Gears of War/Enemies

There are not many different enemies in the game, and the few that there are are not easily classified. After experiencing these enemies many times will you be able to recognize them.

Drones
Drones are the most common enemy in all of Gears of War. They usually carry the semi-automatic rifle (3-shot bursts), and do not often use anything else. They are fast and relatively smart, taking cover constantly and staying with their comrades, usually in packs of three to five. Aim for their knees and legs, it seems to be their weak spot. They are a good shot, so don't under estimate their "common" nature. They usually travel in packs, making them harder to take down. Flanking them from the side is usually the best way to get a clear shot at them when behind cover.
 * Common in all acts

They also have related sub-ranks, the Drone Spotter and Drone Gunner. Those two drone types are usually found around a Troika stationary gun. The Gunner wears a helmet to prevent headshots while the Spotter helps the Gunner find a target. Take out the Spotter first in these situations to make taking out the Gunner easier.

Like most Locust: Drones will drop quicker with headshots. Another weak point is their legs. When a Drone is not standing in cover, a few shots to the legs will trip them and sometimes even throw them to the ground.

Scouts
Scouts are the same as drones, except that they are the ones that try to get closer to you than Drones, who usually lay back and provide cover fire, or they use the Scouts as distractions for them to flank. They carry semi-autos, and sometimes use grenades. Scouts sometimes attack you in groups of 2s and 3s, so take caution when facing them with a pistol. Same as the Drone, aim for the legs.
 * Common in all acts

Snipers

 * Common in acts 2-5
 * "Bred from birth to kill coalition troops."

Snipers are the one who stay way back, shooting you while you try to take down the comrades that are firing at you from closer up. Unlike their name, Snipers do not only use the Longshot, they also occasionally use the Torque Bow or a Lancer assaulter. Don't worry too much about these guys, since there are usually only one each per area, and they rarely fire. They try to conserve their ammo. When they have a Longshot, you have to be careful, because they shoot you at the perfect times, and you can easily die.

Snipers are a special rank of Drone that are trained in the art of marksmanship. They primarily snipe from behind windows of old abandoned buildings. You won't encounter much during the game.

Features

The Sniper Drone does not differ much from the regular footsoldier with the exception of the flight goggles they use. These are probably used to help them focus when sniping due to their cave-sensitive eyes and a more agonized look on their face. Even though that they are a special unit, they are far weaker than a regular Drone but are experts in using cover. The only way to find where they are is to watch for the gun muzzle flash. They are lethal with direct hits at a distance but quite harmless when engaging in close-combat.

Strategy

As stated before, sniper will be encountered rarely. Most of the encounters are situated with the Sniper hiding away in the distance or on another floor so that the player cannot just walk up to them and melee them. Most of the time they get spotted when they try to take a shot at you, or if your team of NPCs notifies you. Your best bet is to squeeze a few Lancer/Hammerburst shots at them when hiding on another level, or run up to them when possible to finish it with the Gnasher. Or if you have one, a Longshot to counter the sniper.

Grenadiers

 * Uncommon in all acts
 * "Thick skin and a thick skull and one hell of an attitude. Wants one thing; to tears COGs limb from limb."

Grenadiers are the big guys of the Locust Horde, some of the most brutal fighters bred in the Hollow. They are slightly taller than Drones, and much more aggressive. They have thick, white skin, which makes them harder to kill. They also have thick skulls, so don't rely on a one-shot headshot kill all the time, even with the Longshot. They usually carry the Lancer, but they also rush up with the shotgun and try to blow you apart. They are usually slower when in this 'rush' mode though, so you have more of a chance of getting the hell away from them.

Grenadiers are trained in the art of close combat and demolitions. They Always wield a Gnasher Shotgun and toss grenades from time to time. Appear to be a "Rambo" of sorts, they are usually the ones that rush into the fights first. They are different in appearance than most Locust and have most likely gotten the role of a close combatist due to their brute-ish looks and strength.

Grenadier have a different, more bulkier build than other Locust. Their facial features appear to be more alien-like and less humanoid as seen on regular drones. No cheeks, giving them an eerie eternal grin. The scalp extends further than that of Drones. Grenadiers appear in 2 variants; the regular grenadiers you encounter earlier in the game don't wear any armor, elite grenadiers will wear shoulderplates and an ammostrip around their chests. The Grenadier and Elite Grenadier are both playable character models in Multiplayer. A common bug with theses models is when you select a Grenadier as preferred Locust you will end up playing a elite and vice versa.
 * Features

In the Singleplayer Campaign, the best way to deal with (Elite) Grenadiers is to take them out before they reach you. Their melee-attacks/Gnasher Blasts are extremely deadly at close range. (especially on Insane) There's usually one Grenadier in any attack group of Locust, and they won't hesitate to run up to you and deliver the final blow.
 * Strategy

Theron Guards
Theron Guards are souped-up Drones, the only difference being that they use the Torque Bow more often than any other weapon. They have more armour, so it takes more shots to take them down. They are easily recognizable because they have a cape that is always flapping for some reason.
 * Common in acts 3-5

Theron Sentinel
The Theron Sentinel is a high ranking Theron Guard. He carries Torque Bow, Boltok pistol and sometimes carries a Lancer assault rifle. It looks exactly the same as the Theron Guard, except for the helmet; instead of having a helmet with four eye-holes, he has a helmet with a futuristic looking visor.

Unknown Theron
The Unknown Theron is a variant of the Theron Guard/Sentinel. He is first encountered in act 4. He wears a helmet with three arrows pointing down.

Unmasked Theron
The Unmasked Theron is a variant of the Theron Guard/Sentinel. He is exactly the same as the other Therons but he doesn't wears helmet. They appear at the end of act 3, where Raam executes a Red Shirt, they're the ones who hold him. They're also the ones who ride Reavers in act 5.

The Kryll
These bat-like Locust are almost indestructible. They can only by killed by the UV turret on the Junker. The only way to avoid them is to stay in the light at all times. If you leave the light, they swarm you in about 3 seconds. No other info can be obtained on these enemies.
 * Act 2 only

Boomers
Boomers are the only enemies that carry the Boomshot, true to their name. They have incredibly thick skin and skulls, therefore making them very hard to kill. It takes a few rounds from the Lancer to take them down, any other weapon takes a lot of shots. The only way to evade Boomers is to stay the hell down. Boomers say a distinct "Boom!" before firing a rocket, afterwards taking a long time to reload. While they reload, you have ample time to put a round or two into their heads.
 * Semi-common in all acts

Taking advantage of the slowness of their movements, a good idea to disarm them is to take out a grenade and melee the Boomer. As you roll away the exploding Boomer should die instantly.

Seeder

 * "It's those Seeders man, they're nasty!"

Seeders serve as a launching pad for Nemacyst in the Locust army. They usually sit dormant in a huge Emergence Hole and spit Nemacyst out into the sky. They do not have any attack of their own but can't be destroyed with any conventional weaponry.

Seeders resembles an antlion waiting in its lair. The enormous "beak" seen spitting out the Nemacyst is in fact not its head but its rear. This is seen in the mission Hammer. When you start your attack on the last Seeder, it will try to escape its death and start running around crashing into the bridge nearby. Its face can be seen at these points. It resembles that of a squid. Seeders also have the ability to jam communications for some reason, it is still unknown how they do this but killing one should help.
 * Features

Seeders won't be vulnerable to anything but the Hammer of Dawn. It always succumbs to two attacks. The Seeder won't attack you but the Nemacyst it fires at you will do sufficient damage on direct hits. The Nemacyst can easily be taken out with a couple of rounds from your Lancer.
 * Strategy

The Nemacyst
The Nemacyst are basically flying squids that try to fly and crash into you so that they can squirt their ink-like acid all over you. As they fly, they leave a distinct trail of dark acid, so watch out for it. To defeat them, you just have to shoot them down. They are always in packs of at least 3. It is the smallest number sighted at a time so far. (edit if you've seen more)
 * Uncommon in later acts

Berserkers

 * Once in act 1,4, and 5
 * "She can hear us, she can smell.. us."

These enemies are a total pain to fight, since they are completely indestructible because of their thick, rock-like skin. They are always female, Boomers seem to be their male counterparts. The Berserker is blind, so she relies on sound and smell to track you down. To betray these senses, stay out of nose-shot, and always walk slowly if you do not want to be detected. The only way to kill these brutes is too shoot them with the Hammer of Dawn a few times.That just makes it harder because of the fact that you have to get them OUTSIDE to kill them and this will most likely take a few times to get her outside.

Berserkers are the female form of the Locust grunt, little is known about them. They appear to be born blind and are naturally bigger than other Locust (Standing at 2.2 Meters) and appear to be more primitive than their male counterparts. Their skin is thicker and used as natural armor. (Though there are some fleshy parts in-between.)

The brain capacity of a Berserker is guessed to be lower than that of other Locust. They do not use any firearms and rely on their own brute strength. Their own size and weight won't slow them down, a Berserker on the loose can easily run thru thick concrete walls. They seem to be aggressive at all times, much like a rabid dog.
 * Features

As they are born blind, Berserkers use scent and vibrations in the air to hunt. Much like the style of bats hunting in the dark. When they sense that it's prey is near, it will give chase in that direction and won't stop until someone or something stops them in their wake. They even turn against each other in battle when their bloodlust overwhelms them.

No conventional weapon will penetrate the Berserkers thick armored plates. The Hammer of Dawn will take care of the Berserker but it will take a couple of tries. It usually takes two Hammer of Dawn blasts on Casual and Hardcore, three on Insane. Another way to defeat a Berserker is by tagging it with grenade once The Hammer of Dawn has heated their skins and thus rendering them vulnerable. An alternative on the Train Wreck mission is to lure the Berserker onto the last cart and to cut the train loose. You could also lure her near the fuel tank and blow it up, sending the Berserker flying. Also, it is possible to lure the berserker into throwing itself off the back of the train.
 * Strategy

Wretches/Dark Wretches

 * Common in all acts
 * "Brrrr, I can feel the shivers."

Wretches are a subspecies in the Locust army, they appear to be underdeveloped. They do not use any weapon and wear little armor. Instead they use their claws and teeth to take out their prey, they are also known to eat their victims.

As stated above, a wretch is a less sophisticated type of Locust. Its behaviour is more animalistic than that of Drones. They are skinny and have a pink colour, they are very weak by themselves. A pistol shot could take it out, and a smack from your gun will also take care of them. They always travel in packs and act like wolves, when they encounter prey the alpha of the pack will usually emit a loud scream that is known to shatter windows.
 * Features

A single well put blast from the Gnasher will deal with them, a couple of Lancer rounds will also be effective. In fact anything will do if you just use it right. More experienced players are able to take on a large number of Wretches just by pistol-whipping all of them.
 * Strategy


 * "Looks like we've got what looks like Lambent Wretches."

Wretches are like mini Berserkers, except for the fact that you can blow them away with any gun you see fit. The just run along the ground, ceiling, or wall towards you, and then they just constantly jump up and slash at you. They are very easy to kill, just melee attack them with anything except the Lancer, because of its slow chainsaw, or shoot them. The only difference between Dark and normal Wretches is that the Dark ones explode after they die.

Lambent Wretch, Glowing Wretch, Dark Wretch whatever you call them. It all just got worse. Due to prolonged exposure to Immulsion the Wretches have begun to "mutate". These mutations include: Skin colour is now black, intestines have started glowing. (this can be seen when one howls) And they will explode when they succumb to death.

Lambent Wretches will still be small, annoying and weak to anything with the exception of looks, and the tendency to explode on death. They will still scale walls, ceiling but most of the part just creep you out in the dark derelict factory.
 * Features

Any weapon will be just as effective as before, melee is strongly discouraged as the explosion can be fatal. The best strategy to beat them in the mission Coalition Cargo is by knowing where your enemy comes from and switch between Rapid Fire and your shotgun.
 * Strategy

Reaver
The Reaver is a large, squid-like beast, resembling the "Sentinel" from the Matrix films. They are very fast and large, and almost always have a few Drones riding on them as firing platforms. Theron Guards also board the Reavers and are more dangerous than the Drone Reavers because of the Torque Bow. They are easily defeated by either killing the drone pilots or by using the chainguns found atop the train or simply shoot the enemies on board with with a Torque Bow or a Longshot Rifle. If your lucky you might shoot the pilots face clean off.

Corpser
The Corpser is a giant spider-like Locust. It is first seen outside Jacinto Maximum Security Prison. It is the boss in Act 3. You fight the first corpser in the Imulsion Mines. To kill the Corpser, wait for it to raise it's legs to attack. Either retreat out of the way, or roll next to one of the legs that are still down. Start shooting at the belly, and then at the chin. Repeat a few times, and then get it to try and attack you on the clamps.
 * Boss act 3

As the battle starts, run to the left side of the Corpser to fill up your ammo. Back away from him and wait until he lifts his front legs to attack you. When this happens, avoid his strikes while shooting him in the brown abdomen. When you shoot him here, he will open his mouth. At this point, you must shoot him in the mouth to make him back up. Repeat these steps until he backs up onto the platform. As he backs up, you will be attacked from behind by Dark Wretches. Remember to avoid these when you kill them because they explode.

When you've backed the Corpser up all the way, you'll notice that there are 2 metal plates connecting this platform to the rock you're standing on. Go to each of these and wait for the corpser to try to strike you. Dodge his legs and he will smash the plates. Then just sit back and watch him fall into the immulsion and die.

General RAAM

 * Final boss
 * "Die, Sapien!"

Finally, the last boss in the game. I won't spoil your fun on killing him, but I will describe what he does and what he looks like (don't despair, it's really easy to kill him). He walks around, carrying a giant double-barrel machine gun that looks very much like a Troika turret. He walks very slowly, shooting the whole time. He has a swarm of Kryll with him. When he is walking and shooting, the Kryll are flying around, making it harder for you to see and shoot RAAM. When RAAM stops to reload, the Kryll form an impenetrable shield around RAAM. A powerful shot from a certain few weapons (cough,cough,sniper,cough,cough,rocket) will dispense the shield. General RAAMS's appearance is very similar to the appearance of a Boomer and Theron Guard. He wears the long cloak/cape thing, and he has very white and thick skin. His armour is red and black.

General RAAM is one of the high ranked general in the Locust army that invaded Sera on Emergence Day. Till today it is still unknown what type of role RAAM played in the past, but his prowess in battle is feared by the COGs. It can easily be said that RAAM was one of the strongest and cunning warriors in the Locust army.

14 Years after Emergence Day he was defeated and Killed by two COG soldiers; Marcus Fenix & Dominic Santiago onboard an armored train carrying the Lightmass Bomb.

RAAMs appearance is much that of a Boomer, he stood almost as tall as one and his face was much like one with his lower jaw covering his upper. RAAM was dressed in the same ritual armor that the Theron Guard and Theron Sentinel used but in a black variant. He also seems to be much stronger than any other Locust footsoldier, he would carry a torn-off Troika in both hands when he attacked the two COGs onboard the train. RAAM also seemed to have a connection with the Kryll, he summoned a small flock of Kryll to swarm about his body thus acting as a shield.
 * Features

The best way to beat RAAM when playing the online/system linked story. Is when one player is using the Torque Bow or Grenades on Raam to "disable" his "Kryll-Shield" temporarily. While the other uses the "Longshot" for headshots. When on your own it is advised to wait for him to send the Kryll on you and stick to the lights on the obstacles and take a careful shot at his face when doing so (mind that when he sends the Kryll to get you, he always turns around first). When taken sufficient damage, RAAM will succumb and die and thus finishing the game and its main objective. His player model is resized for Multiplayer uses.
 * Strategy


 * Trivia
 * In contrary to popular believe, the woman's voice you hear throughout the game is not RAAM. It is believed that this is the Locust Queen, she is narrating parts of the story through her perspective.
 * The Locust that is seen riding the Reaver in the ending cinematic of the game is not RAAM. This is another high-ranked Locust, it shows the player that the game's not over yet.