Insane difficulty due to mutant spawn Thread - MISERY mod for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Not sure if anybody ran into them yet, but I have ran into some seriously insane mutant spawn in Zaton, making my progress nearly impossible.
My assaulter was just grinding gears in Zaton and complete just few quests. Haven't even reached a single chopper in Zaton yet. I thought I am pretty early in game according to the story line and pretty well equipped for Iron Forest chopper and hopefully get the fine tools in the corner room, boy was I wrong about I was well equipped.
I am in upgraded Berill Military armor and matching head gear, carrying AKM with couple of hundreds of rounds, few grenades and enough misc items to keep me alive. I was planning to toss couple of grenade for the controllers and their zombie puppets from the side wall then spray the rest of them down with automatic fire. I did not know 8 blood suckers and a fat ass giant is on the far side of the wall. It appears they spawned at same time with controller because as soon as the party started I am surround by blood suckers and 2 controllers plus a giant is chasing me. Took me 5 reloads and I finally gave up, I can not win against such hoard with the weapons I have, and at this point I don't have much options on weapons since Owl and Bear only sell junks.
I am wondering if anybody else ran into the same problem and how do manage to progress.

Some of the enemies will not leave the substation. For me the controllers refused to go past the walls. Snorks would not chase me all the way down to the garage where the stash is, they'd end up running back and forth. You can use that. But really, just collect grenades and spam them if you're having trouble. If you can scrounge a vog-25 or something, a direct hit with it will nearly kill the giant all on its own. Shotgun for the bloodsuckers, preferably from somewhere out of reach to them. Basically try to kill the controllers and giant with grenades, then deal with the bloodsuckers by exploiting geometry.

If you think this is a load of crap, wait until you get to Jupiter and have a battery of poltergeists frying your brain through the wall before you can even get into a position where they're killable.

Edited by: Noworky

Haven't had the honor to meet these poltergeists yet.
I need to go back and grind for more ammo and grenades since what I am carrying is clearly not enough. Why on earth these thing spawn at one spot this early in game? Bloodsuckers are really considered high tier monsters and 8 of them at same time is bit too much. I got rolled because they attack from all direction and no where to run.

Why - probably because it's supposed to be a kind of 'boss fight' that pre-empts the player proceeding from Zaton to Yanov. Same as the Jupiter plant's bevy of monsters guarding the way to Pripyat. However it is exasperating. The first time I went to the iron forest in Misery I had to contend with the usual assortment of zombies and izloms, then two controllers and a poltergeist, then five bloodsuckers, then a pseudogiant. Bloodsuckers I find aren't as bad as other mutants simply because they have no counter for the player standing on a pipe or crate or whatever. Controllers are much more irritating, at least if they have other enemies running interference for them, as their ranged attack is a one hit kill in Misery and you can't afford to let them get close to you whether they have line of sight or not. Same with a pseudogiant's ground-stomp if they're anywhere near you.

Honestly once you get used to the idea of there being a host of mutants here it isn't too bad - at least they don't all respawn. It also isn't the least fair fight in this mod.

Ah, the Iron Forest... I'd retell my story but I seem to have repressed it and the soiled underwear now under my bed. But don't worry, there are more than a few 'tactics' listed on this forum to help you on your way, have a sift through, some are quite ingenious really!

Oh yes, another rather simple way to even the odds at the iron forest is to hire a stalker team to lead you there. Stalkers tend to fare much better against mutants than you do, since they're apparently immune to all the death auras and have a nice little rifle butt attack that you don't. Plus, you know, infinite ammo.

Edited by: Noworky

Sometimes I just felt if I have the flame thrower to deal with these invisible fucks. 2 or 3 is kinda ok. 8 is way over the line, there is no time to do anything at all. Controllers pre attack sounds makes me panic everytime, when I try to dodge their attack I got grab by one of these suckers then recover just to find out controller is in attack position.

Noworky wrote: Oh yes, another rather simple way to even the odds at the iron forest is to hire a stalker team to lead you there. Stalkers tend to fare much better against mutants than you do, since they're apparently immune to all the death auras and have a nice little rifle butt attack that you don't. Plus, you know, infinite ammo.

Haha good point, pick the biggest baddest Duty guys around the Shadovsk, the 10K escort will more than be paid back after the bloodbath!

Another tactic is to lure them into the electrical anomaly field by sniping from just on the other side of it, near the gap in the eastern wall.

I went back there again, after 24 grenades, 600 rounds, 6 medkit and practically wearing bandages, all these fucks are dead, with the helps of Mercs in the station.
Everything I have are either spent or broke, with this one sided fight. But hey I finally won.
I managed lure the suckers into the station and Mercs got 8 more reasons to hate me now, they are big help as meat shield and I just keep feeding them grenades. Controllers are slow and they do try to follow me, but without blood suckers to back them up they go down quickly. Giant ate grenades like candy, after pumping 5 or 6 mag into that 2 legged tank I finally brought it down.

This is just insanely difficult, I usually don't sweat for a shooting game but this one really made me work hard.

DesertEagleV wrote: I went back there again, after 24 grenades, 600 rounds, 6 medkit and practically wearing bandages, all these fucks are dead, with the helps of Mercs in the station.
Everything I have are either spent or broke, with this one sided fight. But hey I finally won.
I managed lure the suckers into the station and Mercs got 8 more reasons to hate me now, they are big help as meat shield and I just keep feeding them grenades. Controllers are slow and they do try to follow me, but without blood suckers to back them up they go down quickly. Giant ate grenades like candy, after pumping 5 or 6 mag into that 2 legged tank I finally brought it down.

This is just insanely difficult, I usually don't sweat for a shooting game but this one really made me work hard.

Weird, the last time i visit Iron Forest, there's just like bunch of zombies, 2-3 controller, nothing more

tommackeno wrote:

DesertEagleV wrote: I went back there again, after 24 grenades, 600 rounds, 6 medkit and practically wearing bandages, all these fucks are dead, with the helps of Mercs in the station.
Everything I have are either spent or broke, with this one sided fight. But hey I finally won.
I managed lure the suckers into the station and Mercs got 8 more reasons to hate me now, they are big help as meat shield and I just keep feeding them grenades. Controllers are slow and they do try to follow me, but without blood suckers to back them up they go down quickly. Giant ate grenades like candy, after pumping 5 or 6 mag into that 2 legged tank I finally brought it down.

This is just insanely difficult, I usually don't sweat for a shooting game but this one really made me work hard.

Weird, the last time i visit Iron Forest, there's just like bunch of zombies, 2-3 controller, nothing more

Yeah unlike previous misery releases, my first run found the IF pretty quiet, much like the Zone's nursing home for aged controllers you described but on my second run it was rapesville. I guess it's just your luck but better to be prepared than surprised!

When you find iron forrest overcrowded with muties, zeds and hostile NPCs good tactics is to lure them towards station with merc and/or bandits, fuel station or oakpine tree anomaly. Also doing attack in few waves could be better then try to kill them all at once.

After first time scouting area there is a chance for muties to be attracted by you, other NPCs or other unfriendly mutatnts. If you are lucky they will kill each others leaving empty IF for you to explore.

Despite the fact that it is difficult to beat them, when you finally do, there is nice feeling of satisfaction that you are realy accomplished something.
Also, after first visit of IF and without killing all of muties there is good chance that you will find some squad that is going towards IF. You can join them without paying for the trip and they could be eaqualy effective to kill muties like paid squad.

Everyone seems to have some "secret" tactic to beat iron forrest area and sometimes you don't need any tactic at all becouse area is empty.
Becouse of randomnes of found enemies on your trips this mod is worth to play lot more then one playtrough.

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You can lure a lot of enemies into the electrical field by the iron forest.

Nyayr wrote: You can lure a lot of enemies into the electrical field by the iron forest.

I got into a warm welcome party before I managed to slip through to the other side. Originally I was going to nade controller/zombie party from other side of South wall, then all hell broke loose.

I just climbed a rock in the front of the base and shot a few in the air. Swarms of dogs and about 4 bloodsucker arrived shortly. They can't climb, so I packed them and 2 nades and a dozen of buckshot killed them all. After that I smoked some weed and sniped 2 poltergeist from the entrance. Maybe a controller too, I don't remember. Because of the distance it cost me at least 40 rounds. I left he poor zombies to their fate didn't waste bullet on them they move too slowly anyways.

When I came out from the lab the zombies were down couse some mercenary activity in the area. Shortly bandits joined too. They came for the shooting for sure. But I'm a patient sniper and they all went down eventually. Got some trouble to get their gear couse it was too heavy. But hell, one of them dropped a saiga. Thanks for that.

Ohh yeah and don't worry. There are only a few place in the Zone which is tougher than Iron Forest. ^_^

Edited by: aelfwine84

Well a few mines and hidden ieds also do the tricks

I haven't tried using explosives like IED or mines yet. I am not familiar with their proxy range and damage, plus worried I may step on them myself. I am kinda old school only rely on weapons I am familiar with. Grenade works just fine for me.
I have noticed when blood sucker going full invisible they can still be killed given if the shot connects, I managed to spray quite few of them when they are fully invisible, only turn visible again when lying dead on the ground. From now on I won't be so conversative on ammos when it comes to these invisibles fucks, full auto spraying and praying.

when i first came to iron forest and saw the hell inside, i ran all the way to substation, fortunately nothing was chasing me. it came to me to use the teleport anomaly and teleport behind iron fores. i went for the anomaly(walking by the end of the map), a few flashes were near it but i run passed them. when i was finely there i used the cracks of the walls to shoot the controllers there and everything that wasnt moving very fast. for the rest i used grenades. didnt kill all the muties 60-870% of them, but it was something.

DesertEagleV wrote: I haven't tried using explosives like IED or mines yet. I am not familiar with their proxy range and damage, plus worried I may step on them myself. I am kinda old school only rely on weapons I am familiar with. Grenade works just fine for me.
I have noticed when blood sucker going full invisible they can still be killed given if the shot connects, I managed to spray quite few of them when they are fully invisible, only turn visible again when lying dead on the ground. From now on I won't be so conversative on ammos when it comes to these invisibles fucks, full auto spraying and praying.

Mines ignore you, you can run over them all you want do be careful with friendlies, any other stalker/nmutty can set them off. A mine with a IED can kill a pseudo with 1 hit, but I prefer using them in freeplay by the service centre in pripyat, i put them on the stairs, an ied if used becomes a hidden packages that is obly detonated by a bullet/explosion, it also remains on the spot, for good so you can use it later on.

I noticed just carrying a shotgun with you +80 shells for mutties is always useful, bloodsuckers can die from 1 shot if you lucky. Also bushes are safety from mutties, though dogs can jump you.

Edited by: Nyayr

Just had a lot of fun with mines. It's quite fun if I know where the enemy will be.
Just blew up 3 stalkers trying to jump me for the wheel artifacts. Plant the mine before I went in and as soon as I pick up the artifact I saw explosions outside. Came out loot the bodies and go home happy.

I woke up at 6am in yanov, duty hated my guts because I killed like 3 of them the night before, and suddenly (where flint used to sit) are 3 duty members that followed me out of the station and immediately killed me

so I reverted to the night before when I forgot to save and I put an IED outside the door, saved, slept, next morning 6am, duty follows me out and all 3 get killed

I didn't know these guys will fire right outside of the door?
Both duty and freedom have me on their shoot on sight list, haven't really got jumped just outside the doors yet.

I didn't know these guys will fire right outside of the door?
Both duty and freedom have me on their shoot on sight list, haven't really got jumped just outside the doors yet.

DesertEagleV wrote: Both duty and freedom have me on their shoot on sight list

If one can do that then I think this mod is still not hard enough.