KF2 Universal Offensive Tactics: Reload Cancelling, Bashing, Stomping

This page covers the offensive half of Tamari's KF2 Survival Handbook, a series of guides on under-appreciated tactics for intermediate to advanced players. The tactics here are universal: none of them depends on a specific perk, skill setup or loadout. On higher difficulties they let you control the pace of a fight instead of reacting to it. For the series overview see the handbook index, and for the defensive half see Universal Defensive Tactics.

A quick primer on afflictions

Afflictions are short states that change a ZED's normal behaviour. They run from full incapacitation and stuns to subtle slowdowns, and you can think of them as debuffs. Terms used below: Stumble (a ZED is pushed back), Knockdown, Melee Hit, and Affliction Cooldown (the wait before the same affliction can apply again). The series has an afflictions reference.

Tactic 1: Reload cancelling

Most player actions can be interrupted to shorten or skip an animation. In KF2 you can do this with the melee bash (V), by switching weapons, or by firing (with exceptions). The most useful application is reload cancelling.

Why it works. When you start reloading, an internal timer runs and then the ammo counter updates. The animation is just a visual. Often the animation lasts longer than the timer, so the game makes you wait for the animation even though the ammo is already refilled. Reload cancelling means cutting the animation once the timer has elapsed. The timer usually ends about when the magazine goes into the weapon. Timings differ by weapon and between dry and tactical reloads, and skills like Commando's Tactical Reload shorten them.

Advantages

• Shortens weapon downtime, increasing damage output.
• Faster and more efficient takedowns of Large ZEDs and Bosses.
• More ammo readily available, which helps keep your surroundings clear.
• Lets you cancel accidental or mistimed reloads.

Three methods

1. Melee bash. Once the ammo counter updates, bash and keep firing immediately. This is the easiest method (except for single-round reloads). In the author's clip the Rail Gun's rate of fire nearly doubles.
2. Weapon swap. Reload, wait for the counter, swap away and back. Skills like Gunslinger's Quick Draw speed this up, but they only apply to perk weapons.
3. Firing. For weapons that reload one round or projectile at a time, such as the Winchester 1894, firing again cancels the reload. This does not work on magazine-fed or single-fire weapons like the M99 AMR.

Video cover: Reload Cancelling #1 (melee bash on the Rail Gun). Watch on YouTube: wa3_UoxgYJo.

Video cover: Reload Cancelling #3 (firing to cancel a single-round reload). Watch on YouTube: kx1qfbrTrYw.

Warning. With an empty weapon you can cancel before the counter updates and be left with an empty gun, which can be deadly.

Mistimed reloads. If ZEDs appear just after you start reloading a non-empty magazine, cancel early instead of waiting. This is especially helpful on slow reloaders such as the Stoner 63A, and it also works in ZED Time so you can use your level 25 ZED Time skills.

Takedowns. Reload cancelling helps most on slow weapons like the M99 AMR when you need to land weakpoint shots on Large ZEDs. The author's example is on Hell on Earth.

Disadvantages

• Every weapon has different "reloaded" timings, and reload speed skills make this harder to judge.
• Cancelling too early on an empty magazine can prevent the reload entirely.
• Not all weapons support it. For instance the HMTech-501's underbarrel grenade launcher has a short delay after its animation before the ammo counter updates, so that reload cannot be cancelled.

Tactic 2: Melee bashing offensively

The melee bash is normally a defensive tool, but it also makes ZEDs flinch and pauses their AI for a moment. Small ZEDs also stumble backward. Use the pause to be more aggressive: stop attacks, force predictable movement for weakpoint shots, start combos and takedowns, or save ammo by brawling with weak ZEDs like Clots, Cysts and Crawlers.

Advantages

• Lets you be more aggressive and helps takedowns on Large ZEDs.
• Creates space to hold your ground on higher difficulties.
• Very effective at killing weaker ZEDs while saving ammo.

Exceptions. Avoid it against Bosses and enraged Fleshpounds or Quarter Pounds, which have a reduced vulnerability to afflictions. Shoot them instead.

In-game examples (from the video clips)

• A bash makes a ZED move predictably, giving a window to hit its weakpoint. A Siren gets stumbled for slightly longer. Against Fleshpounds, Scrakes and Bloats the bash only stalls them briefly, so be quicker.
• The bash can buy a moment to reload instead of retreating. Skills that speed up reloads, like Tactical Reload, make this easier. Giving up too much ground can open a hole in your defensive line.
• Bashing can kill weak ZEDs and save ammo once you find the rhythm; aim for the head.
• One-handed weapons (9mm pistol, Welder, Syringe) swing faster, so they are easier for this.

Video cover: Melee Bash Takedowns. Watch on YouTube: iz-TIUEjRSg.

Disadvantages

• Requires being close to dangerous targets.
• Does not work on Bosses and some enraged ZEDs.
• Affliction Cooldown means a bash does not always stumble, especially when repeated too quickly. Cooldowns for most ZEDs are short.

The perks that benefit most are those with high burst damage, such as Support, Gunslinger and Demolitionist, but the point is only to buy time to reload or retreat.

Tactic 3: Goomba stomping and crowdsurfing

Landing on a ZED's head applies Knockdown (a Goomba stomp). Doing it on several ZEDs in a row is crowdsurfing. It is not subject to Affliction Cooldown, so it is easily repeatable, and it works on any ZED including Bosses. It is covered in full in the defensive tactics page, which you should read for the details.

Takeaways

• Learn reload cancelling with the melee bash first, since it works on almost everything.
• Use the offensive bash on weaker ZEDs and between Large ZED attacks, not on enraged Fleshpounds, Quarter Pounds or Bosses.
• Add stomping when map geometry gives you a raised surface.