AX/ARC-3 “Guard Dog” K-9

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Last updated: 1.002.003
Current patch: 1.003.104


A humane, autonomous drone equipped with a modified Arc Thrower. Capable of projecting arcs of lightning through multiple targets. Does not need to recharge between shots.

— Ship Management Terminal

The AX/ARC-3 "Guard Dog" K-9 is a backpack Stratagem that provides support to the player.

Stratagem Statistics

General
Call-in Time 9.75 seconds
Uses Unlimited
Cooldown Standard 480 seconds
With Morale Augmentation 456 seconds
With Hand Carts 432 seconds
With All Upgrades 410.4 seconds

Note: Bug prevents hand carts from affecting cooldown

Detailed Stratagem Statistics

AX/ARC-3 "Guard Dog" K-9
Main Health 100
Main Armor Armor AV1 Icon.png Unarmored II
Ergonomics 65
Cooldown 480 sec
Call-in Time 5 s
Reload Time 3 s
Attacks
Drone K-9 Arc Arc
Drone K-9 Arc
Arc
Arc Range 55 m
Arc Velocity 300 m/s
Arc Aim Angle 3 °
Damage
Element Arc
Standard 250
vs. Durable 45
Penetration
Direct Armor AP7 Icon.png Anti-Tank III
Slight Angle Armor AP7 Icon.png Anti-Tank III
Large Angle Armor AP7 Icon.png Anti-Tank III
Extreme Angle Armor AP0 Icon.png Unarmored I
Special Effects
Status Stun Small
Status Strength 8
Demolition Force 10
Stagger Force 30
Push Force 25

Tactical Information

K-9 Specific

  • K-9 Guard Dog wields a modified downsized ARC-3 Arc Thrower engaging all eligible targets within 20-meters approximately every 5-seconds (3 to cooldown, 1 for target acquisition, 1 to charge a shot).
    • Identical to Helldiver operated Arc Thrower support weapon, K-9 does not need to return to backpack for reloads and thus ammunition-wise not having any downtimes.
    • The most noticeable difference is the increased horizontal turning angle of the arc-chains (90-degrees as opposed to 75-degrees) alongside the chains travelling back-and-forth and zigzagging unlike the arc-bolts of the regular Arc Thrower.
      • In essence, K-9 practically is the safer close-quarters-combat alternative to GL-52 De-Escalator as long as both the operator and the squad-member Helldivers won't reside within the groups targeted by K-9 Guard Dog
      • The increased horizontal angle alongside the seemingly infinite chaining of the arcs allows K-9 fully to utilize the whole 55-meter range of each arc.

General Guard Dog Tips

  • The main benefit of Guard Dog stratagems is their fire-support by autonomously engaging hostile targets regardless of actions of the operating Helldiver. This is especially useful in scenarios where the Helldiver in a need of retreating from an area but cannot afford to slow down to shoot at enemies.
    • Guard Dog also can be used to clear targets behind covers, especially ones behind elevated walls.
      • Guard Dog stratagems are incapable taking down targets situated in extreme elevation differences such as right above or below them. This is due to them being armed with a fixed non-gimbled gun and utilizing downward quad-propellant rocket engines to hover. This leads the maximum operational vertical angle being approximately 45-degrees.
  • Once a Guard Dog has locked on the first target, it won't disengage or switch targets until there is several seconds of line-of-sight lost or Guard Dog has completed its objective be it destruction or other main function.
    • This can lead a Guard Dog keep aiming at but not suppressing their initial target beyond their engagement distance. The disengagement on out-of-reach and blocked line-of-sight of targets require ~5-seconds time to reset and acquire a new next closest target.
  • Because it effectively functions as a backpack-mounted sentry, the Guard Dog is very helpful in engagements where there are numerous enemies that need to be quickly dispatched.
  • Unlike the stationary defensive-stratagems such as A/MG-43 Machine Gun Sentry, Guard Dog (stratagems) will only initiate engagement with alerted hostile targets.
    • Guard Dog is considered as a separate entity from their Helldiver-operator which won't gain the Scout Armor Passive while being active out of the backpack. In other words, hostile will spot and get alerted by Guard Dog itself before the Scout-Helldiver carrying the backpack.
    • Although hostiles won't generally target specifically the Guard Dog itself, it can be still rendered temporarily inoperable by stray bullets or explosions. This is observable by Guard Dog docking back to backpack "spitting" sparks until the repair process has been completed (approx. 10-seconds).

Applicable Ship Modules

Department Ship Module Effect
Patriotic
Administration
Center
Hand Carts Decreases cooldown for all Backpack stratagems by 10%.
Bridge Morale Augmentation Reduces cooldown time for all Stratagems by 5%.

Media

File:AX ARC-3 "Guard Dog" K-9 Preview Video.mp4
Tutorial Video Demonstrating Use of the AX/ARC-3 "Guard Dog" K-9

Trivia

  • The name "K-9" is a terminology used to reference "canine"-units (Canis lupus familiaris, or dogs) within armed forces, such as employed by military and constituted law enforcement bodies E.G. police departments.

Change History

Patch
Description

1.003.101
2025-06-12
(Mid-Patch)

Addition

  • Added to the game.