KF2 Commando Guide: Weapons, Skills, ZED Matchups (2015-2017)

This page condenses a large 2015 guide by CallumSLG, last revised in 2017. The author flagged parts as out of date because of Commando reworks (Gunslinger and Sharpshooter additions), so treat numbers as a snapshot of that era. Compare with the Commando perk page and Commando perk guide, zed time loadouts and shot counts.

What a Commando is

The Commando is about assault rifles in every form: single shot, burst or full auto, without wasting ammo. It is not the heaviest hitting but is a great pick for doing lots of damage at a decent range from a safe position.

Weapons

AR-15 Varmint Rifle.

Weapon	Cost	Ammo	Pros	Cons
AR-15 Varmint Rifle	200 (free as starter)	20 / 240	Great vs Clots, Gorefasts, Crawlers, Stalkers; starter and cheap	Low fire rate (500 RPM), small magazine, burst or single only
SA80 L85A2 Bullpup	650	30 / 300	Very accurate even full auto, good ammo pool, 660 RPM	Mediocre damage vs stronger ZEDs
Kalashnikov AK-12	1100	30 / 330	Very good damage, kills Husks and Sirens easily, 1000 RPM burst	More recoil, 600 RPM in full auto
SCAR-H	1500	20 / 340	Highly reputable damage, kills everything but Scrakes and Fleshpounds easily	Small magazine, expensive, leaves you poor if you die

SA80 Bullpup.

Kalashnikov AK-12.

SCAR-H.

Perk attributes at the time

• Weapon damage +1 percent per level (max 25 percent).
• Cloaked-enemy and health bar detection +2 m per level (max 50 m).
• ZED Time extension +1 s per 5 levels (max 6 s).
• Reload speed +2 percent per 5 levels (max 10 percent).
• Night vision and Call Out Cloaked ZEDs.

Perk skills in the 2015 to 2016 versions

Level	Skill A	Skill B
5	Tactical Reload	Large Mags (+50 percent magazine)
10	Backup (+60 percent pistol and knife damage, faster weapon switch)	Impact (+150 percent stumble power)
15	Health Increase (+25 percent health and armor)	Ammo Vest (two extra magazines per weapon)
20	Hollow Point Rounds (+25 percent damage, -50 percent recoil)	Eat Lead (+50 percent rounds per magazine)
25	ZED Time Professional (full-speed reload, double weapon switch speed)	ZED Time Rapid Fire (+3 percent damage, triple fire rate)

The author later describes a revised version of the tree with Callout, Leadership (teammates reload 10 percent faster), Single Fire (+20 percent damage in single mode) and Auto Fire (+20 percent in auto or burst).

General tips

• Stick with teammates: the game is about power in numbers.
• Use your HE grenades when in a pinch.
• Check your back, aim at the door you are leaving through.
• Always aim at the head: destroying it disables special abilities (Siren scream, Husk fireball).
• Crouching reduces recoil.
• Keep weapons loaded.
• Do not try to 1v1 Scrakes or Fleshpounds. A Scrake on a rampage is the biggest cause of lost games.

Your role and goals

Perks complement each other's weaknesses.

The other perks leave gaps: Berserker is ineffective outside melee range (but EMP grenades stop Scrake rage and Siren scream), Support has short effective range and burns ammo, Medic is overwhelmed by big ZEDs and mobs, Demolitionist is excellent with AoE and C4 and explosives are what Fleshpounds are not resistant to but lacks close defense, and Firebug is fantastic in close holds and against Scrakes but eats ammo.

The Commando fills the gap with ranged damage, efficient killing of weaker ZEDs and protecting close-range perks. Your job is covering fire so that teammates can safely deal with Scrakes and Fleshpounds. You can see Stalkers and health bars, and only the Commando can extend ZED Time beyond one second, up to 6 at level 25.

Goals.

1. Early waves: eliminate weak ZEDs (Clots, Bloats, Crawlers, Gorefasts and Stalkers). This is your goal before wave 5.
2. Prioritize stronger ZEDs (Sirens and Husks) once you have a SCAR-H, AK-12 or Bullpup.
3. Keep teammates protected. For example, a Demolitionist trying to kill a Fleshpound can be killed if a Clot grabs him at the wrong moment.

Weapon usage

• Varmint: your first 2 to 3 waves. Best in single fire mode, since one headshot kills early ZEDs. Upgrade after wave 3.
• Bullpup: the cheapest non-starter at 650. Have it or the AK-12 (not both) by wave 4, when Sirens and Husks become common.
• AK-12: heavy damage but high recoil. Valuable from wave 4.
• Bullpup vs AK-12: the Bullpup wins on accuracy and 660 RPM full auto. The AK has 1000 RPM in burst and more damage per bullet, 35 against 25, for 1050 against 750 per magazine, slightly more than a full SCAR magazine. It is a playstyle choice. The author prefers the AK, though after the AK's ammo nerf the Bullpup has more merit.

The SCAR-H.

• SCAR-H: the top weapon, with unmatched damage and good accuracy. It can kill Sirens and Husks in about 3 bullets, and with enough precision a Scrake in one magazine (not advised for the inexperienced). Have it by wave 5 or 6 and keep the Bullpup or AK for weak ZEDs to save SCAR ammo.
• Dual 9mm: a cheap strong option, especially with the Backup skill. Two 15-round magazines act as a 30-round one, refilling costs 80, and they one-shot headshot all trash. Bloats need 3 headshots.

The 9mm pistol.

Skill choices

• Backup vs Large Mags: use Backup in early waves (pistols save ammo and money), switch to Large Mags later.
• Callout vs Leadership: the author prefers Leadership (teammates reload 10 percent faster), because a half-decent Commando stops Stalkers anyway. Callout also grants you XP for teammates' Stalker kills.
• Impact: with the AK-12 or SCAR it lets you lock down weak ZEDs, Sirens, Husks and even Scrakes. Stumbles interrupt special abilities, though Scrakes only react to one stumble.
• Tactical Reload vs Impact: if running single fire pick Impact, if auto pick Tactical Reload. Reload cancelling exists too.
• Single Fire vs Auto Fire: a playstyle choice.
• Zed Time: Professional vs Rapid Fire: the author prefers Professional, because it works whenever, while Rapid Fire depends on lucky timing.

Two loadouts

Fully automatic: SCAR-H and AK-12 with Large Mags, Leadership, Tactical Reload, Auto Fire and ZED Time Professional.

Single shot: SCAR-H and Bullpup (the AK-12 has no single fire mode) with Large Mags, Callout, Impact, Single Fire and ZED Time Professional.

Situational: Backup up to about wave 4, and Rapid Fire when the situation fits.

Matchups

• Weak ZEDs: easy. Mind that Bloats resist ballistics, so go for the head. Watch your back for vents and manholes where ZEDs can flank.
• Siren: her effective range is close. Spot her early and shoot her before she closes the gap.
• Husk: his fireball has a priming time you can use. Never get into close quarters, because his suicide move can instakill players on every difficulty and his flamethrower is deadly on Suicidal and Hell on Earth.
• Scrake: two Commando methods.

Scrake.

• Solo mag dump: empty a SCAR magazine into the head. Risky: only do it if your surroundings are safe, you are confident, and you know what to do if it goes wrong. Putting in a few rounds, reloading then dumping is slightly safer.
• EMP mag dump: much safer. A Berserker EMPs the Scrake so it cannot rage and you dump the magazine.
• Fleshpound: not your job, but your guns do little damage. Fleshpounds are weak to explosives, so throw your HE grenades at it, then go back to clearing so the Demolitionist can finish it.

Fleshpound.

Putting it into practice

Hell on Earth, medium length, Outpost.

The author recorded a Hell on Earth medium game on Outpost, holding the trucks and covering the far right. Loadout: SCAR-H, AK-12, Dual 9mms, Med Pistol, with Large Mags, Leadership, Tactical Reload, Auto Fire and ZED Time Professional (also Backup and Single Fire).

• Wave 1: Clots, Gorefasts and Bloats. Backup and Single Fire to make the 9mm and AR-15 last.
• Wave 2: Crawlers and Stalkers. Buy Dual 9mms and use them until you afford a SCAR.
• Wave 3: Sirens and Husks arrive. Same plan, watch recoil on single-fire pistols.
• Wave 4: Scrakes start on medium length. Have the SCAR, swap Single Fire for Auto Fire.
• Wave 5: Fleshpound arrives. With an AK-12 as well, swap Backup for Large Mags. Call out Scrakes and Fleshpounds early.
• Wave 6: same, keep trash from slipping through.
• Wave 7: double Fleshpound. Call them out, let tanky classes take aggro, throw your grenades, clear trash.
• Hans: keep your distance and unload, avoid grenades, stay out of the Twin Fangs and do not burn ammo when his shield is up. Heal whoever he drains and repeat.

Update history (summary)

The guide was updated between June 2015 and June 2017, adding Commando-change notes, correcting the AK vs Bullpup section, adding reload-cancelling and perk-neutral weapon notes, and noting planned work on bosses, rage and the Gunslinger and Sharpshooter reworks. See also Gunslinger in-depth.