Less than a month from today, Gears of War 3 fans will be able to expand their cooperative horde fighting content by purchasing and downloading the game’s first full batch of DLC. Starting November 1st, Microsoft and Epic Games will be offering the “Horde Command Pack” for 800 Microsoft Points.

While this isn’t the story-driven downloadable content that Cliff Bleszinksi had talked about in previous interviews, it does look to add even more replay value to the already addiction driven Horde Mode. It will also pack 250 Gamerscore for those out there that go nuts for achievements and big numbers next to their names.

Microsoft made the announcement by way of press release; inside, they detailed each new component of the DLC. Here’s their rundown.

The new maps:

  • Blood Drive – The Jacinto Medical Plaza was overwhelmed by evacuated citizens after the government-sanctioned Hammer Strikes, and the ensuing riots quickly turned this safe haven into a dangerous inferno. An abundance of high ground and funneled choke points make this map a returning favorite to Horde.
  • Rustlung – Once the pride of the Royal Tyran Navy, the foredecks of this decommissioned battleship are now riddled with bullet holes. Any team with the fortitude to hold the exposed central torpedo bay will find that the ship’s Loader has been replaced with a battle-ready Silverback mech suit.
  • Azura – This island resort was once the exclusive domain of Sera’s educated elite, but the tranquil water gardens and lush foliage have become a hotly contested combat zone. Dual snipers overlook a powerful explosive weapon, while the defensive central platform may be your last resort of retreat.

The new fortification upgrades:

  • Command Center – A brand new type of fortification that allows you to call in fire support from sniper teams, mortar strikes and even multiple Hammers of Dawn.
  • Decoy Upgrade – A new fortification level that turns your decoy into an Onyx Guard bot that will fight in your defense.
  • Sentry Upgrade – This upgrade adds a fire bolt sentry that deals much more damage and is very effective against Berserkers.
  • Silverback Upgrade – This advancement allows you to upgrade your Silverback exo-suit with devastating rockets and extra levels of repair cost reduction.

The new characters:

  • Onyx Guard
  • Big Rig Dizzy
  • Bernie

The new weapon skins:

  • Team Plasma
  • Jungle Camo
Will you be picking up this first pack when it drops on the Xbox 360?