KF2 SWAT Survival Manual: Weapons, Skills, ZED Notes and Bosses

A long Russian manual for the SWAT perk, written in the Twisted Christmas beta period (November 2018): equipment, skills, XP, team play and combat tactics. Numbers such as stun chances come from the author. For the SWAT build compare the perk overview and classes and perks.

The SWAT.

Achievements

If SWAT is the first perk you level, each fifth level (5, 10, 15, 20, 25) also unlocks an achievement for your first developed skill, plus map achievements per difficulty.

Equipment

MP7.

1. HK MP7 with a reflex sight and suppressor: the default weapon on waves 1 to 3. Light and maneuverable with low recoil but short range and weak stopping power. Full auto and single shot.

MP5.

2. HK MP5: higher muzzle energy than the MP7, so more penetration and stopping power; second-tier, suits waves 2 to 5. Full auto or 3-round burst, with the burst more accurate and ammo-hungry in the alt mode.

FN P90.

3. FN P90: bullpup with a reflex sight, larger magazine, higher fire rate and damage than the MP5 and MP7, but much lower stopping power than the MP5 and Kriss. Third-tier, waves 5 to 7; a P90 plus MP5 pairing is a good combination.

HK UMP.

4. HK UMP: heavy-caliber German SMG. It costs about 100 dosh less than the P90 with a markedly lower fire rate, but more damage and stopping power. Third-tier, waves 5 to 7 and later.

TDI KRISS Vector Super V.

5. TDI KRISS Vector Super V: .45 ACP SMG with balanced stats and higher damage, stopping power and fire rate. Fourth-tier, waves 7 to 10, and suited to Scrakes, Fleshpounds and the bosses Hans and Patriarch. Full auto or single shot.

Beretta M9.

6. Beretta M9: the standard pistol used by every perk; weak, but fast and accurate, for waves 1 to 2 or desperate situations.

Tactical Knife.

7. Tactical Knife: the SWAT's knife variant; matters mostly visually and for emergencies when all ammo runs out.

Flash grenade.

8. Flashbang: a stun grenade that deals little damage but gives the team seconds to open fire in sync, for example against a stunned Scrake.

On high difficulties, carry several weapons because ammo runs out fast. After an update, other perks' weapons became usable with XP going to the current perk, so a SWAT can use the Medic's SMG to heal teammates.

Skills

Skills are passive (always on) or active (chosen). At each fifth level you pick one of two.

• Level 5: Heavy Armor Training (you spawn with armor, no clean damage until it is gone, Sirens do only half damage and you cannot be grabbed) or Tactical Movement (move fast while crouching). The author recommends Heavy Armor Training to save money.

• Level 10: Close Quarters Training (pistol and knife damage +50%, spawn with two pistols) or Tactical Reload (much faster reloads). The author recommends Close Quarters Training, because the knife and pistol are underrated.

• Level 15: Suppression Rounds (stopping power +100%) or Ammo Vest (total ammo +30%). The author takes Ammo Vest since it is hard to always hit heads.

• Level 20: Assault Armor (armor +50%, stacking with Heavy Armor Training) or Crippling (stopping power +30%, especially on legs). The author takes Assault Armor.

• Level 25: Zed Time Battering Ram (move in real time and likely knock enemies down on collision) or Zed Time Rapid Assault (infinite ammo, real time fire and +100% stopping power). The author takes Rapid Assault.

The author's balanced build.

Skills can be swapped before every wave, so experiment. The guide also shows two alternative trees: fast reloads with strong stopping power and knockdown in Zed Time, or heavy defense with sidearm damage.

Alternative skill trees.

XP and basic ZEDs

SWAT earns extra XP for particular kills (Medic for perk kills and healing, Commando for Stalkers, Demolitionist for Fleshpounds). The manual then covers the small ZEDs:

• Cyst: the most harmless, may grab you so tougher ZEDs hit the squad, arrives with a Bloat; 50% chance to dodge a grenade; shoot head or legs.
• Clot: a Cyst that can rage; arrives with a Gorefast; dodges explosions 75% of the time; shoot head or legs.
• Slasher: more agile; dodges explosions 60%; rolls to dodge slow powerful weapons and uses a jumping strike.
• Gorefast: blocks head shots with a bladed limb and does fast attacks; kill at range with head shots.
• Elite Clot (replaced by Rioter): rages nearby enemies; kill at range before the ability or use a flashbang.
• Gorefiend: a stronger Gorefast with two blades covering the head and long spinning attacks.
• Rioter: armored; when raged it still walks slowly; shoot the legs to avoid an unnecessary rage burst.

Economy and teamplay

SWAT is self-sufficient: you can earn enough per wave to buy gear and ammo, and kill chains raise XP and dosh. Armor skills save money. Share spare dosh with the teammates who need it, preferably the Medic or Demolitionist for a grenade. Use "Request help" when a horde approaches and you need to reload. Stay calm: toxic teammates will not lead you to victory, and a loss is just entertainment.

Suggested team layouts: a Berserker for blocking and parrying with a SWAT as backup, Support and Firebug holding a second point, a Demolitionist for mass damage and grenades, a Medic. The author recommends Berserker, SWAT, Demolitionist, Medic and Support (or Firebug), but six Berserkers, Medics and SWATs also works.

Weapon upgrades: tier 1 four times, tier 2 three, tier 3 two, tier 4 one. Prestige: at level 25 you can reset the perk for exclusive weapon paint and two million dosh for the storage; three prestige levels were available in the Twisted Christmas beta, with paints for the knife, MP7 and MP5.

Mistakes to avoid

Chasing kills with sloppy fire and excess grenades; throwing grenades at small groups instead of saving them for Gorefiends, Scrakes, Fleshpounds or Bloats; aggroing big ZEDs and then not blocking (for instance a Demolitionist firing an RPG at a group that includes a Scrake and Fleshpound); and running ahead of the defensive position, which leaves allies to a new group from around a corner.

Dangerous ZEDs

• Gorefiend: blocks the weak spot with two blades, spins in long attacks. Weaknesses: the head and explosives. Appears with a 35% chance on high difficulties; fight at range, shoot the head when he stops guarding, and use a flashbang up close.
• Scrake: a chainsaw monster that is very tough and resists explosives and fire. Weak to ordinary bullets; a double Boomstick blast can stop his attacks. Stun chance of a flashbang is 95% when calm and 80% when raging, then fire full-auto into the head.
• Fleshpound: a big mutant with piston hammers. Weak head and core, vulnerable to explosives and the Microwave Gun. Stun with a flashbang (80% calm, 60% raging), shoot the head or core, parry with the knife, and work with a Demolitionist or Firebug.

Bosses

There are four bosses.

Dr. Hans Volter.

• Dr. Hans Volter: a 100-year-old Nazi scientist obsessed with human experiments, with plenty of metal and a core that changes color with health. He dodges shots with short jetpack hops and attacks with grenades, two MP-44s, bayonets, blades and smoke grenades. His attacks are hard to block, and the less health he has, the more he closes in. He uses an energy shield several times; each time the team breaks it a wave knocks players down. Weak points are the head and heart, and he is vulnerable to EMP. Tactics for SWAT: do not melee (a Berserker's privilege), keep distance and fire at head or heart while killing small ZEDs, take cover from ranged attacks, parry melee, and watch for him running to a teammate with smoke grenades to grab and heal off the player.

Patriarch.

• Patriarch: former scientist Kevin Clamely, who made himself his greatest creation. He fires direct and arcing rockets, a minigun, kicks, charges and tentacle grabs, and is aggressive at low health. At some damage he retreats invisible to heal. Weak: head, arm and belly, vulnerable to explosives and fire. Tactics: keep your distance, cover the Medic with a healing SMG, take cover during rocket volleys (arcing ones need you to move away), and kill him quickly while he retreats because he attacks nobody then.

King Fleshpound.

• King Fleshpound: an enhanced Fleshpound boss, covered in the manual's second boss part.

Abomination.

• Abomination: an enhanced Bloat-type boss, also covered in the second part.