The problem with that is situational. Sometimes, there is too much shit that needs to be pushed back. You can mull through two warriors, maybe 3, if you're pushing it. Or mag dumping on a swarm to slow them down by aiming for limbs.
My secondary is my “oh shit” button, a full clip of the mini Uzi to the face of a Berserker will take it down if you only miss 1 or two shots - and as they’re always charging you in groups you can quickly reload for the next one, rinse and repeat.
I struggle a bit more with the revolver, but that’s on me.
As a joke I wish we could save one bullet in the revolver for yourself when you're surrounded. I kid I kid suicide isn't funny but I'm running from bugs and bots and I'm down to my last mag.
The mini uzi is my go to last resort side arm. Nothing like desperation mode when that spray everywhere saves you.
Mini uzi is where it's at. There's nothing as good in the role of "OH SHIT EVERYONE IS GETTING WAY TOO CLOSE FOR MY TASTES AND I NEED TO RELOAD MY PRIMARY/SUPPORT!" especially when those are more precise. (I usually carry the counter sniper for my primary and rotate between an AMR/EAT/quasar/autocannon for my support, depending on how I'm feeling and what needs to be done that drop.)
I love the Grenade pistol, but I also end up hording all ammo reloads. I wait for team mates to resupply and walk away and head to a new location then scoop up the rest.
Same. Need the pistol for holes and fabs and stuns for dropping warheads on charger foreheads or giving hulks lobotomies with my AMR at point blank range.
Stun grenade is the eagle airstrike of grenades. Need a hulk or charger to sit still and smile for the camera (quasar, amr, eat, lc, rr, etc) it's got you. Group of enemies chasing you and need space? It's got you. Waiting for extract with no enemies, and want to throw a grenade at your teammates to spice things up? You bet, it's git you.
Exactly what he said and the one below, chargers. I used them for a long time so now I run incendiary for bugs and stun for bots. Once you learn the timing and such the stun for bots is clutch.
Oh and on topic bugs I run grenade pistol, bots I run senator for medium pen, plus it's just awesome to whip out a six shooter to gun down a bot.
Termites do massive damage to anything. But best for bots. 1 takes out a cannon tower even without hitting the weak spot. 2-3 take out tanks. 4-6 take out the big walkers if you land it on its belly
I play solo, so I don’t have that issue. Grenade pistol is always stocked lol, however it does lock me into only ever taking the grenade pistol, even if I take the Autocannon for Bot missions. I Solo’d a level 5 this morning and I wound up using the Autocannon 3 times in a 40 min mission. Once for a hulk, once for a pack of 7 Striders and once for a tank. Every other time I could’ve used the AC I wound up using the grenade pistol, it’s just too good!
Every weekend I tell myself I’m gonna play with randoms kuz I KNOW it’s fun. I’ve done it before, but honestly I only ever play in a team when my best friends are on. Other than that it’s solo 95% of the time. Mostly started back when I would play Black Ops Zombies. I like to take things at my own pace and make all the decisions myself, otherwise when I’m playing with my friends, I let someone else take the reins most of the time. Something about being married with a kid makes solo gaming more appealing due to not having to let down multiple people if I have to stop playing, gives me anxiety when my family is awake and I’m playing an online game lmao. During Black Ops: Cold War, I would LOVE soloing Outbreak mode (huge maps with multiple objectives much like Helldivers actually 🤔) and I would try to solo the Easter Egg bosses. I’d have like 3-4 hours invested in one attempt, just to die like 40+ times, eventually beating the boss like a year later lol
Ahh some of us have gotten used to it...
When my buddy has to go afk to check in on his kids he just tosses us the samples he has and skidaddles. As long as the group you're playing with knows ahead of time you may need to go at a moments notice I wouldn't worry too much. Just throw a message in chat when you join, for example. If you leave and they get pissy, they weren't patriotic enough for you anyways.
Shoot me a DM if you're looking for some casuals to jam with sometime that are parent-duty friendly.
I asked because I’m in a group with a bunch of old dudes and we all know family comes first. Wife comes home drunk and starts demanding dick? Gonna lose a player. Kids fighting upstairs…gonna lose a player. Gotta go make dinner? Gonna lose a player. We have a ton of fun but it’s just a game and real life comes first. That being said, being able to play with a team that communicates and plans and executed really brings out the best of gaming in general and helldivers specifically. I’m a middle aged dude with youngish kids and a full time job and all the extra shit and helldivers is my own little vacation in my house. We’ve put together a little crew of dudes that knows what the deal is and there’s no judgment when you can’t be a basement dwelling sweat. It’s awesome. Thing is we all found each other by braving the wilds of rando land. You shouldn’t care at all if you have to drop from a random group because your real life demands it. But that’s how you find cool people to play with. I will say with a great deal of certainty that playing helldivers with a full lobby is super awesome and you shouldn’t let the judgement of strangers that you’ll never meet stop you from doing it. I know there’s a lot of horror stories making the rounds on Reddit but 99% of my random games are good, if not great. Just don’t host. If you have to drop then it’s no big deal. I see people drop all the time. Seems like it’s mostly from crashes but who cares. We gonna keep on diving anyway. Don’t let a little bit of anxiety about strangers expectations keep you from getting the full experience.
Idk, I love the grenade pistol, but it feels like overkill if you have the autocannon. Autocannon can close fabricators and take out everything the pistol does, and you can replace it with the senator or redeemer depending on what bot enemies you want to focus your secondary on. Grenade pistol is GOAT on bugs.
I wish I could bring another pistol more often. Against bugs it is a must-bring for all the holes. Against the bots I bring the laser pistol on a cold planet, the senator revolver, sawed off shotgun, or uzi on a rotation of what I’m feeling like.
If I'm bringing AT support against bugs there's no other sidearm for me. My primary will be for chaff clear, which leaves me with a blind spot against hive guards, which die to a quick 6-shot senator cylinder dump and a speedloader to reset. Feels very good
Against bots I mostly main dominator no matter what support I'm bringing, so the senator comes out for quick CQC work where the dominator ergonomics are unwieldy. Senator pops an automaton foot soldier in one clean torso shot, so it's very satisfying for those fights when I need to push into a fabricator compound or quickly dispatch one of those little guard posts you find near objectives with 5-6 basic guards posted
Grenade pistol all the way. Can close bug holes and bot fabricators.
Destroys scout striders. Fucks up small things.
If i would have to swap it out my second pick would be the senator revolver.
It seems like most folks don’t realize the ability to knock out scout striders with it. I see people wasting whole magazines of their primary rather than one grenade shot. I’ll run around to the side if I can, but the pistol is there if I can’t.
I always use the punisher plasma for bots, and it can 2 shot striders regardless where you hit. A blessing for when you don’t have the time or space to flank them!
I use grenade pistol for bugs unless I'm using the eruptor, then the redeemer for dealing with hunters.
I use bushwhacker or redeemer for dealing with Berserkers on the bot front.
Seconding this. Grenade pistol or Bushwhacker. The Senator is pretty dope as well, but since I'm usually an AMR main on bots it's a bit redundant, and the other two just do the job better against bugs when I'm rocking a flamethrower.
Try verdict if you’re already rocking some medium AP and want a traditional side-arm. It can still one shot most of the small mobs center mass, and has better capacity than senator with pretty generous amount of clips and fast reload.
It doesn’t really fit in most loadouts but when you have the other bases covered and just want some extra bullets it feels pretty good if you enjoy the kick on the senator.
Haven't unlocked that yet, but I probably will soon. The other reason I almost exclusively use grenade pistols is because that ends up being the only way other than strats that I can close bug holes and destroy factories.
Yeah, I only really take it with eruptor, xbow, AC or something like that. Crossbow + verdict + laser/amr/mg or something is decent, if you have the ammo economy for your support weapon
Eruptor + Stalwart = god tier imo, I only use my secondary if I’ve been caught with no ammo in the Stalwart. I keep coming back to this time and time again.
This. I use my secondary for when I need something that's close to not be moving anymore, and the Bushwacker does that job so well. A pair of triple-barrels to the back of a Hulk can do serious damage.
That's not to say I won't use the Senator or Verdict, but the Bushwhacker is just so much fun to use, plus in bug missions it does an *amazing* job taking out shriekers. Aim in their general direction and fire. You'll likely get one or two per shot.
The Verdict is such a good stealth gun vs the bots, I run around with it constantly just to deal with the soldiers.
If you use the primary or support the whole group aggros, whilst with the Verdict you can pick them apart.
Its really good against the rocketeers too, since it doesn't penetrate them and detonate the backpack.
Loads of YouTubers were saying the Verdict is bad but I have used it and it feels really good to use honestly. It’s a good balance between one shot capability and not being annoyingly slow to use like the Senator
I personally love the redeemer. After I got it I've never switched, and I'm level 35.
It's a great "oh shit" weapon for when you're swarmed by small enemies and your primary is empty
I use the Redeemer on semi fire. I like having a rapid trigger finger and I’m not wasting ammo. I like when weapons burrrrrrt* and Redeemer makes me want to go burrrrrt*
Why does noone use the P-113? I love it. It's perfect on bugs as a backup when you're getting swarmed and need to reload your primary. Sucks on bots though because there are to many medium enemies.
For bugs, you've got up close spray and heavy targets covered, and you just need a nade pistol for bug holes.
For bots, try switching to countersniper if you haven't tried it yet. You can one shot anything with a face. Then you can run a machine pistol for up close little guys and chainsaws.
With an AC they'd have Spawners covered too, The only thing their kit is missing is long range small targets to prevent enemies calling reinforcements, Which takes pretty much any pistol.
This is slept on I have noticed. It is what I run primarily as well for my secondary.
Cleans up trash really easily and on semi you get a lot of shots out of one magazine.
Great for running and gunning too. I have no issue hitting my targets while hip firing it while on the run.
And on full auto it just deletes what is in front of you.
The Verdict, not only does it look cool but it's very useful, 8 mags, good amount of ammunition & as a member of the Ballistic shield club, it pairs very well & I feel cool
For bugs I'm a bushwhacker fan
For me the verdict is the best bug secondary. Not as many medium armor enemies on the bug front and it does enough damage to conserve your amount vs the Mac 10 junk.
Totally dependent on my primary. If I run erupt or I bring a Revolver. If I bring a more reliable primary I bring a grenade pistol. If I bring a long range primary like diligence I bring Bushwhacka
They’re all good. Standard pistol is reliable, has a light, and fast. Machine pistol is fast and good at panic. Senator is just good. Faster with the speed loader and medium pen. Idk about grenade pistol but it probably slaps. And the bushwhacker is fun, but I run shotguns usually so a bit pointless for me
You've got chaff and swarms covered with the Inc.Breaker, and medium armour/spawners covered with the AC. My recommendation would be Verdict or Senator to cover ranged targets not quite worth the AC round. Verdict hits a little lighter but faster reload with more rounds. Senator can take care of threats in your face with a cylinder dump when everything else is empty as well as picking off scouts about to fire a flare, plus no wasted rounds if you have time to top it off between engagements.
Otherwise the Redeemer left in Full auto for *Oh Shit* moments, swapped to semi when you need to take ranged pot-shots.
It depends how you use your secondary.
If you use it like a traditional "oh shit my primary is put of ammo" the Redeemer is probably the best pick. The Dager also fits into this category but isn't the best pick.
If you use your secondary as a finisher to kill certain enemies, the Senator or Bushwacker are both good choices. Senator for medium enemies, Bushwacket for stagger power.
If you almost never actually use your secondary, the grenade pistol is the best choice, since you'll always have something to close holes/fabs.
All of these options are good despite how you may use them though. Hope this helps.
Bots: If my primary is semi auto like the Eruptor, or Diligence CS, then I take a Redeemer for small units.
If my primary is an assault rifle or smg then I take a Senator for finishing mediums that get too close.
I tend to exclusively run the AC with an SMG or AR against bots for everything except Defence missions, whereby I take an Eruptor alongside a Recoilless Rifle.
Bugs: Grenade Pistol - I'll be running an Arc Thrower and Blitzer with stun grenades, the gp is reserved solely for closing bug holes. This is an incredibly strong loadout for bugs, when used with light armour and a jump pack for more mobility.
Grenade pistol for its utility.
Other pistols are better for kills, but if I am playing correctly I will never run out of ammo with most primary and support weapon combos. The grenade pistol let me kill nests/fabricators while freeing up the number of alternative primaries and supply weapon combinations I can use.
I would take the Redeemer, Senator, or Bushwacker. Each has its best use case.
Redeemer's full auto is helpful to spray and pray if you need to run or if there is a horde of chaff not worth your primary or Support ammo.
Senator has medium penetration and high damage, along with good precision and handling to deal with any not-heavy too close for a reload.
Bushwacker has massive potential for a damage burst. Between firing all 3 rounds in succession, or all three at once, it's perfect for creepers that hide around corners.
When do you find you are helpless in a situation? Is there a pistol that would help with that? A lot of that depends on your play style and gun knowledge.
Are you having trouble closing bug holes or killing fabricators because you don't want to use up the AC ammo. Grenade pistol.
Are you running out of ammo with the Incendiary and need a back up close range helper. Then any other pistol but the grenade pistol.
Are you having trouble with light targets at range that you just want to clean up. Without wasting your primary or support ammo. Then one of the heavy hitting pistols. They both have decent range and are still useful up close.
Just have to figure out where your weak spot is and what would fill it.
Grenade pistol for bugs. Senator for bots. The former allows me to bring stun grenades. The latter is cool but also functional.
If I had to pick one, Senator. I regularly fantasize dual wielding it.
I don't really have a good reason for it, I just like how the Verdict feels blowing chunks out of enemies.
It's a very punchy and cathartic weapon to use, like a good shotgun in an FPS
Got the revolver recently and that shit almost has the kill power of a punisher shotgun. It also has rounds reload which is dope in stressful situations. I’t will never leave my load out from this point on
Absolutely the uzi. Given you will mostly be using the sidearm to make a hasty retreat, generally to reload and/or heal, nothing helps create space like a full clip of the uzi while hastily running away.
I don't recommend the grenade pistol, I was so excited to get it, but it's not very accurate, reloads between shots, and of course after playing so long with the uzi I tend to fire it a bit late and blow myself up lol
Uzi was good, Senator (revolver) was fantastic, but now that I got the jungle warbond I don't think I will ever stop using the Bushwacker (sawed off shotgun).
Main weapon Breaker Incendiary, the Bushwacker is great for shooting enemies close to your allies so you don't set them on fire. No body likes being set on fire.
Redeemer vs bots, grenade pistol vs bugs. Grande pistol closes bug holes and clears groups fairly well. Redeemer be bots because when they're that close you just need to let bullets fly. I have been using the bushwhacker shotty lately on single round and it's decent as long as you can maintain trigger discipline and have the room to aim
Grenade pistol is the best gun in the game.
The versatility is massive and the fact that you always have it on you dropping in is nuts.
Until you unlock it the Redeemer (Uzi) and the Senator (Revolver) are also pretty good.
Grenade pistol if I’m bringing stun nades and a stratagem weapon than can’t close bug holes/bot fabs
Revolver when I play bots cause I usually bring autocannon
Get grenade pistol from democratic demolition warbond, main purpose is to use as bug hive/fabricator closer. Then, you get stun grenade from cutting edge warbond.
You can use grenade pistol 8 times compared to regular grenade 4 times (6 times when wearing engineering kit armor), and that alone makes it ideal for closing medium bug nest holes.
My build is as follows:
Stratagems:
Orbital railcannon strike (for heavy targets)
Expendable Anti Tank (E.A.T.)
Gatling sentry (for clearing mobs)
Guard Dog (laser) for hit and run, reducing mobs chasing me, and to locate nearby targets easily
Booster: Stamina Booster
Primary: SG Breaker Incendiary
Secondary: Grenade Pistol
Grenade: Stun Grenade
Armor: Light Armor (engineering kit for extra grenades) for extra stuns. Light armor also makes you sprint longer and regenerate stamina faster, which is good against Terminids because most of their damage requires them to melee you.
Grenade pistol, all other secondary slots guns are just joke. Let's face it, if you had to switch to secondary during engagement - something went terribly wrong somewhere.
I wish they just add utility gadgets in that slot - put crossbow there, add c4 satchel, laser pointer with CD to call stratagems from afar, put shield from stratagem slots, to secondary slots. Or better yet, allow us carry 2 primary guns in both slots.
There is nothing arrowhead could do to make side arms viable in game like that.
With the Incendiary Breaker I would recommend the grenade pistol. Usually you want your pistol to compliment your build and cover things that your primary can’t, but the IB is the ultimate “the round peg goes in the square hole” weapon. There really isn’t a situation where you still have primary ammo where it’s worth swapping off the IB (and its ammo capacity is great) so you may as well use the grenade pistol for the utility of closing bug holes
I rarely use my pistol. I've been running the grenade pistol forever because once upon a time it occurred to me that I had more grenades for destroying bug holes and robot factories that way and just never changed it because I never use it.
Terminids - grenade pistol, because I use stun grenades so it’s handy for closing bug holes. Automatons - senator revolver, because of it’s damage and medium pen, also the cool factor
Grenade "Would ya ever fuck off and leave me alone ya prick!" Pistol
I have all of that laser engraved on the barrel. Just head to the ministry of whitty remarks to engrave your guns today.
Lately I’ve been using the Senator and it hasn’t let me down. Previously I’d use the machine pistol, and it’s fairly effective if you find yourself in a bind, you’re about to be overrun and your primary is out, you can use it to get some breathing room
I like the Governor a lot, it makes hive guards a non threat if you don’t have an LMG/HMG for support or explosives. It also makes quick work of warriors and brood commanders
But damn it I do love me some space desert eagle as well.
The “meta” sidearm is definitely the redeemer in terms of killing power and a good utility flex is the grenade pistol.
The Las pistol is just okay. It’s nice to have “infinite ammo” but it feels like it overheats a lot quicker
I’m level 125 and I have several set loadouts I switch between for each faction so my secondary changes based on that. For bots I either use the Verdict or Senator, and on bug missions I either bring the Grenade Pistol or Bushwacker
The sidearms worth using are.
Senator - speedloader makes this thing the most versatile overall sidearm.
Redeemer - turn it semi auto and younhave a more-or-less straight upgrade to the default pistol with better sights. Stupidly good against bots.
Grenade pistol - frighteningly good damage, aoe, penetration and utility. Only downside is single shot and ammo economy - pairs well with supply pack.
The grenade pistol entered my life and honestly I'm hoping it'll never stop ~~busting inside~~ spreading democracy to big holes and fabricators.
It's like an "OH Shit" like the Redeemer with the added bonus of chucking your 25% HP body away from whatever you just shot.
I'm quite in love with the Bushwhacker, a sawed off as a secondary was on my wishlist. I switch to the senator or redeemer every now and then, but so far the Bushwhacker has not left my side. It's quite satisfying firing all barrels on any unfortunate Berserker or any Unlucky Stalker, it can rip and tear with no issue.
Since I got grenade pistol I can't use anything else. It comes with 8 freaking grenades, guy. And you can punch out bug holes from all the Way across a crater and take down heavies left and right with it. And it gains ammo from regular ammo pick ups. You can't beat it
Instead of a pistol i recommend stun grenades if you dont have them. The uzi is a solid pistol, and you can close fabricators and bug holes with the autocannon
On bugs since the update either Sickle or Eruptor, Senator, support backpack, and MG as support. Bots are harder either Slugger or Sickle, Senator, and good ol' swiss army knife the Auto cannon. I bring the Bushwhacker when I'm feeling dumb 😆
I usually bounce between the Senator and the Verdict because I tend to like heavier caliber sidearms in games. As for which one I use just depends on what kind of primary I'm using at the time.
Shotgun pistol. Best against Texans, and rounds reload means you get to use every shot. Can also drop most bugs, especially from the side. With a crossbow or the eruptor for holes/fabs you can clear quite a lot.
I'm using the grenade pistol so I can still take out small buildings and nests but have static grenades available to freeze bigger enemies. My other fav honesty is the Redeemer to pop a lot of rounds if a smallish enemy gets too close.
Grenade pistol if my primary or support weapon can’t take out nests/fabs, bushwhacker for hive guards/berserkers. Redeemer is sort of my niche pick nowadays.
I’ve gone back to using the Peacemaker for shits and giggles (level 121). It’s a nice all-rounder, and I don’t feel like I _need_ to use the grenade pistol unless it’s for a specific loadout.
the basic pistol. when i shred the wntire clip each time i let it go , the last couple bullets are like red and tend to be kill shots for bigger baddrr enemies
usually for bugs i almost never need to use a secondary since the incendiary breaker is so strong but for bots the mini uzi shreds the weaker bots and even the devastators if you aim for their face
Revolver or mini uzi imo
I'm not the only crazy MF who sees a Mini Uzi or a Mac10 in the automatic pistol.
It makes using things like the erupt or a lot more viable. Love that tec9
Nah man that’s fo sho an MP9
I just wish it had more ammo than 4 clips. You burn through it faster than shit.
I like to tap fire it for that reason. You can kill up to 4 hunters with one mag, very quickly as well, if you’re efficient enough
The problem with that is situational. Sometimes, there is too much shit that needs to be pushed back. You can mull through two warriors, maybe 3, if you're pushing it. Or mag dumping on a swarm to slow them down by aiming for limbs.
The mini uzi shreads in a pinch. Nothing else feels more patriotic unfortunately.
getting a 60 killstreak agains bugs with nothing but an Arc Blitzer feels pretty damn good xD
You’re not doing it right then
My secondary is my “oh shit” button, a full clip of the mini Uzi to the face of a Berserker will take it down if you only miss 1 or two shots - and as they’re always charging you in groups you can quickly reload for the next one, rinse and repeat. I struggle a bit more with the revolver, but that’s on me.
I’m the same way! It does not have a large clip but it has saved me more than I can count. BRRRAPPP! Run!!
Good to hear it's not just me!
Mini Uzi or nothing for me. It’s about sending a message.
As a joke I wish we could save one bullet in the revolver for yourself when you're surrounded. I kid I kid suicide isn't funny but I'm running from bugs and bots and I'm down to my last mag. The mini uzi is my go to last resort side arm. Nothing like desperation mode when that spray everywhere saves you.
You know I need that big iron
Revolver for the spin when you equip it. Cowboy style! I love that animation 😍
Mini uzi is where it's at. There's nothing as good in the role of "OH SHIT EVERYONE IS GETTING WAY TOO CLOSE FOR MY TASTES AND I NEED TO RELOAD MY PRIMARY/SUPPORT!" especially when those are more precise. (I usually carry the counter sniper for my primary and rotate between an AMR/EAT/quasar/autocannon for my support, depending on how I'm feeling and what needs to be done that drop.)
Grenade pistol
I love the Grenade pistol, but I also end up hording all ammo reloads. I wait for team mates to resupply and walk away and head to a new location then scoop up the rest.
I like to use it for bug holes and shit cuz I take weird nades like thermite and stun
I bring stun grenades, and grenade pistol. Gotta have a quick way to dispose of bug holes and fabricators
Same. Need the pistol for holes and fabs and stuns for dropping warheads on charger foreheads or giving hulks lobotomies with my AMR at point blank range.
Same combo. Stun and OPS are goated
Stun grenade is the eagle airstrike of grenades. Need a hulk or charger to sit still and smile for the camera (quasar, amr, eat, lc, rr, etc) it's got you. Group of enemies chasing you and need space? It's got you. Waiting for extract with no enemies, and want to throw a grenade at your teammates to spice things up? You bet, it's git you.
What do you use the thermites for and is it good in your opinion?
Thermites are great for hulks and you can throw them at the back of tanks as well.
Exactly what he said and the one below, chargers. I used them for a long time so now I run incendiary for bugs and stun for bots. Once you learn the timing and such the stun for bots is clutch. Oh and on topic bugs I run grenade pistol, bots I run senator for medium pen, plus it's just awesome to whip out a six shooter to gun down a bot.
I used to use them. Among other, more practical uses, they look really nice at the front of Pelican 1 when it’s extraction time :)
Termites do massive damage to anything. But best for bots. 1 takes out a cannon tower even without hitting the weak spot. 2-3 take out tanks. 4-6 take out the big walkers if you land it on its belly
Love termites on chargers. Get their attention, stick it on them as they charge you. Blows them and their homies to hell
Termites can take out bug holes and fabricators
I play solo, so I don’t have that issue. Grenade pistol is always stocked lol, however it does lock me into only ever taking the grenade pistol, even if I take the Autocannon for Bot missions. I Solo’d a level 5 this morning and I wound up using the Autocannon 3 times in a 40 min mission. Once for a hulk, once for a pack of 7 Striders and once for a tank. Every other time I could’ve used the AC I wound up using the grenade pistol, it’s just too good!
Can I ask why you always play solo? Just curious.
Every weekend I tell myself I’m gonna play with randoms kuz I KNOW it’s fun. I’ve done it before, but honestly I only ever play in a team when my best friends are on. Other than that it’s solo 95% of the time. Mostly started back when I would play Black Ops Zombies. I like to take things at my own pace and make all the decisions myself, otherwise when I’m playing with my friends, I let someone else take the reins most of the time. Something about being married with a kid makes solo gaming more appealing due to not having to let down multiple people if I have to stop playing, gives me anxiety when my family is awake and I’m playing an online game lmao. During Black Ops: Cold War, I would LOVE soloing Outbreak mode (huge maps with multiple objectives much like Helldivers actually 🤔) and I would try to solo the Easter Egg bosses. I’d have like 3-4 hours invested in one attempt, just to die like 40+ times, eventually beating the boss like a year later lol
Ahh some of us have gotten used to it... When my buddy has to go afk to check in on his kids he just tosses us the samples he has and skidaddles. As long as the group you're playing with knows ahead of time you may need to go at a moments notice I wouldn't worry too much. Just throw a message in chat when you join, for example. If you leave and they get pissy, they weren't patriotic enough for you anyways. Shoot me a DM if you're looking for some casuals to jam with sometime that are parent-duty friendly.
That’s for that man I appreciate it!
I asked because I’m in a group with a bunch of old dudes and we all know family comes first. Wife comes home drunk and starts demanding dick? Gonna lose a player. Kids fighting upstairs…gonna lose a player. Gotta go make dinner? Gonna lose a player. We have a ton of fun but it’s just a game and real life comes first. That being said, being able to play with a team that communicates and plans and executed really brings out the best of gaming in general and helldivers specifically. I’m a middle aged dude with youngish kids and a full time job and all the extra shit and helldivers is my own little vacation in my house. We’ve put together a little crew of dudes that knows what the deal is and there’s no judgment when you can’t be a basement dwelling sweat. It’s awesome. Thing is we all found each other by braving the wilds of rando land. You shouldn’t care at all if you have to drop from a random group because your real life demands it. But that’s how you find cool people to play with. I will say with a great deal of certainty that playing helldivers with a full lobby is super awesome and you shouldn’t let the judgement of strangers that you’ll never meet stop you from doing it. I know there’s a lot of horror stories making the rounds on Reddit but 99% of my random games are good, if not great. Just don’t host. If you have to drop then it’s no big deal. I see people drop all the time. Seems like it’s mostly from crashes but who cares. We gonna keep on diving anyway. Don’t let a little bit of anxiety about strangers expectations keep you from getting the full experience.
Idk, I love the grenade pistol, but it feels like overkill if you have the autocannon. Autocannon can close fabricators and take out everything the pistol does, and you can replace it with the senator or redeemer depending on what bot enemies you want to focus your secondary on. Grenade pistol is GOAT on bugs.
Ammo spawning in the world is your friend.
Unless you're running Xbow. But if you want full stupid, run both
Full stupid here, with infiltrator armor
Same, too many bug holes to bother fabs for now thrown grenades. Now I can solo almost solo a huge base and be fine
If they already run ac there's no point, senator for punching through mediums or that new pistol ain't bad
Grenade pistol 100%
I wish I could bring another pistol more often. Against bugs it is a must-bring for all the holes. Against the bots I bring the laser pistol on a cold planet, the senator revolver, sawed off shotgun, or uzi on a rotation of what I’m feeling like.
I just love smacking mediums with it when they’re chasing my friends, the nade has such a small radius you can shoot pretty damn close to people lol
Pro Pipe
Bug holes are obvious. Do you know what’s not? 1 shot kills on Striders. Yes, even in the front.
Nade pistol on bug planets. Bushwhacker for everything.
Senator is my go to
Big Iron is great for everything except closing a bug hole. When my primary is out it’s a great feeling to clear leather and let fly.
+2 grenade armor ftw
If I'm bringing AT support against bugs there's no other sidearm for me. My primary will be for chaff clear, which leaves me with a blind spot against hive guards, which die to a quick 6-shot senator cylinder dump and a speedloader to reset. Feels very good Against bots I mostly main dominator no matter what support I'm bringing, so the senator comes out for quick CQC work where the dominator ergonomics are unwieldy. Senator pops an automaton foot soldier in one clean torso shot, so it's very satisfying for those fights when I need to push into a fabricator compound or quickly dispatch one of those little guard posts you find near objectives with 5-6 basic guards posted
Yes!
The reload changes were such a nice QoL improvement for it too
Grenade pistol all the way. Can close bug holes and bot fabricators. Destroys scout striders. Fucks up small things. If i would have to swap it out my second pick would be the senator revolver.
It seems like most folks don’t realize the ability to knock out scout striders with it. I see people wasting whole magazines of their primary rather than one grenade shot. I’ll run around to the side if I can, but the pistol is there if I can’t.
I always use the punisher plasma for bots, and it can 2 shot striders regardless where you hit. A blessing for when you don’t have the time or space to flank them!
Oh, yeah! The plasma is great for striders.
I use grenade pistol for bugs unless I'm using the eruptor, then the redeemer for dealing with hunters. I use bushwhacker or redeemer for dealing with Berserkers on the bot front.
Seconding this. Grenade pistol or Bushwhacker. The Senator is pretty dope as well, but since I'm usually an AMR main on bots it's a bit redundant, and the other two just do the job better against bugs when I'm rocking a flamethrower.
Try verdict if you’re already rocking some medium AP and want a traditional side-arm. It can still one shot most of the small mobs center mass, and has better capacity than senator with pretty generous amount of clips and fast reload. It doesn’t really fit in most loadouts but when you have the other bases covered and just want some extra bullets it feels pretty good if you enjoy the kick on the senator.
Haven't unlocked that yet, but I probably will soon. The other reason I almost exclusively use grenade pistols is because that ends up being the only way other than strats that I can close bug holes and destroy factories.
Yeah, I only really take it with eruptor, xbow, AC or something like that. Crossbow + verdict + laser/amr/mg or something is decent, if you have the ammo economy for your support weapon
I’ve been enjoying crossbow + verdict a lot. Not nearly as ammo light as the grenade pistol so you don’t need to conserve ammo with it
I just started using the crossbow myself and having a bit of fun with it !
Crossbow + grenade pistol + grenade launcher makes for an interesting run :D
Eruptor + Stalwart = god tier imo, I only use my secondary if I’ve been caught with no ammo in the Stalwart. I keep coming back to this time and time again.
I use it with the MG or HMG, which don't aim quite quick enough in close quarters for me to deal with hunters or leapers.
I use HMG and the pummeler as my main load out... regardless of opponent. Just waiting to unlock the mortar aim to go full HMG/Mortar.
I’ve not played in a while, what’s mortar aim?
Bushwacker. Set to triple barrel shots and you have a solution for stalkers or berserkers when they get close.
This. I use my secondary for when I need something that's close to not be moving anymore, and the Bushwacker does that job so well. A pair of triple-barrels to the back of a Hulk can do serious damage. That's not to say I won't use the Senator or Verdict, but the Bushwhacker is just so much fun to use, plus in bug missions it does an *amazing* job taking out shriekers. Aim in their general direction and fire. You'll likely get one or two per shot.
Verdict for Bots, Magnum for Bugs Grenade Pistol sometimes as well
The Verdict is such a good stealth gun vs the bots, I run around with it constantly just to deal with the soldiers. If you use the primary or support the whole group aggros, whilst with the Verdict you can pick them apart. Its really good against the rocketeers too, since it doesn't penetrate them and detonate the backpack.
Love the Verdict
Loads of YouTubers were saying the Verdict is bad but I have used it and it feels really good to use honestly. It’s a good balance between one shot capability and not being annoyingly slow to use like the Senator
It’s basically a direct upgrade to the Peacekeeper More ammo reserve & more stopping power for slightly less cap and more recoil
I personally love the redeemer. After I got it I've never switched, and I'm level 35. It's a great "oh shit" weapon for when you're swarmed by small enemies and your primary is empty
Level 67(?) abd i still use it. Reliable and powerful. This gun i like to reload often so i know it's got a full mag when i need it.
I use the Redeemer on semi fire. I like having a rapid trigger finger and I’m not wasting ammo. I like when weapons burrrrrrt* and Redeemer makes me want to go burrrrrt*
I came here to recommend the Redeemer as well. Sometimes I'm in such a tight spot that I actually do want to spray and pray with the secondary.
Verdict because it's cool but still effective
Same. I've run out of rounds I use it so much.
Why does noone use the P-113? I love it. It's perfect on bugs as a backup when you're getting swarmed and need to reload your primary. Sucks on bots though because there are to many medium enemies.
The senator, you can be a cowboy.
*On the planet of Hellmire dropped a stranger one fine day...*
Shoot from the hip for extra fun
For bugs, you've got up close spray and heavy targets covered, and you just need a nade pistol for bug holes. For bots, try switching to countersniper if you haven't tried it yet. You can one shot anything with a face. Then you can run a machine pistol for up close little guys and chainsaws.
With an AC they'd have Spawners covered too, The only thing their kit is missing is long range small targets to prevent enemies calling reinforcements, Which takes pretty much any pistol.
Mini uzi on semi auto
This is slept on I have noticed. It is what I run primarily as well for my secondary. Cleans up trash really easily and on semi you get a lot of shots out of one magazine. Great for running and gunning too. I have no issue hitting my targets while hip firing it while on the run. And on full auto it just deletes what is in front of you.
The Verdict, not only does it look cool but it's very useful, 8 mags, good amount of ammunition & as a member of the Ballistic shield club, it pairs very well & I feel cool For bugs I'm a bushwhacker fan
For me the verdict is the best bug secondary. Not as many medium armor enemies on the bug front and it does enough damage to conserve your amount vs the Mac 10 junk.
Totally dependent on my primary. If I run erupt or I bring a Revolver. If I bring a more reliable primary I bring a grenade pistol. If I bring a long range primary like diligence I bring Bushwhacka
Sawed off shotgun cause I use the eruptor. It's a nice get the fuck away button
I love the desert eagle looking thing from the last warbond. It just feels great.
Grenade Pistol for both bots and bugs. Lets you save your actual grenades for oh shit moments instead of using them to close bug holes and fabricators
They’re all good. Standard pistol is reliable, has a light, and fast. Machine pistol is fast and good at panic. Senator is just good. Faster with the speed loader and medium pen. Idk about grenade pistol but it probably slaps. And the bushwhacker is fun, but I run shotguns usually so a bit pointless for me
I will never not use the big iron.
Is it true you beat Texas Red in a gunfight?
Not yet. Still in arizona.
The senator, do you really need a reason?
You've got chaff and swarms covered with the Inc.Breaker, and medium armour/spawners covered with the AC. My recommendation would be Verdict or Senator to cover ranged targets not quite worth the AC round. Verdict hits a little lighter but faster reload with more rounds. Senator can take care of threats in your face with a cylinder dump when everything else is empty as well as picking off scouts about to fire a flare, plus no wasted rounds if you have time to top it off between engagements. Otherwise the Redeemer left in Full auto for *Oh Shit* moments, swapped to semi when you need to take ranged pot-shots.
Grenade is the most useful
P4 Senator is my favorite! But Ive been messing around with the P113 Verdict too, depending on my primary, and really liking that as well
>Which Pistol do you prefer Nade pistol >why? *Clonk* It's good for killing certain units, opening paths, and closing bugholes.
Verdict for Bots, Grenade Pistol for Bugs
Grenade pistol for bugs Verdict for bots
Pistol Nade is a necessity for bots unless you are rocking the scorcher.
Nade pistol or the Redeemer.
It depends how you use your secondary. If you use it like a traditional "oh shit my primary is put of ammo" the Redeemer is probably the best pick. The Dager also fits into this category but isn't the best pick. If you use your secondary as a finisher to kill certain enemies, the Senator or Bushwacker are both good choices. Senator for medium enemies, Bushwacket for stagger power. If you almost never actually use your secondary, the grenade pistol is the best choice, since you'll always have something to close holes/fabs. All of these options are good despite how you may use them though. Hope this helps.
Bots: If my primary is semi auto like the Eruptor, or Diligence CS, then I take a Redeemer for small units. If my primary is an assault rifle or smg then I take a Senator for finishing mediums that get too close. I tend to exclusively run the AC with an SMG or AR against bots for everything except Defence missions, whereby I take an Eruptor alongside a Recoilless Rifle. Bugs: Grenade Pistol - I'll be running an Arc Thrower and Blitzer with stun grenades, the gp is reserved solely for closing bug holes. This is an incredibly strong loadout for bugs, when used with light armour and a jump pack for more mobility.
Grenade pistol for its utility. Other pistols are better for kills, but if I am playing correctly I will never run out of ammo with most primary and support weapon combos. The grenade pistol let me kill nests/fabricators while freeing up the number of alternative primaries and supply weapon combinations I can use.
The revolver has to be the most satisfying to use but the grenade pistol is probably the most useful in most cases for me
I would take the Redeemer, Senator, or Bushwacker. Each has its best use case. Redeemer's full auto is helpful to spray and pray if you need to run or if there is a horde of chaff not worth your primary or Support ammo. Senator has medium penetration and high damage, along with good precision and handling to deal with any not-heavy too close for a reload. Bushwacker has massive potential for a damage burst. Between firing all 3 rounds in succession, or all three at once, it's perfect for creepers that hide around corners.
Grenade. It’s a fine art sealing bug holes from a distance (I’m still terrible at it)
My favorite is the SG-22 Bushwhacker.
When do you find you are helpless in a situation? Is there a pistol that would help with that? A lot of that depends on your play style and gun knowledge. Are you having trouble closing bug holes or killing fabricators because you don't want to use up the AC ammo. Grenade pistol. Are you running out of ammo with the Incendiary and need a back up close range helper. Then any other pistol but the grenade pistol. Are you having trouble with light targets at range that you just want to clean up. Without wasting your primary or support ammo. Then one of the heavy hitting pistols. They both have decent range and are still useful up close. Just have to figure out where your weak spot is and what would fill it.
Bushwacker for bugs and the deagle for bots. (Eruptor and spear cover my bases for fabs and holes and such)
Grenade pistol, let's meet have a nest closer and use grenades for crowd control.
Grenade pistol for bugs. Senator for bots. The former allows me to bring stun grenades. The latter is cool but also functional. If I had to pick one, Senator. I regularly fantasize dual wielding it.
Machine pistol as a point black oh shit button
I don't really have a good reason for it, I just like how the Verdict feels blowing chunks out of enemies. It's a very punchy and cathartic weapon to use, like a good shotgun in an FPS
Got the revolver recently and that shit almost has the kill power of a punisher shotgun. It also has rounds reload which is dope in stressful situations. I’t will never leave my load out from this point on
Grenade pistol and the sentator
Stun grenades are so good that I have to use the grenade pistol. It balances out my kit. But I run the revolver if I end up taking a pistol.
grenade for bugs, revolver for bots.
I use 3 senator or minishotgun when I don't use stun nades and have normal ones for demolition. Or nade pistol when I use stun nades (mostly bots)
Absolutely the uzi. Given you will mostly be using the sidearm to make a hasty retreat, generally to reload and/or heal, nothing helps create space like a full clip of the uzi while hastily running away. I don't recommend the grenade pistol, I was so excited to get it, but it's not very accurate, reloads between shots, and of course after playing so long with the uzi I tend to fire it a bit late and blow myself up lol
The Senator is my go-to for most loadouts. Hits like a truck, medium armor pen, and you can spin it like a cowboy while holding down reload.
Uzi was good, Senator (revolver) was fantastic, but now that I got the jungle warbond I don't think I will ever stop using the Bushwacker (sawed off shotgun). Main weapon Breaker Incendiary, the Bushwacker is great for shooting enemies close to your allies so you don't set them on fire. No body likes being set on fire.
Redeemer vs bots, grenade pistol vs bugs. Grande pistol closes bug holes and clears groups fairly well. Redeemer be bots because when they're that close you just need to let bullets fly. I have been using the bushwhacker shotty lately on single round and it's decent as long as you can maintain trigger discipline and have the room to aim
Grenade pistol is the best gun in the game. The versatility is massive and the fact that you always have it on you dropping in is nuts. Until you unlock it the Redeemer (Uzi) and the Senator (Revolver) are also pretty good.
Grenade pistol is GOAT. END OF STORY.
Grenade pistol specifically for scout striders
Grenade pistol if I’m bringing stun nades and a stratagem weapon than can’t close bug holes/bot fabs Revolver when I play bots cause I usually bring autocannon
Get grenade pistol from democratic demolition warbond, main purpose is to use as bug hive/fabricator closer. Then, you get stun grenade from cutting edge warbond. You can use grenade pistol 8 times compared to regular grenade 4 times (6 times when wearing engineering kit armor), and that alone makes it ideal for closing medium bug nest holes. My build is as follows: Stratagems: Orbital railcannon strike (for heavy targets) Expendable Anti Tank (E.A.T.) Gatling sentry (for clearing mobs) Guard Dog (laser) for hit and run, reducing mobs chasing me, and to locate nearby targets easily Booster: Stamina Booster Primary: SG Breaker Incendiary Secondary: Grenade Pistol Grenade: Stun Grenade Armor: Light Armor (engineering kit for extra grenades) for extra stuns. Light armor also makes you sprint longer and regenerate stamina faster, which is good against Terminids because most of their damage requires them to melee you.
P-113
Bushwacker is my new favorite all 3 barrels at 1 time knocks the crap out of most Boston and will one shot more than you think if your aim is good.
Yeah, git some beantown!! Right in yr stoopid accent!!
Grenade pistol, all other secondary slots guns are just joke. Let's face it, if you had to switch to secondary during engagement - something went terribly wrong somewhere. I wish they just add utility gadgets in that slot - put crossbow there, add c4 satchel, laser pointer with CD to call stratagems from afar, put shield from stratagem slots, to secondary slots. Or better yet, allow us carry 2 primary guns in both slots. There is nothing arrowhead could do to make side arms viable in game like that.
Depends of my loadout. But if I need a secondary handgun, the Revolver.
Grenade pistol vs bugs cause they have a lot more spawners to destroy Redeemer or Bushwacker against Bots cause you always want a backup against them
With the Incendiary Breaker I would recommend the grenade pistol. Usually you want your pistol to compliment your build and cover things that your primary can’t, but the IB is the ultimate “the round peg goes in the square hole” weapon. There really isn’t a situation where you still have primary ammo where it’s worth swapping off the IB (and its ammo capacity is great) so you may as well use the grenade pistol for the utility of closing bug holes
Redeemer go brrrrtttt
Senator. Has medium armor pen.
Senator pretty much always. Playing around with the shotgun secondary. But going back to senator for sure.
Grenade pistol or Bushwhacker.
Nine out of ten times it is the grenade pistol because it frees my grenade slot for stun grenades.
I rarely use my pistol. I've been running the grenade pistol forever because once upon a time it occurred to me that I had more grenades for destroying bug holes and robot factories that way and just never changed it because I never use it.
gren pistol for utiliy
Terminids - grenade pistol, because I use stun grenades so it’s handy for closing bug holes. Automatons - senator revolver, because of it’s damage and medium pen, also the cool factor
grenade pistol or redeemer depending on loadout
Grenade "Would ya ever fuck off and leave me alone ya prick!" Pistol I have all of that laser engraved on the barrel. Just head to the ministry of whitty remarks to engrave your guns today.
Senator pistol, med armor pen, great pistol, hard hitter. I like the other too tho, really depend on what is the rest of my loadout.
Senator>Grenade pistol>Uzi And they are pretty close
For bugs, the bushwhacker, or the grenade pistol for blitz missions. For bots, the verdict or senator
Senator, but purely for the vibes.
Lately I’ve been using the Senator and it hasn’t let me down. Previously I’d use the machine pistol, and it’s fairly effective if you find yourself in a bind, you’re about to be overrun and your primary is out, you can use it to get some breathing room
I like the Governor a lot, it makes hive guards a non threat if you don’t have an LMG/HMG for support or explosives. It also makes quick work of warriors and brood commanders But damn it I do love me some space desert eagle as well. The “meta” sidearm is definitely the redeemer in terms of killing power and a good utility flex is the grenade pistol. The Las pistol is just okay. It’s nice to have “infinite ammo” but it feels like it overheats a lot quicker
I’m level 125 and I have several set loadouts I switch between for each faction so my secondary changes based on that. For bots I either use the Verdict or Senator, and on bug missions I either bring the Grenade Pistol or Bushwacker
The sidearms worth using are. Senator - speedloader makes this thing the most versatile overall sidearm. Redeemer - turn it semi auto and younhave a more-or-less straight upgrade to the default pistol with better sights. Stupidly good against bots. Grenade pistol - frighteningly good damage, aoe, penetration and utility. Only downside is single shot and ammo economy - pairs well with supply pack.
The grenade pistol entered my life and honestly I'm hoping it'll never stop ~~busting inside~~ spreading democracy to big holes and fabricators. It's like an "OH Shit" like the Redeemer with the added bonus of chucking your 25% HP body away from whatever you just shot.
I'm quite in love with the Bushwhacker, a sawed off as a secondary was on my wishlist. I switch to the senator or redeemer every now and then, but so far the Bushwhacker has not left my side. It's quite satisfying firing all barrels on any unfortunate Berserker or any Unlucky Stalker, it can rip and tear with no issue.
Nade pistol hasn't left my side since i requisitioned it. But before that i was using the Senator. Loved head tapping Bile Spewers and Berserkers
The Bushwhacker is very visceral fun to use with 3-shot setting at close range. Aside that, I stick with Grenade Pistol for best overall utility
Since I got grenade pistol I can't use anything else. It comes with 8 freaking grenades, guy. And you can punch out bug holes from all the Way across a crater and take down heavies left and right with it. And it gains ammo from regular ammo pick ups. You can't beat it
Instead of a pistol i recommend stun grenades if you dont have them. The uzi is a solid pistol, and you can close fabricators and bug holes with the autocannon
On bugs since the update either Sickle or Eruptor, Senator, support backpack, and MG as support. Bots are harder either Slugger or Sickle, Senator, and good ol' swiss army knife the Auto cannon. I bring the Bushwhacker when I'm feeling dumb 😆
I usually bounce between the Senator and the Verdict because I tend to like heavier caliber sidearms in games. As for which one I use just depends on what kind of primary I'm using at the time.
Senator because it’s cool and makes me feel cool
Big iron or boom stick is the way
Shotgun pistol. Best against Texans, and rounds reload means you get to use every shot. Can also drop most bugs, especially from the side. With a crossbow or the eruptor for holes/fabs you can clear quite a lot.
The grenade pistol's utility is unbelievable. But, for a sidearm, I love the redeemer. It's S tier vs. Small mobs and still does ok vs the big boys
I’ve been laser pistoling the bot mines, it’s like not even having a secondary but I yearn for minesweeping.
Big airon on your hip
The one from the last page of the polar warbond. To me it’s one of the best sounding guns in the entire game.
Senator bc I like to pretend I'm a cowboy
Always the Senator because it hits like a freight train and is a fucking vibe
Grenade pistol. I almost never use a pistol anyway, so being able to close bug holes and at least stun anything big is nice
Senator is always good.
I'm using the grenade pistol so I can still take out small buildings and nests but have static grenades available to freeze bigger enemies. My other fav honesty is the Redeemer to pop a lot of rounds if a smallish enemy gets too close.
Grenade pistol for bugs Bots I take the deagle
As someone whobuse fire breaker, i switch between senator, nade pistol, and bushwack shotgun because all are fun to use.
Bots, Senator. Bugs, Grenade pistol.
Senator. I wish they just fixed the crosshair and sights bc both are kinda shit.
Grenade pistol or senator always
Revolver, u need medium pen
Big Iron all the way baby
Grenade pistol if my primary or support weapon can’t take out nests/fabs, bushwhacker for hive guards/berserkers. Redeemer is sort of my niche pick nowadays.
When you have the mini Shotty in your hand is it really a pistol?
The Senator is a really strong hand gun that also has a quiet sound profile, and would complement the breaker well.
I’ve gone back to using the Peacemaker for shits and giggles (level 121). It’s a nice all-rounder, and I don’t feel like I _need_ to use the grenade pistol unless it’s for a specific loadout.
the basic pistol. when i shred the wntire clip each time i let it go , the last couple bullets are like red and tend to be kill shots for bigger baddrr enemies
usually for bugs i almost never need to use a secondary since the incendiary breaker is so strong but for bots the mini uzi shreds the weaker bots and even the devastators if you aim for their face
Revolver, hands down
Big Iron, shotgun and grenade