Dubbed the "Retro Lancer" by soldiers near the end of the Locust War, the Mk1 Lancer is a far more powerful but less accurate version of the Lancer Mk2. Even with the amount of strength of the modern Gear, the force of this rifle is still capable of dislocating a shoulder if not handled carefully. At close range, however, its lack of accuracy is mitigated and its power can have an amazing stopping effect on most charging enemies.
While the blade bayonet of this weapon has been considered inferior compared to the newer chainsaw bayonet of the Mk2, it is still a useful weapon when used with a sufficient amount of force or particularly when that force is applied to the point of the bayonet instead of the blade. For this reason, it has become a popular technique to use the blade to charge towards an enemy, making it a particularly powerful weapon in a surprise attack. By charging the flank of an enemy, it's possible to start combat with a rapid instant kill and then unload the powerful shots into the enemies nearby allies. It is worth mentioning that because the blade requires such force, if not enough momentum has been gained over the course of the charge, you will only deal damage rather than killing the enemy.
