| “ | The ravenous Terminids are guided solely by an instinctive urge to reproduce, spread, and destroy Democracy. They are a fast-evolving plague, a shapeshifting infestation that threatens to devour and disenfranchise every single child on every single planet. | „ |
| ~ Helldivers 2 PlayStation Store Page |
The 
Terminids, sometimes referred to as the Terminid Horde[1] or Terminid Swarm, and commonly called Bugs, are one of the enemy factions in the Second Galactic War. They have control over 21 planets. The Terminids have been identified as "Fascist"[2] by 
Super Earth, despite the individual Terminid clearly being incapable of comprehending the ideology.
Being descendants of the 
Terminids fought by 
Super Earth in the First Galactic War, they have now escaped the farms where they were being harvested for Element-710. The Terminids engage in the aforementioned "Fascism" with their violent attacks against the citizenry of Super Earth and with their un-Democratic power structure.
For a detailed look at the Bugs of the First Galactic War, check their article HERE
Terminid Ecology
| “ | You know, the problem with the bugs is that they're relentless expansionists. In their region of space, we've found them on nearly every planet we've settled. | „ |
| ~ Ship Master |
| “ | If Terminids didn't decompose into Element-710, we'd have eradicated them completely a long time ago. They should count themselves lucky. | „ |
| ~ Service Technician |
| “ | The Terminids are a force to be harnessed, not a scourge to be cleansed. Liberty demands our temperance. | „ |
| ~ Democracy Officer |
Helldivers battling Terminids during the Second Galactic War.
Like their ancestors from the First Galactic War, the Terminids resemble gigantic bug creatures with deadly adaptations and instincts. In contrast to the other enemies of Super Earth, almost all Terminids use their claws to inflict damage on their enemy, with a few exceptions in the form of units that possess long-range attacks.
When threatened, Terminids will attempt to rapidly close distance and surround their enemy, resulting in most battles being conducted at close range and compelling Helldivers to try and gain distance from them. Close-range and crowd-control equipment is the most effective against the bugs.
| “ | Terminid scientists say the Gloom facilitates bug communication across the vastness of space. Nothing complicated - just simple signals, like "food here" or "danger," or "I hate Freedom." Stuff like that. | „ |
| ~ Ship Master |
| “ | Bug swarm intelligence is easy to misunderstand. No single bug is smart by itself, but by coordinating as a whole, they can exhibit suprisingly sophisticated behavior. Almost like they're all individual neurons making up one giant brain. | „ |
| ~ Ship Master |
| “ | Terminids exhibiting swarm intelligence shouldn't come as a surprise. Even regular Super Earth ants can solve some group puzzles faster than scientists. Well, they used to be able to. Those ants have all been exterminated. | „ |
| ~ Ship Master |
A Bile Titan surrounded by lesser Terminids.
When outside Super Earth's Element-710 farms, Terminids form an apparent hierarchy based around a particular Terminid's genetic composition, causing them to be labelled "Fascists" by the Federation. Certain Terminids, such as the Brood and Alpha Commanders, seem to be able to give rudimentary commands to other Terminids through pheromones. This command appears fragile, however, as bugs will often lose all control and formation when in the presence of Helldivers and attack mindlessly.
A colossal Hive Lord, responsible for perforating the crust of a planet to create space for Terminid Hives.[3]
Regardless, it can be noticed that certain bugs, such as the Impaler, Bile Titan and the gigantic Hive Lord, are clearly the most elite amongst the Terminid horde.
Despite the "Swarm Intelligence" theory's legitimacy still being debated by experts as reported by the 
Ministry of Truth,[4] the theory appears to be accepted by members of the 
S.E.A.F., who point out that even regular ants from Super Earth were able to solve some group puzzles faster than scientists - which is why those ants have all been exterminated. It is generally accepted that, while no single Terminid is smart by itself, the bugs behave much like individual neurons making up a brain when coordinating.
Xenobiologists specializing in the Gloom believe that the galactic spore cloud facilitates Terminid communication across the vastness of space, allowing for the transmission of simple signals such as the location of food or danger. This allows them to respond to incursions by the S.E.A.F. or to attack the Federation across an entire battlefront. Thus, while the individual Terminid may appear to be a dumb wild animal, the Terminid Swarm as a whole is a frighteningly cunning beast.
Terminid Horde Overview
List of Terminid Units
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Spore Burst Strain |
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Predator Strain |
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Rupture Strain |
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List of Terminid Structures
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Terminid Biology and Morphology
| “ | You know these actually aren't exactly the same Bugs we fought during the Great Galactic War? Yeah, 100 years of rapid evolution, not to mention all the genetic modification they got on the E-710 farms.
|
„ |
| ~ Service Technician |
Terminids are a species of extra-terrestrial insectoids, sharing many similarities with arthropods native to Earth, such as multiple limbs, insect-like mandibles, and an exoskeleton. Terminid hives rely heavily on spores, as they are present near every Terminid hive structure. This suggests that Terminids are either two separate species, one animal and one fungal working in a symbiotic relationship, or a single animal-like species capable of producing fungal-like spores. The existence of very fungal structures made to produce either spores or eggs further complicates their relationship.
The Terminids of the Second Galactic War are descendants of the Terminids, better known as the Bugs, fought in the First Galactic War. However, they are considerably different, probably due to either large-scale genetic alteration by Super Earth or heavy mutation from confined populations. Sometime before the First Galactic War, Super Earth had discovered that dead Terminid bodies decay into an oil-like substance which they named Element-710, the pursuit of which ensured that peace would never be an option.
With the end of the First Galactic War in 2084, the Bugs were put onto specific planets to farm them for Element-710. Super Earth then proceeded to perform genetic experiments on Terminids to increase their Element-710 production and possibly create new breeds. This experimentation resulted in the body chemistry of some Terminids becoming highly unstable, producing massive amounts of a highly acidic substance called "Bile". This resulted in the creation of the Bile breed, a species that can spew the corrosive acid at their targets. Other mutations resulting from this experimentation include gigantism and near invisibility.
Strains
| “ | A mutation causes Terminids on this planet to generate excess hormonal spores, which drive other similarly mutated Terminids into a frenzy. Prepare to face enemies that bolster eachother's speed. | „ |
| ~ War Map Description. |
The Spore Burst Strain Terminids were first identified in the outlying worlds of The Gloom. These bugs have been symbiotically colonized by some species of fungus, producing a visible change in ideology and a spikier appearance. Upon their defeat, they will discharge a high-pressure burst of spores in a feeble attempt at martyrdom.
Helldivers descending upon the planets of Brilliance, Luxuriant, and Big Rock discovered an advancement of the Spore Burst Strain. These long-isolated bugs display disturbing responses to the aerosolized remains of their kin, chasing down peacekeepers with fervent speed. Whether this behavior is merely a novelty-seeking trait to be expected on these otherwise idyllic worlds, some consequence of prior nuclear testing by Super Earth, or evidence of a new fungal species capable of inciting rage in its hosts remains for the 
Ministry of Science to study at some later date.
| “ | A Gloom-enhanced strain of Terminids has been reported on this planet. SEAF patrols have been lured into ambushes and picked off by unseen assailants. Every ounce of a Helldiver's superior senses will be required to hunt down this dangerous threat. | „ |
| ~ Predator Strain Description
|
On February 15th, 2185, Gloom-enhanced variations of various Terminid units appeared on Fenrir III. Dubbed the Predator Strain, the Gloom has augmented the Hunter and Stalker with unique abilities and behaviors, giving birth to the Predator Hunter and Predator Stalker units.
| “ | A product of Gloom-induced mutation. Captured specimens prefer burrowing to open-air movement, a pattern indicative of subconscious shame at their own undemocratic ways. | „ |
| ~ Helldivers Companion Description |
Rupture Strain traveled from Oshaune to Hellmire, this being the first time the Rupture Strain was found. When Hellmire was liberated about 20 minutes later, the Strain was briefly "erradicated", but after the Helldivers landed on Oshaune, one hour later the 
Ministry of Defense informed the Helldivers that the Rupture Strain was on the planet.
However, on September 17th, 2185, units on the Terminid front would report a sudden disappearance of the Rupture Strain specimens. Up until this point, the subterranean enemy had caused significant degradation of S.E.A.F. performance and severe lapses in expended Firepower Per Second among S.E.A.F. units. However, it seemed that the Helldivers had dispatched the strain with ease, inflicting significant casualties upon the enemy, likely precipitating a survival instinct to flee in terror.
On the 29th of October, the Rupture Strain Terminids were once again revealed at the front, becoming the main force attacking the planets Terrek and Gacrux. In addition, they were also located on the planets Bore Rock and Fori Prime, from which the above attacks were carried out, respectively. The S.E.A.F. Command always understood that the disappearance of these insects on Oshaune was temporary and after some time they would make themselves felt again, which happened.
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Rupture Strain removal announcement
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Galactic Geography
The Terminids infest ten Sectors: Orion, L'estrade, Sten, Falstaff, Mirin, Draco, Borgus, Farsight, Jin Xi, and Celeste.
The Terminids reside in the Eastern side of the Galaxy stretching from Diaspora X in the North to Pherkad Secundus in the South. The Terminids have mostly stayed in the same place in the galaxy since February 2184, unlike the 
Automatons who went further north during the Reclamation. After the activation of the Terminid Control System, a state of back and forth was created in the Mirin and Draco Sectors through late March and April and was only ended after the failure of the TCS and the creation of the Meridian Supercolony.
The Orion Sector was invaded for the first time since March 2184 with Terminid spores reaching all the way to Cirrus. The Jin Xi Sector was also attacked, with Terminids reaching as far as Phact Bay. Operation Enduring Peace and the destruction of the Meridia Supercolony seemed to put things back to what they were before the Terminid Control System failed, but FTL lines to the Falstaff and Jin Xi Sectors on June 18th and 20th changed that. Another worrying event conducted by the Terminids was the attack on Gatria, as it was attacked by the Bugs without an FTL line connecting to it. This is still unexplained to this day, but Gatria was retaken on July 11th.
The Escalation of Freedom initiative would shake up the Terminid front dramatically with a Terminid Spore cloud called The Gloom appearing around Enuliale, then continuing to expand exponentially until August 27th, 2184, where growth has remained stagnant ever since. Yet the Terminids continued to spread chaos and destruction, as the Gloom's own spores soon began to bolster one Terminid offensive after the other. By the time of the resurgence of the 
Illuminate at the battle of Calypso, the Terminids not only had managed to hold their lines but would soon push all the way to Moradesh and Pherkad Secundus, marking the height of their expansion.
The Bug homeworld of Kepler Prime is missing from the Galactic Map for unknown reasons.
Sectors
So far, during the Second Galactic War, 117.7 billion Terminids and 1.8 billion Helldivers have died on the Terminid Front. Below are statistics about all the sectors:
| Sector | Status | Terminids Killed
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Helldivers KIA
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| Orion Sector | Super Earth Control
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20.6 Billion | 323.1 Million |
| Umlaut Sector | Super Earth Control
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25.8 Billion | 425.9 Million |
| Draco Sector | Terminid Presence
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26.6 Billion | 439 Million |
| Mirin Sector | Terminid Presence
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26.4 Billion | 563 Million |
| L'estrade Sector | Terminid Control
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3.2 Billion | 59.7 Million |
| Jin Xi Sector | Terminid Presence
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35.2 Billion | 530.8 Million |
| Falstaff Sector | Terminid Control
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9.3 Billion | 157.8 Million |
| Sten Sector | Terminid Control
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3.7 Billion | 54.9 Million |
| Borgus Sector | Terminid Control
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11.3 Billion | 150 Million |
| Farsight Sector | Terminid Presence
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3.1 Billion | 49.5 Million |
| Celeste Sector | Super Earth Control
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7.3 Billion | 139.8 Million |
| Korpus Sector | Super Earth Control
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4.4 Billion | 57.1 Million |