---------
Copyright
---------
This guide and all of its contents are copyright to David Hughes © 2011.
The Gears of War franchise is copyright to Epic Game Inc.
Feel free to use any of the information in this guide, however
please do give credit where due.
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Table of Contents
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1. Introduction [INT]
2. Enemies [EFQ]
3. Boss FAQ [BFQ]
3a. Brumak [BRU]
3b. Berserker [BER]
3c. Gunker [GUN]
3d. Lambent Zerker [LB]
3e. Reaver Team [REA]
3f. Savage Corpser [SAV]
4. Fortifications [FOR]
4a. Leveling Up Your Fortifications [LYF]
4b. Barriers [BAR]
4c. Decoy [DEC]
4d. Sentry [SEN]
4e. Turret [TUR]
4f. Silverback Robot [SIL]
4g. Command Center [COM]
5. Weapon Cost FAQ [WCF]
5a. Grenades [GRE]
5a-1. Frag Grenade [FRA]
5a-2. Incendiary Grenade [INC]
5a-3. Ink Grenade [INK]
5b. Other [OTH]
5b-1. Boomshot [BOO]
5b-2. Digger [DIG]
5b-3. Hammer of Dawn [HOD]
5b-4. Mortar [MOR]
5b-5. Mulcher [MUL]
5b-6. OneShot [ONE]
5b-7. Scorcher [SCO]
5b-8. Torque Bow [TOR]
5c. Pistols [PIS]
5c-1. Boltak Pistol [BOL]
5c-2. Gorgon Pistol [GOR]
5d. Rifles [RIF]
5d-1. Longshot [LS]
6. Money Making Guide [MMG}
6a. Experience [EXP]
6b. Beastiary [BST]
6b-1. Bosses [BOS]
6c. Spotting [SPT]
6d. Wave Bonus [WBS]
6e. Revivng Team Mates [RTM]
6f. Challenges [CHA]
6f-1. Manned Turret [MAN]
6f-2. Headshots [HST]
6f-3. Retro/Lancer [R/L]
6f-4. Quick Kills [QCK]
6f-5. Survive [SUR]
6f-6. Boom The Tank [BTT]
6f-7. Execute [EXC]
7. Tips and Tricks [TAT]
7a. Bosses [BSS]
7a-1. Beserker [BES]
7a-2. Gunker [GKR]
7a-3. Savage Corpser [SVC]
7a-4. Reaver Team [RVT]
7a-5. Brumak [BMK]
7a-6. Lambent Zerker [LAM]
8. FAQ [FAQ]
9. Credits [CRE]
------------------
Introduction [INT]
------------------
Welcome one and all to my first FAQ, this was a colaborative effort between
a few people, whom are thanked in the credits, although I would like to say a
special thanks to Nescobar here. Nescobar was the person who originally wrote
this FAQ, and without him it would not exist.
As this is my first FAQ, bear with me if the layout or format is a little
dire. Any and all feedback you have is more than welcome, just drop me an
email at: DayyHughes@gmail.com
Without further ado, on to the FAQ.
Horde mode, originally introduced in Gears of War 2 has made a come back in
Gears of War 3 and is better than ever before. This time Horde mode allows
us to further increase our survivability with the help of fortifications
like Turrets, Barriers, and even the Silverback Robot! You earn money each
wave to allow you to build, repair, or upgrade existing fortifications.
Think you can take on all 50 waves?
--------------
Boss FAQ [BFQ]
--------------
Every ten waves you are presented with a boss enemy to go along with the
normal enemies. These boss enemies are harder than the average enemy,
doing more damage, having MUCH more life, and are often more time consuming.
A wise strategy is to take out all enemies before focusing on the boss.
Later in waves, youll get multiple bosses.
Brumak [BRU]
------------
Weak Spots - Fuel Tanks (Back), Chaingun (Arms), Faceplate (Face)
An extremely larger enemy; the largest boss. This enemy also has a tank
amount of life and is armed with rockets and a chaingun thats deadly.
Walks very slowly and turns slowly. May be spawned in an area that prevents
it from moving, giving you basically a free kill. Concentrate fire on the
chainguns which will greatly damage it once destroyed, then fire at the
faceplate which will decrease its accuracy followed by concentrated fire
directly on the fuel tanks on the back. Once all three are destroyed, the
Brumak will go down. It causes a large explosion once killed. Stay away
with caution.
Berserker [BER]
---------------
Weak Spots - Fire damage softens its hard skin, making bullets do normal
damage. Extremely durable, but slow enemy. If it catches you in its senses,
it will charge at you and getting hit by the charge will down you.
At first, bullet damage barely works on it. Once set on fire, however,
it will be stunned for a small amount of time, and bullet resistance
decreases. Two are spawned at a time.
Gunker [GUN]
------------
Weak Spot - Small sack on it's chest
A large enemy that can be quite difficult to fight. If you stand too far
away, it will lob a glob of Imulsion at you that has an area of effect
and decent splash damage. If youre close, it will hit you with a claw
attack that will down you. The claw attack can go through cover so avoid
staying too close. The glob attack goes at an arc, so standing under
something can be quite helpful. Nothing more to really say, just
concentrate fire on the small sack on its chest and roll away from
incoming globs. Keep your distance.
Lambent Zerker [LB]
-------------------
Weak Spot - Exposed Chest Cavity
This can be an extremely difficult battle and quite time consuming.
The fight has three stages, which increases the battles difficulty each
time. The first stage is much like a Beserker; it will open it's chest
cavity, and then charge at you. The second stage, the Lambent Berserker
will leak Imulsion onto the floor during its charges, it is also possible
at this stage for it to do a jump attack. The third will leave Imulsion in
the floor and in the air, often blocking off escape. Touching these will
damage you quite fast. This is faster than the normal Berserker and more
aggressive. Has three types of attacks, a charge, a jump attack that has
a large area of effect, or swiping at you. It will expose its chest
cavity before each attack. A scorcher avoids its armor and directly
damages the chest cavity, but also causes the Lambent Berserker to open
up and reveal the cavity. Its charge also focuses on you, so roll out
of the way. If it is to bump into an object, it will be stunned for a
second while opening the center up. Open fire once that happens. Be
sure to use fire to make it open it's chest cavity while other attack it.
Reaver Team [REA]
-----------------
Weak Spot - Stomach (Red area)
Reavers often come in pairs, armed with a Beast Rider and a Torque Bow
(Later waves it can be a boomshot), as well as laser sighted rockets, the
Reaver can be difficult. It has the least amount of life compared to other
bosses and can be taken down easily from concentrated fire. One thing to
watch out for is after destroying the Reaver, the Beast Rider can survive
and proceed to attack, so be careful as a Torque Bow shot (Or Boomshot)
will kill you if you turn your back.
Savage Corpser [SAV]
--------------------
Weak Spot - Abdomen, Face
Nothing really special about this battle. The Corpser will burrow
underground and charge at you, as seen by the dust lines. Before coming up,
it will attempt to attack you with its claw. Concentrate fire on the face.
Before digging underground, it will make itself vulnerable to damage, then
proceed to burrow underground. Simply keep your distance as it has no
ranged attacks.
--------------------
Fortifications [FOR]
--------------------
Leveling Up Your Fortifications [LYF]
-------------------------------------
Below is a list of all the fortifications and how much you need to spend on
them in order to level them up, and max them out. As well as their different
functions and upgrades through each level. Many of you then, will want to know
the quickest way to level fortifications up. There is no generally agreed
upon way to level fortifications up the quickest; one way I like is to use
wave 10, and fail on the last enemy. Doing it that way gets you a lot of
enemies to kill, but also still has them at their easiest (no active poisons).
It is worth noting that what difficulty you have it on, and what mutators you
use affects how quickly your fortifications level. The difficulty you have it
on is what is used first to calculate how much of what you spend actually
counts.
Casual = 60%
Normal = 80%
Hardcore = 100%
Insane = 110%
So, for example, if you were to buy a large Barrier for $1,000 on Casual,
only $600 of that would actually count towards leveling your Barriers up.
If you were to do the same thing on Insane, $1,100 would count; $100 *more*
than you actually spent. This is the games way of balancing the difficulties
since the amount you receive from enemies is a constant across them all.
Next come the Mutators, after applying the Difficulty reductions/increases,
the game applies the Mutator modifications. With mutators it is as simple
as just looking on the mutator screen what it says. The 'Easy' Mutators all
give -25% each, the 'Hard' Mutators (with the exception of Friendly Fire) give
+10%, and the 'Fun' ones do nothing.
So lets use this in an example to make it a little more clear.
If I am playing on Harcore and I have Insta-Gib, Infinite Ammo and Super
Reload on, the game will do the following for everything I spend on my
fortifications:
(AmmountxDifficulty) x (Mutator1 + Mutator2 + Mutator3) = Ammount leveled up
So in that case, if I was to spent $1,000. It would multiply it my 100%,
so it stays at $1,000. Next it would add all of the Mutators up, which is
-75%, and multiply that by the $1,000. So in the end we would get $250 of our
original $1,000 count towards leveling up our fortifications.
Now lets try it with Casual instead of Hardcore. $1,000x60% = $600. Then it
would be $600x(100%-75%) or $600x0.25 = $150. As you can see you only get
a pitiful $150 for your $1,000 spent.
If you were to use Insane and put on 'Hard' mutators then that would clearly
yield the best results for your money spent. However, what you have to take
in to account is how much hard that would be.
This is why there is no generally accepted way to level up fortifications.
It is all based on what you can do the easiest. If you can aqcuire $15,000
on Casual with the three Mutators mentioned earlier, quicker than you can
acquire $1,000 on Hardcore with no Mutators, then that would be quicker.
It is all about finding what is best for you; you need to think about how
much of your money is actually counting, and how quickly you can gain
money compared to other settings.
Barriers [BAR]
--------------
Barriers come in two different sizes, small and large. The small barriers
cost $500 for the first level, and the large ones cost $1000. The following
numbers are for the Large upgrades.
Level 1 - Standard Spike Strip (Default)
The default starting barrier. Slows down enemy while inflicting damage when
stepped on.
Level 2 (2000 experience to level up) - Repairs at 8% Cheaper for Standard
Spikes. This level unlocks Decoys for purchase
Level 3 (8000 experience total to level up) - Razor Wire (2,500 Credits to
Upgrade). Upgraded from spikes. Inflicts more damage upon touching
compared to standard spikes.)
Level 4 (20,000 experience total to level up) - Razor Wire is 8% cheaper
to repair.
Level 5 (45,000 experience total to level up) - Electric Barrier
(4000 Credits to Upgrade). Upgraded from razor wire. This upgrade directly
stops enemy passage, compared to slowing it down like the past upgrades
while inflicting damage. Starts off with 3 horizontal lasers, and as it
is damaged, the lasers flare out from bottom to top. If an ally walks
through the lasers, they shut off temporarily.
Level 6 (75,000 experience total to level up) - Electric Barrier is 8%
cheaper to repair.
Level 7 (120,000 experience total to level up) - Laser Barrier (5,000
Credits to Upgrade). This upgrade adds fire damage as additional damage
to the previous electric barrier, and adds more defense to the barrier. This
further damages the enemy when touched. Same effects apply as it's damaged
more and as an ally walks through. This upgrade also unlocks the Silverback
for purchase.
Level 8 (170,000 experience total to level up) - Laser Barrier is 8% cheaper
to repair.
Decoy [DEC]
-----------
Unlocked by getting to Level 2 Barriers.
Level 1 - Cardboard Cutout (Default, 500 credits to buy)
A cardboard cutout of Cole Train. Attracts enemy fire only.
Level 2 (2,000 total experience to level up) - Dummy (1,000 credits to
upgrade)A plain dummy that can take more damage than the previous cardboard
cutout. Attracts enemy attacks.
Level 3 (5,000 total experience to level up) - Plain Dummy repairs are 11%
cheaper.
Level 4 (20,000 total experience to level up) - Red Paint Dummy (1,500
credits to upgrade). An upgrade to the previous dummy. Red paint and full
legs has been added on to the dummy. Can also take more damage than the
previous dummy, and far more the the original.
Level 5 (75,000 total experience to level up) - Red Paint Dummy repairs
are 11% cheaper.
Level 6 (110,000 total experience to level up) - Boombox Dummy (2,000
credits to upgrade). The dummy has been armed with explosives that will
denoate once enough damage has been inflicted. Can withstand more damage
than the previous models.
Level 7 (170,000 total experience to level up) - Boombox Dummy repairs are
11% cheaper.
Level 8 (220,000 total experience to level up) - Decoy Master (Onyx Guard Bot)
(5,000 credits to upgrade). With this upgrade the Decoy becomes an active
bot with the Onyx Guard skin. It will have Casual AI and carry only a Gnasher
shotgun. It can kill enemies, but you gain no money for it. The bot will also
regain health overtime like human players do. If can get downed, and it can
also pick human players up. If it gets destroyed you will need to rebuy it,
however, if it just gets damaged, it will just heal bu the start of the next
round. Spot enemies to make it target those as a priority.
NOTE: THIS UPGRADE IS ONLY AVAILABLE WITH THE HORDE COMMAND PACK DLC!
Sentry [SEN]
------------
Level 1 Light Sentry Turret (Default)
A default turret. Inflicts small amounts of damage with limited range.
Level 2 (15,000 total experience to level up) - Sentry repairs are 11%
cheaper
Level 3 (30,000 total experience to level up) - Heavy Sentry Turret (1,500
to upgrade). Turret inflicts more damage, with increased range and capable
of taking more damage.
Level 4 (90,000 total experience to level up) - Heavy Sentry Turret repairs
are now 11% cheaper
Level 5 (105,000 total experience to level up) - Static Sentry Turret
(3,000 credits to upgrade). A further upgrade that is more durable,
inflicts more damage than previous models, and comes with an attack that
temporarily stuns smaller enemies.
Level 6 (135,000 total experience to level up) Static Sentry Turret repairs
are now 11% cheaper
Level 7 (200,000 total experience to level up) - Flame Sentry Builder - This
upgrade works exactly the same as the Static version does, except it fires
Fire Bolts instead of Static. This works really well against things like
Beserkers, Armored Kantus and Savage Corpsers.
NOTE: THIS UPGRADE IS ONLY AVAILABLE WITH THE HORDE COMMAND PACK DLC!
Turret [TUR]
------------
Level 1 Retro Lancer Turret (Default, $1,500)
The first turret you begin with. It's strapped with four retro lancers.
Inaccurate turret, that deals good damage.
Level 2 (15,000 total experience to level up) - Turret has increased
accuracy, shot spread decreases, and repair cost 8% cheaper.
Level 3 (50,000 total experience to level up) - Lancer Turret (2,500
credits to upgrade). An accuracy upgrade from the previous model. This
model straps on 4 lancers and increases the accuracy. Increased capacity.
Level 4 (90,000 total experience to level up) - Lancer Turret repair cost
8% cheaper.
Level 5 (140,000 total experience to level up) - Troika Turret (4,000
credits to upgrade). Combines power and accuracy. Loses some of the
capacity of the Lancer turret however, down to 400 rounds from 600.
Level 6 (200,000 total experience to level up) - Troika Turret repair cost
8% cheaper.
Level 7 (270,000 total experience to level up) - Armored Troika Turret
(5,000 credits to upgrade.). Adds armor to the Troika turret. Back area is
still exposed. Increased ammo, increased damage, and spread decrease.
Level 8 (360,000 total experience to level up) - Armored Troika Turret
repair cost 8% cheaper.
Silverback [SIL]
----------------
Level 1 - Silverback Robot (Default, $12,500)
A robot capable of melee attacks, running, with a Vulcan Cannon strapped to
the arm that rips through enemies with great accuracy. Cooling system -
Running and shooting requires cooling to prevent overheating. Capable of
taking cover, which decreases damage.
Level 2 (200,000 total experience to level up) - Silverback Robot repairs
are 11% cheaper. (Changed with the Horde Command Pack DLC; was 33%)
Level 3 (500,000 total experience to level up) - Silverback Operator - This
level adds an upgrade to the Silverback which unlocks the rockets.
Level 4 (900,000 total experience to level up) - Silverback Robot repairs are
11% cheaper.
Level 5 (1,500,000 total experience to level up) - Silverback Robot repairs
are 11% cheaper.
Command Center [COM]
--------------------
Notes: the Command Center is a new Fortification added with the Horde Command
Pack DLC. It is a one use fortification, once you use it, it vanishes and
you need to rebuy it. If someone else uses a Command Center you have built
then you get assist points for the kills. If you are in a map that has a roof
then the later levels will change in to Onyx Guard bots equipped with
Boomshots that run around the map for a short period of time.
Level 1 - Unlocked by getting Level 8 Turret (Costs 1000 to buy, 750 to rebuy)
The first level of the Command Center is a Sniper Team. Typically it will kill
three enemies, usually low level enemies like Drones and Tickers. If it can
be killed via a headshot then it will be.
Level 2 (5,000 total experience to level up, costs 2000 to upgrade, 2250 to
rebuy) - Sniper Command Elite (Mortar Strike) - Despite the name it is
actually a Mortar team not a Sniper team for the second level.
Level 3 (25,000 total experience to level up, costs are the same) - Mortar
Commander - This level seems no different what so ever to Level 2 in my
experience. It is still a Mortar Strike and is still heavily dependant on
what and where the enemies are when you use it.
Level 4 (40,000 total experience to level up, costs 3000 to upgrade, 4500 to
rebuy) - Mortar Commander Elite. This level is the final level; a Hammer of
Dawn strike. Usually this will call in three Hammer of Dawn strikes, but it
can be more or less depending on where the enemies are and how many of them
there are.
----------------------
Weapon Costs FAQ [WCF]
----------------------
There are many weapons available on each map in Horde mode, ranging from
the Gorgon SMG Pistol to weapons such as the OneShot that will annihilate
practically any enemy. Each weapon has a select cost and will be found in
a specific location. Some weapons, for example, the Hammer of Dawn and the
OneShot on Sandbar alternate spawns with each other. Meaning, if one of
those two is spawning, the other will not and the weapon will always be
in the same place.
Grenades [GRE]
--------------
Frag Grenade [FRA] 500 Credits
Upon exploding it damages everything in a medium sized radius around it.
Can be attached to walls as a proximity mine or tagged directly onto
enemies. Extremely useful for large groups of enemies, especially useful
against bigger enemies.
Incendiary Grenade [INC] - 400 Credits
Upon exploding it damages a small radius around it and leaves fire on the
ground around the area where it detonated. Similar to Frag Grenades, it can
be tagged onto enemies or turned into proximity mines. Very useful for
smaller enemies as they have low health, and the damage over time caused
by the fire itself will damage them greatly. Also useful against Beserkers
and Armored Kantus.
Ink Grenade [INK] - 250 Credits
Leaves a black mist that suffocates the enemy slowly when in the explosion
range. Mist remains in the select area for a limited amount of time. Useful
against infantry units such as Drones and Lambent Drones. Also temporarily
stuns enemy if caught directly in the middle of the explosion.
Other [OTH]
-----------
Boomshot [BOOM] - 800 Credits
Effectively a grenade launcher. Huge amounts of damage, a large area of
effect, with one shot per reload. Shoots in an arc. Capable of killing
multiple enemies at once. Best saved for bigger enemies, to help make
quick work of them.
Digger [DIG] 500 Credits
A unique grenade launcher. It has extremely long range, with a moderate
sized area of effect, and one shot per reload. This gun shoots a grenade
underground and will continue traveling until either an enemy is caught in
its path or it reaches its end. The grenade will come out of the ground
for a split second and then detonate. Useful for enemies that are taking
cover, due to it's ability to burrow under cover and explode on the other
side.
Hammer of Dawn [HOD] 800 Credits
Extremely high damage, but with a limited ammo that cannot be reloaded.
Requires enemy be under open sky, and so will not work if enemy is
underneath anything, such as a roof. Best used against bosses. Will
decimate just about any enemy, and has decent splash damage. Use sparingly.
Morter [MOR] 900 Credits
Launches an explosive cluster shell in the sky, when it comes down, it
splits into multiple shells, each causing a small explosion. Extremely
useful for large groups of enemies, both behind cover and far away. The
high damage also greatly helps against Bosses.
Mulcher [MUL] 900 Credits
An effective minigun. Has a large rate of fire and good damage. Mulcher has
a small spread compared to other automatic weapons, so its quite accurate
in longer ranges. Effective best at closer ranges. Works good against all
types of enemies. Be careful of the long start up and cool down animations
when aiming and firing.
OneShot [ONE] - 900 Credits
Greatest DPS in the game. Guaranteed One Hit Kill for every type of
infantry, all types of larger enemies, and greatly damages all bosses.
Cannot run with it, and takes around 3 seconds to place gun down and focus.
Contains only two shots.
Scorcher [SCO] - 500 Credits
Concentrated fire in a short range area. Best used against Berserkers,
Lambent Berserkers, and Armored Kantus. Against Berserkers, it stuns
them and weakens their armored skin, making them susceptible to gun fire.
Against Lambent Berserkers, it forces it to open up its chest to reveal
the weak area. Against Armored Kantus, makes him susceptible to gun fire.
While boomshots, torques and grenades can knockdown & hurt the Armored
Kantus, the Scorcher provides a constant stream of it's weakness; fire.
Torque Bow [TOR] 700 Credits
High damage from this bow to go along with its exceptional accuracy makes
it a deadly weapon. Will kill most infantry in one hit and can be used to
headshot bigger enemies such as Grinders and Boomers.
Pistols [PIS]
-------------
Boltok Pistol [BOL] 300 Credits
This pistol has a relatively low fire rate, although if you get an Active
Reload, then the damage and rate of fire increase dramatically.
Gorgon Pistol [GOR] 200 Credits
A small, automatic pistol that has an increased rate of fire but also a
wider spread in comparison to the Boltak Pistol. Very useful for multiple
weak enemies close-by, but loses effectiveness as distance between the
enemy increases.
Rifles [RIF]
------------
Longshot [LS] - 700 Credits
An exceptionally strong rifle with one of the longest ranges in the game
matched with extremely small spread and high damage. The downside is its
reload time and exceptionally small ammo size. Originally has 4 shots when
picked up, max of 24. Requires reload after every shot. Headshots have a
big increase in damage, and usually requires only one or two hits to kill
almost all types of enemies that can be headshot.
------------------------
Money Making Guide [MMG]
------------------------
Experience [EXP]
----------------
Experience in horde is a direct translation of your money with the exception
of executions. How much experience you get for killing an enemy is the
amount of money you get. For as an example: Killing a drone with a gnasher
is 105 Experience, which in turn nets you $105. This is of course the same
for all weapons; different weapons do not increase the experience gained.
If you down and then kill an enemy, you get 91.42% of the XP you would get
from a flat out kill. The Kills and Experience given is based on you killing
them with no assists. If someone assists in the kill, then the full amount
is shared between all that shot the enemy. This can cause you to lose out
on 1-2 experience total, since the game tends to round down the amount of
Experience you get. For example, instead of you getting 50.4 experience
for your assist, you would get 50.
Beastiary [BST]
---------------
Name: The name of the enemy
Faction: Either Locust or Lambent
Experience: The amount of Experience (and thus Money) the enemy gives
Weapons: The weapons that the enemy can use/drop
Infantry: Whether or not an enemy is classed as an Infantry helps with the
completion of certain Challenges
Notes: Any other notes
Name: Wild Ticker
Faction: Locust
Experience: 70
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Notes: Wild Tickers can destroy fortifications very easily, and also eat up
ammo that is on the floor.
Name: Wretch
Faction: Locust
Experience: 70
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Notes: Low health, but high spawn rate and sporadic movement can cause them
to overrun you easily, try and keep your distance. They also have a screech
that will stun you if you are too close.
Name: Ticker
Faction: Locust
Experience: 105
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Notes: Tickers are easily delt with, just put a few bullets from your
Assault Rifle in them, and they will go boom. Letting them kill themselves
nets you no money.
Name: Drone
Faction: Locust
Experience: 105
Weapons: Hammerburst
Infantry: Yes
Notes: Standard Locust enemy, nothing special.
Name: Grenadier
Faction: Locust
Experience: 105
Weapons: Gnasher, Frag Grenades
Infantry: Yes
Notes: They need to be closer to you than a Drone before they can pose any
real threat, just keep your distance.
Name: Savage Theron
Faction: Locust
Experience: 175
Weapons: Cleaver
Infantry: Yes
Notes: Savage Therons use Cleavers and thus need to get very close to
attack you. Keep your distance from them, because they can easily trap
you in a corner and the cleaver can kill quickly.
Name: Savage Drone
Faction: Locust
Experience: 175
Weapons: Retro Lancer
Infantry: Yes
Notes: Watch out for the (rare) Retro Charge, and be weary of the high
damage from an up close Retro Lancer.
Name: Bolter
Faction: Locust
Experience: 175
Weapons: Boltok Pistol
Infantry: Yes
Notes: Boltok Pistols are very dangerous weapons to be getting shot by; at
higher waves/difficulties they are like semi automatic Sniper Rifles.
Bolters also have a tendancy to rush you more than most enemies.
Name: Beast Rider
Faction: Locust
Experience: 175
Weapons: Hammerburst
Infantry: Yes
Notes: Found on top of Bloodmounts. They do not die simply from the
Bloodmount dying, but instead have to be directly killed.
Name: Reaver Rider
Faction: Locust
Experience: 175
Weapons: Torque Bow
Infantry: Yes
Notes: Found on top of Reavers. They will often die when the Reaver dies,
but this is not a guarantee. For the most experience/money, it is suggested
you kill the Reaver Rider before the Reaver. This will also make the Reaver
easier to kill.
Name: Sniper
Faction: Locust
Experience: 210
Weapons: Longshot
Infantry: Yes
Notes: Snipers are usually pretty easy kills, they have an incredibly slow
rate of fire, and very rarely headshot.
Name: Butcher
Faction: Locust
Experience: 210
Weapons: Cleaver
Infantry: No
Notes: Very slow, both in movement and attacks. Nothing you should worry
about, just don't let one sneak up on you.
Name: Grenadier Elite
Faction: Locust
Experience: 245
Weapons: Boltok Pistol, Gnasher Shotgun, Frag Grenades
Infantry: Yes
Notes: On earlier waves, all you need to worry about are the stray Frags.
However, come later waves their Gnashers will feel like they are shooting
you with Longshots, so be careful.
Name: Flame Grenadier
Faction: Locust
Experience: 245
Weapons: Scorcher
Infantry: Yes
Notes: These are the Flamer that can be downed. Shoot the tank to kill
them a lot easier and quicker.
Name: Shrieker
Faction: Locust
Experience: 245
Weapons: Gorgon-type gun (Does not drop upon death)
Infantry: No
Notes: Quite possibly the most annoying enemy in the game. They are a very
rare occurance, but when they do spawn, you will want to kill them quickly.
Name: Theron Guard
Faction: Locust
Experience: 280
Weapons: Torque Bow
Infantry: Yes
Notes: Although the Torque Bow has a very slow and visually and audioably
obvious firing animation, if you are caught on the wrong end of a well
placed shot, you will be in trouble.
Name: Flame Boomer
Faction: Locust
Experience: 315
Weapons: Scorcher
Infantry: No
Notes: Almost impossibly to distinguish from a Flame Grenadier. Cannot be
downed. Similiar to the Flame Grenadier, shoot the tank for an easy kill.
Name: Boomer
Faction: Locust
Experience: 385
Weapons: Boomshot
Infantry: No
Notes: Very slow moving, but the Boomshot is fantastic at taking out
Fortifications, and the splash damage and long range can be problematic.
Name: Savage Boomer
Faction: Locust
Experience: 385
Weapons: Digger
Infantry: No
Notes: What they lack in range compared to the Boomer, they make up for
in being able to get you from behind cover.
Name: Bloodmount
Faction: Locust
Experience: 420
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Notes: Once you shoot them in the face a few times, they will stop and
knock their face mask off. Once they do this they will charge at you. Use
that time to fill them with bullets. They have a Beast Rider on top of them.
Name: Kantus
Faction: Locust
Experience: 420
Weapons: Gorgon Pistol, Ink Grenades
Infantry: No
Notes: They have a screech much like the Wretch, except that it can
also heal other Locust, and summon Tickers. Definitely an enemy to
take out first.
Name: Mauler
Faction: Locust
Experience: 525
Weapons: Boomshield, Flail (Won't drop)
Infantry: No
Notes: Although the Mauler can charge, usually once you start shooting it,
it will hunch down behind the Boomshield and advance very slowly. Try and
get a high ground position on it, to avoid the shield blocking your aim.
Name: Grinder
Faction: Locust
Experience: 525
Weapons: Mulcher
Infantry: No
Notes: Grinders are very slow, but with a lot of health. The Mulcher takes
a few seconds to get going, but is devastating if you get in the path of
one currently shooting.
Name: Giant Serapede
Faction: Locust
Experience: 525
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Notes: Giant Serapedes can be very annoying, their only weak spot is the
Blue/Green glowing tail, as you shoot the tail, it will break pieces off,
and eventually when it gets too short, it will die.
Name: Armored Kantus
Faction: Locust
Experience: 700
Weapons: Dual Gorgon Pistols
Infantry: No
Notes: The Armored Kantus is one to be very careful around, not only is it
hard to kill, but it has a roll attack that will instantly down/kill you.
The quickest way to kill one is to use a Scorcher, or other Fire based
weapons.
Name: Polyp
Faction: Lambent
Experience: 105
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Notes: Tiny little explosive Spiders, they are small and come in large
numbers usually. They die easily but jump about a lot and so can be hard
to hit.
Name: Lambent Drone
Faction: Lambent
Experience: 105
Weapons: Hammerburst
Infantry: Yes
Notes: Exactly the same as a normal Drone. Shoot their glowing area around
the stomach for extra damage.
Name: Lambent Wretch
Faction: Lambent
Experience: 140
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Notes: Exactly the same as a normal Wretch, but with the added ability to
explode when it dies.
Name: Former
Faction: Lambent
Experience: 140
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Notes: Easy to kill, but fast and spawn in huge amounts.
Name: Lambent Drone
Faction: Lambent
Experience: 245
Weapons: Gnasher
Infantry: Yes
Notes: The Grenadier Elite of the Lambent world. Shares the same name as
the Drone version.
Name: Druge
Faction: Lambent
Experience: 280
Weapons: Hammerburst
Infantry: No
Notes: Although they cannot be downed, they can be chainsawed. Has a
chance to mutate in to a different enemy instead of dying. If this happens
you get no Experience from the Druge, but instead get extra from the
Mutation.
Name: Druge (Stationary mutation)
Faction: Lambent
Experience: 420
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Notes: They can shoot imulsion at you, and also have the ability to spawn
Polyps. The Polyps they spawn only give 17 experience instead of the full
105.
Name: Druge (Head Snake Form)
Faction: Lambent
Experience: 420
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Notes: They do not always mutate into a form with a Head Snake; some times
only the arms mutate. They can shoot imulsion at you, and fire little
globs of imulsion from their hands. When they die, the Head Snake will
spawn on the floor for you to kill, so long as their head mutated.
Name: Head Snake
Faction: Lambent
Experience: 175
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Notes: Moves like a snake. They are easy to kill, and shoot imulsion when
close.
Bosses [BOS]
------------
For notes on each Boss, check the Boss FAQ section (BFQ).
Name: Gunker
Faction: Lambent
Experience: 700
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Name: Savage Corpser
Faction: Locust
Experience: 875
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Name: Reaver
Faction: Locust
Experience: 875
Weapons: Laser Guided Rockets (Does not drop)
Infantry: No
Name: Beserker
Faction: Locust
Experience: 1400
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Name: Lambent Beserker
Faction: Lambent
Experience: 2100
Weapons: N/A
Infantry: No
Name: Brumak
Faction: Locust
Experience: 2800
Weapons: Gatling Guns on each arm, Rockets on it's back (Neither drop)
Infantry: No
Spotting [SPT]
--------------
Spotting is a good way of building extra money in horde. While spotting
your own enemy and killing it doesnt increase the amount of money you
receive for the kill, spotting for a friend does. The reason behind this
is when you spot, you are assisting your fellow teammates and thus the game
rewards you for doing this. After a short amount of time, if no one has
killed your spotted enemy then the game removes the spot and allows another
player (or yourself) to re-spot that enemy. Re-spotting the same enemy
multiple times does not increase the amount of points you get for your
assist (18Xp/$18 for assist).
Wave Bonus [WBS]
----------------
In horde, if you survive a wave and do not die, you are awarded with $250
each wave (Even if you survive Boss Waves it is still $250). Now if you die
you will not be rewarded the 250 for surviving the way but there is still
a way to get money from the afterlife. If you die and the wave is not over,
go into ghost cam and start spotting enemies. For every enemy that you spot
and the living team member kills your spotted enemy, you instantly get the
18xp($18) for that enemy while youre dead. The number of people in your
game of Horde, and the number of those that survive has no affect on the
amount you get for surviving; it is always $250.
Reviving Teammates [RTM]
------------------------
Whenever a fellow teammate is down he/she instantly loses $100 (No actual
Xp is lost to your overall status). This is your time to capitalize on
his/her lost. When picking up your fallen teammate you then take the $100
that they in turn lost. So the moral of the story is always pick up a
teammate because it's not cool letting free money go to waste!
Challenges [CHA]
----------------
Every so often you are presented with a challenge for the wave that you are
in. Some of these are easy money makers like All team members must survive
the round and such. It is worth noting that the bonus boxes you get for
completing a challenge will stay forever, so long as they are not opened.
This means you do not have to use them straight away, and can save them for
rough spots, like bosses. Here is a clear description of all those challenges
and the best method of executing them:
Manned Turret [MAN]
-------------------
Goal: Kill 7 Infantry with a Manned Turret
It goes without saying, to complete this challenge you will need to build
Manned Turrets. If the wave starts and you don't have any built you
instantly fail the challenge. All you have to do is kill Infantry with the
Manned Turrets, pretty simple, just refer to the Beastiary section for
which enemies are classed as Infantry.
Headshots [HST]
---------------
Goal: Get 7 Headshots in the round
This goal is pretty simple, just get a total of 7 headshot kills during the
round. This can be on any enemy that can be headshot'd, including things
like Grinders and Boomers. One thing that most people forget, and which will
help you out a lot in completing this challenge is that you do NOT need a
Sniper to get a headshot. Gnashers can get headshots, as can Boltoks and
Snubs. The best method I found when short on Longshots is to down Drones
and other Infantry, and then switch to your Snub and one shot to the head
will make it go pop.
Retro/Lancer [R/L]
------------------
Goal: Get 6 kills with either a Retro Charge or a Chainsaw
You will know when you are about to get this challenge, because on of each
the Lancer and the Retro Lancer will spawn. Take note, both weapons will
spawn at a Command Post, so if you have multiple command posts set up, they
could spawn at any one of them. This is one of the challenges that you
really need to be careful with; on Casual it is really easy, just run
around and execute enemies with the chosen weapon. However, on the higher
difficulties trying this will quickly find yourself on the losing end. Only
try this when you are 1v1 with an enemy or better.
Quick Kills [QCK]
-------------------
Goal: Get 10 kills within a 30 second period
This is a lot harder than it sounds. The 30 seconds does not start until
you kill your first enemy, so what I find helps is waiting a few seconds
after the wave starts, that way you can make sure a few enemies have spawned
and you and your team can get in place to kill them as quickly as you can.
I have noticed that Formers and other high spawn enemies have a much higher
chance of appearing when this challenge is in effect. Retro Charging
Formers is easily the quickest way of completing this challenge, but very
rare is a viable option unfortunately. One of the great things about this
challenge however, that make it more bearable is that even when the timer
hits :00, it doesn't reset your 10 kills, instead it just adds a few
seconds on to the timer, and increases the kills you need by 1. What this
means is that if you are really close to getting the last few kills you need,
then running out of time doesn't mean all hope is lost. As you can imagine,
the more people you are playing with, the easier this round becomes; if you
are doing a 5 person Horde run, then this challenge is basically free money,
however, if you are on your own, you will need to plan very carefully to
make sure you complete it. The best advice I can give is to take your time
to spot the best way of killing enemies quickly before
you start.
Survive [SUR]
-------------
Goal: Have no player die during the wave
Probably the simplest of all the challenges. All you need is for every player
to survive the wave without dying. Make sure that everyone takes their time
and takes extra care when they are on their own. If possible then you should
always be in at least pairs, so that if anyone goes down, they can quickly
be revived. This is the kind of challenge which works well in to your
standard practice of every round - Not to die.
Boom The Tank [BTT]
-------------------
Goal: Kill 2 Flame Boomer/Grenadiers by shooting their tank
There are two different types of Flame enemies that have tanks - Boomers
and Grenadiers. It can be very hard (maybe even impossible) to tell the two
apart. All you need to do to complete this very easy challenge is simply
just aim for the tanks on their backs. Once you see a flame coming out of
the top of the tank, they will start to run around in a manic manner, and
then explode. 2 kills is all it takes and you are done. Easy. It is worth
noting, that Flame Grenadiers can be downed first, and then have their tanks
blown up. Ultimately it won't make a whole lot of difference and could lead
to you accidentally killing a Boomer, trying to down it (they cannot be
downed). So I would suggest treating them all as Boomers and just go
straight for the tank.
Execute [EXC]
-------------
Goal: Get 8 executions
If you have a Lancer or Retro Lancer as your rifle of choice, then this
round is basically just a longer version of the Retro/Lancer one. However,
this round also includes other executions as well. Down an enemy and then
kill it with an execution for this challenge. Take note though, although it
shows up with the execution symbol when you shoot a Flamer's tank, it doesn't
count towards this challenge.
---------------------
Tips and Tricks [TAT]
---------------------
Bosses [BSS]
------------
Bosses are one thing that were added to Gears of War 3 to enhance the
experience in horde. Every tenth wave is a Boss wave. Each boss wave has
a chance of spawning any of the Bosses; it is completely random. However,
if you fail a boss wave, you will usually get the same Boss again, for the
first 2-3 retries. I am going to give you tips and tricks to make this
experience as easy as possible. Remember guys that this is opinionated
information and should be treated as such. First let me describe the bosses
I find easiest to hardest and explain why followed by the best method on
killing these guys!
Berserker [BSR]
---------------
Though it is a bigger, stronger locust than most, this creature is very easy
to defeat on all waves on horde. You know that you are facing
Berserkers/Lambent Zerkers when at the beginning of the Boss wave, the stage
indicates where your scorchers are. Defeating this monster is easy, simply
focus on all other enemy types on the field and leave the Berserkers and
the scorchers for last. Though you are focusing on killing all the other
enemies, make sure to have a good ear and eye for when the berserker is
around you and is roaring to charge at you. When all other enemies are
defeated, then focus on the berserker. Pick up the scorcher and hit the
berserker with it, to lower it's natural resistance to Bullet damage.
Note: Bullets do still damage Beserkers normally, however unless first set
on fire, the damage they do is greatly reduced.
Gunker [GKR]
------------
Gunkers are big deformed lambents who emit imusion and release it in Gunks
to where ever you are at the time they throw it at you. Gunkers are also
very slow but what brings them a notch above Berserkers is that they fight
very well up close. If you tend to be too close to the Gunker, it will lash
out at you with a pointy limb that (depending on the wave) will bring you
down or kill you instantly! Be careful because this will go through cover
as well. This is what makes the Gunker just a bit higher than the Berserker
due to its ability to fight well up close. Just shoot from far, aim for it's
glowing sack on its chest and you're as good as gold.
Savage Corpser [SVC]
--------------------
Usually spawned in twos, the Savage Corpser is a determined locust who
makes it a mission to seek and destroy all COGs. Their sneakiness on the
battlefield allows them to attack when you least expect them but these
creatures are fairly easy. Simply draw them out and expose their body.
Once out and in the open, draw fire on the creature until it exposes its
face. A good way to do this is with scorcher or incendiary grenades as it
has a good reaction with it. Another way of attacking it is from behind
when it is exposed as the creature has barely any armor protect it there.
If you shoot it in the armor however, you will do no damage. Explosives
and other splash damage weapons are a good idea.
Reaver Team [RVT]
-----------------
Just like wolves, these guys come in packs and they arent afraid to attack
at all. Individually, both these enemies are not difficult but when you put
them together, man can they be annoying. Best bet is the obvious, kill the
Reaver itself and not the rider (though you do get more XP/Money if you kill
him first then the Reaver). Reaver riders can also switch between having
Torque Bows or having Boomshots (Harder waves get boomshots sometimes) so
be on the lookout. When you kill the Reaver, there is a 50/50 chance that
the rider will survive the explosion/fall or die with the Reaver. Though
one may not be a problem to take out remember this: they dont travel alone!
Brumak [BMK]
------------
Brumaks
what is there to say about this creature. The mere size of him is
intimidating! He alone has the capabilities to wipe out your entire team but
just like most bosses, there is a method to his mayhem! Brumaks have a lot
of power backing them up but that doesnt mean that he cant be taken down.
I would recommend to start with the gauntlets on his arms. I have done this
battle too many times and I see that when the gauntlets are destroyed, it
brings down the creatures defense thus making it easier to destroy
everything else. Not only that but without the Gauntlets, it cannot fire
it's Gatling Gun at you. I would follow up by going to the Faceplate. When
you destroy the Faceplate, it loses some of its accuracy; it will shoot in
your general direction but its accuracy becomes very sloppy so definitely
follow up with this. Lastly the fuel tank. To be honest, hitting the fuel
tank or hitting the Brumak (once youve destroyed the gauntlets and faceplate)
dont seem to make much difference. I have tried both theories and it seems
that hitting the fuel tank, youll end up killing it just as fast as if you
were to hit it anywhere else. Just make sure you hit it dead on!
Lambent Beserker [LAM]
----------------------
Who says the Lambent cant party? Try dancing with this girl and youll have
a good ol time! Why is this boss the hardest in my opinion? She is downright
annoying and exhausting. Though you are provided with two scorchers (this
opens her chest cavity), she has solely that one weakness - the chest cavity.
Unlike the Brumak, Gunkers, Reavers, etc
Lambent Zerker is a creature that
you have to be fairly up close to expose its weakness. Now you can Active
Reload a scorcher to get some distance and open its chest cavity but remember,
this girl releases imusion. To top things off, she can jump high distances
and make a splash with her imusion which can hurt/kill you (depending on
the wave). You may find yourself sometimes running out of bullets simply
trying to kill her even if you are hitting her weak spot but no worries.
Ive got a simple game plan for you guys: First make it a priority to kill
everything else on the field except for her (She walks just as slow as the
Berserkers so you can out run her!). Once you have everything else on the
field, proceed to pick up the scorchers that the game has provided you with.
If with a teammate(s): take turns using the scorcher and shoot only enough
to open its chest cavity. This is allow you guys to conserve the scorcher
and making it a faster process to open its weakness. When the Lambent Zerker
begins to release imusion, begin to step back alittle as she tends to show
her weakness more and more
but also leaves a trail of imusion that stays
quite a while and is very damaging! Sad to say but once she begins to leak
its all about waiting for the opportunity to shoot and doing exactly that.
This is why I think this character is the hardest/annoying boss character of
them all. BE CAUTIOUS WITH YOUR AMMO! Or you may not have anything left to
kill her with. Unfortunately the quickest way to kill her is also the most
dangerous; getting good at jumping out of her charge path at the last second.
---------
FAQ [FAQ]
---------
Q. Will my levels reset if I exit Horde mode at any point?
A. No, once your levels are saved they remain that way.
Q. I can only use barriers currently! How do I unlock the other
fortifications!?
A. To unlock Decoy, get to Level 2 barriers. To unlock Sentry, get level 3
Decoy. To unlock Turret, get to level 4 barriers. To unlock Silverback,
get to level 7 barriers.
Q. I died and want to buy back! Why is it so expensive?
A. The buy-back increases every 10 waves. It originally starts off as 1,500
credits but then goes to 3,000 credits, 4,500 credits, 6,000 credits, and
finally 7,500 credits. So try not to die as much in the later levels!
Don't forget when you are dead you can still Spot enemies in Ghost Camera
mode and earn extra cash!
Q. How much does each command post cost? And what's the max amount of them?
A. The starting one is free and is required to commence the first wave. After
that, they increase by 2,000 credits each time up until you have 5. So
the second will cost 2,000 credits, third will cost 4,000 and the final
one will cost 8,000. Be sure to choose wisely where to place the first
one! It's all about positioning!
Q. Why is the ammo box sometimes 500 credits and sometimes 1,000?
A. If you have any picked up weapons, the ammo box is 1,000 credits or if
all your ammo is gone.
Q. Is it better to down and execute a drone or just run up and chainsaw them?
A. If you have the option to kill it when it goes down or instant kill, always
instant kill (Chainsawing or Retro Charging are considered as such). It is
the most amount of Xp/Money you can get. (See Money Making Guide for chart
of enemy Xp/Money).
Q. I have level 8 Turrets, why can't I build a Command Center?
A. The Command Centers only appear at certain Command Posts; not every Command
Post will have one. For example, on Thrashball even though there are five
Command Posts total, there are only four Command Centers. Some maps have
more Command Centers than others.
Q. Do the reduced repair costs of Fortifications stack?
A. Yes. For example, if you have Level 2 Silverback, you get 11% cheaper
repairs, but if you have Level 4, you get 22% cheaper, and if you have
Level 5 you get 33% cheaper repairs.
-------------
Credits [CRE]
-------------
IGN - Previously constructed guide on fortifications
NYGFan2008 - Without him this guide would be impossible
Nescobar - For practically writing the entire guide
Cambin - For making me laugh while we did research
