Illuminate ships, like their Warp Ships, Super Destroyers, and other orbital threats, are some of the toughest challenges you’ll face in Helldivers 2. These behemoths bring devastating firepower, advanced shields, and tricky warp tech that can crush unprepared squads in seconds.
How to Take Them Down
Orbital Shelling & Precision Strikes: Coordinated Orbital Precision Strikes are a must. Timing your orbital bombardments when ships expose weak points during attacks or warping sequences maximizes damage.
Obliterator Bombs: These high-damage explosives are perfect for puncturing ship shields and armor, especially during the brief windows when ships are vulnerable.
Mass Stratagem Stacking: Combine multiple stratagems like Tesla Towers, Orbital Napalm Barrages, and MG Turrets to overwhelm the ship’s defenses and suppress smaller escort units.
Focus Fire on Shield Generators and Warp Engines: Target the ship’s critical systems—shield emitters and warp engines—to force them out of stealth or prevent escape.
Squad Coordination is Key: Illuminate ships can unleash massive AOE attacks, so spread out, keep moving, and communicate constantly to avoid catastrophic damage.
Pro Tip: When facing a Super Destroyer, patience and sustained damage trump rushing. Wait for the right moment to unleash your heaviest firepower and always have a stratagem ready for quick defense.
Don’t Get Blinded by the Bright Lights
The Illuminate aren’t your run-of-the-mill space pests. They’re high-tech, high-threat, and high-maintenance enemies that demand respect (and the right loadout). From cloaking assassins to warping warships, these enemies push your squad to master strategy, teamwork, and precision.
Remember: mobility, communication, and the right weapons or stratagems are your best friends against these glowing terrors. Keep your eyes sharp, your ears sharper (and maybe upgrade that headset), because when the Illuminate come for you, the only thing worse than getting caught off guard is missing the callout.
So gear up, squad up, and don’t let the brightest enemy in the galaxy outshine you.