| “ | But perhaps most terrifying are the reports of a failed Illuminate experiment called the Fleshmob: a Frankenstein’s monster of Voteless parts turned into a brute battlefield force that the Helldivers must work hard to destroy. | „ |
| ~ PlayStation Blog page |
The Fleshmob is an 
Illuminate heavy unit which is a byproduct of the Squ'ith's grotesque experimentation on 
Super Earth's citizens. The mere sight of this large, hulking abomination made out of multiple Voteless would put even the most disciplined census taker at ill ease.
Behavior
Fleshmobs will be sporadically scattered among the packs of regular Voteless, flailing about when idle. When 
Helldivers are spotted, they will choose their target and rush to them in a maniacal sprint. They have a particularly wide aggro range and are very sensitive to sound. Upon being aggro'd, they will raise their body upright and roar, which is a sign for Helldivers to focus fire on them, before they get close.
Deceptively fast and durable, they cannot be staggered by most weaponry when charging. Once in melee range, they will proceed to maul their target with all four arms. While fast, they lack agility, and are unable to do a sharp turn mid-charge.
Tips
- Fleshmobs have no armor, but have incredibly high health pools. This means that even though anything can damage them, hard-hitting weaponry is still heavily recommended when facing one down. Failing that, it is best that Helldivers make use of large amounts of ammunition.
- The Fleshmob can take a surprising amount of beating from heavy ordnance, and can survive up to two GR-8 Recoilless Rifle rounds, as well as survive a direct hit with a FAF-14 Spear.
- Destroying the heads or limbs of the Fleshmob deals direct damage to its main health pool when destroyed. However, it is still better to just focus-fire on the torso.
- Fleshmobs deal heavy melee damage and will send a Helldiver ragdolling upon being hit. Avoid being hit, as being floored by a Fleshmob will typically result in imminent death as it further claws at the unfortunate Helldiver as they are reeling.
- The 4 arms of the Fleshmob can be destroyed. Once it is figuratively and literally disarmed, it is largely neutralized as a threat, but can still be a nuisance as it still retains the ability to charge, and its bulk may block your route.
- Once the Fleshmob focuses on a singular Diver, it will run past all other Divers. If you see your squadmate being chased by one, offer some support fire (if you can).
- It is worth remembering that a Fleshmob will trample everything between itself and its target. Try to step aside. Getting hit by a charging Fleshmob will also concuss the victim, similar to a charging Brood Commander.
- Fleshmobs charge much like terminid Chargers, and also have poor handling mid-charge. If one is not surrounded, simply making a wide turn around it can easily dodge a fleshmob's charge.
- Fleshmobs become heavily resistant to crowd control options while charging, but are more vulnerable once outside this attack. Using arc weapons or stun weapons and grenades can prevent it from charging and potentially stunlock it. While charging, however, it can only be stunned with an Orbital EMS Strike and G-109 Urchin grenades. It will ignore all other attempts. Gas will also not deter it while it is charging, but may cause it to attack nearby friendlies once it's charge concludes and is still under the effects of the gas.
- Much like the Voteless, Fleshmobs do not rely on sight. Even if one destroys all the heads in front or back of it, it will still track target with uncompromised accuracy during a fight.
- Weapons that deal explosive and fire damage are the most effective weapons against them.
- Setting them on fire helps greatly in whittling their HP down.
- The StA-X3 W.A.S.P. Launcher kills the Fleshmob with 4 rockets.
- The GL-21 Grenade Launcher and AC-8 Autocannon's Flak setting is able to dispatch a Fleshmob with 2-4 direct hits.
- Due to its cluster munitions, and the Fleshmob's lack of armor and vulnerability to explosive damage; the RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher can kill a Fleshmob with a direct hit, and even kill multiple ones if grouped closely together.
- Two direct hits with the VG-70 Variable, with a full magazine and set to "All", will kill a fleshmob. However, a better tactic is to fire one "All" salvo at it, then fire 3 volley shots, or use another weapon, to finish it off to conserve ammunition.
- A thermite grenade successfully stuck to it will put a fleshmob into a near-death state if it has full HP, and can be easily finished off with a few more hits after the grenade detonates.
- In regards to Stratagems, the most cost-effective ones for taking down Fleshmobs are explosive, fire, and gas strikes. AT and gas mines also work, as the Fleshmob's size makes it very likely it will trigger several mines as it lumbers forward.
- The Fleshmob is treated as a heavy unit like the Charger or Hulk. It cannot be trampled over by Exosuits or the M-102 Fast Recon Vehicle.
- It is fond of flipping FRVs with a melee hit; do not let them get close.
Bugs
- Fleshmobs might get stuck inside buildings, rooting them in place. However, due to their size, they can typically still deal damage to unaware Helldivers who might be standing right next to one, but partially concealed by the building mesh.
- Alternatively, Fleshmobs might instead clip into terrain as they're charging, but remain unhindered. This results in a particularly frightening scenario where the Fleshmob either continues surfing through the ground to claw at Helldivers, or appear out of thin air, right behind them.
Trivia
- A long-lived superstition about the Fleshmob tells that destroying its "heads" kills the enemy more quickly, or exposes some hidden weak point. There is no validity to this widespread misconception.
- The Fleshmob bears a strong resemblance to the Rat King creature from The Last of Us series.
- It also bears heavy resemblance to the Chaos Spawn from the Warhammer series.
- Footage of the Fleshmob was leaked on the Major Truth ARG Twitter about a day before the arrival of the Great Host.
