“	The ironclad Devastator seeks to crush opponents of the Automatons' totalitarian worldview with a diverse array of heinous weaponry: arm-cannons, arm-shields, arm-machineguns and arm-rocket-launchers. Variants: Armcannon (Base), MG/Heavy, Rocket.	„
	~ Helldivers 2 PlayStation Page

Devastators are medium-heavy units used by the Automatons. They have medium armor on their body, legs and shoulders, and a heavy dual cannon mounted on their right arm. They can easily be distinguished by their size, compared to other, smaller units, and they are scarily accurate with their cannon; make sure to maintain cover when facing them.

They can be divided into three types:

• Standard - These are the standard Devastators, equipped with medium armor an iron fist and dual cannons.
• Heavy - Devastators equipped with heavier armor, a machine gun and an almost impenetrable shield, larger than regular Devastators.
• Rocket - Devastators equipped with shoulder mounted rocket pods, medium armor and the standard Devastator cannons.

Additionally, two special variants are encountered in the Incineration Corps:

• Conflagration - Heavy Devastators equipped with an incendiary shotgun that can deal devastating damage on close quarters combat.
• Incendiary MG - Heavy Devastators equipped with an incendiary rifle that sets their target on flame.

The Jet Brigade have started augmenting standard devastators with jump packs, giving them increased mobility. They have also upgraded their weaponry, and are able to shoot their arm cannons much faster than usual.

Appearance

Devastators are larger than Automaton Troopers and have bulky armor surrounding their small heads. The heads were originally colored white like Standard Troopers, but were later changed to have maroon colored heads like the elite Marauders. Incineration Corps Devastators have white colored bodies and red shoulders, with the Incineration Corps sigil on their chests. Jet Brigade Jet Devastators have the same body as the standard Devastator but with reflective chrome heads.

Behavior

Devastators are deployed to provide support for smaller infantry and make sure any Helldiver that crosses their path won't make it. They make up majority of the medium-sized infantries. Devastators primarily attack with their dual laser cannon arm upon engaging a hostile force while attempting to approach them or additional weaponry based on their variation.

If the target strays too close, a Devastator can use their steel fists (or in the Heavy Devastator's case, its shield to bash its target) to punch their targets or if the target is on prone, they will stomp them with their legs.

Tactics

• Heavy and Rocket Devastators are most common threats in higher difficulty-Automaton missions, and should be one of the main factors to consider when choosing a primary weapon. While heavy-armored units are now spawned in limited numbers, Devastators do not have this limitation and are almost always spawned during every bot-drop and off-map spawned patrol, which grows their numbers significantly in a short span of time.
• A Devastator's torso has medium armor. However, its head, limbs, abdomen, and auxiliary back equipment (if any), only have light armor, and will take damage from any weapon.
• Heavy and Regular Devastators will typically attempt to close the distance, while Rocket Devastators hang back to provide artillery support.
  • The APW-1 Anti-Materiel Rifle and R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper are excellent for taking out all Devastator types. Especially useful when engaging them from a long distance, where their weapon effectiveness is lessened significantly.
  • The LAS-98 Laser Cannon and LAS-5 Scythe are also decent weapons against Devastators as their stable beams allows for easy headshots.
• The SH-20 Ballistic Shield Backpack is sufficiently armored to make a Helldiver completely immune to the cannon and machinegun fire of Standard and Heavy Devastators. While it will not effectively protect against Rocket Devastators, combining the Ballistic Shield with an SMG-37 Defender or P-4 Senator will allow a Helldiver to directly stand and fight multiple Heavy Devastators head on.
  • Using the SMG-72 Pummeler can allow you to stunlock a Rocket Devastator, which prevents them from firing a rocket barrage as long as they are shot. Shots to any of their lightly-armored parts are enough to stun them.
• Shooting their arms will disable any weaponry that was on that arm.
  • Shooting an arm off will also expose an unarmored hole in the side of their torso, offering another way to kill them from the side.
• Shooting the rocket pods on a Rocket Devastator will destroy them, turning the Rocket Devastator into a standard Devastator. These Rocket pods are unarmored and can be killed with conventional small arms. It is highly advised you do this as soon as possible, as rocket Devastators can easily one-hit-kill you or leave you with very little health.
• The rocket variant can be especially deadly and troublesome, especially when multiple units are present, as their rockets pack a tremendous punch with heavy ragdolling knockback, and are reasonably accurate. Attacking them can also prevent an impending launch by staggering them, saving lives.
• Rocket Devastators telegraph their attacks by taking a wider stance and leaning forwards as if to brace for the rocket pods' recoil. It is recommended to dodge to the side when this is directed at them.
• Rocket Devastators have a limited ammo supply. They will fire 12 shots in several short salvos, after expending their ammo they will reload another 12 rockets. After 24 Shots the Rocket Devastator can only use its arm cannon.
• The shield of a Heavy Devastator is classified as "anti-tank", similar to the frontal hull of an Annihilator Tank, and can only be penetrated by anti-tank rockets or an overcharged railgun. It however, does not protect their head and leaves their gun arm partially exposed. This applies to all variants. Shields will also only deflect direct damage, explosive and status AoE will bypass it completely.
  • The Heavy Devastator's shield also possesses an infinite amount of health, allowing it to soak up most non-explosive shots. The arm that the shield is mounted on however, can be destroyed, causing them to drop their shield.
• Heavy Devastators also have large, unarmored ammo packs mounted on their backs that can be destroyed by small arms to kill the Heavy Devastator.
• Jet Brigade Devastators are not too different from standard models, apart from possessing a jump pack that allows them to quickly cover short distances and their arm cannon has a higher fire rate. Their jump packs can be destroyed, which will prevent them from jumping and will also set them on fire.
  • The explosion from their jump pack is usually enough to put them on low health while the fire damage from the Jump Pack's explosion will kill them.

Notes

• Rocket Devastators, as of Minor Patch 01.000.100, can track Helldivers behind the cover of terrain as long as they remain within the Devastator's effective range. This differs from other enemies, who will usually abort the engagement if they have lost sight of a Helldiver for a significant amount of time. Combined with their armor, high damage, and tendency to deploy in large numbers on higher difficulties, Rocket Devastators are a problematic foe to contend with.
• Devastators can be recognized by their deep, low-pitched vocalizations. Helldivers should try to listen for their vocalizations before engaging to note the presence of any Devastators on an outpost or point of interest.
• There are two ongoing gameplay issues with Heavy Devastators, one that allows them to fire their guns through solid terrain and negating cover, and another that allows them to fire in a direction of which they are not facing. Due to this, Helldivers are advised to prioritize the elimination of these units, absent the presence of Rocket Devastators, Hulks, or Tanks.

Trivia

• The Heavy Devastator is remarkably similar to the Hulk from the first game, sporting a powerful machine gun and shield to protect itself from small arms fire.
• The Devastator and its variants all bear some resemblance to Terminator armor from Warhammer 40K, each in their unique ways: the standard Devastator has a gear above its head, which could reference the Iron Halo, a personal shield generator that high-ranking Space Marines wear; the Heavy Devastator, with its shield and heavy cannon, could refer to a common loadout of Terminator marines: an Assault Cannon and a Storm Shield; and the Rocket Devastator’s top-mounted rocket pods look almost identical to a Terminator’s Cyclone Rockets.
• The Devastator also bears some resemblance to the B2-series super battle droid from Star Wars, albeit slightly larger.

Enemies
Terminids	Scavenger - Bile Spitter - Pouncer – Hunter – Stalker – Warrior - Bile Warrior - Hive Guard – Alpha Warrior – Brood Commander – Alpha Commander – Bile Spewer - Nursing Spewer – Charger - Charger Behemoth – Spore Charger – Shrieker – Impaler – Bile Titan - Dragonroach - Hive Lord
	Predator Strain	Predator Hunter - Predator Stalker
	Rupture Strain	Rupture Warrior - Rupture Spewer - Rupture Charger
	Spore Burst Strain	Spore Burst Scavenger - Spore Burst Hunter - Spore Burst Warrior - Spore Burst Bile Titan
Automatons	Trooper – Commissar – Scout Strider – Berserker – Devastator – Hulk – Tank – War Strider – Dropship – Gunship – Factory Strider
	Jet Brigade	Jet Brigade Trooper – Jet Brigade MG Raider – Jet Brigade Devastator – Jet Brigade Hulk
	Incineration Corps	Pyro Trooper – Conflagration Devastator – Incendiary MG Devastator – Hulk Firebomber
	Cyborg Legion	– Radical – Agitator – Vox Engine
Illuminate	Overseer – Elevated Overseer – Crescent Overseer – Watcher – Harvester – Stingray – Warp Ship – Leviathan
	Mindless Masses	Voteless – Fleshmob
	Appropriators	Obtruder – Gatekeeper – Veracitor