If you want to chip away at the Terminid and Automatons in Helldiver 2, you need to understand the smallest details for the best results. Here is everything you need to know about armor piercing rounds in Helldivers 2.
Helldivers 2: Best armor piercing round weapons
All weapons in Helldivers 2 have armor piercing rounds. But most can only penetrate light armor. These primary weapons will take too painstakingly long to kill the heavily armored enemy like Charger, Hulk, or Tank. While some weapons do an excellent job at piercing through exposed weak spots, like the SG-225 Breaker, R-63 Diligence, and R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper, they aren’t good enough to take down fully-armored enemies alone. Here is where Stratagems come in, specifically the support weapons.
| Weapon | How to unlock | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Railgun | 10,000 Requisitions (level 20) | Excellent at penetrating through heavy armor for critical damage. Has one-shot capabilities. |
| Recoilless Rifle | 3000 Requisitions (level three) | Use accuracy to pick off chunks of heavy armor on enemy limbs. Has multiple projectiles to kill fully armored enemies. |
| Expendable Anti-Tank | 3000 Requisitions (level three) | Obliterates heavy armor and can one-shot fully-armored enemies. |
| AR-23P Liberator Penetrator | 300 Medals (Helldivers Mobilize!) | Best armor penetrating primary weapon with decent mobility and a great optic for precision shots against medium armor. |
| SG-225 Breaker | 95 Medals (Helldivers Mobilize!) | Great for close-quarter fights where armored enemies have exposed weak spots. Cannot be used to effectively remove heavy armor. Most powerful against light armor. |
| R-63 Diligence | 16 Medals (Helldivers Mobilize!) | Perfect against Automaton forces with exposed weak spots. Cannot be used to remove medium or heavy armor. Use the Diligence for critical damage against exposed Terminid skin or Automaton wiring. Great against light armor. |
| R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper | 470 Medals (Helldivers Mobilize!) | Good bullet penetration to incapacitate enemies and reveal weak spots on light armor. Better used after removing medium to heavy armor with a support weapon. |
Although the Liberator Penetrator and Jar-5 Dominator are the only primary weapons with medium armor piercing rounds, this doesn’t mean that you should save up on Warbond Medals to spend on these two weapons alone. Every enemy type has their own strengths and weaknesses. Each requires a different strategy to kill. You need support weapons to take down the Charger, Brood Commander, Tank, and Hulk.
Helldivers 2: What do armor piercing rounds do?
Armor piercing rounds specifically target armored enemies, penetrating their defenses and hitting them for flesh damage. All weapons in Helldivers 2 have armor piercing rounds. These dictate the damage output of each primary or secondary weapon against armored enemies. There are only light and medium armor piercing rounds in Helldivers 2’s primary weapons.
The Terminid and Automaton factions include enemy types with medium to heavy armor. While every weapon is decent enough to take down the smallest and weakest of enemies, the same cannot be said for fully armored forces.
Helldivers 2: All weapons with armor piercing rounds
There isn’t a lot of balance between each weapon and its piercing armor capabilities. Instead, you need to look at weapon stats and playstyle (feel of the weapon) when choosing your loadout. Some weapons feel heavier and stiffer, making them less desirable for a light build. Here are all weapons with armor piercing rounds:
- AR-23 Liberator (light armor piercing rounds): Default weapon
- SG-8 Punisher (light armor piercing rounds): Costs four Medals on Helldivers Mobilize! battle pass
- R-63 Diligence (light armor piercing rounds): Costs 16 Medals on Helldivers Mobilize! battle pass
- SG-225 Breaker (light armor piercing rounds): Costs 95 Medals on Helldivers Mobilize! battle pass
- LAS-5 Scythe (light armor piercing rounds): Costs 180 Medals on Helldivers Mobilize! battle pass
- AR-23P Liberator Penetrator (medium armor piercing rounds): Costs 300 Medals on Helldivers Mobilize! battle pass
- R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper (light armor piercing rounds): Costs 470 Medals on Helldivers Mobilize! battle pass
- SG-225SP Breaker Spray&Pray (light armor piercing rounds): Costs 910 Medals on Helldivers Mobilize! battle pass
- PLAS-1 Scorcher (light armor piercing rounds): Costs 1275 Medals on Helldivers Mobilize! battle pass
- AR-23E Liberator Explosive (light armor piercing rounds): Costs 20 Medals on Steeled Veterans battle pass
- SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary (light armor piercing rounds): Costs 120 Medals on Steeled Veterans battle pass
- JAR-5 Dominator (medium armor piercing rounds): Costs 280 Medals on Steeled Veterans battle pass
Most primary weapons are useful in clearing low-tiered hordes, minimizing Bot Drops or Bug Breach numbers, and chipping away at enemy weak spots exposed for critical damage. But the same weapons cannot be used against heavy armor. You need to use support weapons to penetrate the heavy armor and incapacitate Chargers, Brood Commanders, and Hive Guards.
It is uncertain whether high armor piercing rounds will be added to primary weapons in a Helldivers 2 update on the battle pass. But for now, you can get high bullet penetration using the Stratagems.
