Vox Engines look intimidating the first time you run into them in HELLDIVERS 2. They’re huge, heavily armored, and if you leave them alone too long, they start roaming the map and turning fights into chaos.
But once you understand what works against them, they’re actually much easier to deal with than they seem. The key isn’t brute force — it’s using the right tools and staying calm when they show up.
The Easiest Method (Thermites & C4)
The simplest way to take down Vox Engines is using explosives from Warbonds.
Thermites from the Democratic Detonation Warbond or the C4 pack from the Redacted Regiment Warbond can destroy them very quickly. You can throw these from behind cover, and usually about three explosives are enough to take one down.
Since grenades can be thrown up to around 50 meters, hitting a Vox Engine isn’t difficult — it’s basically a massive tower. Pairing Thermites with the Supply Pack stratagem from the base game makes this even easier, since you can keep resupplying and take out multiple Vox Engines in a row.
Other Warbond Options
There are also ranged Warbond tools that work well against Vox Engines.
The Solo Silo from the Dust Devils Warbond and the Leveller from the Siege Breaker Warbond both allow you to damage Vox Engines from a distance. However, they’re limited by call-in times, and sometimes a single missile won’t fully destroy the target.
Even so, these strikes usually weaken the Vox Engine enough that you can finish it off by shooting the vents instead of needing to drop grenades inside.
Vanilla (Base Game) Options
You don’t need Warbond gear to destroy Vox Engines, though it takes more effort.
Several standard stratagems work effectively:
The Spear can destroy one in two shots.
The Recoilless Rifle can take one down in three shots, even when hitting its most armored section.
Using the EAT and Commando together can also work, though it uses multiple stratagem slots.
The Bastion Tank can eliminate a Vox Engine in two shots, similar to the Spear, but this requires coordination with another player to operate effectively.
Both ExoSuits can also reliably handle Vox Engines, though they make you slower and more vulnerable while deployed.
On top of all that, various orbital strikes remain strong options for dealing damage from a safe distance.
Staying Calm During Vox Encounters
One of the biggest mistakes players make is panicking when they see a Vox Engine. Despite their size, the most important thing is to stay calm and hold your position.
Letting them roam freely is actually worse than fighting them, since they can move around the map and ambush you later.
At the same time, you don’t always need to engage them. If you don’t have the tools to destroy one, avoiding it entirely is often the smarter choice. Picking your battles carefully can mean you rarely need to fight them at all.