12-25-2025, 05:56 AM
As you progress in Helldivers 2, you'll unlock a variety of Orbital Stratagems, each with a specific role. The Orbital Gas Strike is one that often gets misunderstood. It's not a simple damage tool like a Precision Strike, and it's not for instantly deleting a Bile Titan. Its value is more tactical. Let's break down how it actually works in practice and when you should consider bringing it.
What does the Orbital Gas Strike actually do?
When called in, the Stratagem fires a projectile that creates a large, lingering cloud of green gas. This cloud lasts for about 15 seconds (visibly 20, but damage stops at 15). It has two main effects:
Damage Over Time (DoT): The gas deals 25 damage per second to anything inside it. This is effective against light and medium armor.
Status Effects: It applies "Gas" and "Gas Confusion" to all entities—both enemies and Helldivers—within the area.
For enemies, "Confusion" means they will wander aimlessly and, crucially, attack each other. For Helldivers, it means your screen will be obscured by a green haze and your character will cough repeatedly, making aiming and situational awareness very difficult.
Is the Gas Strike good for killing things?
It depends. The gas will quickly kill smaller enemies like Scout Striders, Troopers, or Hunters. It will severely damage or finish off medium enemies like Berserkers, Warriors, or Brood Commanders. However, for larger enemies like Chargers, Hulks, or Bile Titans, the damage is more of a tickle. They won't die from the gas alone; their health pools are too large. The primary value against big targets is the confusion effect, which can cause them to attack other enemies instead of your squad.
What are the most effective uses for this Stratagem?
Most players use the Gas Strike for area denial and crowd control, not for direct kills. Here are common, practical applications:
Blocking Chokepoints or Objectives: Throw it on a doorway, a narrow path, or around an important console during an upload. The gas will kill small enemies that enter and disorient larger ones, buying your team crucial time.
Disrupting Reinforcements: This is one of its best uses. Throw the beacon directly on a Bug Breach, Bot Drop, or Terminid Spore Spewer. The gas cloud will damage and confuse enemies as they spawn, often causing a bot drop ship's troops to fight amongst themselves before they can even form up.
Combining with Other Stratagems: The Gas Strike has fantastic synergy with slows and stuns. An Orbital EMS Strike followed by a Gas Strike will hold enemies in the damaging cloud for its full duration. Similarly, combining it with an Eagle Napalm Airstrike or a Tesla Tower creates deadly area-denial combos.
Emergency Escape: If you're being overrun by a horde, you can throw the beacon at your feet and run. The pursuing enemies will be caught in the gas, taking damage and becoming confused, allowing you to break contact. Just remember you will be confused too, so don't linger.
What are the main drawbacks and risks?
The biggest risk is to your own team. Walking into the gas is a severe handicap. Your vision is impaired, and the constant coughing can make it hard to hear audio cues. It's considered good etiquette to call out when you're throwing a gas strike. Furthermore, in foggy conditions or near Spore Spewers, the green cloud can be very hard to see, increasing the chance of friendly mishaps.
Should I upgrade the related Ship Modules?
In general, yes, if you use the Stratagem often. The Orbital Targeting Software Upgrade (Bridge) reduces its call-in time, making it more responsive. The Zero-G Breech Loading (Orbital Cannons) and Morale Augmentation (Bridge) modules reduce its cooldown. A shorter cooldown is valuable for a control tool like this, as it allows you to use it more frequently to manage the battlefield.
How does it compare to the Eagle Napalm Airstrike?
They are both area-denial tools, but they work differently. Napalm deals higher initial and burning damage and lingers slightly longer, making it better for pure killing power in a zone. The Gas Strike deals less damage but adds the confusion effect, which can turn enemy waves against themselves. Gas is generally considered more of a support/control pick, while Napalm is more offensive.
A note on in-game resources: Super Credits, used for purchasing certain items in the game, are primarily found during missions. While some players might look to buy helldivers 2 super credits online from external sources, most experienced divers find it more rewarding and secure to simply gather them through regular gameplay, as they are scattered quite frequently across mission maps.
Final Verdict for Divers
The Orbital Gas Strike is a specialized tool. It won't top the damage charts, but in the hands of a strategic Helldiver, it can completely shut down enemy advances and turn the tide of a desperate defense. Don't bring it for every mission. Consider it for defensive operations (like "Launch ICBM" or "Destroy Illegal Broadcast") or when fighting on maps with tight corridors where its area denial can be maximized. Communicate with your team, use it to disrupt spawns, and pair it with other disabling effects to get the most value from this tactical Stratagem.
What does the Orbital Gas Strike actually do?
When called in, the Stratagem fires a projectile that creates a large, lingering cloud of green gas. This cloud lasts for about 15 seconds (visibly 20, but damage stops at 15). It has two main effects:
Damage Over Time (DoT): The gas deals 25 damage per second to anything inside it. This is effective against light and medium armor.
Status Effects: It applies "Gas" and "Gas Confusion" to all entities—both enemies and Helldivers—within the area.
For enemies, "Confusion" means they will wander aimlessly and, crucially, attack each other. For Helldivers, it means your screen will be obscured by a green haze and your character will cough repeatedly, making aiming and situational awareness very difficult.
Is the Gas Strike good for killing things?
It depends. The gas will quickly kill smaller enemies like Scout Striders, Troopers, or Hunters. It will severely damage or finish off medium enemies like Berserkers, Warriors, or Brood Commanders. However, for larger enemies like Chargers, Hulks, or Bile Titans, the damage is more of a tickle. They won't die from the gas alone; their health pools are too large. The primary value against big targets is the confusion effect, which can cause them to attack other enemies instead of your squad.
What are the most effective uses for this Stratagem?
Most players use the Gas Strike for area denial and crowd control, not for direct kills. Here are common, practical applications:
Blocking Chokepoints or Objectives: Throw it on a doorway, a narrow path, or around an important console during an upload. The gas will kill small enemies that enter and disorient larger ones, buying your team crucial time.
Disrupting Reinforcements: This is one of its best uses. Throw the beacon directly on a Bug Breach, Bot Drop, or Terminid Spore Spewer. The gas cloud will damage and confuse enemies as they spawn, often causing a bot drop ship's troops to fight amongst themselves before they can even form up.
Combining with Other Stratagems: The Gas Strike has fantastic synergy with slows and stuns. An Orbital EMS Strike followed by a Gas Strike will hold enemies in the damaging cloud for its full duration. Similarly, combining it with an Eagle Napalm Airstrike or a Tesla Tower creates deadly area-denial combos.
Emergency Escape: If you're being overrun by a horde, you can throw the beacon at your feet and run. The pursuing enemies will be caught in the gas, taking damage and becoming confused, allowing you to break contact. Just remember you will be confused too, so don't linger.
What are the main drawbacks and risks?
The biggest risk is to your own team. Walking into the gas is a severe handicap. Your vision is impaired, and the constant coughing can make it hard to hear audio cues. It's considered good etiquette to call out when you're throwing a gas strike. Furthermore, in foggy conditions or near Spore Spewers, the green cloud can be very hard to see, increasing the chance of friendly mishaps.
Should I upgrade the related Ship Modules?
In general, yes, if you use the Stratagem often. The Orbital Targeting Software Upgrade (Bridge) reduces its call-in time, making it more responsive. The Zero-G Breech Loading (Orbital Cannons) and Morale Augmentation (Bridge) modules reduce its cooldown. A shorter cooldown is valuable for a control tool like this, as it allows you to use it more frequently to manage the battlefield.
How does it compare to the Eagle Napalm Airstrike?
They are both area-denial tools, but they work differently. Napalm deals higher initial and burning damage and lingers slightly longer, making it better for pure killing power in a zone. The Gas Strike deals less damage but adds the confusion effect, which can turn enemy waves against themselves. Gas is generally considered more of a support/control pick, while Napalm is more offensive.
A note on in-game resources: Super Credits, used for purchasing certain items in the game, are primarily found during missions. While some players might look to buy helldivers 2 super credits online from external sources, most experienced divers find it more rewarding and secure to simply gather them through regular gameplay, as they are scattered quite frequently across mission maps.
Final Verdict for Divers
The Orbital Gas Strike is a specialized tool. It won't top the damage charts, but in the hands of a strategic Helldiver, it can completely shut down enemy advances and turn the tide of a desperate defense. Don't bring it for every mission. Consider it for defensive operations (like "Launch ICBM" or "Destroy Illegal Broadcast") or when fighting on maps with tight corridors where its area denial can be maximized. Communicate with your team, use it to disrupt spawns, and pair it with other disabling effects to get the most value from this tactical Stratagem.