Gears of War: E-Day beginner's guide
Last updated: · By Ash Vector Desk
To start Gears of War: E-Day, play the campaign first: it teaches cover, melee and weapon roles across five acts. Then pick Horde Siege on Rookie with Medic or Assault, keep each class level close to the difficulty (Infantry 10–20, Commander 20–30), and always extract so your Weapon Parts are kept.
What should I do in my first hour?
Start the campaign solo or co-op. It teaches melee with a pipe and Snub before guns, then cover play. Learn three core guns: Lancer all-rounder, Gnasher point-blank, Longshot for tanky enemies like Boomers. Do side missions, which usually reward a weapon mod. Listen for the chime meaning a collectable nearby, and try Horde Siege on Rookie as Medic or Assault.
| Step | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start the campaign (solo or co-op) | It teaches melee with a pipe and Snub before guns, then cover play |
| 2 | Learn the three core guns | Lancer all-rounder, Gnasher point-blank, Longshot for tanky enemies like Boomers |
| 3 | Do side missions | They usually reward a weapon mod |
| 4 | Listen for the chime | A sharp chime when entering an area means a collectable nearby |
| 5 | Try Horde Siege on Rookie | Pick Medic or Assault; see our class tier list |
How does progression work?
No battle pass. Player Level uses multiplayer XP and weekly challenges for milestone rewards and Coins every ten levels. Horde class level uses Horde Siege class XP for weapons, equipment, mods, health/damage milestones. Coins from matches, milestones, and Medals unlock Barracks cosmetics. Optional real-money Iron unlocks cosmetics and Shop offers. Weapon Parts from class progress and extractions buy unlocked mods.
| Track | How it advances | What it unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| Player Level (1–100, four Re-Ups) | Multiplayer XP and weekly challenges | Milestone rewards, Coins every ten levels |
| Horde class level (1–30 each) | Class XP from Horde Siege missions | Weapons, equipment, mods, health/damage milestones |
| Coins | Matches, milestones, Medals | Barracks cosmetics |
| Iron | Optional real-money purchase | Cosmetics and Shop offers |
| Weapon Parts | Class progress and successful extractions | Buying unlocked Weapon Mods |
There is no battle pass. August beta challenge rewards carried into launch, but beta levels were reset.
Which difficulty should I pick for my first campaign?
New solo players should start on Normal. The game offers four difficulties: Casual, Normal, Hardcore, and Insane. In co-op, difficulty is set per player, so each person in your squad can pick the level that suits them without affecting anyone else.
What should I practise before the campaign?
Follow the practice route in order: Boot Camp for movement and combat training, then Combat Training for weapons and small encounters, playable solo or with up to three friends. Finish with Player vs Bot, which runs full Versus modes against bots.
On PC, keyboard/mouse and controller remapping are both supported, so set up your controls first.
How does Active Reload work, and why does the Gnasher feel different?
While reloading, press reload again when the moving line hits the bar for a faster reload and a short damage boost. Failing jams the weapon for a few seconds. Separately, the Gnasher now reloads shell by shell; stopping partway leaves fewer shells loaded, and its capacity is six shells, not eight.
How do I deal with Emergence Holes?
Emergence Holes are Locust spawn points that keep producing enemies. Close one by throwing a frag grenade into it. Beyond that, remember this is a cover-based shooter: dip cover-to-cover, avoid walking into the open, and blindfire from cover while recovering instead of exposing yourself for melee.
Why is my Lancer so weak at the start?
Early on you carry the Lancer Mark 1, which is weaker and has only a plain bayonet. The chainsaw-equipped Prototype Lancer arrives later, in Act 2. Before guns, the game teaches melee with a metal pipe and the Snub pistol, including hitting enemies behind you, so use those tools until then.
What do supply caches and side rescues give me?
Supply caches around Kalona let you change your loadout, so you are never locked into one setup; experiment as you go. Check supply crates and complete optional rescues to earn weapon mods. Even a handful of Drones deal massive damage while you are exposed, so a better loadout matters.
I missed collectibles or campaign rewards. Can I get them back?
Yes, but not automatically. Missing collectibles are not re-granted; you can see which are missing and re-collect them. Missing campaign rewards, such as skins and titles, can be re-earned by starting a new campaign from a completed mission and replaying it. A sharp audio chime signals a nearby collectible, and a setting now disables those chimes.
What mistakes do new players make?
The most common mistakes are standing in the open, where even a few Drones deal heavy damage; forgetting blind fire from cover; choosing Commander difficulty on a low-level class; dying before extraction in Horde Siege, which loses collected Parts; and brute-forcing campaign bosses that each have a specific trick.
- Standing in the open: even a few Drones deal heavy damage.
- Ignoring blind fire: you can shoot from cover without exposing yourself.
- Playing Commander on a level 5 class: difficulty guidance is per class, not per account.
- Dying before extraction in Horde Siege: if nobody extracts, collected Parts are lost.
- Brute-forcing bosses: each campaign boss has a trick. See our Brumak, Corpser and Vraahk guides.
Sources: E-Day wiki: combat basics · GameWalkthrough beginner tips · GamingBolt 15 tips · GearsofWar.com Oct 14 patch notes · Xbox Wire launch guide · E-Day progression wiki · LepreStore Horde Siege guide