Summary
InHelldivers 2, players use special abilities called Stratagems as akey part of their loadout. Some Stratagems are Support Weapons like the Grenade Launcher, while others call a small fighter called an Eagle to drop bombs or do a strafing run on a group of enemies.
Orbital Barrages are a type of Stratagem that calls on the player’s Super Destroyer to fire onto the planet’s surface from low orbit. With a range of different guns, bombs, and lasers, these orbital Stratagems can easily turn the tide of battle around in favor of the helldivers.
Updated on Jun 29, 2025, by Mehrdad Khayyat:Sometimes the battlefield gets so messy and chaotic that weapons or throwables cannot really clear it out, and that’s when orbital stratagem can save the squad and open up a path for them to move around and deal with the enemies.
Thankfully, Arrowhead Studios doesn’t take these stratagems loosely, providing players with a good range of options to choose from for the type of orbital strike they may need on the battlefield. And some of them are just more suitable for a variety of situations.
12120MM HE Barrage
Random Bombardment Over A Large Area
Despite this Stratagem’s description, the 120MM HE Barrage is not a precise bombardment. The blasts are sent down in a radius around the spot where the player called it in, but many players have been frustrated by its lack of accuracy. Even calling it down in an area swarming with Bug Holes does not guarantee that the desired targets will be hit.
Instead, players may be caught unaware by the range of the barrage and be killed by accident. While it is not a bad way to cover a retreat or potentially clear an area so that players can advance into it, there are better Stratagems to use for these purposes.
11380MM HE Barrage
Random Bombardment Over A Huge Area
The 380MM HE Barrage is essentially the same as the 120MM HE Barrage except that it hits a wider area. This makes it better for targeting entrenched locations like Heavy Automaton Fabricators or Terminid Hatcheries, provided that all the players stay at least 90 meters away from the barrage’s center.
Communication is key when using thisStratagem, as players may not realize that they are walking into a dangerous area when the barrage is first called in. Making sure that teammates are aware of the barrage’s location mitigates the risk of friendly fire while letting the bombs drop on as many enemies as possible.
10Orbital Gatling Barrage
Good Early-Game Orbital Attack
TheOrbital Gatling Barrageis a Stratagem that is useful on easier missions but may not be worth keeping in loadouts on harder levels. It is great at thinning out crowds of unarmored enemies or taking on Light Fabricators and Bug Nests since it can damage buildings as well.
However, this orbital barrage cannot damage armor, which makes it useless when fighting against Chargers, Hulks, and other enemy types that are more common for missions above Level 4 or so.
9Orbital Smoke Strike
Niche Ability That Can Be Used Defensively
TheOrbital Smoke Strikeis a niche Stratagem that can be very helpful in certain situations. It produces a thick cloud of smoke in the area around where the player calls it in, which makes Automatons much less accurate. Using it to assault a Fabricator on a hill can more or less neutralize the manned machine gun turrets that usually make the approach difficult for helldivers without long-range weaponry.
When fighting Terminids, anOrbital Smoke Strikecan help pinpoint the locations of Stalkers once they’re invisible. Since most Terminids are melee enemies, however, this is one of the few ways that this Stratagem can be helpful against them. Players wanting to use this Orbital Stratagem need to keep its narrow uses in mind if they want it to be helpful.
8Orbital Gas Strike
Good Strategem For Damage-Over-Time
Orbital Gas Strikeis unlocked at lower levels and so many players may overlook it while waiting to unlock flashier Stratagems. While it does not deal high damage instantly like the many explosive Stratagems in the game, dealing damage over time is a great way to counter a concentrated area of enemies.
Bug Breaches can be all but neutralized by a singleOrbital Gas Strike, as bugs emerging from the hole into the gas will start to take damage the instant they spawn into the game. And since the cloud lingers for some time, placing it behind retreating helldivers can get enemies off the players' backs. With a low Cooldown Timer and good damage over time, this Stratagem should be revisited by players who have not given it a fair shot.
7Orbital Airburst Strike
Three Explosions To Take Out Multiple Enemy Groups
When called in, theOrbital Airburst Strikecauses three explosions to go off in the air and then rain shrapnel down in a concentrated area. If players are being chased by a swarm of Terminids, this Stratagem can be a lifesaver. Players can call this orbital strike in the area between their squad and the approaching enemies so that waves of bugs are taken out with each successive blast.
Unfortunately, this orbital attack cannot pierce heavy armor, so it cannot be relied on totake out Chargersor Bile Titans. However, since it is so effective at taking out groups of enemies, it has a wider range of applications than other orbital Stratagems while keeping the friendly fire risk comparatively low as well.
6Orbital EMS Strike
Stun A Group Of Enemies
When called down,Orbital Ems Strikehits an area with a stun effect. Enemies and players alike found within the striking radius are slowed down to a crawl, but do not take any damage from it. This stun can give players enough time to run away from a large group of Terminids or be used to stop Automatons from firing for enough time to take them out. In addition, players can coordinate to stun a group of enemies withOrbital EMS Strikeand then hit them with something powerful like the 500 KG Bomb.
Another great use of this Stratagem is against Hulks. A stunned Hulk cannot turn around, so players can easily run to the bright orange weak spot on its back and take it outwith primary weaponsinstead of relying on high-powered weaponry and abilities. Players looking to maximize their damage output may not like equipping an ability that does no damage, but this orbital barrage definitely has its uses.
5Orbital Walking Barrage
Explosions In A Line
Orbital Walking Barragetakes a little bit of time to get used to. Since it is a series of explosions, other players may accidentally stray into its line of fire without realizing it. Once players get a good eye for how far the explosions go, they can be used to great effect against large groups of enemies and places where enemy structures are clustered together.
On higher mission difficulties, the fact thatOrbital Walking Barragecan help with crowd control or destroying Fabricators and Bug Holes means that players do not have to dedicateone of their Stratagem slotsto one specific niche. Mastering this Stratagem can mean the difference between being overwhelmed by enemies and making it off-planet alive.
4Orbital Railcannon Strike
Target A Heavily-Armored Enemy
Orbital Railcannon Strikeis a niche strategy that can be used to take down the most powerful enemy units in the game. Players can use it in their loadout to make sure they have something todeal with Bile Titansand Hulks while using other Stratagems like the Flamethrower that can’t deal with them.
The one downside to this orbital attack is that theOrbital Railcannon Strikewill only hit one target, so it cannot be used to cull a wave of enemies chasing players down. However, given that it is one of the few Stratagems in the game that can easily take down the most powerful enemies, it is a valuable part of loadouts for higher-difficulty missions.
3Orbital Napalm Barrage
Burn Enemies Down With Toxic Strike
By far, Orbital Napalm Barrage is the best crowd-control stratagem inHelldivers 2.It can help the players get rid of small and medium-sized enemies almost instantly. This orbital strike comes with a big area of effect, and it deals damage over time even after the initial explosion, which is why it can kill a massive number of enemies.
That being said, the players might be very careful with locating this strike, as spawning it on top of players could be lethal. While Napalm Barrage can damage defensive structures, it is most effective against the living units, making it quite hard for them to survive.
