Novel Multiple Wolf Defense

[Vince 49]

As I've mentioned in another post (Missing Skill?), the bane of my Long Dark life has been multiple wolf attacks.  They have been the cause of my demise in most of my recent games.  I thought of a novel defense and planned to start a new game to try it out, once my current game ended.  However, I was in ML in the outside area beyond the hydro dam, coming back from harvesting a deer carcass, when I saw both wolves that patrol that area coming up the cliff path toward me.   I dropped a bait before the first wolf reached me, but he ignored the bait and attacked me.  The attack left me with about 38% health and a blood loss wound--with the other wolf on the way up.  Normally, that would have lead to the Long Dark, but I tried my novel defense and it worked!

The idea was to always have an accelerant and a book that would only be used in a emergency.  So, after I regained by senses after the first wolf attack, I started a fire using the accelerant and book.  That way I would have 100% chance of success and the fire would start instantly.  I would likely bleed out if I had to wait the usual 30 sec of real time (6 minutes of game time) for the fire to start.  As soon as the fire started, I attended my blood loss wound.  As I was doing that, I heard the other wolf yelp as he saw the fire and ran away.  Afterward, I looked down the cliff path and saw the second wolf coming back again.  Just as he was turning around to run away, I shot him.  I got a lucky hit and he dropped dead on the spot.  Once my wounds heal inside, I'll come back and harvest both--two more hides toward a wolfskin coat. 

[Hotzn]

Kudos to your new multiple wolf defence strategy. Have you also thought about an avoid-multiple-wolves strategy? Could it be you carried something which attracted the wolves to you? Maybe... something from a deer carcass?

[Vince 49]

@Hotzn, 'very good point.  I wasn't carrying anything stinky in the case I described in the OP, but there are times when I have to get hide and guts back to my safe haven.  In those cases, I'm very paranoid and try to travel along the least conspicuous path possible.  Even then, I have to be lucky.  On this point, I also take fire wood with me when I go ice fishing.  That way I can cook the fish before I leave the hut--much less stinky.

I did discover a case where my new defense doesn't work.  I was traveling along a steep slope when I was attacked by a wolf with another following behind.  After the struggle with the first, I found that there was no place nearby that was flat enough to place a fire.  Fortunately, both attacks were on the mild side and I survived--just barely.

[Ruruwawa]

Good strat!  I do this sometimes even for single wolves in Interloper to avoid tussling (they do so much damage there).

1 hour ago, Vince 49 said:

That way I can cook the fish before I leave the hut--much less stinky.

They also weight 1/3 less, nice side benefit.

[Pillock]

9 hours ago, Vince 49 said:

The idea was to always have an accelerant and a book that would only be used in a emergency.  So, after I regained by senses after the first wolf attack, I started a fire using the accelerant and book.  That way I would have 100% chance of success and the fire would start instantly

Good tip! 

I've been playing custom games with Stalker-level wolf populations (Medium) and maximum detection distances and struggle difficulty/damage settings - to keep me from getting to blasé about them! I've also got condition regain on the minimum levels to further add to the danger. 

As a result of some shockingly abrupt terminations of my runs, I've got into the habit of always carrying a torch in my hand when I'm out and about (or a flare of its windy). This seems to delay the charge if you can get it lit quickly enough, which I generally can. And that gives me enough time to get to a sheltered spot to start a campfire before they attack.

I'd really like the devs to add some kind of free-look mechanic for when you're starting fires, so you can see where the wolf is, though! Or, more importantly, which direction he runs off in! 

[Drifter Man]

Two more wolf-avoidance tips (even though they might not apply to the described situation):

• Leave guts in the nearest shelter/cave etc. to cure. Only carry them back to your safe haven once they are cured and no longer stink. Hides don't stink but you can do the same with them.
• Cook the meat right at the carcass, or in a nearby safe spot. Do not haul raw meat over longer distances, and carry only limited amounts of cooked meat. In my experience, 5 pieces of cooked meat turn you into a wolf magnet.

Unfortunately, windy weather and steep slopes can make the fire trick tricky. If I can't run and break visual contact, I use the flare pistol as last resort.

[Hotzn]

On 10.6.2018 at 11:34 PM, Vince 49 said:

I wasn't carrying anything stinky in the case I described in the OP, but there are times when I have to get hide and guts back to my safe haven.  In those cases, I'm very paranoid and try to travel along the least conspicuous path possible.  Even then, I have to be lucky.  On this point, I also take fire wood with me when I go ice fishing.  That way I can cook the fish before I leave the hut--much less stinky.

I guess you are aware of the fact (confirmed by TLD science) that you are attracting wolves even before the first "scent bar" is shown on the screen. Fresh guts, fresh hides, cooked meat and fish - they all add to the invisible scent-o-meter until the first bar shows up. But wolves will pick up your scent before that first bar, especially on stalker. The more smelly stuff you carry, the greater the distance from which wolves will react.