The Railgun nerfs were a divisive moment in the still-early history of Helldivers 2. Not only was a consensus support weapon choice made less powerful, but it led to numerous discussions about the importance of a “meta” and how Arrowhead approaches one.
But I’m going to tell you something that the Super Earth government should have told you in basic training. The Railgun was never the superior support weapon; it’s always been the Autocannon, and everyone should be wearing those Autocannon reserve backpacks in Helldivers 2 going forward.
Let’s break down why the Railgun is considered the most powerful weapon in the game. It’s widely regarded as the best weapon to use against Chargers because it can penetrate the armor of one of the game’s most ferocious and frustrating enemies. But then the nerfs came around and reduced its armor penetration while in safe mode and decreased its damage against durable enemy parts.
With these changes, players now need to hit a tiny sweet spot when charging up the Railgun, which only gets harder at higher difficulties given the added chaos around you. It’s also very ineffective against the Bile Spewer, one of the biggest and most frustrating adversaries in any Terminid bug mission.
Against Bile Spewers and bigger bugs with armor, the Autocannon is the superior choice. Three shots from the Autocannon, sometimes two depending on where they hit, are enough to blow apart a Bile Spewer. The Autocannon also has a better fire rate than the Railgun, so waves of enemies can be quickly blown apart. But its greatest strength against bugs is that it can easily destroy bug holes from a distance, making nest eradication a breeze.
In addition, the Autocannon is an incredibly strong option against enemies like the Scout Strider, the Berserker, and the Devastator. One shot to the Scout Strider’s head should down it, as should a couple of headshots or waist shots to the Berserker or the Devastator. Weak points on the Hulk or the Tank are also susceptible to just a few shots with the Autocannon.
Let’s talk about fighting Chargers, though. Autocannon detractors will be quick to point out that shots will deflect off their heavy armor, but that’s not how you fight Chargers. Staying mobile and side-stepping Chargers will be key as just a few blasts to its rear weak spot should take it down.
There are a couple of other drawbacks to the Autocannon compared to a weapon like the Railgun: its slow reload and ammo pack taking up a backpack slot. There will eventually be a time when the empty Autocannon needs to be reloaded, but the good news is you can reload if the clip is more than half empty, and doing so doesn’t waste shells.
If there’s any lesson to be learned from Helldivers 2, it’s that you have to be able to notice propaganda when you see it. Thus, this may help you see past the overhyped Railgun and lead you to the truth of the Autocannon.
