Factions

Various factions and organizations play an important part in the plot of DA:ZW. Throughout the game, the player takes control over several members of such groups while having to fight others.

Survivors

Survivors are a group of people, led by Sheriff Bill. Their main goal is to find refuge in a post-apocalyptic zombie-infested world. Originally, survivors consisted of regular townspeople but are joined by others they find on the way.

The player controls the survivors, who are presented to them as playable units.

Rednecks

The Rednecks are a group of rural Americans who were members of Sheriff Bill's band of survivors from the very beginning.

Rednecks
Redneck	Farmer

Mechanics

The Mechanics are former automotive mechanics who found and joined the band of survivors.

Mechanics
Mechanic	Welder

Jailers

Jailers are a group of prison workers, and the only known survivors of the Cephalopods crash landing incident.

Jailers
Gunslinger	Sniper Polina	Guard	Willy	Jailer

Internal Forces

Internal Forces (IF) is a military organization which takes care of highly dangerous conflicts on the U.S. territory.

Internal Forces
Pepper	Grenadier	Ranger	Light Soldier

Marines

The Marines are the U.S. armed forces' primary naval service branch.

Marines
Private Rodriguez	Sonya

Toxic Lab Military Forces

Toxic Lab Military Forces, alternatively known as the TMF Squad, is another military organization with several specialist troops. It is believed to be a military branch of some infection research facility who have developed preliminary infection resistance, which was administered to each military unit to assist their fight against zombies.

TMF
Flamethrower	Soldier	Cap	Swat	Rogue

Military

The Military contain remains of the fragmented US army after the zombie outbreak.

Military
Specops	Carol

Psychos

Psychos are a group of eccentric maniacs. Before joining the survivors, they used to roam the post-apocalyptic lands in a circus-themed bus, but it is unknown either if they were actually former circus members or chose their appearances out of insanity.

Psychos
Berserker	Saw	Queen	Austin	Red Hood

Police

The Police consists of law enforcement officers, both public and private.

Police
Sheriff Charlotte	Policeman Diaz	Agents

Northerners

Northerners are a group of Canadians who decided to join Sheriff Bill.

Northerners
Lester	Chopper	Turbo

Patriots

The Patriots are a group of well-armed and geared survivors with a strong sense of patriotism for the United States, who found and joined Bill and the survivors.

Patriots

Juggernaut

First Responders

First Responders are emergency service workers who found and joined the band of survivors.

First Responders
Firefighter	Medic	Paramedic Nancy	Lionheart

Scientists

The Scientists are a team of epidemiologists who joined the band of survivors and offer their training, equipment, and expertise to assist them in fighting the zombies.

Scientists
Dr. Kane	Dr. Miller	Dr. Norman

Marauders

Marauders are a group of hostile, disorganized thugs who wish to establish control over post-apocalyptic cities with the presumed dissolution of civilization. They are most often seen with motorcycles, but others are also employed such as armored coupes and a large transport truck. However, they are ousted from their city when the survivors fight through them and their vehicle. Currently, they reside in a heavily fortified farm.

Like how Sheriff Bill's survivors source members, the Marauders contain a variety of people, ranging from deserted soldiers to thugs and criminals. Marauders, despite being the only intelligent enemies in the main campaign, have a lower sense of self preservation during battle with fewer safety precautions. As such, their heavy exposure led to them showing signs of infection even before turning.

Marauders
Naked	Rifleman	Lubber	Robber	Crazy	Biker

Other Organizations

US Military

A dying soldier

The United States Military was the collective armed forces of the United States of America before the zombie outbreak. They include the Military (US Army) and Marines (US Marine Corps) survivor factions mentioned above. At the start of the zombie apocalypse, they were deployed in full force, participating in the first several fights against the zombie invasion, and setting up safe zones, such as the hospital in Mission 26, which they would have used to protect civilians. Unfortunately, subsequent mutations easily overwhelmed the military. After their presumed collapse, other organizations like the IF took over. Many scattered outposts, destroyed vehicles and equipment can be seen in former military locations such as those in Stage 3 and Stage 4. Several enemies encountered throughout the game, such as Lubber. Bulletproof, Undead, Sergeant, One-armed Soldier and Soldier are former military personnel.

Epidemiologists

A scientist and two epidemiologists.

Epidemiologists are scientists who work for the government and are tasked with analyzing the current state of the epidemic. They include the Scientists survivor faction mentioned above. During the zombie outbreak, they were primarily stationed in urban areas as they tried to study the nature of the zombie infection and how it was spreading. However, much like the military, the overwhelming zombie hordes brought them significant losses and little gains. One of the surviving groups claim the entire country has been contaminated and they could do nothing before leaving for the unknown. Zombified epidemiologists are encountered by the survivors in the forms of the aptly named Epidemiologist and the Slob.

Trivia

• The Internal Forces faction is a very prevalent organization within the game. Apart from the four available units who belong to the group, elements of the IF faction can be seen elsewhere. In-game, the IF insignia can be seen plastered all over walls, buildings, and scattered flyers. This is most prominently seen in Stage 3, although, it can be seen in other stages as well. A lone IF helmet also appears on the first mission of the game. A part of their logo is likely the basis of the inspiration buff symbol, the laurel. Outside of the main game, the silhouette of the IF logo serves as the cutout wipe from transitioning into the game or out of missions, events, and Skirmish matches. The logo also appears on the first page of the Zombiepedia and very faintly checkered within the background of the events and Skirmish pages alongside another logo comprised of an angry skull with various weapons positioned in an X-shaped cross behind it.
  • Confirmed in a 2023 Reddit Developer Q&A, the Internal Forces are directly based off of the real life United Nations' Peacekeeping forces. Its members wear blue combat helmets with the initials of their organization on them, much like those of the UN Peacekeepers, and both groups also perform similar functions, providing humanitarian and military support.
• The general attire of TMF units may be a reference to certain members of Umbrella Security Services in the Resident Evil franchise, such as HUNK, as apparent in the units' own black tactical uniforms (complete with red lenses on their gas masks) and protection to biological threats.
• When fighting in missions where marauders are faced (apart from Mission 51 with Marauder Vehicle), the barricade consists of several black motorcycles strewn across the road. This is heavily reminiscent of issue #97 of The Walking Dead comic book series and the eighth and ninth episode of the sixth season of the TV series based on said comic book series. In both media, a group of the main characters and their respective vehicles are stopped by a gang of thugs belonging to a bigger group who blocks their path with their motorcycles and were fought against in order to progress to where they needed to go.
• Among the Police units, the Agents are slated to work for an organization named FDD, though what it stands for is currently unspecified. The closest match to a real-life counterpart is the Department of Defense, which in reality is a military organization that assists in homeland security. Given the Agents are more closely related to various types of law enforcement agents (such as the real FBI in scrapped concepts), FDD may be an original in-universe organization like the IF and TMF that is more closely related to intelligence gathering and law enforcement.
  • Alternatively, the Agents could be simply working alongside the military to provide support until it fell apart.
• Thanks to the 2023 Reddit Developer Q&A, it was confirmed that:
  • The Epidemiologists seen in Location 3 and 4's cutscenes are not related or connected to the Scientist pack units, Kane, Norman, and Miller.
  • The TMF pays their soldiers 300 bucks.
• A 2024 interview with Mobirate artists posted in the official Dead Ahead: Zombie Warfare Discord server revealed that inspiration for the TMF was taken from multiple sources, including Star Wars: Battlefront, Metal Slug, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade and Resident Evil.

Gallery

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  TMF Squad concept art made for the original Dead Ahead which resemble Swat/Flamethrower, Soldier and Cap.

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  Concept art of a cut IF member made for the original Dead Ahead, which somewhat resembles the TMF units seen in game and Light Soldier.