#a helpful guide

(UPDATED ON APRIL 2024)

So, I've decided to create this list mainly because anytime i've tried searching it up anywhere else, i found absolutely nothing (only "guides" or a bunch of trash articles that are most likely useless garbage information), and it annoyed the hell out of me. So i'm making this for those who need to know.

Additionally, this may not be 100% accurate considering the only way to see all missions across a planet is to complete it or fail it... plus NO ONE has made a list of missions that exist in this game, so i can NOT double check to see if i am correct UNLESS i go in game and just examine each and every mission, so yeah.

TRIVIAL-1 & EASY-2

Mission Area Information

On Trivial, the Map Size is small, so not too much to explore but just has about enough in it to satiate a player who's getting the hang of the game. On Easy (and onwards), the Map Size recieves a slight size boost along with increased number of Points of Interests (ALTHOUGH THIS MAY VARY DEPENDING UPON THE MISSION AREA SIZE IN SAID DIFFICULTY/PLANET) Additionally, on Easy Mode, number of objectives increase for certain missions (namely Raise the Flag), sorta easing the player into what Medium offers.

Main Missions - Eliminate Devastators (Heavy Devastators), Pump Fuel into ICBM, Sabotage Fuels & Supplies, Raise the Flag, Destroy Transmission Network and Terminate Illegal Broadcast

Allied Tactical Objectives will begin appearing after Trivial and the map increases in size.

Enemy Spawning Pool

Trivial - Standard Units Only (Commissars [wield a Gun & Blade, are typically the first the fire off an Alert Flare the moment you make your presence known, they also tend to rush at the player sometimes], Troopers [wield only a gun, stay their distance], & Brawlers [wield dual blades, typically rush you]). Patrols consist of Standard Units.

Easy - Standard Units Receives New Unit (Raiders Introduced, which are Rocket Raiders & MG [Machine Gun] Raiders) & Special Units Introduced ([Standard Devastators [Medium Armored Machine with a Tri/Double Barrelled Cannon] & Beserkers [Built like Devastators but wield two chainsaw blades and are agile on flat surfaces] are now introduced into Spawn pool). Patrols consist of Standard Units and Devastators/Berserkers.

MEDIUM-3

Mission Area Information

After Easy Mode, Enemy Outposts recieve a slight upgrade and boost in numbers. Certain Mission Objectives will now have an additional objective you need to do before you can do the other objective. Certain Mission Types are rotated out in favor for new ones. Additionally, now you must do two missions in order to put in the squad impact of a planet.

New Main Missions - Eliminate Hulk (REPLACEMENT), Conduct Geological Survey, Sabotage Air Bases, Upload Escape Pod Data, Eradicate Automaton Forces, Blitz: Search & Destroy and Launch ICBM.

Removed Missions - Raise the Flag and Destroy Illegal Broadcast

There is a chance to be more than 1 Allied Objective + some new/already seen objectives will appear (1 to 2 Allied Objectives in Medium Mission Area)

Enemy Spawning Pool

Standard Units - Raiders begin taking spots of Troopers (i... do not know why this is the case but there will be a "Raider" sometimes, i dont know if theres a difference between a "Raider" and "Trooper" but... its a thing?) and Striders [a Trooper manning a two legged walker with guns] are now introduced.

Special Units - Devastators receive two new units into their ranks, the Heavy Devastator (although a rare one, sometimes they spawn) & Rocket Devastator (<- these guys should honestly have been Priority Targets for Medium and then introduced in Challenging as an enemy that spawns in) can appear now.

Heavy/Defensive Units - Cannon Towers & Annihilator Tanks are now introduced as a threat but only within Outposts (typically Medium Outposts).

Patrols consist of Standard Units (with a strider or two), Berserkers, and Devastators.

CHALLENGING-4

Mission Area Information

After Medium, this is effectively where the game truly begins in terms of what it has to offer, Points of Interests will now be occupied by standard & special units and Heavy Outposts are now thrown into the pool of Outposts. However, rare samples are now obtainable, allowing for access to additional ship upgrades.

New Main Missions - Retrieve Valuable Data, Emergency Evacuation

Removed Main Missions - Upload Escape Pod Data (Im actually unsure why this doesnt get removed in Medium considering it exists as a Optional Objective in other missions), Eliminate Priority Targets (in general, "unknown as to why"), Destroy Transmission Network

There are now 3 Optional Objectives with a new variant of objective added into the mix, Enemy Objectives, which contains Detector Towers (which can see you from afar and call in Dropships), Mortar Emplacements (you will know when it happens), AA Emplacements (disable the usage of Eagle-1 Stratagems), and Stratagem Jammer (which completely disable the usage of Stratagems as a whole if nearby, these should be considered priority if nearby a main objective)

Enemy Spawning Pool

Standard Units - Raiders receive a new enemy unit known as "Assault Raider", almost akin to Commissars but instead, they will always try to rush you [best method to counter is to kill them before they reach you, otherwise if they die near you and should you have shot their jetpack, you will be blown up].

Special Units - Recieve Little to No Change (other than appearing somewhat more often)

Heavy/Defensive Units - Hulks are introduced, they will be situated within a Main Objective Area or a Heavy Outpost.

Patrols will consist of what they tend to consist in Medium but now there is a rare chance to encounter a patrol containing a singular Hulk.

Extraction Sequences will have the chance to include a Hulk.

HARD-5

Mission Area Information

If anything, this is where the "real game begins", as you are now given a taste of venom by the devs and Operation Modifiers are introduced. Its relatively similar to Challenging except "massive enemies" are now a thing (whatever that means), and there are 3 Missions in one area.

Operation Modifiers will alter the way you perform or act in a given mission zone, these range from Complex Stratagem Plotting (which increases the call-in time for Stratagems by 50%, INCLUDING the Pelican-1 Extraction Sequence), AA Defenses (which reduces your max stratagem slots, letting you only carry 3), and Orbital Flucations (which increases the Cooldown Time for Stratagems by 25%)

Optional Objective Numbers seem to remain the same (3 Objectives, although i think theres a chance to be four?). New Objective Type is added, the Gunship Fabricator, which will generate Gunships which can gun you down with Machineguns and Rockets.

New Main Missions - Not many, however, Sabotage Airbase gets an update where one of the objectives is replaced by a Air Tower that you must destroy. Other than that, most missions stay the same.

Command Bunker has been moved to this Difficulty (as of a recent patch), now sporting two command bunkers instead of one, side-note, there's a chance that only two Optional Objectives will appear on this mission (for whatever reason I've had one instance where there were only two tactical objectives available on this mission type, my hypothesis was that the two Command Bunkers may have taken up too much space around the map).

Removed Missions - None to my Observation

Enemy Spawning Pool

Standard Units - Remain Unchanged Maurader is introduced [i think at this difficulty, should check Challenging to see if they appear there], acting as a more formidable variant to the standard Raider & Trooper.

Special Units - Remain Unchanged (although may be more numerous than usual i think? i could be wrong) Gunship is Introduced.

Heavy Units - Remain Unchanged (with the exception to that there may be more of them? Once again, unsure)

Patrols - More Hulk Patrols seemingly appear along side with Patrols being sprinkled with more Devastators. Tanks will also randomly appear as well.

Extraction - Random chance of a Tank spawning in (this may not be exclusive to Hard however)

EXTREME-6

Mission Area Information

This is where it all gets started, sub-objectives double and the enemies become even more resilient than ever.

There is a low chance for the Extraction Point to be guarded (i had to update this after having a guarded Extraction Zone today in a Extreme Mission)

Main Missions & Optional Objectives - Same as before, now theres guaranteed to be an additional objective

(4 Optional Objectives Available).

Enemy Spawning Pool

Standard Units - Ditto.

Special Units - Ditto.

Heavy Units - Shredder Tanks are now introduced + Tanks are now called in via Dropships (UPDATED AROUND 3/28/2024).

Patrols - Ditto

Extractions - Ditto

SUICIDE MISSION-7

Mission Area Information

Points of Interests are now heavily guarded and protected by Cannon Turrets and Heavier Enemies at times, more tougher enemies await at various locations, and the entire environment (or at least areas of interest) is under total enemy control. You are in the heart of the enemy's base of operations.

You will be wanting to avoid as much action as possible at times (unless you & your team are like a well oiled machine, even then, still avoid as much heavy action as you can).

However, there is good news, its at difficulty 7 you are finally able to obtain the last Sample-Type, Super Uranium (located at "Thumb" Rocks), which allows you to upgrade your remaining ship modules.

New Main Mission - None that I've seen.

Optional Objectives - Around 4 to 5?

Enemy Spawning Pool

Standard, Special, & Heavy Units - All at their peak. Be weary. Stay safe.

One New Enemy Unit - Factory Strider, Information Unknown: Be Prepared.

Defense Structure - All at their peak.

Patrols - At their peak. Avoid at all costs.

Extraction - Refer to Mission Area Information.

From this point on, Mission 8 & Mission 9 are akin to Mission 7 except more enemies (and probably more mission debuffs).

And thus, this concludes the stuff i know, hope you enjoyed reading this. Good luck Helldivers, and together, hopefully we can liberate Troost in time.

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