Deadfall: Hunters (9 page)

Evan Steers, 3
rd
Hunter group

One month progress report

Training for the hunter group is proceeding well and I have collected all the results and findings from our one month of training and dealing directly with the Limps.

Personal Training: Training instructors provided by the military have proved essential in the overall organization of the training groups the first two weeks. Camp organization, recruitment and enlisting was all taken over by our own people after the second week but under the direct supervision of the assigned officers. With their help and our own organizing, we have come up with the following orders.

The basic group is known as a Unit, formed of 200 pikemen, 1 sniper, and 2 flankers. Each unit is led by one captain and his second man. 5 Units form a Hunter group, supported by 3 cooks, 12 drivers, 2 mechanics and 7-9 other assorted individuals. Each unit is led by a command group usually consisting of 3 men, with one overall in charge. We currently have enough men and women for form 3 Hunter groups.

The pikeman (or woman) is the basic combat unit. He is armed with a self-made 7-8 foot pike, tested for endurance, and usually has 3-4 spares on hand with the convoy. The 200 individuals form a rough phalanx, flexible enough to form a scrimmage line if needed but usually work in two ranks of 100. The unit deploys near the convoy and waits for the Limps to come to them, never wasting energy on moving if necessary. The point is to impale the Limps through the head with the first strike, or impale the body so that another can impale it in the head.

Each unit has a sniper, usually deployed on top of the convoy vehicle. The main purpose of this individual is to call out the movement of the Limps, to warn of stragglers, and advise of any new developments. If needed, the sniper can employ its rifle as needed, but this should be the last method employed. In the entire Hunter group, all snipers are in communication to give each unit leader an updated situation, and to relay news back and forth between units.

The two flankers use a variety of weapons, either a sword or other hand held weapon as well as their own supplied side arms or rifles. Their main purpose is to keep the flanks of the unit free of Limps and along with the Sniper, coordinate the way the Unit is facing. These individuals are usually the most fearless in the unit as they will at times move out beyond the line and deal face to face with Limps while being surrounded.

Within a whole Hunter group, these units will be deployed side by side, in squares or circles, as needed. Coordination between the units is coordinated using the snipers as communications between the Unit captains and the group leaders.

This entire layout has worked well within training exercises with and without Limps. Whether this will work once we are live is something else. It may be a possibility that some part of this structure needs to change as we adapt with real experience.

The Unit working as a modern phalanx does seem to operate very well. The standing line helps considerably with morale, as each pikeman is standing next to another, and always with the safety of the flankers and snipers to their sides and above them. Within our training exercises even with Limps, there have been no injuries caused by the enemy.

Large trucks have been converted to become our convoy vehicles. In most cases, one or two large moving trucks serve the function very well. Loading and unloading comes from the top of the truck. Ladders have been mounted on to the sides as we have noticed the Limps have zero ability to move up a ladder. The driving cabs have been reinforced and can only be entered from within the truck, once again to eliminate the possibility of infiltration of the Limp into the truck. The convoy can serve as a quick getaway in the chance that an encounter with Limps appears to be getting out of control. From the top of the truck, the pikes are long enough to keep doing their work against Limps that surround the vehicle. We are still looking at developing adequate retreating options, but will not be able to until we have real experience.

Two more weeks of training are planned before we starting moving out beyond Sunny Pointe to start putting our training into real life practice. With the vast majority of the Limps from this area currently either washed out to sea or over on Carolina Beach, it is assumed that we will be able to train with more live situations with safety.

Our first month of work has also yielded some very interesting results into our research on the Limp. We have been bringing over Limps from Carolina Beach in controlled fashion for our training and have compiled a large list of details that we have noticed or learned.

1. There are no children. Among all the Limps on Carolina Beach and that anyone has ever encountered, there are no children. There are teenagers, although because of the state of the body, it’s unsure of how old they are. We have no evidence to state that the virus or creature that creates the Limp does not use children’s bodies or if adolescence is the key for who can or cannot become a Limp. This being said, Limps attack all living humans regardless of age. There are plenty of horror stories to confirm this.
   
2. This is preliminary, but there appears to be a possible hive mind effect with the Limp, or at least some kind of proximity effect. One single Limp is almost a harmless being. While this single being will try to attack living humans, usually by biting, tearing and ripping, it is usually very slow, uncoordinated, has very slow reactions and is overall an easy target for anyone with the calm and composure to strike the being in the head.
   During pikeman training, each individual pikeman was easily able to dispose of individual Limps one on one.
   However, we did notice that as our training progressed from one on one, to actual phalanx training in a unit, and as we began to bring larger amounts of Limps over at a time and unleash them upon the training units, we noticed a higher aggression, faster reaction times, increased strength and speed. Limps have never been seen to run, but with each larger group of Limps we presented to the Units, those of us conducting the training began to notice them walking faster, with more determination. There still appears to be no sense of coordination between the Limps. There is no communication between them; anything resembling coordination between them was essentially random. The largest Limp group we ever had was just over 100 of them, but each of those in the group of 100 acted in a different fashion than the ones that were by themselves. What this means in our overall knowledge of the Limps is unknown. What is also in question is if this rise in aggression becomes larger the bigger the group of Limp. It was our plan for one Hunter group to be able to deal with a few thousands of Limps per encounter, but we must scale these encounters carefully in order to observe this phenomenon.
   
3. It has already become common knowledge that the easiest way to eliminate a Limp is to destroy its brain. It’s clear that whatever controls the Limp used the former body’s human brain to control the body parts. Our training has involved the disposal of over four thousand Limps in this past month and this part of what we know has not changed. What we have found is how the Limps react to other kinds of damage to their bodies.
   On multiple occasions, as our pikemen learned the use of their pikes, we stabbed and impaled Limps through various locations of the body other than the head. The beings had no visible reaction to anything like our knowledge of pain. The act of impalement itself didn’t seem to change the being’s demeanor at all. These would continue to try to reach the living human on the other end of the pike. On more than one occasion, the Limp would be stabbed through the neck with enough force to remove the head from the body. We observed these Limps head continue to remain “alive” while the rest of the body “died”. The active head though, showed no more aggressive actions, no biting, of any sorts. The only way we could tell it was still functional were the eyes that still scanned. Somehow the Limp must have some idea of which parts of its body are working.
   Similarly, when Limps had either limbs removed, we also noticed a decreased aggressiveness. When they had their arms removed they tended to lag behind, waiting behind more complete Limps. Those whose legs were removed or incapacitated would remain stationary where they fell until a living human was within range, wherein they would lash out quickly. Once out of range of whatever limbs they had left, these Limps would again appear to be dead.
   It is clear that hitting the Limps brain is the surest way to completely destroy them, but one must be very careful that these decreased aggressive states when they are incapacitated in other ways not be taken lightly.
   
4. The Limps attack only humans, not animals. There were among those in the Hunter groups those who had stories of animals attacking Limps without equal repercussion. I know of one that saw a bear tear one of them apart while just standing still. We put this to a test in allowing some of those within the group to allow their dogs to attack Limps and to our pleasant surprise, this turned out to be true. The dogs attacked the Limps and were not attacked in return. This could prove useful to us. It also shows that whatever controls our dead has a singular purpose, and that is the destruction of mankind. There has been no other proof, via our training or through the stories of survivors, which show of any other interaction between a Limp and a living being that didn’t result in the Limp attacking the human, or attempting to.
   

Our understanding of the Limp is imperative and as the Hunter group goes into the field in a few weeks, we expect our understanding to grow even more. It might be in everyone’s interest if individuals who might have specialized skills and education be attached to the Hunter groups to help further this research.

1
st
Training Movement
3
rd
Hunter Group

Action seven miles west of Tower 87

1,376 Limps

Update in group formation. Four scouts have been added to each group to move independently from the Group itself in order to track down larger numbers of Limps. They mostly use motorcycles, which is not the best for any kind of stealth movement, but it is not necessary for the scouts to remain unheard, just out of hands reach.

First contact and combat action for the 3
rd
group came late this morning, around 11:15. We had received a radio notification from the radio at Tower 87 about a larger than normal group of Limps they had seen west of their tower. They could not give a good estimate as to their numbers as they had first spotted them in the late evening last night. The first call came in around 8:39 p.m. last night, the second confirmation came from one of their own scouts at 3:15 a.m. today. At 4:30 3
rd
Group scouts were sent out to attempt to determine the location, size and direction this group was headed.

At 5:27 a.m., all four scouts confirmed the location of this Limp horde as being on Highway 211, headed south, with the majority of the group somewhat stuck in the overpass of Highway 74 over Highway 211. Scouts also confirmed that the horde was generally moving northbound on 211. By 5:40 the 3
rd
was roused from sleep and preparations were under way to engage the horde.

After studying the area, it was determined to attempt to engage the horde on Highway 74, a wide 4 lane highway with a grass median. Two of the four scouts were sent back down Highway 74 in order to find good engaging ground while the other two prepared to drive the horde eastward. The call came from the scouts at 8:17 a.m. that they had found a useful location to defend where Highway 74 intersected with Highway 214, a large cleared out intersection with ample of space to move about. The intersection was a large T-shape intersection, with a sizeable ditch along the northern side of Highway 74 serving as a barrier against the horde movement. At 9:35 a.m., everyone was fed and supplied for the entire day, the trucks were loaded up, fueled, and ready to depart.

3
rd
Hunter group arrived at the intersection, having received word from the scouts at 10:05 a.m. that they had finally been able to coerce the horde to begin moving eastward on highway 74, unloaded from the trucks and began deploying across the intersection facing westward. Trucks were turned and placed about 100 feet east from the initial line, motors running to begin movement if necessary. Trucks were placed in four rows, two rows on each side of the highway. Snipers were placed on top of the trucks. 1
st
through 5
th
units were deployed in a straight line right down the intersection, immediately next to each other. Spare pikes were laid down directly behind the line for easy access.

At 11:04 a.m., the first scout came in down Highway 74 and the snipers called down that they could spot the rest of the scouts with the horde following behind. At 11:15 the call went out to pick up arms. Pikes were raised as the remaining scouts passed behind us.

Immediate reaction of the horde to our presence was clear. It was generally agreed that a large cry went out from among the Limps, a combination of screaming, moaning and crying. Most of us present on the field agreed it was not like anything we had ever heard from them before. Their pace also picked up considerably. As they approached our line, there was a murmur in our line, so I called out for one of the snipers to take a shot. 2
nd
Unit sniper, Germaine Crasser, from Goldsboro, took a shot when their closest Limp was within 100 feet of our lines, cleanly taking it down. As the being was destroyed, the Units rang out in cheer. Morale is clearly very important in these situations.

The horde crashed into our line. We compared numbers afterwards and estimate that about 20 crashed at the same instant into Unit 2, which was on the 2
nd
lane if you're facing north on the highway. The line didn’t move and the Limps began to be dispatched easily. By 11:25 the entire line was engaged. Unit 5 had had to stretch north into the grass north of the highway, between the asphalt and the ditch. Flankers kept any Limps that came through the gap between Unit 4 and 5. Snipers fired no more shots but functioned properly by calling out the movement of the horde behind the line. Unit captains were able to keep their lines formed.

Action was very busy in all Units. Once the horde was fully onto us there was very little rest. Thankfully, the Limps appeared to have no other intention other than coming straight at us, right down the pavement. There were no flanking attacks. The only exception to this were two Limps that came out of the forest to our southwest. These two were not part of this original horde, most likely attracted to us by the sound, and were quickly dispatched by a Flanker. One sniper was then assigned to keep a watch out on every direction other than the main line.

Each separate Unit performed as had trained. Each Unit was in two lines of ten, rotating every few minutes. It became clear after a few minutes of combat that the best method of holding the pike was to use the weak arm to hold the pike midway, and use the strong arm to swing the pike in an upward motion toward the Limp head. The call routinely rang out among the lines when Limps were stuck on the pike. At this point either a free Flanker would come in and hack at the head or one of the pikemen in the second line would then use his pike to finish the job. Often that pikeman would then take the first’s place in the line as he would now have to remove the dispatched Limp from his pike. Communication also worked well as pikes broke and were substituted.

As planned, each Unit held their line and there was very little backward movement. After about twenty minutes of action, a call came out from the snipers that the bodies piling up were stopping the Limps from coming straight at them. Having not faced this situation in the past, someone shouted to make a movement backwards 30 feet. It took a great amount of concentration in order to maintain the focus on the attacking Limps while still making a backwards movement. We will have to practice this movement more. It might also be better if we actually make a forward movement instead, going over the bodies. The movement was made successfully, trucks included.

Action died down considerably by 12:30. At this point most units were no longer in constant combat and the horde was greatly thinned down to those that had been following up the horde from behind, whether they had been part of the horde or had come along after the scouts. At this point the Flankers were allowed to move out beyond the line and begin dispatching the lone Limps. Captains also allowed Snipers to begin using the furthest Limps as target practice. As shots rang out, a cheer went up among the 3
rd
Group. The engagement was officially finished at 12:47 p.m.

After the engagement, the Units were allowed to stand down. Flankers and snipers kept a lookout while pikemen were allowed to drink and rest. Units were allowed to eat lunch and by 1:50 post engagement began. Units began going about the bodies making sure they were completely dispatched, and then dragging their bodies into the median between the east and west bound lanes of highway 74. Unit captains drew a count of 1,376 Limps destroyed. The piles of bodies were then fueled and set on fire.

3
rd
Group left the scene of the engagement at 4:35 p.m. and headed back to Sunny Pointe.

After Action Thoughts

3
rd
Hunter Group performed as we had trained for this occasion. More practice is needed for any movement that must happen in combat.

We were able to dispatch over one thousand Limps in about an hour. Captains generally agree that their units might have been able to withstand heavy action for another hour before fatigue began to set in. It might be important to not deploy the entire Group and instead allow some units to remain in reserve and move units in and out of the line to allow them to rest if we encounter larger hordes. Where we chose to engage the hordes will also be equally as important. We will always be greatly outnumbered in every encounter we are in and using the land to help us defend will allow us to survive better.

There were 0 casualties. No major injuries. One pikeman suffered from the heat and was removed during combat. No pikemen were injured directly by a Limp.

Overall, a sound success.