Helldivers 2: LAS-16 Sickle Weapon Guide - Cooling and Playstyle Explained

【Helldivers 2 Strategy Guide】
This article's information is current as of patch 01.000.300 (released April 29, 2024).
Helldivers 2 does not have a clear season system, but content is added in the form of 'Warbonds'. The LAS-16 Sickle was added with the premium Warbond 'Cutting Edge', released on March 14, 2024.

Infinite ammunition, incredible accuracy, and low recoil. The LAS-16 Sickle, an energy weapon introduced with the premium Warbond 'Cutting Edge', captivated many Helldivers with its catalog specs alone. However, to unleash its true potential, you must understand and master its unique "cooling system," which replaces physical ammunition. This article provides a comprehensive guide to cooling management techniques, playstyles for each enemy faction, and recommended builds compatible with the latest patch, all to make the Sickle your ultimate companion.

LAS-16 Sickle: Basic Performance and Features

The LAS-16 Sickle is classified as an energy-based primary weapon. Its most distinctive feature is the use of 'heatsinks' instead of conventional ammunition magazines. While this eliminates the need to worry about ammo count, continuous firing will cause the heat gauge to rise, leading to overheating when full. Overheating necessitates a forced heatsink exchange, rendering you unable to fire for a period, thus requiring careful management.

Let's compare its specifications with the standard assault rifle, the 'AR-23 Liberator'.

As the table shows, the damage output is on par with the Liberator, yet it surpasses it in fire rate and boasts an astonishing recoil value of '2'. This combination of extremely low recoil and high fire rate allows you to consistently target enemy weak points from medium to long range. The fact that it doesn't consume ammunition also offers a significant strategic advantage, allowing you to allocate supply pack ammo to support weapons.

Cooling Management is Key! Master Overheating for Optimal Play

The most critical aspect of mastering the Sickle is 'heat management'. Neglecting it can lead to fatal situations where you overheat and cannot retaliate when it matters most. Conversely, mastering its cooling means you wield a powerful weapon completely free from ammunition concerns.

The Basics: Burst Firing with Trigger Discipline

Trigger-happy behavior is forbidden. Firing in full auto will quickly turn the heat gauge red and lead to overheating. The fundamental tactic is "trigger discipline" or "burst firing," stopping after approximately 5-7 shots. The gauge naturally cools down when you cease firing, so by incorporating these brief cooldowns into your combat, you can continue firing indefinitely without needing to exchange heatsinks. Even when hordes of enemies approach, remain calm and use burst fire to eliminate them one by one.

Swap Weapons to Manage Cooldown

Another crucial technique is weapon swapping. The Sickle cools down even when stowed on your back, not just when held. For example, if enemies get too close, switching to your sidearm, the 'P-19 Redeemer', to engage them while your Sickle fully cools down is highly effective. Similarly, dedicating the cooldown period after using a support weapon to cooling your Sickle significantly boosts your combat sustainability by consistently minding your weapon rotation.

Changes and Impact from Patch 01.000.300

With the patch on April 29, 2024, the Sickle underwent a significant adjustment: a nerf that reduced the number of portable reserve heatsinks from 6 to 3. This change makes the penalty for forced exchange due to overheating considerably more severe than before. Previously, you could afford to be a bit careless due to abundant reserves, but now you can only afford to overheat three times per mission. This modification further emphasizes the importance of meticulous heat management techniques like burst firing and weapon swapping, as mentioned earlier.

Recommended Builds by Enemy Faction

While the Sickle is highly effective against lightly armored enemies, it cannot single-handedly deal with heavily armored foes like Chargers or Hulks. A build configuration that compensates for this weakness is essential.

Against Terminids: An Expert in Mob Clearing

The Sickle performs exceptionally against the countless swarms of smaller Terminids (Hunters, Scavengers, etc.). Leveraging its high accuracy and low recoil, you can reliably destroy their heads even from a distance, quickly reducing their numbers. However, when Chargers or Bile Titans appear, the Sickle alone is ineffective.

Recommended Build Example:

• Primary Weapon: LAS-16 Sickle
• Support Weapon: AC-8 Autocannon or FAF-14 Spear
• Backpack: SH-32 Shield Generator Pack "Rover"
• Stratagems: Orbital Railcannon Strike, Eagle 500kg Bomb
• Grenade: G-16 Impact

This setup enhances self-defense with the "Shield Generator Pack "Rover"" while addressing heavily armored targets like Chargers with the "Autocannon" or "Orbital Railcannon Strike". By fully covering the Sickle's weaknesses with other equipment, you can adapt to any situation.

Against Automatons: Precision Targeting Weak Points

In Automaton combat, the Sickle's high accuracy shines. By precisely targeting weak points like the Devastator's face or rocket pods, or the Berserker's central body, it can effectively deal with medium-armored enemies. However, direct frontal assaults are less effective, so a hit-and-run approach utilizing cover is fundamental.

Recommended Build Example:

• Primary Weapon: LAS-16 Sickle
• Support Weapon: RS-422 Railgun or EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank
• Stratagems: Orbital Laser, Eagle Airstrike
• Grenade: G-12 High Explosive

For heavily armored units like Hulks and Tanks, the "Railgun" or "Expendable Anti-Tank (EAT-17)" are effective. The EAT-17, in particular, has a short cooldown, making the tactic of calling it in strategically to quickly destroy heavy armor very powerful. The Sickle should primarily focus on infantry and precision weak-point targeting of medium-armored units.

Recommended Armor Selection

Since the Sickle's recoil is inherently very low at '2', armor passives like 'Servo-Assisted' that reduce recoil offer minimal benefit. Instead, it's wiser to choose utility-oriented armor that enhances survivability or versatility, such as increasing grenade capacity with 'Extra Padding' or increasing stim capacity with 'Med-Kit'.

Summary

The LAS-16 Sickle is a very powerful primary weapon boasting 'infinite sustain' and 'high versatility'. To maximize its performance, understanding its unique cooling system and adopting a delicate playstyle to avoid overheating is crucial. Especially in the current environment with reduced reserve heatsinks, heat management skills directly impact a Helldiver's survival.

Its strengths and weaknesses are clear: it can clear out lightly armored enemies and precisely target the weak points of medium-armored foes, yet it is completely ineffective against heavily armored enemies. By accurately understanding this weapon's role and building loadouts that compensate for its weaknesses with Stratagems and support weapons, it will become a reliable companion across all difficulties. He who masters heat, masters the battlefield. Master this laser rifle and spread the light of Managed Democracy across the galaxy.