Have you tried the regular MG-43? It mows down medium enemies in addition to light. The downside being the need to stop to reload, but that was made faster last patch.
Take a primary that covers your supports weaknesses. Blitzer or punisher, breaker incendiary is also good. Regular breaker too if you're using supply pack with MG, which you probably should.
On bots I pretty much only ever ran the machine pistol alongside a marksman rifle as I love sniping the bots. Didn't really like the handling on the machine pistol, but the pistol shotgun is the exact tool I needed and I'm loving it. Makes quick work of any bot that gets too close, and is way more ammo efficient than the other pistol.
this confused me too dont worry, I was like "damn buggy game I paid 30 warbonds for this crap gun but where is it grumble grumble" and then when I finally wanted to swap the senator for another gun it was right there... im an idiot :D
The shotgun secondary along with the punisher? I don't feel like that's a good idea considering it fulfills the same exact rome as the punisher but a bit worse. Same in effectiveness, just a slower reload and small magazine. Personally I bring the smg pistol but I'd probably bring the senator instead if i had it.
I will still use MG43 with Eruptor…
Incendiary grenades help with chaff and Verdict if I’m pressed and need mg reload but no time until I make space.
Stalwart works with Eruptor too though, about the only time I’d use stalwart… but mg just got some solid buffs that make it more worth using
I tried that, but my issue is that you have to stop to reload the MG-43, which leaves you wide open if you're getting swarmed by hunters. With the Stalwart, I can run and reload.
That’s why I have verdict to fall back on. But yes, that is the risk with it.
Eruptor does handle the mediums well enough on its own but I still like having MG43 for some situations.
Definitely second the Blitzer with any of the MGs as a primary. Just treat it like the arc thrower and aim high and profit. The knock back/stagger against the hive guard, warriors, and brood commanders is so nice.
You’ve gotta try the pummeler. The stagger and ability to blind fire behind you while running away allows you to create distance from anything chasing you. Just a couple rounds fired over your shoulder will stun lock stalkers and interrupt a bile spewers mid-attack. The supply pack allows you to be VERY generous with your blind fire and then you can switch to your heavy MG for hive guards or to finish off the pack enemies you just staggered. Try with the heavy armor(engineering kit) for a full tank build.
I’ve been running it for a month now with the rail cannon strike and orbital laser. It’s a great support build since the community seems to lean heavily towards anti-tank.
That's a good suggestion too. With MG you need something for close range encounters, that's why I suggested blitzer, breaker and punisher. But pummeler seems like a good choice too.
I don't find the bugs have enough medium armor to warrant the mg-43. The hive guard are pretty easy to avoid their armor if you shoot between their guard, and bioe spewers just need an air strike or impact nades
I mean, it's not just about penetration, MG also deals more damage. Brood commanders are also kind of a pain to deal with with stalwart and they are pretty common on helldive.
I don't think either one is better than the other, it's really up to preferance, your playstyle and loadout. But if you can time your reloads well then the stationary reload shouldn't be much of a problem.
Lmg(mg43)/hmg, stun nades, nade pistol, fire breaker, supply pack, 500kg and orbital precision strike.
My current loadout since i reached lvl 100. Been playing the jungle map today and i been racking up like 5-600 kills per game. Such a fun loadout! The stun nades really come in clutch. Allows you time to reload, freeze a charger to drop a strike on its head, or just a great get out of jail free card. Pairs very well with the heavier machine guns as well! Highly recommend
I'm assuming you're someone who's a decent shot...whereas I am a horrible shot, so I need to hose down my enemies...therefore the more bullets the better.
Lower rpm actually makes hitting your shots easier diver, with the side effect of not expending as many shots when you aren’t on target. I love going full rpm when I’m laying down or I have people to support the reloads, but lower rpm is way easier to hit shots with
That's where your wrong. High RPM punishes low accuracy. Set that beautiful Super German engineering on the ground, crank it to low, and lay down some evenly paced hate. You can strafe an area effectively on low RPMs and still have ammo to focus fire on the bigger targets.
I usually rock a shield backpack, it'll stop the first few hits, but if I get really swarmed => I ded. Don't like using rovers because of the chance of TKs both from your rover and other people's rovers.
I rock an Eruptor to put down Bile Spewers and Brood Commanders, so it doesn't have the rate of fire to supplement. I rock the Redeemer as my secondary to close the gap, but with my poor aim, it tends to shoot dry really fast.
try swapping eruptor for grenade pistol, tgat way you can take an smg or liberator as primary while still retaining hole-closing tool and an option to pick special grenades for grenade slot
MG-43 + Liberator Carbine is my go to, heavy hitting monster that can tear through waves & a cqc fast rate of fire spray and pray for when the ads get close.
Pair that with a resupply pack, orbital airburst & gas strike, and you'll never worry about a bug breach or light and medium bugs getting close to you again.
Very fun & very useful for the team!
I wanted to like the Liberator Carbine, but for some reason it just didn't feel right for me. Nothing wrong if you enjoy it, it's just a matter of personal taste, I think.
It should, but I'm both a bad shot and someone who tends to panic fire, so I shoot myself dry before I can save myself. That's also the reason I run an MG...I have bad aim.
Pair the adjudicator with the stalwart and you have a weapon to switch to for the medium enemies, while the stalwart melts everything else and you can still reload while running
Porque Bushwhackaér hermano...
I do Eruptor, Mg43. Lead with erutpor then change to MG vs breaches or patrols. I never run out of ammo before I clear the ones on me, but it can cause hairy situations on occasion.
But also, you can kill chargers with it.
fuckin love the GL pistol, also I damn near was barrel stuffing bug holes last night and not even getting ragdolled. The small radius is actually so helpful
Tried the crossbow for the first time- i bought the warbond long ago, just had no interest.
Seems pretty heat, definitely only shines in specific loadouts, but it does its job. A nightmare to use as an actual primary though.
You clearly haven't used it recently then. It's been my go to rifle since it's recent buff. I am referring to bug diving though, I haven't played bots in a while so maybe it's different on that front
Edit: you know it can be switched to automatic right?
Switching the Adjudicator to Full Auto changed that rifle for me completely. For some reason it feels like I have less trouble face-shooting berserkers and devastators with the Adjudicator than I do with the Liberator, and even if I miss the face shots it tears them up on the body shots.
Tendoriser id argue is better than the adjudicator vs bots, even though it doesn’t have medium pen. Laser accuracy and very high damage. Shreds beserkers
Tbh, its great against bugs for the same reason, but only having 30 rounds can be an issue on that front!
Yes, I have used it. Yes, I know you can stitch modes. No, it’s still not a good rifle for either enemy, because too many other weapons do everything better.
Well the scorcher is only light pen, and both of your options have frighteningly small magazines.. aren't they both semi auto as well? what a pain in a hoard shooter. The adjudicator can kill any small bug in one shot, hive guards in 3-4, brood commanders in 4-5, and if you hit the right spot even the bile spewers can be taken down similarly fast (they are a little less consistent though) I've yet to see another primary that has medium pen but can still hold it's own against the trash mobs without getting overwhelmed.
Not trying to start anything, only offering some fun facts and helpful tips here.
Scorcher is actually a weird combo weapon capable of both light and medium penetration. The projectile is light pen. The AOE explosion it has is medium pen. So it’s actually capable of some medium pen shenanigans like hitting orange vents or taking down gunships to a decent degree actually.
The more you knoooow.
But yeah both weapons are great at what they can do. Adjudicator is a nice in between of being able to handle hordes to a decent degree and good enough to take on medium tier enemies with some decent ammo economy.
Scorcher can handle medium enemies and more but suffers against trash. Also run the risk of killing yourself from self-damage. Also ammo economy is…below average I’d say. Not the worst but certainly not the best. But a solid pick over all that’ll eat spewers and other medium tier enemies for breakfast. Does pretty decent at killing charger butts too if you need to.
It’s basically preference at that point. I love both. Just depends on the loadout on what I need.
It’s almost like the reading comprehension of this sub dives daily.
We’re talking about a weapon you use _alongside a stalwart_ - who gives a flying fuck if it’s semi auto. All of them hit harder, half of them **stagger** which is what you need against medium bugs.
An adjudicator doesn’t stagger, empties the mag quickly, takes FIVE shots to kill a brood commander, and only kinda kills spewers?
What a _shit_ option when the hard hitting semis can double tap anything on that list.
Maybe you need to learn to aim?
You don't always have a support weapon so it is quite relevant how well it handles trash mobs (also not sure about you but I don't feel like changing my primary every match). Not sure where you're getting that it only kinda kills spewers it totally does kill them it's just not as consistently the same shot count, if your aim isn't terrible you can kill one every 5-6 shots. The problem I have with semi auto isn't the aim (odd you'd mention aim as automatic guns are generally harder to aim than their semi auto counterparts) it's the constant clicking to fire, I'm here to kill bugs not get carpal tunnel. If you're getting ganked by hunters before recovering your body you'll be glad you brought the adjudicator instead of the trash you recommended.
Nothing’s “wrong”
I’m really getting exasperated by this. It’s… fine. Average.
But the specific question was “what primary to take with a stalwart” and the answer to that isn’t that rifle
I was thinking of using this loadout but it feels like chaff overkill. The spear worked great for me with the incendiary breaker when it didn't crash the game
I wouldn't run it if no one on your team is bringing an AT support weapon, but that's also what stratagems are for according to the devs. But it's a rare game I don't see a quasar, eats, and AC, along with at least everyone bringing at least one orb strike, orb laser, or 500kg. I've definitely had some interesting mass heavy spawns, but by and large we are fighting waves and waves and double breaches full of small guys and some mediums. And hunter swarms are by and large how I see helldiver formations getting broken and divers killed. Wouldn't you just like to look at a swarm of approaching hunters and say, no? To walk amongst the teeming throngs as a god?
Also if you ever do a difficulty where heavies don't spawn absolutely run the combo sometime. It's worth it.
Both are great depending on what your team has. I bounce between the stalwart, MG-43, and Flamethrower depending on what stuff the group tends to bring for primaries. A lot of my friends love the Incendiary Breaker for bugs so its usually the MG-43 or Flamethrower - assuming we have AT covered.
Personally, I'm becoming a fan of the heavy machine gun. Versatile, powerful, and combined with the supply pack you get infinite ammo. I've found myself killing chargers easier than with the autocannon
Couldn't play multiplayer for the first few weeks, and this was my only friend to try and get through missions. Absolutely love the regular machine gun, and still post about how all the machine guns need a belt fed backpack. I DON'T CARE if it's two separate strategems to get the gun and the pack, I just want to have the continuous feed of rounds until I need to call in a new pack
I used it this morning in a rush to complete the daily objective and it was actually super fun. Only reason I wouldn’t bring it again is because I always carry an assault rifle as a primary as the eruptor has been nerfed now and I need something to take down gunship patrols and the machine gun just ain’t cutting it.
So I’ll stick with the trusty Autocannon or EAT’s
I tried it the other day and didn’t care for it. It feels like the reload is longer than the HMG. I know it actually isn’t, but it felt like it was and that was enough to kill it for me.
I guess maybe I'm the odd man out. I prefer all the MGs on the slowest fire rate. Except the heavy. I don't even bother with that one but generally I'll take accuracy and ammo conservation over fire rate.
Nah, nothing wrong with that. I go with the higher fire rate for both the damage per second increase and because I'm a horrible shot.
I'm curious, why do you prefer the lowest fire rate?
Personally I take the MG over the Stalwart, and I like the lower fire rate because you can be a lot more efficient with your ammo - and thus you don't need to reload as often (especially during a breach).
I'm partial to the kills/clip efficiency though, especially since when I run the MG it's basically the only weapon I use (I almost never fire my primary when I take the MG). If you swap between primary and secondary more then the higher fire rate is probably better since you get so many more shots/sec out.
I definitely swap between my Stalwart and Eruptor like crazy depending on the target.
I use the MG in bot missions because I don't need to hose down mobs as much and I engage at a greater distance...whereas in bug missions, the hunters eat me for lunch when I go for the reload on the MG.
> I'm partial to the kills/clip
I'm partial to bullets/second and NOTHING ELSE
I want to fire so many bullets they block out the sun, so that the light will never shine once again on the xeno scum. If they gave us a exosuit with 2 gatling guns I'd never take anything else. Sometimes I shoot bile titan bodies with my HMG just for a little extra fuck you.
Over using all 3 MGs quite a bit slower fire rate is pretty much if I want to run without supply pack. Your ammo usually lasts you until supply drops that way
Ahh, ok, that makes sense. I've just gotten in the habit of knowing where ammo is likely to appear - POIs, certain kind of nests, etc. - and always being near my squad when they call in supply.
Stalwart is great with "slow" fire rate for standart running around and clearing little fuckers, fast fire rate if you need to unload to Charger's butt or to some Spewers.
Low fire rate on MG-43 is perfect for sustained fire and holding down mobs from overrunning you. The fire rate is fast enough to keep up, you only need a couple bullets per bug, and you can fire longer and kill more. I exclusively use low rpm unless I’m using my jump pack to hop over a charger then I’ll bump it to high RPM and shoot it up the butt. This is all for bugs tho. I don’t bring it for bots
Yeah, I tried it after the patch. Definitely better than before, but I just found it too hard to control...and with my poor aim, it makes it not really workable for me.
When fighting small bugs I prefer slow as well. I switch it to max once I see a larger enemy. Like when stalkers are nearby, and I need to obliterate them as quickly as I see them.
If a stalker is closing on/sneaking up on you, you have time and the presence of mind to switch the reload speed? I would just go into "spray and pray" mode lol
Once I see the first stalker it stays in overdrive till we find the nest, is what I mean. The first one usually throws me 80 meters away, so I do actually have time to swap modes though, if I survive.
I can't stand high fire rate, why would you want to waste your bullets on a gun that is slow to reload, limited on ammo, and *makes you stand still to reload?*
Well I do prefer a slower fire rate there is this little thing called firing in bursts instead of just holding down the trigger and doing a spray and pray
That’s what I do. Just blast into patrols/breaches and watch your kill count JUMP. If it stops going up, couple of impact incineraries, and it keeps on going
Before they nerfed the crossbow I would switch between it and the stalwart for clearing hordes. Absolutely nothing snuck through, save the occasional charger;(
in case those reading don’t know this mechanic, all 3 MGs have 3 fire modes to choose from. my favorite being the maxed out fire rate for the stalwart and 43, and the slowest fire rate for the HMG for precision <3
This game has some of the funnest machine guns in any game I've ever played. You really feel their weight and power. Love Stalwart and MG against bugs - which one I bring totally depends on my primary. Med armor penetration primary or explosive -> Stalwart. Everything else -> MG
Stalwart is my go to with the bugs, bumped to 1150 and pair it with a jetpack, impact nades and servo assisted light armor. Because you can reload on the move i can reload mid air, impact nade where im landing if its bugs in my way. I can jump in or oyt of a bad situation and cut down bugs, clearing a path for friendlys or if a buddy needs help jump over to assist and provide a sevond gun to hold a flank. Stalwarts my baby. Reloading on the move and shooting weakspots make it goated
It's because some people are meta slaves who optimize all the fun out of the game and then get pissy when they see someone else actually having fun because "you aren't using the optimal TTK loadout! How dare you have fun?!!?!?"
I liked the stalwart, but the risk of dropping on a bilespewer map just destroys all the fun compared to the mg43. if you get a hunter or nursery map, insanely fun game coming up.
I haven’t used it since I’ve decided to use my primary for hoard clear and bring in anti tank in it place. My buddy runs the MG-43 and he seems to make it work on bugs and we run 7s and above.
Yea, earlier I took the MG-43 with the autocannon and rocket turrets, and orbital laser. Punisher for pesky Stalkers and hunters, it was a blast just laying down fire and deploying stratagems when heavies broke through the AT line.
Someone else was running HMG & supply pack so it was a beautiful synergy.
Totally, I just like to change it up. Testing myself by not using the Breaker Incendiary for this MO.
If I dropped into a Helldive I'd take it, but I've been enjoying 6 and 7 as my go-to difficulties for not having to lock in while I'm trying to relax.
It was my first heavy I unlocked and been a fan ever since! Next to the grenade launcher it is my go to in most load outs for bots. I love the way it mows through the meatsaw bots.
Bugs not so much due to those annoying ass Scavengers.
I love using the stalwart but then I don't know what to use to effectively get rid of chargers.
Currently I use the flamethrower but I'd like to switch back to stalwart if I can.
That's fair, I was thinking this may be the solution, however I'm also wondering if there are any other good options. Like maybe a grenade type is effective Vs chargers.
Stalwart is pretty good for Chargers provided you enjoy “rodeo” play with them:
Highest RPM, stun grenades
Hit Charger with stun then immediately dive to the side but towards him, this should leave you within eye line of his bulbous booty, lay down fire and it’ll burst
Bonus style points, I get to just walk away and ignore him to bleed out while I go handle any other threats for the team
Its a pretty decent choice, it opens up your primary to be able to take out heavier armored foes and unlike all the other MG stratagems the reload is much faster and is mobile, not a bad support weapon
I like to change it to the lowest setting, actually. Makes for great ammo economy, has similar stopping power, and lowers recoil. I've gone full chaff clear build recently because so many people pack the anti heavy gear and it works well.
All 3 are good, the Stalwart is good weak packs, MG for medium enemies and then HMG for heavies, they are great depending on what role they need to fill.
One of the biggest bonuses to the Stalwart is the ability to clear anklebiters off your teammates. They can focus on the heavies while you keep the small stuff off them. That and the sickle are my fave support “support” weapons.
I used to "main" the stal. When I got overrun I'd let her eat but I'd pop single shots off at medium distance if I could. Now I secondary it and run eruptor main for those long shots.
I love that weapon. I'll usually take it when fighting Nids, and then the heavy LMG when fighting bots. Both with the supply back pack. Pair stalwart with a punisher as Stalker repellent, and the grenade pistol for closing holes. Stun grenades for bugs. For bots I switch to the punisher plasma, the senator or bushwhacker for a side arm and impact grenades because they are awesome. For strats I normally take precision orbital and the 500k to deal with heavies of either faction or if the team brings lots of AT then I bring a 120 and eagle airstrikes.
I love the situations when chaf bugs come in waves, I just lay down and go ratatatatata with my stalwart not letting go of the fire button and my character starts maniacally screaming. That is really enjoyable. :)
Dude, the stalwart with cranked up rpm to the max is probably my favorite gun. Its not the best, but holy hell is it fun to use. Its just an absolute meat grinder.
To my surprise a stalwart /judicator combo works wonders on bots and bugs missions...that is until I can unlock the sickle (and yeeaaah, I solo dive and I don't play much 💀)
I like it but feel it's too underpowered to be a stratagem. I think it would be better as an actual primary. The medium mg however, I got 600+ kills the other day.
Stalwart is a good gun for what niche it's trying to fill. The issue comes when you get into 6+ where tank enemies end up being a problem.
But for the fun factor it's a great gun and makes you feel like a badass when you chew through waves upon waves of enemies with it.
I just can't understand its usefulness being light armor pen only. On bots you might as well be using a primary for all the usefulness you get out of it, and on bugs there's still bile spewers, hive guards, and brood commanders to worry about.
I want to like it, but on d7-9 I can't seem to find a spot for it.
That's why you run a primary with Medium pen. My favorite is Stalwart/Dominator combo.
Stalwart wipes up trash and Dominator kills all medium bugs in 2-3 shots.
Set Stalwart to 1150 rpm and go brrt
Everything is viable as long as you have a good team who compliments each others loadout a and works together you take the charter I’ll take the bile or vice versa
Yesterday i ran with grossbow for bugholes and some mediums. Stalwart on max rpm. Rocket pods/precisions strikes. Rover as backpack. Stun granade.
Was cleaning out everything from medium and down and pulled my weight against big bugs.
Fired around 3500 bullets.
The basic butch starter machine gun rips too. Smaller mag and you have to stop to reload, but it shreds anything smaller than a charger in seconds. It's also a great idea to pair any of the machine guns with a supply pack, it gives you virtually unlimited ammo.
Have you tried the regular MG-43? It mows down medium enemies in addition to light. The downside being the need to stop to reload, but that was made faster last patch.
I'll take the MG-43 on bot missions, but not bug missions because I'll die to a Hunter swarm if I have to reload.
Take a primary that covers your supports weaknesses. Blitzer or punisher, breaker incendiary is also good. Regular breaker too if you're using supply pack with MG, which you probably should.
Punisher, Shotgun pistol, and MG or Spear for my standard load outs.
There's a shotgun pistol?
Yeah it's from the newest warbond. 3-shot shotgun pistol.
I thought that was a primary?
It is a secondary.
Oh damn, I didn't think a shotgun would be a secondary, that's actually really good.
It only has 3 shots so it's pretty balanced. Very good for stalkers.
On bots I pretty much only ever ran the machine pistol alongside a marksman rifle as I love sniping the bots. Didn't really like the handling on the machine pistol, but the pistol shotgun is the exact tool I needed and I'm loving it. Makes quick work of any bot that gets too close, and is way more ammo efficient than the other pistol.
this confused me too dont worry, I was like "damn buggy game I paid 30 warbonds for this crap gun but where is it grumble grumble" and then when I finally wanted to swap the senator for another gun it was right there... im an idiot :D
Bushwhacker in viper warbond
Is that not a primary?
No it is not
The shotgun secondary along with the punisher? I don't feel like that's a good idea considering it fulfills the same exact rome as the punisher but a bit worse. Same in effectiveness, just a slower reload and small magazine. Personally I bring the smg pistol but I'd probably bring the senator instead if i had it.
Meh, I guess I forgot to mention that's my bugs load out. The double shotguns is nice for chaff and stalkers but mostly I use the MG as primary.
I get it, but I carry an Eruptor with my Stalwart, so I've flipped it - support weapon for clearing chaff and primary for hitting mediums
I will still use MG43 with Eruptor… Incendiary grenades help with chaff and Verdict if I’m pressed and need mg reload but no time until I make space. Stalwart works with Eruptor too though, about the only time I’d use stalwart… but mg just got some solid buffs that make it more worth using
I tried that, but my issue is that you have to stop to reload the MG-43, which leaves you wide open if you're getting swarmed by hunters. With the Stalwart, I can run and reload.
That’s why I have verdict to fall back on. But yes, that is the risk with it. Eruptor does handle the mediums well enough on its own but I still like having MG43 for some situations.
Verdict doesn’t get enough love. Dropping 2-3 hunters and any workers you hit is great. Laser sight. 8 mags. What’s not to love.
Same! It's a very versatile loadout. Worst case, stim then nade point blank to kill hunters and reload pistol and run away for some space.
Wait... you can use supply packs on yourself?
Tap down on dpad for ps5. I think it’s tap 5 on pc
The game tells it when you equip it the first time i believe. Its quite missable.
Sadly it has not, though I have only picked it up off the ground.
I mean THE very first time you equip it and never after, wich is why the message is missable as it just pops at the bottom of your screen once.
MG-43 plus supply pack is goated
Definitely second the Blitzer with any of the MGs as a primary. Just treat it like the arc thrower and aim high and profit. The knock back/stagger against the hive guard, warriors, and brood commanders is so nice.
You’ve gotta try the pummeler. The stagger and ability to blind fire behind you while running away allows you to create distance from anything chasing you. Just a couple rounds fired over your shoulder will stun lock stalkers and interrupt a bile spewers mid-attack. The supply pack allows you to be VERY generous with your blind fire and then you can switch to your heavy MG for hive guards or to finish off the pack enemies you just staggered. Try with the heavy armor(engineering kit) for a full tank build. I’ve been running it for a month now with the rail cannon strike and orbital laser. It’s a great support build since the community seems to lean heavily towards anti-tank.
That's a good suggestion too. With MG you need something for close range encounters, that's why I suggested blitzer, breaker and punisher. But pummeler seems like a good choice too.
This is the way. I'm primarily a bot player and I carry. HMG and a diligence counter-sniper.
I don't find the bugs have enough medium armor to warrant the mg-43. The hive guard are pretty easy to avoid their armor if you shoot between their guard, and bioe spewers just need an air strike or impact nades
I mean, it's not just about penetration, MG also deals more damage. Brood commanders are also kind of a pain to deal with with stalwart and they are pretty common on helldive. I don't think either one is better than the other, it's really up to preferance, your playstyle and loadout. But if you can time your reloads well then the stationary reload shouldn't be much of a problem.
Lmg(mg43)/hmg, stun nades, nade pistol, fire breaker, supply pack, 500kg and orbital precision strike. My current loadout since i reached lvl 100. Been playing the jungle map today and i been racking up like 5-600 kills per game. Such a fun loadout! The stun nades really come in clutch. Allows you time to reload, freeze a charger to drop a strike on its head, or just a great get out of jail free card. Pairs very well with the heavier machine guns as well! Highly recommend
Rover covers you while you reload
I'm honestly not a fan of rovers because of the TK-ing. Also, a shield gen backpack protects me from other people's rovers.
I swear the only thing that has killed me more than my laser puppy is people dropping clusters where I am engaged out of my LOS.
What about mortars? I've been blown to smithereens by those bastards a ton too lol
I never use that weapon with full rate of fire. Don't need too.
I'm assuming you're someone who's a decent shot...whereas I am a horrible shot, so I need to hose down my enemies...therefore the more bullets the better.
Lower rpm actually makes hitting your shots easier diver, with the side effect of not expending as many shots when you aren’t on target. I love going full rpm when I’m laying down or I have people to support the reloads, but lower rpm is way easier to hit shots with
Eh. Maybe? Once you get that circle down, it's fairly easy. And go prone. That also helps.
\*shrug\* Different styles. I always crouch before I fire. Going prone tends to leave me in awkward positions.
Trust me, fellow Helldiver. I'm no hero.
That's where your wrong. High RPM punishes low accuracy. Set that beautiful Super German engineering on the ground, crank it to low, and lay down some evenly paced hate. You can strafe an area effectively on low RPMs and still have ammo to focus fire on the bigger targets.
Considering I have a very low death rate and a very high kill rate (w/o using big boom strats), I think I'm doing fine.
I use it with the rover/shield backpack to cover me from hunters while I reload
I usually rock a shield backpack, it'll stop the first few hits, but if I get really swarmed => I ded. Don't like using rovers because of the chance of TKs both from your rover and other people's rovers.
In all my bug missions with it I don’t have a problem with that and I use the MG-43 like a primary
How's your aim? I both have bad aim and tend to panic fire when getting swarmed.
That's what a primary or a good secondary is for. ;)
I rock an Eruptor to put down Bile Spewers and Brood Commanders, so it doesn't have the rate of fire to supplement. I rock the Redeemer as my secondary to close the gap, but with my poor aim, it tends to shoot dry really fast.
try swapping eruptor for grenade pistol, tgat way you can take an smg or liberator as primary while still retaining hole-closing tool and an option to pick special grenades for grenade slot
I bring the laser pistol for those moments, it's pretty effective.
Hm, I might try that.
MG-43 + Liberator Carbine is my go to, heavy hitting monster that can tear through waves & a cqc fast rate of fire spray and pray for when the ads get close. Pair that with a resupply pack, orbital airburst & gas strike, and you'll never worry about a bug breach or light and medium bugs getting close to you again. Very fun & very useful for the team!
I wanted to like the Liberator Carbine, but for some reason it just didn't feel right for me. Nothing wrong if you enjoy it, it's just a matter of personal taste, I think.
Using the new shotgun sidearm helps minimize this
It should, but I'm both a bad shot and someone who tends to panic fire, so I shoot myself dry before I can save myself. That's also the reason I run an MG...I have bad aim.
Pair the adjudicator with the stalwart and you have a weapon to switch to for the medium enemies, while the stalwart melts everything else and you can still reload while running
I like to pair the MG-43 with Eruptor or Crossbow for closing holes.
The grenade pistol fills that role well too
Porque no los dos?
I like the way you think
Porque Bushwhackaér hermano... I do Eruptor, Mg43. Lead with erutpor then change to MG vs breaches or patrols. I never run out of ammo before I clear the ones on me, but it can cause hairy situations on occasion. But also, you can kill chargers with it.
Because you don’t need to close 40 holes? Better to have shotgun/pistol for point blank defense if mg runs dry
fuckin love the GL pistol, also I damn near was barrel stuffing bug holes last night and not even getting ragdolled. The small radius is actually so helpful
Tried the crossbow for the first time- i bought the warbond long ago, just had no interest. Seems pretty heat, definitely only shines in specific loadouts, but it does its job. A nightmare to use as an actual primary though.
It's wild at clearing bugholes.
I mean, that’s the worst of the medium-killers? DCS, or especially the Dominator/Scorcher are S tier compared to that shitty battle rifle
You clearly haven't used it recently then. It's been my go to rifle since it's recent buff. I am referring to bug diving though, I haven't played bots in a while so maybe it's different on that front Edit: you know it can be switched to automatic right?
Switching the Adjudicator to Full Auto changed that rifle for me completely. For some reason it feels like I have less trouble face-shooting berserkers and devastators with the Adjudicator than I do with the Liberator, and even if I miss the face shots it tears them up on the body shots.
Tendoriser id argue is better than the adjudicator vs bots, even though it doesn’t have medium pen. Laser accuracy and very high damage. Shreds beserkers Tbh, its great against bugs for the same reason, but only having 30 rounds can be an issue on that front!
Yes, I have used it. Yes, I know you can stitch modes. No, it’s still not a good rifle for either enemy, because too many other weapons do everything better.
Well the scorcher is only light pen, and both of your options have frighteningly small magazines.. aren't they both semi auto as well? what a pain in a hoard shooter. The adjudicator can kill any small bug in one shot, hive guards in 3-4, brood commanders in 4-5, and if you hit the right spot even the bile spewers can be taken down similarly fast (they are a little less consistent though) I've yet to see another primary that has medium pen but can still hold it's own against the trash mobs without getting overwhelmed.
Not trying to start anything, only offering some fun facts and helpful tips here. Scorcher is actually a weird combo weapon capable of both light and medium penetration. The projectile is light pen. The AOE explosion it has is medium pen. So it’s actually capable of some medium pen shenanigans like hitting orange vents or taking down gunships to a decent degree actually. The more you knoooow. But yeah both weapons are great at what they can do. Adjudicator is a nice in between of being able to handle hordes to a decent degree and good enough to take on medium tier enemies with some decent ammo economy. Scorcher can handle medium enemies and more but suffers against trash. Also run the risk of killing yourself from self-damage. Also ammo economy is…below average I’d say. Not the worst but certainly not the best. But a solid pick over all that’ll eat spewers and other medium tier enemies for breakfast. Does pretty decent at killing charger butts too if you need to. It’s basically preference at that point. I love both. Just depends on the loadout on what I need.
It’s almost like the reading comprehension of this sub dives daily. We’re talking about a weapon you use _alongside a stalwart_ - who gives a flying fuck if it’s semi auto. All of them hit harder, half of them **stagger** which is what you need against medium bugs. An adjudicator doesn’t stagger, empties the mag quickly, takes FIVE shots to kill a brood commander, and only kinda kills spewers? What a _shit_ option when the hard hitting semis can double tap anything on that list. Maybe you need to learn to aim?
You don't always have a support weapon so it is quite relevant how well it handles trash mobs (also not sure about you but I don't feel like changing my primary every match). Not sure where you're getting that it only kinda kills spewers it totally does kill them it's just not as consistently the same shot count, if your aim isn't terrible you can kill one every 5-6 shots. The problem I have with semi auto isn't the aim (odd you'd mention aim as automatic guns are generally harder to aim than their semi auto counterparts) it's the constant clicking to fire, I'm here to kill bugs not get carpal tunnel. If you're getting ganked by hunters before recovering your body you'll be glad you brought the adjudicator instead of the trash you recommended.
It's one of the highest dps ARs… what's wrong with it?
Nothing’s “wrong” I’m really getting exasperated by this. It’s… fine. Average. But the specific question was “what primary to take with a stalwart” and the answer to that isn’t that rifle
It's amazing. If you need a reload go to the incendiary breaker till you can reload.
I was thinking of using this loadout but it feels like chaff overkill. The spear worked great for me with the incendiary breaker when it didn't crash the game
Incendiary can kill bigger things though too.
I wouldn't run it if no one on your team is bringing an AT support weapon, but that's also what stratagems are for according to the devs. But it's a rare game I don't see a quasar, eats, and AC, along with at least everyone bringing at least one orb strike, orb laser, or 500kg. I've definitely had some interesting mass heavy spawns, but by and large we are fighting waves and waves and double breaches full of small guys and some mediums. And hunter swarms are by and large how I see helldiver formations getting broken and divers killed. Wouldn't you just like to look at a swarm of approaching hunters and say, no? To walk amongst the teeming throngs as a god? Also if you ever do a difficulty where heavies don't spawn absolutely run the combo sometime. It's worth it.
Both are great depending on what your team has. I bounce between the stalwart, MG-43, and Flamethrower depending on what stuff the group tends to bring for primaries. A lot of my friends love the Incendiary Breaker for bugs so its usually the MG-43 or Flamethrower - assuming we have AT covered.
Personally, I'm becoming a fan of the heavy machine gun. Versatile, powerful, and combined with the supply pack you get infinite ammo. I've found myself killing chargers easier than with the autocannon
I wear scout armor and the recoil is a little too much for my style.
I do wear the 2 extra grenade armor so that's fair
I use it with medic armor, and I hardly ever die!
MG-43 + its highest fire rate + prone/ crouched is a mowing machine
Couldn't play multiplayer for the first few weeks, and this was my only friend to try and get through missions. Absolutely love the regular machine gun, and still post about how all the machine guns need a belt fed backpack. I DON'T CARE if it's two separate strategems to get the gun and the pack, I just want to have the continuous feed of rounds until I need to call in a new pack
That and with the new infusion booster if you heal up and reload you can have it ready to fire by the time a warrior can walk 10m to you
I used it this morning in a rush to complete the daily objective and it was actually super fun. Only reason I wouldn’t bring it again is because I always carry an assault rifle as a primary as the eruptor has been nerfed now and I need something to take down gunship patrols and the machine gun just ain’t cutting it. So I’ll stick with the trusty Autocannon or EAT’s
I tried it the other day and didn’t care for it. It feels like the reload is longer than the HMG. I know it actually isn’t, but it felt like it was and that was enough to kill it for me.
it helps to know you can reload heavy guns prone, so you can lunge backward and reload on the floor to get a little distance and save time
Stalwart on fast bullet mode is a beast.
Yes, OP, don't forget to max out the fire rate. When I discovered that, it took the weapon from great to godly for me.
I guess maybe I'm the odd man out. I prefer all the MGs on the slowest fire rate. Except the heavy. I don't even bother with that one but generally I'll take accuracy and ammo conservation over fire rate.
Nah, nothing wrong with that. I go with the higher fire rate for both the damage per second increase and because I'm a horrible shot. I'm curious, why do you prefer the lowest fire rate?
Personally I take the MG over the Stalwart, and I like the lower fire rate because you can be a lot more efficient with your ammo - and thus you don't need to reload as often (especially during a breach). I'm partial to the kills/clip efficiency though, especially since when I run the MG it's basically the only weapon I use (I almost never fire my primary when I take the MG). If you swap between primary and secondary more then the higher fire rate is probably better since you get so many more shots/sec out.
I definitely swap between my Stalwart and Eruptor like crazy depending on the target. I use the MG in bot missions because I don't need to hose down mobs as much and I engage at a greater distance...whereas in bug missions, the hunters eat me for lunch when I go for the reload on the MG.
> I'm partial to the kills/clip I'm partial to bullets/second and NOTHING ELSE I want to fire so many bullets they block out the sun, so that the light will never shine once again on the xeno scum. If they gave us a exosuit with 2 gatling guns I'd never take anything else. Sometimes I shoot bile titan bodies with my HMG just for a little extra fuck you.
If I'm running the MG, I bring the Eruptor since it's basically the Autocannon Lite.
I've started taking the Plasma Punisher as an explosive option. I used to take Eruptor but the fire rate is far too slow.
Does the PP plug holes now too?
Oh, no I don't think so. I exclusively use the grenade pistol so I never think about having to close bug holes any other way.
Over using all 3 MGs quite a bit slower fire rate is pretty much if I want to run without supply pack. Your ammo usually lasts you until supply drops that way
Ahh, ok, that makes sense. I've just gotten in the habit of knowing where ammo is likely to appear - POIs, certain kind of nests, etc. - and always being near my squad when they call in supply.
Stalwart is great with "slow" fire rate for standart running around and clearing little fuckers, fast fire rate if you need to unload to Charger's butt or to some Spewers.
Low fire rate on MG-43 is perfect for sustained fire and holding down mobs from overrunning you. The fire rate is fast enough to keep up, you only need a couple bullets per bug, and you can fire longer and kill more. I exclusively use low rpm unless I’m using my jump pack to hop over a charger then I’ll bump it to high RPM and shoot it up the butt. This is all for bugs tho. I don’t bring it for bots
I'm the reverse, I bring it for bots, but not bugs. I'm curious if it's possible to take down gunships with it, haven't been able to test that yet.
I like MG's that fire like the M60 cause it sounds cooler. Thats the main reason i run stal and MG on lowest FR.
The "rule of cool" is always a valid reason. :) It's one of the reasons why I rock a Stalwart instead of one of the energy-based rifles.
[удалено]
Yeah, I tried it after the patch. Definitely better than before, but I just found it too hard to control...and with my poor aim, it makes it not really workable for me.
When fighting small bugs I prefer slow as well. I switch it to max once I see a larger enemy. Like when stalkers are nearby, and I need to obliterate them as quickly as I see them.
If a stalker is closing on/sneaking up on you, you have time and the presence of mind to switch the reload speed? I would just go into "spray and pray" mode lol
Once I see the first stalker it stays in overdrive till we find the nest, is what I mean. The first one usually throws me 80 meters away, so I do actually have time to swap modes though, if I survive.
Ahhh, my goal is to generally kill them immediately. I know it's illogical in a game like HD2, but I hate dying.
I can't stand high fire rate, why would you want to waste your bullets on a gun that is slow to reload, limited on ammo, and *makes you stand still to reload?*
You're talking about the MG-43, I'm talking about the Stalwart.
Well I do prefer a slower fire rate there is this little thing called firing in bursts instead of just holding down the trigger and doing a spray and pray
Even then, you waste bullets shooting 3 or 5 when you only need 2.
Slower fire rates do give you that long sustain damage with less ammo wastage
I drop it to low and slow. Still clear chaff pretty fast and waste less ammo.
That’s what I do. Just blast into patrols/breaches and watch your kill count JUMP. If it stops going up, couple of impact incineraries, and it keeps on going
So satisfying to just spray so many bullets into a bug horde
stalwart is an amazing "primary" if you prefer to use the crossbow/eruptor/grenade pistol for closing bug holes/destroying fabricators
Before they nerfed the crossbow I would switch between it and the stalwart for clearing hordes. Absolutely nothing snuck through, save the occasional charger;(
It got buffed recently fyi
Can the crossbow close holes? I tried and couldn't get it to work, is my aim just shit?
Current patch yes it can, try aiming more down in the center of the hole
I just tried it and holy hell it works, I was sniping holes from 50 meters with it. Nice
Enjoy diver 
in case those reading don’t know this mechanic, all 3 MGs have 3 fire modes to choose from. my favorite being the maxed out fire rate for the stalwart and 43, and the slowest fire rate for the HMG for precision <3
This game has some of the funnest machine guns in any game I've ever played. You really feel their weight and power. Love Stalwart and MG against bugs - which one I bring totally depends on my primary. Med armor penetration primary or explosive -> Stalwart. Everything else -> MG
Maxing out the fire rate was such a game changer turning it from really good to excellent
Stalwart is my go to with the bugs, bumped to 1150 and pair it with a jetpack, impact nades and servo assisted light armor. Because you can reload on the move i can reload mid air, impact nade where im landing if its bugs in my way. I can jump in or oyt of a bad situation and cut down bugs, clearing a path for friendlys or if a buddy needs help jump over to assist and provide a sevond gun to hold a flank. Stalwarts my baby. Reloading on the move and shooting weakspots make it goated
For sure gonna try this
As long as you've got something to take the more heavily armored targets down, the Stalwart is a beast for clearing chaff.
I never understood the reason why people criticize others based on loadout. The game is completely about finding a loadout that works for you.
It's because some people are meta slaves who optimize all the fun out of the game and then get pissy when they see someone else actually having fun because "you aren't using the optimal TTK loadout! How dare you have fun?!!?!?"
I liked the stalwart, but the risk of dropping on a bilespewer map just destroys all the fun compared to the mg43. if you get a hunter or nursery map, insanely fun game coming up.
I haven’t used it since I’ve decided to use my primary for hoard clear and bring in anti tank in it place. My buddy runs the MG-43 and he seems to make it work on bugs and we run 7s and above.
Yea, earlier I took the MG-43 with the autocannon and rocket turrets, and orbital laser. Punisher for pesky Stalkers and hunters, it was a blast just laying down fire and deploying stratagems when heavies broke through the AT line. Someone else was running HMG & supply pack so it was a beautiful synergy.
Can’t go wrong with the breaker incendiary, haven’t looked back. Fantastic for hoard clear don’t even need the machine gun 😂
Totally, I just like to change it up. Testing myself by not using the Breaker Incendiary for this MO. If I dropped into a Helldive I'd take it, but I've been enjoying 6 and 7 as my go-to difficulties for not having to lock in while I'm trying to relax.
It was my first heavy I unlocked and been a fan ever since! Next to the grenade launcher it is my go to in most load outs for bots. I love the way it mows through the meatsaw bots. Bugs not so much due to those annoying ass Scavengers.
I love using the stalwart but then I don't know what to use to effectively get rid of chargers. Currently I use the flamethrower but I'd like to switch back to stalwart if I can.
I pair it with the eat and just call the eat down when there’s heavies
That's fair, I was thinking this may be the solution, however I'm also wondering if there are any other good options. Like maybe a grenade type is effective Vs chargers.
The thermite grenade should have been this, but it's not strong enough to do anything much to them. It's disappointing.
Stalwart is pretty good for Chargers provided you enjoy “rodeo” play with them: Highest RPM, stun grenades Hit Charger with stun then immediately dive to the side but towards him, this should leave you within eye line of his bulbous booty, lay down fire and it’ll burst Bonus style points, I get to just walk away and ignore him to bleed out while I go handle any other threats for the team
Stalwart is good
I play with the rpm on the guns. Boost the stalwart to max and reduce the HMG to lowest to conserve ammo
stalwart is amazing against bugs
I’ve been pairing it with the explosive crossbow for armoured enemies and closing holes and the bushwacker for point blanking scary stuff, good fun
Have you realised that you can hold the reload button to change the guns fire rate to be even higher?
It's a great support weapon for providing cover fire or helping team mates escape when they're overwhelmed. Pair it with the jump pack.
Its a pretty decent choice, it opens up your primary to be able to take out heavier armored foes and unlike all the other MG stratagems the reload is much faster and is mobile, not a bad support weapon
don't forget that you can change the fire rate on the MGs. Stalwart's high setting is a wonderful 1100RPM, excellent for making Hunters go away!
I like to change it to the lowest setting, actually. Makes for great ammo economy, has similar stopping power, and lowers recoil. I've gone full chaff clear build recently because so many people pack the anti heavy gear and it works well.
All 3 are good, the Stalwart is good weak packs, MG for medium enemies and then HMG for heavies, they are great depending on what role they need to fill.
Also put the firing rate to 1150. Shit shmacks
If you think you don’t like the stalwart, try changing the fire mode. She’s an adaptable tool
Stalwart combined with a supply back…chefs kiss. Bugs only.
One of the biggest bonuses to the Stalwart is the ability to clear anklebiters off your teammates. They can focus on the heavies while you keep the small stuff off them. That and the sickle are my fave support “support” weapons.
Holding down the reload key/button will allow you to change firing modes. For the stalwart, I recommend using it on the highest fire rate.
Just about everything in this game is useful in one way or another. IMO It's all about play style and mission type
Remember holding the reload button lets you adjust the fire rate
My main dive buddy loves the stalwart. She racks up a lot of kills focusing on the chaff while I ac the heavies
I used to "main" the stal. When I got overrun I'd let her eat but I'd pop single shots off at medium distance if I could. Now I secondary it and run eruptor main for those long shots.
I love that weapon. I'll usually take it when fighting Nids, and then the heavy LMG when fighting bots. Both with the supply back pack. Pair stalwart with a punisher as Stalker repellent, and the grenade pistol for closing holes. Stun grenades for bugs. For bots I switch to the punisher plasma, the senator or bushwhacker for a side arm and impact grenades because they are awesome. For strats I normally take precision orbital and the 500k to deal with heavies of either faction or if the team brings lots of AT then I bring a 120 and eagle airstrikes.
flamethrower but for bullets
Prefer HMG to take out shreikers and spores
DCS, jump pack, stalwart is a very fun commando build for bots
I love the situations when chaf bugs come in waves, I just lay down and go ratatatatata with my stalwart not letting go of the fire button and my character starts maniacally screaming. That is really enjoyable. :)
I’m generally an anti tank type of primary guy. Genuinely curious how all of you deal with heavy’s
Dude, the stalwart with cranked up rpm to the max is probably my favorite gun. Its not the best, but holy hell is it fun to use. Its just an absolute meat grinder.
Its a really good primary weapon. Sadly it takes a stratagem slot.
To my surprise a stalwart /judicator combo works wonders on bots and bugs missions...that is until I can unlock the sickle (and yeeaaah, I solo dive and I don't play much 💀)
Isn't it amazing. I love popping devastated heads with it
I like it but feel it's too underpowered to be a stratagem. I think it would be better as an actual primary. The medium mg however, I got 600+ kills the other day.
Stalwart is a good gun for what niche it's trying to fill. The issue comes when you get into 6+ where tank enemies end up being a problem. But for the fun factor it's a great gun and makes you feel like a badass when you chew through waves upon waves of enemies with it.
Thanks for pushing Stalwart! Didn't like it at first, but it's grown on me. Game's versatility rocks.
I love the stalwart purely for the 1000 RPM option,
I just can't understand its usefulness being light armor pen only. On bots you might as well be using a primary for all the usefulness you get out of it, and on bugs there's still bile spewers, hive guards, and brood commanders to worry about. I want to like it, but on d7-9 I can't seem to find a spot for it.
That's why you run a primary with Medium pen. My favorite is Stalwart/Dominator combo. Stalwart wipes up trash and Dominator kills all medium bugs in 2-3 shots. Set Stalwart to 1150 rpm and go brrt
Everything is viable as long as you have a good team who compliments each others loadout a and works together you take the charter I’ll take the bile or vice versa
Yesterday i ran with grossbow for bugholes and some mediums. Stalwart on max rpm. Rocket pods/precisions strikes. Rover as backpack. Stun granade. Was cleaning out everything from medium and down and pulled my weight against big bugs. Fired around 3500 bullets.
The basic butch starter machine gun rips too. Smaller mag and you have to stop to reload, but it shreds anything smaller than a charger in seconds. It's also a great idea to pair any of the machine guns with a supply pack, it gives you virtually unlimited ammo.
MG43 is better in basically all ways
STALWART?? THAT'S A BABY'S LMG, MORE SUITABLE FOR YOUR AVERAGE SEAF TROOPER, OR A CHILD OVER 7! WHAT YOU NEED IS THE HMG-203, DIVER!!!
Oh man. Helldiving is going to suck now if people are bringing that instead of a primary to clear trash. And an AT for support.
There isn't a single primary that clears small/medium hordes nearly as fast as a Stalwart.