How to find and kill Helldivers 2 Scout Striders

Helldivers 2 Rocket Scout Strider
(Image credit: Sony)

Destroying Helldivers 2 Scout Striders on Automaton planets can be a bit tricky as you need to outmanoeuvre them use some powerful weaponry to get through their armor. Once you figure out how to easily juke them to take out the pilot they become quite easy to deal with, and using explosives or armor-penetrating weapons to reduce the whole Strider to scrap works too. 

But when you play the hardest missions in Helldivers 2, you'll find that the Automatons have learned, giving their Scout Striders missiles and extra armor. We'll walk you through the best ways to find and kill Scout Striders in Helldivers 2 below, whether you need to destroy several for a Personal Order or are struggling with the upgraded versions on Super Helldive.

How to kill Scout Striders in Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 Scout Striders

(Image credit: Sony)

Scout Striders in Helldivers 2 are the common, two-legged bot vehicles that look a lot like an Imperial AT-ST from Star Wars. They can step on you if you get too close, but usually stick to firing their surprisingly powerful laser cannons at you, and they're nearly impossible to outrun, often pursuing relentless unless you can put some tricky terrain features in your way.

To kill a basic Scout Strider, the easiest method is to run around it and fire a short burst with your primary or secondary weapon at the exposed pilot. Scout Striders have quite strong armor at the front, so shooting it head-on won't do much, but the pilot is incredibly weak. 

Alternatively, you can try and blow up the pilot or the whole Strider with a grenade or one of the many high-powered explosive Helldivers 2 weapons and some of the best Helldivers 2 Stratagems. Regarding weapons, the Anti-Materiel Rifle and Railgun are particularly effective against these Striders.

Helldivers 2 Rocket Scout Striders about to get shot by quasar cannon

(Image credit: Sony)

However, at higher difficulties, you'll face an upgraded Scout Strider which features an enclosed, armored cockpit for the pilot and missile racks on the sides, letting the Scout Strider fire missiles too. The extra armor means the old "run-behind-and-shoot" trick doesn't work, so your best options for destroying this improved Scout Strider variant are limited to the more powerful Stratagems and support weapons, so the Railgun is a great choice. Although, small-arms fire can still destroy the missile racks bolted to the sides of these Scout Striders, making them a bit less dangerous.

Where to find Scout Striders

Helldivers 2 Scout Striders

(Image credit: Sony)

If you have a challenge to kill Scout Striders, you want to head to any planet in an Automaton sector, and to find them in decent numbers, you want to play on Medium difficulty or higher. However, upgraded Rocket Scout Striders appear to entirely replace the regular Scout Striders on the highest Helldivers 2 difficulties, mainly Super Helldive.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

Joel Franey
Guides Writer

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and raconteur with a Masters from Sussex University, none of which has actually equipped him for anything in real life. As a result he chooses to spend most of his time playing video games, reading old books and ingesting chemically-risky levels of caffeine. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at USgamer, Gfinity, Eurogamer and more besides.

Read more
Helldivers 2 automatons
The best weapons for Automatons in Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 Stratagems
The best Helldivers 2 Stratagems tier list
Helldivers 2 Democratic Detonation Warbond diving
Helldivers 2 update makes the shooter a "little bit harder, but hopefully in a fun way" as Automatons get smarter and weapons get buffed to help deal with them
Helldivers 2 weapons
The best Helldivers 2 weapons tier list
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 CEO praises players for their "brilliant" DSS strategy, but follows up with a grave threat: "J.O.E.L. is out to get you now"
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 player proposes new stratagems to restock vehicle ammo, and they're so good even the creative director seems on board
Latest in Third Person Shooter
Four Helldivers lined up on base ship
A year after Malevelon Creek became Helldivers 2's fiercest battleground, it looks like the Automatons are coming back for more
Helldivers 2 screenshot showing someone using a big gun
Helldivers 2 boss says "death and rebirth" is a natural part of the games industry, but it's "unnecessarily brutal" right now "because we don't diversify enough"
The Invisible Woman in Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals devs know exactly how popular Invisible Woman is, and say that "body shape or silhouette" add to a character's popularity in a way far more innocent than the internet deserves
Helldivers 2 Warbond
Helldivers 2 players "became obsessed" with Malevolon Creek, but it was Gabe Newell who really kicked off one of Super Earth's bloodiest battles
Heroes and villains face off in Marvel Rivals key art
Marvel Rivals exec isn't afraid of roster bloat after NetEase promised new heroes every 6 weeks: "There's no limit for the sky. We just throw everything at it"
Marvel Rivals: Ignite #1
Marvel Rivals goes manga in a new comic from Peach Momoko and three other Japanese artists that reveals several new in-game costumes
Latest in Guides
Assassin's Creed Shadows Mitsumune and Naoe
How to find Mitsumune in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe facing off against samurai warrior on red bridge
Does Assassin’s Creed Shadows have New Game Plus?
FC 25
FC 25 Dreamchasers tracker and full UEFA promo guide
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe "justice must be served" or "killing them isn't justice" Yaya and Mistumune choice
Should you side with Mitsumune or Yaya in Assassin's Creed Shadows?
Pokemon TCG Pocket Shiny Cards
How to get Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Assassin's Creed Shadows money naoe and merchant
How to get money in Assassin’s Creed Shadows