The Galactic War is the living, breathing heart of Helldivers 2. It can seem complex with its moving fronts, Major Orders, and dispatches, but its flow follows a clear logic once you understand the core mechanics. This guide breaks down how it actually works from a player's perspective.

What is the Galactic War and How Do I Influence It?

The Galactic War is a persistent, community-driven meta-game where all players' missions contribute to a shared goal. When you complete an operation (a set of missions on one planet), you contribute to that planet's liberation percentage. Defend campaigns require players to win a higher percentage of missions than the enemy to succeed. Your individual performance matters—completing missions, especially on higher difficulties, contributes more to the war effort. Most players focus on planets tied to the active Major Order, as that's where the community collectively directs its efforts.

What Are Major Orders and How Should I Approach Them?

Major Orders are community-wide objectives issued by Super Earth High Command. They are your primary strategic directive. Completing them rewards everyone with Warbonds (the premium currency) and sometimes unique stratagems. In general, players should prioritize missions on planets that contribute to the active Major Order. The in-game Galactic War map will highlight the relevant sectors and planets. Success or failure is determined by the total player base's efforts within a set time limit. If you see a dispatch about a new Major Order, it's a good signal to check your map and re-focus your missions.

How Do Enemy Invasions and Liberations Work?

The enemy factions—Automatons and Terminids—are not static. They launch invasions to capture new planets. You can see these on the map as enemy arrows pushing into controlled space. When a planet is under attack, a defense campaign begins. For defense, the community must achieve a victory threshold against the enemy's progress. If the defense fails, the planet is invaded and must be liberated again. Liberating a planet requires grinding its liberation percentage to 100% through successful operations. The difficulty of missions on a planet usually scales with its threat level and how contested it is.

What Are Assault Divisions and DSS Effects?

Assault Divisions are special enemy battalions, like the "Jet Brigade" or "Predator Strain." When they deploy to a planet, they represent a heightened threat and often tie into the current narrative. They can make missions on that planet more challenging. DSS (Democracy Space Station) effects are temporary global buffs activated when the community achieves certain goals. For example, "Eagle Storm" might provide more Eagle stratagem uses. These are powerful bonuses, so it's beneficial to play during these active effects. They are a reward for collective player progress.

What's the Deal with the Meridian Singularity and Special Events?

The Meridian Singularity was a major narrative event—a moving celestial threat that could destroy planets (like Ivis). These large-scale story events create shifting priorities. One day you might be defending Malevelon Creek for a memorial, the next you're conducting research in the "Gloom" to stop a wormhole. Dispatches will guide you. These events often introduce unique modifiers, like reduced reinforcements or special stratagem access. Players usually find that focusing on the planets and objectives highlighted during these events yields the most coherent and rewarding experience, as they drive the story forward.

How Do Planet Bonuses and Modifiers Function?

Planets can have temporary modifiers that affect gameplay. These can be positive, like universal access to a normally locked stratagem (e.g., the Heavy Machine Gun), or negative, like "Ammunition Shortage" reducing resupply pod ammo. These are applied globally to all missions on that planet. They are implemented by the game masters to reflect the evolving narrative, such as supply line disruptions. Most players adapt their loadouts to these conditions; for instance, bringing ammo-efficient weapons during a shortage. It's a good practice to check the planet status before deploying, as it can significantly change your strategy. While earning rewards through gameplay is standard, some players look for shortcuts, leading them to search for services where they can buy Helldivers 2 medals online at U4N, though this is not endorsed by the game and carries risks.

What is a "Gambit" and Strategic Advisory?

You might see a dispatch about a "Strategic Advisory" or an outcome decided by a "gambit." This is a deeper layer of strategy. Sometimes, liberating a specific "origin" planet will automatically win defenses on other planets that the enemy was attacking from it. For example, liberating Bore Rock auto-won the defenses on Terrek and Erata Prime. This creates meaningful choices for the community: do we defend multiple planets under direct attack, or launch a concentrated assault on the source? Following these advisories can lead to very efficient victories for the war effort.

What Happens When a Sector is "Fully Controlled"?

When a sector's every planet is under human control, it is considered secured. This is a permanent (until the enemy invades it again) territorial gain. Securing sectors can be a goal of Major Orders and often provides a strategic buffer. However, the front lines are always in flux. A fully controlled sector one week can be under assault the next, especially after a large narrative event where defenses are "weakened," as seen in the final Major Order log.

In practice, the Galactic War creates a dynamic, shared experience. There's no single "right" way to play, but understanding these systems helps you make informed decisions about where to deploy. The community's collective action writes the story, mission by mission.