Chainsaw

"And if we run out of bullets.... Baby, they gonna wish we hadn't!"

- Coach

"DIE, DIE, DIE MY DARLINS!!!! DIE, DIE, DIE!!!"

- Ellis

The Chainsaw is a close combat weapon introduced in Left 4 Dead 2. When used, it is held out in front of the Survivor, dealing heavy damage to any Infected in it's way and giving the worst injuries to Common Infected by far. However, the Chainsaw runs out of gas after about one minute of continuous usage, causing the Survivor to drop it and pull out a P220 Pistol. A Survivor cannot refill the Chainsaw.

Unlike other secondary weapons, the Chainsaw is a rather rare find, usually spawning out of the way, normally in the same areas that the Grenade Launcher can be found. The Chainsaw takes up a rather large area of the screen when out and a larger area when spinning, and does a lot of friendly fire damage.

When a Survivor is using the Chainsaw, Common Infected are attracted to them. Against Boomers and Spitters, it's best to use your primary weapon, although you can kill a stationary Witch with the Chainsaw before she can get up and strike you. You can also hold out the Chainsaw to kill a Jockey or a Hunter before they can get to you.

Tactics

 * The Chainsaw's long rev-up time means that switching to it in the middle of a horde is a bad idea. Instead, find some cover before pulling it out, or just momentarily back to a wall and shove the horde back when revving up.
 * Be careful against Tanks and Chargers, as if you are knocked down, you have to rev up your chainsaw again after getting up, leaving you vulnerable for a longer period of time.
 * Tap primary fire when using the chainsaw against small groups of Common Infected to save fuel.
 * When covered in Boomer bile, the Chainsaw is a good option to rip through the incoming horde. Communicate with your teammates, however, so that you don't accidentally cut them.
 * Keep your distance from other Survivors when using the Chainsaw so to avoid hurting them and make it easier for them to shoot Common Infected attracted to you.
 * When using the Chainsaw, it's usually best to pick up a primary weapon with good range, such as an Assault Rifle or Sniper Rifle, for taking out Special Infected and pulling off distance shots.
 * The Grenade Launcher and chainsaw don't work too well together, because the chainsaw has a long rev-up time, while the Grenade Launcher has a long reload time. They're also both difficult to find, can not refill ammunition, do heavy friendly fire damage, and leave you without a viable long range weapon.
 * 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, or punching another Survivor before rushing in to slice him.
 * The chainsaw is the only melee weapon that will allow you to free yourself from a Smoker's tongue while being initially grabbed.
 * If you're being jumped at by a Jockey or a Hunter, simply hold out the chainsaw to turn them to ribbons as they're trying to get you.
 * 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 you enough time to kill her even on Expert.
 * Try to save the Chainsaw for a Witch, Tanks or random hordes.