Getting six orbital barrages active at once sounds excessive until you remember excessive is the Helldivers way. It’s the Only Way to Be Sure trophy in Helldivers 2 requires you to team up with at least one other player and use the right stratagems with the right strategy. Solo play won’t work, as you cannot equip six barrages by yourself. Our guide tells how to unlock Helldivers 2’s It’s the Only Way to Be Sure trophy to stack orbital firepower until Super Earth is satisfied.
How to Unlock the “It’s the Only Way to Be Sure” Achievement in Helldivers 2
To unlock It’s the Only Way to Be Sure, you must have six orbital barrage stratagems active in the same area at the same time. As already mentioned, you can’t do it solo and need at least one teammate alongside. Here’s how you can make it happen:
- 2 players: 3 orbital barrages each
- 3 players: 2 orbital barrages for every member
- 4 players: Easiest way, have some people handle two barrages, and others just one.
Two players are enough, and it’s how I’ve completed it in my playthrough. A full squad only gives you more margin for error if someone mistimes a throw or gets interrupted. As Helldivers 2 is a crossplay game, PC and PS5/Xbox players can easily match up to complete tough challenges like that.
If the stratagem name has “Orbital” and “Barrage,” it counts. All the valid gear includes:
- Orbital Gatling Barrage (Level 2, 1,500 Requisition)
- Orbital 120mm HE Barrage (Level 5, 4,000 Requisition)
- Orbital 380mm HE Barrage (Level 8, 7,500 Requisition)
- Orbital Walking Barrage (Level 10, 7,500 Requisition)
- Orbital Napalm Barrage
Anything else does not work. Orbital Laser, Precision Strike, Airburst, and similar stratagems won’t lift progress for the It’s the Only Way to Be achievement. Orbital Walking Barrage unlocks later but is extremely useful due to its long active duration.
Note: There should be a minimum of two players with three barrages equipped each. Both players need to reach at least level 10 to unlock all barrage options, though you can try it earlier with the low-level barrages. For a better play, play in three players squad with two barrages each, or four, spreading the load. The more players, the less pressure and the fewer punishments if someone dies or messes up things.
How to Use Stratagems
To complete the achievement, all six barrages must rain down simultaneously, so your squad gotta be quick with the stratagem codes. Start with Orbital Walking Barrage, which needs 7-8 seconds and gives you the longest active window. Use the 380mm and 120mm barrages next that have moderate durations. Save Orbital Gatling Barrage for last because it’s the fastest to complete, so throwing it last keeps all stratagems active together. Know these input codes by heart before you try it. Fumbling in the menu while your team’s barrages are already activated is a waste of time.
Best Missions to Unlock Trophy
The trophy doesn’t care about difficulty, so go with the trivial level to prevent enemies from interrupting your coordination. Since the fight is irrelevant, you must avoid distractions. Eradicate missions on difficulty 7-9 are a good choice when you play with random players. On these difficulty levels, Helldivers usually have unlocked all barrages and understand stratagem mechanics. Defense missions include small maps with predictable enemy spawns.
Avoid any mission with the -1 Stratagem Slot modifier that won’t allow players to equip enough barrages and ruin the attempt. Automaton planets are famous for it because many Eradicate missions happen there, but Bugs and Illuminate work just as well.
How to Execute the Strategy
- With Friends: Mark one spot, usually right at spawn, and everyone must throw their barrages at that point, following the timing order above. Six beams of light should shine down simultaneously, and with that, the trophy will unlock.
- With Random Players: Join lobbies and check loadouts before the mission. Only look for players who have at least two barrage stratagems. If nobody has them equipped, back out and find another lobby. Once in the match, wait for someone to throw barrages first. When you see the orbital beams, instantly slam down your three barrages at the same location. Let’s hope the other players get the memo and drop their stratagems, too. Repeat this process throughout the mission until enough barrages align. Type in the chat if you’re on PC. “Need 6 barrages for trophy” gets the message across without voice communication. Console players have limited text options, but can try the in-game communication wheel.
Once everyone understands the rule—six barrages, same place, same time—Helldivers 2’s “It’s the Only Way to Be Sure” achievement/trophy is one of the fastest to unlock.
