Helldivers 2: How To Beat The Terminid Control Tower Mission

Helldivers 2 received a new patch just yesterday, and with this update, there is now a new Major Order for all Helldivers to head to the Barrier Planets and begin the activation of the Terminid Control Systems scattered all throughout the Umlaut sector. Players are wondering what the mechanics of this mission are, and this article will not only provide the basic mechanics of the Terminid Control Tower mission but also give some strategies to be as effective as possible for this mission. But first, let’s talk about the nerfs to Chargers that arrived with this patch.

Terminid Heavy Nerfs

As written in the patch notes, Arrowhead Games has nerfed Chargers and their spawn rates on higher difficulties, along with the Bile Titan. It is stated that the Charger’s head health has been reduced to the point that headshotting a Charger with the Recoilless Rifle and the Expendable Anti Tank will guarantee a one-shot kill with it. However, with the changes to Terminid spawn rates, players have reported that Hunters appear far more frequently because of this patch. Make sure to diversify your squad loadout to cover all bases for Suicide Mission and onward.

Terminid Control Tower Guide

When dropping into this mission, take the time to call down your support weapons and backpacks, as the mission will be relatively quiet before starting the main objective. Like the Eradication and Research Team evacuation missions, this mission is set in its own special map.

To begin objective progression, go to the base of the central tower and find a button similar to the civilian evacuation buttons. There should be a small indicator of where the button should be. Once the center tower is activated, head to the three battery silos surrounding the central tower. They are designated as Battery Silo 1, Battery Silo 2 and Battery Silo 3. To start, press the button near Battery Silo 1 to start.

You must defend the Silo from Terminid attacks since it has a limited health pool. If the Battery Silo takes too much damage, you will have to restart the activation process for that silo all over again. There will always be a Bug Breach near the Silo whenever you trigger the defense event, so be prepared to fight off waves of bugs. Once the bar is filled out, move on to Silo 2 and repeat the same process and again for Silo 3.

When all three Silos are fully activated, go to the extraction point and use the nearby terminal to initiate the purgation protocols for the TCS. After that, you can now call in your ride home. That should cover the basic mechanics of the Terminid Control System mission.

Strategies for the Terminid Control Tower Mission

Sentry guns are going to be far more valuable for this mission as you don’t have to worry about civilian friendly fire incidents. The EMS Mortar will be especially useful as it can stop bugs dead in their tracks and open them up for your regular mortar strikes. The bugs cannot reach the objective if they can’t move at all.

With the patch affecting spawn rates, chaff-type enemies will spawn in greater numbers during Bug Breachers. Bring anything that is meant to clear out massive hordes, like an Eagle Cluster Bomb or an Orbital Airburst, to ease the pressure off the Battery Silos. The Stalwart, Machine Gun, Arc Thrower, and Flamethrower are all valid options when clearing out Bug Breaches. As mentioned earlier, the Recoilless Rifle and EAT-17 have regained their spot as the best anti-Charger and Bile Titan weapons, so have at least one person carry either of the aforementioned support weapons on Difficulty 6 and beyond.

The EXO-44 mech has proven itself to be very effective against all Terminids enemies with its highly accurate minigun and 14-round capacity rocket launcher. It has enough ammo to chew through one or two Silos worth of enemies. Be aware that if Spewers are present in the mission, prioritize that enemy first, as its acid attack will instantly destroy your mech should it get in range. Aim for the head with the minigun, and save your rockets for the hardier Chargers and Bile Titans.

On lower difficulties, it’s best if you and your squad split up to get all three Battery Silos complete simultaneously since spawns won’t be as heavy, and a faster completion time gives you more experience and Requisition gains. This all changes on Difficulty 6 and beyond as Bug Breaches will spawn way more enemies, as well as BIle Titans on the current objective. On higher difficulties, you MUST stay as a team to better hold off the growing tide of vermin encroaching on your position.