The Ultimate Gatling Loadout in Helldivers 2

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If you’ve ever looked at Helldivers 2’s arsenal and wondered just how many spinning barrels you can cram into one loadout, this build pushes that idea to its limit. After spending a good amount of time experimenting with the Maxi Gun and every “almost-a-minigun” tool the game offers, I decided to put together a full Gatling-themed setup just to see how ridiculous—and surprisingly effective—it could be. The result is a chaotic, loud, and genuinely entertaining build that works especially well against the Squids.

This isn’t a refined meta strategy. It’s more of a “spin barrels, hold the trigger, and hope for the best” type of playstyle. Still, after a few missions, I found that the build has more depth than expected, especially when you lean into the strengths of each weapon and manage cooldowns deliberately.

The Core of the Build: The Maxi Gun and Its Role

The Maxi Gun is the centerpiece, and honestly, it performs much better than its silly, oversized appearance suggests. Against Squids, it melts nearly everything except Leviathans. It struggles slightly against flesh mobs due to the slower takedown speed, but that weakness can be managed with positioning and stagger tools. The stationary firing restriction feels intimidating at first, yet once you get used to locking in place for high damage, you start planning your fights around chokepoints instead of open skirmishes.

That said, one annoying aspect early players run into is resource pacing, especially if you’re trying to buy helldivers 2 medals to speed up unlocks. With a build that leans into heavy ammo consumption, pacing your progression feels more important than in standard loadouts.

Strategems: Gatling Everything

The Patriot Exosuit fits right in—another huge gun with infinite spinning fury. Its mobility while firing gives it an edge over the Maxi Gun and helps when you need to reposition around enemy pushes. The Orbital Gatling Barrage and Strafing Run round out the theme, offering fast-cooldown burst tools that delete shields and soften large groups before you commit to a firefight.

Interestingly, the Gatling Sentry was something I initially forgot existed. Halfway through the mission I realized I hadn’t brought it, restarted immediately, and the loadout suddenly clicked. The sentry provides great supplemental fire and helps cover your flanks when the Maxi Gun locks you down. It’s not as universally useful as the MG Sentry, but in a barrel-themed build, it absolutely belongs here.

Primaries and Secondaries: Barrel Count Over Meta Value

With no true Gatling guns in the primary or secondary slots, I went for the next best thing—guns with as many barrels as possible. The Variable rifle feels especially good thanks to its total mode, which hits hard against flesh mobs and can even one-shot a harvester eye with good aim. Its ergonomics are a bit clunky, but if you’re running Peak Physique, swapping between fire modes feels smoother.

The Bushwhacker sits in the secondary slot mostly because of its triple-barrel volley. While it won’t outperform top-tier weapons, it has surprising value against overseers and stragglers. Its stagger can bail you out of close-range trouble more than once, and the burst damage helps finish off targets the Maxi Gun already softened.

Grenades, Armor, and Survival Choices

Since there’s no such thing as a “Gatling grenade,” gas grenades end up being the most practical pick. They’re a consistent way to control swarms, especially when you’re reloading or repositioning the Maxi Gun. Armor-wise, the medium Peak Physique suit synergizes nicely by improving mobility and reload handling without trading away survivability. Vitality enhancement also helps you tank one or two extra hits from Squids, which can be the difference between holding your ground and collapsing instantly.

Interestingly, when experimenting with gear progression, I found myself paying more attention to how I manage helldivers 2 super credits, especially when unlocking new suits or strategems that complement heavier builds. The pacing of this resource feels more impactful with this kind of loadout.

Gameplay Notes: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Practical Tips

One important thing to understand is that this build shines when you control the pace of the fight. You want to funnel enemies, manage angles, and let your sentries and barrages soften threats before they reach you. The biggest threat against Squids is their constant flanking. There’s almost always something running up behind you, so checking your back becomes a natural part of the gameplay loop.

The Maxi Gun feels amazing when firing long-range bursts into approaching waves, but less so when groups collapse on you from multiple directions. That’s where the Bushwhacker and grenades come in. Learning when to swap to mobility tools or when to retreat for reloads is crucial.

Another thing I found helpful is treating the exosuit as a mission progression tool rather than a reaction tool. Using it to clear intended objectives preserves ammo and gives you more room to maneuver, instead of burning its limited ammunition on random reinforcement waves.

Is the Build Practical?

Surprisingly, yes, especially for mid-to-high-level Squid missions. It’s not going to outperform optimized meta setups, but it’s fun, explosive, and reliable when used thoughtfully. The main challenges come from limited mobility during Maxi Gun firing and the occasional ammo starvation, but with good positioning and help from your sentries, these can be mitigated.

For players who enjoy chaotic, screen-filling gunplay, this build offers a refreshing way to break away from the usual meta choices. And if you play solo, the extra suppression from the Gatling Sentry helps a lot more than you might expect.

This all-Gatling build started as a joke idea, but after testing it extensively, I found it surprisingly enjoyable and functional. It rewards planning, punishes panic, and looks absolutely absurd in action—in the best possible way. If you’re looking for something fresh that still holds up in real missions, give this spin-heavy loadout a try.

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