COG Tags in Gears of War: Reloaded are collectibles required for an Achievement/Trophy. There are several Tags in every Act, and they’re indicated by a red spray-painted Gears of War logo, also known as the Crimson Omen. When you walk into an area and spot a Crimson Omen on a structure, it means a COG Tag is lying around that you need to collect. There are a total of 12 COG Tags in Act 1: Ashes, spread across multiple chapters, and this guide will help you find all of them easily.
Chapter 1 | COG Tag #1
The first COG Tag in Chapter 1 is located in a large room during the opening section of the game, just below the marked red Gears of War symbol on the rubble. Walk into the room during the objective “Exit the cell area.” Look for the red Gears of War icon, located in front of you, and collect the Tag just below the symbol.
Chapter 1 | COG Tag #2
The second COG Tag in Chapter 1 is located in the next room, where you’ll have to fight a bunch of enemies. After you’ve killed them all, look for the red Gears of War symbol on a pillar at the back of the room. The Tag will be located just below the emblem, underneath the rusty staircase. The objective at this time will be “Proceed to the yard for extraction”.
Chapter 1 | COG Tag #3
The third and final COG Tag of Chapter 1 is located outside the room, in the open area, up the small staircase to the left. Enter the yard through the hole in the wall, head outside, and walk up the small flight of stairs to the left. You’ll find the red Gears of War icon. From there, go left and collect the Tag at the corner. The objective remains the same.
Chapter 2 | COG Tag #4
Chapter 2’s first COG Tag will be located up the big staircase, inside the building, behind one of the covers. Look for the red Gears of War icon on one of the covers during the objective “Search for Alpha Squad”. Defeat the enemies in the area and search around the covers to find the Tag located behind them, by the Crimson Omen logo.
Chapter 2 | COG Tag #5
The second COG Tag of Chapter 2 will be located inside the next building with two Emergence Holes to the left of the exit. During the objective “Check the bodies near the Emergence Hole”, you’ll enter a building with two Emergence Holes. Head towards the exit and look to the left by a giant window to find the Tag on the floor.
Chapter 3 | COG Tag #6
Chapter 3’s only COG Tag will be located inside the courtyard area, to the left of the statue with the red Gears of War symbol, near a tree. During the objective “Continue the search for Alpha Squad”, you’ll enter a courtyard area with a central statue and a few Emergence Holes that need closing. Head to the way you came from, look for the Crimson Omen on the statue, then head left to find the Tag on the floor near a tree and some supplies.
Chapter 5 | COG Tag #7
The only COG Tag in Chapter 5 is located in front of the House of Sovereigns, beside a white van with the red Gears of War icon to the left. During the objective “Search for Alpha Squad”, you’ll find a white van with the Crimson Omen symbol in front of the House of Sovereigns. Head left from the van, towards the wall, to find the Tag on the floor.
Chapter 6 | COG Tag #8
The first COG Tag in Chapter 6 will be located inside a corridor, to the right of a large boarded-up window by a cabinet. After you rescue Cole during the objective “Search for Alpha Squad”, head up the stairs and enter the corridor. Here you’ll find a giant boarded-up window on the left. Head towards it until you reach a cabinet on your right, and you’ll find the Tag lying beside it.
Chapter 6 | COG Tag #9
The final COG Tag in Chapter 6 will be located to the right of Roja’s dead body inside a room of the church-like hall. During the objective “Destroy all Seeders”, you’ll enter a church-like room with enemies after you’ve destroyed the second Seeder. Defeat all the enemies here, head to the next room and find Roja’s body. The Tag will be located to the right of the body, near a small flight of stairs.
Chapter 8 | COG Tag #10
Chapter 8’s first COG Tag will be located around the corner of a fiery hallway at the very beginning of the chapter. During the objective “Find another way out”, when the chapter starts, turn around to face the fire burning at the other end of the corridor. Go around the corner to find the Tag lying on the ground to your right.
Chapter 8 | COG Tag #11
The second COG Tag of Chapter 8 will be located inside an alcove in the third room, which can be accessed by luring the Berserker into breaking it. During the objective “Lure the Berserker outside the tomb”, you must bait it into breaking the third door with a window on it. After it’s broken, head inside the room to find the Tag inside a small alcove to your left.
Chapter 8 | OG Tag #12
Act 1’s final COG Tag will be located to the right of the Gears of War icon outside, before killing the Berserker. During the objective “Kill the Berserker”, head outside and locate the red Crimson Omen on the wall. Head to the right of the symbol to find the Tag lying on the ground by the column.
Make sure to collect this Tag before you go through with killing the Berserker, as it will end the Chapter instantly if you finish off the Berserker before collecting it. That’s every COG Tag you can find in Gears of War: Reloaded, Act 1: Ashes. Check out our guide on how to kill the Corpser in the game.
