Expert Realism Defeated : 'The Read Deal' Achievement claimed.

Well, I did it, I finally managed to scrap my way through Left 4 Dead 2 on Expert Difficulty, Realism mode - earning the achievement. A rare achievement actually - according the Giantbomb's stats page only 3.3% of the 12,000 odd players of Left 4 Dead 2 or about 360 players.

Now first of all - I have to say, the success was down to getting into a really good team. Normally when I play - I'm pretty strong, I tend to feel like I'm usually at least equal strongest in the team. I'm often the guy handing out pills, helping people up and limping to the safe room when everyone else bitten the bullet...

However in this particular team, I was more the dude bringing up the rear, watching peoples backs and being helped up and given pills! The honour roll of the folk I did it with:-

ALEX DE RUE
Rabbid Sloth
Le Picard

If anyone wants to do Expert Realism, hit these guys up for a game, considering so many others I've been teamed up with - have failed so often - we made it look pretty easy - nobody got killed, there were very few incaps and rarely were all the first aid kits in the safe room actually used.

I did make another observation about Dead Center which makes it a particuarly easy campaign to beat - it's the haz-mat guys. Every time you kill one there's a chance they will drop a boomer bile jar. These are incredibly useful and when there are a lot of zombies piling in - with the haz-mat guys - you can sometimes end up with an almost endless supply.

So apart from that - what's the secret to beating Expert Realism?

Okay here's my quick list for how to do it.

1. Be good, be VERY good, you should be able to clear the first part of Dead Center with the crappy computer AI only for help.

2. Choose Dead Center - for loads of reasons it's an easier campaign.

3. Be in as good a team as you can - if there's one idiot, or person who isn't very good - then you may as well play Scavenge and try another time.

4. Save your pipe bombs and boomer biles for hoard rushes.

5. Take extreme care not to hit each other with friendly fire - but never avoid taking a shot, the damage you deal with a firearm is less then the infected.

6. If a hunter, charger or smoker grabs someone - save them quick, there's no time to pause.

7. If you meet a tank heal or take pills - yo need to be able to manouvre.

8. If a witch blocks your path - use the combat shotgun, disturb her when your gun is full and don't start shooting until she is vulnerable - go for the head at point blank range.

9. Try to keep the whole team healthy and alive. If you get to the safe room and everyone is limping along in the red - the healthiest person should kill the others before you close the door- that way everyone gets 50% health

10. Remember the choke points and pick your spots to hold out, be patient, but move quickly when you're not fighting.

Finally - make sure you check every spot where health and weapons spawn - to keep yourself healthy and well armed.

Weapons wise - at the gun store get the Magnum and put your laser sight on the magnum, it's a must gun for Expert Realism, infinite ammo and one shot will more or less stop a zombie almost anywhere you hit it. Well, that's not strictly true - go for the head of course, or a limb - particularly if you're on the floor shoot at the legs. It will blow the arms off infected but that won't stop them - taking the legs out will!

Don't forget to take your time, the best strategy is to be patient, fight hard and move fast when you are moving.

All in all, if everyone plays a good game, it can be easier than you think, certainly eaiser than 99% of people who attempt it make it.