Helldivers 2: A Practical Guide to Major Orders and the Galactic War
: 26 gru 2025, o 02:09
For many players, the constant stream of Major Orders, Minor Orders, and Dispatches can be confusing. Are they just story flavor, or do they actually matter? How should you engage with them? Based on community patterns and how the game systems function, here’s a breakdown of what these orders mean for your gameplay.
What Are Major and Minor Orders?
In essence, these are community-wide objectives set by the game’s developers. A Major Order is a primary goal for the entire player base, usually lasting a few days, with a reward of Medals (typically 50-100) for success. A Minor Order or Strategic Opportunity is a shorter, often more focused objective, sometimes offering smaller rewards. The narrative presented in the briefings—about dissidents, resource gathering, or scientific testing—provides context, but the core gameplay loop remains the same: complete specific missions on specific planets.
Do My Individual Missions Really Affect the Galactic War?
Yes and no. The game’s backend tracks global player activity. When an order states "Liberate Barabos" or "Kill 50,000 Hive Lords," there is a hidden communal progress bar. Your successful missions on that planet, or your kills of that enemy type, contribute a small amount to that total. While your single mission won’t tip the scales, the collective action of all players does. Success or failure in these orders determines which planets are held or lost, influencing the map you see when you log in.
How Should I Approach These Orders?
Most players follow a simple priority system:
Check the Active Major Order First. This is your best source of Medals. If the objective is to "Hold" planets, play defense missions on those worlds. If it's to "Liberate," play attack missions. The game UI highlights the relevant planets.
Balance Orders with Personal Goals. If you need to farm samples or complete personal objectives, it’s common to run a few missions contributing to the order first, then focus on your own goals. The community usually manages the broader war.
Don't Stress Over Failure. Orders fail sometimes. This is a deliberate narrative device to move the "story" of the war forward, often unlocking new fronts or enemy types. A failed order isn't a reflection on player skill.
What Are These "Arsenal Augmentation" Events?
These are temporary global buffs. When High Command announces fleetwide availability of a Stratagem like the Orbital Laser for 24-72 hours, every player has access to it for free, regardless of whether they've unlocked it. This is a great time to test powerful stratagems you might not own yet. It also guides player strategy; if we get a free Orbital Napalm Barrage, it’s often effective against an enemy mentioned in the concurrent order.
What About Samples for Orders?
Some orders, like the one to expand the Center for Citizen Surveillance & Safety, require extracting millions of Common Samples. This is a purely communal goal. You just need to successfully extract with any amount of samples from the specified faction’s planets. You don’t need to hoard them yourself; just completing missions on those planets contributes. The in-game dispatch will often advise if progress is lagging, prompting players to focus efforts.
The Role of the Narrative and "Dispatches"
The humorous, propagandistic briefings are a key part of Helldivers 2’s charm. They create a living world. Events like the "Festival of Reckoning" or the "War on Dissidence" introduce temporary gameplay modifiers, like reduced ammo or increased stratagem cooldowns, to reflect the story. For instance, when SEAF forces are busy policing dissidents, your resupplies might be rationed. This isn't random; it's tied to the ongoing narrative arc. It’s worth skimming the dispatches to understand why your strategems might be underpowered for a few days, or why you suddenly have a free hover pack. During the Festival of Reckoning, for example, the spirit of patriotic expenditure was so high that many players found it an efficient time to buy helldivers 2 super credits with earned Medals to acquire new gear from the Acquisitions Center.
Practical Tips for New Helldivers
Medals are the Main Reward. Focus on completing Major Orders for reliable Medal income.
Play the Highlighted Planets. The planets mentioned in the active order are where you'll find the most concentrated player activity, making it easier to find full squads.
Adapt to Global Buffs/Debuffs. Check the "Events" tab on your ship. If there's a cooldown increase on your favorite Eagle stratagem, plan your loadout accordingly.
Failure is Part of the Story. The galactic war ebbs and flows. A lost planet or order often leads to new, interesting developments and challenges.
In general, participating in the Major Orders is the heart of the shared Helldivers 2 experience. It gives a sense of purpose to your missions and connects your actions to the larger, often chaotic, battle for Managed Democracy.
What Are Major and Minor Orders?
In essence, these are community-wide objectives set by the game’s developers. A Major Order is a primary goal for the entire player base, usually lasting a few days, with a reward of Medals (typically 50-100) for success. A Minor Order or Strategic Opportunity is a shorter, often more focused objective, sometimes offering smaller rewards. The narrative presented in the briefings—about dissidents, resource gathering, or scientific testing—provides context, but the core gameplay loop remains the same: complete specific missions on specific planets.
Do My Individual Missions Really Affect the Galactic War?
Yes and no. The game’s backend tracks global player activity. When an order states "Liberate Barabos" or "Kill 50,000 Hive Lords," there is a hidden communal progress bar. Your successful missions on that planet, or your kills of that enemy type, contribute a small amount to that total. While your single mission won’t tip the scales, the collective action of all players does. Success or failure in these orders determines which planets are held or lost, influencing the map you see when you log in.
How Should I Approach These Orders?
Most players follow a simple priority system:
Check the Active Major Order First. This is your best source of Medals. If the objective is to "Hold" planets, play defense missions on those worlds. If it's to "Liberate," play attack missions. The game UI highlights the relevant planets.
Balance Orders with Personal Goals. If you need to farm samples or complete personal objectives, it’s common to run a few missions contributing to the order first, then focus on your own goals. The community usually manages the broader war.
Don't Stress Over Failure. Orders fail sometimes. This is a deliberate narrative device to move the "story" of the war forward, often unlocking new fronts or enemy types. A failed order isn't a reflection on player skill.
What Are These "Arsenal Augmentation" Events?
These are temporary global buffs. When High Command announces fleetwide availability of a Stratagem like the Orbital Laser for 24-72 hours, every player has access to it for free, regardless of whether they've unlocked it. This is a great time to test powerful stratagems you might not own yet. It also guides player strategy; if we get a free Orbital Napalm Barrage, it’s often effective against an enemy mentioned in the concurrent order.
What About Samples for Orders?
Some orders, like the one to expand the Center for Citizen Surveillance & Safety, require extracting millions of Common Samples. This is a purely communal goal. You just need to successfully extract with any amount of samples from the specified faction’s planets. You don’t need to hoard them yourself; just completing missions on those planets contributes. The in-game dispatch will often advise if progress is lagging, prompting players to focus efforts.
The Role of the Narrative and "Dispatches"
The humorous, propagandistic briefings are a key part of Helldivers 2’s charm. They create a living world. Events like the "Festival of Reckoning" or the "War on Dissidence" introduce temporary gameplay modifiers, like reduced ammo or increased stratagem cooldowns, to reflect the story. For instance, when SEAF forces are busy policing dissidents, your resupplies might be rationed. This isn't random; it's tied to the ongoing narrative arc. It’s worth skimming the dispatches to understand why your strategems might be underpowered for a few days, or why you suddenly have a free hover pack. During the Festival of Reckoning, for example, the spirit of patriotic expenditure was so high that many players found it an efficient time to buy helldivers 2 super credits with earned Medals to acquire new gear from the Acquisitions Center.
Practical Tips for New Helldivers
Medals are the Main Reward. Focus on completing Major Orders for reliable Medal income.
Play the Highlighted Planets. The planets mentioned in the active order are where you'll find the most concentrated player activity, making it easier to find full squads.
Adapt to Global Buffs/Debuffs. Check the "Events" tab on your ship. If there's a cooldown increase on your favorite Eagle stratagem, plan your loadout accordingly.
Failure is Part of the Story. The galactic war ebbs and flows. A lost planet or order often leads to new, interesting developments and challenges.
In general, participating in the Major Orders is the heart of the shared Helldivers 2 experience. It gives a sense of purpose to your missions and connects your actions to the larger, often chaotic, battle for Managed Democracy.