part 1

Last time, I discussed the various tactics that I’ve seen/used for taking on the Witch in versus mode. Experienced players can definitely make short work of her and if the Infected team isn’t paying attention they can be caught on the back foot, putting them at a disadvantage. The purpose of this article is to give players some pointers and ideas on how to turn Witch encounters back into something that the Survivors should be very, very afraid of.

Ambush

Clearly, most Infected tactics will revolve around ambush. The main choice the Infected have is where and when to spring it. Here are a couple of options. It really depends on how the Survivors decide to handle the Witch. Here are a couple of options:

Disrupt the Coronation

If the Survivors have an experienced player who likes to crown the Witch, he/she should be the main target. The rest of the Survivor team will probably be several yards behind, to avoid pissing her off too fast. This leaves the Crowner vulnerable to attack. Of the three main infected, the Smoker is probably the best equipped to cause maximum damage. By standing out of  sight on the far side of the Witch, a Smoker can ambush the Survivor as they are preparing to crown. With any luck, grabbing and dragging them will startle the Witch. As the Survivor is helpless and largely immobile while being dragged, a quick takedown should occur. At this point, the rest of the Survivor team will have to run in to kill the Witch and rescue their teammate, and with their reduced numbers will be less able to take on a horde or other Special Infected who have been waiting in the wings.

Similarly, a Hunter can pounce the player as he/she approaches the target. Unlike the Smoker, this attack gives the other Survivors a little more time to react as the Witch will take longer to react (due to the increased distance between her and the pounced Survivor vs. having the Survivor dragged over her).

At a pinch, the Boomer can also be used for the same task. This should only be used as a last ditch effort if no other Special Infected are available as finding a safe spawning spot will be harder (you need to be much closer) and even if you vomit on the Survivor, they still have a good chance of pulling off the Crown before the horde shows up. However, if they miss their shot as a result of getting slimed, then they will be extra vulnerable to the incoming masses.

Hunting Party

If the Survivors do not have a player who is capable of Crowning the Witch, there is often a period of confusion while they decide what to do about her. Even if there is a player willing to take her on, they may still stop to discuss exactly how they are going to go about things. If the Infected team notices that the Survivors have stopped and seem to be hesitating, it’s time to go on the offensive. The human players will be distracted by the Witch up ahead which means that a Boomer can more easily get close to them without being noticed or a Smoker can target one and pull them away. In this case, the Infected should attack as normal, just like they would if the Witch wasn’t there. All the commotion, noise and possibly a stray bullet or two stand a good chance of startling the Witch anyway, and she stands a good chance of charging in and striking her target while the Survivors are busy with the other Special Infected.

Party Crashers

Even though the damage done by burning Hunters was reduced in the last patch, they are definitely worth using if you have the chance. There is nothing more humiliating than being killed by a flaming Hunter that you set on fire with your own Molotov. If the Survivors try to burn the Witch to death before she can reach them, then take full advantage by setting as many Hunters on fire as possible and going after the fleeing humans. They will be occupied with getting away from the Witch and unable to come back and help any of their friends that you pounce on until she is dead.

You Were Only Supposed To Blow The Bloody Doors Off!

Whichever method your team chooses to use, forward planning is needed. The Witch’s cries can be heard long before she is seen, and so the Infected need to be listening out for her. As soon as she is detected, the Survivors cease to be a concern. Finding the Witch and setting up an ambush should be top priority for the Infected. If nothing else, the Witch effectively counts as a fifth team member, giving you an advantage in numbers. Even with a full Survivor team, if one of them startles and is incapacitated by the Witch then it’s 4 on 3 in favour of the Infected. With the right spawn, that could mean 3 Hunters. Time it right, and you’re in instant win territory. However, if your team is scattered all over the place or dead when the Survivor team reaches the Witch, then you will lose the advantage and they will be able to deal with her easily.

In Conclusion…

Well, that’s about it. If you take one thing away from this article, let it be this: The Witch is just as potent an enemy as she ever was, and it’s up to the Infected team to prove that to the Survivors. Go to it!