The Vox Engine is the newest massive enemy on the Automaton front and is the strongest of their war machines. It has 11,000 health and is covered in tank armor. It also has four different types of telegraphed attacks that need to be avoided, and it has an incredibly interesting weakspot mechanic.
Vox Engine Weakspot
The Vox Engine is covered in AP5 tank armor, but it does have light-armored weak spots, and a two-stage takedown. The first stage is to destroy either the top three, or the bottom three glowing weak spots. Destroying the top set opens a vent on the roof, and destroying the bottom set will open a vent on the rear. You can then throw a grenade into either vent just like you would with a Bot Fabricator, and that will destroy the Vox Engine.
It should be noted that this only works with grenades, and not any other type of explosive.
And Thermites are definitely not recommended as they are likely to get stuck on the hatch.
This strategy is easier said than done, as you’re often swarmed by bots, and will be chased down relentlessly by the new melee Cyborgs. It’s also a lot easier when there’s only one Vox Engine, and not several of them trying to gun your squad down.
Undamaged Vox Engines can withstand a direct hit from a Solo Silo, an Orbital Railcannon Strike, and will take multiple Eagle 500s to destroy.
When using either the Bastion Tank’s main cannon or the Recoilless Rifle, aim for the center of their head where the three glowing red lines are, and it’ll only take three shots to bring them down.
Additionally, if you have the Redacted Regiment Warbond, you can take out the Vox Engine by placing 3 C4 charges on that same spot (3 glowing red lines area) will destroy them.
Vox Engine Attack Patterns
The Vox Engine has four different types of attacks that are visually telegraphed. First up are its fusion repeaters, similar to the War Strider’s, but far more devastating. The repeaters will let off a subtle flash before attacking. If you miss it or ignore it, and you’re not in heavy armor, getting hit will almost always mean instant death.
Their second attack also uses the fusion repeaters, aiming them downwards while spinning and rapid firing to prevent divers from walking underneath. This move is also telegraphed by a subtle flash and the repeaters being pointed toward the ground.
Their third attack is a missile array, which fires a volley of missiles to blanket an entire area. Missiles by themselves only have a medium explosion radius, and the ground gets highlighted to telegraph where missiles will land, but if you are wearing light armor a direct hit from even a single missile means death. Vox Engines often use this attack to force Helldivers out of cover.
Their fourth and final attack comes from their side-mounted gatling lasers, which function like sentries and open fire after a short delay when you’re spotted. They do quite a lot of damage and are not to be underestimated.
Of course this is a brand-new enemy, and as more information gets datamined from the game, the community will likely come up with new strategies for them . Arrowhead might even add future weak spots, but for now, they can only be taken down by brute force anti-tank, or by using the grenade-in-the-vent mechanic.