Guide:The Survivalist - Tips and Tricks for Quarantine

Quarantine is a mode that, at its heart, is about the survival of the fittest. Two sides are pitted against each other. One is fast and resilient, but primitive in its attacks. The other has sophisticated weapons (and a lot of them to boot), but is slower and fragile. One missed shot, or one unplaced mine, could be the difference between a flawless human victory, and a total infection scenario. In order to survive one must be prepared, cunning, maneuverable, and even vigilant.

The Loadout
The most important part of any mode is what you bring with you. I will guide you through the shop to show you the best gear available in order to bring home that infected bacon.

Please note that the items which appear first in a category are the preferred items.

Gear
Head: Cyclops Bandana, Elite 4th Anniversary Cap, Military Bandana, Kepi

Face: Prankster Bandana, Anti-Flash Goggles

Vest: Recon Vest, Light Vest

Backpack: Modular Backpack, Advanced Backpack

In order to be successful in quar your gear has to allow two things; speed, and capacity. You need the speed in order to out run and out maneuver your enemies, and capacity in order to carry the instruments of their demise. You need speed in order to reach a camping point in time, and capacity in order to hold off your foes.

Weapons
Primary: Legion, Micro UZI Metal, Magpul FMG-9, PP-19

Secondary: Alien Gun, G18 Carbon Black, Beretta 93R, any G23 variant

Melee: Tracker Knife, Sickle

Support: M69HE Frag-NL, M69HE Frag.

Backpack A: RPG

Backpack B: LAW

Backpack C: MZP-1, M79

Backpack D (If a modular backpack is equipped): M16A1 AP Mine

For your primary gun you'll want a sub-machine gun. You'll want one that's portable, and holds a lot of ammo. For that the FMG9, and PP-19 are suggested. If you can get your hands on a Micro Uzi Metal then don't even think of using anything else. However, if you're somehow lucky enough to have a legion then don’t even hesitate to use it.

Pistols are all around portable, so the most important things to consider are rate of fire and ammo capacity. You want a gun that can shoot fast, and shoot a lot. For this the Alien Gun is ideal, but the G18 Carbon Black, Beretta 93r, and any G23 series gun will do just fine.

In the melee category you'll want something that can make you swing fast, and go fast. The tracker knife is the most portable knife in the game, and swings faster than any other. If you don't have it, use the sickle.

The rest comes down to how many explosives you can fit into your backpack. A high explosive grenade is a must, so have that in your main support slot. Then you'll need launchers. A well placed shot from three launchers will kill most infected that come your way. For the higher HP infected out there, or the faster ones, there’s mines - assuming that you have a modular backpack, of course. If you have to choose between a third launcher and mines, do the launcher. It is simply much more efficient, and chances are most of your teammates will have mines anyway.

Function
KDR/HP vision can be very helpful, as it will (duhh) show the hp of the infected. This is VERY useful as it helps you determine just how many rockets/nades it will take to kill your target. Sometimes it's just not worth the effort to chase a zombie around when you won't even end up killing it.

Mutagens, mutagens, mutagens. Let me say it again - mutagens. No, this is not a suggestion, this is a MUST; extra speed, extra bullets, extra rockets and nades, and if you're infected, extra speed/HP and regeneration rate. If, as a zombie you're a front-line infecting type, get the striker. If you're a damage-soaker or ammo bait, get the crusher.

EXP and GP passes are recommended in order to get the best reward for your hard work.

Strategy
How one should go about while playing depends largely on the map, though there are a few overreaching pointers that may apply to any map. In this section we will be going over a few general tips to help you improve your game.

Camping Vs Running
The largest schism in the Quarantine community is between those who hold a tactical position (Camping), and those who skillfully outmaneuver the infected (Running). Both sides look down upon the other for doing the ‘easier’ thing. The truth is that they are both right in these accusations; however they do use the wrong word. They use words such as ‘easy’ to describe what the other does. I prefer the word ‘smart’, and bother sides are.

The decision isn't a dichotomy between camping and running, rather it is about knowing when to camp, and when to run. When you are vastly outnumbered, or if there is little time left before the saferoom opens, then camping is the best option. Though do keep in mind that, even with minds, camping is a two-or-more person game – one cannot hold off hordes all by themselves. If one if not outnumbered, or of one is the only human left, then running would be the best option. However, generally, if you can get into a saferoom, THEN DO. Don’t stray from the saferoom due to the cries of lesser players who try to look good rather than be good.

Mines
In Quarantine, mines are your friend. A group of well-placed mines can take out almost any zombie that comes your way, with the exception being one with a Crusher mutagen. You’ll want to place your mines at a choke point, one where the infected either cannot, or will have a hard time, maneuvering around. You’ll want to keep them together, but not too close that a zombie could inch around them. You’ll also want to ‘tap’ two of the mines. That is, shoot them once, but not with a weapon that would make them go off – pistols are good for this. You’ll want to do this so that when a zombie trips one mine, it sets off a chain reaction that blows them all up.

Another good way to use mines is to set them up and, when a zombie runs past, shoot a rocket at them. The mines and rocket together can kill just about any zombie, even a non-host Crusher! Just don’t try it with a host Crusher.

Rockets
When killing the infected, explosives are your best options. Just one rocket on or near an infected and they lose a good chunk of their HP. Luckily, if you follow this guide, you’ll have three, the preferred number. Very few zombies will go down with two rockets, but most will go down with three; unless you are a Crusher. The best way to use to use your rockets is to line them up in your equipment slots. This way all you have to do is aim at the zombie and – fire, 1, fire, 1, fire. If it’s not a crusher and it still has HP left, then you’ll just need to shoot away what little HP it has left.

Grenades
When running is necessary, grenades are a great asset. Rather than tossing nades around into the air while running in circles, they should be used strategically. There are four steps to this – One, lure the infected. Two, throw the nade. Three, pin the zombie down with gun fire. Four, BOOM. For most zombies a standard High Explosive nade will be able to take them out - the exception being, the Crusher. This works best when going around corners, as the infected won’t see you throwing the nade and will have less time to run away before it explodes.

Saferooms
You may hear from lesser players that saferooms are ‘noobish’ to use. The word they mean to use is ‘smart’. These players, akin to those who prance about pretending their snipers are shotguns, are simply too concerned with looking good rather than being good. In truth, saferooms are your best friends in a game of quarantine. They offer protection, as well as an great opportunity for the killing zombies – after all, they’ll all line up right in front of you! No new strategies are needed for saferooms, you simply need to adapt older ones.

Rockets will be the easiest to use; just shoot them at the infected through whatever opening there is. With nades all that you need to do is throw them and pin the infected down, only this time it’s you have a wall between you, and the blast and infected. If you've saved up your mines until now then throw them through the opening; one MZP/M79 should tap them correctly.

The most important thing about saferooms is this; DO NOT GET TOO CLOSE TO THE DOORS/WINDOWS. The infected CAN and WILL hit you through them. Doing so will only get you infected, and anger whatever teammates you have with you, making them less likely to help you, and less likely to let you in the next time. It may also result in a kick from the team/elite.

As a side note; the best team is one well equipped player. With the gear suggested above you can easily hold a saferoom all by yourself, and get a great kill count to boot!

Tactics
Taking the strategies above and adapting them to each map, you can succeed just about anywhere. However, for the purpose of an example, here are a few ways to apply them to the map ‘Overdose’. Due to the nature of running, this section will mainly focus on camping. More maps might be added to this section in the future.

The Office
Above the watery area and in front of the saferoom is an average sized space with a desk and broken windows. This is the office, and it is one of the best places to camp in any quarantine map. There are only two way to get in; two small ledges which require jumping across. The best time to shoot is when a zombie is just about to jump, as then you stop it right in the middle, and when it falls, it falls through the hole and into the water. Make sure to be vigilant and only reload when the coast is clear; use your pistol if you have to.

Once the alarm starts ringing you have to make a decision; to use this saferoom, or the elevator. If the people with you at the office don’t seem like they would be good at defending the saferoom, or may go near the window/door, then leave. However, if there are too many zombies blocking the path to the elevator, then stay. It’s better to have a small chance than to run into a suicide situation.

If you are going to the elevator, then there are to main ways; the ledge, and the floor. Depending on which seems safer, either go on the ledge, through the window, into the hallway, into the cargo room, across the pipe, and into the elevator. Be sure to check the windows of the hallway for zombies. Alternatively, you could go down to the floor, into the cargo room, up the boxes, and into the elevator. Remember, the safer option is the better option.

The Lift
At the end of the train tracks, opposite the elevator saferoom, there is a lift by a vent. This camping location is very mine heavy, as there is nothing to shoot the infected off of to make them have to go around. Place mines in the vent and at the sloped-entrance to the lift – make sure the infected can’t jump over them. Be sure to stay away from the vent grate, as the infected can hit you from under it.

Once the alarm starts ringing your closest option is the elevator saferoom. Remember, though, that the infected will know this as well and most likely be guarding it, hiding around the corners and on the boxes.

The Lab
At the other end of the vent there is a room used for surgery and testing. There are two good places to camp here; the first is on the boxes left of the main doors. The second is up in the office by the vent. If you’re going to camp on the boxes then make sure there aren’t too many people up there. If there are three or more people on there then the infected can swipe at you from the sides. Shoot the infected as them jump at you, or shoot them to keep them down. Putting mines in the pit between the two box stacks is recommended.

If you’re camping in the office then place mines in the vent – a diamond pattern is recommended. If people are camping at the lift then avoid placing mines in the vent, as mines going off in the lift can make your mines blow up. It may also be a good idea to place mines by the door – when a zombie runs in shoot a rocket to blow it all up. Use the height and support to your advantage. When a zombie runs in or starts to come up, send a barrage of rockets it’s way while others shoot to keep it in the room.

From here, both saferooms are within range, and it really depends on two things; which path seems safer, and which team seems better. Ideally, the safest path to the best team would be the good choice.