Gears of War: E-Day Act 1 Walkthrough — Emergence Night

Act 1 of Gears of War: E-Day is the night everything breaks. The Coalition has shown and described this section in the most detail — here is what happens and how the opening plays, drawn from the official trailers and press hands-on coverage.

What happens in the opening mission?

Emergence Day begins as a quiet night in Kalona and ends with the Locust Horde tearing out of the ground. Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago — off-duty, in civilian clothes — are caught in the first wave along with every other civilian in the city. The opening follows them through the chaos: E-holes ripping open streets, buildings collapsing, and civilians running for their lives while the COG fails to contain something nobody understands yet.

The first mission — titled “Bravo Squad” in preview builds — moves the group down a highway and across a bridge toward the army’s forward operating base, ending at the City Hall command post with survivors in tow.

When do you get weapons?

The pacing is deliberate: the squad’s first pickup is a Snub pistol off a police car, and the iconic Mark 1 Lancer has to be scavenged mid-fight — the moment the trailers build to as Marcus and Dom gear up properly. That origin-story approach extends to armor: Bravo Squad starts the night in civvies and only suits up in COG gear at the City Hall command post.

Who joins the squad in Act 1?

Marcus and Dom link up with Mags Carter (a formerly discharged Gear) and Lucas Reyes (a young cadet) during the escape. At City Hall — under a hard-nosed Colonel Trench and the exhausted mayor — the four are formally designated Bravo Squad. Dom immediately asks after his wife Maria in Ephyra; Marcus lists his father Adam Fenix. The roll call does quiet work setting up both men’s arcs.

What should you know about the fights?

• Everything is new to the squad too. Enemies are introduced as unknown monsters — the horror framing is the point, so expect ambushes over arena shootouts.
• Wretches swarm early. Watch elevated surfaces — they climb and drop from above.
• E-holes are spectacle and system. Some are scripted set-piece ruptures; the systemic ones you close yourself with frag grenades.
• Look for pickups off the main path. The first mission hides five collectibles — a dedicated locations guide goes live at launch.

Where does Act 1 end?

At the City Hall command post, with Bravo Squad christened and ordered to suit up — “Guess we’re back to it.” Act 2 picks up the next morning with their first official mission: clearing the Legacy Bridge. For the full picture of the three-day campaign, see the campaign overview.