As a Helldiver, your individual missions feed into something much larger: the Galactic War. This guide breaks down how this community-wide meta-game works, what your role is, and what happens when wars are won or lost.
What is the Galactic War?The Galactic War is the persistent, global campaign that every player participates in simply by completing missions. Your actions on a planet generate "Influence," which is collectively tallied for the entire player community. This combined effort pushes the front lines against the Terminids (bugs) and Automatons (bots) across the galaxy map. Think of it as a giant tug-of-war where every mission report adds a little more pull to our side.
How Do We Win a War?The community’s goal is to push a faction’s front line all the way back to its home world. Once there, a 48-hour "Attack Event" is triggered. During this final assault, players must complete missions on that enemy home planet and earn enough total Influence to secure a victory. If successful, that enemy faction is considered defeated and is removed from the current war. To achieve total victory, this process must be repeated until all enemy factions are eliminated. Most players coordinate through online communities to focus efforts during these critical events, as they require a significant surge of activity.
What Happens If We Lose?Wars can be lost. If the community doesn’t generate Influence quickly enough on key fronts, the enemy factions will advance. They can push all the way to Super Earth, triggering a 48-hour "Defend Event." If we fail to rally and meet the Influence goal in that final defense, Super Earth falls and the war is over. Generally, a loss occurs when not enough players are active on critical defensive campaigns, allowing enemy progress to snowball.
What Are the Rewards?Your personal reward is tied to the war’s outcome, not your individual performance. If the community wins the Galactic War, all participating players receive the unique Ceremonial Armor set. If the war is lost, players instead receive the Veteran Armor set. This system ensures everyone who contributes gets a commemorative item. It’s worth noting that some players look for shortcuts, and you might see people discuss where to buy helldivers 2 medals for in-game progression, but medals themselves do not directly impact the Galactic War; the war is driven solely by mission Influence.
How Long Do Wars Last, and What’s Next?A typical war lasts between 20 to 30 days. Once a war ends—in either victory or defeat—a new Galactic War begins shortly after with a fresh map. The challenge level of the new campaign is generally adjusted by the game based on the community’s performance in the previous one. If we win too easily, the next war might be tougher, and vice versa.
What Are Capital Defense Events?These are critical defensive missions. If an enemy sector is ignored or a homeworld assault fails, enemies will launch an invasion to capture a regional capital. These "Defend Events" last 150 minutes and take place on unique city maps with a limited set of objectives. They offer double XP and are crucial to holding the line. If the community fails to generate the required Influence in time, the entire sector is lost, bringing the enemy closer to Super Earth. Most experienced players will drop what they’re doing to join a Capital Defense if the front is precarious.
Key Things to Remember

• Defeated Factions Vanish: Once a faction like the Automatons is defeated in a war, you cannot fight them again until that entire war concludes and a new one begins.
• Focus is Key: The most efficient way to win is for the community to concentrate efforts on the same frontline sectors, rather than spreading out too thinly.
• Your Role Matters: Even playing a few missions contributes. The cumulative effect of thousands of players is what decides the war.

In practice, keeping an eye on the galactic map and listening to in-game communications about major attack or defense events is the best way to be an effective Helldiver. The war is a collective effort, and every drop counts.