Z-Sec
From Doom Wiki
The Z-Sec (Zombie-Security) is a closer recreation of the classic zombie, as they carry firearms; Doom 3's civilian zombies do not. Unlike the classic variations, all Z-secs wear black uniforms and armor, possibly in a reference to the classic shotgun guy.
Z-secs were originally security guards (marines assigned to sentry duty) possessed and mutated by evil spirits. In trailers and early in the game, an in-game monitor shows one being possessed by a ghostly skull, which causes his skin to turn white and his eyeballs to explode. Several of the Z-secs have their eye sockets hidden due to their helmet visor, athough it is assumed that they have lost their eyes. Despite this, they are are still able to "see" the player, possibly due to the hellish spirits controlling them.
There are four types of Z-secs, each with its own distinct characteristics and firearms. These are the Pistol Guard, the Shotgun Guy, The Machinegunner and the Riot Shield Trooper.
[edit] Combat Characteristics
The Z-secs are notable for their artificial intelligence (AI), which makes them fight like soldiers. They duck behind objects, popping out of hiding to take shots at the player and occasionally rush the player's position. They can also strafe like the player, but only take a single step when they do. Like most of Doom 3's monsters, headshots do more damage than regular body shots. They generally have better aim than their Classic Doom counterparts and are a lot more aggressive, firing more frequently. When alerted, they respond in a radio-distorted voice.
- Pistol Guard:
Bald guy with no helmet and glowing white eyes, armed with a pistol. Capable of dodging by rolling sideways, always retaliating after a successful dodge. They occasionally fire multiple shots in rapid succession and are generally decent shots, but of all three Z-sec types, these are the ones that are the most likely to miss. Takes around four pistol bullets to the body to kill. Drops a pistol when killed.
- Shotgun Guy:
Similar to the Classic Doom shotgun guy, but he wears a helmet and a broken visor, and his eyes are missing. He is slightly tougher than the Pistol Z-Sec. Unlike the player's shotgun, the Z-sec shotgunner's weapon has narrower spread, but it is considerably less powerful than the player's version. Can sometimes rapid-fire at a faster rate than the player. Drops a shotgun when killed.
- Machinegunner:
Wears a closed helmet with an intact but bloodspattered visor (obscuring his eyes) and a breather, ultimately covering his entire face. Aside from the usual combat behavior of ducking behind objects, these zombies sometimes rush the player while firing their machinegun. Occasionally, they aggressively spray the player's position with bullets. Arguably the toughest of the three types. Drops a machinegun when killed.
- Riot Shield Trooper:
In addition to a pistol, this type carries a Riot shield and wears a helmet, protecting it from attacks. The shield effectively protects it from anything that hits the shield, and being fully armored himself, he is still fairly tough (similar to the Machinegunner) when hit where his shield does not protect him. AI is the standard Z-Sec combat tactics.
[edit] Tactical Analysis
Both comparatively tougher than the classic zombie troops and equipped with better AI, the Doom 3 Z-Secs should never be underestimated, and using cover is extremely important when fighting these zombies. The Machinegun is generally a good basic weapon against these pests and a good tactic is usually to wear them down with concentrated pistol or machinegun fire and then switch to the shotgun in order to finish them off when they attempt to rush the player. It is usually a bad idea to use the shotgun right away as the shotgun has short range and the Z-Secs are tough enough to potentially survive a close-range hit, leaving players vulnerable after the initial shot. A headshot with the shotgun will kill a Z-Sec instantly, however.
More powerful weapons like the chaingun and the plasma gun are very effective against Z-Secs but should perhaps be reserved for tougher monsters or larger crowds of Z-Secs.
- Pistol Guard:
The Pistol works well against this type, but the machine gun gets the job done quicker. It is often a good idea to keep a good distance as he is more likely to miss his mark when the player is far away.
- Shotgun Guy:
This type should be brought down as quickly as possible, as he is capable of dealing a great deal of damage if left unchecked. Using the machinegun to soften him up at range and then finishing him off when he gets in close is an effective strategy, but caution should be taken only to come out of hiding after he has fired a shot. More powerful weapons should be considered.
- Machinegunner:
Although he fires more than the other types, his bullets are less powerful. Patience is a good tactic, as he tends to pin down the player with prolonged sprays. It is effective to wait for him to come out of hiding, shoot and quickly duck down behind cover before he opens up. It is a bad idea to fire prolonged bursts at him, as he is tough enough to recover swiftly from hits, often enabling him to retaliate swiftly.
- Riot Shield Trooper:
This type requires accurate aim and cool nerves as his shield is impenetrable. Keeping one's distance is strongly advised if weaker weapons like the machinegun are used. The best way to dispatch of this nasty trooper is run into him with the Chainsaw (it will damage him even when the shield is hit). Another possibility is to hit him with a grenade.
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