Know thy enemy, especially when that enemy is a relentless army of steel and circuitry. In Helldivers 2, the Automatons are one of the greatest threats to Super Earth. These bloodthirsty robots bring overwhelming firepower, heavy armor, and devastating reinforcements to the battlefield.

If you want cleaner callouts, smarter loadouts, and more efficient mission clears, understanding every Automaton unit is essential. Below is a complete breakdown of all Automaton enemy types in Helldivers 2, including their weaknesses, spawn difficulties, and the best tools to eliminate them.

Troopers (Raider, Marauder, Brawler)

Spawn Difficulty: Trivial (1)

Weakness: Unarmored - Any weapon works

Troopers are the most basic Automaton infantry. Variants include Raiders, Marauders, and Brawlers. They are lightly armored and easily dispatched with standard weapons.

The only slight threat comes from Brawlers, who rush players with blade arms. However, even these units fall quickly to basic firearms or melee strikes.

When farming lower difficulties for Requisition or Helldivers 2 Items, Troopers are nothing more than target practice.

Commissars

Spawn Difficulty: Trivial (1) and above

Weakness: Unarmored - Any weapon works

Commissars look similar to Troopers but serve a much more dangerous role. They lead patrols and defend objectives. Their key ability is launching a flare that summons Dropships filled with reinforcements.

Priority target rule: Eliminate Commissars immediately.

Allowing one to signal reinforcements can turn a manageable fight into chaos. Fast reaction time is critical, especially on greater difficulties.

Scout Striders

Spawn Difficulty: Medium (3) and above

Weakness: Light Armor on legs

Scout Striders are "chicken walker" units piloted by a Trooper. They offer strong frontal armor protection but remain vulnerable from the sides and rear.

Best tactics:

·Shoot the legs to topple them.

·Flank to eliminate the pilot.

·Aim for the exposed head above the armor.

On Impossible difficulty and above, Reinforced Scout Striders appear with improved durability.

Mobile squads equipped with anti-armor Helldivers 2 Items can dispatch these quickly before they overwhelm defensive lines.

Berserkers

Spawn Difficulty: Easy (2) and above

Weakness: Unarmored head and stomach

Berserkers are aggressive melee variants armed with dual chainsaws. They charge relentlessly and attempt to overwhelm players at close range.

Strategy:

·Maintain distance

·Target the head or the stomach

·Use stagger-capable weapons

Although fast, Berserkers lack heavy armor and fall quickly under focused fire.

Devastators (Rocket & Heavy Variants)

Spawn Difficulty: Challenging (4) and above

Weakness: Head, stomach, and legs

Devastators are mid-tier heavy infantry armed with powerful ranged weapons. Variants include:

·Rocket Devastators (shoulder rockets)

·Heavy Devastators (shielded frontal defense)

The key weakness is their small exposed head. Precision shots eliminate them instantly. While their torso requires medium penetration, their head and lower body remain vulnerable.

Efficient players often bring armor-penetrating Helldivers 2 Items to deal with Devastators cleanly on greater difficulties.

Hulks (Bruiser, Obliterator, Scorcher)

Spawn Difficulty: Challenging (4)

Weakness: Rear vents and head

Hulks are heavily armored brutes equipped with miniguns, rocket launchers, or flamethrowers,s depending on the variant.

Despite their intimidating appearance, they have exploitable weaknesses:

·Shoot glowing vents on the back.ck

·Target exposed head

·Use anti-tank weapons like the LAS-99 Quasar C

A single well-placed anti-armor shot can destroy a Hulk instantly. Coordination is key.

Annihilator Tank

Spawn Difficulty: Medium (3)

Weakness: Rear vent (explosives recommended)

Annihilator Tanks feature powerful laser cannons but rotate slowly. The safest strategy is to:

·Close distance

·Avoid frontal engagement

·Attack the rear vent with explosives

Support weapons and anti-armor Stratagems are ideal for quick eliminations.

Shredder Tank

Spawn Difficulty: Medium (3) to Challenging

Weakness: Rear vent

Shredder Tanks use quad-barrel laser cannons and rotate much faster than Annihilators.

Tips:

·Stay in cover

·Use Orbital or Eagle Stratagemsthe

·Hit rear vent with medium penetration or explosives.

Unlike Annihilators, these tanks punish careless positioning severely.

Barrager Tank

Spawn Difficulty: Suicide Mission (7)

Weakness: Rear vent

Barrager Tanks replace other tank variants on higher difficulties. While less lethal to players directly, they pose serious threats to friendly deployables like Exosuits and heavy vehicles.

Destroy them quickly to protect squad assets.

War Strider

Spawn Difficulty: Extreme (6)

Weakness: Leg, hip joint, torso red light

War Striders are towering mechanized threats. Anti-tank weapons can one-shot them if aimed correctly at the leg or hip joints.

Alternative strategy:

·Precision rifle shots to the torso's red light

·Attack the rear vent

These units demand coordination and serious damage output.

Factory Strider

Spawn Difficulty: Challenging (4)

Weakness: Face, underbelly, sides (anti-tank only)

Factory Striders are massive mobile fortresses capable of deploying additional units.

Effective counters:

·Anti-tank weapons

·500KG Bomb

·Orbital Laser Stratagem

Conventional weapons are ineffective. Heavy firepower is mandatory.

Many players prepare for encounters like this by upgrading loadouts or choosing to buy Helldivers 2 Items indirectly through accelerated progression and resource farming.

Best Loadout Strategy Against Automatons

Automaton missions reward preparation. Consider:

·At least one anti-tank weapon

·Crowd-control Stratagems

·Precision rifles for weak-point shots

·Orbital strikes for armored targets

Balanced squads with complementary Helldivers 2 Items perform significantly better, especially at Extreme and Suicide Mission difficulties.

Final Thoughts

The Automatons are a calculated, heavily armed faction that punishes reckless play. However, every unit has a weakness. From basic Troopers to towering Factory Striders, understanding armor types and targeting weak points transforms impossible missions into efficient victories.

Whether you're farming resources, climbing difficulties, or optimizing your loadout before deciding to buy Helldivers 2 Items through progression acceleration, knowledge remains your greatest weapon.