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Short answer
Nine guns are detailed so far, and the Gnasher and Prototype Lancer do most of the work
The Coalition has described the Prototype Lancer, Lancer Mk1, Hammerburst, Gnasher, Breechshot, Longshot and Snub, plus two new weapons: the Gut-Puncher grenade launcher and the Imulsion-fuelled Incinerator shotgun. Heavy weapons such as the Boomshot can be carried or torn off turret mounts.
There is no official ranking. The studio calls the Gnasher the close-range king and the Prototype Lancer a great all-round rifle, and those two cover most situations in the campaign and Horde Siege.
- New weapons
- Gut-Puncher, Incinerator
- Gnasher capacity
- 6 shells
- Mods
- Campaign and Horde Siege only
What each weapon is for
| Weapon | Official description | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Prototype Lancer | Higher rate of fire and a deeper magazine than recent Lancers, with a chainsaw. | Mid-range default and chainsaw executions. |
| Lancer Mk1 (Retro) | Deadly up close; usable at range if you control its strong recoil. | Close defence and short bursts. |
| Hammerburst | Accurate six-round burst; a perfect reload raises its rate of fire. | Precise mid-range damage. |
| Gnasher | Six shells, loaded one at a time so you can fire mid-reload. | Anything inside a few metres. |
| Breechshot | One-shot headshot kill in PvP, with axe executions. | Scopeless precision. |
| Longshot | Rewards patience at distance; its scope sways. | Opening picks and elite targets. |
| Snub | Fires as fast as you pull the trigger and draws quickly. | Finishing weakened enemies. |
| Gut-Puncher | Armor-piercing explosive rounds; hold the trigger to choose when they detonate. | Enemies behind cover. |
| Incinerator | Imulsion-fuelled shotgun that melts enemies on contact. | Crowds at point-blank range. |
How gunplay changed
Every projectile now has simulated ballistics and travel time, and the tracers match where shots really go. Outside a weapon’s effective range you have to lead the target. Automatic weapons recoil in a way that rewards short bursts.
The Gnasher got the most attention. When aiming down sights it fires from the camera as before. From the hip, E-Day checks both the muzzle and the camera and applies whichever better matches what you saw, so a shot that looks like a hit registers as one.
Heavy weapons, grenades and equipment
You can now do most movement while carrying a heavy weapon, only slower. Turret weapons can be detached from their bases, which is the quickest way to get one in Horde Siege. The Boomshot appears as the Locust’s Prototype Boomshot and counts as a heavy.
Smoke grenades use volumetric smoke that blocks sightlines for players and AI alike. In Horde Siege, grenades and equipment share one inventory slot, so you choose between carrying frags or incendiaries and carrying a sentry or decoy.
Weapon mods
For the first time in a mainline Gears game you can modify weapons, but only in the campaign and Horde Siege. Versus has no mods and everyone spawns with the same loadout.
- Campaign: mods come from Hard Cases and secondary objectives and are equipped at Supply Caches.
- Horde Siege: mods unlock on a class level track and are bought with Weapon Parts you extract with.
- The first slot on each weapon changes what a perfect active reload gives you.
- Weapon customisation in Horde Siege is shared across all four classes.
Launch tuning to know about
These changes were made between the August beta and launch, according to the September 30 release notes.
- Prototype Lancer damage set between its two beta-weekend values.
- Lancer Mk1 and Vulcan damage reduced.
- Hammerburst damage increased.
- Gnasher damage increased when aiming at range, and hipfire made more consistent.
- Snub rate of fire reduced; Gut-Puncher reserve ammo reduced.
Quick questions
What is the best weapon in Gears of War: E-Day?
No official ranking exists. The developers describe the Gnasher as the close-range king and the Prototype Lancer as the all-round rifle.
Is the chainsaw Lancer in E-Day?
Yes, as the Prototype Lancer. The story shows it being improvised during the invasion, and Bravo Squad receives it in Act 2.
Are older Gears weapons missing?
Some are. The Coalition said select weapons from earlier games were not ready for launch and may arrive later.
Sources
Where these answers come from
- Official · Official siteGearsofWar.com: Gears of War: E-Day Gameplay UpdatesCover, sprint, slide, jump and climb changes, weapon behavior, enemy redesigns and HUD options such as the reload bar position.Published 2026-07-31 · Checked 2026-10-04
- Official · Official announcementXbox Wire: How Gears of War: E-Day Renews a Legendary FranchiseLaunch date, platform list, Bravo Squad, the Kalona setting, voice actors, new movement and weapons, and the first Horde Siege details.Published 2026-06-07 · Checked 2026-10-04
- Official · Official siteGearsofWar.com: Emergence Begins – TomorrowSeason 1 dates, ranked start date, changes since the beta, features missing at launch and the launch known issues list.Published 2026-09-30 · Checked 2026-10-04
- Official · Official siteGearsofWar.com: Gears of War: E-Day Multiplayer Deep DiveHorde Siege rules, classes, difficulties and objectives, Versus modes and maps, ranked play, progression, Coins and Iron.Published 2026-07-30 · Checked 2026-10-04
- Press or guide · GuideIGN Guide: Horde SiegeDefault loadouts and stat focus for each Horde Siege class, how gear upgrades work and practical match tips.Published 2026-10-03 · Checked 2026-10-04
- Press or guide · GuideIGN Guide: Biggest Changes in the E-Day CampaignThe legacy control scheme option, how weapon mods are equipped at Supply Caches and the Perfect Reload mod slot.Published 2026-10-03 · Checked 2026-10-04