12 Tips for Humans Vs. Zombies
by Asa E.
I may not be the greatest HvZ’er to ever slap on a bandanna, but I’ve played enough games and seen enough action to qualify as a veteran player with helpful advice for the newbies out there.
1. Don’t get cocky.
2. Don’t get cocky!
3. Seriously, don’t get cocky! HvZ is awesome fun with plenty of room for badass heroics, but all the darts, modded blasters, and surplus tactical military vests in the world will not guarantee your survival. The unexpected will happen. Be ready.
4. Run, don’t gun. Even Sylvester Stallone, plastic surgery and steroid marvel that he is, couldn’t stand his own against the horde. Save time, lives, and ammo by running from pursuers as fast as you can.
5. Stealth is vital. Of course there will be times where you’re going to have to fall back on firepower, but simply put: if you don’t have to, don’t! Get sneaky. It is possible to appear unsuspicious enough to go anywhere, hidden in plain sight. I know a person who managed to eat at the dining hall without ever being spotted by zombies who were just outside and looking for him. Bunch up some socks and conceal a Recon under a heavy hooded sweater instead of strapping two Vulcans to your back. Some people can’t do this based on their appearance—I’m 6’8”, so it’s a tad irrelevant whether or not I carry a Longshot; I’m getting noticed either way.
6. Know your ins and outs. Knowing the campus layout is essential. Get to class with non-traditional paths, but even within those you’ll want secondary escape routes and alternate insertion points. Get to know your campus, its buildings, if it has tunnels or low-visibility
paths and as many ways to and from them as possible.
7. Stockpile food and water. You never know when you’ll get holed up for a bit. A friend of mine ended up a sole survivor. He stayed in his dorm for 23 hours straight as zombies constantly harassed him from outside. If he didn’t have a cache of munchies to survive on, he might not have made it.
8. Camo is still overrated. Campuses vary, but even Goucher’s densely wooded areas aren’t used much. Dark clothing is the best option—it helps you stay hidden at night and you won’t look like a paramilitary douche bag.
9. Squads are risky. Squads have become popular as HvZ continues to evolve, but poor coordination is more dangerous than any zombie. Childish drama over who belongs in which squad, and tremendous power-trips on the part of the “commanders” can ruin the fun and get everyone killed. Keep it small, keep it tactical, or don’t bother—you’ll waste too much time, effort, and risk a lot of drama coordinating a twelve-member mission when two stealthy commandos could have done the job a day ago. It’s best to roll with close friends who are trustworthy, easy to get along with, and good runners.
10. Be able to lone-wolf it. Thinking that survival depends on a huge team was one of many problems with the squad clusterf**k in the first place. There will come a time when you’ll have to go alone. Work on your routes to various campus destinations, your cardiovascular endurance, and practice sock throwing if you need to. Do whatever it takes to build confidence and the skills you’ll need.
11. The Douchebag Clause: If you are pondering whether something you want to do makes you look a douchebag, compromise the game and/or the game’s image? Don’t do it!
12. Best recognize. Take a moment and appreciate how much fun you’re having. Experiences with zombies aren’t always this safe and free.
This entry was posted on Thursday, April 9th, 2009 at 11:30 am and is filed under Content.
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