Treatise on the GoW Weapons. Part 1: Lancer

[Aenarion Velten]

Hello there!

I've read through many of the posts on this forum, and it seems that, at one point or another, every single weapon has been argued to be overpowered, or underpowered (such as the lancer).

As such, i've decided to go around playing 19 round matches using only certain weapons. First test was the lancer. Each time I play as a non-host player.

Played a 19 rounds canal, used the lancer, the lancer, the lancer, and nothing but the lancer.

Turns out I got 36 kills. (Quite pleased with myself actually).

I believe the lancer to be the perfectly balanced weapon. It is a weapon that will win most mid/long range shootouts (exception to longshot...although i did kill a longshot at long range). You have to strike a balance between knowing when you have the shooting advantage in a shootout (ie, when to stand your ground), and when to dive back into cover. Aiming is obviously extremely important at this point.

In the short range it is still valid, as if you keep zigzagging away from a shotgun whilst spraying lancer fire at the enemy, you will eventually down him. This however, only works either if you are good at your movement, and aware of any objects around you that could block you for that crucial second, and, in most cases, if you have an active reload in there. Aiming at this point is a mistake, and pointless.

The lancer is also unique in that for one weapon it actually combines your good machinegun, with a chainsaw. One tactic I have found works extremely well (for some reason), is that where you keep spraying your close enemy for a few seconds, before moving in and chainsawing in a zigzag motion (ie, moving towards him suddenly and zigzagging). The idea is that after a few seconds of shooting, the enemy believes that is all you are doing and falls for the chainsaw trap (it does actually work).

A great use of the lancer is the camper ambush. The idea being that you hide behind a piece of cover with a line of sight to a hotly contested weapon. As the opponent comes to pick up the weapon, shoot. Sice he is immobilized due to the picking up animation, he is a sitting duck, which you take advantage of. By the time he has picked the weapon up, he is downed and yours to kill. Ideal examples are the boomshot in Gridlock, where you hide behind the cars and shoot through the passage, or the hammer of dawn in Fuel Depot, where you shoot from the sides.

Finally, the lancer is a time weapon. Unlike the AR sniper, boomshot, shotgun or AR pistol, it cannot down an opponent immediately/near-so. It takes at least 3 seconds to down the opponent, and that is if you have a quite good degree of accuracy. It does however, provide a very good anti-chainsaw weapon.

For the chainsaw, a working tactic that I use sometimes is as follows: When you are cornered by a guy with a shotgun, host or not, turn a corner (of a big box, or building), and then immediately turn around, run back around the corner and chainsaw your opponent (doesnt always work, but it sure has a high result percentage). The idea is that the noob will follow you around and get chomped. The average and experienced player will know you are *waiting* for him around the corner. However, they rarely expect you to actually run back around at them...

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So, above was my evaluation of the lancer. I find it to be one of the weapons that is the most rewarding to kill with, and one that demands at least average skills to use properly.

Hope this proves insightful to newer players.

[Linkin Park 980]

Lancer Rocks :d

[Aenarion Velten]

PS: I intend on eventually making one on the boomshot, pistol, torquebow, sniper, grenades (smoke and frag) and hammer. I wont bother with the shotgun, since that is a perspective issue.

[Gear of Wars]

The lancer is overpowered when the host is using it... Then again, so is every other weapon. If I host a game, I can down moving target with the lancer, any time. I have very good aim. When off host, I have terrible aim. I'm good at aiming at targets, not missing them. I'll definately not buy another Unreal3 engine based multiplayer game for the 360 - only for PC.

[The Evil Hat]

i used to overlook it, but recently i got good with the lancer

[sai tyrus]

A very good, well-written post. Props. And I totally agree about the lancer. It's a great weapon.

[Theo1130]

The lancer is a mans weapon, except that the chain-saw is like a magnet after the current update. But I think every weapon should have a shot-gun like meele attack, where you can only meele once

[Dillusion48]

The lancer is a mans weapon, except that the chain-saw is like a magnet after the current update. But I think every weapon should have a shot-gun like meele attack, where you can only meele once

You can melee twice with the shotgun.
________
Macumba forum

[V_2]

Not really, usually, the second hit doesn't connect.

[Taco Delite]

melee twice by holding B instead of tap
ancient chinese secret...

oh ya lacer>gnasher

h.burst rocks too

[XxGHO5TFACEXx]

I Recently have been using the Lancer more... Good gun.

[StarPilot]

The Lancer is such a great support weapon.

One of your teammates in a shotgun dance with an enemy? Fire some Lancer bullets in there to help him out, it works really well.

Somebody on the other team always going for the Torque Bow on Canals every round? Get a buddy or two and fill that guy full of lead.

[Shadow Dancer]

Was doing pretty well flanking people with it on Rooftops last night while they were distracted by the main battlefront.

[Mike.Dude]

The Lancer is such a great support weapon.

One of your teammates in a shotgun dance with an enemy? Fire some Lancer bullets in there to help him out, it works really well.

Somebody on the other team always going for the Torque Bow on Canals every round? Get a buddy or two and fill that guy full of lead.

When people go for weapons, I usually use the pistol. It's more accurate, and can down the opponent faster via spam trigger.

But yes, the Lancer, along with the Hammerburst, are the two most underrated weapons in the game, and I always get a kick out of downing shotgunners with them. Having twice as many downs as everyone else is just as intimidating and important as having twice as many kills IMO.

[Aenarion Velten]

Hey there!

Thx for the feedback. I'll be doing my post on the pistol later on today, after I play a 19 rounds mausoleum with it.

[capt dec]

i totally agree the Lancer rocks and you people that complian about it being overpowered when a host uses it then play a game with silver bars!!!

oh i cant wait to use my lancer agian
(my copy of gears broke and im getting another tmmorow!!!)

[SLAPAMEGSIKAN]

love the lancer, but i have found that for the close up work, i usually switch to the pistol or shotty, although i hate the shotty, it seems to be the best for certain situations, and for some strange reason, i can almost always beat the hosts shotgun =P

Favorite: Longshot
2nd: Lancer
3rd: Pistol
4th: Boomshot
5th: Shotty

[Gears Of Halo]

yea lancer i use that 75% of the time 25% i use the long shot mostly so the lancer i use if for tactical use like if tons of bullet coming at me i usually blind fire but i killed 10 people doing that on annex tho but yea its a cool wep

[tallmike88]

Excellent post, I like the lancer, especially on canals, but my favorite weapon is now the hammerburst, I love the reaction when someone comes running in with there shotty and I shoot them with 2 or 3 burst from it and melee them with it.

[Bonusballa9]

yea nice post it is hard to stay vigalent when you have a machinegun and they have a shotgun so that zigzaging thing works good.

[Brettmeister]

Well done, looking forward to the next installments.

[SPANKYwidget]

I'll definately not buy another Unreal3 engine based multiplayer game for the 360 - only for PC.

Have fun not playing any other games on the 360.

[//Umbrella CEO//]

I use the Lancer only on special occasions. Either when I want to badly hurt another player so he/she will run to cover and away from an objective(vantage point, weapon, etc.) or when the actually pick it up and I have to down them. Chainsaw is okay if you can use it but too easy for people to counter. I think the lancer is a perfectly balanced weapon and a great default weapon. Great job doing the dirty work that all of us are too lazy to do Aenarion Velten.

[HaydenH]

I got called a noob for using the lancer..I continuously slaughtered the opposing team with it and they started getting angry and calling me a lancer noob. Why aren't people called shotgun noobs. It seems that if your good with any weapon other then shotty your a noob, lame

[PJmegax]

same happens with boomshot too
but thats a whole different beast

everytime in gridlock i run for boomshot and take them out
i get called "boomshot whore"

sad thing is i aint good with the boomshot anywhere else
gridlock is a pretty open map in ways,so its easy to aim