As a shotgun man, I run straight at the fucker to do maximum violence. This usually lasts about three seconds on Expert mode.

depends on what level were on
easy is the classic rambo aproach thats oh so fun
normal advanced tank bait and open fire while team mates leather it
expert use the little tricks to get it stuck somehwere or legg it in terror back to the safe room

i usually run backwards/strafe around it, but that might be because i hate molotovs.

1) Envision that is a disfigured version of someone I have a mild disliking to.
2) Empty my shotgun into it's face.
3) Laugh at it's bloody body.

Well when I played the first L4D demo, standard practice for me was to take the fucker head on with a shotgun. I even used to wake the witch up for fun, because she never got 'activated' enough if you just walked past, because it seemed like you never got any zombies come that often when you went past her.

That was just the demo though, never got the full game.

Beat it to death with a frying pan. I did that to a Tank in L4D2. On expert. Yes, I'm just that awesome.

You see, I always want to play hero. I usually charge the tank and get a few melee attacks in for style. Usually when he's preoccupied battering someone else to a pulp, though; I'm not completely stupid.

1) Divert it's attention onto a team mate (easy enough).
2) Hide round corner as team mate runs past screaming (closely followed by Tank).
3) Cock Benelli.
4) Step out.
5) Introduce tank to noisy end of Benelli.
6) Stand in triumph as team mate calls you a sneaky c##t.

Works fine on anything but expert, where Tank merely turns round and swats you.

Seeing as myself and my team can handle a tank with ease, we'll just ensure we can run at max speed and kite him around laughing at how useless tanks are.

Depending on my health, mood and equipment, I will chose either 1, 2, or 3.

I do a silent verion of option 4. I scream in my head, but normally I'm using a 360 controller on my PC (which keeps disconnecting (wireless) in that game and that game only, and it's not the batteries) I can't remember the button for molotov and end up selecting a med-kit or pain pills, neither of which I probably have.

me being a selfish bastard would yell "OH SHIT A TANK" then run like a coward and leave my teammates to there fate criticizing any who die

I can normally hear the tank long before I see him, my regular team never seem to hear him and have learned the hard way to listen to me when i say the tank is ahead. We get a molotov ready then throw it and run while firing widly, we can normally pull it off.

Molotov, always be prepared.

Depends. If it is Versus, I have some confidence that I can dodge a few blows, letting my trusted auto-shottie do its thang. If it is campain, I run around like crazy and try to make it get stuck in windows and narrow points.

Molly then run backwards. Depending if anyone is good on my team I'll let them decide what to do otherwise say over hither or something.

If it runs past me, I ignore it. If it's comming at me, I'll run and shoot.

Most of the time I fire at it while running backwards, but if I have a molotov, I'll throw it at the tank.

I turn to my bloodstained comrades and yell "I'm done for anyway, get the hell out of here!"
As they protest, I pull the molotov cocktail from my waist, and light the rag.
"Trust me, you don't want to be around for this." With a last cheeky wink at my comrades, I dash towards the behemoth screaming "Alright you fucker, its time to burn!".

As the beast hurtles towards me, I ready my throwing arm, and smash the bottle at our feet as our bodies collide.

In less dramatic terms, I sometimes like to suicide molo them to buy my team an extra few seconds to leg it :p

Not as awesome as my response to the Witch. Once we spot it, my team usually try to figure out how to avoid it. While they are doing this, from the back of the group (ie where I have positioned myself) a flaming bottle of love will go flying over there heads, sailing into the distance, and coating the Witch in spicy spicy hugs. Then its off for a spot of jogging, as if its expert mode, its gonna take quite a while for her to settle down.

I'm always baiting him. And it almost always work :)

I'd run away screaming, even if all my mates died. Then I'd hide in one of the respawn cupboards...then the tank smashed down the door and punched my head off.

This was in the Beta, when it was brand new. I still kick myself for never buying that game (never got round to it)

Gonna correct that with this, though *hands Steam a briefcase of money, who subtly hands over L4D2 like it was cocaine or something*

Run and shoot. If he knocks anyone down, I run right up to him and empty my Shotgun clip into his face as he's pounding the guy into the ground; sometimes I end up taking off 2/3 of his health just by myself.

Pray, cry, and shoot. in that order.

None of the above. I usually don't fire at all, for some reason the punches take 'em down fast, so I do that.

I use one of 3 options

1. Run/Shoot/Molotov

2. Safe Room - Safe Room - SAFE ROOM!

3. Rock, Paper, Scissors. Ok, you fight the Tank. Bye!

i would have a mixture of 2 and 3 maybe 4. :P

Shoot and retreat. I've only been startled by a tank once, and I've yet to be downed by one. (Not really bragging here, I haven't played on expert, and doing it on hard was a fluke to not get killed)

Molotov's suck now that we have bile bombs... :D

Assassin Xaero:
Molotov's suck now that we have bile bombs... :D

havent tried that yet...would be awesome though if tank started hitting itself on the head...

Sneaklemming:
Well seeing as L4D2 is about to release- all us vets are going back to L4D to brush up. Thought this might be fun.

So what do you do?

Personally I either run at the tank screaming hysterically or RUN AWAY! - depends on my mood tbh...

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So this is kinda search bar approved- but my forum-fu is weak; and I'm almost certain there must be an old thread like this- but I think it's time for a fresh view on the topic now that it's been out a while.

EDIT: Other option removed... tis boring
Ed:Ed: New option added which I forgot

I usually grab the shotgun if I think we're about to run into a tank. Taking him down is usually a combination of molotov and making him do the rounds. Follow him when he chases someone, all switch when he chases you, shooting all the time. Also, if you jump right you can almost avoid his hits or at least get hit away from him if youu're by a wall.

'Scream "Dont molotov the Tank it only makes him faster!"'
Seriously, less than 3% of the posters here know this?

Sneaklemming:

Slayer_2:
I throw a molotov (does that actually make them faster?!?) Then I usually get torn to pieces depending on whether I'm playing online and at what difficulty. If I have AI on my team, I let them distract the Tank while I open fire. On Easy/Normal/Advanced I almost never get killed by the Tank.

It might be an urban gaming myth; but Ive always held that setting the tank on fire makes it just fast enough to be able to catch you- while not on fire its the same speed...

Its absolute honest to god truth. The only way the tank can catch you when not lit up is by cutting corners because he actually runs a bit slower that the players. Once he's lit up, hes noticeably faster than the player. NEVER light up a tank on Expert unless everyone has at least 40 seconds worth of clear running room.

I charge him screaming "I DOESNT AFRAID OF NOTHIN" and try to tackle him.

If we're outside, I just stand my ground firing away with the Assult Rifle. If he targets me, I just side-step his charge and by the time he spins around, my team has already finished him. If we're inside, I turn tail and run outside to set up the above strategy.

Who the hell said they ignore the tank? Bullshit.

Anyways I do the natural run backwards and open fire on that mutha.

Beat it to death with my own hands, like a real man!

No really i shoot and back peddle.