Helldivers 2 Automatons are a completely different power from bugs. Instead of swarms of soft targets, you face walking bunkers, rocket-spamming infantry, and armored tanks that laugh at regular rifles. This only means one thing: if you don’t have strong armor-piercing firepower under the belt, you will get stomped. So, are anti-tank weapons the best to destroy Automatons in Helldivers 2? In this guide, we have listed the most powerful weapons to use against deadly Automatons to smash them down.
Why Regular Guns Struggle Against Automatons?
The first thing you notice when you face Automatons after bugs is how little your regular guns matter. The Liberator or SMG that destroyed hordes of bugs, but against bots, it’s like throwing spitballs at a tank. Automaton units are built with layered armor and weak spots that require precise targeting, and unless you’re hitting those spots, most primaries don’t deliver enough penetration.
Yes, you can kill Troopers and Brawlers with pretty much anything, but the problem comes when Devastators, Hulks, and Striders enter the field. They soak up damage, and even headshots with weak rifles won’t get you far. On higher difficulties, multiple armored units spawn together, usually backed by infantry and drone waves. In that chaos, you don’t have the luxury to carefully shoot weak points with a low-penetration rifle, but you need something that can punch through on demand.
That’s why so many Helldivers consider heavy support weapons mandatory in Automaton missions. Regular rifles simply don’t scale well against the robots’ mix of armor and firepower.
Are Anti-Tank Weapons Best Against Automatons in Helldivers 2?
Anti-tank weapons are designed for exactly what Automatons bring to the table, which is heavy armor. Tools such as the Recoilless Rifle, Quasar Cannon, and Thermite Grenades make short work of Hulks, Striders, and Annihilator Tanks. They penetrate through armor and secure kills quickly that standard rifles can’t do. On paper, that makes them the obvious solution.
But these are specialized weapons. Recoilless Rifle needs setup, teamwork, and ammo resupply, while Quasar Cannon offers infinite shots but requires careful charge management and punishes missed timing. Thermite Grenades are devastating but force you into close range, which is risky against bots that usually protect their armor units with infantry. Anti-tank gear solves the big threats but struggles to manage the constant flow of Troopers, Berserkers, and rocket-spamming Devastators. In higher difficulties, this becomes a problem, so relying entirely on anti-tank tools leaves squads overwhelmed by small units.
The best strategy is balance. Anti-tank weapons are crucial, but only as a loadout part that also includes flexible support options. One player carries an anti-tank delete Hulks and Striders, while other squad members use Autocannons, AMRs, or Railguns to deal with both medium armor and infantry. In short, anti-tank weapons are very strong, but they aren’t the complete answer.
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Primary Weapons
Even though Automatons are armor-heavy, there are a handful of primaries that still hold their ground and make you feel useful even when bots appear on the field. They won’t replace support weapons, but they’re lifesavers when you don’t carry a big gun or need to conserve support ammo.
- SG-225 Breaker (and its variants) – The Breaker is still the best tool to delete trash mobs. Automatons throw Brawlers and Troopers at you constantly, and the Breaker kills them quickly. Variants like the Shotgun Incendiary version add bonus utility by burning through lighter bots. It won’t kill a Hulk, but it ensures you won’t get overwhelmed while lining up shots with heavy weapon.
- PLAS-1 Scorcher – Plasma weapons don’t care as much about armor, which makes the Scorcher great for stripping through light Automaton units and even chipping weak points on larger ones. The splash damage is excellent for clearing clusters, and it looks much more consistent than an SMG or AR spray against armored bots.
- JAR-5 Dominator / Eruptor – Dominator fires powerful, high-penetration rounds that chunk through armored targets, while the Eruptor’s explosive shots let you deal splash damage on impact. They’re slow, hefty rifles, but in return, they give you a reliable way to hurt enemies without having to swap to your Stratagem weapon every two minutes.
Secondary Weapons
Secondaries are usually only insurance, but against Automatons or Devastators, they can be more than that if you pick the right one. Bots don’t give you breathing room, and sometimes your support gun is on reload or you’re pinned by a rush, and that’s where the sidearm saves your life.
- P-19 Redeemer – Rather than a pistol, it’s a pocket SMG. The fire rate and damage output are high enough to shred Brawlers and Troopers at close range. When a Berserker attacks and you don’t have time to swap to your main weapon, the Redeemer can stop them in their tracks.
- Grenade Pistol – Highly underrated but very practical weapon. It’s not for dueling infantry, but it excels at finishing weakened armor or putting vents on Automaton buildings. If you need a quick burst of explosive damage and save support ammo, this firearm is reliable.
Against Automatons, use your secondary as a panic button. You won’t kill Hulks with it, but it’ll keep you alive in tight spots long enough to reload your Autocannon or deliver a Railgun shot.
Support Weapons
This is where the real Automaton killers live. These are the guns that actually turn the fight in your favor:
- Anti-Materiel Rifle (AMR) – It’s a precision weapon that rewards accuracy. Devastators lose their heads in one clean shot, Hulks can be crippled if you target their exposed weak points, and even flying gunships can be shot down with ease. It’s not spray-and-pray, but in skilled hands, it’s one of the most effective Automaton counter weapons.
- Autocannon – The Autocannon strikes a balance between raw damage and flexibility. It takes down Devastators, Striders, and Turrets before they eat your squad. The splash damage makes it forgiving if your aim isn’t perfect, and the reload cycle is manageable with teamwork. Most players rate this as the best all-rounder for bot missions.
- Recoilless Rifle / Quasar Cannon – These are the tank busters that turn Automaton armor into scrap, but they demand setup and coordination. The Recoilless is ammo-limited but extremely consistent; the Quasar has infinite shots but punishes bad timing with its charge mechanic. Both are good to eliminate Striders and Annihilator Tanks but they can’t keep up with infantry swarms.
- Railgun – Even after nerfs, it’s still a fan favorite. In unsafe mode, a couple of precise shots can cripple almost any heavy Automaton. The trade-off is risk—you’ll blow yourself up if you mistime it, and it demands accuracy under pressure. But for players who can handle it, the Railgun is one of the most satisfying anti-bot tools.
- Grenade Launcher (GL-21) – More situational than the others, but it’s still valuable. It clears groups of infantry, destroys Automaton defenses, and chips away at light vehicles. On its own, it won’t carry against Hulks or Striders, but paired with other firepower, it adds useful explosive coverage.
Best Overall Weapon Against Automatons
According to me, the best overall Helldivers 2 weapon for Automaton hunts is the Autocannon because it’s a sweet spot between anti-tank and anti-infantry, giving you the stopping power to kill Devastators and Hulks while being fast and flexible enough to keep you alive in swarms. It doesn’t demand the Railgun’s pinpoint accuracy or the setup time of the Recoilless, and it hits hard enough that you’ll never feel undergunned.
So to sum up, if you only equip one heavy weapon to the bot front, make it the Autocannon. Pair it with a solid primary, and you’ll always have an answer to whatever the Automatons in the game throw at you. But it’s just my preference and thinking, any weapon that works for you to smash down these bot enemies will be the most effective for you against Automatons.
