The new Python Commandos premium warbond has landed in Helldivers 2, and after spending a full day testing each item across different missions, there’s a lot to unpack. This update brings a mix of new weapons, gear, and even a small armor Easter egg that many players might miss if they don’t look closely. After running these items through missions against Automatons, Terminids, and Illuminate patrols, here’s a practical rundown of what feels good, what feels situational, and what you can probably skip.
The Double Freedom Shotgun
Before even diving into the premium lineup, the Double Freedom shotgun—sold separately in the superstore—deserves a quick spotlight. It’s a compact two-round shotgun with unexpectedly strong performance. The weapon delivers high burst damage, solid stagger, and two firing modes that make it more flexible than most shotguns in the game. In single-shot mode, it handles chaff cleanly. In volley mode, it hits hard enough to crack weak points on larger enemies like Chargers or Bile Titans.
What stood out most is how smooth it feels during live combat. The reload cycle is short, the recoil is manageable, and the damage output lets you handle almost anything at close range. If you’re the kind of player who likes dropping into chaotic front-line fights, the Double Freedom easily earns a spot in your loadout.
AR/GL-21: Convenience Over Power
The AR/GL-21 is the first Python Commandos weapon you’ll unlock, and it sits in an odd place. It’s an assault rifle with an underbarrel grenade launcher, but both components feel weaker than their standalone counterparts. The rifle itself is serviceable but lacks punch, and the grenade launcher is identical to the standard grenade pistol.
Its biggest perk is simply convenience. You get an AR and a built-in launcher without needing to dedicate your secondary slot. That said, most players will probably swap it out once they have stronger options unlocked. It’s not terrible, but it’s not something that defines a build either.
The Maxigun: A New Community Favorite
The Maxigun is easily the star of the warbond. This is a medium-armor-penetrating minigun that comes with a backpack-fed magazine of 750 rounds. When it’s active, it absolutely shreds. Against Illuminate forces, it can wipe entire waves of Voteless before they even get close. Against bugs and bots, it’s still strong—though you’ll need to aim for weak spots on larger targets.
The cooldown system is surprisingly forgiving. After a long burst, you only need a few seconds for it to cool off. When the backpack runs empty, calling in a support pack instantly refills it from zero to full, which makes ammo management far easier than expected.
If there’s one single reason to pick up the Python Commandos set, this is it. Many players grind missions or even look for ways to buy helldivers 2 medals just to speed up their unlocks for weapons like this, and honestly, the Maxigun feels like the kind of item people rush to get for good reason.
The Chainsword: High Skill, High Payoff
The chainsword—officially labeled the “defoliation tool”—is one of the more niche options. It has strong damage scaling, starting at medium armor penetration and ramping up to heavy the longer you stay connected to a target. But that’s also its biggest limitation: you have to stay close, exposed, and locked in during the attack.
If you enjoy melee builds, this thing is a beast and feels incredibly satisfying against Illuminate units. But if you’re not comfortable staying up close or timing precise hits on enemy weak points, it may feel too risky for most missions. It’s also slotted as a support weapon, which means it competes with more universally useful tools.
Hot Dog Guard Drone: Good Utility, Mixed Safety
The new guard dog variant—nicknamed the Hot Dog—is a flamethrowing drone that hovers ahead of your character and scorches anything in its path. The damage is surprisingly consistent, and it can help clear chokepoints or keep swarms at bay.
The downside is simple: it sets you on fire a lot.
The AI tends to turn abruptly during fights, and unless you’re wearing anti-incendiary armor, you can expect to get toasted often. Used carefully, it’s genuinely helpful, especially in Terminid missions. But it requires more awareness than you might expect.
Armor Set: Subtle but Effective Passive
The Python Commando armor comes with a passive that reduces prone and ragdoll effects, and the benefit is more noticeable than you’d think. During testing, I found myself staying upright through situations where I’d normally get knocked around, especially when dealing with explosions or charging enemies. It’s subtle, but it makes chaotic fights feel more controlled.
There’s also a fun visual extra: using the front-leaning rest emote with Commando armor gives you a one-handed push-up animation instead of the usual two-handed version. It’s a small touch, but a cool detail for players who love collecting cosmetic sets. A lot of players on forums have been discussing these visual extras lately, especially those who check shops like U4GM for appearance-focused gear ideas or community builds.
The Warbond as a Whole
Overall, Python Commandos is one of the better warbonds we’ve seen recently. Not every item will fit every player, but the Maxigun alone makes the set feel worth grabbing. The supporting items offer solid variety, and even though a few of them feel niche, there’s enough personality in each one that players who enjoy experimenting will get plenty of value.
For players who want faster progression toward premium items, some look into options like hd2 buy super credits, though I still think the natural grind is enjoyable enough if you’re regularly hopping into missions. The pacing of unlocks feels fair, and this warbond in particular gives you something exciting to aim for early.
The Python Commandos warbond brings a surprisingly strong lineup, with the Maxigun leading the charge as one of the most fun weapons added to Helldivers 2 so far. The Double Freedom shotgun serves as a great bonus option, and the armor feels better in practice than expected. While a couple of items are situational, the overall package delivers enough standout gear to make this warbond genuinely worth your time.
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