Assault Class

Lore & Background

The concept of a distinct Assault Class emerges directly from the new twelve-player cooperative mode, Horde Siege, which debuted with Gears of War: E-Day. Set fourteen years before the original game during Emergence Day, this mode tasks players with defending locations in the city of Kalona as humanity faces its first encounter with the Locust Horde. The class system was developed to allow multiple squads to operate simultaneously across the map, creating a dynamic battlefield where coordination is essential for survival. Players choosing the Assault Class can select from unique tactical abilities designed to complement the Breacher, Marksman, and Medic roles. This structure supports the mode's objective of completing dynamic objectives and extracting after surviving waves of enemies, including returning threats like Drones, Boomers, Wretches, Corpsers, and Reavers. The narrative context is the fall of Kalona, where young COG veterans Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago form Bravo Squad alongside Mags Carter and Lucas Reyes to fight for survival. The existence of this class highlights the desperate nature of the opening days of the Locust War, where ill-prepared civilians and soldiers alike had to adapt instantly. The mode allows players to earn resources during matches to construct defensive emplacements and replenish ammunition, mirroring the struggle of the characters who formed Bravo Squad amid the city's collapse. This system ensures that every player has a specific function in holding the line against the Locust surge.

In Their Own Story

The sky over Kalona turned ash-gray as the first Emergence Holes tore open the streets, vomiting Locust Drones into the chaos. Marcus Fenix checked his Lancer, the chainsaw whirring to life amidst the screams of fleeing civilians. Beside him stood Dom, Mags Carter, and Lucas Reyes, the newly formed Bravo Squad ready to hold a crumbling intersection. "Never Fight Alone," the order echoed in their minds as they took their positions. In the distance, other squads engaged Locust forces across the interconnected cityscape, each group managing its own sector of the defense. Marcus signaled for his team to fortify their position, drawing on the resources scattered from destroyed vehicles and buildings. As a Boomer charged forward with a missile launcher, Marcus stepped into the breach, his heavy armor absorbing the impact while his squadmates provided covering fire. The battle was a blur of gunfire and explosions, with dynamic environmental damage altering the battlefield around them. Amidst the carnage, they secured a defensive emplacement, earning resources to replenish their ammunition before the next wave hit.

Reader's Guide

The Assault Class is available exclusively in Horde Siege, the new twelve-player cooperative mode supporting up to three four-player squads operating simultaneously. To play effectively, players must choose from four distinct classes: Assault, Breacher, Marksman, and Medic, each offering unique tactical abilities. The goal is to complete dynamic objectives, defend locations against large-scale Locust attacks, undertake optional side missions, and extract after surviving successive waves. Players should focus on earning resources during matches to construct defensive emplacements and replenish ammunition, which is critical for sustaining the squad through multiple enemy waves. The mode features a redesigned control scheme where taking cover is assigned to the A button, sprinting to the left-stick click, and vaulting/jumping to the Y button, enhancing mobility during combat. Utilizing these movement mechanics allows Assault players to slide from sprints, jump across gaps, and climb structures to gain tactical advantages. Success in this mode relies on squad coordination; the game encourages players to support teammates and coordinate during encounters. With four-player online cooperative play and two-player split-screen available, teams must leverage their unique roles to counter returning enemies like Drones, Boomers, Wretches, Corpsers, and Reavers. The destructible environment provides additional tactical opportunities, allowing players to alter the battlefield by destroying Emergence Holes or collapsing structures on incoming Locust forces.

Did You Know?

• The Assault Class is one of four available roles in Horde Siege, a new twelve-player cooperative mode where three four-player squads operate simultaneously.
• Gears of War: E-Day runs at 60 frames per second in the campaign with hardware-accelerated ray tracing enabled.
• The game introduces a redesigned control scheme where taking cover is assigned to the A button and vaulting/jumping to the Y button.
• The story follows young Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago forming Bravo Squad alongside Mags Carter and Lucas Reyes during the fall of Kalona.
• Horde Siege allows players to earn resources during matches to construct defensive emplacements and replenish ammunition.