Using An Axe Only?

[Sandwichx 103]

This might be the noob in me talking, as I've only been playing for a couple of days now, but I've found that I love axes. They are stealthy, and I can move through a town, while silently taking out zombies in my way without detection. It sort of irks me that I have to drop my main weapon whenever I want to switch back to my axe, and it take forever to do it. So, I was wondering if it was even feasible to play the game with only an axe and a pistol/revolver. I think it would also make the game more difficult for myself, which would make it more fun. I don't like running around in a ghille suit with an M107(or whatever the best gun is supposed to be), shooting heads off of people. Again, maybe this is just me being a noob. I, also, think it would sort of add to the emersion of the game as a survivor. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Or maybe even some suggestions on how to do this right?

Edited July 11, 2012 by Sandwichx

[Senrain 148]

I've had some pretty great runs with an axe. Scored 13 murders with one life, using only the axe.

[Sandwichx 103]

Damn. That's pretty good. Were those betrayals or did you just get the drop on them? Either way, nice.

[Sandwichx 103]

Just bumping this to see if anyone else has any thoughts.

Edited July 12, 2012 by Sandwichx

[randir14 7]

How are you killing zombies without being detected? Whenever I get within a certain distance they attack me no matter what, even if my visual and sound indicators are at zero.

[EnermaX 59]

...It sort of irks me that I have to drop my main weapon whenever I want to switch back to my axe, and it take forever to do it. ...

I hate that too. It might be fixed if melee weapons become sidearms.

[nickyvandemortel@hotmail.com 0]

How are you killing zombies without being detected? Whenever I get within a certain distance they attack me no matter what, even if my visual and sound indicators are at zero.

He means as in detected by other players.

Using a gun, and players MILES away can hear you. Using a melee weapon, and no one will hear you.

[Sandwichx 103]

How are you killing zombies without being detected? Whenever I get within a certain distance they attack me no matter what, even if my visual and sound indicators are at zero.

Pretty much what Nicknero said. When I say "without being detected", I mean by other zombies and players. If you sneak up behind a zombie, it will detect you at around 3-4 meters away. You can swing just as it turn around at you and usually kill it without taking any damage. Although, I've noticed the hitboxes for melee weapons seems to be broken sometimes, but I think this is a known issue.

[Somepants 3]

Axe secret op.

Melee does have its limitations, but an axe is damn good. Remember that most zombies will try to zigzag around to your back before entering their attack routine, and you can whack them while they try to circle around and take no damage.

[Sandwichx 103]

Axe secret op.

Melee does have its limitations, but an axe is damn good. Remember that most zombies will try to zigzag around to your back before entering their attack routine, and you can whack them while they try to circle around and take no damage.

Hehehe. I was actually thinking that, with a silent weapon like an axe, you could easily be an equipment runner for a group. Sneak into town, loot it up without any aggro, run away with a grin. Also, thank you for the tip. I will make sure to add this my list of ways to kill zombies with an axe.

[Foogals (DayZ) 61]

The axe has been an intresting experiance for me. At first I thought it was a broken peice of crap only useful for campfires. But after I played with a bit (Considering it was the only weapon I could find for a while) I found it was fun and brought an intresting edge to the game. As afore mentioned, the hitboxes can be wonky at times is an issue, but one that can and i'm sure is being fixed or at least smoothed out. So yeah, I really do want to play around with the axe more and just keep a pistol on me for range if I need it.

[Bender Rodriguz 8]

When I play with my group we have two gunners and two axe people in front. The only problem with being the axe person is you get hit a lot more. So life regen is some thing to consider. Also when I was the axe man I would get a big ego and keep going untill my life was down to 3,000 which led to an infection. You can hit the zeds before they hit you but the pathing is bad and the axe doesnt always hit even when they are on top of you.

I also beat a bandit with a gun by hiding behind a tree while he was shooting at me making a circle around the tree when he would go left or right. He got too close because.... I don't know why he did that but I jumped out and hit him in the face.

Edited July 12, 2012 by Bender Rodriguz

[Bludy 324]

yeah axe is great but in the long run becomes to much expensive in blood..playing solo can head to death..i experienced that with 3000 or less blood it's very difficult to spot animals

[Sandwichx 103]

I had a pretty lucky experience finding animals in one of my earlier lives. I was leaving Cherno with a bag full of loot, and a gun full of ammo. I also only had like 4000 blood. I decided, because I was even more of a noob then than now, I would make my way towards Stary Sobor. On my way up there, I found enough meat to get me back to full blood, plus have 4 steaks in my inventory for later. Of course, I later died at the NWAF. Scouted that place for 20 minutes, only to have some hopper log in on top of my while I was looting the tower.

[Str8Dumpin 11]

The Hatchet is one item that gets you everything else. I start each survivor by finding a Hatchet.

My team always has a Hatchet Man.

You have to imagine you are holding a ten foot broad sword when equipping a hatchet, ATM it has incredible range that you can take advantage of.

A Hatchet man is very important for disposing zombies in a quiet and timely fashion. I run with a team who play a no-DC-ruleset. We need as much silence as possible, while still being able to travel at a fast zombie-aggroing pace. Since we never DC and like to stay Oscar Mike, we have constant zombie aggro.

You can even farm a whole town of zombies for food, drinks, etc using only a Hatchet.

As a Hatchet man, I have personally acquired a UAZ for my team yesterday, on Seattle 30. A group of 2 pistol and rifle bearing survivors cruise up to me at full speed on the train tracks in Cherno. One jumps out of the UAZ expecting me to run. Instead, I do the opposite and immediately rush the vehicle and AXE him a question as he's getting out. I one-shot him in the face, his legs break and he dies. I hide behind a broke down vehicle next to their UAZ and see the driver exiting the UAZ. At this point he is assuredly wondering what lethal question could have caused his friends demise. Yep, I AXE him the same question while he shoots me. We all die, but I ran back faster and the UAZ is safe in my teams hands.

SMF|Str8Dumpin

[Cvm 13]

Quick Question about the Hatchet/Axe. I am new to this game, as in I started playing yesterday. I have only been able to find the Hatchet. Is there a difference between the Hatchet/Axe? Also, I can only seem to chop down trees with the Hatchet, I can not seem to equip it as a weapon. What am I doing wrong?

[shonuff 2]

Quick Question about the Hatchet/Axe. I am new to this game, as in I started playing yesterday. I have only been able to find the Hatchet. Is there a difference between the Hatchet/Axe? Also, I can only seem to chop down trees with the Hatchet, I can not seem to equip it as a weapon. What am I doing wrong?

Right-click it and select "Remove from toolbelt". This will set this as your primary weapon, you will need to reload it to begin using it also.

[Cvm 13]

Right-click it and select "Remove from toolbelt". This will set this as your primary weapon, you will need to reload it to begin using it also.

Thanks. I'll have o try that.

[Boitameuh 14]

I'm a hatchet-only player too. I sometimes stock a main weapon in my pack, just in case, and I generally try to find a M1911 or a revolver too. I already got 100+ Z kills with only 2 broken bones in the process.

Edited July 12, 2012 by Boitameuh

[Boitameuh 14]

It sort of irks me that I have to drop my main weapon whenever I want to switch back to my axe, and it take forever to do it.

That inconvenience is a good thing, unless the hatchet would definitively be overpowered.

[Miss_Nuts 9]

This might be the noob in me talking, as I've only been playing for a couple of days now, but I've found that I love axes. They are stealthy, and I can move through a town, while silently taking out zombies in my way without detection. It sort of irks me that I have to drop my main weapon whenever I want to switch back to my axe.

Coupled with the fact that sometimes if you drop an item outside of a pre-generated spawn location it will sometimes disappear :(

Is it wrong for me to feel a bit of gutted disappointed when I have to pop my trusty axe back into it's toolbelt when I find a sub machine gun? Sadface.jpg

[moosehugger 1]

I've found the axe hard to use at first, but after a bit of being forced to use it since I had no luck finding guns I became pretty good at it. If you can remain calm and make sure to aim high while a zombie a freaking out on you you have a good chance of getting an easy head shot. Also, I've found that running backwards and spamming the axe like a mad man is an equally effective way to kill zombies! (Just make sure your not in a city or around other zombies. If I resort to such ancient martial arts I typically already booked it out of that city and just have one straggler left on my tail.) The only thing with the axe is that for me i have to stand up if I want to get a decent shot, i'll hopefully get better, but this is has created cases where its me vs 3 zombies in cities sometimes. But the Axe is effective still.

[Miss_Nuts 9]

I've found the axe hard to use at first

I actually find axes better to use without going into ironsights. I totally f'ed up several times trying to ironsight my axe ha

[Sandwichx 103]

The only thing with the axe is that for me i have to stand up if I want to get a decent shot, i'll hopefully get better, but this is has created cases where its me vs 3 zombies in cities sometimes. But the Axe is effective still.

I have also found that you have much better "aim" with the axe if you stand up. In, prone, I can swing an axe at the zombies feet 20 times before it recognizes that I'm hitting it. Crouching, I usually hit the zombie, unless it running sideways around me, in which case, it usually misses, because I forget to lead the zombies. I haven't had much experience with using the axe while standing, since, if I'm standing, and there's a zombie on me, I'm usually running away.

Edited July 12, 2012 by Sandwichx

[Ssgt_Perez 35]

In my latest survivor I have taken the role of Ax man in my group, whenever we aggro zombies I'll melee them to keep things quiet. If we aggro a large group we'll make our way to a barn or long building and I will abuse the hatchet range to kill them all without taking any hits. Its been enjoyable but I just have to keep a steady supply of bandages and cooked meat.