The single most important thing you can do in HvZ is to stay alert when you are in a danger zone or any part of the designated playable area.
Zombies don’t need to be alert like humans do; they have stun timers. This
is The Zombie Apocalypse, Life or Death,
One and Done -- once you are tagged you are out for the duration, stuck being a
Zed. This cannot be stressed enough. For players who have invested a lot of
time and preparation into their gear and loadout, a tag early in the game can
be heart breaking. Don’t let this be you - or your squadmates.
Vigilance OUTSIDE OF MISSIONS is
critically important. If you live on campus, travel in squads or groups to
your classes - help protect and escort other human players. If you live off
campus, vary the route you take to get on campus and try to arrive slightly
earlier or later than you normally would – or ask a squad of on-campus human players
to meet and escort you. It’s a pain in the butt that pays off big. Coordinate
this early, setting up dedicated wingman/buddy systems and escort groups within
certain areas, buildings or quads. Humans with free time should form security
squads to help escort and protect other human players rather than hiding in
their dorms. (“we have groups escorting humans to X Hall twice a day, Z Hall,
etc”)
IMPORTANT: If the zombies are experienced and organized they will target, isolate and go after your key human players; focusing on leadership and experienced heavily armed players outside of missions. If this happens early, without leadership, experience and firepower, quite simply you’re f*cked. With this in mind, vigilance cannot be stressed enough. If you can’t protect everyone focus on FTL (Fireteam and Squad Leaders) and experienced, well armed players. (The key “mission personnel” the people with several blasters and spare clips over the people with one Maverick and 8 darts)
IMPORTANT: If the zombies are experienced and organized they will target, isolate and go after your key human players; focusing on leadership and experienced heavily armed players outside of missions. If this happens early, without leadership, experience and firepower, quite simply you’re f*cked. With this in mind, vigilance cannot be stressed enough. If you can’t protect everyone focus on FTL (Fireteam and Squad Leaders) and experienced, well armed players. (The key “mission personnel” the people with several blasters and spare clips over the people with one Maverick and 8 darts)
Stopping to chat with friends or getting lost in conversation or in thinking
about things outside the game can get you killed quickly. You (and your
wingman/escort) should have a clear idea of where you are going each time you
step out into a danger zone, and focus almost completely on reaching your
destination, keeping yourself others alive while doing so. If you have no
time to train for anything else, at a minimum work on keeping your attention
focused while playing the game.
Avoid crowded or cramped areas – don’t risk moving through large groups or
crowds where you can easily be ambushed. Don’t travel down narrow pathways or
between buildings with blind corners, etc. Always think ahead so you can take a
safer route. Constantly scan your surroundings – and periodically check your
six (look behind you). Avoid trees and shrubbery or any objects (statues,
signs, etc) that could allow a zombie ambush. When you walk around corners,
take the corner wide – far enough so that a zombie can’t take you by surprise.
Be wary opening doors – try to fling doors open and jump back (when safe and
appropriate to do so) so that you can scan the immediate area and avoid ambush.
Move from side to side (pie the door) so that you can see outside the door in
all directions before moving through.
Arrive at class early, and try to leave class a few minutes early. This may be difficult for all humans accomplish at all times, but it is a tactic that will greatly decrease the number of zombies you are exposed to, as most will likely be in classes.
While you are in class, try to sit near the back and be sure to scan the room as you enter. Check the head and neck of EVERY person in each room your enter. If there is a zombie or multiple zombies in your class, make sure you know where they are as you exit. Be very cautious when exiting the building, and get away from possible ambush spots as fast as you can. If there is a fellow human in your class, band together to help support each other.
In summary vigilance is the single most important skill and trait a human player can possess. It isn’t just about staying alert as an individual – it’s working with other humans to create a cohesive group that supports and protects one another.
Watch those corners, check your six – and stay human out there.