Let's be honest. Most players look at a stationary turret in a game as fast-paced as Helldivers 2 and immediately think it's a death trap. Why would you stay in one spot when a swarm of Shriekers is diving at your head or a Charger is playing chicken with your kneecaps? It feels counterintuitive. But the Helldivers 2 anti-tank emplacement—specifically the A/AT-17 Anti-Tank Emplacement—is one of those stratagems that separates the "meta-chasers" from the people who actually know how to hold a line on Helldive+ difficulty.
It isn't a flashy "fire and forget" tool like the Quasar Cannon. You can’t just whip it out while sprinting toward an objective. It’s bulky. It’s slow. Yet, it packs a punch that makes even the most stubborn Bile Titan reconsider its life choices.
The Raw Power of the Anti-Tank Emplacement
The A/AT-17 isn't just a bigger gun; it's a statement. When you call this down, you’re basically telling the Automatons that this specific patch of dirt belongs to Super Earth, and you're willing to die on that hill. Literally.
What makes the anti-tank emplacement stand out from the Recoilless Rifle or the EAT-17 is the sustain. You get two barrels of heavy-ordnance fury. Once you've hopped into the seat, you aren't fumbling with reload animations or waiting for a heat sink to cool down. You just aim, click, and watch the sparks fly. It’s built for those desperate moments during extraction or when you're defending a high-value asset and the dropships just won't stop coming.
The damage profile is high enough to strip armor off a Charger’s leg in one shot or pop a Hulk’s eye from across the map. If you’ve ever felt the frustration of a Commando failing to finish the job, the emplacement is the antidote. It feels heavy. The recoil actually matters. It’s satisfying in a way that most shoulder-mounted weapons just can’t replicate because of the sheer physical presence of the turret.
Stop Using It Like a Sentry
Here is the biggest mistake people make: they treat it like a Gatling Sentry.
It’s not an automated bot. If you drop it in the middle of a field and walk away, it’s just expensive scrap metal. This is a manned station. That means your survival depends entirely on your positioning. You need high ground. You need a clear line of sight. Most importantly, you need a teammate who isn't a total blueberry to watch your back while you're zoomed in on a distant Tank.
✨ Don't miss: Mass Effect Andromeda Gameplay: Why It’s Actually the Best Combat in the Series
I’ve seen too many Helldivers drop the anti-tank emplacement right in the path of a bug breach. That's a great way to get swarmed in four seconds. Instead, you want to tuck it behind some natural cover or at the top of a ramp. You are the sniper of the heavy-ordnance world.
Think about the physics for a second. The turret has a limited traverse speed. If a Scout Strider gets to your flank, you're done. But if you're 80 meters away? You’re a god. You can pick off incoming threats before they even realize you’re a threat. It’s about creating a kill zone.
The Math of Democracy: Damage and Cooldowns
Let’s talk numbers, but not the boring kind.
The cooldown on the anti-tank emplacement is actually surprisingly forgiving compared to some of the high-tier Orbitals. While you're waiting for a Railcannon Strike to reset, you could have potentially dropped two of these bad boys if the mission runs long enough.
- Ammo Count: You get enough shots to clear a wave of heavy armor, usually around 20 rounds.
- Targeting: It handles heavy armor like a dream but struggles with "chaff" (the small stuff). Don't waste shots on Scavengers.
- Durability: It can take a hit, but not a direct rocket from a Devastator.
If you're playing on a planet with high visibility, like those desolate moon-type biomes, the range is your best friend. You can see a Dropship coming from a mile away. One well-placed shot to the engine from your anti-tank emplacement and that entire cargo of bots becomes a flaming pile of debris before it even touches the ground. It’s efficient. It’s clean. It saves your team a massive headache.
Why the Meta Often Ignores It
The community loves mobility. The "Jump Pack and Quasar" combo is popular for a reason—it keeps you alive. Because the anti-tank emplacement forces you to stay still, it gets a bad rap in "quickplay" lobbies where coordination is a myth.
🔗 Read more: Marvel Rivals Emma Frost X Revolution Skin: What Most People Get Wrong
But watch a coordinated squad. One person pulls aggro with a Shield Generator Relay, another drops the emplacement, and a third handles the perimeter with a Flamethrower or Stalwart. Suddenly, the game changes. You aren't running away anymore. You're the one being chased, sure, but you're also the one doing the erasing.
There's also the misconception that it's "obsolete" because of the newer heavy weapons. Honestly? Not really. The ammo economy on the emplacement is its secret weapon. You aren't hunting for glowing blue crates every two minutes. You have your shots, you use them, and by the time you're out, the next one is usually almost ready to drop.
The Automaton Problem
Against bots, the anti-tank emplacement is a high-risk, high-reward gamble. Cannon Towers will snip you out of that seat faster than you can say "Cyborg." However, if you're the one who shoots first, you can dismantle a Factory Strider’s chin guns and then core the thing before it can even deploy its Devastators.
It requires a certain level of "map awareness" that most players haven't developed yet. You have to anticipate where the enemy is coming from. If you're reacting to a shot, you're already too late. You have to be the one dictating the pace of the engagement.
Real-World Strategic Implementation
If you want to actually win with this thing, stop bringing it on Blitz missions. You don't have time to sit down.
Bring it on:
💡 You might also like: Finding the Right Words That Start With Oc 5 Letters for Your Next Wordle Win
- Retrieve Essential Personnel: Drop it near the path where the civilians run. It creates a "No-Fly Zone" for bot drops.
- Eradicate Missions: The maps are small. Find a corner, plant the anti-tank emplacement, and become a turret of doom.
- Launch ICBM: Use it to cover the fueling process. Those long minutes of standing around are exactly what this stratagem was built for.
I’ve had rounds where a single well-placed emplacement held off three Chargers and a Bile Titan while the rest of the team finished the terminal inputs. That’s the kind of value you can’t get from an Eagle Airstrike that might miss half its bombs because of a weird rock formation.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Drop
To master the anti-tank emplacement, you need to change your mindset from "soldier" to "artillery commander."
First, look at the terrain before you throw the beacon. If there’s a rock that covers your back, use it. Second, always pair this with a defensive stratagem if you can. A Tesla Tower or a regular Sentry can keep the small bugs off you while you focus on the big targets.
Third, and this is crucial: Learn the projectile drop. The shots aren't hitscan. There is a slight arc at extreme ranges. Practice on a lower difficulty until you can hit a moving Charger in the forehead from 100 meters away.
Finally, don't be afraid to abandon ship. If a 500kg bomb is coming in hot or a swarm has breached your perimeter, get out. The turret is replaceable. You are not. (Well, technically you are, but those reinforcement points are precious).
The next time you're prepping your loadout, skip the usual suspects. Try the anti-tank emplacement. It’s loud, it’s heavy, and it’s the closest thing to feeling like a literal tank on two legs. Super Earth didn't give you that heavy ordnance just to look at it; go out there and turn some bugs into green mist.