¶ Overview
This page is meant to give a broad overview of optional objectives and how they relate to each other in the context of speedrunning. It is not meant as an exploration of how to complete these objectives quickly, which is more within the scope of existing and future side objective guides.
The theoretical minimum is the minimum time assuming you do not lose any time at all and does not factor for movement. Actual minimum is an estimate given optimal movement and execution.
If there are different variants of an objective that affect time, they will each be covered with their own sub section.
Super Helldive has 5 optional objectives for most missions except for Blitz and Orbital Cannons which have 4.
¶ Sample optimal optional objectives:
You can be more flexible about optional objectives for a mutliplayer run (especially one with a longer mission complete time), however in a solo run the optionals should be as close to the optimal ones as possible!
Optional objectives below are good for speedrunning
¶ 🤖 Bots
(double mortar)
¶ 🪲 Bugs (destructible rogue research station)
¶ 🦑 Squids
Optional objectives below are bad for speedrunning.
¶ 🚫 Avoid these optional objectives
¶ ❌ Do not use these optional objectives
¶ Map Objectives
There are 5 optional objectives which are displayed on the map pre-drop. These are all mutually exclusive with each other (only one per map). 3 are available for both factions (Rogue Research Station, Illegal Broadcast, Upload Escape Pod Data) while 2 are faction exclusive (Retrieve Mutant Larva, Enemy Bio-Processors)
The best map objectives are the destructible Rogue Research and Illegal Broadcast, followed by the Non-Destructible Rogue Research Station and Bio-Processors
¶ Rogue Research Station
Variants: Destructible Transformer on Top, No Transformer
Destructible-
Theoretical Minimum: 1s
Actual minimum: 1s
Non-destructible-
Theoretical minimum: 2s
Actual minimum: 10s
Effect on gameplay for completing: None
¶ Illegal Broadcast
Variants: N/A
Theoretical Minimum: 1s
Actual Minimum: 1s
Effect on gameplay for completing: None
¶ Escape Pod
Variants:N/A
Theoretical Minimum: 40s
Actual Minimum: 41s
Effect on gameplay for completing: None
¶ Bio-Processor (Bot Exclcusive)
Variants:N/A
Theoretical Minimum: 2s
Actual Minimum: 5s
Effect on gameplay for completing: None
¶ Retrieve Mutant Larva
Variants: ???
Theoretical Minimum: 10s + travel time (variable and may coincide with other travel)
Actual Minimum: 10s + travel time (variable and may coincide with other travel)
Effect on gameplay for completing: Bugs will aggro onto the position of the larva, you have to drop backpack while carrying it around
Useful effect for speedrun?: Usually detrimental, however it's possible it could be used to bait enemies
¶ Objectives common to all factions
Other than the map objectives, there are 2 optional objectives available for both bots and bugs: Radar Station and SEAF Artillery.
Both of them are quite slow, however the radar is useful during the scouting phase of a pre-scouted or blind run. SEAF Artillery can save time later on against certain optional objectives, but it's also very slow to complete.
¶ Lidar Station
Variants: Close Terminal, Far Terminal
Close Terminal-
Theoretical Minimum: 41s (if already aligned)
Actual Minimum: 44s + rotation (up to 10s if 180 degrees)
Far Terminal-
Theoretical Minimum: 41s (if already aligned)
Actual Minimum: 47s + rotation (up to 10s if 180 degrees)
Effect on gameplay for completing: All remaining optional objectives and POIs are marked on map
Useful effect for speedrunning?: No, unless run is blind
¶ SEAF Artillery
Variants - Single ring with ammo dugout, double ring. Single ring is faster because shells are closer together
Theoretical Minimum: 5s for terminal, but shell placement is random and can take a lot of time to move
Actual Minimum: Varies depending on shell placement, around 1:20 usually, but can go as low as a little under 1:00 with optimal shell placement on the single ring
Effect on gameplay for completing: Access to the shells loaded into the artillery as stratagems which are unaffected by jammers, ion storms, or destroyer leaving orbit
Useful effect for speedrunning?: Yes, lets you destroy objectives with mini nuke unable to be destroyed by red stratagems (Gunship Fabricator, Orbital Cannon, Fuel Reserve). Lets you destroy Jammers without having to deactivate them. Provides other means of quickly clearing other optionals without having to bring certain red stratagems
¶ 🤖 Automaton only optional objectives:
¶ Anti-Air Emplacement
Variants: 2 AA guns, 3 AA guns
2 AA guns-
Theoretical Minimum: 4s
Actual Minimum: 6s
3 AA guns-
Theoretical Minimum: 6s
Actual Minimum: 8s
Effect on gameplay for completing: Eagle stratagems un-jammed within the 150m radius
Useful effect for speedrunning?: Yes if you need your eagles within the radius to complete an objective, otherwise no
¶ Mortar Emplacement
Variants: double and triple mortar
Double mortar-
Theoretical Minimum: 4s
Actual Minimum: 6s
Triple mortar-
Theoretical Minimum: 6s
Actual Minimum: 20s
Effect on gameplay for completing: End to mortar ragdolling, mission control shutting the hell up
Useful effect for speedrunning?: Only if mortars are positioned so that they can ragdoll you on objectives
¶ Detector Tower
Variants:N/A
Theoretical Minimum: 2s
Actual Minimum: 5s
Effect on gameplay for completing: No reinforcement calls by tower
Useful effect for speedrunning?: No, unless tower is in a very inconvenient location (can usually simply avoid the eye)
¶ Stratagem Jammer
Variants:N/A
Theoretical Minimum: 22s (terminal + stratagem toss)
Actual Minimum: 33s
Effect on gameplay for completing: Stratagems un-jammed within 150m radius
Useful effect for speedrunning?: YES, sometimes mandatory to complete certain optional or main objectives (it blocks mission-critical stratagems as well). The only "optional" objective that isn't actually optional in a lot of circumstances
¶ Gunship Facility
Variants: Double and Single gunship fab
Single Fab-
Theoretical Minimum: 18s (hellbomb) OR 2s (mini nuke, SAM direct hit or Hellbomb backpack)
Actual Minimum: 25s
Double Fab-
Theoretical Minimum: 18s (hellbomb) OR 2s (mini nuke, SAM direct hit or Hellbomb backpack)
Actual Minimum: 30s
Effect on gameplay for completing: Fabricator no longer spawns gunships that insta lock on your position within 150m radius
Useful effect for speedrunning?: Yes, gunships are extremely threatening and can slow you down a lot of fighting them, especially the ones from fabricators which automatically know where you are
¶ SEAF SAM Site
Variants: N/A
Theoretical Minimum: 30s (terminal)
Actual Minimum: 35s
Effect on gameplay for completing: SAM will auto target enemy gunships and drop-ships
Useful effect for speedrunning?: Yes, especially on maps with gunship patrols or geo survey. Can also assist with Gunship Facility. The SAM missile is extremely powerful and will kill/demolish any objective or enemy caught in the blast, although it's difficult to trigger reliably except vs. enemies in drop=ships or the Gunship Facility when a gunship flies behind it
¶ Intercept Convoy
Variants: N/A
Theoretical Minimum: 20s (4 Hellbomb Backpacks)
Actual Minimum: 240s (AT Emplacement)
Effect on gameplay for completing: Regular stratagem codes and far less danger near the convoy
Useful effect for speedrunning?: Yes, Stops the scrambled stratagem effect and removes a wall that can prevent routing
¶ 🪲 Terminid Exclusive Optional Objectives:
¶ Stalker Lair
Variants: Single Hole, Double Hole
Single Hole-
Theoretical Minimum:2s
Actual Minimum: 8s
Double Hole-
Theoretical Minimum: 4s
Actual Minimum: 10s
Effect on gameplay for completing: Bug Holes no longer spawn Stalkers
Useful effect for speedrunning?: Yes, Stalkers are threatening and can slow you down a lot having to fighting them
¶ Spore Spewer
Variants: N/A
Theoretical Minimum: 3s
Actual Minimum: 3s
Effect on gameplay for completing: Spore cloud clears up around spewer, improving vision
Useful effect for speedrunning?: Yes, it's hard to play when you can't see very well
¶ Shrieker Nest
Variants: Double Tower, Triple Tower
Double Tower-
Theoretical Minimum: 12s
Actual Minimum: 12s
Triple Tower-
Theoretical Minimum: 18s
Actual Minimum: 18s
Effect on gameplay for completing: Shrieker towers no longer spawn shriekers
Useful effect for speedrunning?: Yes, if shriekers are aggroing bugs or harassing you
¶ 🦑 Illuminate Exclusive Optional Objectives:
¶ Cognitive Disrupter
Variants: N/A
Theoretical Minimum: 4s
Actual Minimum: 8s
Effect on gameplay for completing: Normal stratagem codes
Useful effect for speedrunning?: Yes, Typing in codes fast is hard when they are random
¶ Purge Illuminate
Variants: N/A
Theoretical Minimum: RNG
Actual Minimum: RNG
Effect on gameplay for completing: None
Useful effect for speedrunning?: No, However for 100% you can not control when this is completed its pure RNG when you get enough spawns
¶ Credits
Canis and Rose for summarising optional objectives information