What is the first rule of kiting?

What may be in front of you matters more than what is behind you. You can outrun anything behind you except a raged Fleshpound, but new spawns ahead can trap you.

How do you survive a Fleshpound hit while running?

Pull out the knife, hold block and jump as the hit lands. Block reduces damage by about 20 percent and the jump knockback may avoid follow-up hits.

When is it safe to weld a door while kiting?

When you are low on health or a raged Fleshpound is coming: pass through a door, close and weld it behind you for 10-15 seconds to heal, then keep moving.

Tactics

KF2 Kiting 101: Team Roles, Choke Points and Fleshpounds

This is a paraphrase of a community guide on how a team should kite together, with extra detail on Fleshpounds and what to do when the team is split or you are the last player alive. You can kite with any class on any map. Speed is not required: you can outrun a raged Scrake with no movement bonuses, and every map can be kited with flexible route choices. The key is the next section. Related advice: KF2 core strategy tips.

Kiting as a team

Rule number one: look ahead

What may be in front of you is a higher priority than what is behind you. If you have to leave a spot because you were overrun, ignore the horde you fled and watch the new groups spawning ahead that could sandwich you. You can always outrun what is behind you (except a raged Fleshpound), but you cannot run away from something in front of you, since that means returning to the original horde.

A classic example is the trucks spot on Outpost. Three Fleshpounds and three Scrakes get raged, a Demolitionist is cornered, and the team flees right and up the hill, all firing back at the spot while a new horde spawns ahead. When the team must fall back again, the path is blocked. The fix is to concentrate forward, work around the map and back to the spot, then re-set the perimeter. You may still kill things behind you, just not so many that big groups spawn ahead and cut you off. Always keep making forward progress.

When you get a bad spawn in front

If you hear the big ZED spawn sound and see two Fleshpounds and two Scrakes blocking the path, do not rage them. The top priority is to get past the big ZEDs first.

Best: a SWAT, Sharpshooter or Berserker throws their grenade to incapacitate them so most of the team can run past.
Otherwise: melee bash avoids hits from Scrakes, and skilled players can even bash past Fleshpounds. This is enough if your Medic is on the ball and you take no more than two hits.
Exception: in ZED time a Gunslinger, Sharpshooter or Support can quickly kill one of them, reducing the risk.

Once past, it is safe to engage.

Choke points

Most maps have a narrow area that likely spawns big ZEDs. The prime example is the staircase up to the fountain courtyard on Burning Paris, where a big ZED usually comes down along with a Husk or Bloat. Another is the tunnel with the coach on Nuked. Pushing through solo is almost certain suicide; even two players is risky. Here the whole team must push. Six people shooting forward can eviscerate almost anything, and sharing aggro across more players increases the chance of bashing or incapacitating ZEDs. Players looking backward should briefly peel their attention to the choke point.

Team composition: five roles

Listed front to back:

Carver (up to 2; Gunslinger, Berserker, Support, SWAT, Commando). Kills trash while moving, needs good map knowledge for detours, carves the path forward.
Healer (1; Medic). Heals and also helps kill trash at the front and covers the Hoverer.
Hoverer (1; Sharpshooter, Demolitionist, Support, Gunslinger). Experienced at killing big ZEDs, moves front to back depending on where help is needed.
Culler (1; Commando, Demolitionist). Probably gets the most kills by killing ZEDs following the group. Commando extends ZED time; Demolitionist uses the nuke well.
Tank (1; Berserker). Takes the beating from big ZEDs at the rear and helps kill Scrakes and Fleshpounds. Protects the Cullers.

Order of importance: Carver, Healer, Tank, Hoverer, Culler, then an additional Carver. By team size:

Players	Roles
1	Carver
2	Carver, Healer
3	Carver, Healer, Tank
4	Carver, Healer, Tank, Hoverer
5	Carver, Healer, Tank, Hoverer, Culler
6	2 Carvers, Healer, Tank, Hoverer, Culler

The author's perfect team: Commando at the back (Culler), Berserker also at the back (Tank), Demolitionist (Hoverer) and Medic (Healer) in the middle, Gunslinger and Support at the front (Carvers).

Dealing with Fleshpounds on the run

They hurt a lot, so block. If a raged Fleshpound chases you and you have at least a second, pull out the knife, hold block and jump as he hits. Block cuts damage by 20 percent and the jump knocks you back, possibly avoiding follow-up hits.

Order of operations for a takedown:

If he is already raged and running you down, knife out, block and jump.
Heal immediately if you can.
Check health: at least 60 is good to try a takedown. Only shoot Fleshpounds when they are calm; shooting a raged one risks re-raging it.
Once calm, go all out: grenades, AA-12, Kriss, Deagles, aiming for the head. Keep shooting the head during his ground-bash rage animation, which is precious damage time. When he stands up and charges, go back to step 1.

This is mainly for Commandos, Medics, SWAT and less skilled Gunslingers and Supports who find themselves 1v1 with a Fleshpound. Demolitionist and Sharpshooter should be fine, and the Berserker takes little damage anyway.

General survival tips

Do not waste your heal. If you are missing 15 or less health, do not heal; only heal if you gain at least 16, unless things are calm.
Melee bash is your best friend. It uses no ammo and one-shots Crawlers, Stalkers and all Clots with most weapons. It is vital to get past ZEDs: bash a Bloat in the face to avoid its bile, bash a Scrake to stumble him so you can pass.
The one time to weld. At 30 health, or with a raged Fleshpound coming that you cannot survive even blocking, run through the next door, close it and weld it behind you for 10-15 seconds of breathing room to heal. Do not wait by the door; move forward a bit. Do not go too far, or the ZEDs may use a different route; the fastest route for them should be through the welded door. You also want the door to break, because otherwise the way is blocked if you must kite around again. Using Demolitionist traps is sometimes acceptable only if the whole team agrees.

Summary

Focus on ZEDs that may spawn in front, not those behind, and keep making forward progress.
With a bad big-ZED spawn ahead, get past first, ideally with a stun, freeze or EMP grenade, else dart spam and melee bash.
At choke points everyone focuses forward.
Ideal team: 1-2 carvers, 1 helper, 1 Medic, 1 tank at the back and 1-2 cullers.
Block Fleshpounds with the knife (20 percent less damage) and jump; engage only with at least 60 HP.
Bash everything in your way, and weld a door behind you for a few seconds of recovery.

FAQ

What is the first rule of kiting?: What may be in front of you matters more than what is behind you. You can outrun anything behind you except a raged Fleshpound, but new spawns ahead can trap you.
How do you survive a Fleshpound hit while running?: Pull out the knife, hold block and jump as the hit lands. Block reduces damage by about 20 percent and the jump knockback may avoid follow-up hits.
When is it safe to weld a door while kiting?: When you are low on health or a raged Fleshpound is coming: pass through a door, close and weld it behind you for 10-15 seconds to heal, then keep moving.