Helldivers 2 Guides

Helldivers 2 Patch 7.2.2: AMW-20 Apex Buff Explained

A small patch, but it fixes the Scope of Authority sniper that could not break what its rivals could.

PandaPlay TeamHelldivers 2 Guides
Updated 4 min read
Helldiver aiming the AMW-20 Apex stratagem rifle from the Scope of Authority Warbond
On this page
  1. AMW-20 Apex buff: caliber, demolition and penetration
  2. LAS-44 Nova: armor penetration now shows Anti-Tank
  3. SG-22 Bushwhacker correction: 405 to 486 damage
  4. Crash fixes and other changes in 7.2.2
  5. Where to get the AMW-20 Apex and LAS-44 Nova
  6. Helldivers 2 Super Credits and Medals
  7. Frequently asked questions
  8. Sources and update history

Helldivers 2 patch 7.2.2 went live on October 29, 2026. It buffs the AMW-20 Apex from the Scope of Authority Warbond: caliber drops from 60 to 20 for less damage falloff at range, demolition strength rises to 30, and the armory now shows its armor penetration as Anti-Tank. It also fixes the LAS-44 Nova’s penetration label, corrects the Bushwhacker numbers from 7.2.0, and fixes two rare crashes.

All changes below are from Arrowhead’s 7.2.2 patch notes on Steam, posted at 10:00 UTC on October 29. Both the Apex and the Nova come from the Scope of Authority Premium Warbond, which you can unlock with Super Credits and Medals.

AMW-20 Apex buff: caliber, demolition and penetration

StatBefore 7.2.2After 7.2.2
Caliber6020
Demolition strengthNot stated30
Armor penetration shown in armoryIncorrectAnti-Tank

Arrowhead explains the three problems it was fixing:

  • Demolition was too low. The Apex could not destroy things that the Anti-Materiel Rifle and Autocannon can. At 30 it can now break larger objects such as cover and container doors.
  • Caliber was too high. In Helldivers 2, a higher caliber made the damage drop off more steeply over distance. Lowering it to 20 means less falloff at long range, so the Apex works better as a sniper.
  • The armory showed the wrong penetration. It now correctly reads Anti-Tank. Arrowhead lists this as a display fix and does not list any change to the penetration itself.
Helldiver aiming the AMW-20 Apex stratagem rifle from the Scope of Authority Warbond
Image: Arrowhead Game Studios, Scope of Authority announcement on Steam, October 13, 2026

Our Scope of Authority tier list was written before this patch, so the Apex’s ranking there reflects the old caliber and demolition values.

1000 Super Credits1000 Super CreditsSuper Credits for the Scope of Authority Warbond, home of the AMW-20 Apex and LAS-44 Nova.No account login · just your friend codeFrom $1.89View offer

LAS-44 Nova: armor penetration now shows Anti-Tank

The Nova gets the same armory fix as the Apex. It now correctly displays its armor penetration as Anti-Tank. Arrowhead lists no damage or handling changes for the Nova, so this patch only corrects the information the armory shows.

The LAS-44 Nova laser stratagem weapon from the Scope of Authority Warbond in Helldivers 2
Image: Arrowhead Game Studios, Scope of Authority announcement on Steam, October 13, 2026

SG-22 Bushwhacker correction: 405 to 486 damage

Patch 7.2.0 listed the Bushwhacker sidearm’s damage going from 450 to 540, with durable damage from 108 to 135. Patch 7.2.2 says those changes “were calculated incorrectly”. Patch 7.2.0 published the original values; patch 7.2.2 provides the corrected values:

StatListed in 7.2.0Corrected in 7.2.2
Damage450 → 540405 → 486
Durable damage108 → 135108 → 135 (unchanged)

Arrowhead does not say whether the in-game damage changes with 7.2.2 or whether only the published numbers were wrong. Either way, the Bushwhacker’s damage increase is the same 20% in both versions; only the starting and ending values differ. Our patch 7.2.0 breakdown has the full list of that patch’s buffs.

Helldiver in a red beret and skull mask firing the triple-barrel SG-22 Bushwhacker sidearm
Image: Arrowhead Game Studios, Devoid of Liberty 7.2.0 patch notes on Steam, October 20, 2026

Crash fixes and other changes in 7.2.2

  • Fixed a rare renderer crash on PC and Xbox.
  • Fixed a rare crash on boot.
  • Removed two music tracks. Arrowhead says this does not affect gameplay and does not name the tracks.

Arrowhead points to its Known Issues page for remaining bugs. If your Super Credits went missing after an update, see our guide to Super Credits not showing.

Where to get the AMW-20 Apex and LAS-44 Nova

Both are stratagems in the Scope of Authority Premium Warbond. The community wiki lists the Apex on page 2 for 50 Medals and the Nova on page 3 for 110 Medals, with the Warbond itself at 1,000 Super Credits. Arrowhead’s own posts do not give these prices. Our Scope of Authority Warbond guide lists every item.

Official Scope of Authority Premium Warbond overview showing the R-40 Sightliner, P-44 Mist, G-11 Caltrops, AMW-20 Apex and LAS-44 Nova, two armor sets and cosmetics
Image: Arrowhead Game Studios, Scope of Authority announcement on Steam, October 13, 2026

Helldivers 2 Super Credits and Medals

If you want the buffed Apex without saving up first, these packs cover the Warbond and its pages:

Frequently asked questions

What did Helldivers 2 patch 7.2.2 change?

It buffed the AMW-20 Apex (caliber 60 to 20, demolition 30, Anti-Tank shown correctly), fixed the LAS-44 Nova’s penetration display, corrected the Bushwhacker’s damage numbers and fixed two rare crashes.

Is the AMW-20 Apex anti-tank?

Yes. After 7.2.2 the armory correctly shows its armor penetration as Anti-Tank.

Did the Bushwhacker get nerfed in 7.2.2?

Arrowhead calls it a correction, not a nerf: the right values are 405 to 486 damage, not the 450 to 540 published in 7.2.0. It has not said whether the in-game numbers changed.

When did patch 7.2.2 come out?

October 29, 2026. Arrowhead posted the patch notes on Steam at 10:00 UTC.

Sources and update history

Update history: Published October 30, 2026. Facts last checked October 30, 2026 against the sources above.

Share this guide