The Rescue of Fort Umson was the first major operation of the Swarm Invasion, following the emergence of the Swarm. Attempting to rebuild their army, surviving members of the Locust Horde, known as the Scions, began a campaign of capturing humans and transforming them into soldiers for their army. Led by the Speaker, the Swarm discovered Reyna Diaz, the daughter of their late former leader, Queen Myrrah, alive and leading the Outsider village of Fort Umson. In an attempt to grow their army and acquire their new Queen, the Speaker led an ambush on Fort Umson - capturing most of the villagers and Reyna.
The surviving villagers: Kait Diaz, James Dominic Fenix, and Delmont Walker; began their own rescue mission of Kait's family and the other Outsiders. Believing the Locust Horde to be involved, they recruited the assistance of James Fenix's father, Marcus Fenix. During the mission, Marcus was also captured but later freed from the Hive within Osmium Mine Bravo beneath Fort Reval. It was revealed that all the villagers were dissolved and transformed into the Swarm, while Reyna was in the Tollen Dam, being groomed as the Swarm's new Queen. Despite the efforts of Delta-One, Reyna was too far integrated in the Hive network, becoming the Swarm's new Queen. The existence of the Swarm became known to the Coalition of Ordered Governments, and thus the Swarm Invasion began.
Prelude[]
After the Lambent were vaporized and the Locust Horde were crystallized by the Imulsion Countermeasure Weapon in Bloom, 17 A.E., the Locust War and Lambent Pandemic effectively ended. The Coalition of Ordered Governments was able to rebuild Sera and reestablish civilization, with the COG placing the Locust bodies in numerous burial sites across Sera. However, many Stranded groups, survivors of the Hammer of Dawn Strikes, still held hatred for the Coalition for sacrificing citizens to the Hammer of Dawn. Thus, the Stranded began to live off the land outside COG jurisdiction, known to be called as Outsiders. Outsiders typically would raid COG Settlements for supplies such as Fabricators. The tensions only grew after the death of First Minister Anya Stroud, when the Coalition become more totalitarian following her death. A conflict known as the Outsider Movement became public and invited any disillusioned members of the Coalition to join the Outsiders. Among them were Cpt. James Dominic Fenix and Cpt. Delmont Walker, who joined Fort Umson, led by Chief Reyna Diaz and her brother-in-law, Oscar Diaz, and befriended Reyna's daughter, Kait Diaz.
By 42 A.E., many COG civilians and Gears went missing, causing First Minister Mina Jinn to become concerned and believed the Outsiders were responsible for taking her people. Around the 25th anniversary of Victory Day, in 42 A.E., Outsiders of Fort Umson went to raid Settlement 5 for a Fabricator in order to restore power to their village. First Minister Jinn arrested the raiders Oscar Diaz, Kait Diaz, James Fenix, and Delmont Walker for the kidnapping of her people, instead of breaking and entering into Settlement 5 and attempting to steal the Fabricator. They escaped back to Fort Umson with the Fabricator, however, prompting Jinn to attack in the Battle of Fort Umson. It was then made clear that Jinn was not attacking over the stolen materials and raids, but rather accusing the Outsiders of kidnapping her people. Chief Reyna Diaz was then prepared to finally go to war with the COG.
Unknown to humans, the Imulsion Countermeasure did not kill the Locust Horde, but instead forced them into evolution. The crystal growths on the Locust bodies, composed of crystallized Imulsion from within their cells, acted as a protective cocoon. They evolved over twenty-five years into Scions, due in part to being genetically designed to adapt and evolve by their creator, Doctor Niles Samson. The Scions then emerged, operating from their burial sites, and constructed a bio-organism based on their their Hivemind called the Swarm. The Hives within the burial sites were capable of transforming any organic material into creatures connected to the Hivemind and controlled by the Locust. The Scions began to capture humans, with creatures called Snatchers, and place them within pods. The humans would dissolve and reform into Juvies and later grow into Drones, acting as soldiers for the Swarm army in order to finish what the Locust started - to annihilate all humans and colonize Sera. Despite being physically killed in 17 A.E., Queen Myrrah's consciousness survived within the Hivemind. While able to guide them, Myrrah was unable to properly lead her people without a vessel. However, she discovered her daughter, Reyna, was alive. With a possible vessel to lead the Swarm, Myrrah ordered the Speaker to invade Fort Umson and to bring her Reyna in order to transform her into the new Queen.
Order of Events[]
Ambush on Fort Umson[]
The night following the Battle of Fort Umson, the Speaker led a Swarm army consisting of Snatchers to invade Fort Umson and capture as many humans as possible. After Reyna had barricaded her daughter, Kait, and friends James and Delmont in the generator room - the Speaker began to capture Reyna. The two were then engaged in a scuffle when she was successful in cutting of the Speaker's hand. Oscar Diaz then came to the rescue with a Gnasher Shotgun, but was wounded by the Speaker when he broke his arm and stabbed him in the shoulder with Reyna's sword. Oscar was then kicked away and captured by a Snatcher. Reyna then reluctantly let the Speaker take her. While most of the villagers were taken to be podded - Reyna was personally taken to the Hive at the Tollen Dam.
After the ambush, Kait Diaz and her friends James Fenix and Delmont Walker were the only survivors left - unknown that Oscar Diaz managed to escape from the Snatcher and traveled to the South Village. While Delmont decided to name their attackers as the "Swarm", James observed the Speaker's hand that Reyna had cut off and noticed the crystal structure around it. Both James and Delmont knew it resembled the Locust crystals and believed that taking the shard to James' father, war-hero Marcus Fenix, would help convince Marcus to help join on their rescue mission to save Reyna and the other villagers of Fort Umson. The three then ventured to James' childhood home in rural Tyrus, the Stroud Estate, belonging to the late First Minister Anya Stroud, his mother.
Assault on the Stroud Estate[]
James, Delmont, and Kait met with Marcus Fenix on the Stroud Estate and revealed to him that the Locust may have returned, and that they attacked their village - indicated by the shard from the Speaker. Marcus also felt that it was the Locust, as he witnessed the Locust shells being placed in mass burial sites. Shortly after, however, First Minister Jinn arrived with massive DeeBee forces. Unwilling to listen to the truth when James and Marcus attempted to explain - she issued the arrest of the three - prompting Marcus Fenix to help them resist arrest.
First Minister Jinn opened fire on the Stroud Estate. Marcus led the three into the house and acquired their old COG Armor and weapons, with Marcus lending Kait Anya's old COG armor. The four attempted to escape the Estate via Marcus Fenix's truck, but was destroyed by First Minister Jinn's Kestrel. As the estate burned to the ground, Marcus led the three through an escape tunnel and guided them through the farm to their next possible escape vehicles. Fighting through more DeeBees and Windflares, the four reached the barn where Marcus was holding two Track Mules. Evading more of Jinn's forces - Marcus revealed that their destination was the old historical site Fort Reval.
Mission to Fort Reval[]
By midnight, the four successfully reached Fort Reval. Marcus Fenix revealed that following the end of the Locust War, when the Locust were crystallized - their bodies were discarded in mass graves. One of them he and Anya Stroud supervised was at Osmium Mine Bravo in the mountains of Fort Reval. Because of the crystal shard they found - Marcus Fenix feared that the Locust may have returned and were the "Swarm" that Delmont was calling the creatures that attacked their village.
Shortly after arriving, a Swarm creature - the Snatcher - began stalking the squad. Due to this and an approaching windflare, the group sought shelter inside the old keep. Inside, they found a biomass growth and a recently erupted pod. Outside, they found more of the biomass and pods. Upon opening a pod - it was full of disintegrating human remains of Jinn's people, revealing that the Swarm had been taking her people all this time. The squad was then ambushed by four Snatchers, resulting in Marcus Fenix being snatched and captured.
James, Delmont, and Kait still stuck to the plan - as James felt that the Snatcher was probably headed towards the Mine. Correct in his assessment, the Snatcher carrying Marcus was heading up the mountain towards the mine. However, upon traveling through Fort Reval, the pods erupted to reveal small, human-like creatures called Juvies. Further inside Fort Reval, the three witnessed a single Juvie enter a nest, where it quickly grew into an adult Drone capable of using weapons and technology. After the firefight, the three deduced that the Swarm were building an army by capturing humans and transforming them into soldiers.
Battle of Osmium Mine Bravo[]
The squad then found their way into Osmium Mine Bravo in search of Marcus and answers about their newfound enemy. In the mine were many of the Locust shells still intact, but found others recently opened. The three were then attacked by a Locust Drone who had recently emerged from the crystal shell. Kait Diaz came to the conclusion that instead of dying from the Imulsion Countermeasure Weapon, they created a cocoon made out of the Imulsion crystals and spent the past twenty-five years evolving into what the Locust call themselves the Scions. Fighting their way through waves of Swarm and Locust Scions, they eventually found Marcus Fenix's pod just before he died from the cellular breakdown.
Marcus Fenix then confirmed their theories - that the Locust hadn't died but rather evolved into the Scions, and that they created the Swarm to rebuild their army by transforming humans into their soldiers to finish what they started by destroying the humans and colonizing Sera. Marcus also revealed that he was connected to the Hivemind and felt all the villagers from Fort Umson die and transform into the Swarm, except for Reyna - who was being kept alive at another Locust burial site at the Tollen Dam. While Marcus advised that they find help due to the sheer size of the Tollen Dam Hive, Kait refused and wished to save her mother. The four managed to escape the Osmium Mine and arrived back on the surface to begin their journey towards Tollen.
Mission to the Tollen Dam[]
Arriving upon the heavily guarded Tollen Dam, Marcus led the group through the Dam in order to rescue Reyna. Upon arriving at the top of the Dam, the squad saw what Marcus had previously warned them - the Hive on the other side where Reyna was held was too heavily protected by thousands of Swarm creatures. Kait then reluctantly agreed to postpone the mission in order to radio for help. James then found a radio tower at the nearby town of Speyer, but they first had to restore power to the town by reactivating the Dam.
After reactivating the Dam, the squad encountered the Speaker - who Kait recognized as the one who stole her mother. The Speaker defended his position, declaring that Reyna was where she truly belonged and that they would have to kill him in order to get to her. The Speaker then summoned his personal Swarmak mount - a Brumak that evolved similarly to the Scions, and attacked. The squad was able to destroy the Swarmak, and Kait Diaz personally executed the Speaker after sending a message to the Swarm via the Hivemind that they were coming to rescue Reyna and destroy their entire Hive.
Skirmish in Speyer[]
After sunrise, the four entered Speyer where they encountered First Minister Jinn, again, via Command Bot. However, First Minister Jinn admitted her fault as she finally saw what the Outsiders were speaking of and fighting against. She then ordered them to be evacuated back to New Ephyra where they could discuss what they have seen and give the COG more information on the Swarm. As James rejected her offer in order to first save Reyna, a Pouncer launched its quills into the DeeBee and managed to hijack it into attacking James. He then managed to destroy the bot and kill the other Pouncers.
The Outsiders infiltrated Speyer and found Jinn's forces fighting with the Swarm. Reaching the radio tower, Marcus Fenix managed to contact Damon Baird, Samantha Byrne, and Augustus Cole while James, Kait, and Delmont held back a large Swarm attack. In the outskirts of the town, the Outsiders were met by their reinforcements. Damon Baird brought with him two Mega Mechs, Jack Jnr. and Second Betty, piloted by himself and Pvt. Cole, and a King Raven gunship KR Three-Seven piloted by his partner, Pvt. Byrne. The Outsiders officially joined Delta-One and led the assault through Tollen and towards the Tollen Dam to rescue Reyna.
Assault on the Tollen Dam[]
Delta-One went through the remaining area of Tollen infested with the Swarm and destroyed most of the Hive there. Back on the highway, they reached the front entrance of the Tollen Dam and broke through to the other side in the river. They were then met by the Hive Beast, a massive creature defending the Hive and Reyna from the COG. KR Three-Seven was shot down, but all passengers inside managed to survive. After dismembering some of the Hive Beast's tentacles, James used the propeller of the King Raven to kill the Hive Beast.
After clearing the area, Delta-One went inside the cave to the heart of the Hive. There, Kait discovered her mother - connected to the Hive and disfigured. Reyna revealed to Kait that the Scions connected her to the Hive in a way where releasing her would be fatal. Reyna then pleaded with Kait to cut her loose. James attempted to find another way, but Kait accepted her request based on their previous conversations on death and mercy. Before being released, Reyna gave Kait her mother's amulet, bearing the symbol of the Locust Horde. Kait then, using her mother's sword, cut Reyna loose - resulting in her death. Kait reemerged from the cave, with Delta preparing to find a safe place.
Aftermath[]
Delta-One was eventually evacuated back to New Ephyra and provide the COG with intel on the Swarm. Meanwhile, the Swarm recovered Reyna's body and reconnected her to the Hive, reanimating her body. While still a viable vessel, Myrrah then focused the Hivemind on her granddaughter, Kait, as she was a healthier and more stable vessel. Kait then immediately began to experience headaches with visions, hallucinations, and nightmares. In reality, they were messages for Kait to become the Queen of the Swarm.
Known Battles[]
- Day One
- Day Two
Appearances[]
- Gears of War 4 (First appearance)
- Ascendance (Mentioned only)
- Gears 5 (Appears in flashback(s))
| Battles of the Swarm Invasion | ||
|---|---|---|
| 42 A.E. | Rescue of Fort Umson (Ambush of Fort Umson · Assault on the Stroud Estate · Mission to Fort Reval · Battle of Osmium Mine Bravo · Mission to the Tollen Dam · Skirmish in Speyer · Assault on the Tollen Dam) · Skirmish in the Wilds · Ambush on South Village · Mission to Fort Umson · Mission to Orzabal Crater · Mission to South Village · Mission to Azura Research Facility · Evacuation of Settlement 2 · Ambush of Bravelle · Ambush of Croya · Ambush of Holdstead Croft · Ambush of Five Pines · Ambush of Pasco's Village · Mission to Great Seran Rend · Skirmish on the Jacinto Plateau · Ambush of Riftworm Village · Second Mission to New Hope · Incursions in Kadar Valley · Mission to Mount Kadar Laboratory · Mission to OZP-11 · Battle of Old Ephyra · Skirmish in Pahanu · Hivebuster Offensive (Hivebust of Sanctum · Mission to Weilehi · Mission to the Wakaatu Nest · Hivebust of Pahanu · Mission to Croya · Hivebust of Bravelle) | |