Step 1: Zombie types and information
There are many types of zombie portrayed in movies, books, and video games. This section will give you a basic understanding of zombies.
What is a zombie? A zombie is a human who has been infected with the Solanum virus and allowed to go through all the stages of infection. Although there are Voodoo zombies these are not traditional zombies as the can still express emotion and feel pain. Voodoo shamans sometimes use a special powder on people which is a powerful neurotoxin, this causes their bodies to go into a very depressed state (decreased breathing and heart rate). These people are declared dead and buried; their supply of oxygen soon runs out causing massive brain damage.
Voodoo zombies:
These are people who have been affected by a Voodoo shamans neurotoxin and buried causing extreme brain damage. These are not traditional zombies; they still exhibit emotion and feel pain.
Solanum zombies: These zombies are created by the Solanum virus. These zombies will attack any and all living things but they prefer the flesh of living humans. When they sight a prey object or hear a noise, they will open their mouth, emit a moan and will pursue their prey either until the zombie’s head is removed or until their prey is devoured. They cannot learn and have severely limited motor functions. These zombies are the most common in videogames and movies. These zombies can only be “killed” if there brain is destroyed. This guide is mostly about an outbreak of this specific type of zombie.
Step 2: Pre-outbreak
You need to be prepared for such and outbreak before it happens, if not you could end up zombie-chow.
The 3 things you should be aware of are: fortress specifications, defense capabilities, and natural resources.
Fortress Specifications: In the event of a zombie outbreak, a fortress or safe-zone is suggested, and sometimes required. Fortresses should be made in areas not easily accessible even by agile humans, let alone zombies. Waterfront areas are not suggested unless they are on high sea cliffs. A fortress should have a main entrance, but also well guarded escape routes in the event of an uncontrollable zombie infestation inside the fortress. The fortress should be divided into sections which can be closed off individually incase of an inside infestation.
Defense Capabilities: If a fortress is built well it can be easily and effectively defended. Fortresses should have a solid outer wall, preferably stone or concrete several feet thick and at least 15 feet high, upon which armed fighters can stand and shoot down upon zombies. A fortress should be well stocked, with both weapons and required items, like food and water. If you can make these last two self-sufficent, such as wells and gardens, so much the better. Many weapons are effective against zombies (see below) and if possible they should be included into the fortress’s armory.
Natural resources: Natural resources usually refers to things like water and food, if possible a garden area should be included in the fortress’s building plans, so that food may be grown, food and fresh water should be stocked up in large quantities, and also be able to be made within the fortress.
Step 3: Outbreak
This part deals with what to do, during a zombie outbreak. This part is divided into:
1. Weapons
2. Vehicles
3. Strategies and tips
4. Physical and mental conditioning
5. Infection
Section 1-Weapons:
Weapons are one of the most important things during a zombie outbreak. Without weapons you could be left defenseless, and that’s a bad thing. Weapons are very important when facing zombies, but remember the 5 major guidelines:
Skill
- This is the amount of skill a weapon takes to aim, reload and fire effectively.
- This is important because what good is a weapon that you can’t use effectively.
Ammo
- This is the amount of ammo a weapon can hold, per clip and total.
- This is important because the last thing you want to happen is for you to be caught without ammo while surrounded by zombies.
Weight
- This is the weight of the weapon and its ammo.
- This is important because you may be traveling far distances on foot, and the less weight the better.
Accuracy
- This is how accurate the weapon is, including its range and chance of misfire.
- This is important, because if you can’t hit a zombie, you can’t kill a zombie.
Damage
- This is how effective a weapon is against zombies, and the weapons rate of fire.
- This is important because if a weapon doesn’t kill a zombie, what good is it.
World War 2 era and former Soviet bloc weapons are highly effective against zombies, as is anything with enough penetration and a low skill level requirement.If you can try to find a gun shop and loot it, but be careful because most gun shop owners won’t like sharing. Fire is also effective against zombies, as their rotting flesh should burn somewhat well, weapons that cause fires are recommended, like Molotov cocktails due to their ease to make, large destruction radius, and effectiveness. Grenades are also usually effective, but not so easy to come by. Melee weapons are important also, chainsaws are ineffective, and very loud and hard to use, makeshift weapons are sometimes effective. Swords, pikes and other medieval weapons are usually highly effective, and can incapacitate a zombie with ease. Knives and other weapons with short reach can be effective, but are not recommended. BUT, most of the time, any makeshift household item should work better than a formal sword, as they can function in more than just one way. Like a hammer over a mace, a window pole over a staff, and even a lawnmower. It would take out their legs, and you could thus run. The philosophy in the game Dead Rising is useful, being able to see what is a weapon, and how to use it. Allow me to name a few more:
- Large Steak Knives,
- Wired Telephones,
- Lawn Chairs,
- Cell Phone/ game system/ other elctronic device Chargers,
- Weed Whackers,
- Katanas and other such blades,
- Nail/ Staple Guns,
- BB Guns (low penetration, only on really old and decayed zombies),
- Wooden Stakes,
- Large Flashlights,
- Boards with nails in them (they do work),
- Pipes,
- Baseball bats (aluminum is better),
- Hockey Sticks,
- Ice Skates,
- Golf Clubs,
- Firearms that are out of ammo,
- Blankets and oversized teddy bears (more as an escape alternative for blocking zombies from getting to your flesh, or blinding them,
- Heavy rope with tight knots,
- Vases,
- Hand saws,
- Almost any power tool,
- Makeshift nunchuks,
- Pitchforks,
- Torches (not electric),
If you’re lucky enough to have one, A bayonet, etc.
Remember, you don’t have to reload a melee weapon
Section 2-Vehicles:
This Section will teach you about transport.
Transport is usually needed during a zombie outbreak, either out of the infected area, or into a safe area. Depending on your specific situation, destination, and needs a number of vehicles could suit your purposes. Tanks and other armored vehicles are not generally recommended for long-distance travel, as their excessive fuel consumption, noisy operation, and limited mobility make them easy targets for swarms of undead. Additionally, the difficulty of finding replacement parts and a technician skilled enough to work on the vehicle limits their use to organized military, but if you are in the military or have experience in the military, military vehicles could be of very good use. School buses and vans can be modified to be highly effective when a larger group is in need of mobility, though this assumes roadways remain clear. Vehicles specifically suited to off-road use, as well as dirt bikes and even bicycles, can be effective transportation when road conditions are unknown and mobility is of the utmost importance. Unless zombies are sprinting towards you (which, depending on the outbreak, may be the case) a car may prove to be more hindrance than help.
Pickup trucks can be very effective vehicles in the case of a zombie outbreak, as they posses good handling and speed, as well as great mileage and payload. Since pickups are larger than sedans or convertibles, they can travel farther before refueling. They also have larger payloads, able to carry more supplies, such as food or ammunition. Pickup trucks can also be fitted with snowploughs, which can be useful for breaking up dense clusters of zombies. Pickup trucks are also better suited for offroad terrain than buses or vans, while still maintaining a high carrying capacity.
A word of caution: do not get too attached to your vehicle. It is a mode of conveyance, not a mobile base, and as such if it should become handicapped in a way that would be difficult to remedy (mechanical damage, stuck in a deep rut, etc.) do not hesitate to take what you can and abandon it. Better to lose a Jeep than to lose your life attempting repairs or retrieval.
Section 3-Strategies and Tips:
This section will teach you strategies against zombies, and give you tips when fighting against them.
Traps
Remember you can never have too many traps; pits, darts, mines, anything that will lessen the number of zombies actually reaching the humans, making it easier to effectively target them, and lowering the chances of being overwhelmed. If on the defensive: keep moving, kill zombies you encounter, but it is advised not to try to lure them in, as you may get more than you bargained for. If on defense, use idle time to build up your defenses, and check the fortress, possibly set up traps outside the base. Always remember: one shot, one kill. Very big pits are very effective zombie stoppers. Very big pits with spikes are not a good idea. Here’s why, the zombie swarm is huge and if you are defending one building there will probably be hundreds of zombies going in your direction, and because there are so many, spikes with impaled zombies will serve as ladders to the zombies falling in the pit. The point is to trap the zombies. Install plenty of fire traps, if you can, as they will not only kill the zombie but also dispose of the infected corpse.
Luring Zombies: Luring zombies towards yourself is generally not a good idea, as this can result in an overwhelming number of zombies attacking you. However, luring zombies away from you can be a very good idea, as it will lessen the strain on your defenses and ammunition. Zombies are attracted to light, noise, and meat. Taking this into account, there are numerous ways you can lure zombies into desired locations. Using spotlights, car alarms, or large piles of animal flesh, one can draw undead attention away from themselves.
Safety in Numbers
It is commonly said that there is safety in numbers. This statement is both true and false, as large groups have both advantages and disadvantages. Firstly, the larger the group, the more resources will be needed to sustain it. Bigger groups will eat up food supplies much faster, making large groups less effective in a siege situation. Secondly, larger groups will attract more zombies. Again, this will make siege situations much more difficult. Therefore, it would be advisable for large groups to remain on the move. Commandeering a large transport, such as a school bus, would therefore be a good idea. The major advantage of having a large group is manpower, making the group more capable of fending off large swarms of zombies. In this way large groups can be considered safer, though, as mentioned above, there are drawbacks. It should also be noted that in the case of large groups mutiny is always a possibility, and firm leadership should be established to prevent infighting.
- PS: Beware of the downsides of using a schoolbus, or any large vehicle for that matter. There are many disadvantages to having a schoolbus as a mode of transportation, it’s loud, easy to break when driven improperly, and it’s cumbersome.
Section 4-Conditioning:
To be able to survive a zombie outbreak, physical, mental, and emotional conditionings are recommended.
Physical Conditioning: During a zombie outbreak your body will be strained, from running, climbing, and fighting. Taking track, or playing sports is a good way to condition your body. Being able to run fast, and for a long time are very helpful when being attacked, as is being able to use a weapon with skill and agility is very helpful also. Learning parkour may be helpful as well, as it gets you places those maggot-brained zombies can’t climb.
Mental Conditioning: During a zombie outbreak, there will be death and suffering, usually of people that you were close to. You will need to be able to operate under pressure, stand stress well, and handle the deaths of friends/family. You will also need to realize that zombies are not human beings, and that killing them is not a bad thing, if you don’t they will only kill people in horrible ways. This is the time to be a sadistic killer of the undead, it might sound crazy, but it will keep you from getting the ’shell shock’ of fighting the undead.
Emotional Conditioning This is very similar to Mental conditioning except it has to deal with- who would’ve guessed- your emotions. You have to be ready to kill your best friends if they’re bitten, or cope with the fact that you may, in fact, be the last man on earth. Without Emotional Conditioning, you will be more susceptible to breaking down or committing suicide.
Section 5-Infection:
This section deals with handling corpses of the infected and infections within humans.
Infection through bites and scratches: This is the most common way that a zombie infection spreads. Depending on the type of virus, amputation may be effective as long as it is done as soon as possible after the wound is received. If the infection has already begun to spread through the body, it is best to say your farewells to the infected, and put them out of their suffering. A shot to the temple or side of the head are usually effective.
Dealing with corpses of infected: The most important rule to follow is to make sure that the person is dead, and is going to stay that way. If it is suspected that the corpse is reanimated, destroy it, using a melee weapon or fire is best, that way it isn’t a waste of ammunition if the corpse was dead. If you come upon corpses that have not yet been reanimated, burn them.
Other Ways of Becoming Infected: There are a couple of different ways to become infected besides bites and scratches, such as: being bitten by a mosquito that had ingested the blood of a zombie, biting a zombie (if it doesn’t kill you, it will infect you), or their blood getting into an open wound.