If you've been fighting on the Automaton front, you've likely seen them: massive, four-legged factories that march across the horizon, raining plasma and building Devastators. Known to most players as "Walkers," Factory Striders are some of the toughest single enemies in Helldivers 2. This guide breaks down how they work and, based on common player experience, how to bring them down efficiently.

What exactly is a Factory Strider?

In simple terms, it's a giant, walking Automaton factory. It's not just a vehicle with a pilot; intelligence suggests it is a massive Automaton itself. Its primary functions are to provide heavy fire support with its dorsal cannon and chin-mounted miniguns, and to fabricate Standard Devastators directly onto the battlefield. They can be found guarding major outposts or dropped in by large Automaton dropships. Since their introduction and subsequent mass-production, Super Earth High Command has made destroying them a top priority, especially when they move in groups known as "Strider Convoys."

What are its main weaknesses?

Despite its "Anti-Tank" level armor rating, the Strider has specific vulnerable points. Most players agree that targeting these is the key to a quick kill.

• The Undercarriage (Stomach): This is its most consistently weak spot, rated only for medium armor penetration (AP3). This is the bay from which it drops Devastators. Weapons that can hit this area will do full damage.

• The Feet: Surprisingly, the feet are only heavy armored. Destroying a single foot is enough to kill the entire Strider, making area-of-effect weapons and mines very effective against its legs.

• Specific Armor Breakage: The Strider's armor can be degraded. Repeated hits with high-penetration weapons (AP5) can break sections. Destroying armor on the head or legs reduces that part to AP4 (heavy), while destroying a body section reduces it to AP3 (medium).

What is the practical threat level during a fight?

While intimidating, a Strider's direct threat to an experienced squad can be managed by breaking down its components.

1. The Chin-Mounted Miniguns: This is your immediate, close-range threat. They can kill a Helldiver in seconds but have a limited 180-degree field of view and only medium armor. Destroying these first is a top priority for any team planning to get close. Once they are gone, the area directly in front of the Strider becomes much safer.

2. The Dorsal Plasma Cannon: This is the long-range threat. It has anti-tank armor and a 360-degree view. A direct hit from most shoulder-mounted missiles will destroy it. Its shots can cause extreme ragdoll effects even if they land nearby, so taking this turret out early is crucial for squad mobility.

3. Devastator Production: After its weapons are destroyed, a Strider will usually become stationary and focus on producing Devastators. This makes it a predictable target, allowing your team to flank or set up for a final strike.

What are the most effective strategies for destroying one?

Player tactics vary based on loadout, but several reliable methods have emerged.

• Anti-Tank Rockets: The standard approach. The GR-8 Recoilless Rifle or FAF-14 Spear take two direct hits to the body. A single, precise shot from a Recoilless Rifle into the small red "eye" on its face is an instant kill, but this is a high-risk, high-skill shot.

• Orbital and Eagle Stratagems: The Orbital Laser will kill a Strider but uses its entire duration. A direct hit from an Eagle 500kg Bomb on its face deals massive damage. Any form of Orbital Barrage is highly effective due to the Strider's large size and slow speed; the Walking Barrage is particularly devastating if placed along its path.

• Mines and Ambushes: Anti-tank mines are extremely practical. A Strider will often walk into and trigger an entire field on its own. For a risky but fast ambush, some players use an MG-206 Heavy Machine Gun at max RPM to mag-dump into the vulnerable undercarriage.

• Hellpods and Nukes: Landing roughly five Hellpods (from reinforcements or called-down equipment) on its back will destroy it. Any strategic-grade explosive—like the SEAF Artillery Mini Nuke, a Hellbomb, or the portable B-100 Hellbomb—will kill it instantly if it's within the blast radius.

• Prioritizing the Jammer Variant: In Strider Convoys, you will encounter a Strider Jammer. It replaces the plasma cannon with a Stratagem Jammer that scrambles your input codes every 5 seconds. While it doesn't block calls entirely, it disrupts muscle memory. More importantly, it fires signal flares to summon reinforcements directly on your position. You should always target the Jammer Strider first in a convoy. It's a common misconception that you need to find helldivers 2 super credits for sale to gain an advantage against these foes; in practice, success comes from understanding mechanics and coordinated team play, not premium currency.

What should you absolutely avoid doing?

• Don't stand in front of it before the miniguns are destroyed.

• Don't reinforce or call down stratagems directly on top of a live one without a plan, as you'll likely just waste a stratagem or die immediately.

• Don't stay close when it dies. The explosion is massive and will kill anyone nearby.

• Don't ignore the Devastators it produces. While you focus on the Strider, its escorts can easily overwhelm you.

In general, treating a Factory Strider as a moving environmental hazard and a priority objective, rather than a standard enemy to duel, leads to the best results. Coordinate with your team to strip its weapons, avoid its frontal arc, and focus fire on its weak points.