Been reading the manual to my new game and was reminiscing how the original Gears has versus modes, so it made me think: couldn't two teams choose back and forth AI Group cards on a fully constructed map, mission being to kill each other player's red figurine?

Has someone else thought of similar versus modes?

Test played with my friends last night the same versus scenario I presented. Both were just 1v1 games. First, the two of us received three tiles each to build a map from the location deck at random, putting the first two tiles of his and mine with arrow-sides together, as exactly done in Belly of the Beast setup. Then we rolled an attack die till one of us got a Gear symbol. The winner selects his COG as usual, and then opponent selects from remaining three. Then Locust cards are presented for choosing, exempting Berserker (not playable). Those cards that use the same figurine are paired together, and when chosen the player must declare which he will use for the match exclusively (i.e. Wretch or Lambent Wretch, Kantus or Skorge [limit 1 Kantus figurine], Boomer or Grinder). Winner chooses first Locust he wants, and opponent chooses the next Locust, until none are left. This makes 1 COG and 3 Locust cards for each player. Then both sides collect their AI cards for their Locusts and their figurines. Each player then shuffles their cards and keeps their own AI decks. They trigger their own AI decks at end of turn, spawning alongside their COG rather than their opponent. The objective is to kill the opposing COG to win. No other AI cards are added to these decks, and any AI cards that say would affect a COG must instead affect enemy Locusts as if they were COGs. Each COG is placed on his entrance tile. The winner of the die roll goes first.

Dig In works with allied Locusts; the extra defense die disappears on YOUR next order step (it stays for one complete round). Sit-Tight only acts as card draw; ignore its Locust AI step that it deactivates.

COGs may be chainsawed. COGs may be interuppted by their opponent via a Guard attack action.

If a Kantus would resurrect an ammo token of your opponent's (i.e. they just got a figure back against you), then you may resolve its Otherwise ability instead. Be sure to acknowledge if the Locust you have chosen drops a weapon or not (ex. Grinders do not).

Play each COG in 1v1 with solo play rules.

This version is also capable of 2v2. Follow regular multi-player rules.

Any other rules to be added use at your own judgment.

I played a second time with another friend on a smaller map (2 location cards for each). I preferred the second way, though he wished for a larger map like the first game. My problem with the larger one is it slows the game down a lot and has potential for opponents to really run further away, dragging the game on.

Lastly, my friends said they both enjoyed it (one saying it was obsolete to regular game). He further said he would like to see Capture the Flag using the lock tokens, 3 and 4 player battle-royal, and King of the Hill match with the Berserker on the hill. I will try to make variants for these in the future.

Comments? Criticisms?

One last thing: your AI attacks enemy locusts and opposing COGs as if they were COGs. Your Locusts ignore you as if you were bleeding out. If your AI happens to be equal distance between two enemy locusts, or one enemy locust and the opposing COG, you choose who your locust attacks, not your opponent.

Also exploration activation does occur on the map. Follow normal exploration activation rules.

Being a huge gears fan i have a versus mode variant i am looking for 6 more players to play online at boardgamegeek.com im onimike at the site and have varies of rule sets for different actions which give you an actual gears feeling come check it out.

Today I made up a versus mode of my own that follows the rules of the Gow Warzone versus mode, the 4-on-4 match. These are my rules:

Gears of War
The Board Game
Versus Mode

Description: A versus variation game type for two to eight players split into two teams evenly (COGs and Locust).
Objective: Kill opposing players in order to score the number of points decided by the players at the beginning of the game.
Set -Up:
Shuffle the Order card deck and place it in the playing area. Then shuffle the three grenade weapon cards into the Random Weapons deck and place it in the playing area.
All players then organize themselves into two teams and choose their character. The COG players individually choose one of the four figures (all characters are identical in ability because no character card abilities or weapon load-outs are used). Then each Locust player chooses a different Locust figure in order to designate who is who. Players then take the COG or Locust character card to match their figure.
Note: Cards are used solely for identification purposes, no abilities, weapons, or traits stated on the cards effect the game in any way.
Then give each character one pistol, and one assault rifle or Gnasher Shotgun. One character may be forced to use the shotgun if eight people are playing. The COGs are dealt the Lancer Assault Rifle or Gnasher Shotgun, and the Snub Pistol. The Locust are dealt the Gorgon Pistol, and the Hammerburst Assault Rifle.
Optional: Players may choose their own load-out. To do so, all players roll a six-sided die to decide choosing order. They are then dealt two ammo tokens per weapon.
Then divide the map cards into two separate decks, A and B, according to their map letter. All players then decide whether the map will be day or night (A being day and B, night) either collectively or by coin toss. Shuffle the chosen deck, draw five map cards, and place the map tiles in the order drawn. One team then places their figures on the entrance of the map and the other team places their figures on the exit of the final tile.
Optional: For a more balanced board play tile 17 first with the side up based on the map deck chosen and then drawn only four more map cards. Play tile 17 as the third map tile then continue as normal.
Flip a coin to decide which team goes first, then in each team a six-sided die is rolled to determine the order in which the players will take their turns within their own team.
All players then draw three order cards. Players may hold up to four Order cards.
The order of play follows as such: player one of the first team takes his turn followed by player one of team two. Then player two of team one and so forth.

On your turn:
Follow game rules as normal except that players only draw one card on their turn.
Map Equipment Areas:
When a character activates an area with an Equipment icon, he draws one Random Weapon card. The player then either claims the weapon with two ammo tokens (if the Bolo Grenade is drawn, the player receives a grenade token and places it on his player card and the grenade card is placed at the bottom of the weapons deck) or places the card face down next to the map tile. If the player chooses not to claim the weapon, the next player to activate the Equipment icon picks up the weapon card from the tile instead of drawing from the deck.
Defense, Wounds, and Bleeding Out:
All characters have a base defense of one die. Normal cover rules apply and Dodge abilities may be used. Characters are dealt wounds as per normal rules. If a character runs out of cards, he is bleeding out.
A bleeding out character can be executed if attacked by an opponent in the same area as him. Neither player rolls for an execution however; an ally may play a Guard reaction ability card on the attacker.
Winning the Game:
When a single team reaches the decided score limit that team has won the match. If there is a tie then whichever team scores next wins.
If subsequent matches are played in a best-out-of-three manner, the teams swap starting locations.
For fun, keep a record of kills, downs, and deaths!

Tested it for 1v1 and it works like a charm.