The Octanian Gamma Trooper is a cybernetically-controlled soldier and the most commonly encountered kind of Octanian infantry. They are equipped with military armor and equipment and are usually led by Octanian Commanders.
Troopers were deployed in large numbers during the Tunguska Offensive, and appear as common enemies in Serious Sam 4 and Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem. They replace the Cloned Soldiers from Serious Sam 3: BFE and Serious Sam VR: The Last Hope.
Overview[]
The Octanian Gamma Trooper belongs to a race of polyp-controlled humanoid creatures originating from an unnamed planet in the system of Sigma Octantis. These crusaders of the Cult of the Eightfold Manifestation have come to Earth to pursue their holy goal of eradicating all knowledge.[1][2]
As their name suggests, they are armed with gamma-ray laser weapons, with which they are linked to via their species' cybernetic parasites. Their weapons are of particular religious significance to them, as they symbolize the cleansing fire with which Mental will purify the universe.[1]
Application[]
Forming the bulk of the Octanian war machine, Gamma Troopers are the most commonly seen Octanian soldiers. They are usually stationed at Octanian outposts or other areas occupied by either Octanian units or Mental's forces. They can also be found patrolling towns, cities, and anywhere else of strategic value.
In the event of a threat, Gamma Troopers are sent out to patrol any potential hotspots where they may be enemy activity nearby. Outside of combat, Gamma Troopers will occasionally patrol the streets in urban environments or the countryside to keep a look out for trouble. They are found almost anywhere, from densely populated cities to the rural countryside.[3]
Appearances[]
Gamma Troopers are very common enemies, and are encountered just as frequently as Beheaded infantry. At first, they appear in small squads, often with Octanian Commanders by their side. But, as the player progresses, Troopers are a lot more numerous.
Occasionally, Gamma Troopers will spawn riding on combat drones, which makes them more formidable opponents.
Serious Sam 4[]
Gamma Troopers are some of the most frequently seen enemies in the game. They are first encountered in the first level of the game, "Death from Above", and then on pretty much every level onwards. They usually appear in small groups and are often seen accompanying an Octanian Commander. In the final level, "From Earth With Love", Gamma Troopers are seen in their highest numbers when being spawned by the Legion System.
Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem[]
Gamma Troopers are first encountered at the occupied oil rig in the second level, "A Smell Of Petroleum Prevails", and are seen in small to medium groups throughout the Thunderbird Oil Refinery and are also posted at the Octanian outposts in "Siberiade". They are much more numerous when playing on New Game+, and squads consisting of several dozen Troopers may be encountered at once.
Behavior and skills[]
Gamma Troopers usually work in squads and are often led by an Octanian Commander in small skirmishes, but when dealing with high-priority targets, such as Sam, large grousp os Troopers will be deployed to handle the threat. In combat situations, Troopers will take advantage of cover if nearby and will make use of any suitable, whether it be cars, concrete barriers, or sandbags. If there is a threat nearby, Gamma Troopers will patrol the area to search for the enemy, aiming their weapons out of cover. When directly confronting hostiles, Gamma Troopers will strafe sideways to avoid suppressive fire and will attempt to flank them. Like Cloned Soldiers, when in cover, Gamma Troopers will pop out of cover occasionally to fire at the target.
As their name suggests, Troopers are armed with gamma-ray laser rifles, which they use as their primary weapon in combat. The weapon itself suffers from several drawbacks, however, as it is not entirely accurate nor is it powerful, since Octanian rifles aren't perfectly adjusted to Earth conditions and therefore the individual beams only do limited amounts of damage.[1] The weapon can, however, deal moderate damage to a target that is stationary. If the target gets within point blank range of a Gamma Trooper, he will kick them or use his gamma rifle as a melee weapon.
Like other Octanian soldiers, Gamma Troopers are equipped with standard-issue body armor, which provides them with moderate to substantial protection in combat. They also wear respirators and goggles to help them survive Earth's environment.
Like with other enemies in the game, a Gamma Trooper will take extra damage when shot in the head. Given their low health, however, a single shot to the head will just instantly kill them rather than cause them to flinch, as in the case of tougher opponents like Common Aludran Reptiloids or Scrapjacks.
Tactics[]
- The beams fired from the Gamma Trooper's gun are fairly weak and not very accurate, so they can dodged mainly by strafing in one direction or hiding behind cover.
- However, while a single beam only deals minimal damage, many beams can quickly rip through both health and armor. The damage their beams deal is even higher when playing on higher difficulty settings.
- Like Cloned Rifleman, a Gamma Trooper can deliver several rounds to a stationary target, so watching where the beams land is key to avoiding them.
- These enemies are fairly weak; three shots from the SOP38 Pistol, M29 Infantry Assault Rifle or AK-74MX, or a single shot from the 12 Gauge Pump-Action Shotgun is enough to dispatch a Trooper. A single headshot from any weapon can kill one instantly.
- When shooting at their head, it is best to use iron sights when aiming with the pistol to increase the chances of landing one.
- For groups of Troopers, the pump shotgun's grenade launcher and Double Barrel Coach Gun are effective weapons for taking out groups of them at once, especially when they are lined up side-by-side.
- The grenade launcher also helps for flushing them out, especially for any Troopers that are hiding behind cover.
- While not a recommended method, the Combat Knife can easily dispatch a soldier or two. It is ineffective against groups due to their tendency to flank the player and putting them at risk of being subjected to multiple beams fired from their guns.
- You should also be wary of the Trooper's melee attack when using the knife, as this deals twice as much damage as his gun.
- Large groups or swarms of Gamma Troopers can be mowed down with the XM214-A Minigun or XL2 Lasergun.
- The pump-action shotgun, AK-74MX or M29 Infantry Assault Rifle are effective weapons against medium or large groups of Gamma Troopers.
- Gamma Troopers are low-priority targets on most difficulties. Their low health and low damage output from their guns make them easy and disposable targets. In groups though, they can become a nuisance if not taken out soon enough. Also, when playing on higher difficulty settings, the player should avoid being hit by their lasers whenever possible.
Behind the scenes[]
- Early concept designs depict the Gamma Trooper and other Octanian soldiers in different outfits and wielding different kinds of weapons. One of these scrapped weapons resembles an assault rifle.
Trivia[]
- Gamma Troopers, along with other Octanian soldiers, give off a particular scent which is reminiscent to that of seafood. This is mentioned by both Father Mikhail and Sam.[4]
Gallery[]
Artwork[]
Retail[]
List of appearances[]
- Serious Sam 4 (first appearance)
- Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 NETRICSA description
- ↑ Octanians' NETRICSA description
- ↑ Serious Sam 4 level: "A Breakfast in France"
- ↑ "Careful friends, I smell seafood. Octanians are coming!" -Father Mikhail to Sam and Kenny, "Death from Above", Serious Sam 4