Chainsaw

"DIE, DIE, MY DARLINGS!!!! DIE, DIE, DIE!!!"

- Ellis "HELL YEAH!"

- Rochelle

The Chainsaw is a special close combat weapon, introduced in Left 4 Dead 2.

Official Description
Realize every zombie killer’s dream with the ultimate in gore-splattering destruction. But the fun won’t last forever—once the gas gauge hits E (emptied), it’s useless.

Melee Mechanics
Just like other melee weapons, the Chainsaw replaces your pistols in the side-arm slot.

As always, any melee weapon has to be used in conjunction with the primary weapon to form an integrated weapons system. Unlike pistols, passive close-combat weapons (such as the Nightstick or Katana etc.) never need to be reloaded nor do they break or lose their edge. Melee weapons have limited reach along with a set rate of fire, and cannot be relied upon entirely, such as Smokers and Spitters who attack from afar.

The Chainsaw however is an exception to the above. It is an active close-quarter melee weapon that can cause massive damage to Infected - as well as friendly fire damage to nearby Survivors caught in its arc. This factor is especially serious on Advanced or Expert levels where there is no margin for error or carelessness. The Chainsaw runs off an onboard fuel tank that cannot be refilled meaning that it is a one-shot weapon that must be reserved for the most suitable circumstances (e.g. the bridge dash finale in The Parish).

Damage-wise, the Chainsaw is the weapon with the highest damage per second. The Chainsaw has the unique ability to slay a Tank in the fastest time of eight seconds (in Expert). The Chainsaw can kill the Witch in Easy before she is startled, and a Common Infected in just one hit anywhere on the body. The Special Infected generally need less than half a second against the Chainsaw, aside from the Charger which takes just over half a second. Tactically it is not recommended to melee the Boomer or Spitter as the vomit and acid released on their deaths affect the radius of their corpse and the melee weapon positions a player close enough to be hit.

The Chainsaw is classified as a Shredding weapon (the only weapon other than the Crowbar to be classified as such), and will spew blood on your screen as it mutilates the Infected and tears them into bloody pieces.

Tactics

 * Primary weapons should be used against Boomers and Spitters on account of the bile and acid released when they are killed.
 * It is essential to keep a close watch on the amount of gas left in the Chainsaw's tank and be prepared to ditch it if running low and a good replacement high-tier weapon comes into view. The good news is that the Chainsaw does not use any fuel when idling.
 * One idea is to regard the Chainsaw as a last-ditch weapon for use at the end of a map where a Crescendo Event is known to be coming up soon. Putting the Chainsaw player at the front of the team when charging hard for a safe room brings the odds firmly down in favour of the Survivors.  This approach also has the benefit of allowing the Chainsaw to be ditched without risk to the team or player once everyone is within reach of safety.
 * The Chainsaw has a long deployment delay during which time it must be revved up to full operating speed. This reduces its effectiveness when a player is closely surrounded by a horde.  A better plan is either to fire up the Chainsaw in good time beforehand, backing away momentarily or shoving enemies back when revving up.
 * Be careful against Tanks and other Special Infected that can pin or knock a player down. In such cases, the Chainsaw speed drops back to idle and must be revved up again in order to be used, during this time the player is vulnerable for a long period of time in the face of a serious threat.
 * Fuel conservation is a key requirement, so briefly tapping primary fire when using the Chainsaw against small groups of Common Infected is essential to get the most use out of this weapon. Better still, keep the Chainsaw in reserve for special threats such as Crescendo Events, Gauntlet Crescendos, Witches, Tanks, Boomer vomit hordes and random, 'hurry up" hordes.
 * When covered in Boomer bile the Chainsaw is a good option to rip through the incoming horde. Communicate with similarly blinded teammates to minimise the risk of cutting them accidentally in the melee.
 * Keep your distance from other Survivors when using the Chainsaw to avoid hurting them and make it easier for them to shoot Common Infected attracted to you. This is especially important on higher game settings such as Realism when a hit from the Chainsaw can incapacitate a team mate.
 * When using the Chainsaw it is usually best to pick up a primary weapon with good range such as an Assault Rifle or Sniper Rifle. This enables a player to take out Special Infected and pull off distance shots.
 * The Grenade Launcher and Chainsaw are an impressive combination of weapons in terms of sheer power, but they do not work well together.  The Chainsaw has a long rev-up time while the Grenade Launcher has a long reload time and can only fire one shot before having to be reloaded. Both are also difficult to find, and they are non-reloadable once their gas and grenades have been expended.  Both weapons can cause heavy friendly fire damage and, in the Grenade Launcher's case, heavy damage to the user, with the potential for either an accidental suicide or an accidental incapitation.
 * A Bile bomb works well with the Chainsaw, making it easy to line up Infected for kills. Be prepared to kill the extra Common Infected summoned by the bile, however.
 * When fighting a Tank, using the Chainsaw usually results in being punched away. Wait for the Tank to be stumbled, climbing, picking up concrete, or punching another Survivor before rushing in to slice him.
 * The Chainsaw is the only melee weapon that will allow players to cut themselves free from a Smoker's tongue before being grabbed whilst the tongue is still in the air and immediately after being grabbed while the Smoker is just starting to exert his pull. Other melee weapons can do likewise but require very precise timing and aim.  However the Chainsaw does not require any particular aiming nor such precise timing; simply deploying the Chainsaw either immediately before or after being attacked by the Smoker's tongue will sever the tongue and nullify the threat.
 * When trying to kill a Witch with a Chainsaw, be sure to attack her from behind so that she must turn before being able to retaliate. This will buy enough time to kill her - even on Expert.
 * The Chainsaw's size, the amount of blood generated and its exhaust smoke can heavily impede vision and cause a degree of disorientation resulting in a player taking more damage than would otherwise occur using a different melee weapon. This risk is accentuated when the player is standing still and closely pressed by enemies.  Computer lag may also become an issue for some players in such situations.  It is therefore a good idea to keep moving and shifting position (even slowly), use melee shoves to clear space, stay calm and keep a steady aim.
 * Due to its loud noise using the Chainsaw will attract nearby Common Infected.
 * The Chainsaw is a powerful weapon and can kill any Special Infected (except the Tank) in just 3 seconds.

Pros

 * Fastest attacking melee weapon
 * Heavy damage at high rate of speed
 * Perfect against Hordes, the Witch (if done behind) and many other Special Infected, like the Smoker
 * Probably the best melee weapon against a Tank, if two Survivors carry Chainsaws
 * If empty, switches to a single P220 Pistol
 * No consumption of fuel when not attacking

Cons

 * Limited fuel and usage; gets discarded when empty
 * Long deploying time, leaving you vulnerable
 * Not useful to have if carrying a Special Tier weapon like the Grenade Launcher
 * Creates a lot of smoke, impedes your vision
 * Heavy damage means the same in friendly fire, use with caution
 * Noise attracts many nearby Infected
 * Splatters your screen with blood, impedes vision for some time