E-Book Overview
The dead have always stalked the dark corners of the earth. Since World War II, the number of zombie outbreaks has increased every year, while governments desperately try to cover up the facts. Zombies: A Hunter’s Guide contains all of the information necessary to recognize and combat this growing threat. Beginning with an explanation of the historical origins of zombies, it follows their history straight through to the threat they pose to the world today. All varieties of zombie are catalogued and examined, giving their strengths and weakness, with a special emphasis on recognition and elimination. Finally, the book covers the tactics and equipment used in zombie fighting. Accompanied by numerous full-colour reconstructions to help with identification, this book is a must for anyone on the frontlines of the Zombie Wars.
E-Book Content
Zombies A H U N T E R’S G U I D E JOSEPH A. McCULLOUGH © Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com Contents Introduction 4 Necromantic Zombies 6 Voodoo Zombies 14 Nazi Zombies 20 Revenants 25 Atomic Zombies 33 Viral Zombies 44 Zombie Masters 50 Viral Hounds and other zombified animals 55 Zombie Hunters 59 Zombie Hunter Weapons and equipment 66 Zombie Hunter Tactics 71 Further Reading, Watching, Gaming 76 glossary 78 index 80 © Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com Introduction This book is dedicated to the men and women who have lost their lives defending our right to rest in peace. Artwork by Ana Mlinar In 2004, the United States Army granted me a rare privilege, a tour of the barracks and training grounds of the 34th Specialist Regiment at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. I visited the base on a quiet Sunday morning, when most of the soldiers were absent on leave. My guide was a young lieutenant, a two-year veteran of the unit. He 4 © Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com answered my questions with a laugh and a smile as he showed me around. Midway through the tour, we entered the motor pool where the “Nightmen” stored their Humvees and trucks. As I touched the armored sides of the vehicles, I realized that they were covered in scratches and claw marks. Standing in that garage, my whole perception of the war against the undead changed. Up to that point, my study of zombies had always been a dry, if somewhat rare, academic pursuit. In dusty libraries it is easy to forget that zombies are creatures of rotting flesh and congealed blood. While I had battled for the pride of publication, the men and women of the 34th had stood on the frontlines, protecting us all from the worst nightmares of our childhood. Since that day, I have devoted my time and energy to aiding the professional zombie hunters, through both academic research and potentially dangerous field work. I have traveled to several “hot zones,” escorted by the containment teams of different nations, in an effort to obtain useful information. Despite owning an expensive 9mm pistol, I have never fired a shot at a zombie. I have run away from many. I’ve come to realize that unlike those battered vehicles in the 34th motor pool, the scars of professional zombie hunters run deep, and the worst cannot be seen. The Zombie Wars have claimed many victims, and not all of them have died on a battlefield. While fiction and film have glorified zombies and zombie hunters, the truth is much grimmer. I have written this book in an attempt to educate people about the true horrors of the zombie menace. The book opens with an individual analysis of each of the five main zombie varieties, while at the same time p