The Helldivers 2 Terminids, also known as the Bugs, are a faction of vicious and diverse insectoid aliens, ranging from small Scavengers to giant Bile Titans that can tear through buildings. Most Terminid types have claws and mandibles, so they attack by scurrying, leaping, or charging at Helldivers 2 players. Any old weapon or loadout won't cut it as some perform much better than others, especially when it comes to exploiting the Bugs' weaknesses - their weaker armor and susceptibility to fire. If the insect swarms are a little too much to handle and you need some tips, tricks and weapon recommedations, I've laid out the best ways to beat the Terminids in Helldivers 2 below.
Best weapons and loadouts for Terminids in Helldivers
The Terminids' speed, focus on melee combat, and sheer numbers means not all of the best Helldivers 2 weapons and Stratagems are good choices for fighting them. Their vulnerability to fire is a key thing to bear in mind when choosing your weapons and Stratagems before the mission starts too. With the right Helldivers 2 loadouts across your team, you can easily deal with the largest and most resilient of the bugs as well as the smallest ones that appear in great numbers.
These are the best weapons and Stratagems for exterminating Terminids in Helldivers 2:
- Flamethrower: The Flamethrower is a natural choice for missions on bug-filled planets since it can scorch swarms with ease and even tear through the more armored bugs. It's a great general-purpose bug barbecue-er.
- Quasar Cannon: For some heavier firepower, the Quasar Cannon is a good fit against the bugs, especially at higher difficulties where Chargers and Helldivers 2 Bile Titans are more common. Hitting a Charger in the head will kill it instantly, and the Quasar Cannon has no backpack and infinite ammo, making it one of the best support weapons available. To top of it off, you can even use it to close nest holes.
- Autocannon: The Autocannon's explosive power and range excels against the squishier bugs and it's also very good for destroying nest holes and Spore Spewers.
- Expendable Anti-Tank: If you need to quickly dispose of some bigger bugs, quickly calling in some Expendable Anti-Tanks is an effective option, letting you have the power of the Recoilless Rifle without having to commit to carrying the rocket backpack or the long reload times.
- Loadout weapons: The Sickle, Breaker, and Incendiary Breaker are all solid choices for damaging and killing Terminids of all shapes and sizes. Consider also bringing Stun Grenades and even the Grenade Pistol from the Helldivers 2 Democratic Detonation Warbond if you have it.
- Stratagems: You'll also need a couple of Offensive Stratagems in your loadout when you're facing Terminids, and I recommend picking any two from the Orbital Railcannon Strike, Orbital Laser, Eagle 500kg Bomb, or Eagle Napalm Strike. The first three offer unrivalled power for single-target or area damage and can destroy structures and nest holes too, while the Napalm Strike is great for dropping on Bug Breaches to incinerate 'nids as they come out the ground.
Helldivers 2 Terminid weaknesses and tips
The Helldivers 2 Terminids have all their major subtypes laid out in our attached Helldivers 2 enemies list, with specific tactics on how to kill each bug you find there, but if you want a more general approach to fighting them before you dive, here's our best list of tips and tricks for fighting the Terminids.
- Terminids generally focus on melee attacks and swarms, trying to overwhelm the player with sheer numbers and closing the distance. You'll want to stay mobile, using shotguns, SMGs and assault rifles to really break up the horde.
- If you see a Bug creating a cloud of orange mist, kill it immediately! It's summoning a Bug Breach, temporarily spawning Terminids from the ground. If you can kill it quickly, you can cancel the Breach - but you have to be incredibly fast.
- Cover won't help much with melee attackers, but raised ground can limit the number of Bugs that can reach you, or at least slow them down.
- At medium difficulty or higher, you'll want any of the Helldivers 2 armor penetrating weapons to hand, as Helldivers 2 Chargers will start to appear, with most of their bodies covered by thick plating that protects them from conventional attacks. Later on, enemies like the Bile Titans will make this even more necessary.
- Bugs are fairly resilient to energy attacks, but vulnerable to fire. Any incendiary weapon will be well-applied here.
- The Terminids' focus on melee attacks mean that they're fairly easy to "kite" and manipulate, drawing them around the battlefield into danger zones.
- Any ranged weapons that Terminids have are usually short-range (with the rare exception of artillery strikes that the large green Bile Spewers can create in later difficulties), with certain Bugs vomiting acid in the players' direction, but incredibly lethal - you'll want to dive to the side at the last second for the best chance of survival, not back or forward.
Bugs generally are considered the easier of the two factions, but that's very relative - they're not actually easy, it's just that the Helldivers 2 Automatons are considered even nastier for unprepared players. Bugs are largely more predictable as enemies, but their focus on numbers means that even experienced players won't dare let their guard down. If Terminids are headed in your direction, keep moving and try to thin their numbers before they can reach you.
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