Is it worth carrying an axe?

[jukaga 271]

Ever since the melee nerfs that require hits to the head to put down zeds in a reasonable amount of time I've questioned if it's worth it carrying an axe. It seems to put them down quicker than punching them in the face but due to the slow animation I was wondering if it was more efficient to use say a bayonet or machete to hit them in the head. A nice side benefit is a reduced silhouette with no axe sticking off your back. Anyone have hard facts on how many machete/bayonet strikes to the head vs. axe strikes to the head it takes to kill a zed?

[inphared 33]

With the current stable build? I'd agree that fists seem to be the best way. However, the current EXP patch that is about to get pushed to Stable, axes are once again king. You can 1 shot zeds with a fireaxe & 2 shot with the splitting axe.

[BadAsh (DayZ) 1513]

Not to mention that axes are really useful for chopping wood, sticks, ashwood sticks, all necessary items for the real survivalist.

[kakysas666 191]

There is a downside of axes (especially fire axe) and a mosin. If a bullet hits the axe or a mosin, it is counted as a body shot. And you die (or go unconscious). So less gear on yourself is better for surivival.

[jukaga 271]

Not to mention that axes are really useful for chopping wood, sticks, ashwood sticks, all necessary items for the real survivalist.

Ahh, will it be possible to craft those illusive sticks from firewood? And it will be neccesary to build fires soon? Good, good.

[Oyface 74]

I like to carry an axe on my back, but when it comes to fighting, I prefer using a combat knife or a hammer. Much easier to control the fight, rather than having an axe swinging everywhere.

[inphared 33]

Ahh, will it be possible to craft those illusive sticks from firewood? And it will be neccesary to build fires soon? Good, good.

Well you chop down trees for firewood & small bushes for kindling (although you can chop the firewood down into kindling). The ashwood sticks you get from only specific trees & they are used for either the Ashwood Bow or the Fishing Rod. So yes, it's very useful to have an axe on you in the new patch.

[Evil Minion 943]

Fireaxe is op when fighting zombies. A single hit to the head and they go down for good. I also found bayonets or the Machete quite useful because of their accuracy even though you need more hits (around 2 or 3). Compared to this the Shovel and Baseball Bat are utter crap - clunky to use and weak damage overall.

 

Against other players every single melee weapon sucks if you don't hit the head - might as well use fists here.

[BadAsh (DayZ) 1513]

Ahh, will it be possible to craft those illusive sticks from firewood? And it will be neccesary to build fires soon? Good, good.

 

Yeah, finding sticks will no longer be a problem. And while it isn't necessary to build fires yet (it probably will be when being wet increases the risk of you getting sick and fires can dry clothes), you can hunt and cook meat on them in 0.45.

[jukaga 271]

Yeah, finding sticks will no longer be a problem. And while it isn't necessary to build fires yet (it probably will be when being wet increases the risk of you getting sick and fires can dry clothes), you can hunt and cook meat on them in 0.45.

That's encouraging. I've only played a bit of experimental, I would play more but I get frequent crashes and stable is well, stable. Diseases must be just around the corner, we have the wet mechanic (that does nothing) and I find antibiotics all the time in medical facilities.

[blunce 991]

I still prefer an axe as my melee weapon even with the current build. A lot of the time I can still one shot a zombie to the head with an axe. 99% of the time I can one shot a zombie if I hit them in the back of the head. Otherwise, I find myself taking them down in no more than 3-4 swings to the head.

 

Moral: aim for the head.

[jukaga 271]

Indeed, but in stable atm at least it may be more efficient to bayonet them to the head or just punch them. I've noticed zeds who take 3+ hits to the head from an axe, if the bayo takes 5 but hits faster because of the animation it may be more worthwhile to use a small melee weapon you can hide in the backpack.

[DMentMan 707]

it´s worth it

[Goove 70]

All about the fists homie.  I care not about axes anymore because i am the iron fist gawddd!!

[poster 23]

I would use an Axe in experimental since it's useful for other items as well. But in the other DayZ version I use a Machete, I found that with a couple of good hits in the head the zombie goes down quick. A large majority of the time I get a good one hitter in there as well.

[qww 287]

others might have already replied this, 

even in current stable set up, fire axe is still most deadly against zombies, some other melee weapons will 1 hit kill at times, especially from behind when zombie is not alerted

[Hinka 0]

Fire axe is no longer a good mele weapon against zombies, hit a zombie 3 times in the head with it, and the bloody thing was still up and trying to kill me, nice to see that the zombies are faster. But if u cant kill them with an mele weapon then they are op and ruin the game, since new spawns will be killed before they can find a weapon and bullets for it. 

So the axe isnt that efective, if u guys have another idea on what would work better as a mele weapon, please do tell.

[Silence4all 35]

Im currently playing the Exp until it goes stable. I carry the Splitting axe in my backpack (only takes 4 vertical slots) & carry the Pick axe to use on zombies. I usually kill em in 1 shot. Gotta have the splitting axe to make fires, finding logs & kindling in the rough is a real PITA. The Fire axe will damage pretty quick when using it to chop with.

[hells high 676]

In experimental it takes about 1-2 hits with the splitting axe to kill a zed. I carry one because I like to carry one firearm with only a few mags, plus you can chop down trees for wood with it.

[Fragamemnon 13]

With the current stable build? I'd agree that fists seem to be the best way. However, the current EXP patch that is about to get pushed to Stable, axes are once again king. You can 1 shot zeds with a fireaxe & 2 shot with the splitting axe.

 

 

Is that one shot to the head? Will body shots work to slow them down or drop them so we can get them in a more vulnerable position?

[inphared 33]

Is that one shot to the head? Will body shots work to slow them down or drop them so we can get them in a more vulnerable position?

I don't use the splitting axe, but with the fireaxe it's 1 hit kill to any part of the zed. If I have time, I aim for the head, but many times I've hit torso & it still kills them in one shot. That being said, EXP zombies seem to hit harder than the stable ones. I have bled WAY more times on EXP than I ever did on stable & a few times I've had pristine vests ruined in 1 or 2 shots.

[freethink 984]

how do we make splint sticks using an axe?

[MarchHare 184]

I prefer the machete for zed control. The axes tend to get clunky indoors.

[spartacusrex 88]

IMO the Machete is best,1 to the back of the head kills, takes like 3 direct hits to the face which is annoying because each one drops them to the ground. But you can swing it REALLY fast and accurately.

Edited June 17, 2014 by Spartacus Rex

[rickyriot 1009]

Normally you would have an axe purely for taking out melee, however the new patch means the axe is useful for chopping wood for logs and for splitting logs for sticks. However, that inventory slot is also used for the hoe, which you need to use in order to dig for worms (used for fishing) and the pickaxe which is used for mining stones (used in fireplaces). The slot you would almost always use for the axe, purely because it's the best melee weapon (although the hoe is very decent imo too) can be taken up by the other items. 

 

However along with the "pre crafted" items, that slot in the inventory is also used by the fishing rod, so it'll be up to you whether you sacrifice a decent melee weapon for a survival tool.