Strafing Run

"A fighter equipped with two heavy machine guns strafes the target area, causing massive anti-personnel damage."
- Armory Description

Stratagem Code[ | ]

Players must enter the following sequence, using the controller d‑pad, in order to call down this stratagem during a mission:

Unlock Requirement[ | ]

The Strafing Run is granted to the player as a reward for completing all the missions on its associated planet (typically a low level planet - difficulty 1 to 3).

Upgrades[ | ]

	Cost	Effect
Mk1		Basic variant, no upgrades.
Mk2	1	Improved routines for flightpaths allows the strafing run to be called more often (cooldown reduced from 15 seconds to 10 seconds).
Mk3	1	Extended magazines allow for a larger area of effect.

Gameplay Tips[ | ]

The Strafing Run always hits perpendicular to the direction of the throw. If enemies are approaching from the front, throwing the beacon slightly to the right can hit a whole row of enemies.

It is possible to stand still directly on the thrown Strafing Run stratagem beacon without being hit by its machine gun fire. You can throw the beacon in any direction you want, just make sure to stand on it. While you're standing on the beacon you can't move, but you can attack and aim anywhere you want to. Keep this in mind, as you can still get downed/killed by nearby enemies before the Strafing Run hits them.

While the Strafing Run is of limited effectiveness against high-level Cyborg and Bug forces due to its inability to damage armored targets, it is extremely effective against all Illuminate units; taking two or more stratagem slots of Strafing Run will easily clear Illuminate forces even at high difficulty levels.

This and Close Air Support are the only stratagems that are not affected by the 1-second activation time reduction from Precision Call-In Perk. There is no way to activate stratagems faster than 0.1 second.

Gallery[ | ]

Standing right in the blind spot

Notes[ | ]

Helldivers Stratagems
Supply Stratagems	Resupply – REP-80 – AD-289 Angel^♦ – AD-334 Guard Dog^♦ – LIFT-850 Jump Pack – Resupply Pack – SH-20 Shield Generator Pack – SH-32 Directional Kinetic Shield^♦ MG-94 Machine Gun – MGX-42 Machine Gun – AC-22 Dum-Dum^♦ – LAS-98 Laser Cannon – FLAM-40 Incinerator – TOX-13 Avenger^♦ – Obliterator Grenade Launcher – MLS-4X Commando^♦ – RL-112 Recoilless Rifle – EAT-17 – REC-6 Demolisher^♦ – M-25 Rumbler^♦ EXO-44 Walker Exosuit – EXO-48 Obsidian Exosuit^♦ – EXO-51 Lumberer Exosuit^♦ – M5 APC – M5-32 HAV – TD-110 Bastion^♦ – MC-109 Hammer Motorcycle^♦
Defensive Stratagems	A/AC-6 Tesla Tower – A/GL-8 Launcher Turret – A/MG-11 Minigun Turret – A/RX-34 Railcannon Turret – Airdropped Anti-Personnel Mines – Airdropped Stun Mines – Anti-Personnel Barrier^♦ – AT-47 Anti-Tank Emplacement^♦ – Distractor Beacon – Humblebee UAV drone^♦ – Thunderer Smoke Round
Offensive Stratagems	Airstrike – Close Air Support^♦ – Heavy Strafing Run – Incendiary Bombs – Missile Barrage^♦ – Orbital Laser Strike – Railcannon Strike – Shredder Missile Strike – Sledge Precision Artillery^♦ – Static Field Conductors – Strafing Run – Thunderer Barrage – Vindicator Dive Bomb
Special Stratagems	Emergency Beacon – ME-1 Sniffer Metal Detector – NUX-223 Hellbomb – Reinforce