L4D Lethal Intent Clan Advanced Users Guide
Brought to you by {L*I} Louisiana Ed
*This guide is not to be reproduced in whole or in part on any other website with out my, {L*I} Louisiana Ed, permission. This guide is meant for clan members, since hey why should we give the competition the leg up. Screw’em!
In the diagrams the filled in circles represent crouched people and the open circles represent standing people. The lines represent the FOV, Field Of Vision. And of course all diagrams are shown from above.
No matter what Formation is used at any given time there should always be someone calling the shots as a Lead or Driver. Regardless of what the individual may want or go to he or she must listen to the Lead. In turn the Lead or Driver must be able to make informed tactical decisions on the fly and sometimes in a split second. Many of us may feel that we know what is best, but few know what is best for the team and to be able to communicate those directions clearly and concisely. Communication in Left 4 Dead is your most valuable weapon, otherwise it becomes All 4 One.

*Created 01/17/09.

Static Formations
Static Formations in this guide refer to the defensive stances of a group of Survivors while stationary, I.E. when a horde is incoming or someone has been vomited on.
Corner Stacked- If the group must pull back into a corner then I recommend this formation. One person backed completely in the corner standing and sweeping with an M16, Auto Shotty, or Uzi. The other 3 kneel in front with the left position covering the left portion of the area , the middle person covering the central portion and the third covering the right portion. Preferably having the 3 that are crouched meleeing, while the standing person utilizing a sweeping fire technique.

Closet Stacking- If a group must, and I mean must, since this tactic cheapens the game and hopefully will not be allowed in CAL League. This should only be used in the event that your team is being raped and something has gone horribly wrong. Or you have a Tank about to come give you an atomic wedgie.


Open Stacking- In the event that your team finds itself out in the open and swarmed, vomited on. The most useful way to use this formation is when a team member has been incapped. In the event that happens all members should stack and use this formation. The Open Stack Formation can of course be modified as the need arises.

The team can either crouch or stand in this formation and if a member is down the others should melee continuously.

Wall Stacking- In the event you find your team pressed against a wall, I.E. NM4 elevator. This formation could be used. All four team members line up on the wall with the two end members covering their respective sides and the center two covering the front.

Mobile Formations and Entry Formations
In this guide Mobile Formations refer to, obviously, Formations that are implemented while moving or on the fly. Entry Formations refer to Formations used when entering a new area, primarily through a door way.
Leap Frog- The Leap Frog is a Formation that is normally used when moving at a steady pace through tight and semi-tight conditions such as moving through a building or other confined conditions. The Leap frog requires that the two team members in the front clear the way of all zombies and communicate when pushing forward. The two members in the rear use a leap frogging maneuver to cover behind. When the first rear guard kneels and is stationary the second guard runs a predetermined distance behind and kneels aiming behind covering the first while he repositions behind the second and so forth. It is imperative that the Lead communicate when the team is stopping and when they are moving and at what pace. This Formation when practiced and performed correctly allows the team to move at a decent pace while maintaining continuous cover to the rear.

2 Man Group- This Formation is still being test, but has proven successful provided you and the other team member in your group are familiar with each other’s style. There should be one Lead per group and the other team member will follow providing cover. There still will be a Lead for the entire team to coordinate where the groups should go. In this fashion the two groups can work semi autonomously being loosely guided to complete multiple objectives quickly, I.E. searching numerous rooms for supplies or retrieving items such as gas cans or propane tanks etc. The each of the 2 Man Groups are responsible for rescuing a pounced or pulled member. In the event both team members are snagged instant communication of the situation needs to be relayed to the other Group so they can get to you ASAP.

Burst Entry- This entry maneuver is commonly seen by SWAT teams entering through a door way or a new area. The first person through the door goes into the new room approximately 5-6 feet, kneels and covers 11-1 o’ clock. The second person through the door swings right and goes approximately 4 feet, kneels, covering 1-3 o’ clock. The third person through swings left and goes approximately 4 feet, kneels and covers 9-11 o’ clock. The final team member, often referred as the Rear Guard or just Rear enters the room behind the first about 2-3 feet inside the room. The Rear Guard obviously covers the rear but remains standing in the event the threat in front is overwhelming the team he is able to swing around and fire without fear of blowing off the back of the first entry man.

Survivors
• If you don’t have a mic, get one or don’t play. Communication is one of the most vital parts of the game. I can’t count the amount of times I’ve played with pugz (term used for random public people) and they get pounced/pulled and can’t tell you it’s happened and then grief you for not getting there faster. My bad dude can’t keep an eye on you all the time and the zombies punching me in the face.
• If you get pounced/pulled don’t simply say “hunter on me!” tell the team your where abouts! Even if you’re 1 foot behind me say it “Hey Ed hunter on me behind you!” “Or hey (Insert name here) pulled behind you guys!”
• “Tier 2 weapons! Everyone grab an auto shotty!” WRONG! The entire team does not to be carrying auto shottys, mix it up a little. Two grab auto shottys and two grab M16’s, and if you grab a hunting rifle and its almost all CQB I’m gonna slap ya!
• There is a time and place for hunting rifles, unfortunately it’s very rare that you need one until future levels are released where it’s more open. For the most part anything you would need a hunting rifle for on No Mercy and Blood Harvest can be accomplished with an M16 and crouching.
• Appoint a Lead/Driver, a Rear Guard and 2 Man Groups before the game starts.
• Listen to the Lead/Driver and do what he says, put the ego on the back burner and take one for the team. If he does a bad job remember it for the next game and don’t vote for him to Lead.
• Know your role and shut your mouth! If it is a serious game for CAL or a clan match or an official practice try to keep the chit chat to a minimum so important info can be relayed. Tell a team member good shot and move on if you have to. I don’t want to hear about what happened to you 5 games ago that I wasn’t present for if I’m playing a serious game.
• Take a moment to WOO SAAAA! Don’t let the rage get to you. No one can always pull a person all the way back for maximum distance or a boomer vomit on all 4 people or get any. You can’t be perfect so don’t expect others to be. It’s one thing to grief in general btu don’t rage on a team member because that will only hurt the team. Playful razing is always good though as long as the other knows it’s not serious.
• Be a good sport. Even if you rape the other team out of the gate, tell them “gg”, not “RAPED!” “OWNED!” or my favorite “DENIED!” I myself have done this in the past but as part of a clan and one that intends to go to CAL then you should present yourself more like a pro. If not for yourself then for the clan, I don’t want people to think we’re a bunch of assholes. Besides if you act like an ass and then get owned yourself, well you asked for it.
• Stay together! Enough said about that.
• If you cheat or are using an exploit, well don’t play with me or anyone in Lethal Intent, we’re legit. Even scripts are pushing it and so far it sounds like CAL isn’t allowing them so I won’t use them.
• Give team members honest feedback, as long as it’s constructive criticism and you’re not being an ass, I at least like the feedback to help improve my skills.

Infected
• Try not to beef the boomer. Spawning way the hell out and trying to run after the Survivors always ends in QQ. Spawn ahead if they’re moving, and sometimes behind if stationary, but always spawn closely. And puke on any incapped survivor you can.
• Another word on the boomer, he is the most important infected. He opens for all coordinated attacks. Experiment with your spawn points, there are often times you can spawn right in front of the Survivors if you obscure your sights correctly behind a pole or other unlikely place.
• TIME YOUR SPAWN WITH THE BOOMER! That is a noisy SOB, don’t spawn until you are about to attack the survivors will wall the hell outta you whenever they can
• Hunters, for god’s sake get on fire! Whenever you have the opportunity to catch your hunter on fire do it. Fire provides two vital roles, 1: it enables nearly double damage. 2: it causes a state of panic in the survivors which may open the door for them to make mistakes.
• Smokers, never spawn ahead, I mean never. There are only 2 maybe 3 places where that is beneficial. Other than that spawn behind, his role is meant to slow down and confuse the survivors not to be a damage dealer. And do be patient, just because you’re the only infected alive at the moment does not mean you should run righ tin and pull a guy 5 feet only to get dusted.
• Coordinate attacks whenever you can. There are certain times when it is of utmost importance. I.E. the final ladder on No Mercy 3. A well timed and coordinated attack can mean the end for the survivors in one fell swoop.
• Communication is as important for the infected as it is for the survivors, talk about plans of attack and when to attack.

• If you see a survivor in the red go for the swipe! Hunters run silently and still do 6 damage AOE. A pounce is not always the best bet and you can almost certainly get at least one swipe in, if not two.
• Use your environment! If there’s high buildings around and you’re a hunter go for the Super Pounce, you’re and a hunter around fire? GO FOR IT!, being aware of your surroundings and using it to the fullest will help ensure victory for you.
• If you’re a tank look for something to hit. Go find a log, car, generator, etc. Those are one hit incaps there man do it! If you see an edge try to hit that bugger off of it.
• There are very few of us that are good with the tank rocks, try to practice and get proficient with them. Rocks are nice against a stack of auto shotty nubs or if they’re in the green knocking them down gives just the opportunity to get up close and spread that tank love.
• If you’re in an open area and the survivors are in the green you have a couple of choices: run after them and you just get lit up, throw rocks if you’re good, or the more devious retreat. Retreating may sound retarded to the noob but to the advanced user its often a better choice. The NPC is actually good and camping him further down the level to surprise the survivors is really nice. It also gives you an extra two special infected when the two players lose control of it.
• A quick word on the witch. Don’t let her just get crowned use that little bitch. She is mean as hell so why not set up an ambush? The tried and true method is to wait with a boomer nearby and when someone walks up to crown her vomit on them followed by hunter pounces and lastly a nice smoker pull. In the event she can be bypassed you have a couple of options: 1:use the smoker to pull a survivor to her. 2: Put a hunter or boomer in front of or behind her and hope they shoot you.
• Experiment and practice with all the infected. You may like to be the smoker or hunter, but guess what? You have no choice in the matter, get good at them all so you don’t beef and choke at an important time.



If you guys can think of anything else to add or have questions or concerns let me know and I’ll update accordingly. And of course “No survivor is safe from Louisiana Ed!”