In Helldivers 2, autocannons and railguns are two of the most often used anti-tank weaponry. These strategies are not equal, even if they are both lethal.
In Helldivers 2, your major weapons are only as effective as the kind of adversary you face. The armored shells and enemy plates that start to appear in the game’s more challenging missions barely scrape them. In Helldivers 2, you’ll need something like the RS-422 Railgun or the AC-8 Autocannon to get past the opponent armor.
Both are great choices for counter-tank strategies since they can deal a ton of damage and offer assistance. Thus, it should come as no surprise that they are praised as the greatest support weapons in Helldivers 2. But you are limited to selecting just one of them.
Which in Helldivers 2 Anti-Tank is Better: Railgun or Autocannon?
In Helldivers 2, the Autocannon is quite powerful against light-medium armor. Without having to target at their weak points, you may take out Scout Striders from the front, directly through their armor plating.
Similarly, the irksome Bile Spewers in Helldivers 2 may be destroyed with a few well-placed bullets. Not even the highly armed Chargers can hope to survive. While moving, you transform into a fully automated turret and pepper enemy groupings from a distance.
By contrast, the most highly armored opponents in the game can only be defeated with a single shot from the Railgun. It can defeat the Bile Titan in Helldivers 2 with only a few well-aimed bullets, something the Autocannon is unable to achieve. You may anticipate a lot of overkills throughout missions because overcharged rounds will always overlook any kind of armor in front of them.
But it doesn’t imply the Railgun is superior than the other weapons just because it’s one of the last to be unlocked. Which of the two anti-tank support weapons in Helldivers 2 best suits your needs depends on a number of factors.
| Autocannon | Railgun | |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | Level 10 (7,000 R) | Level 20 (10,000 R) |
| Call-In Time | 3 seconds | 3 seconds |
| Uses | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Cooldown | 480 seconds | 480 seconds |
| Firing Rate | High | Single, Charged Shot |
| Reload Speed | Slow | Slow |
| Recoil | Slight Kick Between Shots | None |
| Ammo | 5 Shots per Clip (10 Clips With Support Backpack) | 20 Shots Per Clip (2 Clips) |
| Armor Penetration | Light-Medium Armor | Tears Through Heavy Armor |
| Splash Damage | Yes (Small Area of Effect) | No |
| Special | Team-Reloads for Uninterrupted Firing | Unsafe Mode for Higher Damage |
| Other | Takes Backpack Space | Requires Precision Shots |
Railgun Only Requires One Backpack Slot
The free slot is a primary factor in favor of choosing the Railgun over the Autocannon. The weapon and the Autocannon’s Support Backpack use two slots on the device. You can employ another stratagem because the Railgun only utilizes one.
Heavy-Armored Elites Are Destroyed by the Railgun in Unsafe Mode
When you time your overcharged (risky) rounds perfectly, the Railgun turns into a lethal weapon against any armored foe that would typically take many Autocannon strikes.
Unlike with an autocannon, you may one-shot Devastators through their armored torsos. An Automaton Tank can be taken out with a few overpowered bullets if you don’t target its weak point. In two shots, take off the Charger’s leg armor. Usually, these opponents push players to use their orbital cannon or hangar strategies.
You Can Run and Fire With The Railgun
In Helldivers 2, the Railgun’s run-and-gun gameplay style is another area where it excels over the Autocannon. This is crucial for lone Helldivers 2 players as it lets you kite opponents before turning around to fire a charged blast.
Additionally, you may reload while in motion, something the Autocannon cannot do. Not to mention the possibility of swallowing some of your own explosive damage up close when attempting to kite with an autocannon.
Team-Reload Turns the Autocannon Into An Unstoppable Force
In Helldivers 2, the Autocannon works well at eliminating clusters of medium-sized adversaries, in contrast to the Railgun. Until you need to reload, you may use its rapid shooting rate to hold your ground and do explosive damage to adversaries that are gathered together.
The Autocannon excels much more in this situation. Although its Support Backpack requires an additional slot, it allows you to fire up to 50 consecutive explosive shells—that is, if another player is willing to assist you in team reloading.
Factories and Nests Can Be Destroyed by the Autocannon
For those who are new to Helldivers 2, here’s a crucial tip: Autocannons allow you to destroy bot farms and insect nests. Simply aim for the factory vent or nest hole and light it. It’s safer than getting in close to hurl a grenade and endangering your life.
Verdict
Nothing in Helldivers 2 compares to the Railgun if you have good aim and want to take down certain armored adversaries. Choose the Autocannon if you desire greater general usefulness, the ability to destroy structures, and the ability to clear groups of foes.
Though not every adversary is a tank, the Railgun is effectively a tank destroyer. Because of this, charging shots against light- to medium-armored foes will seem a little excessive, especially when an autocannon can eliminate an entire horde in the same amount of time.
In Helldivers 2, the Railgun is the anti-tank master at eliminating that one highly armored enemy elite, and the Autocannon may be thought of as the jack of all crafts.
However, there must still be a balance. Four railguns will probably be more than enough to overwhelm a complete squad. When your stratagems are on cooldown, you need a few autocannons to thin the herds.