Enemies can come in different ranks when profiled. Based on their ranks, their tactics and combat abilities vary.
List of enemy ranks[]
Gunman[]
The standard enemy of the game. They don't think smart and they have limited combat skills. They may be lightly armed with a light pistol or a submachine gun. All Crime Prediction System criminals are ranked as gunmen.
Veteran[]
An advanced version of a gunman. Their advanced senses allows them more tactics, sometimes moving up to flank. They are armed with better weapons such as assault rifles and shotguns. Sometimes they also carry explosives which can be used as an area of denial tool.
Armored Gunman[]
These individuals are much more strategic during combat and have good accuracy and are reasonably skilled in combat. They have more health due to armor and they are very dangerous if they group together during combat. Armoured gunmen are armed with pistols, SMGs, shotguns and sometimes assault rifles. They have comms that can be disrupted by hacks. More appear as you progress the game.
Elite[]
These individuals are highly skilled in combat with better accuracy and advanced tactics. In addition to their skills, they have a bulletproof jacket equipped which allows them to take up more damage. Sometimes elites may have comms which can be hacked to cause an interference.
Marksman[]
Armed with laser-guided snipers, marksmen pick off their targets from a distance with their superior accuracy. They have the ability to headshot the player, killing them in one hit. They also have the ability to see the player from far away, if they have not been seen yet.
Enforcer[]
Enforcers are elite brute soldiers and armed with ATSG-12, AK-47 or the U100 LMG. With their superior armor, they can move up on the player without taking cover and they can soak up lots of damage. Because of their armor, taking down an Enforcer requires the Enforcer Combat Take Down skill. Enforcers sometimes may have comms installed into their helmets, which can be hacked to cause an interference. Enforcers will also boast about their body armor during combat. They are extremely dangerous if there are multiple moving up on the player. In Watch Dogs 2, Legal faction enforcers can be recognised by their military grade armor. Illegal faction enforcers can be recognised by their obese appearance and are shirtless without armor.
Rusher[]
Introduced in Watch Dogs: Legion. Rushers are armed with M590 shotguns and will aggressively push the player's position instead of attempting to use cover. They are better armored than basic gunmen and can survive just under twice as much damage. They also wear bandanas which makes them immune to gas attacks. The Elite Albion variant is equipped with an Elite Combat Cloak which they will use to turn invisible when approaching the player's position.
Captain[]
Introduced in Watch Dogs: Legion. Captains are armed with P308 rifles (Albion) or AK47 rifles (Clan Kelley) and can call for reinforcements to their location when the player is detected. They are the toughest human enemy archtype in Legion, with double the amount of health that a basic gunman has. The Elite Albion version can deploy Elite Kamikaze Drones that fly towards the player and explode in proximity.
Grenadier[]
Introduced in T-Bone Content Bundle for Watch Dogs 2. Grenadiers are medium-armored enemies who are equipped with a grenade launcher, typically from a high vantage point. They switch to P-9mm if Marcus or any other faction member gets too close. They can be identified by the bright yellow laser emitting from their grenade launcher.
Jammer[]
Introduced as part of the No Compromise DLC and Human Compromise DLC. Jammers are medium-armored enemies that specialize in using technology to jam signals and hackable objects. They cannot have their comms disrupted and they are instantly alerted along with the faction if Marcus or any other NPC enters their sphere. If the player enters their sphere (3 meters in diameter), they will be unable to deploy RC devices (they will automatically be disabled if they enter the sphere), activate NetHack view, use mass hacks or even hack objects. This can be a major problem for the player. The player can use the Profiler to disable the jammer on the enemy's back. Jammers can be identified by a visor-like device on their heads and a jamming device on their back. They also have a bulletproof vest labeled with their respective faction's name on it.
Ranks per Faction[]
| Faction | Ranks |
Additional Ranks During Campaign |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago PD |
Gunman, Veteran, Marksman |
Enforcer |
| SWAT | Elite, Enforcer | N/A |
| Chicago South Club | Gunman, Veteran | Marksman, Elite, Enforcer |
| Black Viceroys | Gunman, Veteran | Marksman, Elite, Enforcer |
| Albion | Gunman, Captain, Elite, Grenadier | N/A |
| Clan Kelley | Gunman, Captain, Enforcer, Elite, Grenadier | N/A |