The Woods

"You're tellin' me people camp for fun?"

- Francis

The Woods is the first chapter of the fifth campaign, Blood Harvest.


 * For the actual in-game forest, see Allegheny National Forest.

The Survivors start off at a small campsite in the Allegheny National Forest. One character will announce the existence of a military safe zone and trigger the chapter's start.

This chapter takes players along a forest path, over a rope bridge spanning a chasm, past a forest hut and along a ridge overlooking a railroad depot which contains the chapter-ending safe room.

Campaign
At the beginning, the AI Survivors will grab:
 * Bill will grab a submachine gun.
 * Zoey will grab a submachine gun.
 * Francis will grab a submachine gun.
 * Louis will grab a submachine gun.

The Survivors start off in Allegheny National Forest at a rough camp site. One of the Survivors will mention that there is a military evacuation zone to the north which is accessible by following the train tracks. A picnic bench carries Tier 1 weapons and first aid kits.

Players take a narrow forest trail closely set about with trees hosting numerous active Common Infected. Boomers, Hunters and Smokers  are especially dangerous on account of the concealing trees. Random supplies such as grenades and Pills will spawn behind trees and rocks on the left.

Depending on how the team is performing, The Director will spawn useful supplies such as a Molotov or Gas Can at a picnic bench partway along the route. However if the team is doing well the bench will be devoid of usable items.

Next up is a wooden rope suspension bridge. It is best to cross quickly because a  Smoker likes to hide unseen either on the opposite side or behind the team on the right. Note that on rare occasions a Tank will spawn in this location and he has an ability to pluck a large chunk of rock out of the wooden suspension bridge.

On the other side of the bridge is a trailer-cabin containing an ammo cache together with a random mixture of pills, Molotovs, pipe bombs and an extra pistol. Outside next to the trailer there may also be a gas can or propane tank under the barbeque. Bill will usually direct a disparaging remark to Francis about the trailer-cabin possibly reminding him of his one-time home.

On leaving the building, teams need to be on their toes because there is a lot of combat action coming up starting with a hurry-up horde soon after setting off.

The pathway widens into a broad track which dips down into a gully beneath a bridge. This area is always thickly populated with loitering but alert Common Infected. Deploying a throwable or item such as a gas can will help thin their numbers. Part-way along under the bridge is a small hut to the left, minor supplies can sometimes be found here.

Teams continue along the trail to a point where it makes a 90-degree turn to the left directly towards the Richardson Atlantic freight depot. Bots will tend to speed up here as the safe room is located inside a yellow building forming part of this complex. Human players are advised to do likewise since this area is famous for spawning 'not-so-fast-you' Special Infected. In a final twist, it is not unknown for a Witch to spawn in the safe room entrance or for a Boomer to be lurking inside the room itself.

Overall this is a relatively short chapter albeit with plenty of combat action. The next chapter is considerably longer, more complex and takes players underground into The Tunnel.

Left 4 Dead 2 Version
The map is unchanged apart from weapon and enemy profiles.

The Survivors
Now that humans are controlling the Special Infected, things can only get harder. However, they can't spawn until you leave the campsite area. That doesn't mean that you should let them have a good chance to find just the right spot, though! Hurry up and get your supplies, and get running!

This is actually a terrible level for an all-human team of Survivors. The Infected lurk behind the dense forestry, rapidly attacking you and concealing themselves once again. You will be outclassed in this forest, and as team, you must move as quickly as possible. However, the AI players in your team can provide a major―if not, unfair―advantage to your team. The AI have the uncanny ability to "see through" the leaves and bushes. This grants them the ability to spot and kill Infected that human players would otherwise miss. Even if you do not have an AI on your side, the game registers it that you can "see through" the shrubbery and leaves as well. This leads to the Special Infected being unable to spawn in certain areas because they can be "seen" by the Survivors. They will then have to find a solid object to hide behind.

The deep chasms that you can fall into are a problem. The Special Infected can take advantage of this in many ways: Above all, avoid the chasm, that first step is quite big.
 * With an extremely well-timed pounce, Hunters can stumble everyone near their target, and send them over the edge. If the group is tightly clustered, this can effectively end the round.
 * Smokers can tug Survivors over the edge and leave them hanging for their lives. There are even several spots throughout the level where Smokers can drag them over the edge, bypass the "grab on" action where the Survivor grabs the edge, and kill them with fall damage. This causes an instant kill.
 * Rarely, a Boomer can explode and send a Survivor stumbling over the edge. A more likely scenario is that a Survivor will get vomited on and will quickly rush around looking for a place to fend off the approaching horde. This can lead to them rushing over the edge of the chasm.
 * The obvious Infected that can exploit the chasm is the Tank, and unfortunately, the rope bridge is a possible spawn point for the Tank.

Once you are in the open area in front of the safe room, be extremely careful. If you and your team don't move quickly, you can be ambushed by the Special Infected with lethal efficiency. Inversely, if you move too quickly and get ahead of your teammates, you are running the risk of a fatal Smoker or Hunter ambush. Move rapidly but as one unit. Stick together, cover each other and expect everything and anything. Do all of this, and you'll be fine.

The Infected
Boomers: This is your kind of level! It's not indoors, which is actually good in this case because it means plenty of room to escape. Plus, with the trees technically restricting the Survivors' passage, it is in tight quarters! Lurk amongst the trees and emerge only to unleash your hail of green bile. Once you have, you can simply run backwards and into the trees! The ones covered in bile won't really be able to see you anyway, but if you missed one, the trees could save your life. Let your bile recharge by either waiting here, or moving ahead and waiting there. Once it has, repeat the process of emerge, vomit, conceal and recharge until you are killed for being extremely pesky!

Hunters: Hunters are made for this kind of land. Wide, open areas to leap around in, yet lots of cover to shield against Survivor aggression. If you angle yourself correctly, you can pounce up certain trees and position yourself atop them. Landing a pounce from this position will earn a decent amount of instant pounce damage. However, sometimes the effort required to get up the tree is not worth it. Keep in mind that AI Survivors can "see" you through bushes and leaves. If you know there is an AI in your enemy's team, try to note what character it is playing as, and avoid hiding from it behind non-clip objects. Otherwise, this is an easy level for you. Pounce fast, pounce quick, and pounce to victory. If pouncing isn't an option, just slash. Of all the levels, this is perfect for simply running up to the Survivors, slash them, and run back into the forest. Because you don't generate any sound when you're standing up, you can easily hide from the Survivors. And as you look a lot like a Common Infected, Survivors will have a difficult time keeping track of you.

Smokers: This level is virtually perfect for you. Fate has even given you deep chasms with instant-kill locations! Your main goal is to hide behind bushes, trees, and anything else that is near but off the main path. From here you can snatch unsuspecting Survivors and split up the team. Combined with a Boomer attack and the confusion of your location through the trees, this can lead to a large amount of damage to the Survivor team. Remember that although your main job is to attack from a distance, your melee attack can be devastating. If a Survivor appears to be heavily wounded, your melee attack may even incapacitate them!

Tanks: As with most levels where you are at your peak, you are very rare. Hitting the Survivors far away could not only send them down the ravine to their death, but it will more than likely send them hurtling into the dense forest and separate them from their team. As a general rule of thumb, try to avoid fire or molotov-wielding Survivors. If a Survivor is constricted or pounced, do not attempt to "help" the Smoker or Hunter. Your attack will free them and kill your buddy in the case of the Hunter. You may end up saving the Survivor's life. Otherwise, this level is easy, albeit short, to finish the Survivors off with a Tank.