Combat

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Zed fighting 101.

## Button List for Xbox360

* MOVE = Left Stick
* LOOK = Right Stick
* NORMAL ATTACK = X
* KICK/STOMP PRONE ZOMBIE = Y
* JUMP ATTACK/MANTLE LOW WALL/CLIMB HIGH WALL/LEAP THROUGH WINDOW = A
* EVADE = B "Left Stick must be in neutral, no direction input"
* COMBAT ROLL = LB+B+LEFT STICK "in any direction"
* PUSH = LB+Y
* STRONG ATTACK = LB+X
* FINISHING MOVE = RB+Y

## Basic Melee Strategy

The basic strategy when fighting regular zombies in melee combat while playing as a character with no special moves unlocked, is as follows.

First strike the zombie repeatedly with NORMAL ATTACKs until they are either knocked into a kneeling position, hang exhausted against a wall, or fall prone on the ground, and then perform a FINISHING MOVE which decapitates them. While doing this, use EVADE, SPRINT, COMBAT ROLL and the contextual JUMP button to avoid damage and manouvre around the world as appropriate. SPRINT, COMBAT ROLL and JUMP are pretty self-explanatory, EVADE will result in the character standing still while swaying in the manner of a boxer to avoid a strike.

Your health is measured in VITALITY which is the red meter next to the minimap, when you sustain damage it can be healed with use of the various medications you will find around the world but should this meter be depleted completely you will be knocked down and a secondary "last life" meter will appear. At this point the local zeds will begin clawing at your kneeling form and if allowed to long enough, will perma-kill your character, to avoid this, mash the JUMP button repeatedly in order to leap to your feet before the zeds can deplete the "last life" meter. If you do manage to leap to your feet again, you will find that your jump has incapacited most of the surrounding zeds, and you can administer some vengeful FINISHING MOVES quickly before they regain their senses. However, once your survivor has been knocked down in this way, your VITALITY meter will be capped lower than it was before, as you have been injured, in which case you must return to base to heal as further knockdowns will result in incremental decreases in the VITALITY cap and thus also a smaller "last life" meter which will both combine to make it harder and harder to survive the longer you keep that survivor out in the field. Should your VITALITY only be depleted to a very low level, but you are not knocked down, your VITALITY will regenerate to approximately 25% of its maximum over a short time. Allowing this regeneration to take place before using medications will ensure the most efficient use of your medical resources.

Your energy to continue running, jumping and swinging your weapon, is measured in STAMINA, should this be depleted, you will begin flailing your weapon very slowly, be unable to sprint from danger, jumping may result in you stumbling to your knees and you will generally become pretty decrepit and weak until it regenerates, which it will do to 100% given a short time. STAMINA can be healed by use of SNACKS and other stimulant type medications. Watch your STAMINA bar carefully, for example do not SPRINT and JUMP too much when you think there may be targets and a fight ahead of you, leave something in the tank or you may find yourself trying to combat a horde of zeds with all the fierce determination and vigour of an octogenerian flailing her handbag.

The process of zed-elimination can be sped up by using moves that speedily incapacitate the zombie such as the DROPKICK which will instantly knock a zombie prone or the PUSH and KICK which will "if the terrain is suitable" mash the zombie back into or over walls "falling over low walls prones the zombie" in a single hit, leaving them open to a FINISHING MOVE. In fact, zombies that are knocked over or into walls or out of windows, will often die simply from the impact with the environment and will not need to be finished. Additionally a STRONG STRIKE can be performed which while slower, does a little extra damage to the zed, incapacitating it slightly faster. Using these methods is desirable as it will degrade your weapon less than repeated NORMAL ATTACKs will. Take care and keep weapon degradation in mind, as the last thing you want is to be left holding the broken handle of your once-fearsome katana, and be reduced to trying to pummel the zeds unarmed hand to hand.

The KICK attack is contextual, when used on a standing zombie it will "like the PUSH" simply knock the enemy back a pace or two, creating some space but not incapacitating them unless they strike a wall. However when used on a kneeling zombie it can either result in kicking them back into the prone position, or decapitating them in one hit. When used on a prone zombie, the KICK becomes a STOMP which when mashed repeatedly can decapitate a zombie without degrading your melee weapon.

While the player is in sneak mode and undetected, zombies can be killed instantly by using a FINISHING MOVE. Normally this will result in the player reaching up, grabbing the zeds head and smashing it down into the ground although when used next to a wall, a sideways head smash will be performed, leaving zombie brains on the brickwork.

The best mix of strikes that i've found is to use NORMAL ATTACK > KICK > JUMP ATTACK. This results in lower degradation to your weapon than always NORMAL ATTACKing will, but this method also has another benefit. As mentioned above, the KICK attack has the possibility to either decapitate or render prone a kneeling zombie, so mixing them into your strikes will often result in faster kills or incapacitations. You should note that when a KICK knocks back into prone a kneeling zombie, the zombie will be propelled further from you than your next normal strike will reach. In such a case using this method, you will already be ready with the JUMP button, as this will perform a homing, leaping strike that will launch you forward and land a blow to the prone enemies head which even if it does not kill, leaves you perfectly positioned over the zed for a FINISHING MOVE.

For high-level veteran zed smiters, many advanced combat skills and moves can be aquired such as area-of-effect attacks, fast knockdowns and instakills. These require that you level up your skills by destroying vast hordes of zombies until you can choose between how you wish your character to develop, these advanced moves are very powerful. So get out there and start smiting some zeds, when you're covered in blood and brains and your fire axe is worn down to a bare knub of rusted metal come back here and i'll see you in the advanced melee strategy section to see how we can take your skills to the next level.

## Ranged Combat

Ranged combat is one of the two main ways of dealing with zombies.

Just as with melee combat there are several traits connected to it and gives some survivors a favorable position when it comes to wielding guns.
Being able to pick off zombies at range is a great way to avoid losing health and stamina, both essential to stay alive in the apocalypse.
The only downturn with ranged combat is that without silencers it is by far the easiest way of attracting zombies, and running out of ammo with half the town chasing you down is *not* a favorable scenario.

## Pistols

Pistols are the weakest and lightest guns in the game, usually utilizing 9mm, 40. and 45. as ammo.
Their size and weight makes it attractive to the scavenger who just wants to bring some extra protection along, and they always feature the ability to attach an silencer to avoid drawing attention.

Their downturn is that they deal little damage and have poor range and accuracy.

## Revolvers

It's like the Wild West out there!
So why not bring your six-shooter?

Revolvers allows you to bring the pain in a compact form. Chambering the fearsome 357., 44. and 45. calibers they are bound to make the zeds feel it.

There are however more pain than gain carrying an revolver.
They are slow to shoot, chambers 6 rounds at a time, slow to reload and their ammo comes short from time to time.

Also you can not fit it with a silencer, making this the choice of one with either a death sentence or some muscles to back up.

## Rifles

Rifles are the rangers best friend. Usually chambering 7.62mm and 22. they either bring a punch, or pinch from the safety of an elevated position.

Rifles have the best accuracy and range of all weapon categories and are favored by survivors who have the patience to line up the perfect shot.

Most rifles come with a scope, meaning you can aim even further down the road to nail the zombies. Also guarantees the ability to attach a silencer.

The downturn with rifles is that they are big, weighing much and cumbersom in tight spots, they are ill suited for close quarters. They also take some time to reload, making them unpractical in room-to-room combat.

## Shotguns

Shotguns, can you imagine what 12-guage does to a rotting lump of meat?

By far the most entertaining and devastating weapon in the game. its ammo only known as Shotgun Shells meaning you wont have to worry if your carrying a 12-guage or 20!

Even though it tears through hordes you are only guarenteed a headshot on the zombie you aim at, the surrounding ones will be staggered or thrown to the ground. This making them easy to finish off with a melee execution, or another shot.

Slow to reload, heavy and noisy with no ability to attach a silencer they require a buff survivor to take on the zombies rushing in to investigate.

## Assault Weapons

Under the category of Assault Weapons both Assault Rifles and SMGs counts, as both field 20-30 round magazines and are both single shot and full automatic.

The main difference between them are weight, obviously SMGs weigh less than Assault Rifles, but chamber weaker rounds (the same as pistols)
Assault Rifles chambers 5.56mm and 7.62mm rounds and brings quite the punch on the battlefield, however their downturn is that they weigh a lot compared to SMGs.
When specializing your character in a weapon category you have the ability to choose "Assault Weapons", this embrace both SMGs and Assault Rifles, meaning that the skills you gain by shooting with your AK 47 also affects your skills with the ((Uzi))