These heavily-armored dreadnoughts are a threat to democracy!
Super Earth needs all Helldivers to do their part, especially against threats to democracy like Automatons and Terminids. One of the most threatening Automaton enemies is the Factory Strider, which is a massive unit that can be dropped on the battlefield. All Helldivers should be cautious when they spot this technological treachery.
Here, we'll debrief you on what you need to do to bring the Factory Striders down when you see them. From the best stratagems and weapons to bring to the best tactics for avoiding a failed mission when one appears in Helldivers 2, we've got you covered, soldier.
Where To Find Factory Striders
Any planet occupied or threatened by Automatons is fair game, though they will only appear on operations at level seven or higher. They are commonly encountered on level nine operations, and can be dropped in pairs.
While a sighting on a lower difficulty is rare, it can happen.
You may even undertake a mission to specifically eliminate a Factory Strider. This will be difficult, but not impossible. They can often be found guarding primary objectives, secondary objectives, and other major points of interest.
Factory Striders will continually call in reinforcements, and your squad can easily be overwhelmed by bot drops if you're unprepared. They are also equipped with an onboard fabricator, so they can release Automatons reguarly to attack.
Thankfully, the Factory Striders have a few weaknesses that can be exploited to take them down and make the fight easier. It will take more than a few stratagems, and careful coordination to complete your mission.
How To Defeat Factory Striders
Taking down a Factory Strider is no small feat. You'll need to bring powerful stratagems and support weapons to deal with it. The Factory Strider is covered in heavy armor and is only vulnerable when stationary, as they make for an easy target.
While the LAS-99 Quasar Cannon is powerful, it won't do much to the Factory Strider unless you can get underneath it to hit the belly.
In our experience, a perfect shot down the barrel of the top turret may be effective.
The weak points on the Factory Strider are, unfortunately, hidden on the underbelly of the beast. You'll need to charge ahead and get underneath it to deal the most damage, though that's assuming you have the opportunity to get that .
Most of the time, you'll have to deal with this type of enemy from afar. Your best tool is powerful and explosive stratagems. It has a massive turret on its back, as well as several smaller guns at the front.
Each of these can be taken out to reduce the immediate threat it poses.
Best Stratagems To Defeat Factory Striders
The most effective way to attack a Factory Strider is to use powerful stratagems to damage the exterior. The following stratagems are effective against the heavy armor on the Factory Strider:
- Orbital Precision Strike
- Orbital 120/380MM HE Barrage
- Orbital Railcannon Strike
- Eagle Cluster Bomb
- Eagle 500kg Bomb
Calling down these stratagems on the Factory Strider will help deal damage that penetrates the armor. You'll need to use at least two to three of these to damage the machine enough to bring it down.
When the Factory Strider is stationary, try to throw the stratagem onto the enemy . If it sticks, it will be directly hit by the stratagem!
Teamwork is required for this operation to go smoothly. Coordinating the attack to have all stratagems go off at once will ensure that the Factory Strider is taken down quickly.
Best Support Weapons Against Factory Striders
There are a handful of support weapons that can help you and your squad deal with the Factory Striders. The following are useful for hitting specific weak points and targeting the smaller guns of the dreadnought:
- LAS-98 Laser Cannon
- LAS-99 Quasar Cannon
- RS-422 Railgun
- FAF-14 Spear Launcher
If your other stratagems are cooling down, you can still deal damage to the legs and face of the Factory Strider with these support weapons. Make sure to give yourself the necessary space to fire off these weapons successfully amid the reinforcements.
Using the LIFT-850 Jump Pack, you can take up a good position in your surroundings to avoid the smaller Automatons while you take out the Factory Strider's weak points.
While it's possible to take down a Factory Strider solo, it's a difficult endeavor. You'll need to stay vigilant and actively work to keep the Automatons at bay while you destroy the dreadnought.
With the right coordination and teamwork, your squad can bring these behemoths down and complete your operations. Get out there and do your part, soldier!
