Farmhouse Finale

"This is an emergency broadcast from the U.S. Military, please respond."

- Military (tape-loop) "Attention, Army! This is- *clears throat* -the cops!"

- Francis

The Farmhouse Finale is the fifth chapter of the fifth campaign, Blood Harvest. Survivors must reach and defend a farm area (containing several barns, a large cornfield area, and a central farmhouse) from the Infected while waiting for military rescue in the form of a wheeled APC. Rescue is triggered via a radio located within the farmhouse, and once called takes 10 minutes to arrive.
 * For the actual in-game farmhouse, see Daughtery Farm.

Caution: This is the only finale that has a Crescendo Event before the actual finale. It also is provoked without warning, taking one by surprise. It is also the only finale without a mounted Minigun.

The chapter begins when the Survivors leave the railroad car (caboose) parked on the bridge and enter a railroad tunnel cutting containing a wrecked train. Numerous Common Infected are in the vicinity and many can be sniped from the back of the caboose before restocking on ammo, switching weapons (the Assault Rifle is a good choice) and setting off. Survivors should be prepared to fight an aggressive "hurry up" horde attacking from the rear as well as at least one Boomer, Smoker, and Hunter; and sometimes also a Witch. More serious is the high probability of a Tank spawning when arriving at the train wreck. Returning quickly to the caboose to resupply with ammo is a good idea once he has been taken down.

It is necessary to climb up onto a boxcar in order to access the onward route involving a short, angled path over a hilltop. If not already encountered, this path is a favorite place for either a Witch or Tank to spawn. At this point the Survivors are about halfway to the farmhouse. At the end of the path is a sheer drop overlooking an extensive cornfield in which the odd Common Infected may be seen (and sniped). A Boomer may be gurgling and grunting away at the base of the drop, alternatively a Witch may be heard somewhere out there in the field.

Since this is a "no return" feature, Survivors must jump down into the field together to avoid the risk of one tardy team member being snagged by a Smoker or pounced by a Hunter. Since it is dark, pre-dawn and the cornfield is dense, sightlines are short - and dangerous. Survivors have two options to get through the cornfield:


 * Option 1 is to move forward at a regular pace. Very shortly there will be a panic event that becomes a running gag in Left 4 Dead (cf. The Sacrifice) when a group of crows is startled, triggering two simultaneous horde attacks: a large one from behind and a second smaller one from the left quarter. Regularly pacing Survivors either fight this threat out where they stand or sprint forward to the location of a tractor which gives them slightly improved visibility and rear protection.


 * Option 2 is to ignore the cornfield panic event and sprint through the field, past the tractor, jump over what looks to be a collapsed irrigation gantry, through an open sided hay barn and into the farmhouse grounds. Although the panic event will be triggered, only a relative few Common Infected trail the Survivors all the way to the farmhouse where they can be easily dispatched as they cross the open ground around it.

Once in the farmhouse grounds, Survivors are free to explore the farmhouse, the adjacent two storied barn and the smaller garage-workshop nearby for supplies whilst mopping up the fairly numerous individual Common Infected in the area. All during this time a loop-recording from the Military will be heard over the farmhouse radio. Survivors must build up their defenses and be prepared to fight a constant stream of Common Infected, as well as the usual two Tanks and other Special Infected. There are fewer gas cans and explosives than on other finales, but look for oxygen tanks in the farmhouse. The farmhouse contains a full stock of weapons, ammo, and health on the ground floor whilst a second ammo pile can be found in the barn loft. A limited stock of pipe bombs or molotovs  is usually provided, but Survivors may have to hunt for them diligently in all farmhouse rooms and outside buildings. A pipe bomb is especially valuable since it can be kept in reserve to create a diversion at the end of the finale, when the Survivors are bugging out for the rescue vehicle. The rescue vehicle arrives, completes a partial circuit of the farmhouse before stopping between the house and the barn, before dropping an open hatch in the back to allow the Survivors to get aboard. Then, the final cut-scene begins wherein the vehicle is shown driving off with the Horde in pursuit, the screen then fades and credits roll. (The Sacrifice DLC comic picks up the narrative from this moment and provides the storyline arc to The Sacrifice campaign.)

Left 4 Dead 2 Version
The map is a modified version of the Versus version from Left 4 Dead even on co-op modes, meaning there are less rooms in the farmhouse, removing the ones that were too easy to defend from. Notably, this causes the house to be nonsensically designed from a story standpoint on co-op modes, as it is missing a bathroom. Unlike No Mercy and Death Toll however, the farmhouse retains a functional Rescue Closet from the Left 4 Dead co-op version. Other than the Versus version changes, the Left 4 Dead 2 version goes further to eliminate popular defendable spots by placing a hole in an originally easy-to-defend corner of the barn's upper level. In addition to these changes to the finale, on Left 4 Dead 2 the cornfield crescendo will produce an endless horde, rather than a single one, forcing survivors to fight their way to the farmhouse, where it will stop. The game provides no hints that the Survivors must move forward, so it is easy to take a lot of damage here by stopping to fight for too long.

Landing Method
Two players should grab an auto shotgun, one player should grab a hunting rifle, and the last player should grab an assault rifle. Go up the stairs and have one of the players that is using the shotgun cover the stairs, and the other one cover the hallway. Have the player using the assault rifle cover the back door (the left door when walking up the stairs), while the rifleman makes sure no one gets taken by a Smoker. Make sure everyone is in a tight group, but watch out for Boomers. The player covering the stairs should be in front of them, while the player covering the hallway, and the player covering the back door are back to back. The rifleman stays close to all three and continually uses melee attacks when the Survivors get overwhelmed.

When a Tank attacks, scatter into the separate rooms, staying in pairs (so that the Tank can't pick off any loners) and keep whittling the Tank down using the tactics described on the Tank page. Repeat until the rescue vehicle makes a complete circle around the house. It will only stop after circling the house.

Barn Method
After calling for rescue, run out of the house to the right. If possible, grab a pipe bomb  from upstairs in the house, first. There should be a barn. Climb the ladder to get to the loft area. Ammo is usually conveniently stored up there. Fight off the Horde by staying in the corners. When the Tank comes, it's very likely to come up the stairs. If so, it's very easy for all of you to unload on him. This tactic also works very well with Versus mode. The only major drawback is that when playing with AI Bots, once every few games, individual bots fail to hold their position near the ammo pile. After straying outside and down below, these individuals inevitably get mobbed and incapped. Their fellow bots go to rescue them, and the entire defensive scheme quickly falls apart. Nevertheless, the Barn Method is consistently the best among all the other methods shown here.

Shed Method
Most often shown in the preview videos of Blood Harvest, this option is similar to the above barn method, but in the opposite direction. You should find a long shed with one ground-level entrance. There is sometimes a propane tank near this shed. The advantage of this position is that it funnels most of the Infected through the ground level, although a few use a hole in the roof. This will make combating the Infected fairly easy, and auto shotguns are perfect for this location. The main problem is, when the Tank arrives, you don't have much space to get around him, and can take a lot of damage trying. The other drawback is that the shed is farther than both the house and the barn from the rescue vehicle, putting the Survivors at greater risk during the escape. Try to escape the shed when the Horde starts to noticeably decrease in intensity, and fight the Tank in the open. Return to the barn for the second wave, then fight the second Tank in the open, staying near the barn. The APC should arrive directly adjacent to the barn.

Kids Room Method
Get two shotguns and two Assault rifles. Stock up on items and go upstairs. Go to the middle room that looks like a kid's room. Get one player with a shotgun at the doorway and the other at the window. Have an assault rifleman on each entry door. If the Tank comes by the outside, leave the room and scatter into the other two rooms. Everyone should be shooting him. If you are playing expert mode, it's best to fan out onto the roof when you hear the Tank music, split up into two groups of two, and carefully walk onto the thin strip of roof at the sides of the building. The Tank, being so large, has a hard time getting up there, and will usually fall or occasionally even get "glitched," where one of his arms clips inside the house. This immobilizes him, giving Survivors a chance to take him down. Once he dies, get ready for another wave and hold out like before. When the second Tank comes, jump down through the window. You'll probably get around 15 damage. Fight the Tank outside and killing him will be easy. Again, if you're on one of the harder difficulties, then it's best to utilize the Roof method to dispatch the Tank. The APC should come soon, so throw one pipe bomb and run to the vehicle. After five seconds of running, if you have one, throw another pipe bomb; if you don't, a Molotov does second best. Get into the vehicle and turn around. Shoot every Infected. If you were stopped by a Tank, attempt to kill him. With at least three people firing at him, he should fall rather quickly.

If one Survivor is pulled out by a Smoker, the assault rifleman should use a melee attack against him immediately. If you can't, the assault rifleman should stay up in the top and shoot the Smoker before the player with the shotgun reaches the Smoker. Cover him while he gets against the wall. The two at the other door should head back downstairs and help him get back into the room. The assault riflemen should be able to take care of the other Infected.

Haystack Method
Get your weapons, first-aid kits, and prepare, but don't radio the rescue just yet! Go to the area with the haystack piles and climb up them. There should be a fence to your left; climb over it. If you see the metal bars, then you're in the right spot. Now look to the left and crouch jump. You should be in between the bars. It takes a while to get used to, but practice. Once everyone is up, one fast person should call for rescue, then get back fast and get on the bars. If done right, the Infected shouldn't get you except for Smokers; watch out for them! (Although if you are positioned correctly he won't be able to pull you off and your teammates can just knock off the tongue) When a Tank comes, he can't get to you, but watch for the concrete he throws, though this is rare as he usually just charges you. Get off immediately if he does this and kill him normally. If this happens, get back up there on the bars immediately. If you can't, no worries; just go to barn or house and use tactics 1, 2, or 3.

First-Floor Method
Get two players manning Auto Shotguns and two players with Assault Rifles or more Auto Shotguns. Have the two with the shotguns go to the windows in the room where you call for help, and shoot any Infected that try to get through. Have the other two go into the hallway just outside this room and shoot any Infected that come through the front/back doors, or come down the stairs. The only flaw to this plan is that there is a wall in the room which is breakable. If this happens, retreat to a different area, and use one of the other tactics. However, when a Tank comes, go outside. If you are caught inside, you will be killed very easily, and the Tank might be tempted to break the wall, compromising your position.

Closet Method
Utilize the closet strategy inside the house. This involves backing into a corner and having some of your players melee spam while the others shoot any Infected that appear. This is easiest in the radio area or bathroom. To counter this strategy in versus, camp the room they are using to closet and ambush the Survivors when they make a run for the rescue vehicle. Alternately, camp the barn next to where the APC arrives.

Cornfield Method
This tactic is only for players who are crazy, or just bored. Just stock up on supplies, call the radio, and go into the cornfield. Yes, you read that correctly: head into the cornfield. It's best if you equip M16s, since the Common Infected tend to spread out and attack from all directions. When fighting the Hordes, try to have all four Survivors have their backs to each other, forming a "diamond" or a "+," or just get on the tractor and shoot them as they come. When a Tank comes, play a game of cat and mouse with it until it dies. When the rescue vehicle comes, make a mad dash for it. After trying this, you shall know what true terror is.

Tree Method
When you go out of the farmhouse, on the right-hand side is the barn. Run left, pass the big silo, and reach some trees. There are two trees coming out from one root. Crouch at this tree and melee it without stopping. Only Smokers can grab you; nothing else. Sometimes even the Tanks do not spawn―the music plays and then stops a second later.

Corner Method
After you signal rescue in the kitchen, stay in there with your supplies and have every Survivor in a corner in the kitchen. The Infected will funnel in, making them easier. Smokers can grab you from outside, but it is easy to save your teammates. When the Tank attacks, head to the front and kill him. Then head inside and repeat. After the second Tank, stay outside and the truck will stop in front of the barn.

Kitchen Method
Another possible method is to hold out inside the kitchen, next to the radio. There are 2 points of entry, the staircase area, and the door to the radio room. Have 2 people guard the staircase bottom, 1 person guard the radio door, and 1 person shoot out of the window. There are no real weapon requirements, except that the person guarding the small window (which Infected cannot crawl through) should have an assault rifle or a sniper rifle. If you need ammo or a new weapon, just go into the next room quickly, and get out.

Tips for Expert Mode
Generally, in the regular difficulties, this level can easily be beaten by staying inside the kid's room or either of the closets or the bathroom, but in Expert mode, this strategy does not work well, as the Tank usually arrives while you are still killing Infected, killing everyone before you have a chance to leave the room.

The two best methods for beating the end of this level on expert are either the closet in the back of the house (which is less safe for the reasons stated below), or the best method for beating this level is to camp in the barn. Neither strategies work well if you are playing with bots. It is ill advised and nearly impossible to beat the end of this campaign with bots. This campaign is also said to be the hardest level to beat in expert, as there are not many good places to camp and escape from before the Tank comes.

Using the closet on expert

If you are a fan of the closet strategy and are playing on expert, the best closet to use is the closet in the upstairs room at the back of the house (to your right walking out of the kids room; it has white walls and a closet). You can usually get lucky and exit this room before the Tank comes.

Using the barn on expert

The barn strategy, although the scariest and trickiest (besides holding out in the cornfield), works the best with four players on expert (if you have any bots on your team, you will not be able to use this strategy at all). It is very important that most of the firepower is geared towards the big hole in the barn, and that at least one person watches the ladder.

The reason the barn is the safest is it is difficult for the Tank to reach or climb into the barn, thus giving the players time to leave the barn to safely outrun the Tank. The Common Infected usually have to climb up to get to the Survivors giving them more time to shoot them. There is an ammo stash and (if you're lucky) sometimes Molotovs on the table.

Witches

For every campaign in expert mode comes this nasty responsibility: staying away as much as possible from the Witch. In expert mode, a Witch can kill a Survivor in one hit, and Witches can spawn in the most quirky places in the cornfield. You can easily spot her with her red glowing eyes, so you can sneak past this nasty Infected. Otherwise, run!

The Hunter
Depending on where the Survivors decide to take refuge, you'll have to change tactics slightly. The main idea is to pounce the Survivors while they are distracted by something else― Hordes or other Special Infected. One tactic that works well is to team up with a Smoker and pin the Survivors that he pulls out of the building, leaving the Smoker to grab someone else. Pouncing them while they're inside the house/barn ready for you is certain death simply because they will gun you down without a moment's thought due to the close proximity of the indoors area. If a Boomer is able to vomit on at least three Survivors in the cornfield, you will most likely be able to attack the other Survivor and kill them while the rest run frantically to the house.

The Boomer
Rush them; that's all you can really do in this finale. They're either expecting you, or can hear you coming. If they decide to stay in the house, you can easily sneak in through one of the upstairs windows and leap out while they're shooting. Usually, you'll get one trigger-happy Survivor shooting you and coating everyone in Boomer bile. If they decide to stay outside, then all you can really do is jump off of one of the surrounding buildings and hope to get shot. Alternately, you can try to shoot your vomit onto the Survivors from a high building; this tactic doesn't always work, though. Suicide one is usually your best bet on this finale.

The Smoker
The only real tactic for the Smoker is to drag the Survivors through the windows. If the Survivors are useless, you can kill one of them yourself. If the Survivors are great as a team, then you need to work together with the Hunters to incapacitate them all. If you can manage it, climb on the building that the Survivors aren't in and then try to drag them from the top of it. Of course, if the Survivors take the almost suicidal tactic of going into the cornfield, your job gets far easier due to their poor vision while there.

There is also a possible chance to kill a Survivor before they even reach the finale; all that is required is perfect timing and a bit of stealth. Right before the Survivors jump into the cornfield right after climbing up the train car, wait patiently for the Survivors to jump into the cornfield; usually, they do it one by one. Once three Survivors jump down, quickly pull the last one to you. The farther, the better, because the Survivors will not be able to shoot you, nor will they be able to reach the Survivor in any way. Even if they manage to kill you, the Survivor will most likely be incapacitated and die from bleeding out. A Boomer vomiting on the Survivors will cause confusion, and they definitely won't notice one of their pals being strangled to death.

The Tank
This is actually a fun level for the Tank; you get to cause chaos and panic and have a large play area to chase and kill the Survivors. If they decide to stay indoors, break down the walls so the other Special Infected and Hordes can pour straight into the house, rather than get bottlenecked in the doors. From here, pin them in corners and beat them to death. Usually, outside, the Tank will get slaughtered by a good team due to the fact that it can only run at the same speed as the Survivors, and a good Survivor can dodge the concrete attack. In this finale, the cornfield is good to confuse them, then destroy them. If they decide to run around the house, like they usually do during a Tank attack in single player, take advantage of the huge fallen tree close to the house. This is good to surprise groups of Survivors who like to chase the Tank into the forest. Mainly, use the environment and punchable objects to your advantage. Don't forget you have allies who can take advantage of this huge Tank-sized distraction. Be sure also to know what tactic the Survivors use; if they use the Closet Method, charge them quickly. Don't let these wannabes escape. Have some buddies outside in case your opponents escape through the windows. By that, there's no chance to escape.
 * When the rescue vehicle arrives though, don't worry about the fire. They will get to the vehicle fast, so don't hold back if your enemies made a blockade of fire; just charge through.

Barn Method
After calling for rescue, run out of the house to the right. There should be a barn. Climb the ladder to get to the second floor. Conveniently, ammo is usually stored up there. Fight off the Horde by staying in the corners. When the Tank comes, it's very likely to come up the ladder. If so, it's very easy for all of you to unload on him. Or you can head onto the rafters in the barn where the Tank has serious trouble reaching you. Once he's dead, head back into your corners and continue the fight. Alternatively, the Survivors could constantly fight on the rafters. This has the advantage that you won't have to move, but it means that Smokers can pull you off and Boomers can vomit up at you.

Shed Method
This method is similar to the above "Barn Method," but in the opposite direction. You should find a long shed with one ground-level entrance. There is sometimes a propane tank near this shed. The advantage of this position is that it funnels most of the Infected through the ground level, although a few use a hole in the roof; this will make combating the Infected fairly easy, and auto shotguns are perfect for this location. The main problem is when the Tank arrives, you don't have much space to get around him and can take a lot of damage trying. Try to escape the shed and fight the Tank when the Horde starts to noticeably decrease in intensity, and fight the Tank in the open. Return to the shed for the more, then fight the second Tank in the open, staying near the shed. Rinse and repeat. Unfortunately, there is now a breakable wall at the back of the shed the Infected will break through, allowing for three points of entry―the front door, the hole in the roof, and the breakable wall to the rear of the building.

Behind the Scenes
An early screenshot of the Farmhouse Finale in the folder materials/console (along with a short gameplay video from early 2008) shows that early versions of the Farmhouse looked significantly less fortified by the military; there is no sign that designates the area as Echo and there is much less military equipment surrounding the farmhouse; the only equipment present are two stadium-style lights on the sides of the farmhouse. In addition, it lacked fog, which is a vital component of the final Farmhouse Finale. Finally, the area is much greener than it is in the final version.

The image's name is traintracks.vtf. It likely gets its name because two of the maps in Blood Harvest force the Survivors to follow traintracks.

Early images show that the rescue vehicle was a Flatbed Truck with a Minigun on it. This model can still be seen in the final version on Dead Air's Runway Finale, and multiple times on Crash Course, but it lacks a Minigun. This appeared in Left 4 Dead 2's   on The Bridge, although instead of a Minigun, it has a Heavy Machine Gun.

Left 4 Dead 2
Unlike the original version, the Horde generated in the cornfield by the crows is endless: unless players hurry to the farmhouse, at which point the Horde stops spawning. The best tactic therefore is to sprint towards the farmhouse and not to try and hold position in the field, at the tractor, or in the hay barn. A few things in the finale area has changed to accommodate the game play elements in Left 4 Dead 2. The farmhouse has its bathroom and closets removed to prevent Survivors from camping in these locations. The wall between the childrens' and parents' bedroom (which is where a closet used to be) can be destroyed by the Infected, allowing them enhanced access to Survivors defending the landing at the top of the stairs. The barn has been substantially remodded so as to all but eliminate it as a viable defensive position. The barn now has: no ammo pile; a hole in the floor in the corner near the hay pile that allows Infected to climb up and ambush the Survivors; and enemies are permitted to scale the wall in the front of the barn facing the farmhouse.

A sound strategy is to position an explosive (e.g. Propane or Oxygen) at the foot of the stairs and defend the stairwell from the upper floor. Closing all the upstairs room doors helps to slow the initial onslaught and buy time. Common and soft-skinned Special Infected attacking up the stairs are easily dispatched by a crouching player firing a Magnum pistol (to save ammo) at the head of the stairs whilst companions provide general cover with heavier weapons. Infected of all types (except for Tanks and Spitters) who attack from the surrounding bedrooms are easily handled by a compact team on the stairway landing.

If not shot down quickly, a Spitter can cause the team to lose cohesion for a short while. If a Tank attacks up the stairs, he often gets momentarily stuck in the downstairs window making him a helpless target. As he gets closer, the team should shake out and play cat-and-mouse with him on the upper floor. Should a Tank enter via an upstairs window, the same basic tactic applies: shake out, maintain distance and cat-and-mouse him to death around the upper floor. A good thing is that, due to the close confines inside the farmhouse, if the Tank stops to throw anything he is instantly vulnerable to close-range gunfire, and his missile is easily dodged. Moreover, if players move around quickly, he rarely gets the chance to throw anything, but is instead forced to attempt to close with one player; thus leaving the others free to dart around his flanks and rear and cone him with fire.

Once the second Tank is down, the team should exit through an upstairs window and sidle around the external roof until facing the barn. As the APC arrives in position and stops, and depending on the side from which the final Horde is swarming, a player can throw a distracting pipe bomb, molotov, or Bile Bomb in a suitable direction to allow the team to jump down and enter the APC.

Easter Eggs

 * This level may be a reference to the movie Night of the Living Dead, as both take place in an isolated farmhouse in the countryside.
 * The farmhouse has almost the exact same design as the farm house in M. Night Shyamalan's Signswhich also takes place in Pennsylvania.
 * The military sign is the same one as the one seen in The Parish at the end of Left 4 Dead 2.
 * The words "TK-421" Can be seen on the right side of the rescue truck; this is a Star Wars reference, as this is the name of the Stormtrooper that Luke Skywalker impersonates.