Infantry—formerly and still commonly called Line Infantry or Ranker—is the best generalist class for learning Guts & Blackpowder. Regiment selection may display another period name, such as Marine or Trooper, but the class remains a flexible ranged-and-melee role. It is available by default and starts with a Musket and Sabre.
Your job in the formation
Stand one position behind the leading melee contact. From there you can see over the line, fire at a special enemy, step forward with the bayonet, or retreat to reload. Do not compete with the Sapper for the narrow front and do not stand so far back that a Runner can isolate you.
Your loaded shot is a team resource. Save it for a Bomber near the approach, a Runner that cannot be reached safely, an exposed Cuirassier shot, or a dense line where penetration matters. A lone Shambler rarely deserves the only loaded firearm in the group.
Use the default Musket well
The Musket gives Infantry a deliberate ranged shot and a bayonet option. On PC, the current reference uses R to reload, F to cancel aim, middle mouse for supported precision aiming, and X to toggle the bayonet. Confirm the live binding because controls can be changed.
Reload behind the melee line. Watch the route while reloading instead of staring only at the animation. If the formation begins to retreat, cancel or move rather than finishing the reload in the doorway. A shot that is ready at the next corner is more useful than a reload that gets you grabbed.
Bayonet and Sabre decisions
The bayonet offers reach and interacts strongly with Officer Charge. Use it when the lane is clear and the team is moving in one direction. Do not charge blindly into a Bomber, Cuirassier, or hidden group. The default Sabre is more flexible in cramped movement and when you need directional swings without carrying the Musket forward.
Choose the tool before contact. Switching while already surrounded wastes the distance that made the bayonet safe. If the fight is uncertain, use the Sabre, preserve movement, and let a clearer lane develop.
Known Infantry equipment paths
Current community documentation lists alternative primaries including Carbine, Rifle, Horse Artillery Pistol, Air Rifle, and Lance or Pike variants, with secondaries such as Hand Axe, Heavy Sabre, and Sword Bayonet. Availability, price, and regiment restrictions should be confirmed in the live Shop.
Use Carbine when you want mobile handling and its documented shove action. Use Rifle when precision and armor-aware target selection matter enough to accept its handling. Use Lance/Pike when you deliberately trade the firearm for long melee control. Keep the Musket when you want the most complete default answer.
Mode plans
In Objective, remain flexible. Cover carriers, shoot priority enemies, and arrive at each trigger loaded. In Endless, claim a ranged lane and coordinate reload cover; later waves punish players who shoot every ordinary target. In Holdout, protect the objective workers and reposition as sectors or construction change the approach.
Infantry does not remove the need for support. Move injured teammates toward the Surgeon, protect the Musician and Chaplain, and give the Sapper room to repair. Your value is the ability to solve the problem that appears next.
Counter special enemies
For a Runner, stay paired and use melee if the rescue is close; use the firearm if distance or other zombies make approach unsafe. For a Bomber, shoot at range only after teammates are clear. For a Cuirassier, avoid the charge, wait for recovery or an exposed angle, and do not waste a shot into the armored torso. For Igniters, remove the threat before fire divides the formation.
Call the target before firing when another player is near it. The team may be trying to lure a Bomber into a safe detonation or prepare a Cuirassier recovery shot.
Common Infantry mistakes
- Firing immediately after spawn and entering the first real threat empty.
- Reloading at the front while melee players need the lane.
- Keeping the bayonet out in a cramped room where the Sabre is easier to control.
- Following Officer Charge into an explosive or armored threat without reading it.
- Buying a new primary before learning the default Musket cycle.
- Standing alone because the class appears self-sufficient.
A five-step practice plan
First, complete a map using only the default kit. Second, count how many shots solved a special threat rather than an ordinary target. Third, practice toggling the bayonet before contact. Fourth, learn one safe reload position on a familiar map. Fifth, borrow or buy an alternative only when you can say which limitation it solves.
The Infantry roster and broad equipment access are community corroborated as of October 30, 2026. Exact damage, reload, range, prices, and balance need current in-game testing. Use the Firearms guide and Melee guide for role comparisons.