Some of you play TTRPGs and some don’t

And I can tell by the way that you comment/post about MOs and galactic war map changes.

Yes, Joel puts their thumb on the scale. That’s their job. Their goal is to make things more fun for us and to progress the player-driven story in organic-feeling ways. Joel is not trying to sabotage us and Joel is not trying to give us wins.

Joel is the GM. Joel decides what the enemies do “on their turn”. The enemies have tools that they can use to move the needle in different directions.

As a recent example the Incineration Corps were deployed to the MO planets. I’ve seen some people express frustration at Joel for doing this. That frustration is misplaced. Helldivers 2, like any game, requires a level of suspension of disbelief.

Joel didn’t put the Incineration Corps on those planets to sabotage our MO. The clankers deployed the Incineration Corps to defend their stockpiles of platinum. They must really want that platinum; and whatever they want it for can’t be good.

If you’re frustrated about failing the MO, be frustrated at the automatons. Clanker bastards…

That’s not to say that Joel doesn’t fumble occasionally… but enemies of democracy defending their wrongful claims to resources isn’t one of those fumbles.