Banditry, Or How I Learned to Stop Crying and Love the Murders

[rob.crull@gmail.com 12]

Before you read this, know that this is going to be a complete story of my adventures in DayZ thus far. If you're not interested in reading something long, I won't feel bad. If you are, enjoy!

I started playing roughly a month ago now, and DayZ is pretty much the only game that's been able to hold my interest at all. You see, I used to be a fairly accomplished competitive Counter-Strike player (1.2-1.5, quit when 1.6 came out). Ever since then, nothing has really felt as tense, or as immersive. I was also 16 or 17 at the time, so there's something to be said there.

Fast forward ten years, and I find DayZ. I'd heard about it for a couple of weeks, and ended up watching a couple of streams related to it. After watching some people that were actively playing (rather than just running through the woods, trying to find deer stands), I decided to give it a try. After a relatively smooth installation, I log in and spawn near Cherno. I'd heard stories; I knew better (or thought I did) than to sprint around like an idiot. I drop to prone, and promptly proceed to crawl my way from the Western forest into the church. I'm immediately spotted.

"Friendly?" I called over VoN. The other survivor stopped for a moment, and seemed to contemplate what to do. I didn't have any weapons, only my trusty flashlight. After a few tense moments, I heard his voice crackle over the in game chat.

"Er, yeah. Are you the guy that shot at me?"

I stopped for a moment, about to respond; At which point another survivor ran into the church and opened fire on both of us with an AK of some sort, and mowed us down.

Respawn.

This time, I spawn in Prigorodki. After trying to orient myself, I end up running face first into four or five zombies. First hit, bleeding. Third or fourth hit, broken legs. Sixth hit, passed out. Not too long after that, I was dead.

Respawn.

I'm sure you can see where this is going. We all had virtually the same experience for the first week or so, trying to get used to the style of play that DayZ demands. I met some other friendlies along the way, and even came on the forums and made a post, trying to find some like-minded players. Two of them, I've been playing with almost every day since I met them. (Here's to you, Murganis and Retr0.)

I finally talked some of my real life friends into playing, and together with my newly minted DayZ compatriots, we set out to find strange new worlds. Or at least new gear. Around this time, I purchased a managed server through one of the server hosts here on the forums, and we went about creating a camp and finding ourselves a little stash of vehicles. Nothing too fancy, but enough to make us a force to be reckoned with. We started assigning roles to each player, myself the marksman for the group, Retr0 as my spotter and secondary marksman. Murganis, Ysdrae, and Rajin would take up assault roles, with Murganis as our point man. Rajin carried our medical supplies, and provided relief when one of our own needed it. Salve bounced back and forth between roles, but was mostly our scavenger. We started playing more tactically, stopped killing each other out of sheer stupidity (standing in front of someone who's alt-tabbed, etc.), and really started working well as a group.

And then I met Zach.

You see, I've always been a fairly helpful kind of guy, and entirely too trusting. So when I was watching a stream, and someone was asking for some very basic help, I offered to provide assistance. I gave him my Skype name, and we talked about what he needed. It basically amounted to a couple of hours walking him through how to fix his DayZ installation, update, and be able to join our server. Then, he needed morphine and a blood bag. Fairly basic stuff, right? During our conversations, I found out Zach was 13, had just started playing the game not long ago, and didn't know much about it. Despite his age, I decided to help him out, because he seemed like a level-headed, mature kid. I talked to some of the group, and we decided to let him tag along on some of our adventures.

He didn't play much with us, a couple of hours here and there. Not the most intelligent player, but we chalked that up to being new. We found a couple of behaviors rather odd, however. For instance, we'd all be standing in a group, and Zach would have his shotgun pointed at my head. I assumed (because I was using a rather unique player skin), that he was just looking closely at my character. He never fired a shot, so we didn't think much about it. It was simply an annoyance.

We had been having a few issues getting everyone together at the same time due to moves and work schedule changes, but one Saturday, we finally managed to get everyone together. All of us, minus Salve, running around, having fun and killing zombies. Zach somehow ended up dying, we picked up his stuff, and headed to our secondary camp to wait for him. During this time, we had a little campfire meeting regarding some of Zach's odd behavior. Each person in the group expressed their concerns, and for the most part, asked for him to be removed. I, being a staunch 'good guy,' stood bullheaded against the wave of negativity. Zach had expressed interest in being a marksman, which we all had doubts about. Specifically, we doubted he could hit the broad side of a barn.

Zach finally arrives after about an hour, and we proceed to administer a marksmanship test of sorts. We had one guy down near a longhouse, the rest of us up on the hill. Rajin stood down there with a flashlight and nothing else, attracting zombies. At a distance of 700 meters, the goal was to hit the zombies. Needless to say, it didn't go well. For about 30 minutes, I explained to him the basics of marksmanship, how to calculate distance using Mil-Dots, and how to account for bullet drop in between. Grand total of two zombie kills for ten shots. We talked to him about it, gave him a M4A3 CCO with a couple of mags of STANAG SD, and asked him to take some time and practice in the armory, at which point we'd try again. If things worked out, we offered to let him join Retr0 and I's little marksman team.

We proceeded to our primary camp, where Rajin, Ysdrae, and Murganis all log off. Retr0 and I decide to go searching for some helicopter crashes, thinking everyone else has logged off. We take off in our Hilux, at which point I hear Zach come in over Mumble asking to join us. We flip around, pick up the Ural and Zach, and start to head out.

Zach: "I can only stay for one, then I have to go."

Me: "Oh, well then I'll just leave you here, Zach. We're going to be out there for a while, and I don't want to have to use a bunch of fuel dropping you off back here when it's time to go."

Zach, anxiously: "Oh, um. I'll just stay for more, then."

This exchange kind of weirded Retr0 out. I didn't think much of it, personally, but again... I'm too trusting. We make our way down near Lopatino and start following the road towards Stary. We finally spot our first crash in the middle of a field about half-way there. All of us get out, Retr0 and I begin looting. We find a FN FAL and a Bizon SD, and get ready to move them into the truck, when I get shot from somewhere. I turn to see Zach reloading his revolver.

"Zach, why'd you shoot me? Were you alt-tabbed?" No response. He starts switching to the M4A3, when Retr0 asks if he should kill him. "No, no. I think it was an accident."

Then Zach opens fire, dumping an entire clip of STANAG into Retr0's face. I dodge around the helicopter, pulling out my revolver, and come back around to find Zach lying prone on the ground. I pump two rounds into his head, asking him what the hell he was doing over Mumble the entire time. Not long after, he logs out of Mumble.

The bleeding catches up with me, and I end up passing out before I can bandage myself. A few tense minutes pass, but I finally get up and start looting Retr0's body and putting his gear on the truck to take back to him. Right as I'm about to finish up, I take one round to the head from what sounded like a M107, and fall over dead.

My heart dropped. The Ural had been our primary gear transport, and was still completely full of weapons and ammunition; Not to mention the gear I had on my body. I was rocking an AS-50, NVGs, all the nice essentials. Retr0 had a M24, Coyote Pack, and much of the same. In one betrayal and a headshot, we went from being almost completely geared to having nothing. It was heartbreaking.

We manage to get Murganis back on and down there, hoping to catch the culprit in the act of looting our bodies and truck. The only thing he finds on any of our bodies is my pair of NVGs. Apparently whoever looted didn't look too hard. Needless to say, this was no small consolation considering our predicament. The Ural was gone, and the rest of our gear with it. We logged off for the night after looting some basic provisions for the long run back to our camp, completely dejected.

After a few days of looting, we managed to find ourselves back in a rather stable condition. Sometime during this, I manage to get hold of Zach via Skype messaging, trying to find answers as to what happened. What I got was a lot of bull, and very little in the way of real answers until this:

[7/9/2012 8:11:24 PM] Zach: i guess that sums it up its a good thing i already had a group to trust before u

[7/9/2012 8:11:33 PM] Zach: maybe they stole ur car:)

At this point, we decided to scour the map to find our Ural. We do manage to find it, sans the AS-50, but everything else is there. It was parked in the forests just north of Novy. I mean, honestly, if you're going to set up a camp somewhere, at least do it somewhere intelligent.

In any case, since this event, we've turned into a cut-throat group. We shoot on sight, trust no one other than each other, and are loathe to bring others into our group. We don't do it out of hatred, but out of necessity. We're not trolling, we're surviving. We're bandits now, and I don't see any reason to go back to our old helpful ways.

Long story short, long live banditry, and thanks to Rocket for giving us such an awesome sandbox to play in. I've never had such a range of emotions due to a video game, but it's kept me coming back for more, despite several huge set backs.

Edited July 14, 2012 by Kinesic

[Filmmaster 35]

Man, that was one good read. Thanks haha. I am contemplating on being a bandit or not, because I would hate trusting someone like zach

[trooper911 78]

So basically you and your group became bandits because a little boy fucked you all over?...

Fair enough. To be honest I see banditry as unimaginative yet materialistically rewarding. I prefer the helping people side of the game a lot more, sure you will be betrayed a lot, but there is risk with banditry as well. But without bandits, the game would be boring... So have fun :)

[gll_5852@hotmail.com 10]

damn i hate little fucking kids like that

they join youre group bitch about how he wants every good drop even though its fair game you kill it you get it

and then after thay act like king and kill you when you have youre best gear

really though i would love to join youre group im 16 i will give you all respect and i dont bitch and i can handle any job im given if you would like to recruit me just send me a pm im on all the time.

[Proceed (DayZ) 11]

Great story !

But the worst shit ingame are kids, and i mean in any game, especially games like these, even 16 year old can behave like children, they still may be contolled by their parents, or their feelings, also they had never figuered out what reliability means ( never worked, never seen the consequences of being unreliable ).

I can tell you only one thing: the older your squadmates are, the better is the result (up to a point :) ), if anyone is under 17/18 do not even give him a chance, 90% of them will ruin everything for all of you with their childish lifes - there are plenty adults that can do that, too.

I have been playing online games where people depend on each other for about 5 years now, when someone is missing,the rest cant play, in this time I was not able to show up on two events, which I expected to attend, without informing my group several days before.

I dont say that all of the kiddies are not reliable, but almost every one - this is pure dissapointment, never ever do let them join you, except it is the brother of one of your members and thus can be blamed by family for stupid behaviour ...

Edited July 15, 2012 by Proceed

[GrandMasterAssassin 5]

Okay I have to agree I can't say that I am more matrue than the next person...

But when I comes to my beloved video games I am stone cold hard ass.

I don't fuck around when it is time to be serious. I will have fun and mess around when I have the room to.

I like your guys mindset cut throat killers.

Consider this though... Would you do the things Zach did to take all the loot... Probably not now that you feel how it hurts... So you have learned a lesson XD.

You can't tell weather someone will shoot you or hug you so you have to be rational in your desicions...

I would love to join your group of outlaws I can see though that you probably won't because of your experiences and I don't blame you...

On any word... I hope you guys keep looting and killing and happy blood trails... Haha.

[McSquizzey 6]

Well, I find your story quite entertaining. I myself am of Zach's age, and am trying to find a well trained, cut throat, bandit squad. If you would be as nice as to let me join, i would be quite delighted :D and if you don't trust me that's fine. I will even take all the bad gear if it takes a while for me to be trusted.

I am also kind of fairly new to the game, but I know nearly every gun in the game, memorized the DayZ loot sheet, and have gotten past feeling guilty for killing someone. I was also kind of (I guess) betrayed in a similar scenario but I didn't have nearly as high tier as your equipment.

Anyways, I hope you will consider my request to join your group even though I am also 13 years old, and I hope you can find it in your heart to help a poor sinner like me.

[rob.crull@gmail.com 12]

If any of you are actually interested in joining our group, contact me on Steam. Just search for Kinesic, and you'll see the same avatar that I use for the DayZ forums.

We are currently only recruiting people that have something to lose. If you've got an AKM and an Alice Pack, don't bother. If you're running around with NVGs, Range Finders, and a L85 (when it gets fixed), we're going to have more reason to trust your intentions. I realize this sounds rather sketch, and a little ass backwards, but we have a lot to lose. We want someone that has the same thing going for them.

I'm sure you understand.