| “ | This cannon is built on upscaled, weaponized laser technology. It fires a heavy, continuous laser beam that consumes no ammunition unless it overheats. The weapon needs to be loaded with emergency heat dump canisters to fire. | „ |
| ~ Armory Description |
Stratagem Code[]
Players must enter the following sequence, using the controller d‑pad, in order to call down this single-use stratagem during a mission:
Unlock Requirement[]
The LAS-98 Laser Cannon is granted to the player as a reward for completing all the missions on its associated Planet (typically a medium-high level planet - difficulty 7 to 9).
Upgrades[]
| Upgrade | Cost | Effect | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Mk1 | Basic variant, no upgrades. | |
 |
Mk2 |  1 |
This upgraded version is built from lightweight materials allowing the Helldiver to move and fire. |
 |
Mk3 | 2 |
Additional heat dump canisters allow for longer fire time. |
Weapon Stats[]
- The weapon comes with 1 Laser Cannon heat dump canister, and can carry up to 3. Picking up ammunition adds 1 canister.
- Replacing a canister is only necessary if the weapon is overheated. This takes 6 seconds and immobilizes the Helldiver for the duration.
| LAS-98 Laser Cannon Detailed Analysis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon Info | Additional Notes | ||
| Unlock Rank | Difficulty 7-9 planet | ||
| Weapon Type | Secondary | ||
| Weapon Category | Laser | ||
| Fire Mode | Continuous | ||
| Damage | |||
| Base | Upgraded | Additional Notes | |
| Damage per Second (DPS) | 400/s | 400/s | |
| Center Mass DPS | 900/s | 900/s | |
| Statistics | |||
| Base | Upgraded | Additional Notes | |
| Heat Capacity | 400 | 560* | * Requires Mk3 upgrade |
| Heat Generation | 88/s | 123.2/s* | * Requires Mk3 upgrade |
| Cooldown Rate | 140/s | 252/s* | * Requires Mk3 upgrade |
| Starting Canisters | 1 | 1 | Ammunition crates replenish 1 canister |
| Max Canisters | 3 | 3 | Ammunition crates replenish 1 canister |
| Reload Speed | 6 s | 6 s | Has no tactical reload; immobilized while reloading |
| Spread | 0° | 0° | Fixed firing pattern; slight aim assist |
| Range | 30 m | 30 m | To be confirmed |
| Aim + Movement Speed Mod | todo | todo | |
| Spread Simulation | todo | ||
Gameplay Tips[]
- The LAS-98 is to the LAS-5 Scythe what the AC-22 Dum-Dum is to the AR-19 Liberator, offering greatly increased damage and boasting the highest damage per second of all continuous laser weapons while having the slowest turn speed while firing and aiming. Like its smaller counterpart, the LAS-98 has perfect accuracy and can be fired continuously as long as its user manages heat generation efficiently, however its higher damage output allows it to take down most enemies faster and even damage enemies the Scythe cannot.
- Sweeping fire with this weapon is not recommended against most enemies as it will waste firing time due to hitting off-center and dealing less than 50% damage, or missing entirely. It is recommended to let go of the trigger to adjust your aim or switch between spread out targets to let the weapon cool down and ensure more firing time is spent on-target.
- Using a melee attack while aiming completely removes the turn speed restriction of the LAS-98 and lets the user's aim snap to the cursor immediately. Mastering this technique allows users to quickly snap between targets with enough practice while allowing the weapon to cool between bursts.
- This weapon has excellent synergy with utility-focused weapons like the RX-1 Rail Gun and AR-14D Paragon. Its effectively limitless ammunition allows Helldivers to use it as a primary weapon and save primary ammo.
- Like the AC-22 Dum-Dum, this weapon is able to damage Cyborg Warlords and Hulks so long as the beam hits its targets dead-center, this does not apply to Bug Tanks or Behemoths. This gives its users some form of last-ditch offense against the more heavily armored enemies if offensive Stratagems or support from teammates is not available.
- The LAS-98 will visibly vent steam when at 50% base heat capacity, and emit both an audible alert and even more steam when at 80% base heat capacity, warning its user that an emergency heat dump is imminent. Use these visual and audio cues to learn the heat up/cool down timing for the LAS-98 to prevent having to change heat dump canisters in the middle of a firefight.
Gallery[]
-
LAS-98 Laser Cannon -
LAS-98 Laser Cannon's powerful beam
Notes[]
- The LAS-98 is evidently too unwieldy to be used as a melee weapon. When carrying this weapon, Helldivers will perform a melee attack by striking enemies with their fist instead of using the weapon itself. This is purely cosmetic however and attacks will deal the same damage as a regular melee attack.
- The LAS-98 Laser Cannon was re-balanced in Patch 3.02. The weapon now has a lower aim speed, to match other shoulder carried heavy weapons.