Solo Group Hunting and Endgame [Tips Tricks and Tactics]

[tiptoptopper@gmail.com 244]

These tips are for solo players looking for a challenge. The weapon and equipment choices are not intended for group use.

The most fun you will get from this game when you think you've done it all, is not sniping newly spawned players in Cherno or Elektro for the lulz. Grouping with friends will also become repetitive over time. Going lone wolf and attacking groups of between 3 and 7 players will take you from a fluttery heart to full on cardiac arrest. It's the endgame that everyone thinks is missing.

After playing Ever Quest, World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online etc, in groups, I became bored and wanted more from the games I loved. I started looking at game mechanics, boss skills, spell affects, their counter affects and their patterns. I wanted to kill that boss on my own that 6 of us had trouble with the day before.

I have since succeeded in about 90% of my goals, the other 10% were impossible because the game mechanics didn't allow it. DayZ mechanics allow you to do anything you want because there are no set limits, rules or number crunching anomalies to battle against. You get a weapon and the other/s get a weapon. Simples.

These are my findings and tactics that have worked for me through trial and error. This is not the be all and end all of solo/lone wolf guides, tips or tricks. It's just me, take it or leave it.

If you think killing more fresh spawns than the next guy will boost your ego in your own eyes, continue doing it, but please stop reading from this point.

Start:

When you spawn and begin running around alone without a hatchet or a box of matches, the blood will start pumping through your veins more when you have the lone wolf/solo player mentality and ultimate goals in mind. This will give you an advantage over players who would rather pvp and ignore the permadeath mechanic.

Get your bearings and head north.

Primary Weapons:

If you find a Lee Enfield or double barrel shotgun on your way north, ignore them. Take a hatchet instead.

The M16A2 M203 spawns in military areas and deer stands. It has terrible iron sights, but it's grenade launcher capability is required when soloing many high level targets. The M4A1 Holo is extremely rare but does spawn in more locations. It is one of the best weapons you can own for solo raiding and group killing.

Both weapons above are useless without ammo and grenades. Pick up all Stanag mags and M203 explosive and smoke grenades.

Avoid heavy machine guns if you can. They are loud,have a huge muzzle flashand the ammo is very rare.

If you find a Mk 48 Mod 0 with more than 1 mag, it could act as a valid replacement for the M14 AIM below. This weapon can be heard on the moon.

Side arms:

The G17 pistol should be your ultimate goal. Its low noise, neat iron sight and mag choice puts this above the rest.

Grenades:

Use smoke grenades to confuse the enemy, don't use them as cover. Use explosive M203 grenades against vehicles or players in a bunch.

Hand grenades are very useful against multiple targets in a close group. Frag grenades are a high priority.

Secondary Weapons:

Sniping is mostly a bandit thing. We can ignore it.

Also, sniping a group from a distance is a bad idea for obvious reasons.

The M14 AIM is the only secondary weapon you will ever need for hitting targets accurately at around the 500m mark. When soloing a group it's best to keep your targets within 300m.

Gear:

Going lone wolf is not just about the weapons. A solo player needs to forget about soda cans and other tinned food. Hunt animals and know your watering holes.

A map and compass are high on your list of priorities. Use the map.

Tactics:

Never attack a group on first sight. Follow for as long as it takes. A group moving for a long time without being engaged by an enemy will become complacent and make mistakes.

I once followed a group of 6 for almost 2 hours. When they had met no resistance during their journey, they grouped up and 1 M203 killed 4 of them.

The other 2 were left discombobulated and crawling around. I'm sure you can guess what happened to them next.

Always attack from behind. Your muzzle flashes can't be seen and your targets will not expect to be attacked from land they have just walked over.

Silenced weapons are the last thing a group hunter/killer needs. Ignore them.

Naughty tricks:

Set up easy to find tents between the north west airfield and Stary Sobor. Players are attracted to them like zombies to brains. Keep a safe distance (300m-400m) and use the M14 AIM to claim your barracks raid prizes without having to go anywhere near the place.

Set up your own tent in a very hard to find spot.

When you have your basic hunting and drinking situation sorted, your weapons and gear in your bag, the next thing you should concentrate on finding is the L85A2 AWS. Get one here: http://southcoastbea...Heli-Map-v7.jpg

This is a luxury item and is not really needed. It does however give you a silly advantage when scanning your surroundings for targets.

Almost everything in the mod is broken thanks to patch 1.7.2.5. If you are running this patch most of the above can be ignored.

Happy being better than a bandit.

[Minamo 114]

I cannot put down tents in 1.7.2.5.. But surely i've lost 4 tents after restarts on 1.7.2.4

and i'm saying, Whole tents even tho' i've been right next to them..

[ACOGshot 38]

Decent guide. Massive props on the M14 AIM, its fantastic and widely misunderstood. The only criticism I would have would be the G17, I find that the clips can be somewhat of a pain in the backside to get and if you are going for a rarer weapon, you should maybe choose the M9 SD, its silencer makes it almost a must for trackers, although preferably the M1911 is the choice for me, bullets pair up with the revolver, and are found in every settlement, not to mention the damage output is higher than any other handgun (except the revolver ofc, but the revolver is so damn loud).

I'm also a massive believer in frag grenades, another underused weapon with devastating capabilities.

[tiptoptopper@gmail.com 244]

I cannot put down tents in 1.7.2.5.. But surely i've lost 4 tents after restarts on 1.7.2.4

and i'm saying, Whole tents even tho' i've been right next to them..

Tents are broken in the latest patch unfortunately. :(

Decent guide. Massive props on the M14 AIM, its fantastic and widely misunderstood. The only criticism I would have would be the G17, I find that the clips can be somewhat of a pain in the backside to get and if you are going for a rarer weapon, you should maybe choose the M9 SD, its silencer makes it almost a must for trackers, although preferably the M1911 is the choice for me, bullets pair up with the revolver, and are found in every settlement, not to mention the damage output is higher than any other handgun (except the revolver ofc, but the revolver is so damn loud).

I'm also a massive believer in frag grenades, another underused weapon with devastating capabilities.

Thanks for the feedback.

Remember the G17 can use: G17 Mag, M9 Mag and the M9SD Mag. :)

Yeah, the M14 AIM is one of the best guns in the game. It probably doesn't look bad ass enough for teh noobies to even consider. :lol:

FRAG OUT.

[Slide885 59]

The g-17 can use M9 clips as well. And the high rate of fire makes up for the 500 less damage than the m1911. I like this guide and would have to say that the m203 is one of my favorite weapons. clear rooms, attack from distances. put people down. props you have my beans.

[Stworca 87]

I find the PDW a better choice than the G17, due to the full auto panic button, and two types of SD fitting it. Also 30 round clips make more room for M203's and bandages. In the end it all comes down to the iron sights, though.

One thing i'd like to add is to have SD ammo for the M4 / LA85 / Anything that uses STANAG. I was tailing a group to NWAF, and their return fire was what made them unable to hide (zombies running to them, but not me, even though we both "sound" the same). SD ammo is an insane advantage in some locations.

Edited August 19, 2012 by Stworca

[Dreganius (DayZ) 55]

My beans. Take them.

[tiptoptopper@gmail.com 244]

I find the PDW a better choice than the G17, due to the full auto panic button, and two types of SD fitting it. Also 30 round clips make more room for M203's and bandages

One thing i'd like to add is to have SD ammo for the M4 / LA85 / Anything that uses STANAG. I was tailing a group to NWAF, and their return fire was what made them unable to hide (zombies running to them, but not me, even though we both "sound" the same). SD ammo is an insane advantage in some locations.

This is a very useful tip. The only drawback is that the SD mags are not as easy to find as the regular Stanag mags.

[ACOGshot 38]

This is a very useful tip. The only drawback is that the SD mags are not as easy to find as the regular Stanag mags.

True dat! I had to ditch my M4A1 CCO SD because I struggled like hell to find STANAG SD for it (finding the L85A2 AWS made it an easier decision though). I am trying out the G17 properly as a result of this thread btw, seems very decent, and the flashlight is fun for trolling in the dark (less hassle than switching in your flashlight).

[Noons 0]

Great post.

As you say game mechanics are the problem in other games. The PvP of the game is amazing especially for the lone hunters amongst us. I wish there was a way to more easily identify where you might see some other players other than the two big towns. Perhaps "Bandit Radio" is what is requried.