Gears of War: Judgment is a departure from the previous three Gears games on Xbox 360 in terms of its design, narrative and heroes. While developer People Can Fly have implemented some radical changes in the franchise, hidden COG Tags as collectibles are back and their locations are waiting to be discovered.
In total there are 48 COG Tags scattered throughout the Gears of War: Judgment campaign and Aftermath bonus campaign, one per Chapter and seven per Act (Aftermath has six), each representing a fallen COG soldier.They are identified not only by their physical appearance of looking like dog tags throw on the ground, but also by a nearby red COG Omen symbol sprayed on the wall. Sometimes this Omen symbol is right next to the COG Tag, and other times it is in the vicinity.
We have put together this handy Gears of War: Judgment COG Tag locations guide to show you where to find all 48 COG Tags and unlock a series of Achievements that go with finding them. The first 10 COG Tags located unlocks “Never Forgotten.” Reach 25 found COG Tags and unlock “Veteran Remembrance.” The big score is the “Respect for the Fallen” Achievement that can only be unlocked by locating each and every hidden COG Tag strewn throughout the campaign.
In addition to text descriptions of each COG Tag location by chapter, there are videos embedded from YouTube as well that will offer additional assistance in finding all the COG Tags. Some you will find naturally while naturally playing through the campaign. Others are more off the beaten path and take a little poking around to uncover.
Note: It is highly recommended you do not activate Declassified Missions when searching for COG Tags. The missions that add dust, gas, smoke and even wind make it much harder to spot the COG Tags.
Act 1: The Museum of Military Glory
Chapter 1: Old Town – The first COG Tag is at the very end of the first mission. Rather than follow your squad to the next area, veer off to the right and spot the Omen symbol to the right of a big door. The COG Tag is on the ground about 5 yards to the right in front of a dumpster.
Chapter 2: Riverwalk District – There is a big courtyard with various platforms surrounding it. Cross the courtyard and seek out the alleyway on the opposite side. When you spot the Omen symbol in the alleyway, look to the right for the COG Tag.
Chapter 3: Museum Gardens – Break through the door at the beginning of the level and look for another alleyway just up a small flight of stairs. You’ll spot the Omen symbol next to the stairs. Keep heading down the alleyway for the COG Tag.
Chapter 4: Great Hall – This is one of the easier ones to find. Just after successfully defending the plaza area, walk around the circular fountain with the statue at its center and find the COG Tag laying at its base.
Chapter 5: Kashkur Wing – You will know you’re close when having to walk down a long hallway. Keep an eye toward the bottom of the wall here and when you spot the Omen symbol, hang a left and find the COG Tag on the ground not far from the symbol.
Chapter 6: East Wing – In this wave defense area, the Omen symbol is on the right side of the large room. Go to it and then head turn around and spot a short hallway. The COG Tag is in this hallway.
Chapter 7: Archives – There is a room here that matches the chapter’s description, full of shelves and racks of archival material. Go the opposite end of the room, turn left and follow the Omen symbol to the COG Tag.
Chapter 8: Vaults – Near the end of the level and past the sinkhole, look for the Omen Symbol on a big concrete wall. The COG Tag can be found by following the same wall to the right.
Act 2: Halvo Bay Military Academy
Chapter 1: Enfield Bridge (Cog Tag 9) – This one is tricker because there’s no Omen symbol. Instead, be sure to look around the base of all the pillars while on the middle of the big bridge.
Chapter 2: Courtyard (Cog Tag 10) – You will stumble into a room that looks like an old office, complete with flipped over desk. The COG Tag is on the ground right in front of that desk.
Chapter 3: R&D Labs (Cog Tag 11) – This is a trick location to find. When you first spot the Omen symbol in the level’s biggest room, you still have a little ways to go. Take a right at the Omen symbol and enter the room with computers. Then head toward the furthest part of that room from the Omen symbol to find the COG Tag.
Chapter 4: Monroe Commons (Cog Tag 12) – This COG Tag is also not next the Omen symbol. The symbol itself is along the main path on the wall between two windows. But the COG Tag is located in a room much further down on the left, tucked behind a big utility table.
Chapter 5: Atrium (Cog Tag 13) – In this level’s main hallway, go in the doom on the right and find the COG Tag to the right side of the lockers in that room.
Chapter 6: Crashsite (Cog Tag 14) – This is an easy one. Between defending your post against waves, turn around and go backward and as far right as possible to find the COG Tag.
Act 3: Seahorse Hills
Chapter 1: Amador Park (Cog Tag 15) – The COG Tag is obvious at the bottom of a set of stairs you spot at the level’s end. Instead of going up these stairs, look around the top of the stairs you just came up to find the COG Tag behind a half wall.
Chapter 2: Magadha Villa (Cog Tag 16) – Again at the end of the level, go left where your team waits to move forward and find the Omen Symbol. The COG Tag is just behind a big metal pole up against a wall.
Chapter 3: Soleno Villa (Cog Tag 17) – For the third time as the level ends, you will face a tunnel blocked by a wall and a car. The Omen symbol is easily spotted on the left, and the COG Tag on the opposite right side of the symbol between two cars parked against one another.
Chapter 4: Windward Way (Cog Tag 18) – There’s an obvious container you pass through and you’ll see the Omen symbol inside. Look on teh ground opposite the symbol to spot the COG Tag.
Chapter 5: Risea Estate (Cog Tag 19) – Again at the chapter’s end, spot the garage and find the COG Tag near some tires in the corner.
Chapter 6: Guest Bungalows (Cog Tag 20) – Once you enter the mansion, look around the lower level before heading to the top for a side room. The Omen Symbol is on a table, and the COG Tag right on the table below a severely crooked mirror.
Chapter 7: Elliott’s Mansion (Cog Tag 21) – You have finally found your objection for this mission and must defend the beacon while it works. There’s a big outer room with two levels. The Omen symbol is on the lower level on the left side near a pillar. The COG Tag is literally directly above it on the upper level. Might as well go right for the COG Tag and skip the symbol.
Act 4: Onyx Point
Chapter 1: Elliott’s Fortress (Cog Tag 22) – As your team waits to wrap the chapter at a door, take a right at them and go past the Omen symbol until you see the COG Tag where the space to walk ends.
Chapter 2: Container Terminal (Cog Tag 23) – Look around the right side of the area after your wrap the chapter. The Omen symbol is on a large crate on the right side. Find the nearby stairs and follow them right to the COG Tag.
Chapter 3: Motor Pool (Cog Tag 24) – After entering through the door you activate and into the main room, head left and look for the Omen symbol on the wall, then head around the wall to find the COG Tag in a little niche.
Chapter 4: The Cliffs (Cog Tag 25) – A super easy one. Start the level and head up the small flight of stairs onto the platform on the left. The COG Tag is right there in the back left corner..
Chapter 5: Central Base (Cog Tag 26) – Stay on the right side of this relatively small area and find the entrance to a lower area. Once down there, look left and find the COG Tag.
Chapter 6: Central Control (Cog Tag 27) – Take an immediate right when the misson starts and find the COG Tag to the left of some giant barrels.
Chapter 7: Central Beach (Cog Tag 28) – Be sure to grab this one before heading to the beach and the big defensive stance. Find the Omen symbol right away, then turn around while standing in front of it and walk till you see the COG Tag in the corner.
Act 5: Downtown Halvo Bay
Chapter 1: Wharf District (Cog Tag 29) – As the mission begins, head up the stairs and through the door you must kick. Take a left and see the Omen symbol, and the COG Tag to the left of that.
Chapter 2: Parade Grounds (Cog Tag 30) – Almost identical as the last one, only go up the stairs near the Omen symbol and then take an immediate right to grab the COG Tag.
Chapter 3: Upper State Street (Cog Tag 31) – Take out the Locust in the ambush, then you will easily see the Omen symbol. Look around and behind where the symbol is for the COG Tag.
Chapter 4: State Street Rooftops (Cog Tag 32) – You are near after navigating the rooftops to where you spot a large hole in the roof. Look ahead for a ramp going up and follow the ramp right to the COG Tag.
Chapter 5: First Avenue Rooftops (Cog Tag 33) – Easy one; take an immediate left as the mission starts, spot the Omen symbol, then look on the right from the symbol for the COG Tag.
Chapter 6: Museum Square Rooftops (Cog Tag 34) – Toward the end of this mission you set up a defense, look below the raised platform and follow the walls around to the left until you spot both the Omen symbol and the COG Tag.
Chapter 7: Overlook (Cog Tag 35) – You have to be quick on this one. The Locust bust through doors and attack. When the first wave is toast and before the second wave, run into where they came out of and grab the COG Tag. Failing to do so then will result in the mission automatically ending when the next wave is killed off and you will miss your chance.
Act 6: Courthouse
Chapter 1: Grand Courtroom (Cog Tag 36) – The room is big, but if you take an immediate left and head up the second set of stairs to the raised platform, you will easily find the COG Tag on it.
Chapter 2: Halls of Judgment (Cog Tag 37) – In the room just past where the Declassified Mission Omen symbol is, head along the left wall and find the COG Tag sitting out on a balcony along this wall.
Chapter 3: Terrace (Cog Tag 38) – Head down the spiral stairs and through the next outdoors area. Just before the end, look on the right for the COG Tag.
Chapter 4: North Entrance (Cog Tag 39) – When the mission starts, look directly ahead and find the Omen symbol on a balcony. Head over there, then continue up to find the COG Tag on the next level near a turret.
Chapter 5: Main Entrance (Cog Tag 40) – Kick open the door, head down the stairs and into the immediate room on the right. The COG Tag is in the corner of this room.
Chapter 6: Great Staircase (Cog Tag 41) – As the mission ends, skip boarding the Raven immediately and find stairs behind it that lead to the COG Tag.
Chapter 7: Plaza for the Tyran Dead (Cog Tag 42) – Run along the outer wall and look for the Omen symbol. When you spot it, the COG Tag is right next to it.
Aftermath Campaign
Chapter 1: Reunion (Cog Tag 43) – When you exit the shopping center, head down and look for the COG Tag behind a pillar.
Chapter 2: Anybody Home? (Cog Tag 44) – Hang an immediate left when the mission starts and go into the garage. The Omen symbol is dead ahead, and the COG Tag next to some dead bodies.
Chapter 3: Dead End (Cog Tag 45) – You are asked to kick a door after getting to remove the gas masks. Instead, hang a left and kick open the next door. In this room take a right and find the COG Tag in the corner.
Chapter 4: One Step Closer (Cog Tag 46) – In one of the buildings you must get through, you will easily see the Omen symbol. When you do, look around for stairs and head down to find the COG Tag near some washing machines.
Chapter 5: Straight to the Top (Cog Tag 47) – After dropping through a big hole in the floor, pass the staircase that continues the mission and go straight into the room ahead. Find the COG Tag through this room and in the next area near a desk.
Chapter 6: A Few Complaints (Cog Tag 48) – When asked to secure the kitchen and you kick in the door, go left and into the first room you see. The COG Tag is in this room right by the corpse on the ground.
Read our Gears of War Judgment Review