How to survive (maybe) wolves

[Ara D.]

I'll admit I take foolish chances but I've survived a couple of wolf packs now so here is my tips on how up your odds of survival. Firstly pray for lluck. Second wolves like to hit a run so you have to work with that. Wait for the wolves to come to you. Check behind you often, number1 on the number pad rotates you 180°. Attack the lead wolf usually once hurt it will run. Do Not Chase it. Instead look around and see if another wolf is rushing you. Basically you are going to bounce the wolves off of you. As one flees the others tend to re agro and come back. Keep your head on a swivel.  And use the enter to key to check if they're still near by  If you can get a solid object, trees big rocks, behind you great do it. With luck you can turn their hit and run tactics to your advantage and only have to fight one at a time. Lastly pray for luck

[PALU]

While I haven't done much wolf fighting (and several cases have been fatal), I agree with the logic. Look out and move to a position where you at least have your back free, and ideally have cover to the sides as well, so they can attack only from the visual cone.
Two other important aspects to fighting in general is to wear as much armor as you can while keeping the encumbrance at the minimum to lower the rate of fatigue gain (two contradictory goal, of course, so a balance must be struck).

My best advice regarding fighting wolf packs, though, is: don't, unless you're forced to (or actively want to take chances).

[Signatus]

Is the 180° turn usually on the numpad 1? Mine is on the pgdown key.

Even with strong OP characters my usual course of action when I bump into a wolf pack is a) press H to start hiding, b) walk backwards until able to zoom out.

Two or three is manageable, but 7 or 8 is too much unless you manage to kill a few of them off quickly. They can easily flank you and attack from behind or just leave you with no escape

[Edico]

Yeah wolves really are too dangerous to mess around with, at least if you value your characters life.  One problem is that you never know exactly how many wolves there are, where they're hiding or if they've left you alone.  I tend to engage them only by leaving traps and waiting until it dies to butcher.

[Ara D.]

On my standard American PC keyboard The 180° is the 1 key board n the number pad num lock off

[Saiko Kila]

Is the 180° turn usually on the numpad 1? Mine is on the pgdown key.

It is at least on four keys: End key, Page Down key, 1/End key on numpad, 3/PgDn key on numpad (regardless of Num Lock status). I suppose End means turning left-wise, Page Down means turning right-wise, but since the effect is the same, there's no real difference.

As for wolves, I had one encounter in open mires, when I killed about ten of wolves with a bow. I had to be careful not to damage my dog/animals too much (I haven't unleashed dog to not loose it). The whole battle was quite epic, it spanned two days (with one sleep in the marshes, dog acted as a watchman), and many tiles.I was finding dead wolves (and many arrows) five tiles from the place the fight started, in opposite directions. But fighting wolves in a spruce mire is a nightmare.

[Ara D.]

Ya this last fight for me was a hill bordering mire, and if you have dogs leash them or you will lose them. I wish you could call back dogs from fights. I lost a dog to a different pack down south due to a fatal case of natural selection. I had traped most of the pack already. There was one in a trap and two still free. Attacking the trapped one agroed the other two. Killed one of them and thought heck two dogs one wolf left, get them boys. The idiots turned around and went after the trapped wolf. My small male dog took three bites and died. Killed by a trapped animal that he could have backed up to safety from, and the Darwin award goes to.  I could just imagine my char chasing them going NO! NO!! BAD DOG NO!! GO THE OTHER WAY ATTACK THE OTHER WOLF!!! You &#@$ing idiot dog COME!!!

[Brygun]

Novrus of Novrus's jounral died at least 3 times vs wolves.

It was at his homestead so the one he survived made much use of shooting out the sauna window.

Plus the homestead anti-bear and anti-glutton traps really helped as well.

[PALU]

Don't try to shoot out a window as a safe method to hunt bears, though. I tried, and the bear opened the door...

My character (and dog!) did actually win that fight unscathed, but don't rely on that tactic. As far as I understand, bears are the only animals capable of opening doors (not counting Njerps as animals for this purpose), so it should be a good one for wolves (until you ran out of arrows).

[Dungeon Smash]

I completely agree with the OP, with regard to tactics.  The approach that the OP describes is the most effective way.  I would also add: Use your dogs as a screen.  Better to lose a dog than lose your life.  Keep them leashed in front, they will viciously attack the wolves and form a natural barrier.  When your time comes, step in and finish a wolf, or else maneuver to a better tactical position.  Keep barriers behind, and dogs in front, until it is time to escape or exterminate the last wolf.

The best armor for fighting wolves is chainmail - if you are covered head-to-toe in chainmail (do not forget arms and hands), they will have a hard time hurting you.  Fur or leather is also good to add.  It's best to have a weapon which does large damage in a short period of time, to finish off wolves that the dog(s) have wounded.  Battleaxe, battlesword, etc.  Bows are generally not useful when hunting wolves, in my experience... wolves like to come out in the evening time, when visibility is low.  Plus, you are likely to hit your own dog.

Wolf hunting is much more dangerous without dogs, but still possible.  Just think tactically, like the OP says.

[demol]

Fight 5+ pack yesterday in a carnifex coniferous forest.
Took home 5 wolfskins after.

my imperatives
1) stay on open ground.
You must observe 360 degrees around, pines can shield you spruces - not.

2)shoot em as fast as I can.
Find place with good observation and take not a step away. If you can't shoot right now - press "5" to regain stamina and turn around.

3) Kick their noses.
Inexplicably, UnReal wolfes fear raw muscular power much more than cold steel. If I swing broadsword on them they try to bite me. If I kick them when my arms are occupied wih bow/arrow they chiken-out and run along in fear with my arrow chasing their tail.

So shoot-shoot-look around-kick&shoot-kick&shoot-kick&shoot until there is only one creature standing. If this creature is you then you win.

[More_tribal_interaction]

Easy peasy way to take down wolves.

Make sure the terrain is open mire or pine mire with lots of water bodies.
Ensure you have at least 20 arrows or similar projectiles. You should make sure that your skill is enough to shoot consistently at an object about 7 small tiles away.
Make sure you zoom in when the wolves are in the *adjacent* world tile.

Hide, and move in the direction you last saw the wolves.
Check that there are at most 4 or 5 wolves.

Choose the terrain such that there is a wide body of water, at least 5 tiles deep, between you and the wolves. There should be nothing behind you since you approached from one direction. Fire off to aggro the wolves; usually one or two will aggro you while the rest will hang back.

Wait until the first wolf is at the water edge or in the water, then fire at the body. As the water will slow it down, make sure you get to fire at least 3 arrows to severely injure your first wolf.

Judge the situation. Is there only one wolf near you? If so, keep trying to take down the 1st wolf. If there are too many, retreat and shoot those near the front. Aim to injure as many of them as possible. You are not afraid of them when their movement is as slow was you.

Also, if you have javelins, javelin those that are within 3 tiles, because javelins are heavy and weigh them down.

Your big problem is running out of ammo. So try to lure one or two away, kill them, retrieve your projectiles, and then recover your strength. Be mindful that aggroed wolves can suddenly retreat, while those that ran away can suddenly aggro.

Anyway, have fun with your shooting gallery. If you win, wolf pelts are quite valuable. If not...