Optimal weapon for killing infected?

[caninmyham]

So i've been wondering, what's the "optimal" weapon for dealing with infected? Giving the relative scarcity of ammunition in the early game, and the massive risk of injury when doing melee, is it more worthwhile to use something such as a pistol against them when clearing out houses or melee weapons?

Specifically, Im trying to clear out the cabin near the farm with two in it. Then later, hopefully the farm.

[caninmyham]

Funnily enough, the second after i posted this a bear ambushed me and i mag dumped my pistol killing it. Irregardless, my question still stands.

[Twitch | Stillyvision]

BOW and ARROWS. You can make a BASIC arrow and no matter what- I find that hunting arrow or basic arrow it takes 2 arrows typically to kill infected. Basic arrows can be made for next to NOTHING, but you should make enough bows, which you can from killing bears and drying their guts.

Else I find any knife or axe can be used properly if you swipe and jump back just right you can hit and evade.Of course I twitch it and I only really use arrows to kill them.

If you wanna try your luck, why make a target dummy when you can make a wall piece with a ladder and climb up it when the mist comes in, then you can shoot and loot. I dropped 12 infected by the farmhouse with the lake near it. Then I ran around picking up all my loot... Lots of ammo, salt, sugar, rags, colas, meet cans, and electronic boards. AND I got about 90% of my arrows back. But so what, I still made more. I have a small stash of about 50+ arrows now.Tactical quiver to hold 24 at a time. All good...

The american eagle machete you can craft SAYS it is good, but if your aim is off, it takes more than 1 shot to drop one.

As for the bear, about 3-5 BASIC arrows will drop a bear. I only know because one chased me into the street and when I heard it stop running, I stopped and turned around, pulled out the bow and it started walking towards me, so I was walking back while shooting it. I THINK I hit it about 3 times, the other 2 might have missed and were in the street. But basic arrows so who cares... :)

[MrBalll]

It's all the same right now. One shot to the head and they die. If you can just sneak up behind them and sneak kill. I seem to have found way more rifle ammo than anything else.

Later in the game you can make a...can't think of the name, but a type of machete. It will kill an infected with one swing so that will be your best option. Just time it right. Let the infected run at you and right before he gets to you swing it and it will die in one swing.

You can also craft a bow and have an almost limitless supply of arrows as long as you keep finding scrap.

Definitely use a shotgun on the bear. Two good shots and it's down.

[타미미]

bow i guess. Zombies always drop pistol ammo + shotgun + rifle ammo for me. So just use your ammo.

[Destructor]

The machete.

Basically: Aim for the head, swing just before they get to you, and 'sprint backwards' at the same time. One-hit kill almost every time with no chance of the infected hitting you back. And sprinting backwards means that even if you miss, they should swing and only hit air.

Also, if you're a perfect shot, the longbow with the basic arrows (the ones that only cost sticks) are a one-shot kill as well. I know I've killed even bears with a single arrow to the head.

[AlterToN]

Axe. Start your strike a bit before he comes close to you. So when he reaches your place, your axe should finish the strike. "Oneshot" even in torso.