A Gear in Need Walkthrough – Gears of War: E-Day (Act 1 Chapter 3)

A Gear in Need is the third chapter of Act 1 in Gears of War: E-Day, picking up right after the squad reaches the Police Station at the close of Survival of the Fittest. A Gear calls in for help at the Pay-N-Save, and the whole chapter runs from that first wave of monsters on the street to a last stand inside the store. Two collectibles sit along the route, and both are easy to walk past if you rush.

Quick answer: Fight to the Pay-N-Save through the collapsed building, grab Tomatoes, Canned in the warehouse before the cutscene, defend the store, then take the Broken Lancer Bayonet off the Drone after Tai’s rescue and follow him to the base.

Image credit: Xbox Game Studios via YouTube/@RoamWithRebble

Clear the opening monster wave

The chapter opens with a Gear radioing for backup at the Pay-N-Save. A large claw bursts up through the ground and tears open a hole that the enemies pour out of. Locusts, Crawlers, and Drones all charge your position at once.

Take cover immediately rather than trading shots in the open. Push toward the right side of the area, where the extra height gives you a cleaner line on the enemies below. Deal with the Crawlers first, then press forward toward the hole to finish off the Drones and grab the ammo they drop.

Reach the Pay-N-Save through the collapse

With the street clear, the route to the store cuts straight through a fallen apartment building. The path is linear but has a couple of turns that are easy to miss.

Move toward the collapsed building and climb the inclined rubble, then jump across the gap on the far side.

Turn right and head down the staircase. At the bottom, turn right again and drop through the hole in the floor to the lower level.

Continue to the broken wall and pass through it to exit the building. Head out onto the street and follow the road until you spot a parked trailer marked Pay-N-Save.

A Rusher charges as you approach the warehouse, so put it down first. Clear any Crawlers nearby, then head inside through the entrance on the right.

Collectible 1: Tomatoes, Canned

Inside the warehouse, work past the refrigerators and shelving into the back storage space. In the second aisle, look on the floor for an open cardboard box sitting next to a corpse and scattered supplies. Pick up Tomatoes, Canned here. Grab it before you touch the Exit door at the end, since interacting with that door triggers a cutscene and locks you out of the warehouse.

Defend the Pay-N-Save

Once the cutscene ends, a large swarm of Locusts and Drones floods the store. Join the rest of the squad and hold the line. With this many enemies, you will be ducking behind the checkout counters constantly, so keep moving between cover, scoop up ammo whenever you pass it, and fire in short, accurate bursts.

The Gnasher is strong at close range against the Drones that push into the aisles, so let them close the gap and finish them up close.

The defense ends with a scripted moment.` WHY: Note step 15 and CUTSCENE: TAI: the cutscene comes after the second push, and “Defend the Pay-n-Save” is struck through as control returns. Nothing is fought after it. A Drone grabs Marcus by the neck when his rifle jams` WHY: Note CUTSCENE: TAI: “Marcus’s rifle jams, and a large Locust pins him against a tiled pillar by the throat.”, and Tai steps in to save him, tearing the enemy apart with his chainsaw.

Collectible 2: Broken Lancer Bayonet

When control returns after that cutscene, the Broken Lancer Bayonet is a few steps away, stuck in the chest of the dead Locust on the store floor` WHY: Note step 16 and note 34 item 9: the Locust “lies dead on its back a few steps away, and the broken blade is in its chest; the prompt sits over the body”.. Collect it before you leave and follow Tai, because stepping out ends your chance to grab it.

Follow Tai to finish the chapter

With both collectibles in hand, exit the store and follow Tai. The route to the squad’s temporary base is a straight shot down the road, and you regroup with Manu and the other survivors on arrival. Reaching the base starts a meeting with Mayor Shaw, and A Gear in Need only ends once you walk out through the station exit.` WHY: Note steps 19-22: after the station cutscenes control returns in the entrance hall under “Escort Mayor Shaw to City Hall”; the Chapter 4 card appears only after the group steps out of the STATION EXIT shutter.

You will know the chapter is complete when the Back in the Fold card appears as the group steps out of the station exit.` WHY: Note step 22: the card for Chapter 4, Back in the Fold, appears (0:57:34) a few seconds after leaving the station, not at the reunion cutscene. Top off your ammo before heading out, since the next chapter, Back in the Fold, has you escorting the Mayor to City Hall.

Both A Gear in Need collectibles

Collectible	Location
Tomatoes, Canned	Back storage area of the Pay-N-Save warehouse, in the second aisle behind the refrigerators, beside a corpse.
Broken Lancer Bayonet	In the chest of the dead Locust on the store floor, a few steps from you after Tai’s rescue cutscene.` WHY: Same as 3: blade is in the body’s chest, a few steps from where control returns (note step 16).