Use one or more vehicles, large pickup trucks, or SUVs to enter an
infested area. Once inside, make as much noise as possible to draw the
undead to you. Exit the area slowly, matching the speed of your purThe
suers. Like the Pied Piper, you will soon acquire a tail of zombies, a
grisly parade slouching after you. At this point, sharpshooters posted
at the back of the vehicles can proceed to take them down. The pursuing
ghouls will not realize what is happening, as their primitive brains
will not notice that their comades are falling all around them.
Continue to lead them from the area, thinning their ranks until none
are left. Use this tactic in urban zones (when the roads are clear) or
where natural environments allow long vehicular journeys.
2. THE BARRICADE
This tactic works similarly to "Lure and Destroy," only instead of leading
the undead on for miles, your bait will draw them to a fixed position.
This position could be constructed of debris, hastily erected
barbed wire, wrecked cars, or your own vehicles. From the fixed position,
your team will stand its ground, killing the zombies before they
I can overrun the barricade. In this instance, incendiary devices are
ideal. Chances are, that the approaching zombies will be tightly packed
by the time they reach your position. Molotovs or (and only in this onecase)
a flamethrower would utterly destroy their ranks. Barbed wire or
other similar obstacles should be used to slow an advance and further
concentrate targets. If incineration is not an option, simple marksman- #! ship will accomplish the same task. Make sure your distances are measured
and your rounds are expended wisely. Always watch your flanks.
If possible, make sure the zone of approach is narrow and contained.
Always have your escape route ready, but keep control of the team to
avoid a premature retreat. Use the Barricade tactic in urban areas or
those that provide great visibility. Specifically exclude jungles,
swamps, or thick forests.
3. THE TOWER
Find an area high above ground (a tree, building, water tower, etc.). Stock this position with enough ammunition and basic supplies for a
I protracted battle (longer than one full day). Once all these tasks have
I been accomplished, do everything you can to attract the dead. As they
gather around your position, begin the slaughter. Be careful when
using incendiaries, as fire may spread to the tower or smoke may
become a health risk.
4. MOBILE TOWER
Drive a garbage truck, semi, or other tall vehicle into the heart of an
infested area. Establish a kill zone with good visibility, park, and commence
the attack. The advantages of this tactic include never being
shackled to an existing tower, already luring the dead with your vehicle's
engine, and (provided your cabin is always clear) a guaranteed
means of escape.
5. THE CAGE
If you don't believe in cruelty to animals, don't try this on a sweep. It
basically involves placing an animal in a cage, positioning your team
within weapons range of that cage, then picking off the zombies that
come to devour said animal. Of course, several factors need to be conThe
sidered for this tactic to work. The live bait must he loud enough to
attract any nearby ghouls. The cage must be strong enough to resist an
attack and anchored well enough to resist being pushed. Your team
needs to he hidden so as not to attract zombies to its position. They
must also take care not to hit and kill the caged animal. Silent, dead
bait will quickly foil the cage strategy. Environments least suited to a
cage approach are those with little or no cover for your team. Avoid its
use in plains, tundra, or open desert.
6. THE TANK
Obviously, any civilian group will not have access to a real tank or
armored personnel carrier. What might be available is an armored car,
the type used to transport valuable commodities. In this case, the commodity
will be your team. Using a "tank" is very similar to the cage
tactic in that your goal is to attract the zombies to a specific location,
then dispose of them with rifle fire. But unlike the cage, your team
members within the tank's cabin are not simply live bait. Firing slits
enable them to add another level of firepower to those of the external
snipers. Be aware, however, of the possibility that undead may tip your
armored car on its side.
7. THE STAMPEDE
Of all hunting methods used against the dead, this is perhaps the most
theatrical. Basically, the "process" involves dividing your party into
teams, boarding a number of motor vehicles, driving through the
infested area, and running over every zombie they find. Despite the
image of a modem-day stampede, from which this tactic gets its name,
it has been all but abandoned by knowledgeable hunting groups.
Hitting a ghoul with a vehicle rarely results in a kill. More likely, the
animated corpse is left crippled, crawling around with a shattered
spinal column and useless legs. Always plan to follow up your "highspeed
chase" with hours of mopping up by a team of dismounted
hunters. If you do decide on the stampede tactic, use it in plains, desert,
tundra, and other wide-open areas. Urban zones present too many
obstacles, such as wrecked cars or abandoned barricades. Too often,
stampeding hunters have found their paths blocked and their situation
radically reversed. Avoid swamps or wetlands entirely.
8. MOTORIZED SWEEP
Almost the polar opposite of a Stampede, the Motorized Sweep is a
slow, calm, methodical approach. Your hunters, traveling in large,
powerful, well-protected vehicles, at speeds no greater than ten miles
an hour, patrol the infested area. Sharpshooters pick off the undead,
one shot at a time, until none are left standing. Trucks work best
because they offer snipers an easier, safer vantage point from the roof.
Although this tactic reduces the mop-up time of a Stampede, each
body will still have to be inspected and disposed of. Open areas are
ideal for the Motorized Sweep, although the slower speed involved
allows limited use of this tactic in urban areas. As with all motorized
vehicles, avoid dense andlor tropical areas. Once again, as with the
Stampede, you will still need to plan for an extensive mopping-up
period. Taking potshots from the roof of your Chevrolet Suburban will
not get that last zombie at the bottom of the pond, locked in a closet,
wandering the sewers, or lurking in a basement.
9. AIRBORNE SWEEP
What could be safer than attacking your enemy from the air? With several
helicopters, couldn't your team cover more ground in less time
with no risk at all? In theory, yes; in practice, no. Any student of conventional
warfare will acknowledge the need for ground troops, no
matter how superior an air force is. This applies tenfold for hunting the
I undead. Forget using air attacks in urban, forest, jungle, swamp, or any
other canopied terrain. Chances are your kill rate wiU drop to under 10
percent. Forget also the idea of a clean, painless sweep, even in a highvisibility
zone. Your team will still have to mop up no matter how
secure it appears. Air support does have its uses, especially in forward
spotting and transport. Planes or helicopters, scouting in open areas,
can provide zombie location data for multiple hunter teams simultaneously.
Blimps have the advantage of lingering over the infested area
all day, providing a constant stream of information and warning
I against possible ambushes. Helicopters can provide immediate assis-
I tance to those in trouble, lift'mg one team to the aid of another. Be cautious,
however, about using your "eye in the sky," so far ahead of the
1 group. Mechanical failures could cause a forced landing in highly
infested areas. Not only would the chopper crew be endangered-so
would any team member attempting to rescue them.
What about parachuting hunters into an infested zone? This theory
has been suggested many times although never put into practice.
It is daring, it is courageous, it is heroic, and it is utterly insipid!
Forget being injured on impact, tangled in trees, blown off course,
lost on landing-forget all the possibilities associated with normal
parachute jumps in regular peacetime conditions. If you want to
know the true danger of an airborne attack against zombies, try dropping
a square centimeter of meat on a swarming anthill. Chances are,
that meat will never touch the ground. In short, air support is just
that: "support." People who believe it to be a war-winner have no
business planning, orchestrating, or participating in any conflict with
the living dead.
10. THE FIRESTORM
Provided the blaze can be controlled, the area in question is suitably
flammable, and property protection is not an issue, nothing works better
than an artificial blaze. Zone boundaries must be clearly delineated.
Set a simultaneous fue to the entire perimeter so that the flames march
steadily inward. Do not allow for an escape route, no matter how narrow.
Keep watch for zombies that may have wandered through the
flames. In theory, the storm will herd the dead into a tight perimeter,
incinerating them in minutes. Mopping up will still be required, however,
especially in urban areas, where basements and other rooms may
have shielded zombies from the flames. As always, use caution, and be
ready to deal with fire as a secondary enemy.
11. UNDERWATER BATTLES
Never forget the possibility of ghouls stumbling into nearby water
before you declare an area secure. Too often humans have repopulated
"cleared'' zones only to be attacked days, weeks, even months later by
zombies who have just recently found their way back to dry land.
Because the undead can exist, operate, even kill in a liquid environment,
hunting them may require occasional underwater warfare. This
can be extremely hazardous, as water is
not the natural environment for humans.
The obvious problems of breathing and
lack of communication, mobility, and
visibility make an underwater zone the
most difficult for hunting the undead.
Unlike escaping by water, in which you
have the advantage over them, searching
and sweeping this alien environment
will tip the balance firmly in a zombie's
favor. This does not mean that an underwater
hunt is impossible. Far from it.
Ironically, its difficulty has been known
to keep hunters more alert and focused
than in more familiar environments. The
following general rules apply to any
successful subaquatic hunt.
A. Know Your Zone
How deep is the body of water in question? How wide? Is it landlocked
(pond, lake, reservoir)? If not, where are the exits to larger bodies of
water? How is underwater visibility? Are there any sunken obstacles?
Answer all these questions before proceeding with the hunt.
B. Scan from the Surface
Hooking on scuba gear and blindly diving into zombie-infested water
is a wonderful way to mix the two childhood terrors of being eaten and
drowning. Never submerge before thoroughly searching the area from
shore, dock, or boat. If murky conditions or extreme depth prevent the
use of naked eyesight, artificial means can always be employed. Sonar
devices, common echo rangers found in civilian fishing boats, can easily
detect something as large as a human body. Surface scans do not
always confirm whether a zone is infested or clear. Underwater obstacles
such as trees, rock formations, or sunken debris can obscure a
zombie's shape. If even a single one turns up, however, the next rnle
should be observed.
C. Consider Drainage
Why place your team in a hostile environment if that environment can
be removed? Ask yourself the question: Is it possible to just empty the
body of water? If so, even if it costs more time and effort than a submarine
hunt, by all means proceed. Most of the time, however, this is
not a viable option. To eliminate the menace below, yonr team will
have to follow it down.
D. Find an Expert
Are any of your team licensed scuba divers? Have any of them ever
worn scuba gear? How about simply snorkeling while on vacation?
Sending inexperienced men and women underwater could kill them all
even before they make contact with zombies. Drowning, asphyxiation,
nitrogen narcosis, and hypothermia are only a few of the numerous
ways that air-breathing animals such as ourselves can meet their fate
beneath the waves. If time permits-for instance, if zombies are cornered
in a landlocked body of water-find someone to either train and
lead yonr team, or even to undertake the mission on his own. But if
you believe that zombies have fallen into a river and could wind up
near another town soon, waiting for the experts is not an option. Be
ready to take the plunge, but be ready for the consequences.
E. Prepare Your Gear
As with land warfare, the right equipment and weapons will be crucial
to your survival. The most common respiratory aid is scuba (Self-
Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus). If none is available,
july-rigged compressors and rubber hoses provide a workable if not
perfect substitute. Handheld searchlights are a necessity. Even in the
clearest water, zombies could be lurking in sheltered, darkened nooks.
Spear guns should always be thought of as a primary weapon. Their
ability for skull penetration from a safe distance is shared by no other
aquatic weapon. Another powerful device is the diver's "bang stick,"
essentially a twelve-gauge shotgun shell at the end of a metal pole.
Both these weapons are rare, however, in all but coastal areas. In their
absence, look for nets, hooks, or homemade harpoons.
F.Integrated Attack
Nothing is more frightening than surfacing from an underwater sweep
to find zombies waiting on your boat! Always work in concert with
surface units. If your team consists of ten people, take five underwater
and leave the rest "on the roof." This will allow for a quick rescue if
the tide of battle turns. A surface group can also aid in scouting, killing,
and calling in reinforcements from land. As a general rule of all combat
strategies, the more dangerous the environment, the more support
is necessary.
G. Observe Wildlife
We have already established that birds and animals can signal the
approach of zombies. The same is me for fish. It has been proven that
aquatic wildlife can detect even minute traces of Solanum-infected
flesh as it floats off a zombie's body. Once they do they consistently
and immediately flee the area. Underwater hunters have always
reported zones completely devoid of fish right before encountering an
underwater zombie.
H. Killing Methods
Do not discount any of these tactics as fantastic or unreliable. As ludicrous
as some of them may sound, all have been repeatedly tested in
antizombie, underwater combat. All have shown remarkable success.
1. Sniping: Substitute a speargun for a rifle and water for air, and it is
basically the same tactic. As a speargnn requires less range than a rifle,
the diver will find himself in greater danger. If the first shot misses,
never reload on the spot! Swim to a safe distance, lock in another
spear, then re-engage your target.
2. SpearJishing: This is used if a head shot proves too difficult. Attach
a metal line to the end of the spear, and aim for the ribcage. Once the
zombie is skewered, your surface team can haul it up for disposal.
Keep in mind that these zombies still have the ability to attack. If possible,
try for a head shot from a rifle the second they break the surface.
This will require great coordination between a diver and the surface
team. One past foul-up resulted in an unwary team hauling what they
believed was a destroyed zombie to the surface. Their screams were
not heard by the incompetent diver below.
3. Hook and Liae: Attach a harpoon to a section of rope. Use it to spear
the targeted zombie, then have your surface team haul it up. Boat or
meathooks, fastened to the end of the harpoon, decrease the chances
of losing your target during the ascent. If the water is clear and shallow
enough, the process of harpooning could be conducted entirely
from aboard a boat. Again, as with the spearfishing, the "reeled-in"
ghoul must be disposed of before it comes close enough to strike.
4. Netting: Surface teams will be your primary source of attack, with
divers acting only as scouts. Fish or cargo nets should be dropped on
the targeted ghoul, then used to bring them to the surface. One major
advantage of netting is that the zombies you haul aboard should be too
tangled in the net to strike out at you. Of course, "should" is a very
dangerous word. Many a hunter was fatally wounded by zombies that
"should" have been easy kills.
1. Specific Rules
Think of bodies of water as different types of terrain. Each will have
its own set of conditions and can be as different from one another as a
desert is from a swamp. About the only thing some bodies of water
have in common is the Hz0 that covers them. You already have one
deadly enemy to contend with. Don't make another one.
1. Rivers: Constant currents can be both a blessing and a curse.
Depending on the strength of its currents a river can wash any and all
zombies well away from the initial infested area. Ghouls that fall into
the Mississippi near Winona, Minnesota, could easily wash ashore a
week later in downtown New Orleans. This creates a sense of urgency
not found with landlocked pools. If possible, set up nets at the narrowest
points. Monitor them carefully, and exercise extreme caution
when sending divers in to investigate. A strong current can cany them
right into the waiting arms and open mouths of their "targets."
2. Lakes and Ponds: Because they are landlocked (generally), there is
little chance for zombies to escape from a lake or a pond. Any undead
wandering back to shore could be sighted and killed. Those remaining
submerged will be eventually fished out and destroyed. The lack of any
current makes them an ideal location for divers. Lakes and ponds that
freeze over present a multigenerational problem. If they freeze solid,
the submerged will become entombed for the winter, making them
almost impossible to find. If only the surface freezes, zombies could
still prowl the water's dark depths.
3. Swamps: These are easily the most fmstrating places for an underwater
hunt. Their murky waters make diving next to impossible. Their
root-riddled bottoms confound echo sounders. In most cases, their
shallow bottoms make it easy for a zombie to simply reach up and
either grab a hunter or capsize his boat. Hunting in large numbers with
extensive use of searchlights and probing poles is the only proven
method for sweeping this environment. After one of these arduous
campaigns, you will know why so many tales of terror have their origin
in the swamp.
4. Oceans: Unless the area in question is a harbor or other semienclosed
area, forget about any successful hunts in the open seas.
There is simply too much space for a real sweep, with depths beyond
the reach of all but the rarest and most expensive submersibles. As
problematic as this is for aggressive hunting, the threat posed by these
undersea undead will probably be negligible. Most will simply wander
the ocean floor, never seeing dry land again, until they eventually
decay to nothing. This does not mean, however, that the threat should
be ignored. Once it has been confirmed that zombies have been washed
out to sea, determine the deep-water currents in that area and if-and
where-they might take the undead close to land. All coastal inhabitants
should be warned and a system of surveillance maintained for
some time after that. Unlikely as it sounds, zombies have been known
to slouch out of the surf months after an outbreak and on beaches thousands
of miles away.
So let's assume that you have followed all these instructions correctly.
The battle is over, the area is secure, the victims have been mourned,
the zombies have been burned. Hopefully, this will be the last time you
will ever have to raise your hand to undead flesh. But what if it isn't?
What if your struggle was merely one small theater of a greater, allout
war between the living and the dead? What if, heaven forbid, it is
a war humanity loses?
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