If you spent any time on the Xbox 360 back in 2006, you probably remember that guttural scream: "Groundwalkers!" It wasn't just a sound effect. It was the introduction of a villainous hierarchy that fundamentally changed how we looked at enemy variety in shooters. Most people think of the Locust as just gray, scaly monsters. They aren't. They’re a subterranean civilization with a military structure that makes the COG look almost disorganized. When we talk about Gears of War locust types, we aren't just talking about different skins on a 3D model. We're talking about a biological caste system that Epic Games—and later The Coalition—refined into a science.
The Grunts and the Meat
The Drone is the backbone. Honestly, without the Drone, the Locust Horde is nothing. They are the most common of the Gears of War locust types, but their simplicity is what makes them terrifying. They are adaptable. They use cover just like Marcus Fenix does. They flank. They scream "For the Queen!" and they mean it.
But then you have the variants that actually make your life a nightmare on Insane difficulty. Take the Bolter. These guys are basically Drones who decided that a standard Hammerburst wasn't enough, so they picked up a snub-nosed magnum that hits like a freight train. You see a Bolter, you hide. You don't trade shots.
Then there are the Snipers. You can always tell they’re around by the distinct red glint of the Longshot lens. They wear those goggles that look like bug eyes. It’s creepy. They don’t just shoot; they wait. They wait for you to try and revive a teammate, and then they pop your head like a grape. This isn't just "enemy AI"—it’s a specific role within a tactical ecosystem that forces the player to change how they move.
The Weird Ones
Wretches are polarizing. You either love the tension they bring or you hate the "monkey-dog" shrieking. They are the only major Locust type that doesn't use a gun. Instead, they rely on pure, unadulterated chaos. In the first Gears of War, the Lambent Wretches were the first hint we got that something was very, very wrong deep underground. They exploded. They were a ticking clock in a game otherwise defined by slow, methodical positioning.
The Heavy Hitters You Can't Ignore
Boomers. Everyone knows the "Boom!" voice line. It’s iconic. But the Boomer isn't just one guy with a grenade launcher. As the series progressed, the Boomer lineage branched out in ways that forced players to memorize specific sound cues.
✨ Don't miss: Why This Link to the Past GBA Walkthrough Still Hits Different Decades Later
If you hear "Grind!", you're looking for a Mulcher-wielding giant that will suppress you until your cover turns to dust. If you hear "Butcher!", you better start backpedaling because a massive hunk of meat is coming at you with a kitchen knife the size of a surfboard.
The Maulers are arguably the most annoying. They carry those explosive shields. You can't just shoot them in the chest. You have to aim for the feet or wait for them to swing. It’s a dance. A deadly, frustrating dance that highlights how the Gears of War locust types were designed to break the "cover-to-cover" gameplay loop. They force you out of your comfort zone. They demand respect.
Kantus: The Religious Core of the Horde
The Kantus is where the lore gets really interesting. These aren't just soldiers; they’re priests. They stand taller, they move with a weird, lithe grace, and they can literally scream a downed Drone back to life. That’s a mechanic that still feels "cheap" in the best way possible.
You think you’ve cleared a room. You’re reloading. Then you hear that high-pitched chant, and three Drones you just killed are back on their feet. The Kantus changed the priority list for every Gears player. You kill the Kantus first. Always.
They also introduced the Ink Grenade, which was a total game-changer for multiplayer. It wasn't about the blast; it was about denial of space. This reflects the Locust philosophy: control the environment, control the fight. The Armored Kantus from Gears of War 3 took this further, wearing spiked plating that made them nearly invincible to small arms fire. You needed explosives or a very lucky Torque Bow shot to deal with them.
🔗 Read more: All Barn Locations Forza Horizon 5: What Most People Get Wrong
The Specialists and the General Staff
Theron Guards are the elite. They wear that heavy, ornate red armor and carry Torque Bows. The sound of a Torque Bow winding up is the universal signal for "get behind a wall right now." They represent the transition from the "beastly" Locust to the "professional military" Locust.
Then you have the high-level leadership:
- General RAAM: The guy who used Kryll as a shield. He wasn't just a boss; he was a statement.
- Skorge: The fast-moving, chainsaw-staff-wielding maniac from Gears 2.
- Queen Myrrah: The human-looking leader who tied the whole mystery together.
The existence of these leaders proves the Locust weren't just a random infestation. They had a hierarchy. They had culture. They had a goal.
The Creatures of Burden
We can't talk about Gears of War locust types without mentioning the "hollow-bred" beasts. The Brumak is the most famous—a towering behemoth with arm-mounted cannons. But the Corpser is more personal. It’s the thing that tunnels through the ground and ruins your day.
The Bloodmounts are a personal favorite for many because of the synergy between the beast and the rider. If you kill the rider, the beast gets mad. If you kill the beast, the rider becomes a standard infantry threat. It’s a two-stage boss fight packed into a common enemy encounter.
💡 You might also like: When Was Monopoly Invented: The Truth About Lizzie Magie and the Parker Brothers
And let’s not forget the Reavers. They provided the Locust with air superiority. They made the sky feel dangerous. In a game about looking for cover on the ground, having a giant flying squid-thing rain rockets on you was a masterclass in level design.
What Most People Miss About the Lore
There is a common misconception that the Locust are just mutated humans. While Gears of War 4 and 5 go deep into the origins of the Swarm and the New Hope Research Facility, the original trilogy kept things a bit more ambiguous. The Gears of War locust types we see are the result of decades of forced evolution and "Sires."
The Sires were the proto-Locust. They were the failed experiments. When you see a Drone, you’re looking at the "perfected" version of a biological weapon. This adds a layer of tragedy to the enemies. They didn't choose to be born in the dark; they were created to be the ultimate soldiers for a war they didn't start.
Practical Insights for Modern Players
If you're jumping back into the Gears of War: Ultimate Edition or playing the sequels via backward compatibility, understanding these enemy types is the difference between a fun afternoon and a broken controller.
- Audio Cues are Everything: Every heavy Locust type has a "call-out" line. Listen for "Boom," "Grind," or "Torque." If you hear the Kantus screech, drop everything and find him.
- Weapon Synergy: Don't waste your Lancer ammo on a Mauler's shield. Use the Longshot to pick off Snipers first, then use grenades to flush out Drones.
- Prioritization: In any encounter involving multiple Gears of War locust types, the order should usually be: Kantus > Snipers > Boomers > Drones. If a Wretch is in your face, that obviously takes top priority, but in terms of tactical threat, the Kantus is the lynchpin.
The Locust remain some of the best-designed enemies in gaming because they feel like a cohesive unit. They don't just stand there and wait to be shot. They work together. They use the same mechanics you do. That’s what made the original trilogy so special—you weren't just fighting monsters; you were fighting an army that was better prepared for the war than you were.
To truly master the combat, start practicing your active reloads specifically during the chaotic transitions between enemy waves. The extra damage boost is often the only way to stagger a charging Bloodmount or a Theron Guard before they close the distance. Study the silhouettes in the distance; the shape of a helmet or the way an enemy carries their weapon tells you exactly how much cover you’re about to lose. Keep your ears open, keep your head down, and always check the flanks for those cloaking Tickers.