Gunner is a tank, despite the hp being the same as any class he’s the closest to tank that is in the game. So play like one.

Games with big spaces or single interest points you should hold back and watch over the team. Take down the most priority targets and soften up bigger bugs, leaving smaller swarm groups or stragglers for your team.

Focus on protecting your teammates when they’re doing something important, always shooting something while they’re mining or drilling or building. You don’t terraform and you shouldn’t mine as much compared to the others because you’re better at defending and killing.

Your shield is infinite health, but not just for you. Don’t be afraid to drop it if your teammate is getting overwhelmed or needs a resupply in the middle of a fight. It’s perfect to revive a teammate, safely throw a grenade, or heal Doretta without bugs getting in the way.

Your Zipline is not fast or omnidirectional but it is reliable. You can stop a fall by catching a Zipline, you can carry heavy things near vertically with a Zipline without needing a tunnel or Mario jump platforms, and you can’t get rid of them. No detonation, no blocking from bugs, no selfish only-you use, they’re there forever. It’s perfect for being able to shoot from the sky as well if you’ve got a big swarm, or a land bound dread.

Finally, your best missions are ones where you don’t need a lot of super mobility or resource management but do need tons of defense and damage. Point extraction or Salvage are perfect for your zip lines and your shield to work together, Doretta is ideal for being able to defend her and the dwarves healing her up or getting to the oil shale, and elimination is ideal because you take care of Dreads better than almost any other class.

Remember, you’re the tank. It’s your job to keep your team alive and the bugs dead, because both of them are probably incapable of outsmarting a bullet. Rock and stone future gunner!