The Gorgon Submachine Gun, otherwise known as the Gorgon Pistol[1] or simply Gorgon, was a close-range sidearm manufactured by the Locust Horde. It was typically wielded by Locust elite.
Design
The Gorgon was a dual-magazine sidearm, shown to have burst fire and automatic. It was the primary armament of the Kantus priesthood, but was also used by members of the Theron Guard.
The internal mechanisms of the burst fire are understood. Using a hydraulically-loaded spike to work the action, each trigger pull fired one loaded round, and the recoil from that round was used to fire more rounds on the backswing. The spike continued this back-and-forth pass until it had fired 8 rounds in succession, at which point the hydraulic spike locked and cut off the action until the next pull of the trigger. This entire process happened in a split second. The dual magazines folded downward for ease of reloading, but had to be folded back upwards and locked into place to enable the hydraulic feed system to work properly.
Gameplay
A Theron with the Gorgon.
The Gorgon performed best in close quarters, where its firepower was most reliable. As a sidearm, it could zoom to a small degree, be restocked with any regular ammo box, and be used in tandem with a Meat Shield or Boom Shield. Its active reload provided increased damage.
Gears of War 2
As first introduced in Gears of War 2, the Gorgon fired in bursts, similar to the Hammerburst Assault Rifle. Each burst dealt considerable damage, but had too wide a bullet spread to be practical at longer ranges. A careful hand could score headshots with it, but that required an Active Reload and or most of the rounds hitting the target's head, who might have the time to move. The brief delay between each burst could leave the user vulnerable at close range.
Gears of War 2 Onward
Starting with Gears of War 3, the Gorgon became fully-automatic but remained otherwise intact. As such, shooting it from the hip became much more viable if the user was engaged at melee range or didn't want to sacrifice their peripheral vision by zooming. The Gorgon also received a unique execution, wherein the user stomps on the downed enemy’s hand and pistol whips the back of their head.
Appearances
- Gears of War: Judgment
- Gears of War 2 (First appearance)
- Gears of War 3