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Dear Raiders, the Third Expedition has officially begun. Are you ready to start? This expedition runs from April 28th to May 4th, giving you a week to achieve your goals. However, it's important to note that this time, your focus isn't on increasing inventory value, but rather on maximizing damage output, completely reshaping the core gameplay.

From Pursuing Loot to Pursuing Purer Combat

As the core reward of Expedition system, skill points are the goal every Raider player has always chased. Previously, unlocking all 5 skill points required repetitive resource farming and inventory value increases, resulting in a more passive and tedious gameplay experience, which was a major complaint from many players. However, in this expedition, the developers have completely shed this repetitive labor, shifting towards a more dynamic combat experience.

Now, your expedition progress and skill point acquisition depend entirely on your combat and damage. You're no longer just focused on gathering resources; you need to focus on equipping better loadouts or finding like-minded teammates to dominate the game. This combat-driven expedition mechanism allows for better synergy with the game's weapon and upgrade systems, resulting in a better player experience.

Redesigning Skill Point Acquisition

In this update, the developers have changed the original design of skill point acquisition. Instead of the previously mentioned 5 skill points, players must achieve a sufficiently high damage target during the game. This includes any method of dealing damage, encompassing weapons, skills, and damage output.

In co-op or solo games, players can accumulate approximately 100,000 damage across multiple matches to earn the maximum reward of 5 skill points. However, for co-op players, you and your friends will not share progress; everyone must strive for more damage. So, players, successful extraction is no longer the primary objective; pursue more aggressive and frenzied combat!

Richer Maps and Enemies

As part of the Third Expedition update, new maps and more threatening enemies bring greater challenges to raiders. This deserted seaside resort map features not only dynamic combat but also a large ARC enemy type described as a high-threat enemy that can significantly impact player progress, offering a more diverse combat experience.

A More Flexible Expedition System

The developers have provided more support mechanisms to ensure raiders can more easily participate in this Expedition.

Players who missed Expedition registration window can still join, but at a later stage, and they will not receive the extra skill points earned by those who registered on time.

However, it's worth noting that there is still a way for lagging players to gain skill points after completing the core requirements of this Expedition, and each skill point costs approximately 300,000 in-game coins.

For players who were unable to participate in the game's early stages due to various reasons, this is undoubtedly a clear and practical way to make up for their regret of not being able to participate in expeditions in time.

More Rewards and a More Long-Term Reward System

ARC Raiders will provide a progress system that gradually expands over time and is permanently saved. If you participate in expeditions, these permanent rewards will always be stored in your account. Larger storage space, more skill points, and more diverse cosmetic rewards:

Each expedition completion grants 12 storage slots.

The stacking rewards for consecutive expedition participation are as follows:

• +5–15% experience gain
• +6–18% resource bonuses (Scrappy materials)
• +60–80% repair efficiency

However, raiders should note that these rewards will reset if an expedition is missed, and there is no way to make up for it.

Many players are eagerly awaiting the cosmetic reward updates, including the Patchwork set (evolved version) and customization toggle options, with more color variations. A unique cosmetic item—Scrappy Turban. The exploration indicator icon, which upgrades with each expedition, will visually change as raiders progress.

The update has generated considerable discussion within the player community, but also presents differing opinions. This is because the update not only introduces more dynamic gameplay and encourages player participation in combat, adding more excitement and variability to matches, but it has also caused anxiety among many raiders regarding the developer's strict time limits on limited-time content and rewards, and the pressure of falling behind other players. The developer has stated that they will continuously adjust the progress reset and retention mechanisms.

Furthermore, with more game content updates, the value of previously accumulated game items will inevitably decrease. The updated ARC Raiders items, better compatible with the current mechanics, will inevitably demonstrate greater value.

Overall, the Third Expedition signifies the developer's intention to shift ARC Raiders experience towards greater player interaction and combat-oriented gameplay, rather than the previous focus on resource accumulation and progression. Repetitive gameplay has been eliminated, and a dynamic and intense experience will be presented in every raider's match. This may significantly influence and change the future direction of game design and development.

It's been over a week since ARC Raiders Riven Tides update, and many players are likely already familiar with the new content. After a week's break, ARC Raiders weekly trials are back, offering a series of brand-new missions for both new and returning players.

This week's trials run from May 4th to May 10th. There are five trials: Destroy Fireballs, Destroy ARC Enemies in Swamp (Dam Battlegrounds), Search Kitchen Cabinets, Damage Any ARC Enemies, and Deal Melee Damage to ARC Enemies.

This guide will explain each of these challenges in detail to help you better complete this week's trials.

How to Destroy Fireballs?

Fireballs are small, spherical ARC mechs designed for sustained close-quarters combat. When in attack mode, Fireballs roll towards their target and open their front panel, unleashing a long burst of flame from their flamethrower. Targets hit by Fireballs' flames will suffer severe damage.

Once a Raider catches fire, it will continue to take burning damage for several seconds, regardless of whether it stops attacking or has been destroyed. Therefore, Fireball Trial can be very deadly for novice players, but it should be one of the easier trials this week. Fireballs spawn on every map, so finding them shouldn't be difficult. Buried City is a good starting point.

When attacking, Fireball opens its front panel, revealing its unarmored core. While the core is fragile and can be destroyed by any weapon, the outer shell covering it is quite sturdy and requires heavy ammunition to penetrate. Light ammunition is ineffective against the shell and will bounce off.

It is recommended that players attempting this trial equip themselves with heavy weapons and use high-powered weapons like Ferro or Anvil to penetrate the outer shell. This should significantly reduce the difficulty of the trial.

How To Search Kitchen Cabinets?

This is a new trial in ARC Raiders. Some maps have very popular residential areas. In this trial, you need to go to these areas, enter the kitchen, and loot the cabinets. It sounds simple, but remember, these places will quickly become overcrowded graveyards because everyone will be doing the same thing.

Therefore, you need to know some places where you might encounter fewer looters. Without further ado, let's talk about the best looting spots on each map.

First, you can go to Ruby Residence and Pale Apartments in Dam Battlegrounds; both places have decent loot. Next is Buried City, which has the most residential buildings on this map. Players can start from Grandioso Apartments, head to Plaza Rosa, pass Red Tower, and finally reach Piazza Arbusto; this route should be the optimal path to complete the mission.

Finally, you can go to Blue Gate map; this Village area is practically designed specifically for this trial, with numerous cabinets.

How To Destroy ARC Enemies in Swamp?

Scoring in this trial is limited to destroying ARC enemies in Dam Battlegrounds Swamp area. So, to begin this trial, players need to enter Dam Battlegrounds and search the area around Swamp. Swamp isn't a single point on the map, but rather three separate locations in the southwest area of ​​Dam Battlegrounds map.

These three locations all count towards the weekly trial objective, so you can freely move between them during the raid. While staying at one point and waiting for monsters to spawn is also an option, rotating between the three locations allows enemies to constantly move through the area, thus speeding up your progress.

These areas will spawn many different enemies, giving players plenty of options. Rocketeers and Leapers earn the highest score per kill, so prioritize attacking them if you want to finish quickly. Once you have enough kills, simply successfully withdraw to complete the trial. Remember to avoid engaging other Raiders.

How To Deal Melee Damage to ARC Enemies?

This is also a brand new trial where scoring is limited to dealing melee damage to ARC enemies in any map or under any conditions, with a minimum of 10 points and a maximum of 150 points. Before starting the trial, you'll need some ARC Raiders Items, plenty of stamina recovery items, and a weapon for self-defense.

You can use free loadouts in ARC Raiders, but for a high score, it's recommended to use some good gear. Here's a recommended item list:

• Survivor MK.3 Augment
• Medium Shield
• 5 Shield Rechargers
• 5-10 Bandages
• As many Adrenaline Shots as possible
• Any guns and ammo you want as backup

It's worth noting that the base health of ticks is insufficient for players to complete this trial by farming them. Therefore, players should choose to knock down or climb onto larger enemies and then unleash a barrage of melee attacks.

How To Damage Any ARC Enemies?

The difficulty of this trial is almost self-evident and frequently appears in various weekly trial events. Players can develop strategies, choose the type of ARC enemies they want to attack, and then go to their preferred map to complete the trial in any way they like.

This concludes this article. This is all the information players need to know about this week's ARC Raiders trial. Don't waste any time, go complete your trial, and we look forward to hearing good news. If you discover any better methods during the process, I look forward to your sharing.

In the recent Trials season 4: What's on the Horizon update for ARC Raiders, besides the two new sets, Solare Set and Rachetta Set, a new Augment item - Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) - was added.

The official statement indicated that, in addition to player feedback regarding the imbalance of some Augment items, they also noticed that some Augment items performed poorly in practice. Therefore, they adjusted the balance of Augment items and buffed some underperforming ones.

In this favorable environment, ARC Raiders players are no longer content with just focusing on existing Augment items; they are eagerly anticipating this new Augment item that brings good news of increased power. So, what exactly does Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) do, and how can one find its blueprint on ARC Raiders map?

Attributes and Functions

The new Augment item for ARC Raiders, Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke), is an upgraded version of Tactical Mk.2 Augment component, offering significantly increased capacity. After finding its blueprint, you need to craft it at Gear Bench, requiring 2 Advanced Electrical Components and 3 Processors.

It boasts a durability of 100, maxed out, and a maximum load capacity of 50, usable with both light and medium shields. In addition, it has 5 quick-use slots, 2 deployable utilities, and 2 safe pockets, offering 19 times the carrying capacity of comparable items. It's arguably one of the most powerful items currently available in ARC Raiders.

It also has a very useful passive skill: when your shield is broken, Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) deploys a small smoke grenade. The cooldown is fixed. It can be a lifesaver when you're threatened or in danger during an assault, allowing you to react quickly using the smoke grenade's effect.

Obtaining Blueprints

Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprint differs from other regular item blueprints; it can only be obtained by looting specific containers on ARC Raiders map.

Riven Tides

The new map, Riven Tides, is the best place to quickly obtain ARC Raiders Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprint, as it contains numerous containers, often hiding high-value equipment and items.

However, I won't suggest blindly searching like looking for a needle in a haystack. There are two areas you should focus on looting: Port Authority Building and Tennis Court POIs. Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprint will spawn in the lockers and drawers at these locations. Stacking Yard is also worth checking, as it has many containers as well.

Buried City

Traveling to Buried City in Night Raid mode will significantly improve the overall quality of looted items and the drop rate of rare blueprints. After repeated testing and verification by the community, Lucky Loot bonus from Night Raid significantly improves the efficiency of obtaining Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprints.

When you arrive in Buried City, prioritize Space Travel building (blue area) and Research building just across the street. These are high-risk, high-value core areas, filled with various containers, drawers, and lockers; thoroughly search them all.

Based on testing by ARC Raiders player community across nearly 180 containers, precisely search these two buildings is one of the most reliable methods for obtaining Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprints.

Stella Montis

Similarly, it's best to enter Stella Montis map during Night Raid and focus on searching Medical Research drawers. It's worth noting that this map is notoriously dangerous and has a bad reputation.

The map is dangerous because of the numerous ARC patrols, including the iconic Shredder from Stella Montis map. It has a bad reputation because ARC Raiders on this map are generally very aggressive and might kill you while you're looting.

Therefore, before entering this map, be sure to bring defensive gear, weapons, and a safe pocket for high-value blueprints, such as Looting Mk. 3 (Safekeeper). After all, it would be a huge loss if you found a blueprint only to have it fall into the hands of lurking rats.

Besides looting blueprints on the map, you can also try the risk of killing elite ARC enemies, such as Queen, Matriarch, Bastion, Leaper, and Rocketeer. These enemies have a chance to drop Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) blueprints, but this is far more dangerous.

In summary, the strategy for obtaining Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprints is:

• Start from Riven Tides - Hotel Panorama Azzurro for the fastest way to acquire a large amount of loot.
• If you want to search more office and container checks, move on to Port Authority Buildings.
• Cabinets, desks, shelves, lockers, backpacks, suitcases, and small containers.
• Activate Surveyors to obtain ARC Raiders resources and Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) Blueprint.
• Use Buried City Hospital as a safer alternative route, or utilize Blue Gate Reinforced Reception lockers.
• Collect your loot immediately and store your newly acquired Augment blueprint in a secure pocket.

Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) not only addresses the defensive weaknesses in ARC Raiders but also becomes a key item for turning the tide of battle thanks to its passive smoke mechanic.

Therefore, obtaining Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) blueprint permanently unlocks this top-tier survival tool. Take advantage of the golden environment after the balance adjustments and set out tonight to make it your second shield in ARC Raiders raids.

Helldivers 2's latest EXO Experts Warbond was released on April 28, 2026, bringing with it a wealth of new weapons and Stratagems.

We will break down one by one all the key statistics for SMG-203 Gallant, P-33 Missile Pistol, EXO-51 Lumberer, and EXO-55 Breakthrough.

This guide also covers the three major hostile factions - Terminids, Automatons, and Illuminate - providing you with the most direct and effective strategies for engaging each one.

• SMG-203 Gallant
• P-33 Missile Pistol
• EXO-51 Lumberer
• EXO-55 Breakthrough

SMG-203 Gallant

SMG-203 Gallant can be unlocked on Page 1 of Helldivers 2: EXO Experts Premium Warbond for 35 Medals; alternatively, you can unlock it using Helldivers 2 Super Credits. It features a damage output of 65, a magazine capacity of 50, a recoil rating of 15, and a fire rate of 1,380 RPM.

Furthermore, not only does it deal moderate damage, but it is also a one-handed weapon; this allows you to simultaneously wield a ballistic shield or carry objectives. Additionally, you can toggle between fully automatic, semi-automatic, and burst-fire modes, as well as switch the weapon-mounted light on or off.

Terminids

When using this weapon to take down a Charger, you must maneuver behind it and unload two full magazines into its back, specifically targeting the abdominal area. The second magazine alone should be sufficient to pierce through its rear armor. To bring down an Impaler, you will need to aim for its head/upper body and land an additional two or three shots to finish it off.

Brood Commanders and Alpha Commanders require three shots to eliminate. Smaller enemies, such as Warriors, require only two shots, while the smallest Terminid enemies can be taken down with a single shot. Hive Guard has also undergone recent balance changes; you can now eliminate one simply by aiming directly below its chest plate.

Automatons

When facing a Hulk, firing just half a magazine into its heat sink (radiator) is sufficient to take it down; the same applies to Devastator. With this weapon, you can eliminate smaller enemies instantly with a single headshot. If you wish to destroy a Scout Strider, aim for its legs; it will take approximately three-quarters of a magazine to defeat it.

Illuminate

To combat Illuminate's Overseers and Fleshmobs, simply unleashing one or two magazines from SMG-203 Gallant is enough to take them down - it is an incredibly effective weapon for this task.

P-33 Missile Pistol

P-33 Missile Pistol can be unlocked on Page 2 of Helldivers 2 EXO Experts Premium Warbond for 50 Medals. Boasting a damage output of 1300, a magazine capacity of 1, 313 recoil, and a fire rate of 60, this weapon allows you to penetrate medium armor with just one hand. Furthermore, the explosive and splash damage properties of its missiles enable the pistol to take down large enemies with a single shot.

Most interestingly, this weapon features and guided firing mode, allowing you to easily track and hit fast-moving targets or precisely strike an enemy's weak points.

Terminids

To deal with an Impaler, simply fire a single missile directly at its face to destroy it instantly. A frontal assault on a Charger requires two missiles. However, if you can maneuver behind a Charger, switching to unguided mode and firing a round at its exposed rear armor will result in an immediate kill. Note, however, that this weapon is relatively ineffective against Bile Titan, as it struggles to penetrate the creature's heavy armor.

Automatons

Two missiles are sufficient to take down a Hulk - and the same applies to a War Strider. You do not need to aim for any specific weak points; simply let the guided mode do the work for you. This tactic is equally effective against Gunships, making this feature incredibly useful.

Illuminate 

Never use P-33 Missile Pistol against Harvesters; the missile's splash and explosive effects have absolutely no impact on them. The same applies when facing Fleshmobs. 

EXO-51 Lumberer

EXO-51 Lumberer features a deployment time of 10.50 seconds, allows for 3 uses per mission, and has a cooldown period of 600 seconds. It is equipped with an anti-tank cannon on its right arm and a flamethrower on its left.

You can use the flamethrower to clear out smaller, peripheral enemies; it is easier to handle and helps conserve your anti-tank ammunition. However, when facing larger enemies, the anti-tank cannon remains the far more practical and effective choice.

Terminids

We only need to fire four rounds from Anti-Tank Cannon at a Charger to take it down; for Bile Titans and Impalers, just three rounds will suffice.

Automatons 

To deal with a Hulk, a single shot from the right-arm Anti-Tank Cannon is all it takes to bring it down; attempting to engage a Hulk solely with Flamethrower is completely futile. The same applies to War Strider: simply fire two rounds at its hip joints, and it will be sent flying into the air.

Not only can you quickly defeat these enemies, but you can also swiftly take down Dropships. Fire two shots at the engines, and the ship will plummet straight to the ground.

Illuminate

EXO-51 Lumberer is highly effective against Illuminate; it takes just three rounds to defeat an Overseer or a Fleshmob.

EXO-55 Breakthrough

EXO-55 Breakthrough has a deployment time of 10 seconds, allows for 3 uses, and carries a cooldown of 600 seconds. The defining feature of this Stratagem is its ability to penetrate vehicles and heavy armor; therefore, we will primarily utilize it against medium-to-large-sized enemies in Helldivers 2.

Terminids

When facing a Bile Titan, do not waste your shots hammering its legs; instead, aim directly for its head. Waiting for it to open its mouth before firing is a highly effective method for taking it down. The same technique applies to Impaler: utilizing EXO-55 Breakthrough to deliver burst damage at close range allows you to defeat it very quickly.

Automatons

When engaging a War Strider, firing seven shots at its hip joints will knock it to the ground, while eight shots will completely destroy it.

Illuminate

Harvester is a completely different beast compared to War Strider. You need only fire a single shot at its hip joints to bring it crashing down. It can also quickly eliminate a Fleshmob - two shots are all it takes.

Every piece of gear within Helldivers 2: Exo Experts Warbond serves a distinct and specialized purpose. If any of these weapons or items have caught your interest, head out now to gather Medals - or use your Super Credits - to unlock them!