There are a total of 4 factions in Helldivers 2, with only the Federation of Super Earth being playable. All 4 factions are listed below, along with a summarized description and history of each one.

Currently Available Factions

Terminids

For more information, consult the article on the Terminids by clicking the title above

The Terminids, or Terminid Swarm as they are also known, are a race of insectoid aliens that descend from the previous generation of Terminids: the Bugs encountered in the first game, Helldivers 1.

The Bugs were defeated by Super Earth in 2084, after the fall of their homeworld known as Kepler Prime. For 100 years, they were confined to farms within the eastern reaches of the galaxy to be bred and farmed for Element-710, during which time they underwent rapid evolution and adaptation while in captivity. In a total unexpected attack against Managed Democracy, billions of Terminids suddenly overran the L'estrade Sector, Sten Sector, Mirin Sector, Draco Sector, Umlaut Sector and Orion Sector on the 8th of February 2184, beginning a series of military operations that would later trigger the official start of the Second Galactic War.

Much like their ancestors, the Terminids' main prowess is their sheer quantity, as they rely mostly on swarm attacks and melee combat with very few exceptions.

The Terminids have been responsible for multiple high-value campaigns, such as the destruction of Meridia, and the Hive World expedition on Oshaune. The species has demonstrated an extraordinary capability at terraformation, as they completely altered the surface of Meridia in a matter of days, and constructed an entirely new environment known as Hive Worlds, completely separating the planet of Oshaune from its state at the beginning of the conflict.

Automatons

For more information, consult the article on the Automatons by clicking the title above

The Automatons are a legion of murderous robots originating from deep space. They were created by the socialist Cyborgs from Helldivers 1, after their defeat in the First Galactic War and their confinement in the mines of Cyberstan.

The Automatons initially arrived in the Western Front around February 2184, illegally occupying the Severin Sector, and multiple attacks were launched against the S.E.A.F. forces in the Xzar Sector, Trigon Sector and the Theseus Sector. They were thought "completely eradicated" on the 8th of April, after the surrender of the last Automaton forces in the Durgen System, but in an unexpected change of events, an Automaton armada "10 times larger that all previous encountered Automaton forces" invaded Cyberstan and the surrounding system on April 9th, 2184. Cyberstan has been designated as the homeworld and base of operations of the Automatons.

The Automatons have adapted to overrun and occupy complete planets within a few minutes, and have also revealed their capabilities at constructing upgraded versions of their base forces, such as the Jet Brigade and Incineration Corps.

The Automatons are focused on more conventional military tactics, relying on artillery and firepower to engage and kill Helldivers from a distance. When engaging with the Automatons, the best approach can be to find cover and shoot or to strike and scatter, so long as neither tactic ends up extending the fight for too long before the enemy fire inevitably overwhelms the players.

Illuminate

For more information, consult the article on the Illuminate by clicking the title above

The Illuminate, or Squ'ith, are an alien species seemingly dedicated to xenophobia and mysticism, preying on innocent frontier colonists to mutate and brainwash them into hordes of mindless slaves called Voteless. Originally defeated during the First Galactic War, the Illuminate were forced to hand their technology over to Super Earth after the fall of Squ'bai Shrine to the S.E.A.F., and were later presumed to be extinct. However, on December 12th, 2184, during the Second Galactic War, the Illuminate returned, attacking Calypso with a force never before seen in either of the Galactic Wars, making this the first encounter of Super Earth with the no-longer-eradicated species.

The Illuminate have been responsible for the most important changes and battles in the galaxy, such as the previously mentioned Battle of Calypso, their campaign of terror in the galactic south, and the invasion of Super Earth itself. Currently, the Illuminate are the biggest threat to humanity and Managed Democracy thanks to their advanced and strange technology, which the Ministry of Science is studying to this day.

The Illuminate present a balanced mixture of both the frenetic, fast-paced hordes of the Terminids in the form of the hordes of Voteless, while also posing a vastly amplified threat at range with their specialized units, requiring Helldivers to remain able to adapt to any situation at any moment.

Federation of Super Earth

For more information, consult the article on the Federation of Super Earth by clicking the title above

The Federation of Super Earth is the player faction and acts as Humanity's Government. Forged in the ruins of Earth, the Federation united the human race, and with the invention of the Alcubierre Device, Super Earth achieved space travel and quickly colonized numerous worlds. They encountered several alien species, which then evolved into the First Galactic War, but after the victory of Super Earth over the tyrannical alien forces, a century of peace followed.

On the 8th of February, 2184, Super Earth found itself besieged once again by fascist bugs in the form of the Terminids, socialist robots in the form of the Automatons, and alien cultists in the form of the Illuminate, who all seek to destroy the human race once again. Fittingly, Humanity has called upon its mightiest heroes in order to fight back against these dire threats: the Helldivers, together with the rest of the S.E.A.F., are the backbone of Managed Democracy and the shoulders upon which the stability, peace, and Freedom of humanity rest.

The Federation of Super Earth has demonstrated on numerous occasions its commitment to defending Managed Democracy, as well as its military and scientific capabilities, since there is no threat it cannot repel.

Trivia

• Based on certain leaked voice lines, players are/were able to encounter wildlife on the planets they visit. It is unknown whether this is a feature that is planned for the future or if it is a leftover from feature tests during development.^[1]

References