I play lone wolf, mostly because I don't have any friends who play DayZ. I've only been playing for a couple weeks and have to stay away from the bigger cities due to poor computer performance. So I felt very lucky to be spawned outside of Novo. I skirted the edges of the city and looted to the point where I was able to defend myself from Zeds and headed to Severograd to keep looting on my way to the NWAF. I get very lucky and find an axe, a shotgun (sawed it off) and a mosin, along with some rounds. I'm energized, hydrated and healthy. Feeling good! I see in the distance another player being chased by a zombie and I couldn't tell if he was armed/able to defend from zombie attack. I run over and call out in direct chat if he needs help. I lose sight of him and got no response in direct. I decide to go back to looting and keep my eyes pealed. I run into a piano house and close all the doors to prevent any zambies from wandering in and look around. I'm upstairs when I hear a door open. I call downstairs "Hey, you friendly down there?" No response. Crap... I pull my shotty and close the door. I give it a few minutes, then hear another door open. I open the door in 3rd person and see a guy with a mosin standing at the top of the stairs pointing toward the room I'm in. My heart starts to race...palms sweaty...then I see a second guy come up the stairs. I call out again "You don't have to do this...we can work it out". No answer. I know my death is coming and I embrace the adrenaline coursing through my veins. The first guy walks down the hallway trying to get an angle on me (I'm in the corner of the room trying to peek around the door frame). I fire off a shot and barely miss his arm. He backs off for a second and I lean out more to fire off another shot. I miss. I pull out my Mosin expecting them to rush me now that I've emptied my shotgun. They don't attack. I reload my shotgun and as soon as I do they pounce. I shoot the first guy at the same time as he hits me. Screen goes red. Arm broken, but still alive. The first guy does not appear to have been hit, but isn't moving. I empty the Mosin into him, gun swaying wildly...he dies. I pull my shotgun and as I do the second guy gets the drop on me. One shot. I'm dead. What an exhilarating experience! I can't wait to get into my second firefight. Maybe this time I'll win. I think I would be wise to be less helpful and more stealthy. A lone wolf must run alone and should help only himself...