You're staring at that Grey Knight cosmetic or the next weapon tier, and the realization hits: you need a lot of Armoury Data. Like, a lot. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 isn't exactly generous with its endgame resources if you’re just wandering through the campaign. If you want to max out your builds, you have to find the Space Marine 2 fastest operation to run on loop. Most players gravitate toward whatever mission feels shortest, but there’s a massive difference between "feeling fast" and actually being efficient when you factor in Geneseed locations and boss mechanics.
Speed matters.
The community has basically settled the debate, though. While some people swear by the later missions for the spectacle, the math points squarely at Inferno. It is the gold standard for efficiency. You can clear it in under 12 minutes with a decent squad, and even faster if you’re abusing the Vanguard's mobility or the Melta's current (admittedly broken) health-regen state. But speed isn't just about the timer. It's about predictability.
Why Inferno is the Space Marine 2 Fastest Operation Right Now
Inferno is the first operation you unlock, but don't let its "tutorial" vibe fool you. It’s the most consistent. You know exactly where the spawns are. You know the scripted events. Most importantly, the map layout is relatively linear compared to the sprawling chaos of something like Vox Liberatis.
In Inferno, your primary goal is to reach the refinery. There’s a specific rhythm to it. You drop in, clear the first camp, and move toward the observation post. What makes this the Space Marine 2 fastest operation isn't just the lack of a complex boss; it's the density of the Tyranid swarms. Because the pathing is so narrow, a single Heavy with a Multi-melta or a Tactical marine using Auspex Scan can delete an entire wave in seconds. You aren't chasing enemies across a wide arena. They come to you.
The "Speedrun" Path through the Jungle
Honestly, most people waste time fighting every single Termagant. Don't do that.
The trick to keeping your runtime low is understanding "progression gates." In Inferno, there are sections where you simply don't have to fight. Once you trigger the objective to plant the charges at the refinery, the enemies are just a distraction. If your team is coordinated, one person handles the consoles while the other two create a perimeter. You can ignore about 40% of the trash mobs if you just keep moving toward the next checkpoint. This is how you get those 10-minute clears.
💡 You might also like: Why the Disney Infinity Star Wars Starter Pack Still Matters for Collectors in 2026
The Decapitation Alternative
Now, some players argue that Decapitation is actually the Space Marine 2 fastest operation. They aren't entirely wrong, but it’s high-risk. Decapitation ends with a fight against a Hive Tyrant. If your team has high single-target DPS—think a Melta-focused Vanguard or a Sniper with Las Fusil—you can melt the Tyrant in record time.
But here’s the catch.
If you're playing with randoms, the Hive Tyrant is a coin flip. It has phases. It has a scream that can stun-lock an unprepared squad. If you wipe at the very end, you've just wasted 15 minutes for nothing. Inferno doesn't have that "hard wall." The final "boss" of Inferno is essentially a horde survival segment that you can brute force with grenades and Melta fire. For consistent farming, Inferno wins because it has a higher floor for success.
Finding the Hidden Armoury Data
You can't talk about the Space Marine 2 fastest operation without mentioning the loot. Every operation has a chance to spawn a Servo-skull carrying Armoury Data. In Inferno, these spawns are remarkably close to the main path.
- Check the small cave to the left before the first major drop.
- Look behind the crates near the second ammo cache.
- There’s a potential spawn right before you enter the final refinery area.
If you aren't checking these, you're missing the point of speed-farming. The goal is to maximize Data per hour. If you finish a mission in 8 minutes but skip the Data, you’ve failed the farm.
Class Synergy for Maximum Speed
If you want to turn the Space Marine 2 fastest operation into a literal cakewalk, your team composition needs to be intentional. A Bulwark is great for survivability, but they are slow. They don't help you clear a room in five seconds.
📖 Related: Grand Theft Auto Games Timeline: Why the Chronology is a Beautiful Mess
You want a Tactical marine. Period. The Auspex Scan is the single most important ability for speed. It marks enemies and makes them take significantly more damage. When a Majoris-level enemy (like a Tyranid Warrior) shows up, the Tactical marine marks it, and the rest of the team deletes it instantly. No dueling. No parry-dancing for three minutes. Just scan and delete.
Pair the Tactical with a Vanguard. The Grapnel Launcher isn't just for combat; it's for movement. A Vanguard can zip across the map to trigger the next objective while the other two are finishing up a skirmish. This "leapfrogging" technique shaves minutes off your total time.
The Melta Meta
It’s no secret among the player base right now: the Melta Rifle and Multi-melta are king. Because of the way "contested health" works in Space Marine 2, dealing massive AOE damage allows you to instantly refill your health bar. On Ruthless difficulty, this is basically mandatory for speed-farming. While Saber Interactive might tweak this in future patches, right now, if you aren't bringing at least one Melta to your Space Marine 2 fastest operation runs, you’re making life harder than it needs to be.
Vox Liberatis and the Problem with Elevators
A lot of players think Vox Liberatis is fast because the first half is basically a straight line. Then you hit the elevators.
Elevators are the enemy of the speedrunner.
Vox Liberatis has multiple "wait for the thing to move" segments. While you’re standing on a platform, the game is throwing waves at you. You can't speed that up. You are locked into the game's internal timer. Inferno has some of this, but the "waiting" periods are shorter and allow for more player agency in clearing the objectives.
👉 See also: Among Us Spider-Man: Why Everyone Is Still Obsessed With These Mods
Handling the Geneseed
If you’re farming, you’re likely also carrying a Geneseed for that sweet XP bonus. This changes the math. On the Space Marine 2 fastest operation, the Geneseed is a liability because you can't lose your armor or it breaks.
In Inferno, the Geneseed usually spawns in the swamp area or near the mid-point bridge. Because Inferno has so many "safe zones" where you can bottleneck enemies, it is much easier to protect the Geneseed carrier here than in the open-air arenas of Mission 4 or 5.
Common Mistakes That Slow You Down
- Over-clearing: You don't get extra rewards for killing 1,000 Termagants. If the door is open, go through it.
- Ignoring Extremis Enemies: If a Zoanthrope spawns, kill it immediately. If you try to run past it, it will scream and slow the entire team down, likely leading to a wipe.
- Bad Ammo Management: Running back for ammo crates is a time-killer. Use your melee on smaller enemies and save the lead for the big guys.
Strategic Breakdown: The 10-Minute Inferno Run
To truly master the Space Marine 2 fastest operation, you need a mental checklist.
First, the opening. Sprint past the first pack of enemies until you hit the ledge. Drop down. Only then do you start fighting. This pulls the enemies into a cluster, making them easy pickings for a grenade or a Melta blast.
Second, the swamp. Don't linger. The water slows you down, but the Vanguard can grapple to dry land or enemies to maintain momentum. Keep your eyes peeled for the Armoury Data skull here, as it often hides behind the fallen trees.
Third, the refinery defense. This is where most runs stall. You have to interact with the terminals. Have one person dedicated to the buttons while the others use high-stagger weapons to keep the Warriors away. If you get the "Malfunction" prompt, fix it instantly. Every second the progress bar isn't moving is a second added to your clear time.
Final Thoughts on Efficiency
There is a temptation to play on lower difficulties to speed things up. Don't do it if you need Purple or Gold Armoury Data. You have to play on Substantial or Ruthless. The Space Marine 2 fastest operation on Minimal difficulty is useless if the rewards don't match your upgrade needs. Fortunately, because Inferno is so predictable, running it on Ruthless isn't much slower than running it on Average once you know the spawns.
Actionable Next Steps for Farming
- Assemble the Squad: Grab a Tactical and a Vanguard. If you have a third, bring a Heavy for sustained AOE.
- Equip Melta Weaponry: Until a balance patch says otherwise, the Melta is your best friend for maintaining health and clearing hordes without stopping.
- Learn the Skull Spawns: Memorize the 4-5 spots where the Armoury Data spawns in Inferno. Checking them should take five seconds, not five minutes.
- Ignore the Trash: Only kill what is necessary to open the next door or survive an encounter. Movement is more important than your kill count.
- Chain Your Runs: Don't go back to the Battle Barge if you don't have to. You can restart the operation from the terminal to keep the momentum going.
By focusing on Inferno and optimizing your movement between objectives, you turn a potential grind into a streamlined process. This mission remains the most reliable path to a fully upgraded Space Marine, allowing you to bypass the frustration of longer, more volatile operations. Keep the pressure up, watch the flank, and get that data.