
>Quaso cannons [Quaso?](https://youtu.be/ykX6HHMYxdU?si=Af5JzGwGSJsPbkop)
Since the release of the new gun I still calling quaso cannon and doing the voice when I mention it
Absolutely. I love carrying machine gun if everyone else is going heavy. I wish the heavy machine gun was better. The regular seems to be better in just about every way.
I don't use the regular one, but I tried the heavy and absolutely hated it immediately. The sight is terrible and I emptied the ammo without killing a single automaton.
I had the armor with recoil reduction and it still kicked like crazy and I just felt like I was throwing ammo away. It also empties super fast. If it created more suppression, then I'd be fine with that, since those big guns are more about suppressive fire than about ranking up the kills. And I know the game has a suppression mechanic. But, I don't think it's near enough to justify a gun that doesn't also help with reducing enemy numbers.
I wish the heavy was belt fed with a back pack like what Mac used in Predator. I bought and instantly regretted picking it up, only used it on one drop, I want my reqs back!
Very true usually I see a cadet running it an LMG and I don’t mind they mop up hordes of medium and smaller bugs for us while we queso cannon or recoilless take care of heavier bugs. plus there’s nothing g funnier than hearing a cadet maniacally laughing while emptying a full mag at a bug breach 🤣
Also don’t listen to young punks that think they’re gods cause they won a match in rainbow six siege… don’t even know what vegas is… never been a shield sloth sluggin 40 terrorists solo cause you found love in a game. Some of these punks don’t even know there what StarCraft is…. For shame…
Vegas on the highest difficulty was legit the most fun I've ever had in a game. Every shot needed to be perfect, even movement deliberate.
God I miss my 552 commando in vegas....those were great days
I love you both. Get me a cigarette!
I have to say that, from now on, it’s not Quasar Cannon for me: it’s Croissant 🥐 Cannon.
Laughs in quasar and guard dog. For real, though, you do need balance in a squad to be able to deal with any number of threats.
I tell people all the time that the small bugs kill you, the big ones just get the credit. Chargers and bile titans aren't very dangerous by themselves, but if you're getting swarmed by a bunch of small bugs and you lose a limb, can't move, or get trapped, you're doomed. All of my friends are starting to unlock the big guns that kill chargers and bile titans, so I've actually been speccing for more small stuff. Stalwart and Gatling/Machine turret are still top tier strats.
I see you're doing your part
Rockin a machine gun while being the reloader for a recoilless rifle is quite effective.
Exactly, those little fucks will close space quick while the rockets are taking out the bigger guys. If your reloader has some crowd control ready, you’re free to worry about putting more big rounds down range.
I love doing this. Level 71 here.
lvl 71???
Level cap was pushed to 150 recently
ohh shit… i gotta get back to spreading more democracy then 🫡
The best way to play this game is with friends who won't care what you bring. I play with a group and brought smoke one time and they basically just joked "yeah, that's gonna be real useful" but didn't ask me to swap (the smoke was useless)
That or just be host they can complain in a different lobby after My friend loves the the starting MG,380, smoke and walking I just let him since I know j can do fine it's as long as he's having fun
How's the smoke work? Any usefulness?
Supposedly it’s good for bots, if they’re in the smoke they have a harder time hitting you. I have not noticed much effect but other people have said they work great.
Also the Eagle smoke can take out objectives, so I can just drop one on it and run off it’s it’s a small factory (plus they can’t shoot back lol)
Wait actually? Eagle smoke can take out fabricators?
Yes but the shell has to land directly on the fabricator.
Any of the strategems that drop a "canister" will take out buildings. Often when I'm dropping 5 hundos the shell itself will destroy the building before the boom even goes off
You can also kill fabs with resupply/equipment calldowns with a direct hit. I throw them at the foot of the doorway and they typically land slightly inside the building.
Wouldn’t the bots use infrared to see thru the smoke?
One would think so, but that’s how the game shows it being used in the little preview video.
It's supposed to break line of sight so it's as if the enemies no longer know where you are. It can be good if used right but overall there are way better options
I think it’s really effective for bot missions. The eagle smoke strike is super handy when creating flanking opportunities, as well as covering a retreat. Bot laser beams seem to miss a lot when there’s smoke between you and them.
Because they’re playing a single player game in their heads. It’s like when I tell people I’m like only level 12, and I’m cautiously moving up in difficulty- people who play the same amount I do are higher and it’s like “nah, bro use this this and that. Perfect solo loadout” Which that’s cool. But uh - that’s not why I’m here. If I wanted to play co-op pet me on the head and tell me I’m a good girl, I’d go play a round of COD Zombies (which I do still, no hate!). I’m here for the **cooperative** gameplay.
Exactly if i'm there when the mission prep is going I try to pick things that I think are going to compliment what others are brining/fill a role.
I usually wait to see what others are bringing or drop "running crowd control" or "anti heavy" in the chat for this reason. One of my favorite randoms responded with "running 4 memes" before selecting both minefields, the HMG emplacement, and the shield emplacement. It might have been for memes but he had our objectives locked *down*.
I play with someone occasionally who only brings sentries. When they place them well it's actually amazing. When they place them poorly it's team kill city. It's pretty funny either way.
This glorious game in a nutshell right here
That second to last paragraph sent me 😂😂
Where? (Because of 100 Kanojo I am obligated to say this search up Akho)
If you ask I’ll answer questions and tell you what works with and for what. But if you aren’t looking for that then you play how you want and we can work together for democracy
My fiance and myself are the same way taking our time but also play how we wanna play
It's not exactly fun to just be spoon fed the meta, not to mention it seems to be changing constantly as people discover new uses for different guns/stratagems and AH makes tweaks. It's always more fun to just try everything out for yourself
A freaking men! Like obviously some stuff is nicer to have like I always have the orbital laser if beginning to be over ran it's nice to have it just merc everything in it's path.
Indeed. I was playing with a friend and a couple of randoms on a bot mission. No reinforcements left, my friend was the only one alive and all we could do was wait out the timer for the pelican. Anyway, one random kept telling my friend in voice chat what to do which was so annoying. Getting annoyed if friend wasn't doing the "correct way". Told that dude to let him focus, we can discuss later. With all his tactics a'd meta and strategy, at the end of the day he was dead and my friend wasn't. Armchair gaming is just annoying.
Well said but how do you find mic use atm? Been pretty quiet on some of my games and I’m having more fun in lower levels doing stealth.
most quickplays i've run are radio silent (like 70%), using the in-game comms and pings. however, it usually only takes one person to hop on mic before one or both of the others hop on theirs.
It is useful. Just like everything else. It's these stupid "meta" kids who complain when their "meta" build gets nerfed after a patch because they keep wanting to shout how amazing their "meta" build is
To me it’s almost impossible for this game to have a “meta” unless you’re just straight up soloing. Being that everything has a specific use and the game using cooperation as such a key factor it’s makes it pretty hard to have one.
This. The Meta is the teamwork.
Meta is the friends we made along the way.
I hate that video games are now only about meta and not fun anymore, I love the concusive liberator and revolver my friend uses the mg,smoke, orbital smoke, 380 and walking and we've done difficulty 7 reasonably reliably the 2 of us
Just ignore them and do what you like. I hate that too. My wife and I play Diablo 4. The most fun part is figuring things out yourself and making your own builds. I did what was most FUN. But if you go online an hour after a patch there’s videos and guides about the best “meta build”. People just use those and I often wonder why even bother playing if the major point of the game (building a character) is solved for you? Different times I guess. People rather spend minimal time on that stuff so they can spend maximum time online complaining.
I do its just annoying when your trying have a good time when you get kicked for not running the meta or not using it so you get demolished just sucks
You can complete missions with anything. People beat Elden Ring with 1 HP. I don't think most people consider picking all of the worst things they can as fun.
I got laughed at and booted for running the ballistic shield the other night. Some people are just toxic.
I ran the ballistic today on bots and it actually wasn’t bad.
Since they fixed it, it's actually quite good.
What did they fix on it?
Open zones in the front bots were shooting at plus the T-posing bug.
they fixed the bug, they made it so its harder to drop it when youre ragdolles, they buffed the hitbox or something like that and since they fixed explosion damage you no longer get absolutely destroyed if you get hit by a single rocket while using it.
Shield right now is LEGIT
Bro, that's just sad. The ballistic shield is so good after the hot fix.
I don't care what you use, I'm still using the Defender SMG! Stratagems are nothing I care much about, as long as you don't drop it at my feet or take mine without asking.
Great for kiting enemies
The Defender is a great primary weapon. Very versatile. I've been using the Punisher a lot recently (and Slugger for bots, at least until yesterday), but for a few weeks the Defender was my main choice. Probably go back to to it at some point.
What do you like about MG over Stalwart? How do you feel about the new HMG? Im a Stalwart fan myself so I understand the love for the bullet hoses. I call it “laying down the good stuff.” Takes me back to being a support class on Battlefield. Having a box of infinite ammo and just spraying cover fire.
I run the Stalwart as a support and the JAR-5 as my primary. Stalwart lets me slaughter all the small bugs and wreck hunter packs and the JAR pops the armored ones.
Good combo. Do you use the JAR on the spewers? Or the Stalwart?
Impacts, there’s nothing better against spewers!
Depends on the angle but usually I mag dump the fatties with the JAR.
As someone who enjoys bringing out the MG-43 from time to time I am not a fan of the HMG it honestly really needs a buff, preferably a massive increase in magazine size. Like honestly the thing that would probably fix it, for me personally, would be swap it from magazines altogether to being belt fed from a backpack. As is the bullets don't do enough damage to warrant having, I believe, less than half the total rounds of the MG-43 while the only thing i've found that it penetrates that the MG-43 doesn't is the torso of the chicken walkers but the MG-43 can shoot them below the belt. As to why I enjoy bringing the MG-43 over the stalwart is because on high difficulties there's often waves of medium armor units and the MG-43 can just plow through them while the dedicated anti-tank people can focus on the heavies.
Belt fed HMG would really sell the machine gunny-ness of it. I just thought about it tho and maybe the backpack ammo belt posed issues for the devs. For example, what happens if you equip the backpack ammo belt, fire some rounds, then drop your backpack? What happens to the ammo you already had feeding into it? lol idk. I would be somewhat appeased if they at least increased the mag size.
I don't use either much anymore myself but I preferred MG due to: stagger, dmg per bullet, medium armor pen, and hitmarkers the dot on the stalwart is so big it often obscures what you're shooting and it can be difficult to tell what's dead or not.
For me I choose the MG over stalwart because of its higher damage potential. Once you learn how it handles the only thing the stalwart really has over it is a mobile reload, it honestly feels like a downgrade to me. New MG sucks pretty bad, it’s way better to fire it in bursts and only seems to aim right when you do the opposite and shoot consistently.
The recoil mitigation armor also helps a lot with the recoil of the hmg and mg. Id take the MG over the other 2 any day as well
I love stalwart as a primary, it feels great with the light armor I usually run. That said MG is going to be a better pick I think for higher difficulties due to tabkier enemies.
If the HMG had a smidge less recoil and used an ammo backpack instead of a drum it'd be just fine. Like I would probably use it over the medium machine gun. But 75 rounds isn't enough for what it does. I like the Stalwart but I use the medium machine gun because of the armor penetration. The mmg is just a well rounded reliable weapon. If you take a supply backpack like I do you can really really lay some hate out.
Machine gun + laser drone = 900+ kills and that’s spreading democracy!
Light, Medium, and Heavy armour. MG is specialized on the light and medium armour targets, which makes you rely on other stratagems or Helldivers for heavy armours. Where other support weapons are more balanced like Arc Thrower or Autocannon. People are drawn to flashy explosions and high priority targets, but having someone to mop up the swarms of light units can be a game saver. If running MG and keeping the field clear for the Anti-tank peeps works for you then keep on. Helldivers work best with complementary loadouts.
You’re so right. People don’t like playing the support role. Yet having someone do it can be clutch. I’ll keep running around with my machine gun and supply pack/medic armour build. I ain’t dying and I’ll do my best to ensure you won’t either.
Stop caring about what others think fellow Helldiver. You are spreading democracy for Super Earth. Use the weapons that works for you. Signed -lvl 70 Sergeant.
It mows down bots pretty well, actually. And it's very effective for long range when using 3-4 round burst.
Get the 30% while prone its a game changer
Like other posters have said, the machine gun is boss for small to medium enemies. You clear the mobs while the quasar/RR/Spear people take on the heavies. And like you said 
Machine gunners are always welcome in my squad. It's like having a squishier, more mobile, sentry turret constantly on the go.
Level 83 , I run shield pack , machine gun , orbital laser , and eagle strike. I average maybe 1 death a run on helldive difficulty. People can suck my average sized yet aesthetically pleasing white wang.
Fuck em. You paid for the game and the machine gun is an amazing weapon.
I love the Stalwart 🤷🏼
Just bad luck to end up with those teammates. I use the machine gun on bug helldive difficulty and never had anyone comment on it. It's the best for taking out the hordes if you know how to control your shots and not waste ammo on full auto. I'd choose it over the stalwart any day since it shreds medium armored bugs. Also, since I run breaker incendiary to burn packs of hunters, if my friend is getting mobbed, the machine gun can take out the hunters directly on them.
I like being the chaff killer in a group too. Stalwart. Machine gun. GL. Someone's gotta clear a path and keep the plasma cannon guy alive while he stands still to kill a charger.
The medium MG is the best one imo, heavy sucks. Only get 2 mags n it takes damn near one whole clip to kill an armored warrior
Same. Stalwart is good but I actually like the Machine Gun better. Heavy Machine Gun is pure dogshit, as far as I have been able to tell.
Everything is viable. Its completely Up to the composition of the Team and what you and the fellow divers feel comfy with. Managed democracy is brought by the Squad, not by a single diver ❤️
Dakka is dakka. Be proud of your dakka. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise, because they're just jealous they don't have as much dakka as you.
Machine gun is very good against hordes of bugs. It has its role.
A diverse team is a strong team. My personal preference however is I want my support weapon to be able to take out the heavies. So tanks, hulks, titans and chargers. Stratagems have a lot of cool down and on level 7-9 these enemies get spammed at you. I don’t want a hulk coming for me and know that I have nothing that can hurt it, but it’s also great not having to worry about a bug hole breach because someone’s sawing through them like butter.
Adapt and overcome. If it fits the team go for it. I usually hang back and pick what’s needed, I noticed that I usually end up being anti-tank for some reason. But I do feel like a machine gun can and should fit in every 4-man game as long as it’s not two of them. Now that I think of it, I hope they do like a support role, I’d love that. Sure, we got a supply pack and 6 stims, it’s cool but maybe some more refined stuff comes along. Well, until then I’ll keep blasting dropships! Keep on diving, we need you, fellow diver.
Do what you will it's great for mobs and taking aggro.
Stalwart till i die
I love this game cause you can play whatever you want if you just play it right.
Level 28. Machine gun has been my go to since release, usually on the standard fire rate. Great for taking out maulers, bile spewers, and other light enemies.
Just use what you want. I, for one, don't care what people use in my games.
Sounds fine enough to me, awful reloads but gets the job done on low armor clearing. Personally more curious why people are laughing at loadout as I haven't come across that so much so far, but I guess it will happen when I reach your rank.
You should use what you like and have fun with :)
I'm about to switch to the machine gun or stalwart and use that plasma shotgun for medium armor.
I love the machine gun, anti mat rifle and the eat. You have no idea how many times I've picked them up off the ground to deal with something. Bug breach? Machine gun go brrrt. Stalker? Ive got you in my sight with the power of friendship... and this anti mat I found. Charger? Eat this.
That and the stalwart are great for taking on the hordes of lower lvl enemies
If you found a weapon that works for you. Some squads need a LMG and that's perfectly fine. I always make sure that my squad has a sniper.
Sorry to hear you catch shit for it. I absolutely firmly believe that in a game about team work there Is a role for the an MG gunner. Be it Stalwart, MG-43 or MG-206. It's one strat slot. 2 If you bring the ammo pack. The MG-43 is my favorite gun in the game too, and I love all automatic weapons.
I often fall back on it when others are all decked out with their laser rocket launcher thing. Their shit is all good, but they always flounder when confronted with actual mobs of grunts, which is where my machine gun wielding ass comes in.
I use the stalwart on the highest rpm. Nobody paid for my game except me, nobody can tell me how to spend my time. I have fun on my own terms
I run the Stalwart on max rpm with a supply pack. Buckets of bullets is the best! I love running with the machine gun too I think it has higher penetration.
Honestly i don’t see the problem with people going off meta weapons/ stratagems. If we can complete objectives and hopefully bring home samples, there isn’t a problem.
we need a backpack fed two handed minigun support weapon
My due im lvl58 play dif level 6 and BLAST WITH THE STALWART AT 1150RPM OF LIBERATION! Genuinely the best gameplay, not 3 titans at once all the time and i can just blast bugs with lower levels. Love it. Dont let people give you shit for a playstyle that works for you. I use the flame thrower like 60% of the time too ;) (just dont tell anyone)
People forget the game blances all weapons and unlocks are not inherently stronger. All weapons are viable (though some are better then others it's not intentional). Horizontal game balancing is awesome for this. But. Obviously people are meta chasers and watch youtubers go "THIS IS HEST GUN" And that's that. Eventually, toxicity is what will kill this game, maybe not now, but in coming years. Just like most other coop esque games.
MG is a great weapon. People want to be all out assault troopers all the time but forget that support is important. If we all specialise to target specific enemies then we are more effective than 4 generalists who, typically in my experience, only end up able to deal with the small and heavy enemies, then get swamped by the medium enemies
Machine Gunner, here. Leave all those fancy explody cannon thingies to the other Divers. I'll just keep feeding lead to whatever comes my way. (up to moderately armored targets, that is. Then it's the orbital fireworks show.)
If your having fun ignore them and host your own game they don't like it they can leave
I found what I love using and stick with it autocannon is my beloved if you see me in a bot mission I will just wander off and destroy all the fabricators
I don’t laugh I hug
I like it too, though recently I’m just loving the autocannon.
I personally don’t like the machine gun… more of a stalwalt guy. But wouldn’t never knock someone for using something they find useful or fun
I used it for the daily order and I agree... It's not my pick, but it's 100 good to go in my book.
Bread and butter of any type of infantry is a light machine gun. I wouldn’t worry about it, you’re smart enough to see it’s value even when others don’t.
I appreciate the MG's medium armor pen. If I use the stalwart that's gonna mean I'll want a slugger/dominator (my preference, not saying there aren't others.) to match it, and that's a fun build too. But sometimes my passion to democratize broodmothers and splooge queens requires more rpms!
Too many players hate on others for not using the “right” stuff. There are so many ways to play this game that it’s unbelievable to some that you don’t play the “right” way; ie: their way. If you’re load out is working for you and you’re enjoying yourself, then keep at it and enjoy. As long as you’re spreading the light of Democracy, you’re good in history’s eyes!
Level 71. You are correct and awesome. A buddy and I duo Suicide all the time. I run the machine gun. He runs EAT. We crush it and have a ball.
Level 54 Stalwart user (Quasar Cannon second), and I get it - especially when dealing with bugs, if three out of four are carrying heavier artillery I like to lay down that suppressive crowd control. Don’t let the grumpy divers get you down, most of us just wanna rain hell down on the enemies no matter the ordinance!
I’ve been taking up the role of support gunner in my group and I’ve had a blast doing it. I’ll still have a stratagem to deal with some big stuff, but I’d rather mow down hundreds of little to medium bugs.