(possible spoiler) Is that possible to backstab with a hatchet?

[SantaCop]

(I'm not a native english speaker so there can be wrong sentences - please let me know)

This screenshot will help you understand: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=348892516

I visited the hotel with an assault rifle and a hatchet, my character was Marko. His stats was sad, hungry.

What I supposed to do was to backstab a thug who wears military pants with a pistol.

I waited in the stealth zone and he walked the stairs up, in front of me, but there was no stealth kill icon.

So I followed silently(walked) to the thug, and I'm pretty sure that I already selected the hatchet.

However, even if I was very close to him, the knife icon didn't changed into the orange stealth kill icon even though he didn't notice me yet.

Anyway I clicked the knife icon, with doubtful, hoping axe attack from behind will be lethal. When Marko began to swing his axe, the thug just suddenly turned back and punched/kicked me (what the??????) like Solid Snake!

I was so surprised - Marko must be too - but to be silent(there were 3 more thugs below), I clicked the knife icon again rather than use my AK47, because I have heard that an axe is lethal melee weapon.

But the thug took only 20~30% damage - surprise again. It was not lethal to death.

I clicked the knife icon again and again like a mad man praying his death, but he counter attacked me again only with punch and kick.

(At that time, I just realized that he counterattacks per every twice of my melee attack)

In summary, counterattack-axe hit-counterattack-axe hit-counterattack-axe hit-counter attack- DIE.

So that's it. http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=348897965

My question is:

1. Is that possible to backstab with a hatchet?

2. Did I do something wrong?

3. Is the hatchet damage normal? (Is there a damage chart?)

4. Do I need to click the knife/aim icon per every hit?

It was my second play and I was doing good, but with his death, everything had been broken.

(In fact, the main failure cause of first time play was trying to kill a soldier(hostipal) with my pistol but after 10 rounds o fire he didn't die, but I did)

[imperialpanda]

You can backstab with axe.

I don't know what you did wrong, only thing I can say is in your first ss you did not have weapons selected.

You can absolutely sneak up on people to perform stealth kill (e.g. don't have to hide in hole). I dunno if they have to be standing still though.

Weapon damage can vary depending on character using it. But yeah normal (non-stealth) axe hit is about 33% hp or so.

You need to click for every attack.

[A-Mac]

Ive noticed that stealh kills are much more effective when done from a hiding place.

[imperialpanda]

I've had no problems one shotting people with the axe just by sneaking up on them, even when not using Roman.

[Mringasa]

If they are wearing a military vest and/or helmet, stealth kills are much harder. When they are just in clothes, it's almost 100% with most characters.

Hiding places are much more effective in one-shots, but WALKING up behind someone, especially if they are interacting with a person/object, works well. I've had excellent results doing this with Roman, Marko, Pavle and Emilia. Haven't had a chance to play with it with other characters though. Ladders, stairs, rubble piles, or even someone turned away from you all count as interactions from what I've seen. As soon as you run though, your stealth is obviously gone, so don't click multiple times.

HtH combat is odd. I've had better success when I run (right-click) to the attack than when I walk (left-click). If I'm walking, they frequently riposte on me, so I end up dying. Running though, especially after a successful strike, is very effective. Shooting someone, you really need to let the cross-hairs turn orange, I assume this is an aimed shot. Works perfectly with the assault rifle. Otherwise your shots will go wide. I've had only 1 shot land with the assault rifle and a white cross-hair.