After 100+ hours battling the Illuminate across Super Earth’s colonies, we’ve cracked the code on what actually works against the squid menace. This guide breaks down every enemy type, the loadouts that dominate, and the strategies that separate extraction from elimination.

Table of Contents

Quick Answer

  • Gas weapons destroy Voteless hordes — their melee-only nature and tendency to blob makes them perfect targets
  • Hit Overseers in the ankles — their weak point while prone or from cover
  • Bring crowd control — Illuminate spawn in massive numbers, not heavy armor
  • Tesla Tower is your best friend — chains between tightly-packed enemies
  • Prioritize mobility — lightweight armor over heavy protection

Understanding the Illuminate

The Illuminate (self-denominated as the Squ’ith) returned with the Omens of Tyranny update, bringing a completely different threat profile than Terminids or Automatons. These technologically advanced, squid-like aliens rely on psychic powers, cloaking technology, and overwhelming numbers rather than brute force or swarm tactics.

What makes the Illuminate uniquely dangerous is their approach to warfare. They’ve created the Voteless—mind-controlled humans who serve as cannon fodder while elite units like Overseers orchestrate from behind. The faction combines the horde pressure of bugs with the tactical precision of bots, requiring a completely different loadout philosophy.

Illuminate missions also bring new urban combat environments in Super Earth’s colonies. Tight streets, building cover, and civilian presence add layers of complexity you won’t find on alien worlds.

All Illuminate Enemy Types

Voteless

Threat Level: Low individually, dangerous in groups
Weakpoint: Head (standard humanoid)

Former humans under Illuminate mind control. They attack exclusively in melee, shambling toward you in massive hordes. Individually weak, but they’ll overwhelm unprepared squads through sheer numbers.

Counter Strategy: Gas grenades and gas-based stratagems are devastatingly effective. Their melee-only nature means they have to wade through any area denial you deploy. Drop gas behind you while retreating to thin hordes passively.

Overseers

Threat Level: High
Weakpoint: Ankles (hit while prone)

The commanding units of Illuminate forces. Overseers are tall, heavily protected, and can take 8+ headshots before dropping. They’ll locate you even through partial concealment.

Counter Strategy: Go prone and aim for their ankles—this bypasses their upper-body protection. The M1000 Maxigun excels here since you can fire while prone. Focus these first; killing an Overseer often disrupts nearby Voteless coordination.

Watchers

Threat Level: Medium
Weakpoint: Central eye

Floating reconnaissance units that mark your position for reinforcements. They’re fragile but will call in waves if not eliminated quickly.

Counter Strategy: Prioritize immediately when spotted. One accurate shot to the center mass drops them. Don’t let them complete their scan or you’ll face reinforcement waves.

Harvesters

Threat Level: Medium
Weakpoint: Underside panels

These units collect organic matter (including fallen Helldivers) and can deploy more Voteless. They’re tankier than they appear.

Counter Strategy: Focus fire on the underside when they hover or angle upward. Anti-tank weapons overkill them, but sustained rifle fire works if you hit the weak points.

Interlopers

Threat Level: High
Weakpoint: Exposed core when attacking

Fast-moving infiltrators that can phase through obstacles. They’ll appear behind your lines without warning and deal devastating melee damage.

Counter Strategy: Keep moving and maintain 360-degree awareness. When they attack, their core briefly exposes—that’s your window. Shotguns excel against them at close range.

Leviathans

Threat Level: Extreme
Weakpoint: Multiple armored plates

The heavy hitters of the Illuminate arsenal. Massive, heavily armored, and capable of devastating area attacks. Treat them like boss encounters.

Counter Strategy: Anti-tank stratagems are mandatory. Coordinate with your squad to focus armor plates one at a time. Railgun or Quasar Cannon work, but you’ll need multiple sustained hits. Don’t engage alone.

Best Loadouts for Illuminate Missions

Crowd Control Build (Recommended)

This loadout handles the Illuminate’s greatest strength: overwhelming numbers.

  • Primary: Sickle or any energy weapon with high magazine capacity
  • Secondary: Senator for emergency stopping power
  • Grenade: Gas Grenade
  • Armor: Lightweight set with mobility perks
  • Stratagems: Tesla Tower, Gas Strike, Machine Gun Turret, Commando

The Sickle’s infinite ammo and solid damage make it perfect for sustained Voteless culling. Gas grenades create area denial while you reposition. Tesla Tower chains between grouped enemies for passive crowd control.

Elite Hunter Build

Prioritizes taking down Overseers and heavy units quickly.

  • Primary: M1000 Maxigun or Railgun
  • Secondary: Punisher shotgun
  • Grenade: Impact or Thermite
  • Armor: Medium protection with damage resistance
  • Stratagems: Autocannon, Orbital Precision Strike, Shield Generator, Eagle Airstrike

The M1000 lets you prone-fire at Overseer ankles while maintaining accuracy. Punisher handles anything that gets close. Autocannon shreds medium targets while Orbital Precision Strike handles Leviathans.

Solo Survivalist Build

Maximum self-sufficiency for when you’re dropping alone.

  • Primary: Cookout or Liberator
  • Secondary: Senator
  • Grenade: Gas Grenade
  • Armor: Lightweight with stamina regen
  • Stratagems: Jump Pack, Autocannon, Supply Pack, Tesla Tower

Jump Pack provides escape options when hordes close in. Supply Pack ensures you never run dry. Tesla Tower watches your back while you focus forward. Gas grenades buy time to reposition.

Essential Stratagems

Tesla Tower (S-Tier)

Absolutely essential against Illuminate. The tower’s chain lightning jumps between closely-packed Voteless, often clearing entire waves without your involvement. Place it at chokepoints or objective areas.

Gas Strike (A-Tier)

Devastating against the melee-focused Voteless. They literally cannot avoid walking through gas to reach you. Use it to thin approaching hordes or deny areas during objective phases.

Machine Gun Turret (A-Tier)

Provides sustained fire support against light targets. Place it with good sightlines and let it handle Voteless while you focus on priority targets. Works excellently with Tesla Tower.

Commando (A-Tier)

Guided missiles let you snipe Overseers from extreme range. The lock-on bypasses their ability to detect you, and the damage is sufficient to kill most elite units in 1-2 hits.

Quasar Cannon (B-Tier)

The charge time can be punishing when Voteless are swarming, but it one-shots most Illuminate ships and structures. Excellent for destroying spawners and heavy targets when you have breathing room.

Pro Tips for Illuminate Fights

  • Stealth still works: You can guide Voteless swarms using turret noise as a distraction. Stay out of sight and let your turret draw aggro
  • Prone is your friend: Overseer detection is less effective against prone targets, and you can hit their ankle weak points
  • Don’t clump up: Illuminate AoE attacks punish grouped squads harder than any other faction
  • Gas grenade placement: Drop behind you when retreating to create no-go zones for pursuing Voteless
  • Urban cover is different: Buildings block Illuminate sightlines but also your stratagems—call them in open areas
  • Watch for Interlopers: If you haven’t seen one in a while, check your six—they’re flanking
  • Coordinate Leviathan focus: Call out which armor plate your team is targeting; uncoordinated fire wastes damage

FAQ

What’s the best weapon against Illuminate?

The Sickle remains top-tier for crowd control thanks to infinite ammo and solid damage. For elite hunting, the M1000 Maxigun excels because you can fire while prone to hit Overseer ankles. Shotguns like the Punisher handle Interlopers at close range.

Why are Illuminate so hard?

Unlike Terminids (swarm) or Automatons (firepower), Illuminate combine both approaches. Voteless hordes push you while elite units like Overseers provide ranged support. They also have fewer enemy types than other factions, which sounds easier but actually means you’ll face optimized compositions more consistently.

Do I need anti-tank for Illuminate?

Only if you expect Leviathans. Most Illuminate missions are about crowd control, not armor penetration. Bring one anti-tank stratagem as insurance, but prioritize area denial and sustained fire options.

What’s the Illuminate Cognitive Disruptor?

A structure that randomizes your stratagem codes every 10-15 seconds while you’re in range. Either destroy its energy conversion panels or use explosives on the power sources. Don’t try to call stratagems while it’s active—it’s designed to mess with you.

Are energy weapons better against Illuminate?

Not specifically—the Illuminate don’t have particular energy weakness. However, energy weapons like the Sickle work well because infinite ammo means you can sustain fire against endless Voteless waves without resupply concerns.

Summary

The Illuminate demand a crowd-control mindset with targeted elite elimination. Prioritize gas weapons for Voteless hordes, aim for Overseer ankles, and always bring a Tesla Tower. Urban combat rewards mobility over armor, so stay light and keep moving. Coordinate with your squad on Leviathans, and never forget to check your flanks for Interlopers.

Democracy depends on adaptation. The squids are here, but so are we. Now get out there and spread some managed democracy.