The objective
Eliminate the outbreak while keeping civilians alive. The official description ties your final score to civilian survival.
Before you start
You can see where infection will begin before the action starts. Use this planning phase to inspect the city and decide where to deploy limited resources.
During the outbreak
You can change your plan as the infection spreads. Watch for breaches and consider the civilian consequences of air support.
After the mission
Suggested learning exercise: note where the first breach happened, then adjust one deployment choice for your next attempt. This is an editorial learning framework, not a tested optimal build.
A checklist for the planning phase
Use the questions below as a repeatable review of your opening plan. These are suggested observation prompts, not verified requirements for a particular mission.
- Locate the starting threat. Describe the area you are most concerned about before placing your defenses.
- Choose a priority. Decide which part of the plan you want to evaluate on this attempt, so you know where to focus your attention.
- Describe your response. Write down what would make you change the layout or use support.
- Keep a comparison. Save a screenshot or a short note so your next attempt has a reference point.
Review the run in four lines
My opening assumption: ____________________
The first thing that went wrong: ____________________
The response I tried: ____________________
One change for the next attempt: ____________________
Keep observations separate from explanations. “The breach happened here” is an observation; “this unit is too weak” is a hypothesis that needs another comparison. This distinction is useful when several things change at once.
What to avoid when comparing attempts
If you change the map, units, positions and upgrade choices together, the next result will be difficult to interpret. Start with a narrow experiment. A first successful run can give you a baseline, but it does not establish the best layout for every city or game version.
Need the broader context first? Read what the Zombies Aren’t Real game is and how its mission loop works. Then use our unit overview and civilian scoring guide as supporting references.