Zombie Survival - Rule Listby Mark Bronzini
1. Recognize the initial threat.
The hardest encounter to survive will be that first one or few infected that attack you. The last thing you will be thinking of is that it, or they, are zombies and need to be killed or else they’ll kill you. This is why this is the first rule. Recognize that initial threat and make sure you survive. After that, you will be at least more prepared for what they are and what your situation is.
2. No remorse.
There is a high chance that your immediate family members or other loved ones will be infected. In fact, they might be the ones that attack you during rule #1. You can not hesitate when it comes to killing infected loved ones, because they will not. If someone close to you is infected, count them as already dead, and think of it as putting them out of their misery – doing them a favor.
3. Recruit.
There is strength in numbers, but there is death in too many numbers. After surviving your initial attack, quickly search for any family members or others close to you in your vicinity. If you are inside and they are not, do not go out there, call them in swiftly. Warn them of what is occurring. A group of around 3-5 members is the best, but if you have more, healthy family members with you, you can’t deny them their lives. Grab your new recruits and continue to step #4.
4. Suit up.
Or rather, suit down. If there is any spare time after your initial attack, go to a bathroom or kitchen. Cut or buzz your hair, and wear only tight clothes. Infected have a habit of grabbing and pulling whatever they have towards them, this includes looses clothes and long hair. If you have any Under Armour, it is ideal. If not, anything else that is tight and easy to move in. Bulking up with extra clothes may sound like more protection from bites and other wounds. Wrong. More clothes = less agility. Less agility = death. Also, take off all jewelry you may be wearing and put on a pair of running shoes or anything else light and closed-toed. Boots such as combat boots are also acceptable.
5. Gear up.
You are not going out into the infected world with your bare hands. You may as well be naked and blindfolded. First you mush search for any firearms. The most common household guns include the shotgun, hunting rifle, and handgun. Any of these are great, but the hunting rifle is the least preferred, but don’t let that stop you from grabbing it. Remember to take the ammo! Grab as much of it as you can find. Some households may have more advanced, military-spec weaponry. This is great. These may include, but are not limited to: AK-47s and/or other assault rifles, military sniper rifles, and other, more powerful firearms. These are your priority. If no firearms are within your immediate reach, grab a baseball bat, crowbar, or something similar. Knives and other bladed weapons are not ideal, due to the much easier spread of infected blood caused by the wounds they create, but if there’s nothing else then they’ll do. Quickly grab any water bottles and canned food within your instantaneous reach – and don’t forget the can opener. Make sure you or anyone else with you watches the collector’s back.
6. Move out.
Do not stay in one place. Chances are that the outbreak is in the streets outside, and hunkering in where you are will only draw the remaining infected to your position. Instead move out while you still can, while the infected numbers are still growing. It will be harder to flee a city or town when the entire population have been infected, rather than escape during the chaos of the first few hours, if it lasts that long. The infected will not have reached their maximum number, plus there will still be distractions for them, such as the other struggling humans before they escape or turn. Resist the temptation to rush to your local gun store – unless you desperately need firearms and/or know that the outbreak has just started and the rush to the gun store will be non-existent to minimal. Chances are that you will not be the only one who thinks of that destination, and the surrounding area will be riddled with not only crazed and wild humans, but the infected that are after them as well. Flee your city first. If you must, take the car, especially if you’re not alone. If you have the choice and are by yourself or with one other, take the motorcycle. It can go faster and go places where a large vehicle can’t.
7. Focus on your goal.
What is your goal? Repeat after me: survive. That one word is your only objective, your sole purpose. Focus on this. Every side mission (searching for abandoned goods, occasional infected to kill, investigating strange noises) that you undertake will drastically increase your odds of being eaten. If you come across a stranded human in need of assistance or rescue, you are free to help. Use common sense, though. If the stranded is surrounded by infected or otherwise in a difficult place to help, leave him/her alone. There is no use in risking your personal safety. Again, use common sense.
8. Know where you’re going.
Have your destination in mind. Do not wander aimlessly around. Have a backup destination in case your primary one is overrun or impossible to get to. Always plan ahead.
9. Cardio.
You may notice that any survivor you run into will be in shape 99.9% of the time. The fat people were the first to go, due to their obvious inability to outrun or outmaneuver an infected. This isn’t mean, it’s a cold fact. Get in shape. You will not last long if you can’t run for extended distances.
10. Avoid large groups and train your own.
Stay away from large numbers. Like stated in rule #3, smaller group of around 3-5 people will be much safer. With added numbers comes added risk. The chances of one getting infected and spreading it on to the others increases with larger groups. If you are with a big group, you may find that the members will all become infected before you realize. Keep your own group in line. Make sure no one becomes too crazy, for they might mean the end of your life. Anyone who jeopardizes the survival of you and/or another group member is a threat and must be dealt with as such. Keep their head level, or cut it off.
11. Stay mobile, stay invisible.
Nothing will cause your death quite like remaining in one spot for too long. Infected will surely be made aware of your presence through some means, and when one knows where you are, they all seem to. You may find yourself completely surrounded by infected with no way out. The only way to avoid this is to move, and do so quietly. Never fire unnecessarily and avoid honking any horns or causing other pointless and avoidable noises. Stealth is just as great as an ally as mobility.
12. Look, listen, sleep.
Remain attentive. Situation awareness will be one of your best friends. Whenever possible, sit still and scope the surrounding terrain. Listen for any disturbances or other noises of note. Doing this too much, however, is lethal. One thing that the infected have over humans is their ability to remain active without the need to sleep or rest. You do not have that luxury. You must rest. If you’re in a group, take watches. If not, hide for a couple hours and sleep.
13. Stay away from urban areas.
Simple math: more humans = more infected. You may need to refuel your transportation, you may need to gather supplies, and you may need to search for survivors. Do this first in small towns. Small, roadside gas stations should be your first priority. Get as much gas as you can from these places. It is also recommended to map out your surrounding terrain. Mark the nearby towns, grocery stores, gas stations, and other locations of importance on your map and make your way through each necessary one. Only go into heavily populated urban areas in extreme and desperate circumstances and if you do, do not stay long. Especially avoid or flee these areas within the first days of the outbreak, due to the popular military tactic of “carpet-bombing” these cities in panic in their initial and probably only attempt at containing the infection.
14. No place is safe, only safer.
Remember that you will never be safe from the infected threat. You can only go to places safer than the one you currently stay. Refer to rule #11.
15. Stay entertained.
Boredom can quickly and surprisingly lead to madness and dementia. It can kill you just as easily as any infected. Find things to do and remain active. A group of rigid, tired humans will need nearly no excuse at all to turn on each other. Make sure that not only you are keeping yourself entertained, but also those with you.
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Here are some other tips to keep you alive when the infected rule the earth:
Cardio – the fat ones get eaten first
Double tap – that one extra shot to the head will save your life, don’t be stingy with your ammo
Check the back seat – while getting a car, there’s always the one in the back
Beware bathrooms – you will be at your most vulnerable here
Travel light – you should always be on the move, so make it easy on yourself
Limber up – whenever scouting a new area or entering a new building, be prepared to run
Don’t be a hero – this will get you killed 90% of the time, for emergency-use only
Know your way out – having this detail known will mean your life, especially in unfamiliar buildings
Nut up or shut up – if you don’t have what it takes to cowboy up, find someone who is
Enjoy the little things – don’t forget why you’re trying to stay alive, keep yourself entertained
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Zombie Dictionary:
Infected – one who has been bitten or otherwise contaminated by a zombie, anything looking to devour human flesh, your biggest threat
Stranded – any human who has not been infected who is in need of help or other assistance, considered safe but in many cases unpredictable, they may kill you just as any infected
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REMEMBER: SHOOT THEM IN THE HEAD
