In The Walking Dead: Survivors, survival isn’t just about defending against walkers—it’s a game of strategy, resource control, and tactical warfare. The right decisions in base-building, troop training, and combat strategy can mean the difference between thriving or becoming easy prey for stronger players. To succeed, you must efficiently manage your settlement, recruit the best survivors, and make smart decisions in both PvE and PvP scenarios.

Got questions about guilds, gaming, or our product? Join our Discord for discussions and support! This guide provides detailed strategies to help you optimize resource usage, fortify your defenses, win battles, and expand your influence in the post-apocalyptic world.

1. Always Maintain a Balanced Resource Economy

Managing resources efficiently is key to progression. While food and wood are required in abundance early on, later stages demand large quantities of metal and gas.

• Avoid overproducing low-tier resources like food and wood once you’ve stockpiled enough for immediate upgrades. Instead, shift focus to gathering or looting metal and gas from abandoned buildings on the world map.
• Upgrade your Storage Depots as early as possible to avoid wastage and increase your reserve capacity.
• Use the Warehouse strategically. It protects a portion of your resources from raids, so keep as much of your most valuable supplies stored there.

For more advanced resource collection techniques, read our Resource Guide.

2. Efficiently Use Your Building Queue

Your building queue should always be active to ensure steady progression. Prioritize:

• Town Hall upgrades (they unlock new buildings and expand your base).
• Troop training facilities (higher-tier troops drastically increase your combat power).
• Research Lab upgrades (improves resource production, march speed, and combat bonuses).
• Trap-building and wall reinforcements (prevents devastating enemy raids).

3. Optimize Troop Training to Maintain a Powerful Army

Troops are the backbone of both offense and defense. The key is to maintain a constant training cycle and avoid wasting resources on low-tier troops that become obsolete.

• Always upgrade Barracks, Ranges, and Stables to unlock higher-tier units.
• Balance your troops. Infantry should be the majority for defensive purposes, while ranged units and cavalry are better for attacking.
• Use low-tier troops as meat shields in battles to protect your high-tier units.

4. Scout Before Attacking – Don’t Fight Blindly

In PvP, blindly attacking an enemy can be disastrous. Always scout before committing to an attack.

• Look at their defensive structures—if their walls are upgraded, expect high resistance.
• Check their troop count and composition. A strong defensive army with high-tier troops will require superior tactics or alliance coordination to defeat.
• Time your attacks to avoid retaliation. If an enemy is online, they may reinforce their base before your troops arrive.

If you want to master combat mechanics, read the The Walking Dead: Survivors Combat Guide.

5. Master Settlement Defense – Build Smartly

Defense is just as important as offense. A well-defended base discourages raids and allows you to grow without interruption.

• Never leave large amounts of resources unprotected. Spend them on upgrades, store them in the Warehouse, or hide them in production buildings.
• Upgrade your defensive walls frequently. Walls slow down attackers and allow your troops to do more damage.
• Place traps effectively. A mix of spiked barricades, fire pits, and gun turrets ensures enemies suffer heavy losses before reaching your main defenses.
• Keep reinforcements ready. If you’re part of an alliance, station troops at each other’s settlements to deter surprise attacks.

6. Choose and Level Up the Right Survivors

Survivors play a crucial role in your progression, from base development to combat effectiveness.

• Prioritize upgrading heroes with strong passive skills that boost resource gathering, training speed, or attack power.
• Pair the right survivors with the right activities. Combat-focused survivors should lead battles, while gathering specialists maximize resource collection efficiency.
• Invest in leadership-based survivors (such as Rick Grimes) who offer bonuses to multiple areas rather than single combat advantages.

7. Participate in Events for Rare Rewards

Limited-time events offer some of the best rewards in the game, including premium currency, rare survivors, and exclusive gear.

• Daily and weekly missions provide consistent progress boosts—never skip them.
• Look for war-based events where you can gain powerful loot by participating in coordinated alliance battles.
• Growth-based events give extra rewards for upgrading buildings and training troops—time your major upgrades to align with these.

8. Expand Your Territory on the World Map

The world map is a vital resource hub where you can claim land, gather supplies, and establish strategic control points.

• Capture abandoned buildings and outposts. These provide steady resources and can serve as forward operating bases.
• Use multiple marches for simultaneous gathering. Don’t just send one squad—multiple gathering parties maximize efficiency.
• Be strategic in land expansion. Claiming tiles near strong enemies can be dangerous, while expanding near allies provides security.

9. Manage Stamina and AP (Action Points) Effectively

Your stamina determines how often you can fight walkers, raid outposts, and attack enemies—don’t waste it.

• Avoid unnecessary fights with weak walkers that provide little benefit.
• Save action points for high-value targets, such as elite walkers and high-tier enemy players.
• Use stamina potions wisely. Don’t hoard them, but don’t waste them on low-level fights either.

10. Time Your Resource Gathering to Avoid Raids

If you leave your troops gathering for too long, you may become an easy target for opportunistic players.

• Gather in short bursts rather than extended periods. A 2-hour gathering trip is safer than an 8-hour one.
• Avoid gathering in contested areas. If multiple alliances are fighting over a resource tile, it’s not worth the risk.
• Reinforce high-value resource nodes with alliance members. A group of well-defended players discourages attackers.

Surviving in The Walking Dead: Survivors requires strategic resource management, tactical combat, and alliance cooperation. By mastering these expert tips, you can develop a thriving settlement, build an unstoppable army, and dominate both PvE and PvP battles.

For the best gaming experience, play The Walking Dead: Survivors on pc with BlueStacks.