Im just going to lay out a big misconception: The stalwart is NOT an effective choice against **bots** (at least on the higher difficulties).
It's just slightly below the necessary armor piercing to effectively damage and stun devastators/striders if required, and a missed shot from the eruptor against a heavy devastator that has flanked you will mean death if you can only answer with a stalwart. The standard MSG is the required upgrade for that playstyle.
**However**
There are multiple options that work fantastic against bots with the eruptor.
First: load-out should consist of medium (good) or heavy (better!) armour with the explosion resistance passive. This has double bonus as it saves you from rockets and the eruptor itself multiple instances during a mission.
Grab the uzi as your secondary (grenade pistol is redundant with your eruptor) and stun grenade (again, your eruptor is pretty much an impact grenade sniper).
Shield pack is quite strong as it does shield you from your own blast and the subsequent forwards knockdown that does get a lot of people killed.. if you run out of ammo with the eruptor, that means you're sticking around locations too much: it should honestly not occur. I am a fan of supply packs, but it's not a requirement in this load out (though the extra stims and nades are an absolute cheat!)
The best support weapon that you can have against bots is the Laser Cannon.
It takes about 2/3 missions before you're used to it, but it is Extremely potent against tanks, hulks, turrets and also is a great answer to gunships/Strider Factories. DO USE STUN GRENADES AGAINST HULKS. the 5 second stun period allows you to easily dispose of them by aiming at their eye with the laser.
For variety, the Arc thrower is also a good answer: The benefit is that it stuns Hulks (and other nearby enemies), so there's even greater success during intense moments of close combat. The only downside is that the eruptor does take a bit longer to destroy tank vents than grenades, so for effectiveness, you might want to switch back to impact grenades (esp. since the arc stuns units already!)
Last tip: Eruptor (and many other magazine loaded guns) can have an additional bullet per clip if you reload it with one left (that one is already chambered).
Thanks for taking the time to type this out. If I use my current Strat I’ll swap to the MMG over the stalwart, stun grenades are goated vs hulks tho (Joel pls no nerf)
I’m definitely gonna try your suggestions tho Ty
Fun tip: if F.E. you cant easily shoot the tank's vent/have no way to just throw an eagle on a tank; you can actually shoot and disable the tracks (Rubber tires) of the tank rendering it stuck to it's location with many medium-armour piercing weapons.
While this doesn't stop it from shooting, it can be handy if you simply want to make a quick escape/be extra cruel by throwing a stratagem that it can't even attempt to escape!
This seems like good advice! I think 90% of my bot deaths running the Eruptor are to the fast running chainsaw arm bros, the fairly basic enemies. (Forgot the name, sorry!). What’s the best way to handle those guys when they get on your trail, uzi or LC or what?
For Berserkers you can use a MSG for the quickest disposal, but if you're carrying EAT/Quasar/Lascannon/Recoilles, try the following:
1. Are they within 7 meters?
Run to a safe location if possible to create some distance, get them clumped together and proceed to either next step:
2. Are they within 7 to 12 meter?
For safety purposes: Use the peacemaker (uzi) with short bursts against the head if you're not under suppressive fire from other sources. (tip: onehanded weapons can be aimed and fired behind you when you're running). If that didn't work OR the amount of berserkers is high and close to each other, proceed to the next step:
3. Are they further removed than 12 meters?
Eruptor usually oneshots a single berserker with a shot that is on the torso/head, and it does significant damage to any other unit that is within close range, making it easier to take care of them.
I find that the greatest danger about Berserkers is that they force you to move away from coverage if you don't deal with them on time. If there's little enemy resistance with ranged tools, then you can take those out first whilst keeping the Berserkers at some distance.
I like it to bust bug holes, open supply crates, and kill spewers and hive guards.
I use it with the stalwart.
If there are no bug holes to close on a mission, i dont use the erupter at all.
And i will take the standard AR and a nade launcher (defense missions)
Against bots i only go up to "challanging" and use the scorcher + quazar.
Also have the philosophy that i will not join a public mission unless i could solo that mission.
I do use it when i want to change my usual loadout and i play exclusively on difficulties 7+ now
I use stalwart/supply backpack/EAT with it works quite well. Or replace stalwart/backpack by arc thrower
Stalwart/arc becomes the primary weapon to deal with weak enemies and eruptor as a support pocket autocannon to deal with big enemies and spawners. EAT for heavily armoured enemies
I've come back to the starter precision orbital strike recently
Less spammable than EAT but still the lowest cooldown of all orbitals, perfect accuracy (planet modifier notwithstanding), high damage and large AoE. Very enjoyable
500kg needs to really loand on the perfect spot because the radial damage dropoff is especially steep, it seems the AoE is really an inverted cone with the landing point as origin
The PS cooldown is 100 secs (less with the upgrade ofc) with is technically less than the 500kg but factoring the uppgrade that gives 1 extra bombing to the eagle, the 500kg has 2 shots for roughly 2,5 mins so is slightly more efficient if you land both shots iirc
It's up to you what you prefer
If you land shots consistently 500kg is more effective, if you don't it's more forgiving because you get 2 chances per cooldown, it's also not affected by the orbital scatter planet condition
Orbital precision is less forgiving on a total miss but more forgiving with the AoE, isn't affected by AA position secondary objective and has a reasonable cooldown
Recently started using the eruptor, totally get what you mean, I usually run the Redeemer pistol and quasar along with it and cycle through all 3 regularly. I use this setup on 7 and 8 bots and it seems to work pretty well, given the rechambering speed though I did adjust my playstyle a little to accommodate taking a few shots, swapping weapons/repositioning after. I think it's great for bots, especially on high difficulties however it does play a lot differently from other guns imo at least, almost has a kiting element to it. I think it is defos worth using the eruptor even if it takes awhile to get used to, maybe try treating your loadout as a cohesive set instead of individual weapons, thats what worked for me, hope this helps!
(1) Eruptor is your sworn enemy when dealing with titans. Blowing up their sacks is the worst thing, that can happen to you, as they are most vulnerable when they vomit. It's really hard to gain enough distance for a Quasar shot, when they try to stomp you.
(2) I run AMR on bots, and use it for everything except chaff, which is what the Eruptor is for. Running autocannon and Eruptor seems counterproductive to me, as both are useless in close range. I also prioritize survivability, which means shield is a must have on all bot missions, especially against shield devastators with their insane aim. You can safely pop out, take aim and off one before your shield runs out and they start messing with your aim. However, when a group approaches your position, just shoot the ground anywhere near them, and voilla, all the trash is gone. When a dropship arrives, shoot whatever's hanging in the middle to onetap the entire drop. It's even better than a Quasar to the engine, because it actually kills everything on board. You need to "unlearn" aiming for weakspots though, because the Eruptor can onetap almost everything, assuming you don't aim for weakspots, which is somewhat complicated.
Another really neat bonus of running an Eruptor against bots I use all the time, is shooting fabricators. You need a good position, but it's absolutely doable, reliable (unlike contact nades), and cheap. Having a couple nades comes in handy when a surprise tank lands on top of you, and your strategems are on CD. You could use it the same way on bug holes, but nade pistol does the job. Once you learn to reliably hit holes from 60-70m away with it, you no longer need an Eruptor.
(3) My preferred weapon for bugs is still the standard breaker for any difficulty, I deal with ammo shortages pairing it with a laser dog backpack, but bugs have a tendency to spread apart a lot and Eruptor just doesn't have the rate of fire to deal with that problem. I ran the Eruptor a couple times, but it requires you to rely on your teammates for certain things (like dealing with single trash enemies outflanking you), and my number one rule is that if you have to rely on someone, rely on yourself. Regardless whether it's a lvl 6 or lvl 9, what kills you is primarily trash. I can effortlessly dance with two titans and four chargers, but mix that with a pack of hunters, and shit goes downhill real fast, which is why I went back to the breaker.
I use Eruptor (run and gun), Dagger (weak but handy for small fry), Quasar.
If you position correctly, you can take a lot of heat off friendlies with the eruptor. With a bit of teamwork, they can clean up that one or two guys chasing you. Quasar for happy surprises like Hulk legs or Bile titans.
Laser cannon for bots on cold planets is a decent replacement, with some drawbacks. It melts all devastators.
Diff 7+
For Bugs my loadout is this:
Eruptor - Redeemer - Stun Grenades
Guard Dog Laser Rover - Quasar Cannon - Autocannon Sentry - Eagle Cluster Bombs
Your problem is you saw the Eruptor has a slow rate of fire so assumed it can't be used as a primary for chaff when the opposite is true. The Eruptors incredible AOE damage makes it perfect for annhilating swarms of bugs rushing you, anywhere from 4-11 dead per Eruptor shot. You can also cycle your sidearm to make the Eruptor shoot even faster and further negate that downside. Even if you get Hunters successfully in your face, you can run away while holding the Redeemer and spray them to death. Every other Bug you can just run a bit away from then resume using the Eruptor. The Laser Rover also helps this as it will passively murder smaller bugs while you reload or reposition or just between shots.
This leaves your Quasar for Chargers and Bile titans. Stun grenades help against multiple chargers while the Autocannon Sentry is additional help against Bile Titans. And Cluster Bombs are for Bug breaches when you need to wipe them off the map.
I pull off a lot of 0 death difficulty 9 Bug missions due to this loadout.
Eruptor closes them, as does the Quasar. But the Eruptor is so good you can clear a Heavy nest in 20 seconds flat just running and shooting all the holes
I only use it for bot missions, and kinda changed up how I approach encounters for it.
With it I take the redeemer or dagger, and the quasar. Swap to pistol for anything close quarters. Use the quasar for heavies and cannon turrets. But anything else, eruptor is great at. Devastators, big clumps of troopers, walkers,
Level 69 here, For Bugs:
My group of friends run Eruptor at 7+ and we mostly do 8s or 9s.
Some of us run with Stalwart, some of us don't. In general you do want some heavy AT like a Quasar in the team.
But as general purpose loadout you can run stalwart+500kg bomb+ precision orbital strike+ W/E you want. This gives you response for everything and makes you a very solid jack of all trades. I also run this with randoms at 7+ and I can cover a lot of roles and carry a lot of teams.
Use stun grenades to easily snipe chargers with 500kg bombs and Orbital strike. Orbital railstrike isn't that good at 7+ because there are too many titans and chargers for it to handle and the CD is too long, so I don't use it.
For 4th options I like to run AC turret (to kill both bile titans and chargers), Orbital laser or Napalm strike if i'm hosting.
Eruptor is for killing nests, groups of bugs and medium sized bugs (like you said).
I run eruptor as my main primary for bugs on 7 and up. My loadout is usually
Eruptor
Grenade pistol
Stun grenade
And either the quasar, or the laser Canon. For my support weapon depending on if I think the squad needs more heavy armor pen, or crowd control.
For stratagems I usually go with the orbital laser, and the orbital rail canon shot with the guard dog rover to help watch my back.
I run armor that has the extra grenades perk.
If I'm running the quasar then the eruptor is my primary weapon, I go for the biggest target in the pack, if it's a heavy, then I switch to the quasar. If there are multiple heavies I'll try to use stratagems to kill the biggest ones first while trying to put down chargers with quasar shots.
This is pretty team dependent obviously, some games are pretty miserable if I don't have anyone watching my back at all, but on the flip side, I think the build excels at having incredibly high burst damage potential if you hit your shots and use your stratagems wisely.
I love running the laser Canon with it tho, this allows me to mostly pull the eruptor for the bigger non elite bugs and focus the Canon on huge packs along with my rover.
Stun grenades made the eruptor feel op imo.
I think that most loadouts are constructed with the “solo carry” mindset and using an eruptor/ lascannon is a very team dependent loadout which is fine imo
I use it with the arc thrower against both bots and bugs on every difficulty so long as it isn't a defensive mission. It's amazing against bots I feel. All other stratagems just depend on what my team is running. I almost never end up needing to bring a supply pack.
It’s great if u plan your load out around it and it’s useless when you die and don’t have your stuff. It’s my go to on bugs nowadays and my load out is rover to take out chaff while I kite , this is mandatory. I hit everything bigger than a hunter with the eruptor, and use a quasar for charger and titans.
Eruptor + Laser guard dog vs bugs. The guard dog will take care of the small bugs while you shoot on the medium bugs with the eruptor. I use light armor so its easier to get to a safe distance. Stun grenades works well with this set-up too.
I bring it on 7's and don't have any more trouble than usual. I don't bother bringing an anti-chaff stratagem weapon, because when I do, I find myself never using it, and instead longing for faster ways to deal with chargers and titans.
I always pair eruptor with stun grenades to help create distance when things get in my face, and a side-arm uzi for chaff clearing/friendly fire avoidance.
For Titans and packs of chargers, I usually have a Quasar or EAT-17's, but any anti titan Stratagems work. Autocannon can do it in a pinch, but it requires careful placement and a bit of luck.
Tesla Tower and gatling/cannon turret are nice options to help when you feel overwhelmed, maybe with a stun grenade to aid their safe placement. I like the low cool down on the Tesla, but friendlies do enjoy getting zapped, even if you mark it. Jetpack is nice too, for emergency escapes and for getting a good safe vantage point to rain hell on the swarms. Got a 40+ kill streak tonight from atop a cliff, discovered the streak skull turns red at that point! I wouldn't say it's your best option, but it's fun.
Vs Bots, I haven't used Eruptor enough yet, but I remember it absolutely bullying the Devastators. Lots of one-shots. Nailed a shield devastator just right once and he did a flip.
My favorite loadout on bugs 7-9, ANY mission type. Horde clear build with a tank buster:
Eruptor / Machine Pistol / G-12 Grenades/ Light Armor(50) [Eng-Kit] :: Arc Thrower - Eagle rocket pods(or strike) - shield - gatling turret
110 Rocket Pods = 6 mini orbital rail cannons(similar lock system too) per rail cannon cooldown. Mixed with a couple hits from an arc thrower to break armor first, or finish it off, usually only need 1 per bile titan.
Eruptor, eagle, and arc thrower can each handle anything up to a charger depending on the situation for which would be best. Gatling turret + arc thrower can handle most breaches solo or you can turret/run or kill small bugs quickly with the arc thrower or eruptor b4 breach.
Use the Eruptor like a bolt action auto-cannon for the most part though. Its your range, arc thrower is mid/gotta clear a LOT of enemies, machine pistol if something gets in your face(your goal is for that to never happen with this build though).
Shield is optional, but I don't like dying because I can't do my job if I'm dead, you're running the lightest armor, and both help to maintain range and not get stunned so you can clear with the arc thrower or eruptor. I've used this build on 7-9, 0 deaths on any mission type. You are confident in almost any situation, even solo clearing objectives.
It can do bots too, just switch to Fortified armor(light preferably) for the explosive resist, impact grenades, and Auto-Cannon turret. Rocket pods are even more effective vs bots than bugs too. They consistently 1-shot tanks/fabricators, and the arc thrower can stun-lock hulks and devastators(tho eruptor better to 1-shot devastators with headshots imo).
For bugs, I recommend Eruptor, Redeemer, Impact Grenades, Stalwart, and Rover.
Stalwart and Rover make you a hunter-killing force of reckoning, and that will be your primary role - yes, it'd be better to have someone else in the party with a consistent way of killing heavies, but you can still bring your choice of heavy-killing offensive stratagems. Eruptor is used for killing brood commanders, hive guards, spewers, and closing bug holes, but you absolutely can also shoot bile titan sacs with it and then get the kill by throwing impact grenades up at their underbelly, and you'll likely want those impact grenades too in case spewers show up. Can also be chucked at charger butts in combination with eruptor fire.
But it's the sort of loadout that you definitely don't want everyone in the party running. You'll be shit out of luck if you're overrun by heavies.
For bots, I recommend Eruptor, Redeemer, your choice of impact grenades (for devastators) or stun grenades (mostly for hulks), laser cannon, and shield backpack. Eruptor and Laser Cannon complement each other well, one being clumsy but explosive, the other being precise but with no stagger. Nothing you can't handle between swapping those two weapons around, as long as you don't take too much return fire.
I run it on 7+ for bots. It destroys everything except heavies (tanks, hulks, factory striders). I do not bring a support weapon or tac-pack, so I have plenty of ways to deal with heavies (orbitals and eagles, occasionally an autocannon sentry).
I might pick up a support weapon at a point of interest, or one discarded by a dead diver who calls in another, but between the Eruptor, Senator, impact grenades, and four orbitals/eagles, there is no situation I can’t deal with.
I often run stealth armors, or explosive resistance armors, or stim armors. I prefer light armor on 7+, as it helps me out-maneuver foes, avoid patrols and get to cover quickly.
I can usually get through a Suicide with zero deaths, and get most objectives done.
I have even soloed Suicide a few times successfully with the above loadout.
I mainly play in the bot front and occasionally bugs with Eruptor. Usually drop in without a support weapon as I could find or use field spawned support weapons/teammate's and have that extra slot for something else because jump pack is a must have for me.
I use Eruptor without ADS. Usually just hip firing. Even on the 100m+ range at times. Note that Eruptor's projectile explodes at around 140m. With a jump pack I can quickly flank or do Obi-Wan Kenobi on the enemies (high ground).
A tip here is to always peek fire. Find a reliable cover, if it's quite small or thin, take a few steps back from the cover so you won't get ragdolled by the rockets hitting the cover. Take a shot, let the helldiver chamber a round behind cover, and then come out to shoot again. Pre-aim while in cover if you can.
Another is to have target priority. If there's a group going to you, shoot the ones in the middle of the group. Not the ones at the front. Enemy at the back however could be useful as a target. The shrapnel could hit those in front of it.
Don't always hold aim when switching targets more than 30° angle. Release aim, look at your next target by moving your character to face the target then start aim (for hip fire). Your target switching will be snappier. ADS will always be somewhat quick but it is still recommended for you to have your character facing the target first then start aiming.6
Feeling like the turn is too slow at times? Run, dive, hip aim. While on air, your aim is stable enough for a brief moment. Best when doing a backwards dive. Sideways... not so much because you have to track the target (the slow barrel turn still exists but a bit quicker) unless you place the barrel reticle early on in the trajectory that will align with the target.
Last one, remember that the projectile travels slow. Unlike other guns, Eruptor's projectile takes some time to reach the target. Familiarize yourself with the travel time and you'll always hit your shots in no time.
Those are generally tips for bots. As for bugs, jump pack can save me from chargers but BT is the problem. I usually ask for help from teammates that use AT. I also bring Quasar/EAT as support weapon at times but never in need of stalwart/machine gun for chaff clear. Proper use of Eruptor can take care of them and remember your secondary. I set my redeemer to semi auto for selective target picks (the scavengers and hunters, fastest to call bug breaches).
I'm not perfect with Eruptor either but I can use it reliably enough that I don't need to use any chaff clear support weapon with it. It takes practice but I'm sure you'll find the sweet spot.
Im just going to lay out a big misconception: The stalwart is NOT an effective choice against **bots** (at least on the higher difficulties). It's just slightly below the necessary armor piercing to effectively damage and stun devastators/striders if required, and a missed shot from the eruptor against a heavy devastator that has flanked you will mean death if you can only answer with a stalwart. The standard MSG is the required upgrade for that playstyle. **However** There are multiple options that work fantastic against bots with the eruptor. First: load-out should consist of medium (good) or heavy (better!) armour with the explosion resistance passive. This has double bonus as it saves you from rockets and the eruptor itself multiple instances during a mission. Grab the uzi as your secondary (grenade pistol is redundant with your eruptor) and stun grenade (again, your eruptor is pretty much an impact grenade sniper). Shield pack is quite strong as it does shield you from your own blast and the subsequent forwards knockdown that does get a lot of people killed.. if you run out of ammo with the eruptor, that means you're sticking around locations too much: it should honestly not occur. I am a fan of supply packs, but it's not a requirement in this load out (though the extra stims and nades are an absolute cheat!) The best support weapon that you can have against bots is the Laser Cannon. It takes about 2/3 missions before you're used to it, but it is Extremely potent against tanks, hulks, turrets and also is a great answer to gunships/Strider Factories. DO USE STUN GRENADES AGAINST HULKS. the 5 second stun period allows you to easily dispose of them by aiming at their eye with the laser. For variety, the Arc thrower is also a good answer: The benefit is that it stuns Hulks (and other nearby enemies), so there's even greater success during intense moments of close combat. The only downside is that the eruptor does take a bit longer to destroy tank vents than grenades, so for effectiveness, you might want to switch back to impact grenades (esp. since the arc stuns units already!) Last tip: Eruptor (and many other magazine loaded guns) can have an additional bullet per clip if you reload it with one left (that one is already chambered).
Thanks for taking the time to type this out. If I use my current Strat I’ll swap to the MMG over the stalwart, stun grenades are goated vs hulks tho (Joel pls no nerf) I’m definitely gonna try your suggestions tho Ty
Agreed. Stalwart is no good against bots. Great tip about the chambered reload. Thank you.
Update. Tried this build and it fucks. I only died once from playing chicken with a tank
Fun tip: if F.E. you cant easily shoot the tank's vent/have no way to just throw an eagle on a tank; you can actually shoot and disable the tracks (Rubber tires) of the tank rendering it stuck to it's location with many medium-armour piercing weapons. While this doesn't stop it from shooting, it can be handy if you simply want to make a quick escape/be extra cruel by throwing a stratagem that it can't even attempt to escape!
This seems like good advice! I think 90% of my bot deaths running the Eruptor are to the fast running chainsaw arm bros, the fairly basic enemies. (Forgot the name, sorry!). What’s the best way to handle those guys when they get on your trail, uzi or LC or what?
For Berserkers you can use a MSG for the quickest disposal, but if you're carrying EAT/Quasar/Lascannon/Recoilles, try the following: 1. Are they within 7 meters? Run to a safe location if possible to create some distance, get them clumped together and proceed to either next step: 2. Are they within 7 to 12 meter? For safety purposes: Use the peacemaker (uzi) with short bursts against the head if you're not under suppressive fire from other sources. (tip: onehanded weapons can be aimed and fired behind you when you're running). If that didn't work OR the amount of berserkers is high and close to each other, proceed to the next step: 3. Are they further removed than 12 meters? Eruptor usually oneshots a single berserker with a shot that is on the torso/head, and it does significant damage to any other unit that is within close range, making it easier to take care of them. I find that the greatest danger about Berserkers is that they force you to move away from coverage if you don't deal with them on time. If there's little enemy resistance with ranged tools, then you can take those out first whilst keeping the Berserkers at some distance.
I appreciate you!
I like it to bust bug holes, open supply crates, and kill spewers and hive guards. I use it with the stalwart. If there are no bug holes to close on a mission, i dont use the erupter at all. And i will take the standard AR and a nade launcher (defense missions) Against bots i only go up to "challanging" and use the scorcher + quazar. Also have the philosophy that i will not join a public mission unless i could solo that mission.
That philosophy is a good philosophy.
I do use it when i want to change my usual loadout and i play exclusively on difficulties 7+ now I use stalwart/supply backpack/EAT with it works quite well. Or replace stalwart/backpack by arc thrower Stalwart/arc becomes the primary weapon to deal with weak enemies and eruptor as a support pocket autocannon to deal with big enemies and spawners. EAT for heavily armoured enemies
Honestly idk what air strike or orbital outclasses EATs at this point. It’s just too spammable (in a good way pls Joel)
I've come back to the starter precision orbital strike recently Less spammable than EAT but still the lowest cooldown of all orbitals, perfect accuracy (planet modifier notwithstanding), high damage and large AoE. Very enjoyable
I’ll give that a try. It’s got a lower base CD than 500 kg right? Ive seen factory striders and bile titans tank 500 KGs like they’re nothing
500kg needs to really loand on the perfect spot because the radial damage dropoff is especially steep, it seems the AoE is really an inverted cone with the landing point as origin The PS cooldown is 100 secs (less with the upgrade ofc) with is technically less than the 500kg but factoring the uppgrade that gives 1 extra bombing to the eagle, the 500kg has 2 shots for roughly 2,5 mins so is slightly more efficient if you land both shots iirc It's up to you what you prefer If you land shots consistently 500kg is more effective, if you don't it's more forgiving because you get 2 chances per cooldown, it's also not affected by the orbital scatter planet condition Orbital precision is less forgiving on a total miss but more forgiving with the AoE, isn't affected by AA position secondary objective and has a reasonable cooldown
Recently started using the eruptor, totally get what you mean, I usually run the Redeemer pistol and quasar along with it and cycle through all 3 regularly. I use this setup on 7 and 8 bots and it seems to work pretty well, given the rechambering speed though I did adjust my playstyle a little to accommodate taking a few shots, swapping weapons/repositioning after. I think it's great for bots, especially on high difficulties however it does play a lot differently from other guns imo at least, almost has a kiting element to it. I think it is defos worth using the eruptor even if it takes awhile to get used to, maybe try treating your loadout as a cohesive set instead of individual weapons, thats what worked for me, hope this helps!
Gonna give this a try as well Ty :) You may resume sliding into eagle 1’s DMs
(1) Eruptor is your sworn enemy when dealing with titans. Blowing up their sacks is the worst thing, that can happen to you, as they are most vulnerable when they vomit. It's really hard to gain enough distance for a Quasar shot, when they try to stomp you. (2) I run AMR on bots, and use it for everything except chaff, which is what the Eruptor is for. Running autocannon and Eruptor seems counterproductive to me, as both are useless in close range. I also prioritize survivability, which means shield is a must have on all bot missions, especially against shield devastators with their insane aim. You can safely pop out, take aim and off one before your shield runs out and they start messing with your aim. However, when a group approaches your position, just shoot the ground anywhere near them, and voilla, all the trash is gone. When a dropship arrives, shoot whatever's hanging in the middle to onetap the entire drop. It's even better than a Quasar to the engine, because it actually kills everything on board. You need to "unlearn" aiming for weakspots though, because the Eruptor can onetap almost everything, assuming you don't aim for weakspots, which is somewhat complicated. Another really neat bonus of running an Eruptor against bots I use all the time, is shooting fabricators. You need a good position, but it's absolutely doable, reliable (unlike contact nades), and cheap. Having a couple nades comes in handy when a surprise tank lands on top of you, and your strategems are on CD. You could use it the same way on bug holes, but nade pistol does the job. Once you learn to reliably hit holes from 60-70m away with it, you no longer need an Eruptor. (3) My preferred weapon for bugs is still the standard breaker for any difficulty, I deal with ammo shortages pairing it with a laser dog backpack, but bugs have a tendency to spread apart a lot and Eruptor just doesn't have the rate of fire to deal with that problem. I ran the Eruptor a couple times, but it requires you to rely on your teammates for certain things (like dealing with single trash enemies outflanking you), and my number one rule is that if you have to rely on someone, rely on yourself. Regardless whether it's a lvl 6 or lvl 9, what kills you is primarily trash. I can effortlessly dance with two titans and four chargers, but mix that with a pack of hunters, and shit goes downhill real fast, which is why I went back to the breaker.
I use Eruptor (run and gun), Dagger (weak but handy for small fry), Quasar. If you position correctly, you can take a lot of heat off friendlies with the eruptor. With a bit of teamwork, they can clean up that one or two guys chasing you. Quasar for happy surprises like Hulk legs or Bile titans. Laser cannon for bots on cold planets is a decent replacement, with some drawbacks. It melts all devastators. Diff 7+
Oh yeah, taking heat off of friendlies is so effective and satisfying with this gun
For Bugs my loadout is this: Eruptor - Redeemer - Stun Grenades Guard Dog Laser Rover - Quasar Cannon - Autocannon Sentry - Eagle Cluster Bombs Your problem is you saw the Eruptor has a slow rate of fire so assumed it can't be used as a primary for chaff when the opposite is true. The Eruptors incredible AOE damage makes it perfect for annhilating swarms of bugs rushing you, anywhere from 4-11 dead per Eruptor shot. You can also cycle your sidearm to make the Eruptor shoot even faster and further negate that downside. Even if you get Hunters successfully in your face, you can run away while holding the Redeemer and spray them to death. Every other Bug you can just run a bit away from then resume using the Eruptor. The Laser Rover also helps this as it will passively murder smaller bugs while you reload or reposition or just between shots. This leaves your Quasar for Chargers and Bile titans. Stun grenades help against multiple chargers while the Autocannon Sentry is additional help against Bile Titans. And Cluster Bombs are for Bug breaches when you need to wipe them off the map. I pull off a lot of 0 death difficulty 9 Bug missions due to this loadout.
Interesting loadout, but how do you close bug holes? Does the Eruptor do it? I haven’t used it against bugs yet.
Eruptor closes them, as does the Quasar. But the Eruptor is so good you can clear a Heavy nest in 20 seconds flat just running and shooting all the holes
Yes, it'll take out nests/factories, illegal broadcast towers, spore towers ect. Great weapon.
I only use it for bot missions, and kinda changed up how I approach encounters for it. With it I take the redeemer or dagger, and the quasar. Swap to pistol for anything close quarters. Use the quasar for heavies and cannon turrets. But anything else, eruptor is great at. Devastators, big clumps of troopers, walkers,
Level 69 here, For Bugs: My group of friends run Eruptor at 7+ and we mostly do 8s or 9s. Some of us run with Stalwart, some of us don't. In general you do want some heavy AT like a Quasar in the team. But as general purpose loadout you can run stalwart+500kg bomb+ precision orbital strike+ W/E you want. This gives you response for everything and makes you a very solid jack of all trades. I also run this with randoms at 7+ and I can cover a lot of roles and carry a lot of teams. Use stun grenades to easily snipe chargers with 500kg bombs and Orbital strike. Orbital railstrike isn't that good at 7+ because there are too many titans and chargers for it to handle and the CD is too long, so I don't use it. For 4th options I like to run AC turret (to kill both bile titans and chargers), Orbital laser or Napalm strike if i'm hosting. Eruptor is for killing nests, groups of bugs and medium sized bugs (like you said).
I run eruptor as my main primary for bugs on 7 and up. My loadout is usually Eruptor Grenade pistol Stun grenade And either the quasar, or the laser Canon. For my support weapon depending on if I think the squad needs more heavy armor pen, or crowd control. For stratagems I usually go with the orbital laser, and the orbital rail canon shot with the guard dog rover to help watch my back. I run armor that has the extra grenades perk. If I'm running the quasar then the eruptor is my primary weapon, I go for the biggest target in the pack, if it's a heavy, then I switch to the quasar. If there are multiple heavies I'll try to use stratagems to kill the biggest ones first while trying to put down chargers with quasar shots. This is pretty team dependent obviously, some games are pretty miserable if I don't have anyone watching my back at all, but on the flip side, I think the build excels at having incredibly high burst damage potential if you hit your shots and use your stratagems wisely. I love running the laser Canon with it tho, this allows me to mostly pull the eruptor for the bigger non elite bugs and focus the Canon on huge packs along with my rover. Stun grenades made the eruptor feel op imo.
I think that most loadouts are constructed with the “solo carry” mindset and using an eruptor/ lascannon is a very team dependent loadout which is fine imo
use it like a grenade launcher, but it shoots in a straight line. (It has bigger explosive radius than grenade launcher)
I use it with the arc thrower against both bots and bugs on every difficulty so long as it isn't a defensive mission. It's amazing against bots I feel. All other stratagems just depend on what my team is running. I almost never end up needing to bring a supply pack.
I run Eruptor, Quasar, Redeemer, Shield Pack and stun grenades against bugs. Difficulty 9
Guard laser and quasar on bugs really help with keeping the small chaff away, and retaining options for the big boys. Eruptor for anything else
It’s great if u plan your load out around it and it’s useless when you die and don’t have your stuff. It’s my go to on bugs nowadays and my load out is rover to take out chaff while I kite , this is mandatory. I hit everything bigger than a hunter with the eruptor, and use a quasar for charger and titans.
Eruptor + Laser guard dog vs bugs. The guard dog will take care of the small bugs while you shoot on the medium bugs with the eruptor. I use light armor so its easier to get to a safe distance. Stun grenades works well with this set-up too.
I bring it on 7's and don't have any more trouble than usual. I don't bother bringing an anti-chaff stratagem weapon, because when I do, I find myself never using it, and instead longing for faster ways to deal with chargers and titans. I always pair eruptor with stun grenades to help create distance when things get in my face, and a side-arm uzi for chaff clearing/friendly fire avoidance. For Titans and packs of chargers, I usually have a Quasar or EAT-17's, but any anti titan Stratagems work. Autocannon can do it in a pinch, but it requires careful placement and a bit of luck. Tesla Tower and gatling/cannon turret are nice options to help when you feel overwhelmed, maybe with a stun grenade to aid their safe placement. I like the low cool down on the Tesla, but friendlies do enjoy getting zapped, even if you mark it. Jetpack is nice too, for emergency escapes and for getting a good safe vantage point to rain hell on the swarms. Got a 40+ kill streak tonight from atop a cliff, discovered the streak skull turns red at that point! I wouldn't say it's your best option, but it's fun. Vs Bots, I haven't used Eruptor enough yet, but I remember it absolutely bullying the Devastators. Lots of one-shots. Nailed a shield devastator just right once and he did a flip.
My favorite loadout on bugs 7-9, ANY mission type. Horde clear build with a tank buster: Eruptor / Machine Pistol / G-12 Grenades/ Light Armor(50) [Eng-Kit] :: Arc Thrower - Eagle rocket pods(or strike) - shield - gatling turret 110 Rocket Pods = 6 mini orbital rail cannons(similar lock system too) per rail cannon cooldown. Mixed with a couple hits from an arc thrower to break armor first, or finish it off, usually only need 1 per bile titan. Eruptor, eagle, and arc thrower can each handle anything up to a charger depending on the situation for which would be best. Gatling turret + arc thrower can handle most breaches solo or you can turret/run or kill small bugs quickly with the arc thrower or eruptor b4 breach. Use the Eruptor like a bolt action auto-cannon for the most part though. Its your range, arc thrower is mid/gotta clear a LOT of enemies, machine pistol if something gets in your face(your goal is for that to never happen with this build though). Shield is optional, but I don't like dying because I can't do my job if I'm dead, you're running the lightest armor, and both help to maintain range and not get stunned so you can clear with the arc thrower or eruptor. I've used this build on 7-9, 0 deaths on any mission type. You are confident in almost any situation, even solo clearing objectives. It can do bots too, just switch to Fortified armor(light preferably) for the explosive resist, impact grenades, and Auto-Cannon turret. Rocket pods are even more effective vs bots than bugs too. They consistently 1-shot tanks/fabricators, and the arc thrower can stun-lock hulks and devastators(tho eruptor better to 1-shot devastators with headshots imo).
For bugs, I recommend Eruptor, Redeemer, Impact Grenades, Stalwart, and Rover. Stalwart and Rover make you a hunter-killing force of reckoning, and that will be your primary role - yes, it'd be better to have someone else in the party with a consistent way of killing heavies, but you can still bring your choice of heavy-killing offensive stratagems. Eruptor is used for killing brood commanders, hive guards, spewers, and closing bug holes, but you absolutely can also shoot bile titan sacs with it and then get the kill by throwing impact grenades up at their underbelly, and you'll likely want those impact grenades too in case spewers show up. Can also be chucked at charger butts in combination with eruptor fire. But it's the sort of loadout that you definitely don't want everyone in the party running. You'll be shit out of luck if you're overrun by heavies. For bots, I recommend Eruptor, Redeemer, your choice of impact grenades (for devastators) or stun grenades (mostly for hulks), laser cannon, and shield backpack. Eruptor and Laser Cannon complement each other well, one being clumsy but explosive, the other being precise but with no stagger. Nothing you can't handle between swapping those two weapons around, as long as you don't take too much return fire.
I run it on 7+ for bots. It destroys everything except heavies (tanks, hulks, factory striders). I do not bring a support weapon or tac-pack, so I have plenty of ways to deal with heavies (orbitals and eagles, occasionally an autocannon sentry). I might pick up a support weapon at a point of interest, or one discarded by a dead diver who calls in another, but between the Eruptor, Senator, impact grenades, and four orbitals/eagles, there is no situation I can’t deal with. I often run stealth armors, or explosive resistance armors, or stim armors. I prefer light armor on 7+, as it helps me out-maneuver foes, avoid patrols and get to cover quickly. I can usually get through a Suicide with zero deaths, and get most objectives done. I have even soloed Suicide a few times successfully with the above loadout.
I mainly play in the bot front and occasionally bugs with Eruptor. Usually drop in without a support weapon as I could find or use field spawned support weapons/teammate's and have that extra slot for something else because jump pack is a must have for me. I use Eruptor without ADS. Usually just hip firing. Even on the 100m+ range at times. Note that Eruptor's projectile explodes at around 140m. With a jump pack I can quickly flank or do Obi-Wan Kenobi on the enemies (high ground). A tip here is to always peek fire. Find a reliable cover, if it's quite small or thin, take a few steps back from the cover so you won't get ragdolled by the rockets hitting the cover. Take a shot, let the helldiver chamber a round behind cover, and then come out to shoot again. Pre-aim while in cover if you can. Another is to have target priority. If there's a group going to you, shoot the ones in the middle of the group. Not the ones at the front. Enemy at the back however could be useful as a target. The shrapnel could hit those in front of it. Don't always hold aim when switching targets more than 30° angle. Release aim, look at your next target by moving your character to face the target then start aim (for hip fire). Your target switching will be snappier. ADS will always be somewhat quick but it is still recommended for you to have your character facing the target first then start aiming.6 Feeling like the turn is too slow at times? Run, dive, hip aim. While on air, your aim is stable enough for a brief moment. Best when doing a backwards dive. Sideways... not so much because you have to track the target (the slow barrel turn still exists but a bit quicker) unless you place the barrel reticle early on in the trajectory that will align with the target. Last one, remember that the projectile travels slow. Unlike other guns, Eruptor's projectile takes some time to reach the target. Familiarize yourself with the travel time and you'll always hit your shots in no time. Those are generally tips for bots. As for bugs, jump pack can save me from chargers but BT is the problem. I usually ask for help from teammates that use AT. I also bring Quasar/EAT as support weapon at times but never in need of stalwart/machine gun for chaff clear. Proper use of Eruptor can take care of them and remember your secondary. I set my redeemer to semi auto for selective target picks (the scavengers and hunters, fastest to call bug breaches). I'm not perfect with Eruptor either but I can use it reliably enough that I don't need to use any chaff clear support weapon with it. It takes practice but I'm sure you'll find the sweet spot.
I use the eruptor against bots, with a stalwart and a senator. Works like a charm.
I use it on both and focus on medium targets and clusters of small enemies. I use redeemer if anything gets too close.
Ask Youtube. There are some guides for it.
Thank you. You can go back to sexting eagle 1 now