Gears of War: E-Day Horde Siege Guide: Classes and Squads

Horde Siege is the biggest multiplayer addition in E-Day — and a structural rethink of classic Horde. Instead of one team turtling a base, 12 players split into three 4-player squads on large open-zoned maps, each squad running its own primary and secondary objectives while the horde builds between classic wave-defense segments. This guide covers the systems that matter from your first drop; the weapon meta underneath it is in our best weapons tier list.

How do squads work in Horde Siege?

Each map drops three squads of four. Squads don’t share a base — they push separate objectives across the map’s zones, and the mode’s rhythm alternates between free movement and locked-in wave defense. Coordination between squads matters most during Invasion Events and the mode’s random boss events, when the horde hits everyone at once. If you came from Gears 5’s Horde, the mental shift is: your squad is a fireteam, not the whole army.

What are the four Horde Siege classes?

| Class | Identity | Notes | |

—
Assault
Breacher
Marksman
Medic

Each class levels 1–30 independently, has 40 armor mods of its own, and squads unlock shared perks as they progress. Maxing all four classes earns the “Siege Specialist” achievement — the long-tail target tracked in our achievements guide.

How does the Energy economy work?

Squads earn and spend Energy — the mode’s building and upgrade currency, flowing through objectives and wave clears. Energy decisions are per-squad, so a Medic running behind on armor mods can be bailed out by squad perks rather than shared funds. On top of Energy, progression uses two account-wide currencies: Coins (earned by playing) and Iron (paid). There is no battle pass; the seasonal shop rotation is covered in our editions guide.

What are Siege Blitz extraction missions?

Siege Blitz missions are the mode’s risk-reward valve: squads can leave the map early with an extraction — banking progress instead of riding the full siege. If your squad’s health, ammo, and revives are spent and the next boss event looks lethal, extracting is the disciplined play.

Which difficulty should Horde squads pick?

Horde Siege has its own two difficulties, separate from the campaign: Infantry (standard) and Allfather (the hardest, named in the achievement list). Start on Infantry to learn squad rotation and zone flow; Allfather is where the 40-armor-mod depth actually gets used.

What weapons do Horde players use?

Two layers: signature weapons — Fenix’s Prototype Lancer, Santiago’s Gnasher, Reyes’ Longshot, Carter’s Gut-Puncher, Manu’s Boomshot — tied to the campaign characters, and the general arsenal plus weapon mods (Horde is where E-Day’s mod system shows its depth, unlike Versus’s fixed loadouts). Boss events drop the oversized Heavy Boomshot; grab it. Class pairings and tier reasoning are in the weapons tier list.

FAQ

How many players is Horde Siege in E-Day?

Up to 12 players at once, organized as three 4-player squads on open-zoned maps.

Does Horde Siege have classes like Gears 5?

Yes — four: Assault, Breacher, Marksman, and Medic. Each levels 1–30 separately and has 40 armor mods plus squad perks layered on top.

Is there a battle pass for Horde Siege?

No. Progression uses earned Coins and paid Iron; seasons rotate shop content but there’s no pass track to grind.

Can you play Horde Siege solo?

You can queue with bots or fewer players, but the mode is designed around squads covering separate objectives — solo play leaves secondary objectives uncovered and boss events punishing.