What makes Factory Striders so tricky to deal with in Helldivers 2? Factory Striders are one of the most intimidating enemy units in the game, especially for newer divers. These massive, walking war machines don’t just hit hard; they also move in ways that can catch you off guard if you aren’t paying attention. When I first ran into one during a high-difficulty Automaton mission, I thought I could outrun it. Turns out, nope. Understanding how these things move is a huge part of surviving encounters with them.

Let’s break down their movement patterns, how they behave in different situations, and what you can do to stay alive when one is stomping its way toward you.

How do Factory Striders pick their targets? Factory Striders tend to focus on the nearest threat, which usually means whoever made the most noise or dealt the most damage recently. They’re not as reactive as smaller bots, but once they lock onto someone, they’ll keep marching toward that player in a pretty straight and committed line.

What helped me the most was realizing that Striders don’t adapt quickly mid-movement. If they start turning toward you, that motion carries on for a while, which you can use to your advantage. Swing wide, reposition, and let another diver take their attention for a moment. This is also why some players like to stock up resources through various in-game methods or even external services to prepare for tougher missions. I once grabbed some gear after deciding to buy helldivers 2 super credits, and it made experimenting with different loadouts much easier while practicing Strider fights.

Do Factory Striders have predictable movement cycles? Yes. Once you get used to their pacing, you’ll notice their movement works in a loop. They walk a few steps, pause slightly to adjust their torso, then resume marching. This pause is small, but it gives you a window to land heavier shots or reposition behind cover.

Their turns are also slow and deliberate. If you dodge sideways while they’re mid-turn, they often take longer to realign. This is one of the easiest ways to avoid getting pinned against terrain. When they’re closing distance, don’t run backward in a straight line. Instead, move diagonally or circle around nearby rocks or structures. It’s basically forcing the Strider to rotate, which interrupts its ability to shoot accurately.

Why do Factory Striders pause before firing? Striders have a built-in firing rhythm. When they transition from walking to shooting, there’s a short wind-up animation where the gun mounts stabilize. Once you learn this timing, you can dodge just before the burst starts. It’s not perfect, but it’s surprisingly consistent.

Something to keep in mind is that if a Strider is already locked onto another teammate, you can use this opportunity to flank or attack weak points. You don’t need fancy gear for this, but planning your builds definitely helps. I’ve seen players manage all kinds of loadout combinations, sometimes even choosing to buy helldivers 2 super credits cheap so they can test stratagem mixes more freely. The key is to find something that lets you deal steady, reliable damage while staying mobile.

How do Factory Striders behave in groups or around other Automatons? Striders don’t coordinate closely with smaller robots, but they do stay aligned with the general push of the Automaton army. If you clear out the smaller units first, Striders tend to expose themselves more, making them easier targets. But if you ignore the adds and focus only on the Strider, you’re going to get surrounded fast.

One trick I learned is to bait the Strider into stepping onto uneven terrain. Because of their large animation set, they slow down when navigating slopes, dips, or debris. This won’t stop them completely, but it gives you precious seconds to reposition.

What are the safest ways to approach or escape a Factory Strider? The safest way to get close is during their turn or firing wind-up. If you hear the mechanical hum before the weapon burst, dodge sideways immediately. Never dodge backward; it’s too slow and puts you in line with their fire.

If you need to escape, break line of sight. Striders lose target lock much faster when they can’t see you. A small hill, crashed ship piece, or even a shallow ditch can be enough to reset their tracking. Once they pause to reassess, that’s your cue to sprint somewhere safer.

A small personal tip: don’t panic-roll repeatedly. Rolling drains stamina fast, and having no stamina when a Strider spots you is basically a death sentence. Short sprints and quick turns work better.

Are there tools or strategies players often overlook when fighting Striders? Absolutely. Many newer divers forget that Striders have exposed side vents and rear weak points that take extra damage. Heavy weapons, recoil-based stratagems, and well-timed Eagle runs can chunk their health quickly.

Speaking of Eagles, pairing airstrikes with ground-based explosive stratagems can wipe out a Strider before it becomes a problem. Planning these combos is much easier when you’ve experimented with different loadouts, and communities like U4GM often discuss which gear setups give the best results for this kind of fight.

Another thing players overlook is vertical space. If you can shoot from a raised rock or slope, the Strider’s walking path might struggle to reach you directly, giving you extra breathing room.

Final Thoughts: What’s the key takeaway when dealing with Factory Striders? Factory Striders look terrifying, but once you understand their movement cycle, they become much more manageable. Learn their walking rhythm, watch the pauses before they fire, and force them into slow turns whenever possible. Treat every encounter like a positioning challenge rather than a pure DPS check.

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