The Zombie Combat Manual (37 page)

And whittle down we did. That group along I-25 was like a little microcosm of our society, and a perfect example of how things began to shake out for the rest of the world. There were your geeks who thought technology would solve our problems. There were the yuppie whiners who wanted to be waited on hand and foot. There were the lazy bastards who wanted to stop and rest every fifty feet. And then there were the people who toughened up, made the best of the worst situation, and survived. Janey and Alan over there along with me are the only three of the original refugees who made it all the way to the safety nexus in Colorado City.

He points to a middle-aged woman and a young man from his running group, each assisting the other to stretch their calves.

MR:
This wasn’t about who was the fittest and healthiest. This was about heart. The outbreaks not only eliminated the weak, but made the strong realize that they were capable of so much more than they were already doing in life. Janey was a housewife in an abusive relationship for twenty years; Alan was a high school dropout who weighed two hundred seventy-five pounds. Now look at us. We’re thinking of forming a team for some of those necro-race challenges overseas. We’ll see.

ZCM: Do you ever feel that you’re in denial?

MR:
Denial about what?

ZCM: About the reality of what’s happened.

MR:
. . . and where did you get your psychiatry degree?

ZCM
:
I just mean . . .

MR:
Whose reality are you talking about? The reality that, after everything that’s happened, I should go back to slogging through a regular workweek and paying alimony to my bloodsucking ex who took my kids away from me? That was my reality for a long time, and you know what? It sucked. I’m happier now that I’ve ever been in my life, and if it took the dead to rise and start eating the living for it to happen, I sure as hell ain’t complaining. We’re done here.

Without another word, Randesh begins running up the path toward the blazing afternoon sun. His group, seeing that he’s back on the move, dart off and follow. Within minutes, they are dots against the hillside, slowly drawing out of sight.

MULTIPLE ATTACKERS

During a zombie outbreak, it is almost certain that you will face multiple undead assailants at the same time. Do not interpret this to mean that zombies exhibit any semblance of a hive or pack mentality. Every ghoul is its own singular entity—it does not follow leaders, give orders, or form alliances with other undead creatures. The reason why hordes of walking dead are often seen clustering themselves together is simple—that’s typically where the food is. Zombies have been known to recognize the moan of another ghoul as a signal that food is nearby and turn to follow the direction of said moan, eventually ending up in a packed swarm of walking corpses.

Just as we’ve detailed strategies for handling a single zombie, you can use specific tactics when facing multiples of undead. Battling a group of walking dead with a hand weapon is a tiresome and dangerous venture to undertake. Depending on your strength and skill, it is recommended that you engage only with groups of ten or fewer ghouls. For numbers greater than this, evasive maneuvering is always a better option, as the tactics described herein may be difficult to execute against larger clusters of undead. Evasion is also the preferred choice if you notice more zombies in the distance closing in. By the time you have eliminated one group, you may then have to engage with another sizable force, only this time in a fatigued state.

If escape is not possible and the only way to survive is to eliminate every zombie in the surrounding vicinity, follow these strategies to make your engagement smooth, efficient, and as short as possible.

Patience Is a Virtue

Fighting one zombie at close range is stressful enough. Having to engage five, six, or ten at a time may drive you to the brink of madness. Seeing so many undead figures eagerly lunging for your flesh will most likely cause your stress levels to increase, possibly throwing you into a panic and tempting you to simply begin battering away at the group. Doing so is a sure way to end up joining their ranks. Maintain your composure. Stopping multiple zombies can be as simple as stopping one, the key difference being the time required to complete the act. Remember that the group will not use their greater numbers to strategically overwhelm you. Use your intelligence, outwit them just as you would a single opponent, and take your time to make each of your blows count.

Gain the High Ground

When the odds are stacked against you, you must exploit every advantage at your disposal, including terrain. If you can lead the fight to even a slight elevation where you stand above your attackers, it will be much easier to dispatch your opponents. Additionally, a zombie’s lack of coordination means that the mob you originally faced will most likely stumble, fall, and disperse slightly, making them easier to pick off individually.

Outflank and Attack

A common strategic error individuals make when engaging multiple zombies is to dive straight into the center of the pack on your initial approach. Striking the zombie in the middle of a group provides an opportunity for the others to close the distance around you, flanking you on either side, while you are preoccupied with that one opponent. Without a means of egress, there is a high probability that you will then be pulled apart by the mob.

Use what you already know about the undead to your advantage. Recall that ghouls move at a slow, consistent pace, even during pursuit of prey. Use this weakness to flank the group, and attack the zombie closest to the tail end. Once you eliminate that opponent, circle the mob again until you see another opportunity to strike a vulnerable ghoul. Continue this flanking maneuver until all zombies have been eliminated. If this technique sounds similar to a maneuver you have heard before, it is. You are basically applying the StraCirs technique and adapting it for use against a mob of undead opponents.

Culling the Herd

In a combat situation in which you face a solitary undead opponent, executing any strike that does not immediately end the engagement is a waste of energy. If you have the strength to shatter a ghoul’s kneecap, then you should have the strength to destroy its brain. When facing simultaneous attackers, however, it may be advantageous to administer bone-shattering blows to the vulnerable areas of a zombie’s lower extremities—the knees, shins, and feet—so that the attackers cannot pursue you as a collective horde.

In these situations, thinning their undead ranks may make it easier to battle the entire cluster. Move from ghoul to ghoul, pinpointing the tertiary targets in the legs described earlier in the section on vulnerabilities. As you continue to hobble their numbers, the shambling mob that once posed a grave collective threat can be reduced until one upright zombie remains, with a parade of crippled ghouls following in its wake. You can then choose to dispatch the crippled zombies or make your escape.

Remember, it is not enough that you strike a perceivably “painful” blow to the legs, as such a concept does not exist to an undead combatant. Your blow must be severe enough to completely shatter the patella, destroy the tibia (shin bone), or snap the Achilles tendon; otherwise your opponent will continue its pursuit, along with its undead cohorts.

The Whack-a-Mole

In addition to using the environment to your advantage, you may encounter a structure that you can exploit to effectively dispatch a mass of undead attackers. This strategy requires that you find an object that can elevate you to a height such that the attacking brood has difficulty reaching you, but not so high that you are unable to mount a counteroffensive. Effective structures include natural objects such as boulders and hilltops, or artificial obstacles such as automobiles or shipping containers. Stand atop the structure and wait for the attacking horde to approach. As each ghoul raises its head high enough to be targeted, strike it down. By repeating this process until all ghouls are eliminated, you can dispatch a large gathering of zombies with relative safety. Consider both the weight of the structure you mount and the number of attackers confronting you before committing to this tactic, and choose your structures wisely. A large enough number of zombies may be able to shift or overturn a lightweight obstacle, foiling your strategy.

The Bum’s Rush

This is an advanced technique that should be used only in certain situations by strong, experienced fighters, or as a last resort to escape. When you find yourself attacked by a pack of zombies, grab hold of one by the neck. Using that ghoul as a shield, barrel through the rest of the undead cluster. The zombie shielding you should flatten others in your path like pins in a bowling lane. Once cleared of the pack, you can release the shielding ghoul at arm’s length, or dispatch accordingly. This technique is most effective when you are in a confined space, such as a house or an apartment complex, and have no other means of escape except through an undead mob.