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Gears of War 3 eGuide
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Contents

  • Introduction
    • We’re All Stranded Now
    • About This Guide
  • Characters
    • Overview
    • Delta Squad
    • Supporting Cast
  • Basic Training
    • Overview
    • Controls
    • Campaign Modes & Difficulties
    • Navigating the Battlefield
    • Combat
  • Weapons
    • Overview
    • Assault Rifles
    • Power Weapons
    • Heavy Weapons
    • Pistols
    • Grenades
  • Enemies
    • Overview
    • Lambent
    • Locust
  • Campaign Walkthrough
    • Act 1
      • Prologue: Troubled Past
      • Chapter 1: Anchored
      • Chapter 2: Abandon Ship
      • Boss Battle
      • Chapter 3: Homecoming
      • Chapter 4: Helping Hand
      • Chapter 5: MVP
      • Chapter 6: Hanging by a Thread
    • Act 2
      • Chapter 1: Shipwreck
      • Chapter 2: House of Sand
      • Chapter 3: Forced Entry
      • Chapter 4: Trench Run
      • Boss Battle
      • Chapter 5: Hijack
      • Chapter 6: Airborne
      • Chapter 7: Touchdown
    • Act 3
      • Chapter 1: Unbreakable
      • Chapter 2: Rescue
      • Boss Battle
      • Chapter 3: Breakneck Run
      • Chapter 4: Ghost Town
      • Chapter 5: Brothers to the End
    • Act 4
      • Chapter 1: Ashes to Ashes
      • Chapter 2: Crater
      • Chapter 3: Hang ‘Em High
      • Chapter 4: Batten Down the Hatches
      • Chapter 5: Bon Voyage
      • Chapter 6: Watery Grave
    • Act 5
      • Chapter 1: Home Away From Home
      • Chapter 2: Blackout
      • Chapter 3: Shattered House
      • Chapter 4: Threshold
      • Chapter 5: Ascension
      • Chapter 6: Reckoning
      • Boss Battle
  • Multiplayer
    • Movement
    • Advanced Movement
    • Gears Concepts
    • Cover
    • Combat
    • Team Play
    • Weapons
    • Map Attributes
    • Multiplayer Modes
    • Multiplayer Arsenal
      • Weapon Spawning
      • Weapon Damage Table
      • Rifles
      • Shotguns
      • Pistols
      • Grenades
      • Power Weapons
      • Heavy Weapons
    • Horde Mode
      • Horde Basics
      • Base Building
      • Horde Quick Tips
    • Beast Mode
      • Overview
      • Waves
      • COG Forces
      • Fortifications
      • Cash
      • Beast Forces
    • Multiplayer Maps
      • Overview
      • Checkout
      • Drydock
      • Gridlock
      • Hotel
      • Mercy
      • Old Town
      • Overpass
      • Sandbar
      • Thrashball
      • Trenches
  • Collectibles
    • Act 1
    • Act 2
    • Act 3
    • Act 4
    • Act 5
    • Ribbons
    • Medals
    • Mutators
    • Weapon Skins
    • Multiplayer Executions
    • Multiplayer Characters
    • Avatar Awards
    • Achievements

Gears of War 3 Guide › Campaign Walkthrough › Act 2

Chapter 5: Hijack

Objectives

Get to the Gas Barge landing tower.

Ascend the Gas Barge landing tower.

Defend against attacking Gas Barge.

Collectibles

Queen’s Symbol

Delta Squad survived the run-in with the Corpser Mother and reached the Gas Barge landing tower, but they’re not home free yet! Their sought-after Gas Barge is nearby, but it’s not alone. Nor is the landing tower unguarded. Marcus must lead his squad through the tower’s fortified base and lure one of the Gas Barges in close to commandeer it. It won’t be easy.

Gas Barge Tower

Get to the Gas Barge Landing Tower

Delta Squad exits the lift leading out of the Corpser Mother’s den and immediately takes fire from floating Locusts known as Shriekers. Although they have low HP and are relatively easy to kill, don’t take Shriekers lightly. Their twin machineguns (modified Gorgon Pistols) can cut a COG to shreds in no time flat. Take cover, swap out the Retro Lancer for the Hammerburst if necessary, and pop those Shriekers!

Death from Above

Shriekers go into a death spiral once they’re drained of HP. They automatically target any living enemy/COG below them for an explosive exodus. Try to target Shriekers floating above other Locust to exploit this destructive tendency.

Evasive Maneuvers

The Shriekers’ evasive maneuvers can make targeting them very difficult. Fortunately, they tend to settle into a static position between getting shot. Wait for them to pause in place, and then open fire. They can perform their evasive movement only once every two seconds, so act fast!

Take cover from the Shriekers as soon as you step off the lift and pick up the Hammerburst lying on the ground. Eliminate the Shriekers and then target the fuel containers near the Drones and Grenadiers in the distance. Cover swap to the right and drop your spent power weapon in favor of the Longshot. Snipe the Grenadiers down below.

Duck to avoid the Shrieker fire. Then use the Hammerburst to detonate the fuel cells near the other Locust.

Palace Guards rappel down from the Gas Barge in the distance. Advance along the path on the right to reach the Incendiary Grenades at the lookout tower. Don’t pick up the Incendiary Grenades just yet, as you should still have one or two Frag Grenades from earlier. Take a moment to snipe the Palace Guards with the Longshot—be careful to keep your head down, as they have Torque Bows. Look for opportunities to target other fuel cells for explosive kills.

The lookout platform on the right offers a clear view of the lower landing to which the Palace Guards rappel.

Once you slay the Palace Guards, the gate to the left opens and reinforcements arrive. Hang back and wait for the incoming Grenadiers and Boomer to appear. Snipe those you can, and then toss a Frag Grenade at the others. Loop around to the corpse pile and swap your spent Longshot for the Torque Bow. Gather any additional Torque Bow ammo.

Palace Guards are just like the Theron Guard you encountered in the earlier games; they’re every bit as dangerous as they are ugly.

Save Incendiary Grenades

The Incendiary Grenades in this area come in handy later on. Try your best to hold onto them until you’re atop the tower.

Proceed through the gated area to the left, toward the turret in the distance. Use the Torque Bow to take out the turret’s gunner, along with any Locust that try to replace it. Allow the rest of Delta Squad to draw some fire and fend off the nearby Shriekers while you duck into the gated alcove to the right. Kick open the gate and grab the Boomshot and collectible.

You don’t need to hit the gunner directly with the Torque Bow. Sticking an arrow into the turret gets the job done!

[#7] Queen’s Symbol

Immediately turn to the right when you pass through the gate where the Boomer was (leading toward the turret). Kick open the gate to a small armory that contains ammo and a Boomshot. It also includes a collectible Queen’s Symbol lying on the ground.

Let the squad charge forward, toward the turret, while you proceed through the tunnel on the left. Gather any ammo you find, and keep the Torque Bow on hand. Continue up onto the ramp overlooking the turret. Either toss down a grenade or use the Torque Bow to take out the Palace Guards near the turret. Continue through the gate to the lift.

The walkway overlooking the turret area offers excellent cover from the Palace Guards.
Ascend the Gas Barge Landing Tower

Ride the lift up to the top of the tower. There’s no sense in firing on the Gas Barge, as doing so only wastes ammo. Just keep your head down and conserve ammunition.

Defend Against the Attacking Gas Barge

The Gas Barge hasn’t docked yet, but it will. First it circles and fires its mortar bombs at the squad while it slowly descends toward the tower. Take cover on the side of the landing tower opposite the Gas Barge to avoid the bombs. Ready the Torque Bow and stay behind cover on the tower’s far side as it slowly flies a counter-clockwise circle around the tower.

Palace Guards rappel down onto the tower in pairs. Fire on them with the Torque Bow as soon as they release from their ropes. Make sure they’re dead, and then sprint to their location and take cover. It’s important to kill them quickly and move to their location so that the next pair of Palace Guards descends across the tower, where you just were.

Stay in cover opposite the Gas Barge, and ready the Torque Bow for the moment the Palace Guards drop from their ropes.

Difficulty Notes

Your difficulty setting determines the number of times the Gas Barge circles and the number of foes that drop from it. It makes one pass on Casual and increases by one for each subsequent difficulty level. The number of enemies on the Barge when it stops also varies by difficulty as follows: 2/3/5/5. Finally, the foes also carry different weaponry by difficulty: Casual/Normal = Lancer; Hardcore = Retro Lancer; Insane = Torque Bow.

The Gas Barge continues around the tower and soon drops another pair of Palace Guards. This continues until a total of four Palace Guard pairs are deployed. Available cover eventually deteriorates and the Gas Barge attacks with greater frequency. Continue using the Torque Bow until it’s out of ammo, and then immediately swap it for one of the Gnashers that the Palace Guards drop—many of the Palace Guards wield Lancers and Gnashers.

Providing your aim is true, you can often take out both Palace Guards with a single Torque Bow explosion.

The Gas Barge eventually docks, and an army of eight Palace Guards pours out of the ship onto the deck. As they exit the barge, throw your Incendiary Grenades from earlier. Keep moving and use the Gnasher to finish off the remaining enemies. Be careful of incoming grenades, and watch for flanking Palace Guards, as they’re not above chainsawing you!

This is why we recommend holding onto the Incendiary Grenades you found earlier!

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