Dealing with timberwolves.

[Fivecard]

tl;dr version: Do you have any good advice on fighting timberwolf packs?

Voyageur day ~215. This is my first survival run. From the start I've had two overarching goals:
-Survive past day 500
-Become the 'Very Faithful Cartographer': ie map all named locations to qualify for the achievement, but to also remove the fog from all region maps as completely as possible.

Most regions have been fully mapped and scoured of resources with four to go: Ash canyon, hushed river valley, bleak inlet and blackrock. I am working my way through ash canyon now and plan to consolidate my gear at my current safe house- the pleasant valley farmstead- before heading to blackrock. This will be my first encounter with the timberwolves. Because it's voyageur and loot isn't exactly scarce, my plan is more or less to go in armed to the teeth with revolver rounds and marine flares. If I need to gun down whole packs to map the more dangerous areas then so be it...the maps must be completed!!!

If anyone has any good advice about timberwolves for a Long Dark noob I would love to hear it though :)

[Siamese55]

I am a bit newer myself, so I can only contribute somewhat (although I have recently finished my stay on Bleak Inlet, so I do have a few timber wolf feats to my name), but it isn't worth fighting them during an aurora in my opinion. Really, they stop caring about marine flares and the numbers and increased aggression anyway are such a pain. I know technically you switch to the electric lights, like high beam on a flashlight, but unless the scenario is otherwise perfect (I've run into them near thin ice, etc.) it is cutting it too close.

I have also had mixed results with solely scaring them off. I know you just have to break their morale, but my best results were when I was dispensing bullets. (To be fair, I started in Milton, so I was armed to the teeth.) I wouldn't really waste health with saving ammo unless I had to. I've had to basically be as aggressive as them at times.

Bleak Inlet at least felt like it was swarming with them, too. Even in some of the parts where they seemed more scarce, they would show up at the worst times. (Ex. While I was harvesting a bear I chased across the map twice, and a blizzard had just started.)

Anyway, these were my observations. Hopefully someone with better advice will contribute soon.

[Martial.Lore]

Your best options are slow and steady or complete avoidance. I avoid them at all costs and keep my distance and crouch if they get too close. If I must engage, then I do it crouched with a bow and arrow, picking them off one by one.

Like all wolves in the game, IF you play a LONG game, they are nothing more than an annoying drain on limited resources: killing them is pest control and nothing more. I don't harvest them, cook/eat them or craft with their hides.

Generally, they're not worth a single bullet or arrow shot. Bears, moose, deer and rabbits are all fair game. Wolves are not, IMO. And timber wolves, in particular, shouldn't exist.

[Fivecard]

Originally posted by Vzzdak:

I usually play story on Hardened Survivor, which is equivalent to Stalker. I'd shared some notes in this recent thread:

How do I stop the constant timberwolf harassment?

Yes, I saw that and I think gave it an award! I'll be sure to take it on board :)

[Fivecard]

Originally posted by JayXL:

Ahh yes, the timberwolves. The initial encounter can be daunting, but they are manageable if you follow a few rules.

1. Know the locations of the packs. Difficult at first obviously, but as you learn an area, get to know where the packs can spawn and/or travel to. It really helps to be able to see them before they see you.
2. Keep your distance at first. They can detect you from pretty far away, and once they do they will attack in force. Crouching reduces your detection footprint significantly.
3. Find a good spot to battle them from. I always look for a nearby ledge or fallen tree that I can use to stay safe while I take them out.
4. Use rocks to control their awareness and location. A well placed toss can give you some wiggle room as you try to get to a good position.
5. Deter them with torches or your weapon. If you want to conserve ammo, tossing torches will work to break their morale. But they will come back eventually if you have anything smelly on you.

Good luck! :fcp_wolf::coffeeTLD:

Thanks for the tips! I don't know how much good kiting around the packs will do me if I want to survey right in the middle of their territory. I figured having my back against a wall would be a good defensive strategy to prevent getting surrounded whilst fending them off.

[Fivecard]

Originally posted by Martial.Lore:

Your best options are slow and steady or complete avoidance. I avoid them at all costs and keep my distance and crouch if they get too close. If I must engage, then I do it crouched with a bow and arrow, picking them off one by one.

Like all wolves in the game, IF you play a LONG game, they are nothing more than an annoying drain on limited resources: killing them is pest control and nothing more. I don't harvest them, cook/eat them or craft with their hides.

Generally, they're not worth a single bullet or arrow shot. Bears, moose, deer and rabbits are all fair game. Wolves are not, IMO. And timber wolves, in particular, shouldn't exist.

Yes, I agree with the annoyance part. I learnt starvation tactics from Acurize2's TLD videos so the meat is not much value to me except maybe to gain well fed for carting off the heavier region loot to the ravine or FM. Wolfskin coat already crafted & equipped too. Bow is the lowest of my skills so at least they could be good target practice.

[Fivecard]

Originally posted by Siamese55:

I am a bit newer myself, so I can only contribute somewhat (although I have recently finished my stay on Bleak Inlet, so I do have a few timber wolf feats to my name), but it isn't worth fighting them during an aurora in my opinion. Really, they stop caring about marine flares and the numbers and increased aggression anyway are such a pain. I know technically you switch to the electric lights, like high beam on a flashlight, but unless the scenario is otherwise perfect (I've run into them near thin ice, etc.) it is cutting it too close.

I have also had mixed results with solely scaring them off. I know you just have to break their morale, but my best results were when I was dispensing bullets. (To be fair, I started in Milton, so I was armed to the teeth.) I wouldn't really waste health with saving ammo unless I had to. I've had to basically be as aggressive as them at times.

Bleak Inlet at least felt like it was swarming with them, too. Even in some of the parts where they seemed more scarce, they would show up at the worst times. (Ex. While I was harvesting a bear I chased across the map twice, and a blizzard had just started.)

Anyway, these were my observations. Hopefully someone with better advice will contribute soon.

Thanks! From the sound of things BI seems like the worst place to go bear hunting/harvesting/quartering etc, I feel as though I've saved revolver rounds precisely for this reason (ie to shoot the pack, map the hotspots in timberwolf territory and then gtfo) but I guess I'll only know until I get stuck in. I'll be cautious around the aurora though, I know because of the electrical crafting stations in the cannery the aurora has a higher propensity to appear than in other regions. How often it is from your experience?

[Okihara Jones]

this works: MOVE!

When the pack is too much, running works! In my experience, I have found that the timberwolves don't attack a moving target. Even if you are tired, if you can move away, do it! The timberwolves might even give chase, but as long as you keep moving toward a different area, they will fall away and give up.

[Lussian]

If you're hanging around the area and plan to exterminate. Leave one wolf alive in each pack. They won't respawn that way and whenever they ( the last one alive in a pack ) see you, they'll always whimper and run away.