They fly now too? Helldivers 2 warns players that Automatons are developing ‘aerial gunships,’ so Super Earth is countering with ‘our most effective anti-air weaponry’
It was bad enough when Helldivers 2’s bugs started to fly, but the latest Super Earth intel suggests something far scarier than Shriekers is on the horizon: Automaton aerial gunships.
That’s according to the latest dispatch from Super Earth in the wake of Troost’s liberation. The Helldivers community got the job done in record time, but there’s no time to celebrate. In the course of liberation, the Ministry of Defense made a troubling discovery. Here’s the full dispatch:
“The Automaton Comms Array on Troost has been decommissioned. Strangely, it appears to have been broadcasting outside the Galactic Frontier. Analytics are working to determine more. However, we did discover a transmission containing blueprints for a new Automaton type: aerial gunships. With this advance warning, our hardworking factory laborers have been instructed to accelerate production of our most effective anti-air weaponry.”
Concerning. The Automatons’ biggest strength is their range—their tanks and stationary cannon towers are capable of wiping squads of helldivers off the map in seconds. It’s alarming to think that power could soon be taken to the sky, where divers have nowhere to hide.
I can’t wait. Even with the arrival of Shriekers, the sky is underutilized in Helldivers 2. I’d love more reasons to look up at Arrowhead’s pretty skyboxes, even if that reason is a 3,000-ton, freedom-hating gunship that wants me dead.
I imagine Automaton gunships could work similarly to Phantoms in the Halo series, dual-purpose ships that drop off enemies and rain down hell from above. Or perhaps they’ll be closer to our personal ships flying in low orbit—a large, intimidating presence that can oversee the entire battlefield from a single position.
I’m most curious what Arrowhead means by its “most effective anti-air weaponry.” Is it referring to the brand new Quasar Cannon with its rocket-like power, unlimited ammo, and extremely long range? The weapon’s already proving extremely effective against defenseless dropships, so I bet it’ll be a strong counter to what’s next, too. Or is Super Earth teasing a new breed of anti-air? It occurs to me that the Spear launcher, with its unreliable lock-on mechanic, could benefit from a new variant (or simply a buff).
Meanwhile, phase two of Operation Swift Disassembly begins today: The next target is Tibit, but we’ll have to go through either Malevalon Creek or Ubanea to get there.
