Zombie survival

[Walsingham]

From that link;

 

The entire military and national guard has been deployed, there will be a curfew, churches are converted to hospitals, rampant chaos at the grocery stores, in the event the outbreak is occuring domestically foreign friendly military troops may even be deployed domestically to try to keep order. The government is in over its head, and your small town didn't make the list of towns the military decided were "worth" saving.

 

This fails to pay any attention to how large scale disaster management works. Once things go belly up you will find it is the large cities which get abandoned. Not the small towns. Large cities tend to contain service workers, who are frankly replaceable. Countries need the countryside where light industry, and arable land is.

[Walsingham]

From that link;

 

The entire military and national guard has been deployed, there will be a curfew, churches are converted to hospitals, rampant chaos at the grocery stores, in the event the outbreak is occuring domestically foreign friendly military troops may even be deployed domestically to try to keep order. The government is in over its head, and your small town didn't make the list of towns the military decided were "worth" saving.

 

This fails to pay any attention to how large scale disaster management works. Once things go belly up you will find it is the large cities which get abandoned. Not the small towns. Large cities tend to contain service workers, who are frankly replaceable. Countries need the countryside where light industry, and arable land is.

 

Like Max Brooks, he also fails to grasp the full range of options available to a serious individual. Weapons wise he is obsessed with firearms, which is nonsense. If you want a quiet weapon which can load anything you like then you have to consider spring power. A homemade airgun which fires ball bearings will do the trick admirably.

 

Similarly with vehicles he discounts the full range of options. Outside the USA many countries have specialised riot vehicles which you should aim for, like the Casspir.

[Walsingham]

++++ZOMCON 3++++++++++++

 

News flash:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england...don/7513416.stm

 

Officers ask girl to pick up litter, attacked by crowd which gripped and bit them!

[Rosbjerg]

it has begun.

[DeathScepter]

tv has made the zombie invasion.

[Deadly_Nightshade]

Zombie Knowledge: You scored 24%

Weapons Knowledge: You scored 76%

Disaster Readyness: You scored 96%

Common Sense: You scored 76%

[Hurlshort]

I think my daughter is a zombie. All she does make odd noises, shuffle around, and sometimes she tries to bite us. What do I do?

[theslug]

I think my daughter is a zombie. All she does make odd noises, shuffle around, and sometimes she tries to bite us. What do I do?

Have you seen No Country For Old Men? It's the only humane way.

[Walsingham]

I think my daughter is a zombie. All she does make odd noises, shuffle around, and sometimes she tries to bite us. What do I do?

 

Build a tiny toy shopping mall for her.

[Walsingham]

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/textbased/ne...orest-base.html

 

Scientists trapped by killer bears!

 

 

Bears.... or zombies!??

[Walsingham]

I've been giving some thought to rations for the forthcoming zombie apocalypse. I know how many calories I should eat, but I don't know how few I can get by on, plus assuming a one month ration limit, whether I need any proteins and vitamins. Anyone have any good advice on this?

[Rosbjerg]

For starters any stash can only be temporary since replenishing it, in a city, will involve raiding local stores on the risk of infection.

 

I strongly advise leaving the city, and at best fortifying an island with enough land to grow crops for at least a few thousand people.. while taking as many supplies as you can along the way.. maybe taking some army rations?

 

You need to get away from the mainland, until you can better make an appraisal of the situation.

[Walsingham]

I disagree that leaving the city is a good plan. Simply because it would involve movement in the period of greatest panic. Mass hordes of refugees flooding non-urban areas, drawing zombies to them, and locust-ravaging small communities.

 

Incidentally, a recent report (seriously) stated it was a question of 'when' not 'if' we can expect some form of epidemic in the UK. Expected casualties from the epidemic were rated as being around 35,000 dead, although the full consequences of the disruption would be almost impossible to estimate.

[Rosbjerg]

of course it depends on where you live.. My city is next to the ocean, with alot of boats (of all sizes) very close by. For me it would be quite easy to leave my home and sail away to any number of small islands in the seas around scandinavia. Plus Scandinavia is not so densly populated.

 

If you live in, say, London - with +10 million people - I can see what you mean.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

Are zombies generally afraid of the light?

 

Or have I watched I am Legend too much?

[theslug]

One of these days I'm going to learn how to cure and age meat as well as pickling vegies.

 

I'll hole myself up with all the salami a man could possibly gorge himself on without needing a triple bypass! Mwhahaha.

[Rosbjerg]

I just thought of two important arguments against staying in a big city.

 

1. It's gonna be extremely hard to get fresh water.

2. In case of a fire, the whole city might turn into a blazing hell hole in a matter of days. Also you can't get the water you need to put it out.

[Walsingham]

Ah. that is true, Rosbjerg.

 

I don't know about zombies being afraid of teh light, but presumably one could significantly disable those surrounding a comppound with a low powered and silent laser pointer?

[Rosbjerg]

Come to think of it, we should make a short PROs vs CONs in staying in either urban or rural areas.

 

Feel free to add/correct any points you feel are relevant.

 

Urban

Pros:

Readily available food supply for the first few months.

Lots of places to hide (although this counts for anyone else).

Somewhat easily fortifiable positions.

Lots of resources required for survival.

 

Cons

In case of widespread fire it'll be hard to contain the fire and remain safe.

Lack of water supply.

Food supplies are not replenishable - so long term survival becomes a challenge.

It's harder to have an overview of the surrounding areas.

In case of Zombie outbreak this is likely where the most inceted people will be.

As the city is abandoned so is - zoos, powerplants (nuclear), gas stations, waste disposal facilities etc. all of which can present various hazards over time.

 

Rural

Pros:

Food supplies can be sustained in most availabe rural areas. Both farming and husbandry.

If the above criteria is met; a larger population is sustainable.

Depending on location. It can be easily defended and/or easy to spot things approaching - better overview.

Natural resources are most likely available.

Manoeuvrability.

In case of Zombie outbreak fewer people will be infected here than in the city - although people might migrate from the cities during the initial stages.

 

Cons

Depending on location. You may have a hard time defending the area and/or visibility may be challenged.

Wildlife may become a serious problem (various factors).

The weather can affect you more.

In case of disease or injury, a wide range of medication will be harder to acquire.

[Walsingham]

Hang on, why not approach this more systematically. What are the primary needs, in order:

 

1. Not being snacked on

2. Water

3. Food

4. Shelter

 

Agreed?

[Rosbjerg]

Hang on, why not approach this more systematically. What are the primary needs, in order:

 

1. Not being snacked on

2. Water

3. Food

4. Shelter

 

Agreed?

 

1. Would require you to be as far away from anyone infected as possible or at the very least in a very secure location.

2. An uncontaminated river or lake is the best source for fresh water.

3. A stash will only take you so far. You need to be able to produce food.

4. Taking the above points in consideration I would think a mountain or a big island would be the best options.

[Walsingham]

I rather unconvinced that a zombie outbreak would provoke the need to farm food. Scavenge, and harvest food, certainly, but farm?

 

Has anyone else read Day of the Triffids?

[Moatilliatta]

Surely the modern bottled water craze would mean that water wouldn't be a problem in the cities.

[Walsingham]

Surely the modern bottled water craze would mean that water wouldn't be a problem in the cities.

 

 

That's an interesting idea, but with a person needing a bare minimum of 0.5 litres a day (my guesswork based on historical accounts) you're still going to run out pretty quickly.

 

A further thought: zombies may not rot, but what about the other corpses lying around after the first outbreaks of cholera and typhus?

[mkreku]

Can you eat beheaded zombies..?