Long guns not worth it

[FreshmeatDK 22]

Yesterday, I chanced upon an M1014 with ammo. It was the first firearm I saw in 1.7.7. However, after giving it a long and loving look, I walked away. Why?

Well, I don't do banditry, and even if I bring a gun to a firefight my lack of skill tends to get me killed anyway. So the actual gains of a long gun are debatable. And if I pick up a gun, I no longer have my melee weapon at the ready, and when a zombie spots you it is absolutely paramount to take it out without raising too much noise. I have hacked dozens of zombies with my axe and machete when I sneaked (gr?) through villages, with other zombies being a few meters away. Even though I have found a handgun, I dare not shoot it due to the risk of attracting a horde. The server I play clears out backpacks on logging due to ammo bugging, so I cannot use that for storage, and tents are a promise in the horizon.

So, no long guns for me until you can have both a long gun and a melee weapon.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you carry long guns or melee weapons?

[EndEffeKt 87]

I carry my crossbow :)

I personally think that the sidearms are not drawing that much attention and you can pretty savely use them vs zeds. The hatchet works great until you get accidently hit by a viral and are infected. I personally would take a smaller assault rifle like the ak74 cobra, m4, a shotgun or mp5. they are not drawing the whole towns attention if you have to fire them.

[thengeance 19]

I'll regale you with the lesson I learned in a moment of stupidity.

I was being chased by 4-5 zeds for about 10 minutes at this point, so i was sick, tired and desperate. I ran into a log cabin, and there she was: A sexy Enfield with a clip. I blew off 4 heads with 4 shots, patting myself on the back for being so lucky and so accurate from 3 feet. Then I realize that I might have a problem as zeds start stacking up at the entrance. I keep popping them, and more keep coming. I hear the deafening click of my clip running dry, and realizing I don't have a melee weapon, prepare to run out of there.

But my zed friends were playing red rover and I was not prepared. I couldn't push my way past them, and got tacklenommed to death.

tl;dr: tried a primary once, stayed alive much longer with a crowbar/hatchet instead. I just stick to melee, which is tedious but effective.

[moriak 35]

I wouldn't risk a melee fight in 1.7.7 unless I had antibiotics

currently I carry a Winchester (1-shot kills, common ammo (15 per "clip"), good range) and an M1911

I use a Winchester for out-of-town kills (when it's difficult to land a headshot) and to fend off players.. in towns I use an M1911 since it's easy to line up zeds for headshots (e.g. inside buildings) and the aggro range is not that high.. of course I try not to use them at all but sometimes it's necessary (or more convenient)

[IkaikaKekai 1957]

I swap depending on what I find. If I find a 'PVP' gun (other than a M4CCO SD) I leave it alone and stick with my ax/machete, but I do use a multitude of long guns when I can. I prefer the crossbow as my ranged weapon, when I'm scavenging or just scouting around. Shotguns are nice, whenever I do find one I keep it around with some pellets for hunting rabbits or when I just wanna kill zombies. I would prefer the 870 over the 1014 (because it has a flashlight, and they seem pretty much the same 'stats' wise). I do like to have an assault rifle around, preferably with a RedDot or similar scope. I avoid any sniper rifle above the CZ550, and usually only use it to hunt (animals) or do target practice on zombies. I'm going to love the limited weapons available in standalone at first :)

[methr1k2dop3 323]

Axe is all you need brother.

[_Gunslinger_ 46]

The server I play clears out backpacks on logging due to ammo bugging, so I cannot use that for storage...

Find a better server. Keep a rifle in your backpack for PvP situations, and ideally a hatchet, since you can stick it onto your toolbelt to take out the rifle. Melee weapons take up 10 backpack slots like a longarm, so you can interchange them as the situation dictates.

[barrett_killz 229]

Axe is all you need brother.

No, it's not in 1.7.7. But could be if you're skilled with it.

[JoeM (DayZ) 41]

AK-74 seems like a very viable choice. Fairly low noise, decent for PvP and fairly common ammo.

[Trizzo 632]

Depends how your define 'worth it'

If you're going survival and playing to last melee and or avoidence are far better choices. Guns do nothing for survival. Annoying and constant micromanagment, the immediate perception of youself as a threat, becon for Zeds and a firefight is never certain...so many bad reasons to pick up a gun.

I take long arms for funzies or being a wasteland hero aka bandit hunting.

Edited June 18, 2013 by Trizzo

[Imafighter 236]

I'm the guy you'll find running around Cherno with a Lee Enfield firing at as many zombies as I can. When I'm out of ammo, I pull out my trusty Hatchet, wait at the top of some stairs, and let the bodies roll.

[bca quattro 44]

Axe is all you need brother.

now i see why you are whining about the "infection-rate is to high" in every second thred :P

long guns are in 1.7.7. even more worth as they where in 1.7.6.1 because you now need to keep the infected on DISTANCE to you!

if you still run arround with a hachet and get infected you did not adopt and get infected and in the end get killed.

the AR-15 Rifles, the G36 Series, the AK-74s and the L85 dont draw to much Zed-attention to you and are all verry usefull in fighting back the infected.

i use them all the time, going into towns for looting - i only got infected arround 4 times now. and i played over 25 hours since the release! And everytime i got infected was my own fault because i acted wrong and got bitten.

But i accapt, learn and change my acting.

Edited June 18, 2013 by quattro_ger