“	As with all Automaton units, the plodding Hulk is brainlessly optimised to do nothing except deliver heavy firepower. If encountered, the recommended protocol for Helldivers is to immediately call in the largest orbital bombardment available.	„
	~ Helldivers 2 PlayStation page

Hulks are heavily-armored siege walkers utilized by the Automatons. The Hulk is quite literally a walking tank, armed with two weapons, with the bots fielding a variety of configurations. Regardless of weapons, they have one role: a heavy weapons platform designed to break enemy defenses.

They can be divided into five types:

• Bruiser - Hulks equipped with a burst rocket launcher and used to also have a rapid-fire pulse laser cannon. A gun platform that guns down its targets at mid-range with deadly accuracy.
• Scorcher - Hulks equipped with a flamethrower and a Buzzsaw. Will attempt to aggressively close the distance instead of bombarding its targets from range.
• Obliterator - Hulks equipped with twin rocket burst launchers. They are distinguished by the Automaton flag from their backs.
• Firebomber - Hulks equipped with an incendiary cannon that fires a heavy molten projectile in an arc. Like the Scorcher, they are also equipped with a flamethrower. Exclusive to the Incineration Corps.
• Jet Brigade - Hulks part of the Jet Brigade equipped with a jump pack, allowing for mobility. They appear in both Bruiser and Scorcher configurations.

Behavior

Hulks are found on Medium (3)+ missions. Living up to their name, these brutish infantries are armed to the teeth to deal devastating damage against their targets while appropriately enjoying durable armor enough to shrug off medium armor-penetrating bullets. They behave similarly to the lesser Devastators; slowly advancing towards the target Helldiver while firing their powerful weaponry. They may also use their weapons at close range, which is powerful enough to exert fatal damage against a careless Helldiver. If a Hulk loses both of their arms during battle, they will resort to using their legs as close range attack.

Hulks may sometimes go into a "berserk" state if their rear heat sink has been destroyed, albeit temporary.

Tactics

• Hulks have heavy armor all-around, except the rear.
  • The rear which contains their heat sinks however, have no armor. And will take full damage from any weapon.
  • The Jump Pack on Jet Brigade Hulks are medium-armored, which gives them an extra level of survivability. However, they will still kill the Hulk if it is destroyed and is more vulnerable to wide-area explosives.
  • Hulks will explode on death. It is very dangerous for anyone nearby when it topples over, friend or foe.
• A Hulk's primary weak spot is its head, the visor that glows red near the center of its chassis.
  • Successful shots to the Hulk's visor will make it erupt in flames & kill the Hulk. However this may be a difficult target to hit in the heat of battle.
• Most anti-tank launchers can kill a Hulk with a direct hit to the visor or body.
  • The MLS-4X Commando requires two hits
  • The StA-X3 W.A.S.P. Launcher requires 8-12 hits from the front, due to the rocket's erratic flight path. Shooting hulks in the rear can reliably kill them within 7 hits due to it's weak point.
  • If one is feeling daring, a P-4 Senator revolver can kill a hulk with 3-4 direct hits to it's visor at close range. Although this should generally be reserved if it's stunned, or there is literally no other alternative strategy.
• Stun Grenades or EMS Stratagems will temporarily stun and disable Hulks, allowing you to easily line up a headshot, or run behind them and shoot their back.
  • A single Thermite grenade is enough to take out a Hulk if thrown at their upper torso. Throwing it at their arms and legs may simply destroy the limb and keep them active.
• For Stratagems, the Orbital Precision Strike, Orbital Railcannon Strike, Eagle Airstrike, Eagle 500kg Bomb, and Eagle 110MM Rocket Pods will all destroy a Hulk on a direct hit.
  • The Orbital Laser will also burn through a Hulk in 6-8 seconds.
  • Due to the way rocket pods work, the strike is only reliable if strikes either the back or the top of the hulk, as this hits their rear weakpoint regardless. If the rocket barrage is fired from the front or the sides: the hulk has a chance of surviving.
• A Hulk's arms can be shot off to disable weapons, and its legs can be destroyed to cripple their movement entirely.
  • Shooting out both legs will kill them.
  • If both arms are destroyed the Hulk will attempt to kick or stomp players instead.
• Hulk Scorchers do not have any long-range weapons. If you manage to distance yourself from them, you can line up a headshot without any danger. If that is currently not possible, disabling their flamethrower arm or one of their legs will effectively cripple their ability to fight.
• Firebomber hulks are capable of indirect bombardment, thanks to their incendiary mortar. It is heavily recommended to take them down on-sight, as the mortars have the tendency to set one on fire while they are ragdolled, which typically results in death for helldivers without adequate fire protection, as they will die before they regain control of their character to dive or stim.
• The flamethower found on Incineration Corps Hulks have a much wider range. While one can typically avoid a flamethrower spraydown by diving to the ground, in several cases: Corps flamethrowers will continue to hit a helldiver, even while prone.
• When rushing hulks from the front, move in a direction where their gun has to pivot outwards to hit you, as they have decent turning speed, but their arms' traverse speed is slow and typically cannot keep up with a sprinting Helldiver.
• Much like Bile Titans, Hulks can be crushed with a Hellpod.
• Much like Chargers, Hulks have a rare chance to enter a berserk state, where upon taking lethal damage, it will survive briefly to deliver one last charge before they die. They will typically expire after a few seconds, but it is recommended to help them along by dealing damage to them.
• Jet Brigade Hulk behave similarly to other Jet Brigade variant, using their jump pack to close the gap between them and a target Helldiver. Their rear heat sinks are replaced by their jump pack which is vulnerable against explosive attacks.

Trivia

• The Hulk's name is likely derived from an enemy from the first game. However, it is far more resemblant of the Warlord.
• Unlike the standard Hulk Bruiser, the Scorcher variant visually has no shoulder armor but has pointed spikes adorned with barbed wire and skulls. The Hulk Obliterator also wears an Automaton flag war banner on its back.
• On higher difficulties, there is a guaranteed Hulk Obliterator spawn on the Shuttle Bay during an Emergency Evacuation mission. This is very similar to how Terminids have a guaranteed Behemoth Charger spawn on the same objective.
• On an Eliminate Hulk mission the targeted Hulk is almost always an Obliterator variant.
• Patch 01.001.104: In response to their disapproval of a newly installed cannon on the Automaton Hulk Bruisers, Super Earth High Command sent a crack commando to sabotage their production facilities. The skilled operative promptly escaped into the shadows after completing their mission. Today, still wanted by the Automatons, they survive as a soldier of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can enlist... John Helldiver.
  • As a result the Automatons had to revert back to using rocket launchers for their Hulk Bruisers.

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