The Bridge (Left 4 Dead 2)

"Encountered? Boy, I am covered in zombie blood and puke and eyeballs and twenty other parts I don't even recognize. We are immune as SHIT!"

- Coach

"You heard the man, let's get across the goddamn bridge."

- Nick

For the actual in-game bridge, see Veterans Memorial Bridge. The Bridge is the fifth and final chapter of the final campaign, The Parish. After the Survivors escaped from the ruins of New Orleans, they learn that the military is abandoning the mainland and trying to hold out at sea on large cruise ships. The Survivors take this chance, and make a run for the helicopter. The Bridge is a large 2 story adjustable highway bridge. This bridge raises and lowers its highways to allow waiting cars to traverse it. The first end of the bridge connecting to the city is raised on its original position. When the survivors activate it, the section lowers to their level. When bridge is fully lowered a automatic gate unfolds but becomes jammed halfway and crashing down on the road causing a loud bang shaking the bridge, this indicates the start of the infected horde. The first part of the bridge has dozens of abandoned cars and a supply depot. A tanker truck is required to be climbed as the rest of the way is blocked by cars and a tractor trailer. The second part is more dangerous as a large section of road was destroyed by the military jets. Traverse carefully along the rebates as one wrong moves will make it much harder to complete the event. The third part of the bridge is at the top section as the lower section is completely destroyed, this is even more damaged then part two but gets easier once passed. The fourth and final part is where the bridge ends at an off ramp to the rescue helicopter.

Campaign
The chapter starts in a safe room with two floors. Players need to heal as necessary, but weapon selection is a key variable. Players need to experiment, but a good combination is a fast-firing Tier 2 plus a fast melee weapon (e.g. Machete or Nightstick) to clear the way at close quarters and get disentangled from Common Infected mobs. If aiming for a sub-three minute achievement, picking up Adrenaline Shots is essential. A pipe bomb or two (if available at the start) is a huge asset to keep in reserve to clear the way in the chapter's penultimate stage: the dash across to the bridge exit denoted by an army Humvee. Overall strategy is to keep in mind the requirement to move to the rescue vehicle in the face of oncoming waves of enemies.

Note that if you've started this from The Quarter, there are three extra guns and four Health kits on the bottom floor.

Once equipped, exit the safe room and use the radio next to the dead body. After using the radio to speak to the military, operate the switch on the console and move to the bridge barrier to ready for the start. Make sure all Survivors are well equipped (if there are any leftover health kits on the tables, use them) before going out. No one wants to have an unprepared Survivor that is lacking a grenade to thin the hordes of Infected when the team needs it the most.

Get the radio and use the lever to lower the bridge, and stay on either the left or right sides; don't go through the middle, since there are holes littered in the first segment. Shoot and hack your way to the other end; two players should be using melee weapons to decimate any Common Infected rushing them while the other two should be supporting the melee players, taking out any Special Infected and distant Common Infected.

Note: Throughout the whole bridge, be extremely careful! Boomer blasts, Jockey steering and Charger impacts can cause Survivors to hang for dear life and have one less Survivor to help the team. If players are not resisting the Jockey they can fall off to their death into the waters below. The same can go for Tank punches and the Charger's charges that can knock players off the bridge and kill them instantly.

Once you reach the end of the first segment, a collapsed ramp should be seen in the middle. Go up to the second level, walk to the edges on the left and right and turn back to find an ambulance. Inside are some pain pills and/or adrenaline shots. Players who need them should grab it while others who don't should fend off the incoming Infected rushing from the ramp. Move forward, away from the ambulance and avoiding the crack covering the middle to right side of the second level. Drop onto a truck on the right side and run into the open truck on the left where an ammo pile and more pain pills/adrenaline can be found. Stay near the truck and clear out all Common Infected; unless you are playing in modes where players can control the Special Infected. The upcoming area is littered with cars and scaffolding (for players to avoid being hit by the cars the Tank punches) which can be devastating to an unprepared team.

Although you can face the Tank on the first level, it is not recommended because the Tank can punch the many cars scattered and deal heavy damage to the team (these cars do not incapacitate for balancing reasons). By going back up to the second level, the Tank cannot punch any of these cars up to deal damage and is forced to climb up twice and be unable to attack. He must be taken down quickly though, because there isn't much between the Survivors and the edge of the bridge on the second level, and a well-timed punch can result in a player getting sent flying into the waters and being killed.

Once the Tank is killed, keep advancing. Hordes will now spawn as usual and so, follow the mentioned two-by-two formation to minimize damage and provide effective clearing power. There will be a second truck up ahead with more supplies; grab if needed, otherwise, keep moving until you see an oil tanker with a ladder on the back. Climb on it and move forward to the third segment.

The third segment of the bridge is tilted due to either to the bridge malfunctioning or failed attempts by the military to destroy it. Stay to the left, as the Common Infected tend to swarm on the right side before running to the players. Drop down and an open truck is seen at the end; get to it, restock and replenish and throw a Pipe bomb to distract the Infected.

Although the message appears to get to the rescue vehicle, don't rush, because although the finale music starts playing, the Tank does not spawn at this moment. Once everyone is good to go (they should do it fast, as it is near an Infected spawn point), rush into the evacuation area. Several guns are laying about and a Heavy Machine Gun can be found, but avoid that because it is practically useless like the one found in The Plantation. Once you near the Heavy Machine Gun, the Tank will spawn; throw a Bile/Pipe bomb if anyone has it to distract the horde. Make a run to the helicopter quickly, as the Tank will spawn at this point. Jump off the side of the road, onto the bus; you can use the ladder instead, but this can leave you open to a rock throw if the Tank is nearby. Make a dash to the helicopter with the rest of your team, as if you run too early and the Tank is focused on you, he will most likely incapacitate you inside.

The Survivors

 * Plan ahead. A good plan is better than just running and hoping for the best.
 * You need to keep moving as much as possible.
 * Newcomers should be on the lookout for gaps in the bridge. A few careless steps can send you off the edge.
 * It's good to stop for a few seconds every now and then to clear the path ahead; however, tell your teammates when you do this and resume movement as quickly as possible.
 * When the Tank comes, you can climb on the scaffolding on the left and right sides of the bridge to avoid being hit by cars. If the Tank follows, be sure to jump back onto the bridge carefully.

The Infected


The Hunter: Try to pounce the last Survivor during moments of confusion (Tanks, Boomer Bile, etc.), as most Survivors will keep moving before they realize their teammate is in trouble. It's a good idea to claw weak Survivors who usually trail the pack until you incapacitate them, and then hide and then pounce the rescuer to add more damage to their team. Practice makes perfect, so if you can practice, the bridge holds few very good wall-jump positions, which leave Survivors wondering where you are going to come from.

The Jockey: You can do wonders on this stage, especially if the Survivors are scattered. If you can successfully ride one, you can take them backwards and/or cause them to hang on the side of the bridge. Be aware that this will most likely end in your demise, so have a buddy close at hand to take care of any rescuer, or your sacrifice will be in vain. You can also ride a bot off the bridge as bots do not resist the Jockey's influence, allowing you to disable them quick.

The Charger: When the opportunity arises, try to charge a Survivor off the bridge from the sides or one of the many holes in the middle of the bridges. If this isn't possible at the time being, try to grab the Survivor at the back and carry them back; this way, Survivors either need to go back and kill you, or leave their teammate to die. Chargers can take Survivors from Jockeys, which can confuse Survivors, as well as it can let the Jockey set a new ambush position. You can also follow up when a Jockey carries a Survivors off an edge by grabbing and carrying their rescuer to their death.

The Smoker: Try to grab the one that is behind. This can slow the whole Survivor team down. They will either run back to save him, buying your team more time, or run ahead, leaving him to die. Also remember that the many holes in the bridge can instantly incapacitate or kill a Survivor, so try to drag stragglers off whenever possible. Your tongue will break and you can hide. As with Jockeys, have a buddy close to grab any wannabe heroes.

The Boomer: Try to vomit on Survivors when possible. This will summon a horde that can slow down Survivors, especially those that are in the front and away from the other Survivors. This will leave one person fighting off the horde. Remember that when you explode, you can push players back. Take care when near captured Survivors or Tanks, but attempt to explode near Survivors who are close to holes or the sides of the bridge. The blindness has an added effect: it might cause the Survivor to mistakenly run into a hole, which is instant death.

The Spitter: You might not do so well this level as the Survivors are constantly moving; your spit is stationary once fired and there are usually multiple paths through the bridge. There are also no "good" hiding spots to take cover in. Attempt to do as much damage to the Survivors as you can, trying to get in places where they have to go, such as the ladder on the fuel truck after the Tank. Also, since most players won't cross goo even here, try to spit to split up the Survivors so your team can pick them off, or put the Survivors in immediate (and deadly) danger. Another way to slow Survivors is spitting at where they need to call the pilot, though there is not a great hiding spot to do this from. If you plan to do this, expect to die shortly after you spit.

The Tank: If the enemy team is not climbing on the scaffolds, you can easily bash them with cars. It's a great way to slow down Survivors and then rush up to them. For The Bridge, cars will not instantly incapacitate Survivors, instead doing a set amount of damage, so follow up attacks. Do realize that even though you are a feared team member of the Infected, the large number of cars and the distance you will spawn from the Survivors will mean more time to get to them. It is usually faster to punch cars out of the way than to bother jumping and hopping over them. Keep an eye on your frustration meter. Be aware that there are several propane tanks on the bridge, and if Survivors time it right, they can stumble you off into the water. It is also good to punch the Survivors off the bridge.

Survival
The Helipad Strategy


 * The helipad is an open and wide area, so Tanks can be killed effectively with minimal damage taken. The water on one side acts as a barrier from behind, the only area from which you will be attacked is the front so you can easily focus fire on the hordes of Infected heading for you. Be wary, however, because Special Infected such as the Charger or the Jockey can carry you into the water, leaving you incapacitated on the edge. Equally, there's no room to flee or retreat due to the water. There are plenty of item stashes, including inside the helicopter itself where there are health kits and a defibrillator. The helipad is accessed by the two walkways at the front, which creates a useful choke point for funneling the Infected.

The Radio Strategy


 * As it's at the center point of the map, it has quick access to all the ammo piles and pill stashes around the area but is equally far away from every other stash including the helipad. The area itself has its own ammo pile which can be camped by and used when needed, so you're not short on bullets. There are many fences and walls in this area that can act as blockades, causing Infected to be thinned out and easily picked off, and the lower walls allow a quick escape from Spitter acid. Unfortunately, this area has a large problem because with the bridge looming over the area in front, Infected have a tendency to drop off and land all around, causing chaos and increased difficulty in controlling the horde.

The Bridge Strategy


 * Fighting from the high end of the bridge, like with the helipad, allows Survivors to funnel the Infected and mostly there won't be any Infected attacking from the sides. Special Infected, such as Smokers, can attack from behind however, leaving you vulnerable. There's an Assault Rifle and an Auto shotgun near the area for ammo. Collecting gas cans and hoarding them from this position can be extremely useful for dealing with Tanks, throwing them down can set a Tank on fire long before he can reach the Survivors. The tents at the high end of the bridge allow an excellent vantage point for taking out Tanks with a grenade launcher or a sniper rifle for the Special Infected. Chargers are the main concern as they can bowl through the tightly knitted group and cause disturbance in the line. This area falls short with no health kits, a few pain pills and adrenaline shots. This makes it dangerous if you plan to get supplies from the radio below as you can easily get swarmed and overwhelmed. Just like the helicopter strategy, there is nowhere to retreat, making it hard to escape from an attack.

Bridge Video Guide Rusty Woud has made many survival videos along with extensive coverage of the Left 4 Dead games, here he can be seen trying out the bridge method to great effect.

Behind the Scenes
This chapter was at first called "The Table Bridge" and then "The Lift Bridge" before being changed to simply "The Bridge". Originally, The Bridge was created with no cars or anything other than the Infected in the way. Valve changed this later, as described in the Developer's Commentary for this chapter.

The bridge itself was going to be bombed by the military while the Survivors were crossing it. This was cut for unknown reasons, though still appears in the Zombie Survival Guide Trailer, with Rochelle speaking to the military through a hand-held radio, requesting the bombing stop. The jets that were meant to bomb the bridge can still be seen in-game, returning from the city and bombing the bridge only before and after the survivors' run.