Combat

How NPCs fight with guns

• They keep a distance that suits the weapon: about 7 m with a shotgun, 10 m with a pistol, 16 m with a rifle. Rush them and they back off; lose them and they come looking.
• They raise the gun, aim at your chest and fire at the weapon's real rate. Automatics fire in short bursts.
• They have a real magazine and stop to reload.
• They miss. Every NPC has its own accuracy, and hired companions get better with every kill.

Melee

Without a gun, or out of ammo, they fight with whatever they hold or with their fists.

Bandits

• Bandits attack on sight and taunt you when they pick you as a target.
• Badly hurt (under a quarter of their health), a bandit breaks off and runs.
• Killing bandits doesn't anger anyone you care about.

The dead

• Zombies and hunting animals go after NPCs the same way they go after you.
• Gunshots draw the dead. Every shot an NPC fires calls idle zombies within 40 m to come and look, just like your own shots. A firefight between bandits and survivors brings the horde.
• NPCs fight zombies on sight.

Tip

A companion with a rifle on Guard at your base door is a good early-warning system: you'll hear the shots and their call-outs.