When diving into Helldivers 2, one of the core goals for players is to collect medals. These are not just for bragging rights—they’re essential for unlocking certain upgrades, boosting your profile, and giving you that extra edge in missions. Understanding the Medals Sources in Helldivers 2 can save you time and help you focus on the activities that give the best returns. Here’s a guide based on my experience, broken down into practical tips and strategies.

1. Completing Story and Side Missions

The most straightforward way to earn medals is through completing missions. Both main story missions and side missions award medals upon completion. Personally, I’ve found that side missions can be surprisingly lucrative—they often have specific objectives like “eliminate a set number of enemies” or “complete within a time limit,” which give bonus medals if you push for efficiency.

Small tip: Don’t ignore the optional objectives. Even if you’re racing through a mission, completing them often nets you a nice medal boost.

2. Achieving Objectives During Missions

Another significant Medals Source in Helldivers 2 is performing well in mission objectives. The game rewards players not just for finishing a mission but also for how well you accomplish specific tasks. This includes:

• Successfully defending points against waves of enemies

• Completing objectives without team deaths

• Finishing missions under a certain time

In my experience, prioritizing objectives over speed sometimes yields more medals than rushing through the mission. It’s a balance, but the medals you earn for high-performance runs can add up quickly.

3. Daily and Weekly Challenges

Helldivers 2 keeps players engaged through daily and weekly challenges. These challenges vary from “complete X number of missions” to “destroy Y enemy types.” They are one of the more predictable Medals Sources in Helldivers 2 because you know in advance what rewards to expect.

A little tip from me: track these challenges at the start of your gaming session. Planning which missions align with the challenges can maximize your medal gains without adding extra playtime.

4. Special Event Missions

Occasionally, Helldivers 2 hosts special event missions or limited-time operations. These events often offer a higher-than-normal medal payout and sometimes include rare rewards. From my own playthroughs, prioritizing these events can significantly boost your medal count in a short period.

One thing to note: event missions can be tougher than regular missions, so make sure your loadout is optimized and your team is coordinated. Completing these challenges solo is possible, but teamwork makes a huge difference.

5. Multiplayer Co-op Bonuses

Team play isn’t just fun—it’s efficient. Helldivers 2 awards extra medals for coordinated actions with teammates. These bonuses include:

• Assisting teammates in objectives

• Performing combo attacks or synchronized maneuvers

• Completing missions without losing any squad members

I’ve found that playing with friends or a reliable squad increases medal gains more consistently than solo runs. It’s also more enjoyable, and you’ll pick up strategies from other players that can help in other missions.

6. Exploring Optional Areas

Finally, don’t underestimate exploration. Some maps have hidden objectives, bonus missions, or secret caches that grant medals. It can be tempting to stick to the main paths, but a little detour often pays off. In my first few runs, I missed a lot of hidden medals simply because I rushed straight to the main objectives.

Focusing on the right Medals Sources in Helldivers 2 can make your progression smoother and more rewarding. From completing missions efficiently and tackling objectives carefully, to taking on challenges, events, and co-op bonuses, there’s a lot of ways to boost your medal count without grinding aimlessly.

A personal tip: track your medal earnings after each session. Not only is it satisfying to see the numbers grow, but it also helps you identify which missions or strategies are the most effective. Helldivers 2 is all about strategy, teamwork, and a bit of clever planning—and with the right approach, medals can start piling up faster than you expect.