Dr. schwan’s Research and Development Team/Bifrost
Project Bifrost
The Following documents were declassified after the completeion on operations within Fort Perryn:
I propose to use the fort for a time to test a hypothesis. Here is the experament I would like to try to conduct. The participation of all interested and trustworthy parties will be greatly appreciated and contribute to the validity of our conclusions. I think that our findings in this respect may prove invaluable in future actions in the fort. Let me know if this plan meets with your approval.
Area of inquiry
the effects of combat reviving on the maintenance of a fort
Situational analysis: The Fort
The fort is constantly ruined and falls frequently to the zombies. When active, the fort is plagued by constant break-ins at the gate house, PKing, and over-barricading preventing the arrival of reinforcements. Forts do not provide Necrotech syringes. The combination of these factors causes it to fall.
Analysis of the problems:
The gate house falls frequently because it is the only entrance to the fort and the largest target in the suburb. It falls through direct action en masse by zombies and through the use of the tactic of parachuting. It falls quicker when the barricades are kept lower. Removal of zombies is difficult requiring the use of many rounds of ammo. Failure to remove and re-barricade leads to what is called beachheading and the immanent fall of the gatehouse.
The amount of people within attract s PKers who are not hindered by barricades set at VSB or below. PKers enter the fort, kill their targets, and leave the fort or hide in the armory. A barricade of higher than VSB prevents allies from entering the fort to provide backup transforming the struggle inside into a closed system wherein survivors experience the law of diminishing returns owing to their tactical disadvantage to the zombies in hand to hand combat.
Hypothesis:
Combat reviving and a different approach to barricading can be used to increase the safety of a fort.
Supporting evidence:
The fort contains an infirmary and an armory and, excepting the opportunity to revive, can be considered as a closed system. It can only be considered as such when it is closed to outside access. An extremely Heavily Barricaded gatehouse is harder to breach. Parachuting and PKing can be controlled if access to the fort is restricted to trusted survivors. Should a breach occur, zombies can be removed from an area faster through a combat revive. The danger in a combat revive is in that it creates parachuters. Parachuters are not trusted survivors and may have their access to the fort restricted. Within a closed system, revive points will not be needed as allies will be easily identifiable from enemies.
Remaining difficulties:
Forts do not supply Necrotech needles. Necrotech needles will be in greater demand if combat reviving occurs. Reinforcements cannot enter the fort if it is heavily barricaded. If PKing occurs, bodies of allies may be dumped from the building causing them to become trapped outside. Some zombies have brainrot and cannot be combat revived in a fort.
Proposed solutions:
Necrotech needles can be obtained from an NT facility and imported into the closed system. Reinforcements can be imported into a closed system. Both can be accomplished through timed supply runs and prearranged and non-repeating irregular entry times. Those trapped without can seek a revive and re-enter at such an entry time. PKers can be hindered from dumping bodies by depleting their AP through the effort of breaking an entry and by keeping the gatehouse staff in good health. Injured persons who cannot heal themselves may remove to the infirmary where, if they are PKed it will require greater effort for the offender to dump the body. Brainrot zombies will have to be dealt with violently but it will be less difficult to do so if non-brainrot zombies can be removed with substantially less effort.
Experament:
The original objective:
A small to mid-sized group of armed and scientifically trained survivors who can coordinate at a specific strike time will enter and claim the gatehouse and infirmary. They will increase the barricades of the gatehouse to VSB for one half hour to allow other participants to enter. They will then increase the barricades of both to EHB, locking themselves in the fort. They should sleep in the gatehouse and keep it to EHB, They should not engage the other areas of the fort.
Immediate maintenance:
The zombies within the fort will either stay in the storehouses and the armory or attack the other locations. Once they do, those who can be revived should be revived and those who cannot should be killed. If all survivors remain in the gatehouse, they will attack the gatehouse and require little effort to dump after they have been dispatched. Should another area be emptied of zombies in this manner, it should be repaired and barricaded slightly. Zombies may be engaged but should not be killed in areas other than the gatehouse. For the most part, we should let the zombies come to us. If break-ins occur, first priority should be given to the barricade as the zombies within will be depleted by the effort. Gatehouse must stay at EHB except when receiving a supply run or reinforcements. Those allies who fall in the gatehouse should stand in the gatehouse and signal to receive revive. Enemies or unrecognized zombies should be DNA scanned before they are engaged and all non-rotters should be revivified rather than killed to save effort and ammunition.
Longer term maintenance:
Should the operation be wholly successful, (this is unlikely with the original experiment) resupply runs and entries should be coordinated through the forum. Should the barricades fall and immediate rebuilding in full be impossible or through chance be not achieved, the state of the barricaded should be posted to a trusted forum and this event used as an impromptu entry time or resupply run by those waiting to do so. Resupply runs should have a time window and be signaled through the forum to allow as much as possible, the zombies to accomplish the de-barricading of the gatehouse to allow entry.
Essential equipment:
DNA Extractors, syringes, tool boxs, firearms and ammunition.
Expected result:
It is expected that combat revives, coupled with a closed system and greater coordination can allow the fort to be held longer with fewer people.
Addendum:
Those of the participants who become zombified outside of the gatehouse, may, if they feel comfortable doing so and retain their right mind while in this form engage in what is commonly called life culting but should not kill any zombies at the gate. Rather injure to the point that they may be easily dispatched by those within. Similar tactics may be used within the gatehouse if desired.
Adendum 2:
those who wish to participate but cannot make the strike time should enter the fort prior to the strike and seek refuge in a ruined storehouse. They should be safe there for a few hours and can join the experament in progress when able"
Opening SIT REP
Current situation in the fort from our allies the Wulves
Current as of about 1 hour I would guess based on the message.
Gatehouse: 6 (5 hostile) Zeds inside including Albert ruined-4 AP to restore
Armoury: 7 inside Ruined AP unknown to restore (it is a Dark build so you won't know till the lights come on.) 3 zeds outside.
Infirmary: 1 zed + 1 body inside ruined 16 AP to restore
Storehouse: 2 zeds-ruined-9 AP restore
Easter Storehouse: 1 zed inside
Motor Pool: 1 zed-ruined-9 AP restore
Barracks: 0zed and sigmund amenhauser
3 zeds on the grounds of the fort outside buildings.
21 occupying zed total to worry about
Success will be measured by duration. We have proven that 8 to 9 people we can take out a beachhead of 9 Zed in an NT building. I am curious to see how that applies to a fort.
Update:
Gatehouse taken at 2 am GMT Thursday. Barricaded to EHB at 2:36. Seven people inside. One zombie support outside.
Unforeseen variable:
Zombies within the fort bypass barricades when they move into the gatehouse. Adjustment required, quick response needed to process zombies within the fort walls. Body dumping to occur immediately after neutralization
Clarification:
“Clicking on the Gatehouse while located inside the fort moves you inside the Gatehouse, even if you were outside. Therefore, zombies are able to exit a fort, even through a "very strongly" barricaded (or less) Gatehouse.” (wiki definition of forts provided by Belisarius17)
Logical extension:
Zombies cannot automatically enter a gatehouse that is barricaded higher than VSB.
Question:
What happens if a zombie inside the fort attempts to move to the gatehouse? There are two possibilities here: either they wind up outside the gatehouse and thus outside the fort, or they receive a message stating they cannot move there. If the former is the case, forts can empty themselves of zombies if the zombies lose interest. If the latter, that means they cannot attack the barricades but it also means that they cannot easily be dumped outside without great expenditures of energy.
Updtate:
The infirmary was taken, lit, and barricaded to VSB around 4:30 GMT. Barricades on gatehouse holding steady at EHB
Unforeseen variable:
our reading of the wiki was incorrect: zombies within the fort can automatically bypass Gatehouse barricades even when they are at EHB. A zombie named Spastic Armpit just clarified this point for us. Until (name removed) stands to receive his revive, we are now six.
Update:
six become eight. An unexpected development, (name removed), an inactive character became active during the experiment. Additionally, one of our own, (name removed) was discovered within the building. (name removed) remains down but all participants have been instructed not to remove him. It is now four and a half hours after the start of the operation. To this point, we have removed 7 zombies from the premises and remain alive save one.
Update:
zombie unit outside continues to modify the HP of subject outside the gatehouse.
1pm Thursday GMT one more reinforcement (Erica Gait) arrived over the barricades.
The gatehouse fell roughly 4pm Thursday GMT (held 14 hours)
The infirmary fell roughly 5:30pm Thursday GMT (held 15 ½ hours)
At least two Heathers were required to accomplish this killing three of the participants.
A total of 8 zombies removed from the premises during the project
As of 8:30pm GMT there are 23 zombies within the fort
Events that modified results:
Detracting events:
One participant was at 1HP at the beginning of the action. One participant began with 5AP in the gatehouse. Two participants were inactive during the duration due to unrelated technical difficulties.
Augmenting events:
Several zombies within the fort were inactive (Note: this was planned for). Two reinforcements arrived after start time to assist. At least one other participated near the end when barricades were lower.
Conclusions:
We know more about the function of barricades within a fort. The Gatehouse is accessible from within at all times regardless of Barricade level. We know about how combat reviving can work within a fort. With a sealed gatehouse, combat revives are substantially more efficient for taking a fort than ammunition, enabling the removal of non-brainrotted zombes within fewer supplies and less difficulty. Combat revives slow the zombie retaliation from without requiring those revived find a way to die before beginning to break down the barricades and force their way back in. By maintaining a large enough stock of syringes to combat revive zombies and remove them quickly and by remaining vigilant and able to revive fallen allies quickly within the gatehouse, a small group was able to hold out for more than half a day completely exposed to 10 or so zombies within the fort only falling due to outside influence by PKers. We learned that in single combat within a sealed fort, syringes are more usefull than ammo and a more direct way of defeating opposition. The disadvantage of survivors is negated when a single fully rested zombie can remove on average approximately 100 HP and a fully stocked combat reviver who recognizes his targets can remove a zombie with 10AP, unless it has brainrot, or generate 150 HP through the revival of fallen friends. While survivors can heal within a fort, zombies cannot without spending disproportionately large amounts of effort to bite their victims. We know something of zombie strategy within. Near the end of project, zombies began to make runs on the gatehouse aimed at wearing down all survivors bit by bit rather than taking out a single target. They retreated to the interior after such runs for fear of removal necessitating greater expenditures of time. We learned that the probability that the Heathers work FOR members of the Feral Undead rather than WITH them is so high as to make it an arguable fact. We have never taken a fort before, the only way to know that we were within was to collaborate with zombies. The only reason to become so invested in the effort to enter would have been to know we were within. More than one manslave was sent at the same time negating the possibility of a random encounter. The only way to get in was to time appropriately with the zombies who smashed the barricades. The only actions committed by them were in the interest of the zombies enabling the taking of the fort through a coordinated strike. The expenditures of energy suggest the Heathers involved were relatively inactive prior to the strike. This combined with past evidence on Heather inactivity when no zombie objective needs performed can be used to ascertain that the Heathers have no objective beyond that which is assigned them by members of the Feral Undead.
Suggestions for future application of hypothesis:
The strategy of using combat revives proved useful. The strategy of sealing a group within to accomplish the objective proved useful. In future a group of combat revivers of equal or slightly fewer in number to the zombies within should be able to sweep the fort and remove all non-brainrot zombies before sealing the fort. The remaining zombies, by necessity outnumbered at this point, will experience diminishing returns as they cannot dump bodies from the building and cannot effectively heal without corpses on the ground. Two dedicated healers, and a lit infirmary, and roughly six syringes per participant should accomplish stability of numbers for groups up to 12 for the duration of the exercise. In such a situation, even a fire axe presents a tactical advantage in combat.
Second experiment proposal:
The Initial Strike:
The day before the strike, we move reasonably close to Whittenside. We should disperse around Whittenside and southern Pennville so as to minimize researcher casualties. There we rest and prepare. During this time, if able, I suggest that (name removed) repair and barricade a section of the fort so as to draw zombies from the gatehouse and wear them down. At a time late on Friday we move to the fort. Those who are eaten or shot en route, should still proceed to the fort to help with the operation (excepting Brainrot, revives will be provided on site). Any who cannot make the strike time, should hide within the fort as close to the strike as possible (again, revives will be provided on site).
As the strike commences, we revivify any zombie within the gatehouse who can be revivified and remove the others with violence (Firearms, Axes, or direct zombie to zombie combat). Be sure to dump all bodies. Once the gatehouse is secure, we repair and barricade to VSB for one Half hour, to allow for schedule conflicts, and then to EHB. Extra exertions should be focused on revivifying other zombies in the fort but only provided that the Gatehouse is EHB and the revivifying party is able to dump the body (this will take 5 AP from within the fort and move you to the Gatehouse) The Infirmary is not a priority target as many of us have a good supply of FAKS. Following the removal of the zombies, any participant remaining in zombie form should move to the interior of the fort to assist with removal of hostile zombies through the practice of Life-culting or to allow the gatehouse to be repaired before reentering to receive a revive.
Each participant should attempt to save some strength in reserve (11AP if possible) for repairs to the barricades or revivifications as long as they remain active. Before sleeping, they should use remaining efforts to remove zombies(CR if possible), dump bodies, or repair empty buildings (order of priority: Infirmary, SE storehouse, SW storehouse, Vehicle depot, Armory). If possible, return to the gatehouse to sleep.
Occupying the fort:
Rule 1
-At all costs the barricades must be maintained, even if that means spending extra time with a zombie or two. We can revive and heal in house but if the barricades fall and stay down the experiment will end.
Rule 2
-Know your friends. Participants in this project should be able to identify their friends in any for (add to contacts list) this way you can revive them, not spend time or effort attacking them, and (most importantly) not dump their bodies when they fall. It is better to let a Death Cultist stay than to dump a friend.
Rule 3
-Keep on your feet. If you can stand, you need to stand. Your allies cannot revive or heal you if you stay on the ground and bodies cannot be dumped from the gatehouse without the fear of dumping you. Do not rest on the ground while you revive if you can help it and if you are killed stand up immediately if able.
Rule 4
-If you cannot dump it, do not kill it. Only revive or kill a zombie if you can dump its body immediately or if you know that someone else will be able to. If they stand, it was a wasted effort. This does not mean that you should not engage the zombies. Unlike survivors, they cannot recuperate from damage inflicted without biting us, feeding on a corpse, or standing after being killed. Adherence to this rule drastically minimizes the effectiveness of the latter two of these methods.
Rule 5
- Follow the basic hierarchy of action: Barricade the Gatehouse, revive your friends, remove the zombies, and repair the buildings. Always return to the gatehouse.
Life-culting:
We all know that for the right sort of person, death is only an inconvenience in Malton. To minimize this inconvenience, we stock Rotalin and NahBra!nzbarg Bra!nz. There is then no reason that zombies cannot be effective members of the team. If you are a zombie in need of a revive with action to spare, or a brainrotted zombie who dies in the course of this experiment, you can still scout, defend the gatehouse, and help remove hostile zombies from the fort. You should not kill a zombie though as it would violate rule 4. Rather find and attack them in the gatehouse or elsewhere. If you can manage to reduce them to a sufficiently damaged state (3HP or less), return to the gatehouse and signal their location to the other researchers (through the tube system for those who have access, through satphone, through an intermediary, through zamgrh [N (north), A (south), M (east), Z (west)], through flailing gesture [vehicle depot would be “a zombie gestures towards the north, a zombie gestures towards the NorthWest], or using basic zombie vocabulary customized for this occasion [Graagh=the SW Storehouse, Graaaagh!=the SE storhouse, Grrrh=the vehicle depot, mrh?=the infirmary (this may also get you revived), Brnhr=any of the outside only locations, Grh=inside(outside will be assumed otherwise)]). When not aiding in the removal of hostile zombies, life cultists may wish to remain in the gatehouse to observe the situation and be party to any conversation.
Optional addendum #1
If any participants are in zombie form during the initial attack, we could piñata the gatehouse at EHB. The benefit of this is that a zombie on the outside will be less inclined to attempt to break in as it will not be evidently repaired and because zombies like piñatas and think on whole that they are the only ones who can get use out of them. Additionally, zombies within the fort will be less likely to move from their currently held locations into the gatehouse. Drawbacks. If zombies do attempt to attack the barricades, we must remove zombies from the gatehouse and repair it in order to increase the barricades. For this reason, should we attempt this strategy, we would be best served keeping life-cultists in buildings other than the gatehouse.
Optional addendum #2
If we piñata the gatehouse, we may wish to sleep inside the armory with the three zombies if needed and check on the gatehouse frequently in order to maximize the efficiency of the operation.
Decision
Decision was reached to forgo piñata options for this experiment
Opening SIT REP
The state of the Fort as we entered
Zombie Levels:
|0/0|0/x|2/x|
|0/1|1/4|3/?|
|0/1|3/7|0/0|
Repair values:
|19|XX|XX|
|23| 73|XX|
| 32| 23| 26|
Participants in initial strike:
10 total 6 members D.S. R&D (one dead on arrival) 1 member Malton College of Medicine 2 members Wulves (one dead on arrival) 1 member Damn Yankees
Reinforcements:
3 2 members Wulves 1 member Fortress
Experiment 2
Stage 1: Clear and repair the Gatehouse
Inside the gatehouse are currently 4 hostile zombies. Of these, (two names and IDs removed) have brainrot; the others are unknown. The two with brainrot must first be removed by a combination of in place zombie (2 names removed) and survivor (the rest of us) action. Those with loaded firearms are asked to concentrate on these targets. Following their removal, the other two targets should be scanned and either revivified or removed by force according to their brainrot status.
(note to and any zombie participants: If you remain in the gatehouse, we can revive you there before we effect repairs, but you must be committed to stand up immediately so that you are not dumped outside. If you will be inactive immediately after the strike, please relocate to another position in the fort and revivification will be arranged later).
Once cleared, Participants should remain in the gatehouse for a head count. The Gatehouse must be repaired and barricaded to VSB for 1/2 hour (if participants are missing) or directly to EHB (if all participants are in sight) at least one participant should have enough AP to effect the repairs with some to spare. If possible, we must not exhaust ourselves fully on this first stage. Once the gatehouse is repaired and barricaded, we may move on to stage 2.
Stage 2: access to the interior
Free-running in a fort will take its toll on us is we do not repair another building. I suggest the Barracks as it is easy to repair. Following the same basic procedure, we should take this second building and barricade it to quite strongly barricaded. There should be no need to barricade further as ideally the zombies inside will consider it weak and move from the armory to ransack it. If that happens, it can be retaken. The operation is not likely to last long enough for this to be an issue.
While this building is repaired, move from the gatehouse to this building to avoid losing your footing. This will deposit one inside the fort but outside the buildings allowing us to move freely within. It is not necessary to reenter this building to get into the gatehouse as all movement from within the fort to the gatehouse places one inside the gatehouse.
Stage 3: Removing zombies
Once the first two stages have been accomplished, participants should try to remove other zombies from within as they are able making certain to leave a remainder of approximately 10 AP as long as they are active and dropping below this only in order to increase the barricades on the Gatehouse, respond to emergencies, or accomplish actions before retiring for the evening. Combat reviving is the preferred method of removal but other means will be at the discretion of the participant and should be suited to the situation to accomplish removal in the most efficient manner possible. There are two ways to dump bodies in a fort: outside the building (1AP) or outside of the fort (5AP). The latter, which moves you to the gatehouse, should always be used. To avoid wasted action, those who remove zombies from the interior should accomplish what they set out to do in the interior to the best of their ability before dumping bodies. Always end in the Gatehouse
(Note: the second highest concentration of zombies is in the armory, but these zombies should not be engaged unless a generator and fuel are in place. You cannot dump bodies from a dark building so any zombies killed will not be able to be removed)
Stage 4: Repairs
If there is an empty building, do not repair it unless (a) the fort is clear of zombies, (b) it is the last action you perform for the day and you will be able to move back to the gatehouse, or (c) our situation has become hopeless and you wish to strike for the greater good by making future repairs easier. With the exception of one building maintained for freerunning purposes, the other buildings are unessential. Even if you repair them, do not spend time barricading them as, once repaired the first time, ruining a building is far more difficult than repairing it again.
Results:
Initial participants 10-
reinforcements 3 -
17 zombies removed-
10 inactive bodies dumped -
7 friendly revives -
5 of 7 buildings repaired –
Final hold time before project abandoned roughly 29 1/2 hours –
survivors of mission 4 -
