Despite having released nearly five years ago, Civilization VI has still continued to receive new updates and game modes. There have been additions to the game that have allowed players to face off against completely different civilizations, but the game modes are the most interesting additions to these updates. The Apocalypse, Dramatic Ages, Secret Societies, and many other modes have allowed players to have a lot of fun with the game.

The newest addition to Civilization VI though added in the Zombie Defense mode, which is completely different than anything the game has ever done before. While the player will still face off against the same societies they are used to they must still worry about the encroaching hordes of zombies that will spawn all around the world. This game mode forces players to think about Civilization VI completely differently, so this guide gives some tips for surviving in Zombie Defense mode.

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Civilization VI: Tips for Surviving Zombie Defense Mode

Pick The Right Civilization

One of the very first things that players will want to do when playing the Zombie Defense mode is ensure that they have selected the best civilization for the job. While technically any of the civilizations will work in this mode, there are some that are just better suited overall to success here. When choosing the player will want to select a civilization that is better either at defending themselves from incoming zombie attacks (not attacking them but strictly defending) or one that is suited to Naval transportation. Some great choices are Portugal due to its abilities to trade over sea routes, Georgia for its increased capabilities to construct walls or even the Maori for their focus on the sea.

Focus On Walls, Traps, and Defenses

One big change to this game mode is that there are now certain defenses and traps that the player can research in order to protect themselves against zombies. Traps can be constructed by Builders in either owned or neutral territory, which will then slow nearby zombies down and deal damage to them when they step on the trap. Barricades however deal slightly less damage than traps and deal their damage when a zombie leaves the tile that the barricade is constructed on. Both of these defenses can be made better by being constructed by a Military Engineer. Players should also invest in building walls around each of their settlements to keep zombies far away.

Avoid Fighting Zombies When Possible

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When confronted by a horde of zombies it may seem like a good idea to wipe as many of them off the map as physically possible, but this is actually a very bad idea. The reason being that there are many things that spawn new zombies, and engaging in combat is one of these ways. If a player’s unit is killed by a zombie then they are guaranteed to come back as a member of the undead on the next turn, and even killing other zombies it is fairly likely that they will respawn anyway. Players who want to reduce the zombie population should kill any normal barbarians that they see to prevent them from being turned and destroy camps as they operate as zombie spawn points.

Work Towards Naval and Aerial Units

Players who hope to survive for any stretch of time at all should try their best to work towards naval and aerial methods of transportation as quickly as possible. While it is possible to just build up defenses and strengths to fend of the zombies, this can be a very costly strategy in both resources and soldiers. A little trick to keep in mind is that zombies can only attack and move across land, so the sea and air are completely safe areas for players. As soon as the player is able to they should try and switch their military units to both air and sea, and their trading routes should be transferred to sea rather than moving resources on land. This will prevent players from having their units destroyed or zombified.

Use Zombies to Your Advantage

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Another thing that players can do to give themselves an edge in this game mode is to use the zombies to their advantage against enemies. A great method is to use a spy and infiltrate an enemy city that is far away from the player. Once here they can use the Zombie Outbreak operation to attempt to spawn zombies in this area that will then cause issues for the enemy civilization, and in turn make things easier for the player. The player can also lead a pack of zombies towards an enemy, but keep in mind that these methods can also cause more zombies to spawn and therefore cause some issues later on if the player isn’t very careful with who they attack.

Holy Sites and Campuses Are Your Friend

Some of the first buildings that the player will want to start working on adding to their cities are Holy Sites and Campuses. This is because in this game mode these each have new abilities that they are granted that are specifically geared towards dealing with zombies. The Holy Sites for example gain an ability called Turn Undead that allows the player to take control of any zombies inside of the player territory. They will be able to move those zombies and attack with them for 15 turns before they lose control of them. The player can also build a Campus to be able to use the Dark Signal ability and once again take control of any zombies nearby. This ability though will last for 30 turns to allow the player more time to dish out damage as the zombies. Both of these abilities can be used whenever the player wishes as long as they are in possession of these two buildings.

Don’t Kill Zombies With Other Zombies

By far the biggest mistake that a player can make when they are defending against the zombies in this game mode is take control of zombies and use them to kill hostile zombie units. On the surface, this seems like a great way to defeat the horde without putting the player’s soldiers at risk, but it can actually cause more issues in the long run. If the player kills a hostile zombie horde with their own units then that horde will revive on the next turn at full health, and if those zombies kills the player’s controlled horde then it will revive as a hostile horde on the next turn. At best killing a zombie in this way is a waste of a turn and at worst the player is just adding to the overall amount of zombies. In other words, always strike the killing blow with a soldier.

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Remember What Zombies Attack

The upside to this game mode though is that zombies only attack specific kinds of units in this game mode. They will essentially only really attack military or religious units and will leave civilian units like settlers, builders, and Great People alone. The only time that they attack civilian units is if they have been attached to a military unit that attacks the zombies. Do keep in mind though that zombies will attack traders and disrupt a trade route, so try to keep land trading routes to a minimum.

Civilization VI can be played on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS.

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About The Author


Cody Peterson
(951 Articles Published)

Cody Peterson is an avid reader and writer. Graduated from Midwestern State University with a BA in English where he worked as an editor for the University literary journal. Currently a freelancer for Screenrant, where he spends most of his time writing guides or reviews. Be warned that any conversation started with him will probably wind up gravitating towards his two dogs, The Adventure Zone, or Kingdom Hearts 2.

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