To unlock new weapons in Helldivers 2, you primarily need to earn Medals by completing missions and then spend them in the Warbonds menu found at the Acquisitions Center on your ship; the “Helldivers Mobilize!” Warbond offers various primary and secondary weapons across its pages, while powerful Support Weapons like the Recoilless Rifle are unlocked as Stratagems using Requisition Slips earned from objectives at the Ship Management terminal.

Unlocking Primary and Secondary Weapons

In “Helldivers 2,” unlocking new primary and secondary weapons mainly relies on the in-game Warbond system, which is essentially a progression-based battle pass. Your starting gear includes only a basic assault rifle and pistol. To acquire more powerful weapons, you need to use Medals at the “Acquisition Center” on your ship to exchange them. Medals are primarily obtained by completing Main Operations, Side Objectives, and Daily Orders. Higher difficulty missions offer better Medal rewards.

Upon entering the Acquisition Center, you will see two main Warbond options: “Helldivers Mobilize!” is the basic version, while “Steeled Veterans” requires Super Credits or purchasing the Super Citizen Edition to unlock. The basic Warbond contains 10 pages of unlockable content, and subsequent pages gradually open as you spend Medals on the previous page.

Table: Reference Prices for Select Primary and Secondary Weapons in the Helldivers Mobilize! Warbond

The specific process for buying weapons is simple: Press the corresponding button (R on PC, Square on PS5) inside the ship to open the Acquisition Center, select the Warbond menu, browse the unlockable weapons, and click purchase after confirming you have enough Medals. The weapon is immediately added to your armory upon successful purchase, and you can select it directly during the gear selection screen before your next mission.

In addition to unlocking permanent weapons with Medals, the game also has ways to temporarily acquire weapons. When exploring the map during a mission, you might discover weapon caches at Points of Interest, which sometimes offer random weapons. However, these weapons are limited to the current mission and cannot be brought back to the ship, but they allow you to preview the performance of an unlocked weapon, helping you decide which weapon to prioritize unlocking next.

It is recommended to prioritize unlocking the SG-225 Breaker Shotgun early on, as this weapon is particularly effective against Terminids and significantly improves the early game experience. Also, do not neglect the value of secondary weapons; for instance, the P-19 Redeemer machine pistol provides reliable backup firepower when your primary weapon runs out of ammunition.

• Prioritize versatile weapons: Shotguns like the SG-225 Breaker excel in close-quarters combat, especially for clearing groups of smaller enemies
• Balance team needs: If the squad lacks long-range firepower, consider investing in a precision rifle like the R-63 Diligence
• Do not overlook secondary weapons: When your primary weapon needs reloading or jams, a reliable secondary weapon can save the entire mission

Unlocking Support Weapons

In “Helldivers 2,” Support Weapons are your key equipment for dealing with heavy armor units and large enemy numbers, and they use a completely different unlock system from primary and secondary weapons. To unlock these powerful weapons, you need to go to the Ship Management Terminal (usually located near or across from the ship entrance), which is dedicated to unlocking Stratagems, including various Support Weapons.

Unlocking Support Weapons requires spending Requisition Slips, a specialized currency obtained by completing Main and Side Objectives. Unlike Medals used for primary weapons, Requisition Slips are specifically for ship upgrades and Support Weapon unlocks. Higher difficulty missions yield more Requisition Slips, and quickly completing optional objectives grants time bonuses.

Table: Overview of Major Support Weapon Unlock Levels and Features

The Railgun is considered the “one true god” by many veteran players. Its power lies in the unsafe mode—by holding the reload button to switch to unsafe mode, charging it into the red zone deals massive damage, capable of eliminating a Charger in three shots. Be warned, overcharging will cause the weapon to explode, which not only kills you but also incurs an 8-minute cooldown.

For new players, the EAT-17 Expendable Anti-tank is the most cost-effective choice. It has a short 70-second cooldown, and you get two rounds per drop, making it perfect for beginners to practice anti-armor techniques. When using the EAT-17 against a Charger, aiming at its front leg can destroy the armor in one shot and cause a stagger, allowing you to attack the exposed weak spot with your primary weapon.

The Autocannon is a versatile Support Weapon unlocked mid-game, but it has a special technique: you can only reload when the barrel has 5 rounds or less remaining, so managing your fire rhythm is crucial. Its shells can penetrate light and medium armor targets, but require aiming at weak points for heavy armor.

Team coordination is key to using Support Weapons effectively. For example, the Recoilless Rifle requires a teammate to assist with reloading, and the Autocannon’s ammo backpack can resupply teammates. A well-coordinated squad can call in multiple Support Weapons simultaneously, flexibly distributing their use based on the battlefield situation.

When selecting Support Weapons, always consider the mission difficulty and enemy type. At lower difficulties, machine guns may suffice; but at Difficulty 5 and above, your Support Weapon must be effective against heavy armored units. You also need to adjust your weapon selection based on the different characteristics of the Terminids and Automatons—the Railgun is particularly effective against Automaton forces, while the Flamethrower excels at clearing Terminid nests.

Remember, Stratagem slots for Support Weapons are limited to four, so a reasonable combination is essential to handle all situations. It is generally recommended to carry one Area of Effect Stratagem (like an Eagle Airstrike), two Anti-Armor Stratagems (like the Railgun or 500kg Bomb) and one Support Weapon. This ensures you still have the capability to handle heavy armor threats while Stratagems are on cooldown.