Ebbtide zombie combat: Squad command, direct control, and horde defense

How Ebbtide zombie combat works

Ebbtide’s announced zombie combat combines real-time strategy with direct control: you will command forces on an operations map, zoom into the live battlefield, and press TAB to control a soldier, tank, or helicopter. Keeping troops fighting will also require ammunition, fuel, and responses to horde attack warnings. The official Steam listing lists the game as Coming soon, so these mechanics describe its announced design.

You command TF-1 “Ark,” humanity’s last carrier task force, beginning in Los Angeles. The operations map and street-level combat share one ongoing battle. Zooming out leaves the fighting running, while casualties and destroyed buildings carry through to the map without a separate mission or hidden auto-resolve.

Command squads or take direct control

The announced system gives you several ways to manage combat:

Forces are set to include National Guard, LAPD, and LA County Sheriff’s units, with Marines available from Camp Pendleton. You will be able to order units to hold, delay, or withdraw—useful options when defending a position or pulling people out ahead of the horde.

Only hordes within your forces’ line of sight will appear on the operations map. The visible map therefore provides a limited picture of enemy positions when moving convoys or extracting isolated units.

How the zombie horde threatens your forces

The Nexus, the hive mind directing the zombies, is described as ambushing convoys, cutting roads, besieging bases, and hunting stranded units. Its attacks threaten both your troops and the supply network supporting them.

The listing promises a warning before an attack, allowing you to reroute, retreat, or call in fire support from the map. Those are the announced responses to watch for when a convoy route or isolated force comes under threat.

Three battlefield behaviors will also affect defense and extraction:

• Zombies pile up to climb walls and rooftops. Elevated positions will still face a climbing threat.
• Zombies cling to helicopters hovering near the ground. Low hovering will expose helicopters to the horde.
• Soldiers killed by the horde rise as zombies. Losing troops will also add enemies to the battlefield.

These mechanics make withdrawal and extraction relevant alongside holding ground.

Fire support has limits and consequences

Announced fire support includes M777 howitzers, HIMARS rockets, destroyer guns, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and aircraft strikes. The listing also names AC-130J gunship and MQ-9 drone orbits. Support will be callable from either the operations map or the battlefield.

Two constraints matter: ship magazines will be finite, and heavy weapons will be able to bring buildings down. Ship-based firepower will need to be managed, while destructive strikes can change the battlefield around your forces.

Keep bases supplied to sustain combat

The announced supply system makes held bases essential: soldiers, vehicles, and aircraft will consume ammunition and fuel, and rearming and refueling will be restricted to bases you control.

You will be able to build forward operating bases with HESCO and concrete walls, gates, defensive scaffolding, gun nests, CIWS, mortar pits, an ammo depot, a fuel point, and lighting. Walls will require building materials delivered by hooklift truck or helicopter sling.

Because the Nexus will attack convoys and cut roads, protecting supply routes will be part of sustaining a defense. Combat planning will need to connect the position you want to hold with the deliveries that keep it operational.

Preserving forces will also matter beyond Los Angeles. The people, troops, equipment, and supplies you bring to the Port of LA will form your starting force aboard the Ark for the world campaign.