Warning Shots

[PJSleaze 111]

I've taken to firing two quick shots over the heads of people I get the drop on when I'm in dangerous KOS areas like airfields. It gives them 1-2 seconds to get the hell out and let me go about my business without me having to kill them on sight. Yes, I could try talking to them, but that seems very risky in places like airfields. In smaller towns, yes, I'll talk to people first.

 

Since I started doing this (very recently) I've run into 3 others at bases/airfields, all also lone wolves, like me. I stalked them for a short while to make sure they were alone, and before they could loot too much more, I fired. 2 turned and ran. I'm pretty sure one ran around a corner and logged. I watched the other bolt across a field away from the base to get away from me, and I let him go. The third went straight to the roof of the ATC tower to try to find me. Deployed a bipod and everything. I killed him, because he certainly would have shot me if he'd seen me.

 

Knowing how much getting shot at startles me and many others, it seems like a way to control a situation and get a potential threat away from you without an automatic KOS, especially in these danger-prone areas where everyone is afraid of snipers. Of course the trick is to fire without giving up your position, so good cover is essential. Anyone else do anything like this, or does everyone shoot to kill? Thoughts? 

[somethingbloody 118]

If I had bullets whizzing over my head I would assume the sniper is trying to kill me and missing, not that he's trying to give me a friendly warning. "Warning shots" sound a bit too much like movie bullshit to me. Also, if you don't shoot you don't give away your position.

Also, if you're shooting at players to stop them from looting gear they have equal claim to, that just seems to be a dick move.

I think the only time I would fire a warning shot would be if an unarmed/axe-wielding character kept moving towards me, I would fire at the ground to let him know I'm not bluffing about my ammo.

Edited February 24, 2014 by somethingbloody

[Griz2 77]

I would like to take this topic in a slightly different direction if the OP doesn't mind. I discovered a simple but very useful trick last night. I met some guy and we were both kind enough not to kill each other on sight. We both had a common goal (get to the airfield) and a single compass between us and only a fuzzy idea of where the nearest one was, so it made sense to stick together to get there. After we found our way to the northeast airfield we undertook the arduous task of navigating to the northwest airfield. By the time we got there we had been playing together for quite a long time and having fun and really helping each other out a lot. When the server abruptly restarted and I couldn't find him when we logged back on, I was a bit disappointed that I lost such a good companion. I could see that he was online and knew he must be in the area but he was out of voip range. I decided to fire my pistol into the air in a series of slow shots in intervals. I hoped he was bright enough to catch onto the idea. When I heard his shots I knew he understood. We played the marco polo pistol come-find-me for a few minutes until we eventually intercepted each other again. I realize that this tactic would not be wise in all scenarious for obvious reasons, but we were on a very low pop server and had plenty of ammo to spare. Sorry if I was a little heavy on the details, but I like to read about other people's experiences, so why not.

 

Anyways, OP, I think you have a good idea in theory, as it would likely be pretty effective in real life, but I think most people in this game would just as soon turn around and blast you if they heard shots. As somethingbloody mentioned, most people would assume that you were shooting to kill and just missing. I know I would blast anyone who shot at me first and was unlucky enough to miss. I could see this being an effective tactic against someone armed with only melee weapons or nothing at all.

[Zoridium JackL 16]

if somebody is shooting in my direction I don't think warning shot, i think they are trying to KOS me and I should defend myself, you should really think about that before doing it.

 

I mean, if you come up to me and talk to me and ask nicely if you can loot the area alone I'd be more then happy to come to some arrangement (like you get the loot you want and I get whatever you don't), but if you start shooting at me I'm going to assume you're a bandit and retaliate. so that guy you shot because he was gearing up to kill you? you don't know that he was actually a bandit or threatening player, you provoked him into fighting you, he could have been a hero or someone looking for someone else to share their beans with.

 

you aren't deterring threats, you're inviting them. the only time warning shots work is if the other person is entirely aware you could have shot them perfectly (which in almost every case they aren't because they have no point of reference on your aim) and/or you tell them, but just firing bullets at them screams unfriendly bandit asshole who's out to kill me, not "hey! would you mind leaving me alone".

[PJSleaze 111]

Interesting use of gunfire, Griz. Making it work for you is pretty cool.

Anyway- it's not meant to be Hollywood BS- it's a way to control the encounter and meet my goal of keeping others off the base/AF while I'm on it. People have itchy trigger fingers there, and I'm alone. It's risky, but I believe it to be less risky than talking, and the fact that no one yet has immediately returned fire, and 2 of 3 immediately left the area seems promising.

What gave me the idea was reading all the accounts of panicky reactions when getting shot at. It's easy to say you will turn and shoot- and you might, but I think 50% will look to get out first.

[Zoridium JackL 16]

Interesting use of gunfire, Griz. Making it work for you is pretty cool.

Anyway- it's not meant to be Hollywood BS- it's a way to control the encounter and meet my goal of keeping others off the base/AF while I'm on it. People have itchy trigger fingers there, and I'm alone. It's risky, but I believe it to be less risky than talking, and the fact that no one yet has immediately returned fire, and 2 of 3 immediately left the area seems promising.

What gave me the idea was reading all the accounts of panicky reactions when getting shot at. It's easy to say you will turn and shoot- and you might, but I think 50% will look to get out first.

most intelligent people who aren't afraid of a little firefight will look to get out of the line of fire THEN shoot back, simply getting into cover is not the same as outright running away.

[PJSleaze 111]

Sure, but how many intelligent people who aren't afraid of some gunfire are currently playing?

[Zoridium JackL 16]

Sure, but how many intelligent people who aren't afraid of some gunfire are currently playing?

that's not the point, you seem to think that immediately returning fire is the only truly hostile way to retaliate against your unprovoked assault, anyone who isn't an idiot will get into cover first.

 

but more importantly you seem to think you're somehow conveying to other people that you want them to leave, what you are actually getting across to them is that you want to kill them.

Edited February 24, 2014 by Zoridium JackL

[ChimpyGlassman (DayZ) 51]

I think warning them just riles them up and lets them know where you are.

 

I scope them out, if they've got a gun unholstered my spidey sense tingles and flight or fight kicks in.

 

Unarmed, melee or holstered weapons will get a conversation.

 

However, if i come accross anyone in a dangerous location such as an airfield or a town I will most likely KOS.

[comikz 218]

I give warning shots when people get to close to me, I have a personal bubble, and if you're coming into it with your fists raised or a weapon of any sort out and at the ready, I will shoot you down, but that is purely after I express my hatred for bubble busters, lol...

[PJSleaze 111]

that's not the point, you seem to think that immediately returning fire is the only truly hostile way to retaliate against your unprovoked assault, anyone who isn't an idiot will get into cover first.

but more importantly you seem to think you're somehow conveying to other people that you want them to leave, what you are actually getting across to them is that you want to kill them.

Fair point about cover. So far, no one has done that- one ran for cover and disappeared. Very, very small sample size, of course, and everyone has been a fellow lone wolf- I think they're more skittish by nature.

People can interpret however they like- I will deal with the consequences either way, and I expect it will not always work out. But if I prevent a potentially lethal confrontation by expending two rounds, that's a worthwhile trade for me.

[Monkfish (DayZ) 339]

I imagine this to be quite effective if utilized correctly, although it does depend on the player you're shooting at.

A little story, if you will;

Last night on Hardcore, I was in Zelenogorsk having travelled there from somewhere near Gorka, through Navy/Stary Sobor, looting villages as I went. By this time, I had a brown hoodie, autumn hunter pants, cowboy hat, chest holster (unfortunately empty) and Blaze rifle, most of which was pristine. I was energized, hydrated and healthy. Having been in Zelenogorsk for about 30 minutes with nary a sign of anyone being in the area (all doors were closed and I was closing the ones I had looted behind me), I had started to get sloppy with my movements. Dashing across a street, the M4 shots to my right and directed at me immediately panicked me and I made a sprint for the alleyway directly in front of me. All bar one of the shots missed due to some nifty weaving on my part and pretty shit aim on the shooter's part and I made it through the alleyway still alive, although the sound of my heart beating in my chest would have told a different story! I went left, then right, then left again between buildings before stopping and turning with my back to a big brown tank, aiming down the sights of the Blaze that I was now pointing at the corner I had just rounded. After a minute of waiting, I bailed and retreated to the supermarket where my game crashed and was probably killed due to the log out time (logged back in on the beach when I got the game going again). That sucked.

Anyway, the point is, instead of running around the corner and then turning and preparing to attack, or take a different route around to try and flank my assailant's possible position, I was panicked and just ran. The shock of having been attacked from nowhere caused a flight reaction that rode roughshod over any desire to fight, or tactics that would allow me to do so, at the time. The same would have been true had the shots been made to deliberately miss, although getting tagged certainly got me thinking "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!".

Beans for being inventive and not just killing people for the sake of it.

[crazyandlazy 376]

I let my bullets do the talking. I love to kill people in the back. It's hunting.

[Zoridium JackL 16]

Fair point about cover. So far, no one has done that- one ran for cover and disappeared. Very, very small sample size, of course, and everyone has been a fellow lone wolf- I think they're more skittish by nature.

People can interpret however they like- I will deal with the consequences either way, and I expect it will not always work out. But if I prevent a potentially lethal confrontation by expending two rounds, that's a worthwhile trade for me.

but you aren't reducing the chance of an exchange of bullets... you're inviting an exchange of bullets by beginning one. it's a sort of backwards logic you're using.

 

it's fine if you can convey that it's a warning shot, but there really isn't any way to distinguish between someone trying to kill you and missing, and someone trying to warn you by missing. those people who ran away probably didn't do so because they thought you wanted them to leave, they probably did so because they thought you wanted to kill them.

 

don't get me wrong, it's still a step above just shooting them (morally, not practically speaking), but it's inefficient at getting your intent across because you come across as more "I'm going to kill you" and less "leave or I'll shoot you", you're pretty much guaranteeing that you won't have any friendly encounters and increasing the likely-hood that someone is going to open fire on you, because now you don't just need to worry about KOSers, you also need to worry about people trying to defend themselves against KOSers.

 

personally I think it'd be great if we had a better way to communicate with other players to make our intentions clear, like a shout, or even just an arrow with paper tied around it, just something so that I can get my intention across at more then 50 meters (in an empty and desolate town I'm sure I could shout further then that, at least clear enough for them to understand that if they do anything I'll shoot them). maybe just a little red laser dot that I can hover over their body, so that they know I have a shot and I'm not taking it yet.

[PJSleaze 111]

But you're assuming everyone will fire back because you would. So far, two of three have left the area immediately preventing further conflict- my stated goal. That's a reasonable percentage to me (though a small sample).

It is inefficient, sure. But as long as it remains effective (meaning I don't die while on very dangerous ground) I'll keep trying it. If I start dying, my approach will certainly change, likely to a KOSer, but I'm trying to avoid/postpone that.

[archone88 29]

It has already been said.

 

Warningshots are a bad idea. Especially if youre playing alone.

Stealth is your best friend, announcing your prescence to everyone nearby, is the worst thing you can ever do.

[tolan 11]

Warning shots is an interesting idea.  I think the point of it isn't to say "hey, I could totally kill you right now", but more to initiate some kind of action.  OP is looking to initiate their escape by shooting at them.  This won't always be the case, as people will react very differently to this stimulus.  People operating in well-organized groups will react differently to people who just met and happened to team up, will react differently to somebody looting alone, will react differently to someone who is actively hunting and looking for a fight.

 

When used in the right situation, I feel that this is a worthwhile tool in the toolbox if you're not interested in killing people outside of self-defense.  One of the guys I run with and I used this, albeit to a completely outcome (teammate on overwatch took some wide shots, and his intended escapee ran directly into my sights thus compromising me, ending him).  Personally, whenever someone's been shooting at me, particularly when I'm on the move, I will put down shots in the direction to where I think I'm being shot from, and move to hard cover.  If I am able to make it to cover, then I'll reassess and decide if the risk is worth engaging in a firefight. 

 

If you can mitigate the worth to the person at whom you are shooting the missing shots of engaging with you, and cause them to flee, then you're in a position to fire those warning shots.  If you can't encourage the person to flee rather than to fight (there are a variety of factors here, some of which are in your control, others are not) then this tactic could get you killed.

 

It's really interesting, please continue to post in this thread with your results, I'm curious.

Edited February 24, 2014 by tolan

[escobert 112]

I would be very happy to have some warning shots fired over my head instead of just being shot. A lot of times I seem to get killed at the air fields are they've been looted to all hell. Really you need to shoot me and ruin my stuff for maybe one mag in a building somehwhere here? also last night had some asshats says "friendly don't shoot us!" so I obliged and left the building only to be shot in the back as I went out the door.

[Simon_Girty 2]

If you would do three shots into the air around airfields, it will either let others know you are there or just stir up a hornets nest of itchy trigger finger players.

[Methadon36 5]

Warning shots can be tricky. some might/will think you have shitty aim and not listen. I don't bother with that anymore. But I will camp out outside a town for a while b4 looting, and if all seems too quiet 'Electro' on full server. I will take pot shots at known hideout locals like firehouse, school ect just to see/hear movement or shots fired in return. And it works pretty well to draw some ppl out.

[execpro22 128]

I've taken to firing two quick shots over the heads of people I get the drop on when I'm in dangerous KOS areas like airfields. It gives them 1-2 seconds to get the hell out and let me go about my business without me having to kill them on sight. Yes, I could try talking to them, but that seems very risky in places like airfields. In smaller towns, yes, I'll talk to people first.

 

Since I started doing this (very recently) I've run into 3 others at bases/airfields, all also lone wolves, like me. I stalked them for a short while to make sure they were alone, and before they could loot too much more, I fired. 2 turned and ran. I'm pretty sure one ran around a corner and logged. I watched the other bolt across a field away from the base to get away from me, and I let him go. The third went straight to the roof of the ATC tower to try to find me. Deployed a bipod and everything. I killed him, because he certainly would have shot me if he'd seen me.

 

Knowing how much getting shot at startles me and many others, it seems like a way to control a situation and get a potential threat away from you without an automatic KOS, especially in these danger-prone areas where everyone is afraid of snipers. Of course the trick is to fire without giving up your position, so good cover is essential. Anyone else do anything like this, or does everyone shoot to kill? Thoughts? 

 

 

 

Considering how many combat logging cowards this game boasts I think you really have a smart idea on your hands if you want to avoid KOS.

 

I commend you for trying something a bit smarter then the usual run  over to the other person yelling friendly and waving.

 

Even though I choose a bandit play style I might try your idea when at airfields and such....

[custombark 16]

If I hear close shots that miss, I would immediately find cover or bolt out of the area I'm in. Depending on various tactical factors I would either follow-up with retreating or go hunting myself.

 

Being well supplied for a shoot out and if I saw the gunman, I would most likely try to flank, stalk, and kill (or out-maneuver then kill). If I didn't know where the shooter was, I would most likely flee. Warning shots would work, but only if your location was a mystery. Otherwise retaliation would most likely occur.

[TwinSpire 49]

If I hear close shots that miss, I would immediately find cover or bolt out of the area I'm in. Depending on various tactical factors I would either follow-up with retreating or go hunting myself.

 

Being well supplied for a shoot out and if I saw the gunman, I would most likely try to flank, stalk, and kill (or out-maneuver then kill). If I didn't know where the shooter was, I would most likely flee. Warning shots would work, but only if your location was a mystery. Otherwise retaliation would most likely occur.

 

+1

 

If someone shot at me without any communication about warning, I would assume I was being hunted.

 

Just like the quote above I would for sure plan on an engagement if I knew where the gunman was (or reasonably sure).  If I had no clue, I probably would retreat, cover/watch my escape route for pursuer, then switch positions and attempt to engage the area again.

 

I may retreat completely if I thought I was outgunned for any reason, or if I was pretty much done looting...

[Grimey Rick 3417]

If I had bullets whizzing over my head I would assume the sniper is trying to kill me and missing, not that he's trying to give me a friendly warning. "Warning shots" sound a bit too much like movie bullshit to me. Also, if you don't shoot you don't give away your position.

Also, if you're shooting at players to stop them from looting gear they have equal claim to, that just seems to be a dick move.

I think the only time I would fire a warning shot would be if an unarmed/axe-wielding character kept moving towards me, I would fire at the ground to let him know I'm not bluffing about my ammo.

 

Your whole post is retarded.

[pants! 83]

I was with a friend on the Southern outskirts of Svetloyarsk the other day and we heard gunfire. We took cover in the tree line but couldn't be sure if it was someone shooting zombies in town or someone trying to shoot in our direction but getting the range wrong.

 

Eventually, I loosed off with the SKS dinnerbell over the town roofs and the gunfire from town stopped so I presume it was somebody dealing with zombies and I spooked them.