HoE Coop Strategy Guide - Last Updated 10/30/2015
I've been playing Killing Floor for a little while now, and really only enjoy HoE, and Suicidal when I can't find a solid team to HoE with. Playing HoE without the right team will likely just end in tears, so choose your battles wisely.
I'll add little changes as we go, but please don't flame me here for my ideas. I want to promote people to play the hardest difficulty without using exploits such as door zerking or working an isolated corridor just to gain achievements. This guide is to empower the community with some tactics to beat the hardest difficulty by playing the game the way it was intended to be, minus exploits.
Pre-requisites:
1) All players level 20+. Level 25 (with Zed Perks) recommended. Everyone needs to carry their own weight, period.
2) Each member is able to beat the game on Suicidal almost every time with your chosen class, with little difficulty. This shows a deep understanding of the gameplay mechanics, so I won't have to explain every minute detail.
3) A team willing to work together, and sacrifice individual's goals (leveling, showboating, etc)
4) 60-90 minutes of time should be set aside for this. Quitting in the middle of an HoE game can be a setback to the team.
5) Stick Together within visual range of each other at all times
6) Good communication - voice chat is highly recommended to strategize. There is really no time for typing here.
7) The team should pick 1 'strat' caller that decides what to do. If everyone works in harmony, there is a good chance for success.
8) Do not stray too far from teammates, even when remaining zeds are less than 10. Head to the trader as a group.
9) The team needs at least 1 high ranking medic
10) A solid, high ranking Berzerker is also highly recommended.
General Strategy
Early Rounds - Rounds (1-4 of 10)
Focus on killing trash inexpensively and dispersing money among the team. Priority is for the Medic to get an Assault Rifle as quick as possible. Second priority is equiping your heavy hitters with the weapons they need to take on the big zeds.
Do not purchase armor. The medic should start with Armor using "Combatant" perk on round 1 for free armor and maintain the armor by avoiding damage. The rest of the team should avoid taking damage allowing the medic to rebuild/maintain your armor at 100%.
Zerkers should be able to carry the team and disperse money, but have enough for a tier 2 weapon once the large zeds come.
Later rounds (5-11)
Warmup is now over. It is time to get serious. Zeds will come in large waves, and big zeds will pop in randomly to mix things up. The team will have to be able to transition from killing trash, mid level zeds and big zeds seamlessly, and in the proper priority. It helps to have defined roles at this time, which we'll get into later in this guide. The most important thing is to not panic, and communicate efficiently when situations arise. The priority of zeds should be similar to Suicidal, you just have less time to react.
Zeds Breakdown
Trash Zeds
They are easy to kill, but cause a problem in numbers. Designate 1-2 people in your team to handling trash, and keeping them at a safe distance. If the team is about to be overrun, alert them ASAP, or else they will be caught by surprise.
Cyst: Shoot the head. Avoid their grab. Don't get surrounded.
Clot: Same as Cyst, they just move faster and attack faster
Slasher: Same as clot, except they have more advanced movement. Watch for their tumble.
Crawler: They are sneaky. Sometimes ducking can help you line up your shots/melee.
Stalker: They are also sneaky. Having a commando can help to 'see' them.
Gorefast: Priority Trash targets. They move fast in HoE, so kill them quickly with headshots. They can cause a surprising amount of damage in a short time, but luckily they are vulnerable to headshots.
Midlevel Zeds
Siren: They can take out a team fast, and stop grenades from being effective. Do not let them get close. They require a lot of headshots, so it is preferred that the zerker can kill them with a single, heavy attack.
Bloat: They can also cause a lot of damage to health/armor. Pick them off before they get close.
Husk: These can change the tide of the battle due to their ranged attacks. Keep an eye out for them and pick them off before they can cause trouble for the team. Do not let them get close.
The Bloat and Sirens should be considered with caution. If you let them get too close, they can change the tide of the battle into the zeds favor. Depending on the class, someone should make this their primary/secondary priority, and alert the team if they are posing a threat to your defenses. When big zeds appear, you may want to eliminate these threats first before focusing on the large zeds. When big zeds combine with medium zeds in short range, things can go bad really quickly.
Big Zeds
Fleshpounders: They cause a lot of damage. They are vulnerable to explosives, so Zerkers with Pulverizor or Demolotions should be two of the main classes engaging them. Pick off the sirens first, and the commando/support can use grenades to assist as well. When there are two or more FPs, the best method is to quickly kill one at a time. If the entire team works together, they go down in seconds. A well placed RPG/Grenade Launcher will stun them for a very long time. Having zeds around to block their attacks can negate a lot of damage to the team. Once raged, they won't stop raging until they are able to cause damage.
Scrakes: They are almost as bad as Fleshpounders, especially when raged. Rule #1 is to not rage them until the team is ready to engage. They are lower priority when not raged, and equal-to-higher priority to an FP once raged. They are resistant to explosives, so focus on headshots. EMP nades will temporarily make them dosile, and the other option is to sedate them if the medic has a chance during zed-time. Having zeds around to block their attacks can negate a lot of damage to the team. Later on the rounds, the last Scrakes will come out insta-raged, so everyone should be prepared to deal with that. Stick together at all times.
The Scrakes and FleshPounders are the real concern later in the rounds, and as they spawn in multiples, mistakes will no longer be allowed on when you handle them. There should be a good number (1/3 to 1/2) of your team that is equipped to deal with the big zeds, and your team needs to be able to quickly transition from one big zed to the next depending on who poses the biggest threat. Communication and execution is key. When a big zed is spotted, the team must be alerted immediately so they can change formation. Pay attention to who is engaging which zed, and team up on them together.
Someone in the team should also focus on wiping out any trash/midlevel zeds that are in the area while the rest of the team is engaging the big zeds. Once the trash is cleared, feel free to focus on damaging the big zeds, but check around for trash periodically while the battle continues. It doesn't take long for the team to get overwhelmed. If a zed grabs someone who is being attacked by a large zed, that can quickly end in death.
Economy
This is one of the biggest game-changers in HoE. Zeds don't pay out a lot of money, so you have to be careful on how wasteful you are with ammo. Allow Zerkers to be your front lines and allow the others to be backup when the zerker gets overwhelmed.
On top of this, giving zeds a 'love tap' or a quick pistol shot is a way to gain assists while others are killing so that your whole team can accumulate money.
Be smart on which guns you buy on which rounds. Don't buy tier 2 weapons until you absolutely need to. Consider if someone else on the team should have the money you've made so the team is better off. Again, the Medic should get their AR first, since it gives them 3 (but virtually 4) healing darts per charge. The team will be better off.
Next priority is to ensure the Zerker(s) have their tier 2 weapon of choice, since they have such good crowd control.
Other than that, it is a matter of saving $$$ for the rest of the team to get their Tier 2/3 weapons before things get hairy in the later rounds.
Team Tactics
Hold Position / Control Lanes
This is the normal tactic used on Normal thru Suicidal. This tactic is only feasible on HoE if the team is 4-6 members. Otherwise kiting (explained below) is the only way to manage the amount of zeds without being overwhelmed. Most importantly, the team needs to understand where you will hold your ground, and they need to know how to get there from the trader in case they get left behind.
Look at your team composition, and the strat caller should designate who will be assigned to what lanes. When you are done with the round, head to the trader, and then come back together as a team, and resume your formation again. If you decide to change locations, communicate this with the team so they can re-adjust the formation. If your side is getting overrun, send someone from the other side to help assist, and then rotate back to the original formation.
The 'Kite' Method
The team runs around the map with zeds chasing them. Zeds will 'respawn' in front of you from time to time, so it is a constant process of 'picking off' zeds that are chasing, and defeating zeds who appear in front of the group.
It is important that the team stays together. A zerker in the front and rear can help defend the team from zeds who catch up to the group. Zerks and Medics have a destinct speed advantage. The slower classes just need to try and keep up. Any time they engage a zed, they will slow down and often lose the group. Communicate, stay together, and most importantly, KEEP MOVING.
It is best to have a pre-determined route and just use it over & over again. Practicing this route on early rounds can be beneficial so that you have it down before the big zeds come. If you must change the route, do your best to communicate to the rest of the team so they don't get isolated and die.
Lastly, choosing a spot (or two) where it is safe to hold and wait for your teammates to catch up is also beneficial. In this way, you can transition between kiting, and the above Hold Position / Control lanes strategy if everyone understands their role in your formation. The ability to do this seamlessly is really the difference between a team that gets to round 8, and a team that gets to round 10 and finishes the game.
Everyone for themselves!
This method generally doesn't work in HoE unless each player is very strong and experienced individually. The zeds certainly aren't working this way, so why should the team? This may work well in round 1-2 but will be less and less effective as the game goes on, especially once big zeds come around. Another aspect is economy. When you work together you can spend less ammo (money) in taking care of zeds. This method should be avoided unless you are just playing for fun, and not to win.
Class Breakdown
Berserker
Strengths:
Movement Speed
Damage mitigation for the team (you can block large zed's attacks, saving your team)
Short Range Damage is very high
Ability to take on large zeds solo
Melee weapons don't require ammo (save $$$)
Ability to share money with the team
Weakness:
Lack of mid/long range effectiveness
Sometimes it is hard for teammates to get assists on your kills
Early Strategy
Key Perks:
Bloat Resistance (until Sirens appear)
Furious Defender
Smash
Zed Perk (300)
Loadout:
Crovel
Pistol (for enemies at range)
Sword/Pulv (Round 3-4)
You are fast, you are deadly. Protect your team against zeds is priority one. If you see someone getting surrounded by zeds, divert from what you are doing and assist. Otherwise, bang up zeds, collect money. Generally I recommend sharing your money with the medic for rounds 1-2 until they get the Medic A.R. After that, work on acquiring a pulverizer / sword. From there, distribute money amongst the team as necessary. Strategy wise, you should be at the front lines of where the zeds are flooding in, with your teammates laying down covering fire and healing you as necessary.
Late Game Strategy
Key Perks:
Siren Resistance
Furious Defender
Smash (knockdown increase)
Zed Kerk (300)
Loadout
Sword/Pulv
Medic Pistol if you're feeling it will help.
Your are still fast, and even more deadly. Big zeds are coming now, so the priority changes. Use the same tactics as above, but once big zeds come, your team's formation should change. Zerkers can block incoming attacks from SC/FPs and knock them down with the heavy attacks to the head. You should not be scared of large zeds at this point. If there is another zerker, there is an opportunity to alternate attacking the big zed when they get low on health. If a big zed charges one of your teammates, do your very best to get/stay in front of it and block the attacks. DO NOT let your medic get killed. SC/FPs only need 5-10 seconds to kill someone, so it doesn't take much time. stay diligent and your team will win.
Commando
Strengths:
Trash Control at medium/long distance
Zed Time Extension (chaining kills together while in zed time)
Weakness:
Not as effective at close range.
Slower than Medic/Zerks
Early Strategy
Key Perks:
Backup
Tactical Reload
Single Fire
Single/dual pistols
Stock AR
Bullpup (round 3-4)
You are a trash killing machine. You are accurate with headshots. Pop heads using the pistol. If you get overwhelmed with zeds, pull out the AR and continue to pop heads using single fire mode. Do not waste bullets, but if you miss a few shots, no big deal. Focus on using the pistol since ammo is cheap. Use the knife if you are confident. Use all of your pistol ammo in round 1, and instead of buying more pistol ammo, buy the duelies for 10 dosh more.
Late Game Strategy
Key Perks:
Large Mags
Tactical Reload
Single Fire/Automatic (depending on weapon loadout)
Loadout
SCAR
Bullpup/AK (depending on style)
You are still a trash killing machine. You are even more accurate with headshots due to the SCAR/AK/Bullup weapons. First priority should be eliminating trash, if Bloat/Siren/Husk appears, change priority to them unless another teammate has it handled. During big zed battles, focus on trash/medium zeds. If there are no threats around, then shoot the big zeds in the head, but occassionally check to make sure that trash/medium zeds aren't overtaking your area. Use your zed extension abilities to give your team the best chance to survive big zed attacks. Chain together as many kills as you can during zed time, and your team will reap the rewards.
Support
Strengths
Close Range Trash Control
Shots can penetrate multiple zeds (crowd control)
High Damage Output - good against medium zeds and backup against large zeds
Weakness
Ammo is expensive, and not plentiful
Limited Long Range ability
Frequent Reloads required
Early Strategy
Key Perks:
Extra Ammo/Backpack (your choice)
Extra Health
Tactical Reload
10% damage increase
Loadout
Pistol/Dualies/knife
Shotgun
DoubleBarrel (Rounds 3-4)
Your shotgun ammo is expensive, and it is precious. Only use it for life/death situations. Focus on headshots with the pistol and the knife for close quarters. Stay alive as cheaply as possible. Save money to buy better weapons. Again, conserve ammo. It is expensive to replace. This class isn't much fun to play until you have better weapons.
Late Game Strategy
Perks
Same as early strategy.
Loadout:
AA12
DB Shotgun / Combat Shutgun (With added weight perk)
After round 5, the big zeds come around. Support has the firepower to put down medium zeds with little effort from close range, and can help the zerkers/firebugs put down the big zeds by laying down some supporting fire. When battles with large zeds get intense, don't forget to take a quick look around for medium zeds and any trash that might be taking your area over. Double Barrel has a wide spread and can clear groups of trash pretty well, and you can also combine backwards run + jump to evacuate an area quickly. The AA12 is excellent for crowd control and pummeling big zeds, but the ammo disappears faster than most people realize. Avoid getting overrun by zeds since reloading with support takes longer than other classes. Try to be smart with your ammo. Once you are out of shotgun ammo, you are about as good as a sitting duck. If you start getting low on ammo, let your team take over and stay back in a supporting role until things escalate.
Firebug
Strengths
AOE damage
Fire damages zeds over time
Explosion damage (perk) can cause chain reactions
Ability to get assists/kills, while still allowing teams to get assists
Heavy Damage output with Microwave Gun
Fire Resistance
Weaknesses
Lack of speed
Limited to short/medium range attacks
Tends to go down easy against big zeds
Early Strategy
Perks:
Flaritov (extends flame + light)
Combustion
AOE boost
Zed Time: Attack speed
Loadout
Caulk Gun
Pistol
Fireman's Shotgun
This class is nice to have around in early rounds. The fire attacks cause panic. The caulk gun's ammo is CHEAP, surprisingly so. Shoot the ground when groups of zeds come around and you'll gain lots of cash. Allow your team to finish off the zeds and share assists. More money for everyone. This class is particularly effective against trash at this stage, but leave the midlevel zeds to your teammates. Share money, but also keep in mind you need to have a microwave gun by the time the big zeds come around.
Late Game Strategy
Perks:
Flaritov (extends flame + light)
Combustion
AOE boost
Zed Time: Attack speed
Loadout
Microwave Gun
Fireman's Shotgun
The gameplay changes toward the later rounds. Once you have the microwave gun, you are limited on the other weapons that can be carried. Use pistol/Fireman's Shotgun to control lanes where zeds are coming from. In emergencies, break out the Microwave Gun. When large zed's appear, use the microwave gun, shoot at their feet in quick pulses to maximize AOE damage. If the big zeds are close together, even better. Stay behind the zerker for maximum effectiveness. If a big zed somehow pushes past the zerker, then uset he alternate fire to push them back and buy time. Hopefully the zerker can get back in front and you can continue the attack. Every few seconds, just check around to make sure zeds aren't closing in. Otherwise, continue to punish big zeds with your microwave gun. In rounds 9/10, hopefully you'll have enough money for a spare MG. This extra gun/ammo goes a long way.
Demolition
Strengths
This class has the strongest AOE damage by far
Able to clear groups of zeds in a fraction of a second
Effective backup against FPs
Able to stun large zeds and buy the team time
Weaknesses
Vulnerable at close distance (must avoid trash at all times)
Ammo is expensive and not plentiful
Not as useful in early rounds until tier 2 weapons are acquired
Not as effective against scrakes
Your explosive capabilities can deny your teammate the assist if you engage enemies before they do.
Early Strategy
Perks:
On contact
Siren Resistance
Explosive Resistance
On Perk
Nuke (this perk is a game changer)
Loadout
Pistol/Dual Pistols (primary)
Grenade Pistol (secondary, emergencies)
The demolotions expert I feel is a pretty advanced, specialized class, so really need to understand everyone else's role and where yours fits in the picture. Generally speaking, I don't think a demo is very useful in the early rounds. Most of this classes weaknesses are exposed at this stage in the game: Ammo is expensive to replace, and not plentiful so it is difficult to get a good economy going. If this doesn't sound exploitive, I would recommend starting as another class which can gain money quickly (zerker/firebug) and then change to this class when you can affoird tier2/3 weapons. If you insist in using this class in rounds 1-2, your goal will be: 1) Stay alive, and not die (which will make you lose 25% dosh, plus miss the end round bonus). 2) Stay out of danger, get assists/kills as cheaply as you can. 3) Only whip out the grenade pistol in emergencies, or if you see a group of zeds and you can't resist putting some damage on them.
If you are lvl 25, nukes will work with grenade pistol or dynamite, so use them during zed time if the opportunity makes sense (you can actually gain money instead of losing it). Even though it is not fun, you have to chose your battles based on not dying, and if you stand to gain some money by engaging the zeds. Otherwise you will have a hard time building an economy to afford the weapons that really make this class shine.
Late Game Strategy
Perks:
Same as above
Loadout:
RPG / Grenade Launcher(if you cannot afford an RPG yet)
C4
This is where things get fun, but always be aware of demolition's vulnerabilities. If your team is a donut, you are the juicy, jelly filled center. You must avoid zeds in close combat, and allow your team to create a safe perimeter for you to operate within. You are like an agile tiger, and you pounce only at the perfect moment. If you see a large group of zeds that nobody else is handling, blow them up. If you see a siren/husk approaching and nobody is tending to it, blow them up.
When Fleshpounders come around, stay the f**k away, and rely on your zerkers/firebug/support to take on the front line. Blast them from a distance. During this time you really must be hyper aware of your surroundings. If the team focuses on the big zeds, they may forget about trash that is lingering around, so check around every few seconds for trash/mid level zeds that can end your round prematurely. Try to stay close to your teammates, but not so close that the big zeds can end you. When you see two fleshpounders, nothing is more satisfying than throwing a dynamite and stunning them both so that your team can lower their health with minimal threat. Cease this opportunity whenever possible.
If you are level 25, you are able to almost carry the team with your nuke capability. If you have a good commando on your team, they can extend the zed time, and give you ample opportunities to fire off nukes. Generally I prefer using RPG with the nuke capability since you can aim it exactly where you want it to blow, and it really is a game changer.
Medic
Strengths
Ability to quickly heal teammates
Movement speed
Ability to repair armor
Medic grenades can heal multiple teammates at once
Can start the game with full armor (combatant perk)
Weaknesses
Not the most effective at damaging large zeds
Medic is most effective with an AR, but an AR is $1500
Armor is more expensive as a medic
The HMTech-201 SMG is not very effective
Early Game Strategy
Perks:
Healing Surge/Enforcer (I'd use either. One gives you more health, but the other more ammo, which might come in handy in the early rounds)
Combatant (Use this on first round, no doubt)
Armament (Use this after round 2)
Regeneration/Lacerate (I don't really have a preference here)
Vaccination (I prefer the armor bonus)
Airborne Agent (I think sedative really comes in handy in the late game)
Loadout:
Medic Pistol
AR (as soon as possible)
The medic's role is clear and simple, but requires multi-tasking. The saying I use is "Always be healing". Top off everyone's health as often as possible, and repair their armor as often as you can if you aren't in danger. If you are being an effective medic, you are constantly scanning all of your teammates. You are hyper-aware of the environment, and you can anticipate when one of your teammates is in danger and are ready to heal them when they get hurt. Since you are always watching everyone's back, your secondary role should be to shoot any zeds that may be coming up on someone's back. Keep moving, and stay out of harms way. You are one of the fastest on the team, so zeds should have a hard time trapping you unless you get lazy. Don't be shy about asking for dosh to get the AR. If your team is smart, they will not think twice and give you their money. If you have an AR, they will stay alive longer. Oh, and don't forget to heal yourself.
Late Game Strategy
Perks:
Healing Surge/Enforcer
Armanent (armor bonus)
Regeneration/Lacerate (I don't really have a preference here, but lean towards lacerate)
Vaccination (armor bonus)
Airborne Agent/Sedative (Both have their uses, so consider what works best for your team's profile)
Loadout:
Medic Pistol
AR
Medic Shotgun (optional if you want to become more of a combat medic)
Things will get intense once the big zeds show up. You are the team's rock, and you must keep them healthy. Again, "Always be healing". When someone's health/armor is at or near 100%, it gives them the confidence to keep a cool head, so constantly scan the battlefield and keep your team healthy. The less they panic, the less mistakes will be made, so keep them at 100% as much as you can.
Don't be shy and ask people to hold still if you need to repair their armor. When there are quiet spells during waves, this is a great opportunity to take care of people's armor. Be vocal and ask people to regroup so that you can take care of repairing their health/armor. After a big zed has damaged your team, try to make it a priority to repair the damage as quick as you can. I generally prioritize repairing the front line players first (zerks/firebug/support) but consider that demolitions are most vulnerable and stand the best chance with 100/100. Everyone else I just heal based on how critical their damage is. Whoever has the lowest health, switch to them immediately and DO NOT LET ANYONE DIE. Though this may be exploitive, I am not shy to use fall damage/siren damage on myself so that I can repair my own armor by healing myself.
**Addendum on 'Cycle Healing' (Info from "Eski" on KF2 Forums:
The Cycle Healing technique, for anyone who isn't aware, is the most efficient way of keeping your squad alive and repairing their armor in as little time as possible. It involves the Medic cycling between their two Primary weapons and firing off each weapons' healing darts until the charge has fully drained. The two Primary weapons being as follows: The HMTech-401 Assault Rifle and the HMTech-301 Shotgun. The 'charge power' : 'darts ammo' ratio of these two Primary weapons makes it by far and away the superior and optimal weapon combination for any Medic.
There will of course be moments when you must spam all of your darts in one go, but this should only really be done if there's only 1 casualty in immediate danger and they are at drastically low health.
**End Addendum
The medic shotgun can be a valuable tool, but at the expense of running speed. My general loadout is the AR/Pistol and I swap between these for healing and picking off trash. If you feel your team is lacking in their ability to control trash and midlevel zeds, then the compromise is to carry the shotgun as well and use it when things get hairy. The additional benefit is using the above cycle healing technique to keep darts available and outgoing to teammates. If you are in a situation where speed is of the utmost, you can drop the shotgun at any time.
At the end of each round, repair people's armor while they are at the trader. This is a time when everyone is the most still. Also remind people not to purchase armor unless the team is short on time (less than 10 seconds before the next wave). It is best to save money whenever possible. If you save your team $300+ each member, each round, this turns into a lot of dosh that can be used for extra weapons (spare RPGs, Microwave Guns, AA12s, etc.), so again, don't be shy to remind people.
**Addendum: Noteworthy Situations / Final points(Again, from "Eski" on KF2 Forums)
Zerk in 1v1 with a FP/SC
At this point your sole priority must be to keep the Berserker alive. Cycle Heal at the Zerk and throw a med-nade at their feet, be sure to also throw one where they might logically retreat or be pushed back to. Read the combat situation and circumstances and try to plan ahead. Place yourself somewhere safe and form a quick contingency plan should the Berserker fall.
If they are a lost cause, (ie. separated and trapped by 2 FPs) send that dart towards someone else who will survive longer. Unless that trapped player is a Berserker. Currently the Zerker can hold their own and (if they are exceptionally skilled enough) can sometimes survive these 2v1's if you keep healing them.
Future Sections to Come:
I've been playing Killing Floor for a little while now, and really only enjoy HoE, and Suicidal when I can't find a solid team to HoE with. Playing HoE without the right team will likely just end in tears, so choose your battles wisely.
I'll add little changes as we go, but please don't flame me here for my ideas. I want to promote people to play the hardest difficulty without using exploits such as door zerking or working an isolated corridor just to gain achievements. This guide is to empower the community with some tactics to beat the hardest difficulty by playing the game the way it was intended to be, minus exploits.
Pre-requisites:
1) All players level 20+. Level 25 (with Zed Perks) recommended. Everyone needs to carry their own weight, period.
2) Each member is able to beat the game on Suicidal almost every time with your chosen class, with little difficulty. This shows a deep understanding of the gameplay mechanics, so I won't have to explain every minute detail.
3) A team willing to work together, and sacrifice individual's goals (leveling, showboating, etc)
4) 60-90 minutes of time should be set aside for this. Quitting in the middle of an HoE game can be a setback to the team.
5) Stick Together within visual range of each other at all times
6) Good communication - voice chat is highly recommended to strategize. There is really no time for typing here.
7) The team should pick 1 'strat' caller that decides what to do. If everyone works in harmony, there is a good chance for success.
8) Do not stray too far from teammates, even when remaining zeds are less than 10. Head to the trader as a group.
9) The team needs at least 1 high ranking medic
10) A solid, high ranking Berzerker is also highly recommended.
General Strategy
Early Rounds - Rounds (1-4 of 10)
Focus on killing trash inexpensively and dispersing money among the team. Priority is for the Medic to get an Assault Rifle as quick as possible. Second priority is equiping your heavy hitters with the weapons they need to take on the big zeds.
Do not purchase armor. The medic should start with Armor using "Combatant" perk on round 1 for free armor and maintain the armor by avoiding damage. The rest of the team should avoid taking damage allowing the medic to rebuild/maintain your armor at 100%.
Zerkers should be able to carry the team and disperse money, but have enough for a tier 2 weapon once the large zeds come.
Later rounds (5-11)
Warmup is now over. It is time to get serious. Zeds will come in large waves, and big zeds will pop in randomly to mix things up. The team will have to be able to transition from killing trash, mid level zeds and big zeds seamlessly, and in the proper priority. It helps to have defined roles at this time, which we'll get into later in this guide. The most important thing is to not panic, and communicate efficiently when situations arise. The priority of zeds should be similar to Suicidal, you just have less time to react.
Zeds Breakdown
Trash Zeds
They are easy to kill, but cause a problem in numbers. Designate 1-2 people in your team to handling trash, and keeping them at a safe distance. If the team is about to be overrun, alert them ASAP, or else they will be caught by surprise.
Cyst: Shoot the head. Avoid their grab. Don't get surrounded.
Clot: Same as Cyst, they just move faster and attack faster
Slasher: Same as clot, except they have more advanced movement. Watch for their tumble.
Crawler: They are sneaky. Sometimes ducking can help you line up your shots/melee.
Stalker: They are also sneaky. Having a commando can help to 'see' them.
Gorefast: Priority Trash targets. They move fast in HoE, so kill them quickly with headshots. They can cause a surprising amount of damage in a short time, but luckily they are vulnerable to headshots.
Midlevel Zeds
Siren: They can take out a team fast, and stop grenades from being effective. Do not let them get close. They require a lot of headshots, so it is preferred that the zerker can kill them with a single, heavy attack.
Bloat: They can also cause a lot of damage to health/armor. Pick them off before they get close.
Husk: These can change the tide of the battle due to their ranged attacks. Keep an eye out for them and pick them off before they can cause trouble for the team. Do not let them get close.
The Bloat and Sirens should be considered with caution. If you let them get too close, they can change the tide of the battle into the zeds favor. Depending on the class, someone should make this their primary/secondary priority, and alert the team if they are posing a threat to your defenses. When big zeds appear, you may want to eliminate these threats first before focusing on the large zeds. When big zeds combine with medium zeds in short range, things can go bad really quickly.
Big Zeds
Fleshpounders: They cause a lot of damage. They are vulnerable to explosives, so Zerkers with Pulverizor or Demolotions should be two of the main classes engaging them. Pick off the sirens first, and the commando/support can use grenades to assist as well. When there are two or more FPs, the best method is to quickly kill one at a time. If the entire team works together, they go down in seconds. A well placed RPG/Grenade Launcher will stun them for a very long time. Having zeds around to block their attacks can negate a lot of damage to the team. Once raged, they won't stop raging until they are able to cause damage.
Scrakes: They are almost as bad as Fleshpounders, especially when raged. Rule #1 is to not rage them until the team is ready to engage. They are lower priority when not raged, and equal-to-higher priority to an FP once raged. They are resistant to explosives, so focus on headshots. EMP nades will temporarily make them dosile, and the other option is to sedate them if the medic has a chance during zed-time. Having zeds around to block their attacks can negate a lot of damage to the team. Later on the rounds, the last Scrakes will come out insta-raged, so everyone should be prepared to deal with that. Stick together at all times.
The Scrakes and FleshPounders are the real concern later in the rounds, and as they spawn in multiples, mistakes will no longer be allowed on when you handle them. There should be a good number (1/3 to 1/2) of your team that is equipped to deal with the big zeds, and your team needs to be able to quickly transition from one big zed to the next depending on who poses the biggest threat. Communication and execution is key. When a big zed is spotted, the team must be alerted immediately so they can change formation. Pay attention to who is engaging which zed, and team up on them together.
Someone in the team should also focus on wiping out any trash/midlevel zeds that are in the area while the rest of the team is engaging the big zeds. Once the trash is cleared, feel free to focus on damaging the big zeds, but check around for trash periodically while the battle continues. It doesn't take long for the team to get overwhelmed. If a zed grabs someone who is being attacked by a large zed, that can quickly end in death.
Economy
This is one of the biggest game-changers in HoE. Zeds don't pay out a lot of money, so you have to be careful on how wasteful you are with ammo. Allow Zerkers to be your front lines and allow the others to be backup when the zerker gets overwhelmed.
On top of this, giving zeds a 'love tap' or a quick pistol shot is a way to gain assists while others are killing so that your whole team can accumulate money.
Be smart on which guns you buy on which rounds. Don't buy tier 2 weapons until you absolutely need to. Consider if someone else on the team should have the money you've made so the team is better off. Again, the Medic should get their AR first, since it gives them 3 (but virtually 4) healing darts per charge. The team will be better off.
Next priority is to ensure the Zerker(s) have their tier 2 weapon of choice, since they have such good crowd control.
Other than that, it is a matter of saving $$$ for the rest of the team to get their Tier 2/3 weapons before things get hairy in the later rounds.
Team Tactics
Hold Position / Control Lanes
This is the normal tactic used on Normal thru Suicidal. This tactic is only feasible on HoE if the team is 4-6 members. Otherwise kiting (explained below) is the only way to manage the amount of zeds without being overwhelmed. Most importantly, the team needs to understand where you will hold your ground, and they need to know how to get there from the trader in case they get left behind.
Look at your team composition, and the strat caller should designate who will be assigned to what lanes. When you are done with the round, head to the trader, and then come back together as a team, and resume your formation again. If you decide to change locations, communicate this with the team so they can re-adjust the formation. If your side is getting overrun, send someone from the other side to help assist, and then rotate back to the original formation.
The 'Kite' Method
The team runs around the map with zeds chasing them. Zeds will 'respawn' in front of you from time to time, so it is a constant process of 'picking off' zeds that are chasing, and defeating zeds who appear in front of the group.
It is important that the team stays together. A zerker in the front and rear can help defend the team from zeds who catch up to the group. Zerks and Medics have a destinct speed advantage. The slower classes just need to try and keep up. Any time they engage a zed, they will slow down and often lose the group. Communicate, stay together, and most importantly, KEEP MOVING.
It is best to have a pre-determined route and just use it over & over again. Practicing this route on early rounds can be beneficial so that you have it down before the big zeds come. If you must change the route, do your best to communicate to the rest of the team so they don't get isolated and die.
Lastly, choosing a spot (or two) where it is safe to hold and wait for your teammates to catch up is also beneficial. In this way, you can transition between kiting, and the above Hold Position / Control lanes strategy if everyone understands their role in your formation. The ability to do this seamlessly is really the difference between a team that gets to round 8, and a team that gets to round 10 and finishes the game.
Everyone for themselves!
This method generally doesn't work in HoE unless each player is very strong and experienced individually. The zeds certainly aren't working this way, so why should the team? This may work well in round 1-2 but will be less and less effective as the game goes on, especially once big zeds come around. Another aspect is economy. When you work together you can spend less ammo (money) in taking care of zeds. This method should be avoided unless you are just playing for fun, and not to win.
Class Breakdown
Berserker
Strengths:
Movement Speed
Damage mitigation for the team (you can block large zed's attacks, saving your team)
Short Range Damage is very high
Ability to take on large zeds solo
Melee weapons don't require ammo (save $$$)
Ability to share money with the team
Weakness:
Lack of mid/long range effectiveness
Sometimes it is hard for teammates to get assists on your kills
Early Strategy
Key Perks:
Bloat Resistance (until Sirens appear)
Furious Defender
Smash
Zed Perk (300)
Loadout:
Crovel
Pistol (for enemies at range)
Sword/Pulv (Round 3-4)
You are fast, you are deadly. Protect your team against zeds is priority one. If you see someone getting surrounded by zeds, divert from what you are doing and assist. Otherwise, bang up zeds, collect money. Generally I recommend sharing your money with the medic for rounds 1-2 until they get the Medic A.R. After that, work on acquiring a pulverizer / sword. From there, distribute money amongst the team as necessary. Strategy wise, you should be at the front lines of where the zeds are flooding in, with your teammates laying down covering fire and healing you as necessary.
Late Game Strategy
Key Perks:
Siren Resistance
Furious Defender
Smash (knockdown increase)
Zed Kerk (300)
Loadout
Sword/Pulv
Medic Pistol if you're feeling it will help.
Your are still fast, and even more deadly. Big zeds are coming now, so the priority changes. Use the same tactics as above, but once big zeds come, your team's formation should change. Zerkers can block incoming attacks from SC/FPs and knock them down with the heavy attacks to the head. You should not be scared of large zeds at this point. If there is another zerker, there is an opportunity to alternate attacking the big zed when they get low on health. If a big zed charges one of your teammates, do your very best to get/stay in front of it and block the attacks. DO NOT let your medic get killed. SC/FPs only need 5-10 seconds to kill someone, so it doesn't take much time. stay diligent and your team will win.
Commando
Strengths:
Trash Control at medium/long distance
Zed Time Extension (chaining kills together while in zed time)
Weakness:
Not as effective at close range.
Slower than Medic/Zerks
Early Strategy
Key Perks:
Backup
Tactical Reload
Single Fire
Single/dual pistols
Stock AR
Bullpup (round 3-4)
You are a trash killing machine. You are accurate with headshots. Pop heads using the pistol. If you get overwhelmed with zeds, pull out the AR and continue to pop heads using single fire mode. Do not waste bullets, but if you miss a few shots, no big deal. Focus on using the pistol since ammo is cheap. Use the knife if you are confident. Use all of your pistol ammo in round 1, and instead of buying more pistol ammo, buy the duelies for 10 dosh more.
Late Game Strategy
Key Perks:
Large Mags
Tactical Reload
Single Fire/Automatic (depending on weapon loadout)
Loadout
SCAR
Bullpup/AK (depending on style)
You are still a trash killing machine. You are even more accurate with headshots due to the SCAR/AK/Bullup weapons. First priority should be eliminating trash, if Bloat/Siren/Husk appears, change priority to them unless another teammate has it handled. During big zed battles, focus on trash/medium zeds. If there are no threats around, then shoot the big zeds in the head, but occassionally check to make sure that trash/medium zeds aren't overtaking your area. Use your zed extension abilities to give your team the best chance to survive big zed attacks. Chain together as many kills as you can during zed time, and your team will reap the rewards.
Support
Strengths
Close Range Trash Control
Shots can penetrate multiple zeds (crowd control)
High Damage Output - good against medium zeds and backup against large zeds
Weakness
Ammo is expensive, and not plentiful
Limited Long Range ability
Frequent Reloads required
Early Strategy
Key Perks:
Extra Ammo/Backpack (your choice)
Extra Health
Tactical Reload
10% damage increase
Loadout
Pistol/Dualies/knife
Shotgun
DoubleBarrel (Rounds 3-4)
Your shotgun ammo is expensive, and it is precious. Only use it for life/death situations. Focus on headshots with the pistol and the knife for close quarters. Stay alive as cheaply as possible. Save money to buy better weapons. Again, conserve ammo. It is expensive to replace. This class isn't much fun to play until you have better weapons.
Late Game Strategy
Perks
Same as early strategy.
Loadout:
AA12
DB Shotgun / Combat Shutgun (With added weight perk)
After round 5, the big zeds come around. Support has the firepower to put down medium zeds with little effort from close range, and can help the zerkers/firebugs put down the big zeds by laying down some supporting fire. When battles with large zeds get intense, don't forget to take a quick look around for medium zeds and any trash that might be taking your area over. Double Barrel has a wide spread and can clear groups of trash pretty well, and you can also combine backwards run + jump to evacuate an area quickly. The AA12 is excellent for crowd control and pummeling big zeds, but the ammo disappears faster than most people realize. Avoid getting overrun by zeds since reloading with support takes longer than other classes. Try to be smart with your ammo. Once you are out of shotgun ammo, you are about as good as a sitting duck. If you start getting low on ammo, let your team take over and stay back in a supporting role until things escalate.
Firebug
Strengths
AOE damage
Fire damages zeds over time
Explosion damage (perk) can cause chain reactions
Ability to get assists/kills, while still allowing teams to get assists
Heavy Damage output with Microwave Gun
Fire Resistance
Weaknesses
Lack of speed
Limited to short/medium range attacks
Tends to go down easy against big zeds
Early Strategy
Perks:
Flaritov (extends flame + light)
Combustion
AOE boost
Zed Time: Attack speed
Loadout
Caulk Gun
Pistol
Fireman's Shotgun
This class is nice to have around in early rounds. The fire attacks cause panic. The caulk gun's ammo is CHEAP, surprisingly so. Shoot the ground when groups of zeds come around and you'll gain lots of cash. Allow your team to finish off the zeds and share assists. More money for everyone. This class is particularly effective against trash at this stage, but leave the midlevel zeds to your teammates. Share money, but also keep in mind you need to have a microwave gun by the time the big zeds come around.
Late Game Strategy
Perks:
Flaritov (extends flame + light)
Combustion
AOE boost
Zed Time: Attack speed
Loadout
Microwave Gun
Fireman's Shotgun
The gameplay changes toward the later rounds. Once you have the microwave gun, you are limited on the other weapons that can be carried. Use pistol/Fireman's Shotgun to control lanes where zeds are coming from. In emergencies, break out the Microwave Gun. When large zed's appear, use the microwave gun, shoot at their feet in quick pulses to maximize AOE damage. If the big zeds are close together, even better. Stay behind the zerker for maximum effectiveness. If a big zed somehow pushes past the zerker, then uset he alternate fire to push them back and buy time. Hopefully the zerker can get back in front and you can continue the attack. Every few seconds, just check around to make sure zeds aren't closing in. Otherwise, continue to punish big zeds with your microwave gun. In rounds 9/10, hopefully you'll have enough money for a spare MG. This extra gun/ammo goes a long way.
Demolition
Strengths
This class has the strongest AOE damage by far
Able to clear groups of zeds in a fraction of a second
Effective backup against FPs
Able to stun large zeds and buy the team time
Weaknesses
Vulnerable at close distance (must avoid trash at all times)
Ammo is expensive and not plentiful
Not as useful in early rounds until tier 2 weapons are acquired
Not as effective against scrakes
Your explosive capabilities can deny your teammate the assist if you engage enemies before they do.
Early Strategy
Perks:
On contact
Siren Resistance
Explosive Resistance
On Perk
Nuke (this perk is a game changer)
Loadout
Pistol/Dual Pistols (primary)
Grenade Pistol (secondary, emergencies)
The demolotions expert I feel is a pretty advanced, specialized class, so really need to understand everyone else's role and where yours fits in the picture. Generally speaking, I don't think a demo is very useful in the early rounds. Most of this classes weaknesses are exposed at this stage in the game: Ammo is expensive to replace, and not plentiful so it is difficult to get a good economy going. If this doesn't sound exploitive, I would recommend starting as another class which can gain money quickly (zerker/firebug) and then change to this class when you can affoird tier2/3 weapons. If you insist in using this class in rounds 1-2, your goal will be: 1) Stay alive, and not die (which will make you lose 25% dosh, plus miss the end round bonus). 2) Stay out of danger, get assists/kills as cheaply as you can. 3) Only whip out the grenade pistol in emergencies, or if you see a group of zeds and you can't resist putting some damage on them.
If you are lvl 25, nukes will work with grenade pistol or dynamite, so use them during zed time if the opportunity makes sense (you can actually gain money instead of losing it). Even though it is not fun, you have to chose your battles based on not dying, and if you stand to gain some money by engaging the zeds. Otherwise you will have a hard time building an economy to afford the weapons that really make this class shine.
Late Game Strategy
Perks:
Same as above
Loadout:
RPG / Grenade Launcher(if you cannot afford an RPG yet)
C4
This is where things get fun, but always be aware of demolition's vulnerabilities. If your team is a donut, you are the juicy, jelly filled center. You must avoid zeds in close combat, and allow your team to create a safe perimeter for you to operate within. You are like an agile tiger, and you pounce only at the perfect moment. If you see a large group of zeds that nobody else is handling, blow them up. If you see a siren/husk approaching and nobody is tending to it, blow them up.
When Fleshpounders come around, stay the f**k away, and rely on your zerkers/firebug/support to take on the front line. Blast them from a distance. During this time you really must be hyper aware of your surroundings. If the team focuses on the big zeds, they may forget about trash that is lingering around, so check around every few seconds for trash/mid level zeds that can end your round prematurely. Try to stay close to your teammates, but not so close that the big zeds can end you. When you see two fleshpounders, nothing is more satisfying than throwing a dynamite and stunning them both so that your team can lower their health with minimal threat. Cease this opportunity whenever possible.
If you are level 25, you are able to almost carry the team with your nuke capability. If you have a good commando on your team, they can extend the zed time, and give you ample opportunities to fire off nukes. Generally I prefer using RPG with the nuke capability since you can aim it exactly where you want it to blow, and it really is a game changer.
Medic
Strengths
Ability to quickly heal teammates
Movement speed
Ability to repair armor
Medic grenades can heal multiple teammates at once
Can start the game with full armor (combatant perk)
Weaknesses
Not the most effective at damaging large zeds
Medic is most effective with an AR, but an AR is $1500
Armor is more expensive as a medic
The HMTech-201 SMG is not very effective
Early Game Strategy
Perks:
Healing Surge/Enforcer (I'd use either. One gives you more health, but the other more ammo, which might come in handy in the early rounds)
Combatant (Use this on first round, no doubt)
Armament (Use this after round 2)
Regeneration/Lacerate (I don't really have a preference here)
Vaccination (I prefer the armor bonus)
Airborne Agent (I think sedative really comes in handy in the late game)
Loadout:
Medic Pistol
AR (as soon as possible)
The medic's role is clear and simple, but requires multi-tasking. The saying I use is "Always be healing". Top off everyone's health as often as possible, and repair their armor as often as you can if you aren't in danger. If you are being an effective medic, you are constantly scanning all of your teammates. You are hyper-aware of the environment, and you can anticipate when one of your teammates is in danger and are ready to heal them when they get hurt. Since you are always watching everyone's back, your secondary role should be to shoot any zeds that may be coming up on someone's back. Keep moving, and stay out of harms way. You are one of the fastest on the team, so zeds should have a hard time trapping you unless you get lazy. Don't be shy about asking for dosh to get the AR. If your team is smart, they will not think twice and give you their money. If you have an AR, they will stay alive longer. Oh, and don't forget to heal yourself.
Late Game Strategy
Perks:
Healing Surge/Enforcer
Armanent (armor bonus)
Regeneration/Lacerate (I don't really have a preference here, but lean towards lacerate)
Vaccination (armor bonus)
Airborne Agent/Sedative (Both have their uses, so consider what works best for your team's profile)
Loadout:
Medic Pistol
AR
Medic Shotgun (optional if you want to become more of a combat medic)
Things will get intense once the big zeds show up. You are the team's rock, and you must keep them healthy. Again, "Always be healing". When someone's health/armor is at or near 100%, it gives them the confidence to keep a cool head, so constantly scan the battlefield and keep your team healthy. The less they panic, the less mistakes will be made, so keep them at 100% as much as you can.
Don't be shy and ask people to hold still if you need to repair their armor. When there are quiet spells during waves, this is a great opportunity to take care of people's armor. Be vocal and ask people to regroup so that you can take care of repairing their health/armor. After a big zed has damaged your team, try to make it a priority to repair the damage as quick as you can. I generally prioritize repairing the front line players first (zerks/firebug/support) but consider that demolitions are most vulnerable and stand the best chance with 100/100. Everyone else I just heal based on how critical their damage is. Whoever has the lowest health, switch to them immediately and DO NOT LET ANYONE DIE. Though this may be exploitive, I am not shy to use fall damage/siren damage on myself so that I can repair my own armor by healing myself.
**Addendum on 'Cycle Healing' (Info from "Eski" on KF2 Forums:
The Cycle Healing technique, for anyone who isn't aware, is the most efficient way of keeping your squad alive and repairing their armor in as little time as possible. It involves the Medic cycling between their two Primary weapons and firing off each weapons' healing darts until the charge has fully drained. The two Primary weapons being as follows: The HMTech-401 Assault Rifle and the HMTech-301 Shotgun. The 'charge power' : 'darts ammo' ratio of these two Primary weapons makes it by far and away the superior and optimal weapon combination for any Medic.
There will of course be moments when you must spam all of your darts in one go, but this should only really be done if there's only 1 casualty in immediate danger and they are at drastically low health.
**End Addendum
The medic shotgun can be a valuable tool, but at the expense of running speed. My general loadout is the AR/Pistol and I swap between these for healing and picking off trash. If you feel your team is lacking in their ability to control trash and midlevel zeds, then the compromise is to carry the shotgun as well and use it when things get hairy. The additional benefit is using the above cycle healing technique to keep darts available and outgoing to teammates. If you are in a situation where speed is of the utmost, you can drop the shotgun at any time.
At the end of each round, repair people's armor while they are at the trader. This is a time when everyone is the most still. Also remind people not to purchase armor unless the team is short on time (less than 10 seconds before the next wave). It is best to save money whenever possible. If you save your team $300+ each member, each round, this turns into a lot of dosh that can be used for extra weapons (spare RPGs, Microwave Guns, AA12s, etc.), so again, don't be shy to remind people.
**Addendum: Noteworthy Situations / Final points(Again, from "Eski" on KF2 Forums)
Zerk in 1v1 with a FP/SC
At this point your sole priority must be to keep the Berserker alive. Cycle Heal at the Zerk and throw a med-nade at their feet, be sure to also throw one where they might logically retreat or be pushed back to. Read the combat situation and circumstances and try to plan ahead. Place yourself somewhere safe and form a quick contingency plan should the Berserker fall.
If they are a lost cause, (ie. separated and trapped by 2 FPs) send that dart towards someone else who will survive longer. Unless that trapped player is a Berserker. Currently the Zerker can hold their own and (if they are exceptionally skilled enough) can sometimes survive these 2v1's if you keep healing them.
- Avoid spamming your medic nades unless you have to - and even then try to chain 2 at a time. HOE is expensive and unforgiving.
- Ask your Demo squad mate to run supplier - giving you a free nade per Demo when you need it.
- Cycle Re-armor, as well as Cycle Heal.
- Try to keep a rhythm and periodically check each squad member and all Zed approach angles.
- Never stand still and never separate from the group.
- Always keep good situational awareness.
- Never buy the HMTech-201 SMG.
Future Sections to Come:
- Boss Strategy
Last edited:
