“Death is the only lighthouse that is always lit. No matter where you sail, ultimately, you must turn toward it. Everything fades in the world... but death endures” - Liu Cixin

The concept of the Zombie has been around for hundreds of years, but most agree that its point of origin comes from Haitian customs, which are derived from African religious tradition. Said original concept was somewhat similar to what is seen today. A corpse would be dug up, and a ritual would be performed to revive it, after which it would function as a servant for the Priest in question and do his bidding. If the zombies in AoU are of this variety, obeying the whims of some dark magician hidden somewhere out there, we'll likely never know. They don't seem the talkative type. In fact, the origin of the infection in this world still remains a mystery. We don't know if it is by virus, some evil scientist left the cloning machine on in his lab, or maybe they're just hangry and eating brains eases the pain of being dead. Who can say?

As one might expect, Zombies aren't especially good drivers, often found secured in seat belts as they had turned while driving, or had fallen into the vehicle by accident. Their army is comprised entirely of infantry, but they have a wide variety of mutations to make up for it. Some among their number can even infect other individuals and coax them over to the dead side. Make no mistake, though. While completely lacking in vehicular combat, there is a massive degree of unit variety to the Dead. Take a journey with me, and together we will explore...

The Zombie Survival Guide, Mk 2
by Admiral Awesome N. Casual

Designation: Schaemiac (the Player)

One of the things that makes this outbreak so dangerous is that the hordes are not simply migrating and wandering aimlessly. They are being directed and acting with deliberate tactics. These abilities are a matter of intense debate as the common zombie is relatively stupid, only able to interpret things as “prey”, “not prey”, and “things in the way of prey”. When in larger numbers, they have been known to focus on targets that are a greater threat to them, mass in preparation for ambush or assault, and make a deliberate effort to stay outside of light sources when attacking human fortifications at night. These are clearly intelligent actions, and it is theorized that there is a certain super zombie that has so far eluded human observation that is directing them. The designation for this theoretical super zombie is “Schaemiac”. The Death Bringer. The Undead King.

[OOC notice: This is just how I explain the presence of the Player commanding the Infected in AoU. Don't look for this unit because you won't find it.... Outside of a mirror]

Designation: Infected Engineer
Costs: 50 corpses, 50 brains
HP: 200
Speed: 3.0
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

When the initial outbreak struck, Engineers were tasked to remain at their stations to ensure that water kept pumping and the lights stayed on so that things could get back under control. Sadly for them, things did NOT get back under control, and power plants and pumping stations aren't the most well fortified of installations. They were found, cornered, bitten, and turned. The lucky ones were devoured beyond the point of reanimation. The unlucky ones shuffle on in service to the swarm, constructing buildings, defenses, and whatever else the dark army needs. This is an obvious demonstration of intelligence, but so far, every engineer captured for study has abandoned this intellect for its feral nature. Clearly, whoever or whatever is commanding these engineers does not wish to be found.

Designation: Undead Flesh
Costs: 30 corpses, 5 brains
HP: 200
Speed: 2.5
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Claws
Damage: 35
Rate of Fire: 2.50
DPS: 14
Range: Melee
Infective: Yes

“They laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at them because they're all the same” - Kurt Cobain

There are many, MANY names for these zombies. Shufflers, groupies, the “in” crowd, walkers, etc. Regardless, the recently turned are the most numerous and, individually, least dangerous of the myriad Undead types. They are fairly easy to kill permanently, can be escaped by moving at a reasonable walking pace, and demonstrate no form of intelligence on their own. However, when being commanded by the Schaemiac, they have been known to gather around corners or within buildings and converge on their prey all at once. When entrapped, or being faced in larger hordes, people tend to stop laughing at the “in” crowd.

Designation: Runner
Costs: 43 corpses, 7 brains
HP: 150 HP
Speed: 9
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Claws
Damage: 40
Rate of Fire: 2
DPS: 20
Range: Melee
Infective: Yes

The Runner has undergone mutations to its ligaments, bone structure, and muscle tissue for the highest speed, lowest weight, and minimal drag. I mean, DAMN, these boys can really move, and can often keep pace with a Humvee with the gas pedal mashed into the floorboard. They are often seen as vanguard to an attack, or as a flanking force. It's hard to deal with the rest of the horde when Zombie Ryuji Sakamoto over here is chewing on your frontal lobe. Fortunately, their need for speed has diminished their ability to endure harm, and a few shots from any low caliber weapon should be sufficient to escort them to the hereafter.

It is worth noting, however, that as this war drags on, the Runner mutation is becoming increasingly common, with the Walker variety apparently being phased out. If this writer was to hazard a guess as to the intent of the Undead intelligence, this is likely due to the fact that Runners are so much more efficient at spreading the virus than Walkers, who are lucky to get within arm's reach before getting smeared. When being pursued by Runners, it is pointless to try and outrun them, as they do not tire. Ever. Your only choices are to fight, or to die.

Designation: Jumper
Costs: 58 corpses, 12 brains
HP: 150 HP
Speed: 3
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Claws
Damage: 45
Rate of Fire: 2.5
DPS: 18
Range: Melee
Infective: Yes

The Runner's weird brother, the Jumper is a parkour freak, and normally moves on all fours. When prey is spotted, they rest tension back on their mutated legs, which have become elastic, and leap like freaks to pounce their intended target. This is done almost silently, so victims who do not keep an eye upward can be pounced, infected, and slain with minimal warning. Keep an eye out, people.

Designation: Mutilated
Costs: 50 corpses, 15 brains
HP: 200
Speed: 6
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Blades
Damage: 50
Rate of Fire: 2.5
DPS: 20
Range: Melee

One of the more unsettling sights of the horde, the Mutilated has been heavily modified by an obvious intelligence, though it is not known if these mods were inflicted before or after their turning. The Mutilated's hands and feet have been amputated and replaced with sharpened blades, and its spine has been pierced at least 4 times by rods of the same metal. It is unknown whether the Mutilated was meant to be a weapon, or some psycho's sick method of enjoying themselves, but the Mutilated are very fast and lethal combatants, capable of soaking a few more 9mm rounds than one would expect before being granted sweet release. Fortunately, their traumatic “upgrades” have rendered them incapable of spreading the infection. So they won't try to turn you. They'll just try to kill you.

Designation: Butcher:
Costs: 60 corpses, 20 brains
HP : 300 HP
Speed: 2.5
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Cleaver
Damage: 35, 23 piercing damage
Rate of Fire: 2.5
DPS: 23.2
Range: Melee

A stark reminder that civilians were the first to be effected by this war. The Butcher is a nasty sub-type of zombie that can take more than a little pepper before going down. They serve as the meat shields, soaking up full-auto fire at the front while the Runners, Jumpers, and Mutilated swing around from the side for a flank. He is somewhat slower than the prior listed, but once he closes that gap, he'll serve the same purpose in death that he did in life: chopping up meat. As he uses a weapon and not his own teeth, or claws, the wounds he inflicts are not infectious, but they will chop right through armor.

Designation: Nurse
Costs: 60 corpses
HP: 150
Speed: 2.5
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

When the outbreak began, many injured and infected sought refuge and solace at hospitals, which quickly turned into hotbeds of infection as the virus raced through the tightly packed and panicking humans. Many nurses, fighting on the front lines to save lives, were also the first to be bitten and turned. Lacking any kind of offensive mutation, or even the dark hunger of their brethren, the Nurse seems, at first glance, like a non-combat victim of circumstance. However, when near other wounded zombies, Nurses seem to have a potent, healing effect over them. There have been several reports of zombies on the verge of second death suddenly bursting with vitality and energy when a Nurse had simply been nearby. With that sobering realization in mind, it is advised to emphasize the termination of these women by any means.

Designation: Headless
Costs: 55 corpses, 65 brains
HP: 230 HP
Speed: 2.5
Armor: 10%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Bite
Damage: 40
Rate of Fire: 2.5
DPS: 16
Range: Melee
Parasitic: Yes

It was some cold comfort to know that a zombie's head was its universal weak point. Not so with this specimen. Something has torn its skull clean from its shoulders and replaced it with a toothed mouth that can bite the head off its intended victim with practically no warning regardless if they were wearing a helmet or not. Worse still is that an unknown parasite has infested this corpse, and once it has killed another biological enemy, the parasite will spread to that victim, turning it into another Headless, and on the cycle goes. Furthermore, since it lacks a head, the usual zombie weakpoint, Headless are known to be extremely durable. One has to render their body completely physically useless in order to put them down for good.

Designation: Bicephalous
Costs: 60 corpses, 70 brains
HP: 200
Speed: 2.5
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Big Claw
Damage: 20, 35 piercing
Rate of Fire: 2.5
DPS: 22
Range: 3
Parasitic: Yes

Some smart-alecs on the research staff have joked that, with the Bicephalous, we have found the Headless' head, but the secondary skull on this zombie is quite clearly not human. Nor is the large, praying mantis like arm that it has mutated from the decomposing flesh. That scythe arm can reach out much further than one would think, and it can sever the threads of life from multiple foes at once, should they be close enough together. As with the Headless, the Bicephalous is infected with a parasite and when it has slain an enemy, that corpse will transform into another Bicephalous within moments. A single one of these can spawn several times their number with just a moment's lack of attention.

Designation: Arachnoparasite
Costs: 70 corpses, 85 brains
HP: 300
Speed: 4
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Claws
Damage: 30, 25 piercing
Rate of Fire: 2.5
DPS: 22
Range: 2
Parasitic: Yes

Arachnophobes beware! The Arachnoparasite, though some call it the Chrysallid for some unknown reason, is certainly hard to look at, but definitely interesting from a scientific point of view. This creature is highly mutated, and very little of the original human structure remains. This is because the Arachnoparasite shares some of its genome with a rare parasite that formerly preyed upon arachnids. This zombie is quite durable, and single minded in its pursuit of the non-infected, and like the Bicephalous and Headless, it transmits its parasite when killing a biological foe, creating another Arachnoparasite.

Designation: Spitter
Costs: 35 corpses, 25 brains
HP: 150 HP
Speed: 3
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Acid Spit
Damage: 40, 10 piercing
Rate of Fire: 3
DPS: 16.66
Range: 50

One of the more notorious varieties of undead, the Spitter can inflict grievous injury without ever touching its victim. It has mutated a bladder full of an unknown acidic compound on its back, and when prey has been spotted, it will violently expectorate this compound great distances. Even aircraft such as hovering helicopters have been downed by this acidic spray, so truly, no one is safe. Strangely, this acid does not possess the zombie virus, and should a victim receive medical treatment, they will survive the experience with only some chemical burn scars.

Spitters have been known to travel with crowds of Walkers, but can be distinguished from the swarm by their distinctive gagging sounds. Furthermore, their skin has turned a dark green, and they are often sporting damaged lips, or even the complete loss of their lower jaw. Evidence of the lack of control the zombie has over its spittle.

Designation: Bile-Spitter
Costs: 47 corpses, 33 brains
HP: 300
Speed: 3
Armor: 0%
Vision:

Weapons: Acid Balls
Damage: 135, 16 piercing damage, + 5 light corrosion damage over time per second for 5 seconds
Rate of Fire: 6
DPS: 25.16 (5 DPS on DOT)
Range: 50
Radius: 2

A more heavily mutated variant of the Spitter, the Bile-Spitter's whole body has been repurposed to the vomiting of fleshy growths that explode in acidic clouds on contact. For this purpose, its mouth has been stretched several times wider than is physically possible for a normal, living human. Once the fleshy sac has burst open, the cloud remains in the area for several seconds, and is corrosive enough to do damage to vehicles, inflict chemical burns, and even powder concrete. Compared to the Spitter, the Bile has similar range, more damage, but his projectiles move more slowly, making him less able to shoot down moving aircraft.

Designation: Fast Food Worker
Costs: 45 corpses, 40 brains
HP: 300 HP
Speed: 3
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Acid Vomit
Damage: 140
Rate of Fire: 5
DPS: 28
Range: 20

The last of the trifecta that is the Spitter family, this hapless Fast Food Worker was turned at her place of employment, and still retains its uniform. Truly, a fate worse than undeath. While she has a shorter range than her coworkers, she does sport higher damage as the Worker has been known to violently spray acidic vomit all over her intended victim for brutal damage, sometimes even forcing their mouth open and pouring it down the unfortunate's throat. Should this happen, know that her acid does not contain the zombie virus, and the last sounds you'll hear are your internal organs screaming for help as she turns them all into liquid poop. They always did say fast food was bad for you.

Designation: Boomer
Costs: 80 corpses, 70 brains
HP: 400
Speed: 8
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Biological Bomb
Damage: 200, + 5 light corrosion damage over time per second for 5 seconds
Rate of Fire: Can only be fired once
Range: 4
Radius : 8

Filling the role of an action bomb, the Boomer is aptly named. He is physically taller than the acid horking triplets, and his body is bloated with a massive overproduction of acidic compound. When he suffers catastrophic damage, the acid sacs all over his body will explode, showering the area with the caustic liquid. There is also an acidic cloud that hangs in the area for a brief time afterward, capable of melting lungs and forcing a victim to choke to death on their own blood and mangled alveoli I'm sure they dearly wish still properly functioned. Simply NOT shooting the Boomer isn't an option either, as when they have closed the gap, they can just decide to explode right next to you.

Designation: Nightmare
Costs: 75 corpses, 55 brains
HP: 500
Speed: 6
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Double Long Sword
Damage: 107, 5 piercing
Rate of Fire: 4
DPS: 28
Range: 3

Another sickening science experiment in the same vain as the Mutilated, the Nightmare is a hulking 8 foot tall specimen that has had its hands amputated and replaced with several foot long blades. It is unknown who or want keeps doing this to sufficiently mutated infected, but regardless, the Nightmare is a terrifying sight that is capable of soaking up obscene amounts of punishment while capable of slaying several targets in a single swing. One thing is for sure though. In the Nightmare's post-war employment, it's not going to be taking up calligraphy. Or typography.

Designation: Bull
Costs: 70 corpses, 60 brains
HP: 500
Speed: 7
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Small Earthquake
Damage: 90
Rate of Fire: 5
DPS: 18
Range: 4
Radius: 3

Looking more like a perpetually p!ssed off undead gorilla than anything like the hapless human it used to be, the Bull has mutated intense hypertrophy to its upper body to the point that it cannot move upright anymore while leaving its lower body just enough substance to support itself at rest. Guess this guy never heard about skipping leg day, huh? Rather than rely on its smaller legs to carry itself, the Bull slams its massive arms down, and swings its legs forward, and it does it at a far greater speed than one would think. Oftentimes, the first indication of a Bull's presence is a rhythmic thumping that one can feel in their feet before its mighty fists crash into the China shop that is one's internal organs.

Upon reaching a target, the Bull will smash and bash its hapless foe against the ground, creating seismic shockwaves strong enough to harm others who are merely standing near the initial victim. Because of its muscle mass, Bulls are extremely hard to damage and require a significant degree of firepower to bring down. That is to say nothing of the rods of metal jammed into its back, which interlink with its rib cage to protect its structural integrity. It's already dead, and its internal organs have no function, but should its arms or torso get destroyed, the body is useless and that is seemingly what these metal rods and reinforcements are designed to prevent. When one of these make an appearance, it is recommended to stay calm and spread out, denying the Bull its ability to make the most of its area attack.

Designation: Slaughterer
Costs: 80 corpses, 60 brains
HP: 500
Speed: 6
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Double spiked iron mace
Damage: 24, 120 piercing
Rate of Fire: 4
DPS: 36
Range: 3

Otherwise known as the FleshPound because of what it does to its victims (and those are the only two words it can still enunciate. Have you ever heard a zombie talk? It's friggin' creepy), the Slaughterer is seen as universally bad news. It's body has mutated layers upon layers of rock hard muscle tissue that continue to function despite it being technically dead, and it has been further modified with cybernetic implants, including a solid steel spine which can be seen protruding from the back of the specimen. Its hands, like the Nightmare, have been amputated and replaced with two maces. No, Steve, not the spray to deter creepy muggers on your way home from the bar. The big metal things with the spiky bits. Pay attention, intern.

The Slaughterer's great strength, combined with said spiky bits, allows it to puncture the hull of practically any armored vehicle without a problem. Even the mighty Abrams cannot withstand the fury of several of these working in concert to dismantle it, and any infantry unit that attempts to oppose it is likely going to end up as nothing more than a crater full of blood for their trouble.

Designation: Bully
Costs: 100 corpses, 65 brains
HP: 600
Speed: 3
Armor: 20%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Claws
Damage: 64, 8 piercing
Rate of Fire: 3
DPS: 24
Range: 3

There are several “tank” type zombies amongst the horde, meaning that they are meant to stand up front and take all the hits. The Bully fits that archetype perfectly, and despite wearing a tank top and yoga pants, requires an inordinate degree of high velocity encouragement to stay down for a proper dirt nap. In battle, the Bully only knows two things: “Punch the flesh bag” and “keep punching the flesh bag”. A relatively simple approach. The spikes embedded in its arms aid in this, and while they aren't terribly sharp, they can inflict lacerations when one is trying to protect their face and chest from repeated blunt force trauma.

Designation: Stone Thrower
Costs: 70 corpses, 80 brains
HP: 600
Speed: 3.5
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Boulder
Damage: 20, 180 piercing
Rate of Fire: 7
DPS: 28.57
Range: 150 (30 min range)
Radius: 3.50
Dispersion: 5

It is a matter of some debate whether the virus caused the hypertrophy on the right side of this specimen's body, or if they had merely partaken of too much internet lewdity in life and were this way prior to turning. Regardless of how they got this way, Stone Throwers are here to stay, lending long range support to the swarm by ripping rocks and even loose chunks of asphalt out of the ground to hurl at human defenders. It is worth noting that, while their musculature and already dead nature allow them to endure a significant degree of punishment, they can't muster the coordination to defend themselves at close range, so if you see an isolated Stone Thrower, rush him, and keep shooting him till he stays down.

Designation: Hellmouth
Costs: 75 corpses, 95 brains
HP: 700
Speed: 3.5
Armor: 0%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Chemical Bomb
Damage: 240, 15 piercing, + 10 strong corrosion damage per second, +10 piercing damage per second for 7 seconds
Rate of Fire: 8
DPS: 31.875 (20 DPS DOT)
Range: 170 (40 min range)
Dispersion: 15

It is theorized that this is what Headless eventually turn into. The Hellmouth lacks a skull as well as any other sensory organs, having replaced them with a large orifice that is capable of spewing highly volatile chemical bombs incredible distances. Very little of the original human victim remains with the mutations at this late stage, and these horrible creatures serve as mobile artillery platforms for the horde. As is all that isn't bad enough, the chemical bombs lobbed by these evil monsters create a highly corrosive cloud that can kill an unprotected solder in seconds, or even do significant damage to a tank. Hellmouths are given high target priority, and it is advised to counter them with your own artillery, or simply destroy them with aircraft, against which they have no defense.

Designation: Ripper
Costs: 80 corpses, 120 brains
HP: 900
Speed: 3
Armor: 20%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Hell Claws
Damage: 210, 25 piercing
Rate of Fire: 5
DPS: 47
Range: 5

A sign that the level of infection in a given area has reached disastrous levels, the Ripper is a massive threat, both figuratively and literally, as it clocks in at nearly 50 feet in height. It can endure astonishing levels of whupass while dropping entire semi truckloads of the same with the meter long claws on its hands. Even tanks offer relatively little protection against this monster, as it can rip them apart like a rusty beer can. That is to say nothing of its anti-infantry capacity. One swipe from its claws can turn an entire squad of infantry into so many severed limbs and discarded organs that one would think a crate of potato head dolls just got flung down the stairs.

Designation: Destroyer
Costs: 90 corpses, 140 brains
HP: 900
Speed: 3
Armor: 20%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Hell Maces
Damage: 45, 250 piercing
Rate of Fire: 5
DPS: 59
Range: 4
Radius: 2

Despite having a reptilian appearance, the Destroyer was likely born from the flesh of several infected decomposing together over time. This behemoth serves as a harsh siege machine for the horde, the twin maces that replace its hands crushing tanks easily, smashing through fortifications, and reducing whole squads of infantry into floor ketchup. It is highly advised to focus fire on the Destroyer from a distance and should it close the gap, soldiers are advised to flee their vehicles or defenses, as they offer poor protection from the creature as it performs its namesake duties.

Designation: Colossus
Costs: 130 corpses, 170 brains
HP: 1000
Speed: 3
Armor: 40%
Vision: 100

Weapons: Earthquake
Damage: 200
Rate of Fire: 5
DPS: 40
Range: 5

The Colossus has undergone an extreme version of a condition called scieroderma, though mutated to an intense degree. Rather than a simple hardening and tightening of the skin, the flesh of the Colossus has, quite literally, turned completely to stone. This, obviously, makes this specimen extremely durable to most anti-tank weapons, and oftentimes outright immune to small arms. The Colossus is often seen accompanying its brethren, the Destroyer and the Ripper, on its way to completely ruin your afternoon, and that is to say nothing of the diverse, if physically smaller, hordes shambling along with it. More than anything else, the Colossus drives the point home that we are truly beholding the twilight of the human race.

Designation: Infected Hospital
HP: 150,000
Armor: 30%

“DO NOT OPEN. DEAD INSIDE” – Common message scrawled on chained up Hospital entrances.

When one is injured, it is natural to seek out a hospital. When one is scratched or bitten by a moaning, out of their mind lunatic, that urge becomes a tad more desperate. This made hospitals rapid-fire incubators for the Undead during the initial days of the outbreak with the uncurable virus traveling from patients to nurses to doctors, room to room at uncontainable pace, until the dead and reanimating were so numerous that they were breaking the doors down and overflowing from the lobby. This makes Hospitals center pieces and origin points of infected hamlets, with zombies spreading all over the community once the local food has been exhausted.

Serving as a form of Head Quarters for the Dark Army, if they had any need of such a thing, if one was going to find a Schaemiac, they would likely find them here. However, one would have to be quite mad to enter these destroyed, four-story former institutes of healing looking to pick a fight with a super zombie. The standard procedure is to simply bomb these buildings with long range artillery, or aircraft until it collapses and then burn the ruins for a thorough disinfection. Once this is done, however, one can breathe a little easier. Without their origin point and theoretical commander, complete disinfection of the local area becomes a matter of simply hunting down and destroying the remaining undead, who no longer have access to any strategic thought. More a task of tedium, persistence and thoroughness than an actual challenge.

Designation: Graveyard
Costs: 400 brains
HP: 3,000
Armor: 10%
Produces 7 corpses per second

In hindsight, preserving and storing all the dead people in one corner of town was probably a bad move. When a certain, unnamed private, separated from his unit in the midst of an infected settlement, bore witness to what was being done at these former places of reverence for the dead, it practically beggared belief! He reported that the dead were being exhumed from their graves, deliberately infected with the reanimation virus, and joining the ranks of the zombie swarm, which is OVERWHELMING evidence of intelligence and goal pursuit among these ghouls! The bad news is that some larger cities have several graveyards in order to keep up with the funeral demand of those who used to occupy them, which gives the Undead plenty of material to work with.

Designation: Infected University
Costs: 500 corpses
HP: 3,000
Armor: 10%
Produces 5 brains per second

There have been numerous opportunities to study bitten victims of the Undead Plague, and all of them report similar flu-like symptoms with worsening intensity. However, as they advance closer toward death and reanimation, test subjects report abnormal fits, urges for violence, a shortening of temper, and a craving for the taste of brains. They claim to know the feeling of themselves rotting and that eating the brains of the living will make the pain of being dead go away. It is theorized that this neural tissue is what offers sustenance for the zombie virus, and that it can be collected in infested cities, specifically these universities, to use as an energy source. This explains why so many of the Undead seem to have a fixation on inflicting cranial trauma wounds, cracking their foe's head open like an egg.

Designation: Mortuary
Costs: 450 corpses, 150 brains
HP: 3,000
Armor: 10%

While graveyards are fine for salvaging bone and decomposed material, the needs of the horde oftentimes require fresher samples, and that is provided here at the Mortuary. Victims of homicide, suicide, fratricide, genocide, the list of cides goes on are stored here, and to the zombie mind, it doesn't matter if the subject is a little roughed up with a golf ball sized hole through their cranium or if its missing part of their torso, it'll still work. From here, the likes of the Undead Flesh, Runners, Jumpers, Mutilated, Butchers, Engineers, and Nurses can be spawned.

Designation: Emergency Room
Costs: 300 corpses, 400 brains
HP: 3,000
Armor: 10%

As I mentioned before, when the Outbreak hit, it hit like a truck full of rocks that was on fire, so hospitals and emergency rooms began to fill up with patients seeking a cure for the uncurable virus. It was within one of these emergency rooms that the first mutations of the virus could be seen. A parasite had grown from the gangrenous, decomposing flesh of its living victims, capable of turning viral zombie tissue into a living weapon and generating a whole new class of monster. While long since infested, these Emergency Rooms now generate an endless procession of the parasite zombies, the Headless, The Bicephalous, and the Arachnoparasite. Every strike from these horrors infects a victim with their parasite, and upon their expiration, said parasite will feast on their dying body and a new parasite zombie will burst forth from the corpse, matching the type that killed them. It is for this reason that “human wave” assaults are HIGHLY discouraged because every casualty will only sharpen the enemy's spears, so to speak. Russia learned this the hard way. We have not received any communication east of the Ukranian DMZ for some time...

Designation: Infected Fast Food
Costs: 350 corpses, 250 brains
HP: 3,000
Armor: 10%

Before the Outbreak that kicked the whole world and set fire to it, there were 200,000 fast food restaurants of one franchise or another in the United States alone. Now, most of them have been taken over by the virus. It is unknown if the chemicals used in this food triggered a mutation in the virus, or if the Undead simply made use of what materials were already there, but regardless, these former restaurants now spew forth a constant stream of Spitters, Bile-Spitters, zombified Fast Food Workers, and Boomers, all of whom have ranged acid attacks as their modus operandi.

Designation: Infected Gym
Costs: 350 corpses, 350 brains
HP: 3,000
Armor: 10%

Before the Outbreak, these buildings were temples to weight loss, muscle gain, and general health and fitness. Now, they spawn the heavier, beefier, melee zombies without end. If irony were strawberries, we'd all be having smoothies. From these hallowed halls of SWOLLDOM come the Nightmare, the Bull, the Slaughterer and the Bully. Where once these Adonises hungered for whey protein, now they just seek YOU protein.

Designation: Infected Science Laboratory
Costs: 300 corpses, 550 brains
HP: 3,000
Armor: 10%

Before civilization fell, several scientific contractors hoarded samples of the virus for alleged analysis. Only recently have we discovered that they were conducting cloning experiments with the virus, and creating an endless legion of bio-organic weapons in a mad attempt for an unnamed CEO to bring his deceased son back to life. Not as a zombie, but just as he was. When the specimens broke free, the staff working in these labs were a little unsettled. When they slaughtered every living person there, they were unnerved. When we discovered that the automated cloning program was left on and kept creating more of these bio-organic weapons, such as the Stone Thrower, Hellmouth, Ripper, Destroyer, and Colossus 24/7, we were....distressed.

Designation: Metro
Costs: 350 corpses, 350 brains
HP: 3,000
Armor: 10%
Produces 1 support point per second

There have been several times where zombies have sprang out of nowhere, ambushing and flanking the valiant defenders of humanity only to turn them all into whataburger. For some time, it has been wondered how this was accomplished, but the mystery has recently been solved. The Undead have been using, and expanding, the underground subway tunnels of various major cities much like the sappers of old. Teams of zombies dig until they are right under where a defensive point is located before triggering a collapse, which creates a soft opening they can tunnel up from. These tunnels also create environments to cultivate the gasses that create acid rains, infectious puddles, and serves as a home for the dreaded, but poorly understood, “corrosive dirt eater”

Designation: Sticky Slime
Costs: 150 corpses, 50 brains
HP: 10,000
Armor: 0%

Further evidence of the presence of intelligent direction within the swarms is the fact that the Undead are preparing their battlespaces and erecting defenses. The fact that their virus can infest and corrupt plant-life as well as human and animal seems to pale in comparison to this fact. One such instance of this are “sticky slime” plants. While harmless on its own, the Slime Plants constantly exude a thick sludge of tarry sap and partially decomposed flesh to create an awful smelling quagmire of muck that is difficult for even the heaviest of tank treads to move through. Zombies, however, are seemingly unaffected by the disgusting mess and will use the chance to chow down on their immobilized prey.

Designation: Field of Spikes
Costs: 200 corpses, 50 brains
HP: 10,000
Armor: 0%

Similar to the Sticky Slime, the Field of Spikes offers painful area denial in the form of rock hard thorns jutting up from the soil. These thorns can tear apart tank armor as well as destroy their treads, to say nothing of what they do to ordinary tires and human flesh. As before, Zombies are completely unharmed by the spikes and will move through them normally, if somewhat ravenous from the scent of fresh blood on the spikes. Time to run, Jimmy.

Designation: Flower
Costs: 200 corpses, 150 brains
HP: 1,000
Armor: 0%

Weapons: Acid Ball
Damage: 140
Rate of Fire: 4
DPS: 35
Range: 60 (min 3)

Unlike the prior two plants, the Flower offers more than mere passive defense as it has been corrupted into a biological turret. Its 8 limbs and many subterranean tendrils grant it acute awareness of the surrounding area, and when the living are detected, it will violently expectorate spores filled with a highly potent acid at the offender. These spores are even ejected at speeds high enough to strike nearby aircraft, so you can't just get a bunch of choppers together and go and bomb the undead settlement. Were it so easy, that would be SOP for dealing with the SOBs and we wouldn't be F'd in the B, so GTFO.

Designation: Mushroom
Costs: 200 corpses, 300 brains
HP: 1,000
Armor: 0%

Weapons: Toxic Cloud
Damage: 15, +5 light corrosion damage, +5 piercing damage per second for 5 seconds
Rate of Fire: 10
DPS: 1.5 (10 DOT)
Range: 10
Radius: 15

More of a hazard than an actual defense, the Mushroom emits spores that cause extreme respiratory damage if inhaled to the point that immediate medical attention is required once the victim has started coughing up blood. However, the range for these spores are pathetically short. It's only a really big deal if you walk right up to it, making the Mushroom something of a hard counter to those preferring melee weapons. Just blast it from a safe distance and you should be fine. Some claim that the spores of these Mushrooms have a strong scent of rotting meat, but let's be honest. EVERYTHING around an infested settlement smells like rot and BO, so that's not really particularly helpful.

Designation: Acid Mortar
Costs: 250 corpses, 250 brains
HP: 1,000
Armor: 0%

Weapons: Chemical Bomb
Damage: 220, + 5 light corrosion damage, + 5 piercing damage per second for 5 seconds
Rate of Fire: 10
DPS: 22 (10 DOT)
Range: 150 (15 min)
Radius: 5
Dispersion: 10

The polar opposite of the Mushroom, Acid Mortars are QUITE the cause for concern. Appearing as a bulbous, mutated plant oriented around a center sphincter, when the Mortar detects living forces close by, the sphincter contracts and expels a fleshy sac filled with an acidic compound. Upon hitting the ground, the sac ruptures and expels said acid in a cloud that is detrimental to one's health to be in. Make no mistake, these things can reach out REALLY far, do heaps of damage, and the cloud makes life difficult (and short) for infantry trying to support your armor. To make matters worse, these things are becoming increasingly common, and grow along infested settlements like weeds. Great...

Designation: Incubator: Runner Zombies
Costs: 250 corpses, 200 brains
HP: 1,000
Armor: 0%

Weapons: Light Undead
Damage: 4
Rate of Fire: 20
DPS: 0.2
Range: 30

Quite the unpleasant customer, this one is. The Incubator is a viral-plant hybrid that stores Runner zombies within itself when the infested hamlet is idle. When it senses prey nearby, the plant releases its Runners to hunt down and devour the living. It is unknown how many Runners lurk within an Incubator, but observers have reported a single plant releasing THOUSANDS of them over the course of several hours. It is theorized that, upon destroying the threat to the infested hamlet, Runners return to these plants and have their stomachs pumped of human remains by the Incubator's interior tendrils, granting it nourishment.

Good luck enjoying lunch with THAT mental image in your head.

Designation: Fast Horde
Costs: 150 Support Points
Cooldown: 200 seconds (3.33 minutes)

A particularly unpleasant surprise for infantry who are isolated without the aid of vehicles to back them up. A large swarm of Runners and Jumpers suddenly erupt from underground, seeking the flesh and blood of the living. This is a rather cheap power to use, and recharges quickly, so always watch your 6. You never know when zombie Usain Bolt might try to take a bite out of your jugular.

Designation: Heavy Horde
Costs: 250 Support Points
Cooldown: 300 seconds (5 minutes)

This time around, the underground Gym Team wants a chance to play. A horde of Nightmares, Slaughterers, Bulls and Bullies emerges from a tunnel to really play rough, but if you have a few rocket launchers with your team, you should probably be okay. The fact that these guys can just show up anywhere instead of mindlessly running at you only to get shot in the face is what is really unnerving here, and more often than not, by the time infantry have noticed that the Undead have used this power, their supporting artillery has been taken out and they're cut off.

Designation: Super Heavy Horde
Costs: 350 Support Points
Cooldown: 400 seconds (6.66 minutes)

Something REALLY nasty that anyone still drawing breath should be concerned about. Rather than just burrowing up from underground, the Super Heavy Horde, with a mix of Rippers, Destroyers, and Colossi, just trigger a cave-in of one of their larger tunnels and simply walk out, ready to turn the defenders of humankind into a violent spray of pink mist.

Designation: Acid Rain
Costs: 450 Support Points
Cooldown: 500 seconds (8.33 minutes)
Radius: 25

The Underground tunnels of the Undead ferment a mixture of corrosive acid, decomposing flesh, and mutated genetic material. When a breach is triggered, this mixture evaporates and then condensates in the lower atmosphere, forming a rain that is capable of melting through body armor and flesh almost instantly, and doing some degree of harm to vehicles and even armor! The manifestation of this ability is WIDE, so if one hears the crackle of thunder when near an undead settlement, it is wise to seek shelter IMMEDIATELY.

Designation: Infected Puddle
Costs: 550 Support Points
Cooldown: 550 seconds (9.16 minutes)
Radius: 15

Rather than allow the acidic compound to evaporate into rain, the zombies simply collapse a tunnel and expose their victims to the solution directly. This has a smaller radius of effect, but inflicts more damage because of the higher concentration... and has the added bonus of infecting anyone who sticks so much as a pinky toe inside of it, so they have a long life as a mindless brain chewer to look forward to.

Designation: Corrosive Dirt-Eater
Costs: 600 Support Points
Cooldown: 550 Seconds (9.16 minutes)

This is likely the creature responsible for expanding the Undead Tunnel System, and appears to be a gigantic, heavily mutated earthworm that has succumbed to the virus. While not directly hostile or interested in anything but, surprise, eating dirt, Dirt-Eaters have been known, from time to time, to breach the surface and vomit out huge amounts of some kind of purple, acidic mixture. The mixture then falls back to Earth randomly in large drops, and each of these drops is capable of melting through a main battle tank in moments. Let your imagination run wild as to what might happen if it hits infantry, or a lesser armored vehicle.

This has been a, somewhat exhaustively intensive, analysis of the various murderous cannibalistic death beasts that is the Undead horde. When next we meet, I'll be doing an extensive review of what the military has left to turn these baddies into wet bags of Schmidt. Until then, this is the Admiral signing off.