Zombie (Civ6)

The Zombie is a melee unit from the Zombie Defense game mode in Civilization VI.
* Attributes:
** Cannot be trained or purchased with or .
** Cannot earn XP or s.
** Each Zombie that is killed adds to the Mutation Strength modifier, increasing the Combat Strength of other Zombies.
** If it kills another unit, a new Zombie spawns in that unit's tile next turn.
** Always targets the closest available unit.
== Strategy ==
The undead can rise up out of the ground with the new Zombie Defense game mode, and this time, as a ravenous zombie that's hungry for the brains of the closest living unit in the area! Zombies can make more of themselves when they kill another unit, and get stronger when a Zombie is killed. Don't worry - the living aren't entirely defenseless. You can use projects like Turn Undead and Dark Signal to take control of your brainless foes, or fight back with Traps and Barricades built by Builders and Military Engineers. However, if you are playing on Epic or Marathon speed, the utility of these projects is significantly diminished by the increased number of turns required to complete them, which leaves more time for the Zombies to damage your empire. In such games, the projects should be used only in extreme circumstances or when a significant number of Zombies can be converted to your side.
Since Zombies count as Barbarians, a player using Boudica, using an Apostle with Heathen Conversion, or playing as Qin Shi Huang (Unifier) can easily gain control of a large horde of Zombies. Boudica can also help in identifying where Zombies are, even in the fog of war. With Unifier Qin Shi Huang, newly converted Zombies will also have a charge of Barbarian Conversion, allowing a rapid multiplication.
Zombies will prioritize attacking military units, but if none are nearby they will capture civilian units and plunder any s they may encounter (ignoring cities and defensible districts if any of the previous targets are available). Zombies cannot enter water unless controlled by a player, so Harbors and Water Parks are safe from them and naval ranged units can attack them with impunity. Note that Zombies will prioritize spawning in the fog of war, so expanding your contiguous borders outwards or placing units to keep vision around your cities are effective ways to limit their appearance.
Maintaining a security force along your paths (even within your borders) is essential to protect them from Zombies, as a single one that spawns anywhere along your can plunder it. This can frequently occur on large, land-heavy maps and games with many civilizations and city-states, where many Zombies can spawn at once in an area. This makes long-distance land s that pass through or near the fog of war a risky venture, and is further compounded when they lead to AI civilizations or city-states (which rarely engage in proactive border security).
In the Apocalypse game mode, you can use a Soothsayer to sacrifice Zombies you control to an active Volcano during an Appease the Gods competition. Each Zombie sacrificed in this way awards 20 points (since they have a base Combat Strength of 20).
== Civilopedia entry ==
== Gallery ==
File:Zombies in-game (Civ6).png|Zombies approaching a city
== Related achievements ==
Category:Zombie Defense (Civ6)
Category:Barbarians