If you’ve spent some time in Helldivers 2, you already know that success hinges on more than just firepower. Items—whether support equipment, explosives, or defensive tools—can tip the balance in every mission. Whether you're a new recruit or a seasoned elite, there’s a lot of depth in how you use your gear. Here are 15 tactical item uses that can drastically improve your survival and efficiency on the battlefield.

1. Reinforce Frontlines with Shield Generators

In missions with heavy enemy waves, setting up a shield generator near extraction points or defense targets can buy your team precious seconds. Use this time to reload, revive, or complete objectives under reduced pressure.

2. Use Resupply Beacons to Hold Key Positions

When defending an area, a well-placed resupply beacon lets you sustain fire without falling back. Place it behind cover, so you can rotate to it mid-fight and avoid running dry during a bug swarm.

3. Flash Charges for Safe Revives

Flashbang-type items aren’t just for disorienting enemies—they’re excellent for opening a small recovery window. Drop one when a teammate is down in a hot zone to blind enemies before reviving.

4. Scout Drones for Route Planning

Before advancing into unknown territory, deploy a scout drone. It can help you locate enemy nests or valuable resources while keeping your team clear of ambushes.

5. Land Mines for Rear Defense

If you’re expecting a backspawn or retreat path breach, plant a few land mines along your escape route. They’ll take care of any stragglers trying to flank or chase your squad.

6. Use Decoys to Divide Enemy Focus

In multi-front battles, tossing a decoy can split enemy aggro, giving your team the space to reposition or execute an objective.

7. Combine Turrets with Choke Points

Placing turrets in narrow corridors or between rocks maximizes their firing efficiency and prevents them from being easily overwhelmed.

8. Portable Radar for Early Warnings

Drop a radar dish early in the mission to keep tabs on incoming threats. It’s especially handy in extraction or elimination missions where enemies spawn from multiple directions.

9. EMP Grenades Against Armored Units

Heavily armored units can be a nightmare without the right stratagems. EMP grenades disable them temporarily, giving you time to either destroy or bypass them.

10. Recoil Dampeners for Better Burst Control

This passive item upgrade dramatically improves your ability to stay accurate during extended firefights. Especially useful when defending objectives with continuous enemy pressure.

11. Tactical Use of Smoke Grenades

Use smoke to break line-of-sight with snipers or turrets. It’s also great for escaping surrounded positions or retrieving mission-critical items under fire.

12. Sentry Gun Rotation for Area Denial

A rotating sentry can provide full 360° coverage in open zones. Set it up at mission start to secure the area as your squad begins objectives.

13. Anti-Tank Mines to Guard Objectives

In missions where vehicles or large creatures are a threat, place anti-tank mines at chokepoints leading to objectives. It’s a simple way to reduce panic when those threats show up.

14. Layer Items for Synergy

Want to dominate a defensive holdout? Combine a turret, resupply box, and shield dome. These items create a sustainable zone that lets your team focus purely on shooting and reviving.

15. Save Resources by Planning Item Use

Instead of spamming equipment, be deliberate. Use fewer but better-placed items to stretch your inventory further. This saves valuable in-game currency and time, letting you reinvest in more strategic gear upgrades.

If you're low on resources or looking to customize your loadout further, many players look to buy Helldivers 2 Items to get the edge they need. It's also common for players to buy Helldivers 2 medals to accelerate progress, especially when targeting high-level stratagems or armor sets. A reliable platform like U4GM is often mentioned in the community for providing accessible options to enhance your arsenal.

These 15 tactical uses may seem simple at first glance, but mastering when and where to deploy them can turn a tough mission into a clean victory. Try mixing and matching different item combos depending on the objective—and watch how your squad’s survivability skyrockets.