Of all the ‘tank’ enemies in Helldivers 2, only one is an actual freakin’ tank. The Annihilator Tank is the Automaton answer to the age-old question of “Where did that hole in my chest come from?” Good thing it’s not too tough to kill a Tank in Helldivers 2.
Granted, taking one out does require you to not be standing in front of it. Much like other vehicles (such as Helldiver 2’s own Hulk) the Annihilator Tank comes with a weak point that’s a video game classic. You need to find the big, glowing spot and shoot at it until the machine lies in pieces. That’s easier said than done, usually, but with the right firepower and some quick footwork you too can beat the Tank.
How to tank the Tank in Helldivers 2
The best way to kill an Annihilator Tank in Helldivers 2 is to circle around it and shoot the weak point on the back of the turret. Several things make this a challenging task, however. For one, the Tank’s turret moves nearly as fast as your basic Helldiver run speed. Getting to its back can be a tall order.
Another issue is the Tank itself. Like the Hulk, it comes in variations. But unlike the Hulk, the Tank only has two to boast of: A heavy laser machine gun version, and another with your standard laser cannon.
Out of both variants, I found the machine gun type to be the trickiest to deal with. I have been able to outrun the rapid laser fire by moving perpendicular to the Tank. But it’s easy to get stuck if you try and duck behind cover.
The cannon variation isn’t much of a threat unless one takes aim at you while you’re unaware. Usually, one shot from the massive gun is all it takes for your ass to get rag-dolled. The cannon does have a tell: You will see a red glow in the gun’s barrel as it charges to fire. I found it easier to dodge the single blast than the laser shots from the machine gun (remember to use the dodge move to reduce explosion damage).
Since the Tank is clearly an enemy decked out in armor, you should employ anti-armor weaponry to crack it. It does go down quickly once you target the weak point, but try using these Support Weapons and Stratagems to your advantage:
- EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank
- Spear
- Recoilless Rifle
- Autocannon
- Railgun
- Eagle 500kg Bomb
- Orbital Laser
- Orbital Railcannon Strike
- Rocket or Mortar Sentry
Keep in mind that both the Autocannon and Railgun are best used against the Tank’s weak spot. You can kill a tank with a Railgun by targeting the turret, but it’s a long, laborious task that can eat up your ammo. Move around the tank, or get an ally to run a distraction so you can fire at the weak point. Teamwork makes the dream work — and the Tank dead.
Use your quick wits and feet to kill a Tank
Another weakness of the Tank is that, due to its size, the vehicle is slow and not all that maneuverable. I’ve found that if you try and get it stuck on objects like a rock, you can hinder it long enough to get to its weak point.
Some quick footwork and:
Ultimately, I feel the Tank isn’t often the most challenging heavy enemy in Helldivers 2. That crown goes to the Charger and its ability to weigh several tons and yet still able to sneak up on you.
