How to Find and Kill Annihilator Tanks in Helldivers 2

Tanks for everything.

Screenshot by Prima Games

If you’re tank-hunting for a quick Personal Order completion, I’ve got some tips to not only help you find these tin cans but also take them down quickly. Here’s how to find and kill Annihilator Tanks in Helldivers 2.

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Where to Find Annihilator Tanks in Helldivers 2

First (and most obviously), they’re only found in Automaton Missions, that is, the Western Region of the Galactic Map. Less obviously, while they can appear at any difficulty, they’re most commonly found in more difficult missions (level 6 and up). If you’re trying to track a few down for some kills, I’d recommend a sweet spot of Level 6 (Extreme) so you aren’t too overwhelmed.

The best way to find them is actually going to be to bait them – either by completing regular mission objectives and luring in reinforcements, or by specifically targeting elimination missions, which see you fighting swarms of heavily armored foes.

How to Kill Annihilator Tanks

The safest method is to target the vents on the tank’s back. They’re glowing red and impossible to miss, and a few shots from an Autocannon, Recoilless Rifle, or other heavy weapon will do them in quickly. A method I’ve found reliable is to have one player “bait” the tank’s aim while the others wait behind cover, striking when the turret is facing away from them.

If you’re playing solo, I’d suggest the Railcannon Orbital Stratagem, which one-shots tanks with the drawback of a lengthy cooldown. You’re also immune to their fire by climbing on top of them, and the top hatch is a less-obvious weak point, meaning you can saddle up and fire down into it with whatever punchy weapon you have that’s least likely to kill you. I’d recommend the Autocannon for this endeavor.

While the tanks themselves aren’t a huge immediate threat, they usually come in packs of many other Automatons, so keep your head on a swivel while you wait for your opening!

About the Author

David Morgan

David is a pediatric asthma researcher at Cincinnati Children's Hospital by day, and Prima Freelancer by night. He always finds time for the games he loves, and then some more to tell you all about them.