DieHard Wolfenstein Bunker

Introduction

Whoa!  A player and strategy guide.  Who needs that?  That's right! Most people have that attitude. You might be saying "Wolfenstein 3d is Easy"?  Yes, that's probably true when you are playing the easier difficulty levels.  Once you play like a real soldier (Bring 'em On & Death Incarnate difficulties), this game can be as tough as some of todays FPS (First Person Shooters) games.

When playing the Wolfenstein series of games, it requires combat experience that only the battle-hardened veterans may possess (or learn to in time).  The strategies given here provide the basic ideas on combat etiquette.  They may also give you some inside information that should help you survive when things get tough!

Ways to Play

Different players have different styles of playing, and as a result the game will play completely different. Who can say what is right or wrong.  In the end your style of fight and the choices that you make will be your own.

Adapting Your Playing Style

If you are normally methodical and move slowly and cautiously, try moving quickly through a level or two and shooting anything that moves. Afterwards you may still prefer the slow methodical approach but you will have sharpened your reaction time and improved your playing so that when you are in a tight spot you'll do much better.

Likewise, if you normally play fast and furious, slow it down a bit. Think about who might be around the corner and how you can take them out! Or what you'll do if there's a troop of 20 guards!

OR Change the way you play according to your health and ammo. If you're almost dead but you're loaded with ammo it's kamikaze time! Go in (or out as the case may be) with your gun blazing and ask questions later.  If your health is great but you only have 3 bullets left, don't shoot from a distance, wait until you're nose to nose with a guard before you plug him!

Be a Mouse-Key-Teer

Using the keyboard and mouse together is a must for the advanced player (if you don't have a joystick or Gamepad).  The mouse can be a more exact tool for movement than the keyboard.  While the keyboard is functional, using both can help you move quicker and more efficiently.  In long corridors, use the Up Arrow & Right Shift Keys to run like lightning.

These basic commands can be altered to your own preferences in the "Control Menu".  It is suggested that you find the keys that best suit your playing style (use the original until you have a feeling for what is required).  In addition to those controls there are a few others that you will want to become familiar with.  These are:

Watching the Clock!

The game has PAR times to which it will compare to your time after completing each level.  If you beat the par time you will be rewarded handsomely.  While beating the par time may increase your score, you may not get the other bonuses for 'Killing All Enemies', 'Finding all Treasures', and 'Finding all the Secrets'.  Some people race for a high score, others strive for 100% ratios..... It's really your choice in the end. The game won't display your time after completing a Boss or Secret floor, so you'll have to use your watch or a stopwatch on those levels.

Ten Levels & a Wake Up

While you can finish each episode in 9 levels , there are actually 10 levels of gameplay.  This tenth level is always reached by a secret elevator somewhere in the first 9 levels.  This secret elevator is almost always hidden, and will require some patience to find.  The secret levels are usually filled with extraordinary amounts of treasure, ammo, and health.   Remember though, that secret floors are usually, well almost always, tougher than the prior level you came from.  So cash in but, BEWARE!

Note: In Spear of Destiny, the game is structured differently.  You can finish the game in 18 levels.  There are actually 21 continuous levels, so there are 3 hidden levels hidden within the first 17 floors.  Can you find them?

Quick Level Tips:

1. Run - Run wherever possible. 
   You are being timed and getting a fast time may increase your bonus. 
2. Learn the levels or Map them out.
   Knowing where things are on each level will help you in your times of need.  ie: Ammo, Health...
3. Conserve Ammunition.
   You never know what is beyond the next corner....  (also see Section below).
4. Know your enemy.
   See and learn about the enemies here. 
   It might just help you with that high score, extra bonus, or just plain save your life.
5. Save often.
   Saving the game can save you from hours of frustration.  There is nothing like playing through the game, only to make a stupid mistake, which forces you to start all over if you haven't saved.

Memories of the Past

Your chances of survival increase dramatically if you can remember where you've been and your way around a floor.  Your memory is your best defense!  Well, after your chaingun at least!

If you're finding it difficult to make your way around a floor, try always going in the same direction, left or right. This should make retracing your steps easier. Still, you could end up circling an area without entering it. So remember to check every door before you leave the floor if you want to play the entire level.

Cheaters Never Prosper!

You probably know about the MLI key sequence by now.  If not, it is much like a gift from above.  Pressing the keys "MLI" at the same time, will give you both keys, 99 bullets, 100% health, and all weapons.  While doing this may (or may not for cheaters) make you feel guilty, remember that living with the shame may be more desirable than dying.  

Note: What you may not realize, is that when you press the MLI key sequence, the game adds 10 minutes to your time and sets your score back to 0.  You will never achieve a top score by using this cheat, but at least you will have survived.  But then again, isn't getting a high score one of the main goals of the game?  Other cheats can be found on this page here.

Gibs by the Gallon to Go!

A great warrior will do anything to survive.  When you are severely injured, you can gain health and strength by drinking/eating pools of "Gibs".  Piles or Puddles of "Gibs" (aka Blood, Gibbitude, Giblets, or whatever you want to call them), are a source of health when you need something quick.  Torture Rooms, Prison Areas, and Dog Kennels are the best sources for finding the floor slop.  So when your health drops below 10%, it's time to remember that "pride goeth before... a fall".  There are times when you just have to be a real blood and guts soldier!

Also within the levels you will find Dog food, Meal trays, and Health packs.  These health artifacts work regardless of your health status (only picked up when required - health is below 100%). When you can't find one of these items though, and you are below 10%...  Go for the gibs!  See this and other useful items here.

Hidden Rooms & Lost Keys

Yes, there are hidden secrets, and locked doors.  Because the Nazi's don't like walking across a crowded dungeon, there is very often a door or secret room, hidden near where the key you require is located.  These doors can reveal a much shorter and safer passage than the route you traveled to reach the key (but not always).  So start pushing walls, and find these secret areas.  Besides the possible treasures, health, and ammo, may lie the key to get you to your next challenge. 

Some secrets are easier to find than others.  Some may be behind a picture on the wall, or behind a wall where the texture changes slightly, or even between two items (like flags or barrels).  Secrets count in the bonus calculations at the end of each level, so happy hunting & Finders "Key"pers. 

Securing the Area

A good soldier always clears a corridor or room of everything before moving on and searching for secret passages.  Enemies can sneak up behind you or come from nearby passages.  You can be killed by one or two shots from a very close range.  If you hear a shot behind you, it's probably your best maneuver, that you run to safety.  Before you can spin around, you'll be pushing up daisies, 6 feet underground.  So keep your eyes and ears open as good senses can and will save your life! You never know when someone is going to open that door with guns blazing!

"Hoover Maneuver" - Once you ve cleared an area of any threat, quickly run around picking up all the ammo and health and other items you can.

Shoot them in the Back!

That's right!  War has no place for manners!.  Take advantage of the opportunity quickly, to surprise a guard, and shoot them in the back.  When you're sneaking up on any enemy with only one bullet left, you hope for a lucky shot.  A bullet in the back will cause double the damage points to the enemy.  Will that be enough?  You'd better pray that it is!

Note: Sneak up with caution though, as guards have better peripheral vision than you do. 

Don't get Shot in the Back!

When you're trying to get out of an area in a hurry with guards chasing you, don't just wait for a door to open. Run to the door, open it, and spin around quickly with your gun blazing. Don t forget to use your RUN key when you spin!

Run Backwards?

Often you'll see a room that appears to be clear. But, you know these guys like to hide by the door and wait for you! Running in backwards can give you a big advantage in picking off guards on either side of the doorway.

Up Close & Personal

The closer you are to an enemy, the more damage you will inflict on him when you shoot.  Remember though, this works both ways.  So the best advice here is, to make sure you get the first shot!  This is extremely helpful during those close-quarters combat or when you are running low on ammunition.

Shooting their Mouths Off

When guards hear your shots, very often they will yell out a warning.   This can actually work to your advantage in certain situations.  Shoot from outside an open doorway and count the voices from inside this new unknown area.  

Remember:  This is not always effective as some of the guards are trained to keep their mouths shut!

Warning: Mutants are dead, and dead men tell no tales!  Also, Shooting in one area may alert guards somewhere else on the level.  Be aware that the hunter may have become the hunted!

Never dally in a Doorway

It's best to never stand in a doorway if you are engaged in a firefight!  Guards that are posted near a doorway will shoot at you, without you even seeing them.  Your peripheral vision is poor at best, and you are usually focused on another target.  You will get shot when you put yourself in this position.

The best offense is a good defense.  So, open the door and stand back.  To spot possible enemies inside of the room, slide (strafe) from side to side (left to right and vise-versa) while the door remains open.  

Thank the Doorman!

Sometimes it's convenient to have a door stay open so you can see who's coming.  Kill a guard or dog in a doorway to hold it open.  If you're lucky, you can use this trick to hold open a locked door that you don't even have the key for!

Waste Not - Want not

Many of the adversaries you will face, especially killer guard dogs and officers, are placed in certain areas for the sole purpose of wasting your ammunition.  These are fast moving enemies that will dodge from side to side (left to right) in the hopes that you will miss them when you shoot!  It's best to not fire at these enemies until you move close enough to frag them with relative efficiency.  Quickly shoot them as they attempt to attack you.

Big Guns Chew Ammo

When you get low on ammunition, it is sometimes best to switch back to using the machine gun (or even the pistol when the situation warrants it).  While a room full of SS may require more power (like the chaingun), a room full of brown uniformed guards can be easily dispatched with the lessor machine gun.  Conserve your ammunition for those times when you really need it!

Real Men Use Knives

If you're really low on ammo, conserve it by using your knife.  Knives work well on dogs and guards. Of course, if a couple of SS or Mutants/Bats come in while you have your knife out, you'll probably be dead before you can switch to your Chaingun!

Remember: Real men die fast too!

Elevators are for Everyone!

You may become accustomed and view the elevator as your sanctuary. DON'T!!!  Often, especially in the later, more difficult levels (other episodes), you may often be surprised by an SS or a guard.  You may find that these elevators aren't just for your personal use.  Rather, should I say, you will find that many guards may be in the larger freight elevators.  

Never Fight a Two-Fronted Battle

Always attempt to keep your firefight localized to one entrance.  Enemies have no regard for shooting you in the back either!.  If there are two doors to a room, then open up one of them.  Take a step back for some cover, and wait for the guards to come to you.  If you hear a door open from behind your position, it's best to move.  Move quickly for better cover.  Guards from other areas may hear you and approach your position from these other entrances/areas.

Head Over Heals

It's all about health!  If you are near several sources of food or first aid kits (health - or even gibs) during your combat, move to it in an attempt to attract the guards to you!  Stay near or on top of the source of health at hand and slowly move over it as your fight progresses (This is especially useful when fighting the Bosses). Health items can be viewed here.

No Hostiles in Hidden Areas

Well, that's not always the case but, you can be most certain that guards are usually never stationed immediately inside secret areas.  If you discover a secret room, for the most part, you can rest easy while inspecting it. Now if there is a door within this secret room, all bets are off once you open that!

The Boss says "You're Fired"

Having problems killing the bosses? ATTACK! RETREAT! ATTACK! RETREAT! - Bosses alternately shoot, then pause before shooting again. Try running towards them with chaingun blazing while they're pausing, then run backwards and stop shooting to conserve ammo when they start firing. This works best in a large open area. Try it!

Boot Camp is Finished: Get to It Soldier!

That's most of the hints that we can give without taking the fun and challenge out of the game.  If you really are stuck, then you can get more information by viewing the Hintbooks ( Wolfenstein - Spear of Destiny ), but try to use these only as a last resort.  Play Safe...  Play Smart... And good luck on your adventure!

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