The "kill zone" and "distress call"

[mr boom95]

When the Mallers are being ambushed Scratch yells to "get out of the kill zone"

i was not to sure about what she meant be this but i reckon that when ever a "smart one" sends out the call it will only attract zombies in a certain radius (as far as the could hear?) and the Mallers called this radius the "killzone"


Also when the Mallers are assaulting the Arena (did not see that coming) and one of the "smart ones" calls out to the other zombies Tardust says that they are using a distress signal. This made me thing about what if the zombies can make different types of call such as the distress call which could be a call for reinforcements.

please post your thoughts and thank you for reading

[shananala8]

"kill zone" is a term of military origin used to describe an area being ambushed. As the fleshbiters had just ambushed the Mallers, the Mallers needed to get out of the kill zone to survive.

Several different calls have been heard in the series. Most frequent is a call to attack, though we have heard others (such as calling off an attack) at various points.

[mr boom95]

so maybe is that more evidence that Scratch had military training?

[timberwoof]

It doesn't necessarily mean she's had military training. It just means she's either been introduced to it or had some training of some sort. My thinking is that Durai is somehow ex-military of some sort. He mentions to Burt during the war on the tower, that he's trained his own men. Being that Scratch is one of his LTs, he more than likely put her through the same training which she uses a lot of the words he told her. Make Since?

[Teethingbiscuit]

She just finished watching the latest Iron man!

[Pikepaw]

I've never been in the military, but I've read enough military books and such that I will randomly use military terms in my life. Especially if I'm ambushed. So her use of terminology means nothing. Durai might be prior-service, given his skill with firearms and the fact that he trained his "soldiers". His crimes probably wouldn't have been in the military, because then he would have been held in military lock-up, not civilian.

[kafu288]

Maybe she was a fan of the PS2/3.

[nikvoodoo]

we have already heard at least 3 different howls for different purposes. We've heard the oft heard howl that calls an attack, we've heard one that changes the focus of an attack (Chapter 13 when the zombies change from attacking the truck to attacking the lobby), and also the retreat howl we have heard a couple times now.

[symon_r]

I think the most interesting thing about the ambush was how organised it was. I think we can assume that it was no accident that the main road was blocked off forcing the convoy onto a smaller road leaving the convoy much more vulnerable. Also, it seemed to me like the attack was very focussed and not just a mindless advance out of the trees. In my opinion the ambush is clearest example yet of the zombies (if thats what they are) being organised, having some form of hierarchical structure (someone/thing must have been giving orders) and being able to communicate complex ideas to each other.

[rottenash]

I think they are learning to adapt, plain and simple. As the story continues (hopefully a long long time) i'm sure we'll see more changes in the way " they " operate. With that i'm sure we my start to hear even more calls, meaning various different things. Heck, there may even be new a few new breeds of creatures/zombies we haven't seen yet with calls of there own.