Timberwolves in Sundered Pass

[acada]

I just wonder whether timberwolves in Sundered Pass are working like they should be. I play on voyager. I entered the region from the south. Managed to go through ledges to the cabin on east, middle of the map (the one where you not enter by door).  Near that cabin is strong pack. The meter is over all screen. I managed to kill them and stayed in the cabin. Next day the same. And next day. Before I was able to get to the cabin on the north, there is more than 20 wolf carcasses on one spot. Now I want to go back from the north cabin to the middle one. And guess what. I can see another group. Is it bug or it should be like this? Mind you it is voyager.

[Serenity]

That sounds a bit strange, but there are multiple packs up there. Three or four. And large ones of up to six of them. That's why the morale meter is so large.

[acada]

I was prepared to multiple packs. But just moving from the cabin in the middle to the north cabin cost me 40 revolver rounds, 10 rifle rounds, some arrows and all my leather and some cloths to repair. And what I can see is like battlefield image. Bodies everywhere. And it is not all. I am at the north cabin. I can see south one group, which I killed, in full strength. And I peeked west and there is another one with six fresh TWies, ready to hunt. And all I have is now 8 arrows and 10 rounds to flare gun.

[Veskaida]

I've completed TFTFT on a Stalker and Interloper run, and yes, I believe what you're seeing with these timberwolves is working as intended. Though if you think what you're seeing is a bug, prolly best to make a Bug Report to Hinterlands with as much information as you can provide. I think there are  5-6 different packs of timberwolves in Sundered Pass, and unlike Bleak Inlet/Blackrock where each pack has a clearer 'territory' the packs in SP seem to reside much closer together, migrate much longer distances, and migrate more often. For example, there's at least 4 packs in the large alpine meadow w/ the ruined structures, though I think one stays closer to the cliffside road/tree bridge, one by the broken bridge, one by the pond, and one by Final cabin.

There's also some unusual behavior with Timberwolves, which I think is part of their callout system when aggro'd, which is difficult to see (but can happen) in other regions, but is far more likely in SP because of the packs proximity together. Basically, when the first Timberwolf switches from passive to hostile (and starts howling), it makes a call out to other nearby Timberwolves within a certain radius. This can be abused (both to make packs harder or easier) by scaring non-aggressive timberwolves beyond this 'call-out distance' from other timberwolves. By doing this, it's possible to fight e.g. a pack of 6 Timberwolves two at a time (3 times), or for two lone timberwolves (from different packs) resume attacking you, or to scare timberwolves from one pack and into the call-out of another!

[acada]

I think you might be right @VeskaidaIt is quite possible I attracted all timbies from the area at once. But still, such carnage. It seems like came in unprepared. I had enough of ammo. But I did not have enough fire fuel.

[Veskaida]

Yeah, I agree 100%. The north-eastern area of SP is extremely fuel-poor. There isn't even much to break down for fuel, and once it's gone, it's pretty desolate: not even really any sticks to scavenge.

 

Spoilering just in case you don't want areas in Sundered Pass revealed/information about them, but:

Spoiler

The lowlands of SP are more traditional The Long Dark, with tree limbs, sticks galore, cattails, etc.; A far cry from the fuel-poor north and east. There is also a mine and a large/complex cave network which both have coal. The mine is to the extreme north and is a route to the Weather Station, but the cave complex has 4 different entrances and connects much of the region together, would recommend bringing a spray paint can (or two) to help simplify the cave's dead ends/place direction arrows/etc.

 

[acada]

I have checked the @Zaknafeinvideo. I have to say, I need to change my approach to timbies. My usual is: "Here I am, I have gun and lot of ammo and you are dead". Not applicable here. There is so many.

[Veskaida]

@acada I'd highly recommend using light sources more-so than weaponry against non-aurora timberwolves. A simple torch can keep them at bay, especially if you keep moving (unless you are Weak (>20% Condition, Sprained, Overencumbered, Exhausted, Blood Loss, or if you try and walk through a timberwolf 'holding ground'), but red flares are especially powerful: windproof and last a long time. I find blue flares to be crap: they reduce morale so little and they burn out very fast, their only real use IMO is as an inferior red flare for windy timberwolf situations.

Campfires are also quite viable against non-aurora timberwolves, though both fuel and wind are issues in the Sundered Pass highlands. If you have a lit fire, it's easy to dance in and out of the fire: moving far enough away that a timberwolf will try to charge (lining it up for a shot), and but close enough you can enter the campfire's radius before being attacked (while staying warm!)

If you're looking to learn more about timberwolves I'd highly recommend Bashrobe's YouTube video on them, though I'd also recommend also watching his video on regular black wolves first since they share many behaviors.

Edited June 28 by Veskaida

[Cr41g]

I think I counted 6 packs of Timberwolves in various places.. the majority of which are in the North East portion of the map. That being said.. for anyone who is worried about them, if your are cautious, crouch and don’t carry anything that smells you can avoid them. I just finished the tale and didn’t have to engage any of them.. at all.

Also the intact cabin at Old Settlement has so many crates and furniture items inside that you won’t be fuel poor for fires… you will otherwise as there is an absence of traditional sticks and wood in the North East

[Hazelnut]

Yes, I think you're right. I counted at least 6 now, at first I assumed 3 maybe 4 max so I've been butting my head against the timberwolf packs trying to explore the area. Twice I've run out of arrows & condition and needed to retreat to repair, recover and re-make arrows. This last time I brought 18 arrows and am now down to 5 and there are plenty more wolves. I've used more bandages and antiseptic since part 5 of DLC dropped than in all of my hours playing long dark before then combined.

Playing my long term interloper run, and I think I'm stuck because they seem to respawn faster than I can recover  / resupply. With the weather on top of it, I've got completely frustrated with this part of the region. I've tried crouching and avoiding, they always trigger because I run into another pack I can't see whilst trying to avoid one that I can. Fighting is getting me nowhere, especially with how jerky and sudden the timberwolf movement is - they turn instantly a lot when I release an arrow so it misses. If I do hit one it runs off with the arrow even at archery 5 more often than not.

I'd really like to hear an explanation from Hinterland for why such a massive amount of wolves have been placed so close together because it seem excessive to me. It's not a challenge as much as a frustrating roadblock at this point. What was the thinking behind it? I just cannot imagine what the intent is here.

Edited July 1 by Hazelnut
fix typo

[turtle777]

On Interloper, the Timberwolves packs are massive obstacles. Makes BI a walk in the park. Due to the cold and wind, a lot of other tactics are not possible. 
 

I, too, quickly ran out of arrows. 
you gotta bring a travois with a lot of fuel to get through this. 
 

-t

[Hazelnut]

I finally thinned their number enough to feel bold enough to finish mapping the area. Whew, that was a lot. Maybe 1 pack too many. 🙂

I should compare the number of wolves killed before and after Sundered Pass.. I wonder how many?

Spoiler

I was also clearing them because I thought the main tale signal was there and I wanted to be able to move during an aurora. Turns out it was a red herring, it's the weather station I needed to go to. Oh well, I survived - only just, even with maximum caution and falling back several times. Stims FTW.

 

[Dan_]

Yeah, I'm a pretty confident shot with the bow but the wind made it impossible to have a fallback fire to fight them buggers. Sundered Pass is firmly into my "Only go there with Archery 5" region list. The only strategy that worked for me was loading up on stones on the way up to the plateau and using them to lure the packs towards clear sight frontal shots from stealth. 

I haven't counted how many days it took for some packs to respawn, but I promise you it felt quicker than in BI or Blackrock. Not sure if some of the packs are scripted to spawn depending on your Last Horizon progress, like the ones you get going through the cannery parkour course.

[Veskaida]

On 6/30/2024 at 3:38 PM, Cr41g said:

I think I counted 6 packs of Timberwolves in various places..

Yes. Though today's patch v2.31 included the line:
"*Tuned Timberwolves to reduce their presence between Placid Notch and Final Refuge in Sundered Pass."

So the number or size of packs which spawn may be reduced at least on some game modes.

Edited July 5 by Veskaida

[turtle777]

Patch definitely helped. 
 

TW are still a force to be reckoned with, but there are a few good sniper positions that will do the job, if you have enough arrows. 
 

Lure them close with stones, then pick them off. Often takes 6 or more kills to break morale, and you will still get attacked again with small 2-packs. 
 

Once you kill of one or two more wolves, they won’t trouble you for a while. 
 

-t