The support weapons inHelldivers 2provide extra firepower to help Super Earth’s elite soldiers spread managed democracy. Unlike primary weapons, which respawn with your helldiver every time you die, the support weapons are called down via hellpod and must be kept safely in your hands to use.
The AC-8 Autocannon is one of thebest support weaponsin the game that performs very well across both factions: Automatons and Terminids. It is a cannon that your helldiver carries on your shoulder, blasting everything in sight. However, you must know pro tips to ace the AC-8 Autocannon to perform better in the field.
Pro Tips For Using The AC-8 Autocannon
TheAC-8 Autocannon comes with a semi and automatic firing mode. Every time you fire, the reticle goes haywire due tovery high recoil. Thebest strategyfor using the AC-8 Autocannonfor any objective is tofire in semi-mode.
The automatic firing mode fires rounds in quick succession. However, most of the shots will never land where you want them to, making semi mode the better option.
Controlling the recoil is the real challengeof using the AC-8 Autocannon. While shooting,we highly recommend you crouch or go proneandswitch to ADS(aim down sights) rather than TPS (third-person shooter) as itgives you better controlover reticle swaying.
Thebottom left HUD shows the clip of the AC-8 Autocannon. Every time you fire a round, the clip animation starts depleting. However, thisicon does not tell you that the gun has two clips, each containing five shots.
If you empty the magazine, thereload time will be longersince your helldiver will insert two clips into the gun. That is why thebest reload strategy for the AC-8 Autocannon is to reload manuallywhenever you have fired half or more than half of the clip visible from the magazine icon.
While theAC-8 Autocannoncomes with a backpack containing ten clipsto reload, you mustnever rely on another teammate to reloadfor you. That is because, unlike theGR-8 Recoilless RifleorFAF-14 SPEAR, thereload animation AC-8 Autocannon is very quick.
Sharing the backpackdoes increase the reload time, but itis not worth it.Your teammate could aid the squad in assaulting an objective instead of reloading your weapon, which already has a very short reload time compared to other support weapons in the game.
How Good Is The AC-8 Autocannon Against Automatons?
TheAC-8 Autocannon shines against the botsfaction. From little grunts like the Trooper, Raider, and Marauder to armored foes like Strider, Berserker, Devastator, Hulk, and Tank, theAC-8 Autocannon bests every bot type.
Unlike the powerfulQuasar Cannon,EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank, andGR-8 Recoilless Rifle, theAC-8 Autocannon cannot destroy a bot dropship. However, you can stillfire the bots that the dropship carries and destroymost of them before they even touch the ground. Justaim and fire at the carriage sectionwhere bots are hanging in a dropship to destroy them quickly.
Striders are good at chasing you down, and this enemy type fires at intervals. With the AC-8 Autocannon,you can one-shot the Striderseven if you fire on their front shield.
The shield and rocket Devastator enemy types are equally annoying. Therocket type fires a barrage of missilesthat cankill you instantly if you are wearing light or medium armor. On the other hand, the shielded Devastator fires machine guns over a very long range. You cantwo-shot all Devastator enemy types by firing at its exposed face or back.
You need toprioritize your targetswhile using the AC-8 Autocannon. If you find many Devastators in the field approaching your squad, you shouldignore light-armored enemies and focus on the medium-armored foes first. Once the tanky foes are dealt with, shift your focus back at clearing swarms of bots.
When it comes to defeating Hulks, you canfire three rounds of the AC-8 Autocannon at its exposed weak spotat the backor two rounds at the red eyeat the frontto destroy it. The only challenge here is maintaining distance, as you will get splash damage if you fire the AC-8 Autocannon from close to it.
TheTanks and tower cannons also have exposed ventsat their backs. Landingthree shots of the AC-8 Autocannon will blow these, too. You just need to switch to aim-down sights to fire at a faster pace before the exposed parts rotate away from you.
Lastly, you canblow up the Automaton Fabricatorsin one roundusing the AC-8 Autocannon. For this, you must ensure that the roundshould not ricochet and explodes insidethe Bot Fabricator, and for this you mustface the Fabricator head on and shoot its vent from the frontinstead of the sides.
Is The AC-8 Autocannon Good Against Terminids?
While theAC-8 Autocannon performs better against the bots, it isnot quite effective against bugsin the game. This gun still takes out targets and wipes mobs more quickly than most support weapons. However,it is of little to no use when it comes todefeating the Chargersandkilling the Bile Titans.
Anotherproblem with using the AC-8 Autocannonagainst the Terminidsis its explosive nature. Since the bots attack from a distance, this makes using the AC-8 Autocannon ideal,unlike bugs, which like to charge and deal meleedamage.
This creates a situation whereyou cannot distance yourself from shooting bugs such as Hunters, Bile Spewers, and Stalkers. These run fast and eventually chase you down after you run out of stamina.If you shoot them from close range, chances are you could hurt your helldiver andbe one hit away from death.
Therefore, thebest strategy to use the AC-8 Autocannon against bugswould be towear light armor and strike from a distance. attempt to wipe off the Terminids that are near each other. This way, most of your shots willdeal splash damage and kill multiple targetsin a single round.
If your squad isapproaching a bug hole site, lead the group, alwaysface the bug hole from the front, and fire the AC-8 Autocannon. This way,you can destroy the bug hole in a single roundwhile your squad wipes out other threats that could be approaching you to attack.
