Helldivers 2 exploit puts the Guard Dogs to shame by turning the Pelican-1 extraction ship into a constant source of cover fire

Helldivers 2 defend campaign
(Image credit: Sony)

A Helldivers 2 player has discovered that the Pelican-1 won't just pick you up from a firefight - it'll also stick around to obliterate your enemies by your side. 

"Well, this is just more proof that Pelican-1 is a legitimately good person," the Reddit post below is titled, and there are no lies here. The clip with the post shows a Helldivers 2 player calling down Pelican-1 for extraction, only to run away from the dropship before it can land. Surprisingly, Pelican-1 hovers just above the extraction zone, and batters some Terminids with its long-range cannons.

Well This is just more proof that Pelican 1 is a legitimately good person. from r/Helldivers

Pelican-1 is also freakishly accurate with its shots. It looks to be hitting Terminids with a cannon over 200 meters away, a skill Super Earth's soldiers badly need to perfect. Once the player is ready to extract, Pelican-1 descends to the landing zone and pulls them out of the mission, proving the drop ship pilot is a good soul.

The Reddit post has brought on chatter about how badly players want a drop ship-related Stratagem in their arsenal. "I'd kill for a gunship stratagem where you call Pelican to come fly around an area and fire on enemies for a while," reads the top-voted comment under the Reddit post, with over 3,600 'upvotes' and plenty of comments in agreement.

"MGS V all over again," writes another comment, referencing Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain's beloved Pequod. Konami's last mainline Metal Gear game might be nearing its tenth anniversary, but its helicopter pilot is still beloved among players for similar reasons as Pelican-1—they're a dab hand at supporting the player wherever they go.

If you want to hit the ground running on the game's new Major Order, check out our Helldivers 2 Troost guide for tips on how to liberate the Automaton-held planet.

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.