- "Woah! Better stay clear of those guys!"
- —Clayton Carmine after a Gunker exploded
Lambent Gunkers, or just Gunkers, were especially-deadly Lambent lifeforms that were discovered 18 months after the Sinking of Jacinto. Both large and powerful, Gunkers were the disgusting result of Butcher Boomers being turned Lambent.
History
Like Lambent Drudges, Gunkers were not observed by COG forces until the Mission to Hanover. Led by Augustus Cole, a team made up of Clayton Carmine, Samantha Byrne, and Damon Baird made contact with multiple Gunkers on their way through Stranded settlements at the Hanover dock warehouse and the Hanover Thrashball Stadium.
Two Gunkers were part of a Lambent squad attacking the Warehouse Stranded, shelling the Stranded barricade from afar. A short time after, Delta was attacked by another Gunker at the docks. Finally, Delta was ambushed and cut off by Lambent at the entrance to Cougars Stadium; two Gunkers were among them. Inside the stadium, another Gunker attacked Delta. Then, when the Lambent began overrunning the stadium, a second Gunker attempted to destroy the elevators Delta were in on their way up to the stadium's cable car room. But when Delta reached their destination, the cable cars were gone, so they had to zipline down the cables. On the way down, one more Gunker tried to eliminate the team, only to have the bridge it was standing on explode via a shot fuel canister. A final Gunker on the Centennial Bridge engaged Delta when the group landed.
A day later, Delta Squad (now composed of Marcus Fenix, Anya Stroud, Jace Stratton, and Samantha Byrne) investigated the destroyed city of Char in search of gas to reach the Endeavor Naval Shipyard. They found the local Stranded and their leader, former Griffin Imulsion Corporation CEO Aaron Griffin. Griffin, despite his hate for the COG, explained that he needs his fuel as well, sending Delta to recover it. On the way up the fuel-tower, a Gunker slammed through the wooden roof of the makeshift elevator Delta were on.
When Adam Fenix's Imulsion Countermeasure Weapon went off, Sera was wiped clean of all Lambent and Locust lifeforms.
In Combat
Gunkers, like Drudges, shouldn't be underestimated in combat because they are much more deadly then a standard Boomer in battle. Gunkers serve as the Lambent's long-range mobile fighter, lobbing slabs of Imulsion at targets which can deal very high damage and flinch nearby opponents. Enemies close to the Gunker would be attacked by their Cleaver mutated arm, which has a very long range despite being a melee attack. This melee attack is capable of downing opponents in two hits and should be avoided while fighting them.
Like all Lambent lifeforms, upon death they will explode violently. It is stronger then a Drudge's explosion and should be avoided as it can kill players who are extremely close to it.
References