How to Kill Brood Commanders

The Terminid faction in Helldivers 2 is one of the more popular fronts to fight on, and for good reason. It’s a lot of fun to deal with hordes of bugs swarming you from every angle, and some of the more elite types make the challenge far more compelling.

Through your excursions for the supremacy of Super Earth, you will come across the Brood Commanders, medium-sized Terminids with a penchant for killing Helldivers. They can be a tough carapace to crack, so if you’re wondering how to kill Brood Commanders in Helldivers 2, we’ve got the perfect guide for you.

How to Find Brood Commanders in Helldivers 2

Finding Brood Commanders might seem like making things more difficult for you, but they are needed to complete some Major Orders. The good thing about these bugs is that they can be found in any mission difficulty, ranging from Trivial to Helldive.

Not all Terminid types show up so frequently, with some, such as the Bile Titans, only popping up in difficulties over Moderate.

While there are several bugs in the Terminid faction, many consider Brood Commanders the most fun to fight, as they provide a real skill check to the player. These heavily armored bugs come in two variants:

• Brood Commanders: These are the regular types and can be identified by their brown exoskeleton.
• Alpha Commanders: These bugs will have a distinct head crest and a bright orange exoskeleton. They have a higher health pool and can summon Alpha Warriors as backup.

Encountering them on lower difficulties also gives you some practice on how to kill Brood Commanders in Helldivers 2 before you take on the more challenging missions.

You can choose from any of the following sectors to encounter these bugs: L’estrade, Sten, Draco, Mirin, Umlaut, or Orion. You are guaranteed an encounter in Eliminate Brood Commander missions, which can be identified thanks to the large bug icon on the map.

How to Kill Brood Commanders in Helldivers 2

Commanders are named as such because they have evolved past the basic Warrior stages and have taken on adaptations to make themselves a considerable threat. It’s important to focus your fire on Brood Commanders when they appear on the battlefield, as they can call in Warriors and Hive Guards and swarm the player very quickly.

To kill Brood Commanders in Helldivers 2, you should target the front two legs, as they have the least armor on the body. This will also slow its movements, allowing you to pump more bullets into the body safely.

You can also destroy the head of the Brood Commander to eliminate it, but it will enter a berserk state. In this state, it has a higher attack and movement speed, but is entirely blind and can be dodged easily as it will move towards your last known location.

Weapons to Use Against a Brood Commander

It’s important to remember that the Commander is only one-half of the threat during these missions. The other half is the cavalry of Warriors, Stalkers, and Hive Guards summoned by pheromones. These bugs will rush at you while the Commander hangs back, ready to call in more, so you’ll need suitable weapons and stratagems in your arsenal.

When targeting the legs, you can use primary weapons such as the R-63 Diligence, as they are multipurpose and can help you deal with more than just the Commander. Landing a heavy attack, such as an explosive round from the GL-21 Grenade Launcher or a fully charged shot from the RS-422 Railgun, will be enough to disrupt the call for support.

If the Commander can get the summons out, make sure you have some Helldivers who carry ammo-dense weapons, such as the M-105 Stalwart. Support stratagems such as the Mortar Sentry, Orbital Railcannon Strike, Gatling Sentry, and other high AoE-focused attacks can help thin the herd and also damage the Brood Commander.

Which enemy has been the most troublesome for you in the game? Let us know in the comments below and check out our other Helldivers 2 guides to make every dive successful!