Recoilless vs Autocannon vs Spear; Supply Pack vs Guard Dog; When to swap by mission
Super Earth’s finest live or die by their support kit. As of the June–July 2025 updates (01.003.000 / .100 / .200), the “big three” support weapons—GR‑8 Recoilless Rifle, AC‑8 Autocannon, and FAF‑14 Spear—each fill a distinct role. Same story with backpacks: the dependable B‑1 Supply Pack competes with the Guard Dog family (ballistic and laser variants) for your slot. Below is a practical, patch‑aware guide to picking the right tool and when to swap it per mission type and faction.
TL;DR (quick picks)
- All‑round team baseline (any faction):
1× Recoilless (anchor anti‑armor), 1× Autocannon (crowd + mediums), 1× Spear (long‑range strikes/dropships), 1× flexible (Railgun/Quasar/Sentry/etc.).
Backpacks: at least one Supply Pack; the rest choose Guard Dog variants for personal safety and swarm peel. - Terminids (bug swarms + a few heavies):
Autocannon (use Flak for swarms) + Guard Dog Rover shines; keep Recoilless in the squad for Chargers/Bile Titans. Spear as a safe titan/dropship delete. Flak shrapnel was buffed in 01.003.000, making AC better at wave control than before. - Automatons (tanks, striders, hulks, dropships):
Recoilless is the backbone; Spear deletes dropships and big armor at range; Autocannon handles medium armor and clusters but is not your primary tank‑killer. Note: 01.003.100 increased Factory Strider foot health so a single Recoilless leg shot no longer deletes it—aim for core/weak points. - Illuminates (shields, weird tech, warp ships):
Versatile loadouts work. Anti‑tank options are more effective than they used to be versus key Illuminate assets; e.g., Harvester head health rebalance favors AT, and landed Warp Ships are easier to kill with AT once shields drop. Spear is excellent once shields are down; AC handles mid‑tiers, RR cleans heavies.
The Big Three Support Weapons
GR‑8 Recoilless Rifle — the reliable anchor
What it does best: repeatable, skill‑based anti‑armor with a safety‑toggle HE shell for soft targets. The RR sits just under Spear for single‑shot impact damage and can destroy virtually any high‑value target with good weak‑point aim. It also includes a programmable HE option for anti‑personnel when needed.
Patch context: In 01.003.100, Factory Striders received a foot‑health bump—one leg shot from the RR is no longer a cheesy one‑tap. Plan to hit the core/upper hull or use multiple shots.
Where it excels:
- Automaton Tanks/Hulks/Striders: Consistent delete on weak points; essential on bot worlds.
- Terminid Chargers/Titans: Punishes predictable angles.
- Structure Objectives: Command Bunkers and similar hard targets go down reliably; bunker TTK with RR is best‑in‑class among support guns (often single shell).
Weaknesses/tips:
- Movement commitment: you must plant, aim, and time your reloads—manage spacing so you’re not reloading in the open.
- Don’t rely on the HE toggle for wave clear beyond emergencies; its main job is armor deletion.
- Coordinate with your team to keep the RR on “boss duty” while they screen for you.
AC‑8 Autocannon — the two‑mode problem solver
What it does best: Flexible suppression with real armor bite. The AC fires APHET rounds by default and can swap to Flak for airburst crowd control. This toggle is the whole identity of the gun: APHET for medium armor and angles; Flak to mulch swarms and clustered trash.
Patch context (01.003.000):
- Flak buff: shrapnel count increased—better wave control.
- Shrapnel AP tuning: shrapnel penetration at poor angles was reduced, so don’t expect miracle armor cracks at the wrong angle—use proper positioning or swap back to APHET.
Where it excels:
- Terminid missions: Flak mode + good discipline = lane clearing without spending stratagems.
- Automaton mediums: APHET staggers and breaks mid‑tier armor; still not your primary tank solution.
- Hold/Defense: Best turret‑on‑legs feel—great for anchoring objectives and protecting uplinks.
Weaknesses/tips:
- Reload cadence is your life. Work in short bursts and reload behind cover; treat it like a crew‑served weapon you operate solo.
- Flak won’t magically solve armored problems; switch modes thoughtfully.
FAF‑14 Spear — the lock‑on scalpel
What it does best: Fire‑and‑forget answers to the biggest threats and dropships. The Spear is a lock‑on, guided AT system that out‑damages a Quasar shot by 2× and an RR shell by a significant margin, making it the top single‑hit option when locks are reliable. It’s also phenomenal anti‑dropship: a hit can cleave the fuselage and guarantee the passengers never disembark.
Mechanics & caveats (Aug 2025):
- It’s designed for locking onto large/armored enemies and specific structures; treat it as your precision strike tool.
- Known issue: Arrowhead’s current “Known Issues” notes that losing lock on a Tank and re‑locking can cause the missile to miss. If your lock breaks, shift position and reacquire from a clean angle rather than panic‑firing.
Where it excels:
- Automaton dropship denial (zero adds if you tag them in time).
- Any faction’s biggest targets at ranges where an RR angle is awkward.
- Illuminate: post‑shield warp ships/harvesters melt to AT more consistently than early 2025.
Weaknesses/tips:
- Needs clear line and time to lock; terrain and clutter can troll you.
- Carrying Spear means you’re not carrying AC or RR; treat it as a specialist slot in the squad rather than your only anti‑armor.
Backpacks: B‑1 Supply Pack vs Guard Dog (and when to use each)
B‑1 Supply Pack — team economy, mission pacing
What it does: A true logistics backpack: hand out resupplies that top off primary/secondary/support ammo plus 2 stims and 2 grenades per box. It also lets you “store” charges by interacting with a Resupply box, then dispense to others. This keeps your team shooting and reduces stratagem downtime.
Important module interaction:
- Superior Packing Methodology (SPM) improves Resupply stratagem boxes—e.g., they fully refill many support weapons’ ammo pools—but it does not upgrade the charges inside your B‑1 Supply Pack. SPM is for Hellpod Resupply boxes, not the B‑1’s internal stock. This catches many Helldivers off‑guard.
Concrete example:
- The AC‑8 Autocannon: ammo boxes add 2 clips to the backpack; a Resupply box adds 5 (or 10 with SPM). That’s a massive tempo difference for AC users who plan around Resupply calls.
When to prefer B‑1:
- Long objectives or Defense/Uplink missions where ammo drains fast.
- Squads running AC‑8 or Stalwart/AMR that burn belts/mags.
- When your team’s anti‑armor is already covered and you can be “the quartermaster.”
Guard Dog family — personal safety & swarm peel
There are multiple Guard Dog flavors; for this matchup we’ll focus on the two most common:
- AX/AR‑23 “Guard Dog” (ballistic): Higher raw damage and better armor penetration than the laser Rover; it tracks precisely and helps pick off weak points on humanoid targets. Good on Automaton or Illuminate missions where drones with penetration help.
- AX/LAS‑5 “Guard Dog” Rover (laser): 360° autonomous laser support that excels at clearing small Terminids while you focus on big threats or movement. Great for staying alive on the run.
(There are other variants like the Arc “K‑9” and the Dog Breath gas support, but for a straight comparison vs Supply Pack, the ballistic Guard Dog and the Rover are the most relevant day‑to‑day choices.)
Patch context: Guard Dog performance has seen periodic tuning (e.g., early‑2025 tweaks), but the core identity holds: Rover for constant peel vs swarms; ballistic Guard Dog for higher DPS/penetration against tougher humanoids.
When to prefer Guard Dog:
- Solo survivability or when your team lacks reliable close‑range peel.
- Terminid rush routes (Rover) or Automaton patrol maps (ballistic).
- You’re the Spear/RR specialist and want autonomous cover while locking/aiming.
Choosing per mission type
Below are the common mission shapes and what to slot first, plus what to swap to if the brief changes.
1) Destroy Command Bunkers / Hardened Structures (Automatons)
- Take: Recoilless (most reliable single‑shell delete on bunkers and hard objectives). Spear works too, but RR gives you more attempts per call‑in and less lock fuss near structures. Autocannon is your add control.
- Backpack: Supply Pack (keeps RR/AC supplied through multi‑bunker routes).
- Swap if needed: If your team lacks dropship denial and the bot air spam ramps, have one player swap in Spear mid‑run.
2) Eradicate/Exterminate & Hold the Line (dense waves, mixed heavies)
- Take: Autocannon (Flak) to manage waves, Recoilless to delete emergent heavies, optional Spear for long‑range bossing. Flak’s buff (more shrapnel) noticeably helps hold objectives and panic‑peel.
- Backpack: Guard Dog Rover if your frontline needs constant peel, otherwise Supply Pack if ammo economy is the limiting factor.
3) Capture & Upload / Data Terminals / Escort (lots of moving, intermittent pressure)
- Take: Spear for surgical problem‑solving while you stay mobile; Autocannon for lane control when you’re forced to stand and defend.
- Backpack: Guard Dog Rover—kiting protection while you move objective to objective. If the squad already has peel covered, bring Supply Pack to keep everyone topped.
4) Illuminate operations (Shields, Harvester, Warp Ships)
- Take: Spear for post‑shield warp ships/harvesters; Recoilless remains excellent against heavier targets; Autocannon for mid‑tiers and crowd. Recent balance made AT more rewarding on these specific Illuminate assets.
- Backpack: If your team struggles with survivability, Guard Dog (ballistic) helps land precise damage through openings; otherwise Supply Pack to sustain sustained firefights.
5) Automaton dropship pressure (Drop denial matters)
- Take: Spear specifically for dropships, Recoilless for armor on the ground, Autocannon for screens. A well‑timed Spear that cracks the fuselage prevents the entire wave.
- Backpack: Supply Pack to ensure the Spear operator and RR user can keep deleting targets without waiting for Resupplies.
Faction‑by‑faction recommendations
Terminids (Bugs)
- Primary support gun: Autocannon (Flak).
- Anti‑armor: Recoilless or Spear.
- Backpack: Guard Dog Rover if survivability is a concern; Supply Pack if your AC/RR ammo economy is the bottleneck.
- Why: Flak shrapnel increase makes AC an even better crowd tool than earlier in the year, while RR/Spear cover Chargers/Titans cleanly.
Automatons (Bots)
- Primary support gun: Recoilless.
- Secondary: Spear for dropships and long‑range armor deletion; Autocannon for medium armor and infantry blobs.
- Backpack: Supply Pack to sustain RR/AC; add one Guard Dog (ballistic) for on‑body DPS/precision if you have enough ammo on the ground.
- Patch wrinkle: Striders no longer lose a leg to a single RR shell—adjust your shot placement and don’t bank on leg deletes.
Illuminates
- Primary support gun: Flexible—Spear excels after shields drop; RR remains strong; AC handles mid‑tiers.
- Backpack: Supply Pack for longer firefights; Guard Dog (ballistic) if you need precise chip on exposed sections.
- Patch wrinkle: Certain Illuminate targets were re‑tuned to be more vulnerable to anti‑tank once conditions are met.
Backpack face‑off: Supply Pack vs Guard Dog (how to decide)
- Pick Supply Pack when:
- The mission is long and ammo economy is the limiter (Defense, multi‑objective, long uplinks).
- Your team is running AC‑8/Stalwart/AMR, all of which benefit enormously from frequent topping off.
- You’re the “quartermaster,” anchoring with RR/AC and keeping the squad firing.
- You plan to leverage Resupply boxes (especially with SPM). Remember: SPM upgrades Resupply boxes, not the B‑1’s internal charges.
- Pick Guard Dog (Rover or ballistic) when:
- Personal survivability and constant 360° peel matter more than raw ammo throughput.
- You’re the Spear or RR shooter who needs a drone to cover you during locks/reloads.
- The map is bug‑dense (Rover laser sweeps) or bot patrol‑heavy (ballistic’s penetration).
Micro‑tips that matter
- Autocannon mode discipline: Don’t stay in one mode because you “like it.” APHET for mediums/angles, Flak for crowds/open lanes. Post‑01.003.000, Flak’s better, but APHET is still the right choice against armor and at proper angles.
- RR tempo: Fire, relocate, reload under cover. Save HE toggles for emergencies; its real value is consistent armor kills, especially on Automaton worlds.
- Spear lock best practices:
- Get a clean, stable lock; if it breaks on a Tank, re‑position before trying again (current known issue).
- Use Spear proactively on dropships you hear/see spooling in—don’t wait until the ramp drops.
- Resupply planning:
- Combine Supply Pack with Resupply calls at natural pauses; if your team runs AC/AMR belts or RR shells, that timing keeps you snowballing objectives.
- With SPM, Resupply boxes can fully refill many support weapons; do not assume your Supply Pack charges are upgraded—they aren’t.
Sample 4‑Diver loadouts (swap as needed)
- Bugs – Exterminate/Defense
- AC‑8 (Flak primary) + Guard Dog Rover
- RR + Supply Pack
- Primary flex (e.g., Quasar or Stalwart) + Supply Pack
- Spear + Guard Dog Rover
Rationale: AC flak and Rover control the tide; RR handles Chargers/Titans; Spear for panic deletes.
- Bots – Bunker/Dropship pressure
- RR + Supply Pack
- Spear + Supply Pack (or ballistic Guard Dog if survivability needed)
- AC‑8 + Supply Pack
- Flex (Railgun/Sentry) + Guard Dog (ballistic)
Rationale: RR for heavy ground, Spear for sky control and long‑range armor, AC for mediums/adds.
- Illuminate – Mixed pressure with shields
- Spear + Supply Pack
- RR + Guard Dog (ballistic)
- AC‑8 + Supply Pack
- Flex + Guard Dog Rover
Rationale: Anti‑tank performs better on key Illuminate targets than early 2025 once shields are handled; mix range and sustain.
Why this advice is patch‑aware (Aug 2025)
- AC‑8 changes: 01.003.000 buffed Flak shrapnel and tuned shrapnel AP at poor angles—big for wave control expectations.
- RR vs Striders: 01.003.100 stopped single‑leg one‑shots; adjust your weak‑point strategy.
- Spear reliability: Official Known Issues still flags lock relock miss‑behavior on Tanks—manage your firing discipline accordingly.
- Dropship denial: Spear remains exceptional at destroying dropships by cleaving the fuselage.
- Backpack realities: Supply Pack is unmatched for team economy, but SPM helps Resupply boxes, not the B‑1’s internal charges; plan resupply cadence around that distinction.
Final recommendations (make it easy)
- If the mission brief says “armor”: Bring Recoilless first, Spear second.
- If the brief says “hold/defend/eradicate”: Bring Autocannon first, Recoilless second.
- If your team wipes to adds, not bosses: Add Guard Dog (Rover); if you’re running out of ammo, add Supply Pack.
- If you see lots of dropships (Automatons): Make sure one diver runs Spear.
- If you’re unsure: One RR, one AC, one Spear, one Supply Pack—and adapt after your first objective.
March out there with purpose: assign roles, respect your reloads and locks, and you’ll feel the patch‑era power curve working for you instead of against you. Democracy won’t spread itself.
Sources & patch notes referenced
- AC‑8 identity (APHET ↔ Flak), and support categories on wiki.gg.
- 01.003.000 balance (Flak shrapnel increase; shrapnel AP tuning): Arrowhead official notes.
- RR role & relative impact, HE toggle: wiki.gg weapon page.
- Strider leg durability vs RR (01.003.100): Arrowhead official notes.
- Spear lock‑on design & known Tank relock issue (Aug 2025): wiki.gg overview + Arrowhead “Known Issues.”
- Spear damage vs Quasar/RR; dropship fuselage destruction: wiki.gg comparisons and Dropship page.
- B‑1 Supply Pack behavior; Resupply & SPM distinction; AC resupply counts: wiki.gg pages (Supply Pack, Resupply, SPM, AC‑8).
- Guard Dog vs Rover differences: wiki.gg pages.
- Illuminate adjustments (AT effectiveness vs Harvester/Warp Ships): 01.003.100/.000 notes.
- Command Bunker TTK comparisons: wiki.gg objective page.
