published on May 28, 2024 in news

Helldivers 2 stratagems | Full list of codes and how to use them

If you're new to the game, stratagems are abilities you can call upon in-game from your Destroyer Ship to help tackle objectives and mow down the hordes of Super Earth's enemies.

As the difficulty level increases, you'll want to consider ahead of time which to make available to you during missions.

There's plenty to consider, so read on and we'll go over all!

What are the best Helldivers 2 stratagems?

The best stratagems in Helldivers 2 are the Railgun, Orbital Laser and Eagle Airstrike.

This is down to the fact that these stratagems bring a whole lot of hurt to the enemy, and are best saved for the moments you really need them - such as when you're going up against bosses.

Railgun

This is unlocked at level 20 and has a quick call-in time of three seconds. It absolutely minces armour, making short work of bosses such as Chargers, Hulks and Bile Titans.

There's a 480-second cooldown, though, so make sure you've got your target properly locked down before calling it in.

Orbital Laser

Unlocked at level 15, the Orbital Laser will devastate enemies - but in a target area as opposed to a singular one.

You only get to use it three times, but it does have a shorter cooldown time of 300 seconds and a one-second call-in time, making it viable as a desperate last-ditch weapon.

Eagle Airstrike

This is available immediately to the player at level 1, has no call-in time and only an eight-second cooldown time.

You do only get two uses, though, so it's best used sparingly. We rate it so highly, however, as it's an absolute lifesaver for lower-ranked players and those new to the game.

It is great for huge swarms of enemies, and you'll find a lot of use for it even when you've progressed much further into the game.

How to use stratagems in Helldivers 2

In order to use the stratagems in Helldivers 2, you'll need to open the list and input the code for the one you want to use.

On the PS5 you hold L1, and on the PC you hold left Ctrl. While they're held down, you input the code. Simple!

There are six types of stratagems in Helldivers 2:

Patriotic Administration Center
Orbital Cannons
Hangar
Bridge
Engineering Bay
Robotics Workshop

We'll separate the below list into each category.

Full list of Helldivers 2 stratagems - All codes on PS5 and PC

The codes are all used with directional buttons, both on the PC and PS5. Bear in mind that on the PC you'll be using WASD. So W is Up, A is Left, S Down, and D Right.

Patriotic Administration Center Stratagem Codes

Machine Gun (level 1) - Down, Left, Down, Up, Right.
Anti-Material Rifle (level 2) - Down, Left, Right, Up, Down.
Stalwart (level 2) - Down, Left, Down, Up, Up, Left.
Expendable Anti-Tank (level 3) - Down, Down, Left, Up, Right.
Recoiled Rifle (level 5) - Down, Left, Right, Right, Left.
Flamethrower (level 10) - Down, Left, Up, Down, Up.
Autocannon (level 10) - Down, Left, Down, Up, Up, Right.
Railgun (level 20) - Down, Right, Left, Down, Up, Left, Right.
Spear (level 20) - Down, Down, Up, Down, Down.

Orbital Cannons Stratagem Codes

Orbital Gatling Barrage (level 2) - Right, Down, Left, Up, Up.
Orbital Airburst Strike (level 5) - Right, Right Right.
Orbital 120MM HE Barrage (level 5) - Right, Down, Left, Right, Down.
Orbital 380MM HE Barrage (level 8) - Right, Down, Up, Up, Left, Down, Down.
Orbital Walking Barrage (level 10) - Right, Right, Down, Left, Right, Down.
Orbital Lasers (level 15) - Right, Down, Up, Right, Down.
Orbital Railcannon Strike (level 20) - Right, Up, Down, Down, Right.

Hangar Stratagem Codes

Eagle Strafing Run (level 2) - Up, Right, Right.
Eagle Airstrike (level 2) - Up, Right, Down, Right.
Eagle Cluster Bomb (level 3) - Up, Right, Down, Down, Right.
Eagle Napalm Airstrike (level 5) - Up, Right, Down, Up.
Jump Pack (level 8) - Down, Up, Up, Down, Up.
Eagle Smoke Strike (level 8) - Up, Right, Up, Down.
Eagle 110MM Rocket Pods (level 10) - Up, Right, Up, Left.
Eagle 500KG Bomb (level 15) - Up, Right, Down, Down, Down.

Bridge Stratagem Codes

Orbital Precision Strike (level 1) - Right, Right, Up.
Orbital Gas Strike (level 3) - Right, Right, Down, Right.
Orbital EMS Strike (level 5) - Right, Right, Left, Down.
Orbital Smoke Strike (level 8) - Right, Right, Down, Up.
HMG Emplacement (level 10) - Down, Up, Left, Right, Right, Left.
Shield Generation Relay (level 10) - Down, Up, Left, Down, Right, Right.
Tesla Tower (15) - Down, Up, Right, Up, Left, Right.

Engineering Bay Stratagem Codes

Anti-Personnel Minefield (level 2) - Down, Left, Up, Right.
Supply Pack (level 3) - Down, Left, Down, Up, Up, Down.
Grenade Launcher (level 5) - Down, Left, Up, Left, Down.
Laser Cannon (level 5) - Down, Left, Down, Up, Left.
Incendiary Mines (level 8) - Down, Left, Left, Down.
"Guard Dog" Rover (level 10) - Down, Up, Left, Up, Right, Right.
Ballistic Shield Backpack (level 12) - Down, Left, Up, Up, Right.
Arc thrower (level 15) - Down, Right, Up, Left, Down.
Shield Generator Pack (level 20) - Down, Up, Left, Right, Left, Right.

Robotic Workshop Stratagem Codes

Machine Gun Sentry (level 3) - Down, Up, Right, Right, Up.
Gatling Sentry (level 5) - Down, Up, Right, Left.
Mortar Sentry (level 8) - Down, Up, Right, Right, Down.
"Guard Dog" (level 10) - Down, Up, Left, Up, Right, Down.
Autocannon Sentry (level 13) - Down, Up, Right, Up, Left, Up.
Rocket Sentry (level 15) - Down, Up, Right, Right, Left.
EMS Mortar Sentry (level 20) - Down, Down, Up, Up, Left.

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