The Turnpike

"Uh-oh, watch out! Deer around here."

- Francis "Ah hell, I think we gotta go through this tunnel."

- Bill


 * For the actual in-game turnpike, see Riverside Tunnel.

Immediately following the Crash Course campaign, The Turnpike is the first chapter of the third campaign, Death Toll. After a fly-backwards cut scene showing players the way forward, the chapter begins. The Survivors start on a highway leading to the "historic" town of Riverside. It is still nighttime and before them on the road is a litter of a abandoned cars. One of the Survivors will say (even though it was already mentioned in the Crash Course campaign) that they heard that the military was holding out in Riverside and that, as they have no better plan, it is good idea to head there―a suggestion with which the others concur. In front of them are Tier 1 weapons and ammo in the trunk of a police car with first-aid kits scattered inside and around the back of the same vehicle.

As the Survivors follow the highway, they come across a demolished bridge spanning a dried-up river gorge. To get to the other side, they must go down into the gorge on either side of the bridge and climb up a ladder set into the bridge abutment on the far side. Immediately in front of them is a road tunnel half a mile long driven under a mountain ridge and which leads into Riverside. On entering Riverside Tunnel, they find it cluttered with vehicles, demolition debris―and Infected (Francis will often predictably comment that he hates tunnels).

On their way through, the Survivors are offered opportunities to explore small side rooms and passageways containing supplies such as Molotovs and Gas Cans. At the end of the tunnel (which has been barricaded and blocked), the Survivors will usually be attacked by a Smoker from a collapsed roof area, after which they turn left into a side passage that takes them to a ventilation pumping station servicing the road tunnel. This room is heavily populated with alert and aggressive Common Infected. The Survivors can either take a door directly onto a walkway overlooking the ventilation control gear or enter via a side room which usually offers Pills and grenades. Once the ventilation room is cleared, Survivors can jump down and restock on ammo from a pile on some boxes against a far wall and supplies from a couple of back rooms. A Boomer will invariably waddle down the stairway leading to the open air above at this point. Snagging a Gas Can or Propane bottle is a good idea as it can be thrown out from the top of the stairs to counter some of the Infected in the area. Once at the top of the stairs, the Suvivors can either proceed to the right through a gap in the fence, or swing left and come out in a narrow gap between the cliff and a large rock. This latter route channels enemies perfectly into a choke point and brings the Survivors right up close to a large mob of Common Infected standing in a small depression in the terrain. A grenade or Gas Can or Propane bottle thrown down here is an ideal force multiplier. After this episode any AI Bots will instantly speed up and run for the safe room. (The only risk is that a Boomer will appear and his bile vomit will trigger a horde on the slopes next to this refuge.) If time permits, it is possible to proceed past the safe room door and go up to the upper floor of the building containing the safe room. However since this floor contains nothing of value there is no point in making this pilgrimage every time. The safe room prefaces this campaign's sequel―The Drains.

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

As usual all of the supplies for this chapter are right in front of players at the start. There are two first-aid kits on the ground and another two in the trunk of the police car plus an ammo pile and Tier 1 weapons.

Due to the open environment of this level and the predominance of Common Infected, it would probably be best to take the Submachine Gun although the Pump shotgun is fine for dealing with the fairly modest enemies present in this chapter.

Once everyone is ready, the team heads up the road as indicated in the opening cut scene to the broken bridge (some AI character is bound to comment on this fact). Jumping down is not an option, so players need to descend into the gorge by going around the sides of the bridge. On the far side is a pair of ladders set into the concrete bridge abutment. The gorge will be infested with Common Infected, so either they must be mopped up or a team can sprint across the gorge, climb the ladder and cull them as they climb up in pursuit. Immediately in front is the entrance to the Riverside Tunnel. It is dark and forbidding, but that is where the team needs to go.

Once the team is walking through the tunnel, it needs to keep a look out for nooks and crannies, and check in any side rooms and alcoves found in the side walls. Supplies like Pipe bombs, Molotovs and Gas cans will be found in relative abundance. Opposition initially comprises random Common Infected followed by a larger group plus Boomer and Hunter behind the snarl of abandoned vehicles encountered approximately two-thirds of the way along the tunnel―grenades and Gas cans are ideally deployed to meet this threat. Once past the traffic jam, teams should be alert for a Smoker who often camps up in the collapsed roof area featuring service pipes.

Since the tunnel is barricaded and blocked, teams must turn to the left and go down the stairs. There are two doors here: if teams take the door straight in front of the stairs they enter a store room that usually contains supplies; the second passage door and a second door in the store room give onto a sunken technical area with a gangway running around and above it. This space is always packed with Common Infected. A throwable such as a Gas can or Propane tank will slant the playing field in the team's favor.

Teams should always explore the technical room throughly as there is an ammo pile and usually an extra pistol and throwables in the closets and alcoves down here. As this takes some time, teams should anticipate a Director-spawned "hurry-up" horde and Boomer to pop up and enter this room.

Once a team has everything it needs, the next phase is to climb the ladder to the gangway and ascend a short flight of stairs to the forest area outside. A few random Infected often lurk behind the fence to the right, whilst a large gaggle will be found in a small basin outside the fence―a suitable throwable such as a Molotov or Gas can will be useful at this point. High up on the left rear of this basin area is a building containing the chapter-ending Safe room. Teams should head on up but not relax just yet since the area to the right of the building is a favorite spot for an Infected ambush and there is a risk that a laggard in poor health could get incapped if the rest of the team have sped on into the safe room (note that there is a second floor to the safe room building accessed by taking a flight of stairs in the entrance passageway. Despite frequent visits, this room is always devoid of supplies and it thus serves no purpose in gameplay).

Once in the safe room, the team needs to get ready for The Drains.

The Survivors
Now that humans are controlling the Special Infected, things can only get harder. However, they can't spawn until you leave the rough perimeter of the police car. 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 level is fairly painless in terms of difficulty. If you and your team keep on the move, whilst covering each other and making sure the Infected stay off your backs, you'll be all right. There are only a few places you should be aware of.

The first place to be aware of is the starting broken bridge is a nice place for Smokers. They can pull you off it and grab you from above whilst standing on it. Listen out for the signature cough of the Smoker and stay sharp. Hunters can also use the bridge to give their pounces height and attack you when you're below them, scoring them instant damage and putting the hurt on you. If they get in a good position quickly, Boomers can rain their vomit down on unsuspecting Survivors. Regardless of the above, if your team was very fast at getting their supplies and moving forward, they should not encounter any problems here.

The car pileup in the tunnel is less of a worry but is something to consider. Hunters love to hide amongst the cars and pounce out and attack the final passing Survivor. Smokers are not too troublesome here; they simply drag you away from your team as with most places. Boomers can hide behind the mound of cars and vomit up at you when you pass. The worst thing that can happen is if all of this takes place at once.

Now that you've dealt with the last of the Special Infected, dash for the safe room. But was it the last of the Infected? Hunters sometimes decide that a final desperate pounce from within the safe room is the best option. Remain wary of Hunters who wait in the safe room. This can keep a lone Survivor―who made a break for it―from success.

The Infected
Boomers: Since the Boomer makes a very distinctive gurgling noise, choosing a good spawn-time is crucial. Do not spawn when the Survivors are far away and attempt to rush them, especially in the open. Even if you are hiding, the Boomer's gurgling will alert the Survivors of your presence. If you don't manage to cover all of the Survivors, you can either run at them clawing, hoping to explode in their face, or escape and return later. Remember that the Boomer is the only Special Infected with which you should almost always attack an incapacitated Survivor. If you can, try to vomit on prone Survivors so that the horde comes for them. This makes them almost impossible to rescue as every Infected attack interrupts a rescue attempt.

Hunters: This level is a decent run for you. It shouldn't be too hard, though don't expect to stop the Survivors from reaching the safe room. A pounce that deals damage is a good way to "incapacitate on pounce" a Survivor who has less health than the damage dealt, even before he begins his ripping attack. Look for Survivors outlined in red. The red indicates that their health is low, making them easy targets. Instead of pouncing on a weak Survivor, try clawing it. Once it quickly goes down, pounce on another Survivor to be even more effective.

Smokers: The Smoker can put the pain on the Survivors fairly easily. Common Infected don't stop attacking a Survivor just because you have him entangled; in fact, it's the bane of a Survivor covered in Boomer bile. Try to prey on Survivors so marked, especially when they're weak. Alternatively, if a Boomer has vomited on the three other Survivors, you can take the opportunity to grab the fourth. While the other three are covered in bile, they cannot see aura signals of their allies. In the mess of the horde battle, the lack of an aura means they may not even notice. You can hide at the other side of the bridge and pull the Survivor on the other side; they will be incapacitated instantly.

Tanks: This is a very good level. However, as with most starting levels, your appearance is rare. Avoid attacking in the open if at all possible, as it can be tough to get to Survivors for a melee attack and it is easy for them to avoid rock throws. It is possible to assist Hunters who have already pinned someone, but the effort required to aim isn't worth it because your attack will kill the Hunter, or any other Special Infected, instantly. If you can, fling one of the many cars at them.

Easter Eggs

 * The Turnpike may be a reference to the scene in 28 Days Later when the four Survivors, attempting to escape Infected London, go through an underground tunnel (as all bridges have been destroyed or blocked with traffic), and halfway through they are confronted with Infected as they try to change the tires (as they have been punctured after going over a large blockade of cars).
 * If you look in front of the squad car at the beginning of the level, there is a Boomer corpse, which may imply the Boomer met his death on the hood of the squad car, or perhaps is the reason the squad car pulled over or stopped.