Zombie defense/survival

[Hyren von Henry]

link=topic=6225.msg222619#msg222619 date=1220648501]
Ha Ha, I've played games like that on Dartmoor, very er "interesting"
[/quote]

yes, especially when you start getting chased by two rather singular gentlemen, with revolvers, one in a deerstalker and the other in a bowler, shouting "the hound! the hound!"[quote author=The Kernel

[Armydillo978]

link=topic=6225.msg222619#msg222619 date=1220648501]
Ha Ha, I've played games like that on Dartmoor, very er "interesting"

yes, especially when you start getting chased by two rather singular gentlemen, with revolvers, one in a deerstalker and the other in a bowler, shouting "the hound! the hound!"

That, or a giant white balloon begins to roll after you as you run along the moors.

[The Kernel]

link=topic=6225.msg222619#msg222619 date=1220648501]
Ha Ha, I've played games like that on Dartmoor, very er "interesting"

yes, especially when you start getting chased by two rather singular gentlemen, with revolvers, one in a deerstalker and the other in a bowler, shouting "the hound! the hound!"

That, or a giant white balloon begins to roll after you as you run along the moors.

Yes but I AM a name not a number

[Taref]

If you got attacked by zombies you can use this:
http://www.geekologie.com/2007/10/emergency_zombie_kit_is_a_must.php ^^

[Sean Patrick O-Byrne]

I'm watching the Zombie Diaries. It's still early, the first diary folk are alone on a farm in some abandoned village and there's noise from upstairs. The two lads, one with a camera, are going to investigate. The suspense is killing me! 

How could they not guess? This 'virus' has been traveling west from Asia, everyone is talking about it, London is half shut down and quarantine, dhow do they not think maybe it's hit the village?

I don't do horror movies well... 

Edit: Yup, there's half a body and a zombie.

Edit 2: And the rest of them. Run, you fool reporters!

Edit 3, sometime later: Well, that was ok. Only spooky in the beginning. Liked some of the parts. Showed some grim realities of the darkness of human nature in some places, how... bad people can be, when they want to. But when push came to shove, it didn't properly end well. Sort of fizzled. No 'The End' or 'Fin' which I think it needed.

I need closure, damnit!

[BrethrenAndBetrayer]

I'm watching the Zombie Diaries. It's still early, the first diary folk are alone on a farm in some abandoned village and there's noise from upstairs. The two lads, one with a camera, are going to investigate. The suspense is killing me! 

How could they not guess? This 'virus' has been traveling west from Asia, everyone is talking about it, London is half shut down and quarantine, dhow do they not think maybe it's hit the village?

I don't do horror movies well... 

Edit: Yup, there's half a body and a zombie.

Edit 2: And the rest of them. Run, you fool reporters!

Edit 3, sometime later: Well, that was ok. Only spooky in the beginning. Liked some of the parts. Showed some grim realities of the darkness of human nature in some places, how... bad people can be, when they want to. But when push came to shove, it didn't properly end well. Sort of fizzled. No 'The End' or 'Fin' which I think it needed.

I need closure, damnit!

Ha! It's a G.A. Romero remake or similar right? Those never do well. Still, no where near as bad as Flight of the Living Dead I'm sure, that was just dumb.
EDIT: Was thinking of Diary of the Dead.

[Doctor When]

Gosh, I've got a lot of reading to do to catch up - I've managed the first half-dozen or so pages, so let's hope I'm not repeating anything here!

As a multi-period re-enactor, I have a good collection of armour (steel plate & mail, heavily padded jacks, heavy leather gloves etc.), and hand weapons ranging from small hand axes to a 7-foot billhook. Hopefully the equipment and nearly 20 years of using it regularly will give me a good change of surviving close combat.

Short Term

I live in a small block of flats ("apartments", for the Former Colonials, I believe) - 18 "units" spread over three floors (six to a floor). I am on the 1st floor (up one flight of stairs - I believe that's Floor No. 2 for the Former Colonials and Continentals).

My initial plan to secure the area is gain control over the main entry points to the building - normally security locked but designed to fail-safe to "open" in case of power cuts. The doors are glazed security doors and would need screwing shut in the initial stages. There's no way they'll stand a sustained Zombie assault however.

Once the outer perimeter is partially secure, the glazing in the ground floor public areas needs to be reinforced and covered. I'm planning on using doors from the TOP floor for this. Each apartment will need to be checked and "secured" in turn. I reckon there's a maximum of 30 other people living in the building, kids included. Most of them will have doors locked, so it's a matter of breaking in (heavy melée weapons helpful here) and dealing with them one apartment at a time.

Ground floor apartments are weak points with large picture windows (they are, however, laminated safety glass) and will be left until last: The ground floor front doors will be screwed shut for now.

Once I have cleared enough top floor apartments of suitable doors (and Zeds) to secure the perimiter glazing, I can settle down to clearing and securing downstairs apartments one at a time. The main weak point is the living-room window, which is a floor to ceiling window and will need reinforcing with scavenged doors and kitchen worktops.

With a relatively secure downstairs perimiter, the bodies can be taken to floor 2 and dumped out of the window with a view to moving and burning later.

All apartments can then be searched for non-perishable foodstuffs and other useful things.

There is a strong concrete canopy that extends over the main front doors, and this will be my main point of exit from the building, when I eventually make my move.

Access to the roof is via skylights in the top floor flats, for rainwater collection.

Once fully secure, I can start looking at my other options.

Long Term

OK, so I've accumulated my band of fellow survivors.

I was thinking about the Airport: Secure perimiter (double chainlink fencing, razorwire, all recently upgraded), big green areas for growing stuff, possibly the only place to find weapons (this is the UK, guns are hard to come by, and the only people who I know carry them round regularly are the police at airports).

Lots of fuel, generators... a lovely secure control tower complex...

Is that perimiter TOO big though?

Lots of glazing, though, which is a worry. Hopefully, it's lovely secure terrorist-proof glazing.

And if the military are going to turn up to rescue us, I guess that's where they'll be landing.

[jringling]

Lots of glazing, though, which is a worry. Hopefully, it's lovely secure terrorist-proof glazing.

And if the military are going to turn up to rescue us, I guess that's where they'll be landing.

Glazing? Is this what we Former Colonials call "plate glass windows"?

[Nefthys]

If ever zombies show up here, I'm going to retreat to the fort in Heritage Park. It's been built as a replica and can function as a small fort unit. Even has the holes cut into the sides to put rifles through and shoot. Nice little buildings inside too, with great big fireplaces.

[akumabito]

Long Term

OK, so I've accumulated my band of fellow survivors.

I was thinking about the Airport: Secure perimiter (double chainlink fencing, razorwire, all recently upgraded), big green areas for growing stuff, possibly the only place to find weapons (this is the UK, guns are hard to come by, and the only people who I know carry them round regularly are the police at airports).

Lots of fuel, generators... a lovely secure control tower complex...

Is that perimiter TOO big though?

Lots of glazing, though, which is a worry. Hopefully, it's lovely secure terrorist-proof glazing.

And if the military are going to turn up to rescue us, I guess that's where they'll be landing.

Airports actually seem like a decent idea, provided you can keep the perimeter secured. Ex-military airfields are better still - the chain link fencing has even more barbed or razor wire, plus it's usually double fencing, to allow guard dogs to patrol the perimeter. <-- Military facilities also have a much better gate system, plus they usually come equipped with bunkers, guard towers and other high-security areas. There are probably quite a few disused cold-war era airfields about. I know of a few in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. Not too sure about anything local though.

I have 2 civilian airports of decent size within 45mins driving range from my home. I porbably wouldn't go there though. As you already noted, those airport terminals are likely to be a liability. Sure, there are only a few entrances to be secured, but there typically is an awful lot of glass. Even if it it reinforced glass, I wouldn't bet on it stopping a pack of zombies bashing their heads against it repeatedly.

[Nefthys]

An airport seems like a bad idea to me. If a zombie infection starts spreading, hundreds of people will go to the airport in hopes of escaping. With all those people, if any zombies do get in, you then have an airport full of zombies to deal with. Watch the new Resident Evil cg animated movie, or play through the Airport level in Left 4 Dead and you will see what I mean.

[akumabito]

You wouldn't want to go there immediately anyhow, as it probably will be used for troop transports / evacuating folks / bringing in supplies, etc.

It's more like a long-term plan. Once the zombie invasion is well and truly underway, society crubles, governments falter, etc., etc., etc.. an airport would be a good place to start a survivor colony not unlike the walled community at the end of "I am Legend"

[Sean Patrick O-Byrne]

I'd like to point out that barbed wire isn't that big of a help. It'll tangle, sure, but the shredding and stuff isn't a bother for a Zombie. If they're in a position to climb to the top of the fence and get into the barbed wire, they'll get through in not too long.

I think most airports have too much open ground to cover, personally. I've got a few options here... not sure where I'd go.

[akumabito]

...If they get tangled, they're pretty damn easy to kill

And even the modest protection chain link fences and barbed wire offer is to be preferred over no protection whatsoever. this is a long-term solution, naturally - possibly a year or longer afer the initial outbreak. You can't have your rations last forever. At one point or another you'll need to grow your own crops.

[Sean Patrick O-Byrne]

Well, a walkign zombie on its own is easy to kill, the singles aren't the problem. And yes, I suppose, if one needs to become a farmer. However, if you've got manpower enough to start farming, it shouldn't be out of the question to build a proper wall out of wood or concrete, say at least ten feet high. Depending on the grounds you need to cover.

[Doctor When]

It's good we're thinking about this NOW, not when it's too late and there's no internet!

Hmm, valid points on the airport - but it is a long term plan. Hopefully by the time I'm organised enough to check it out, the infected crowds will have dispersed sufficiently. I'm fairly confident that, given the current climate, the airport will have a well maintained and secure perimiter. There's always a danger of, for example, someone crashing into the fence whilst swerving to avoid a Zed, so you'd need to check regularly - a tricky job with only a handful of you and such a large area... still, there's good visability, so in theory you should see 'em coming.

Military locations? Alas, my local RSG (Regional Seat of Government) bunker was demolished and filled in a few years ago. There's apparently a large and sophisticated government bunker complex under Birmingham, connected to the BT Tower and a secure exchange - that would be a good place to check out for survivors with facilities.

If there's no active presence there, it might be difficult to find and use as my own as it's still pretty hush-hush, unlike many of the decomissioned 50's cold war sites which tend to be uninhabitable. Subterranea Britannica is a good resource for these, but there's not many close to me.

There's always the question of whether any military presence will be benign - remember 28 Days Later?

There was also a "country sports" specialist in the city centre who may keep shotguns & cartridges... but getting into the secure store may be tricky. Maybe I ought to pay them a visit now, just in case? "Can I help you, Sir?" "No - Just casing the joint in case there's a Zombie apocalypse, thanks!"

And there's also the West Midlands Police HQ, where the firearms boys are based... but I bet that's very secure (remember, you Former Colonials, firearms in the UK are comparatively rare).
...the city centre is probably a place to avoid, though: Note to self - make sure to make a list of potential local shotgun retailers outside city!

It's all in the preparation...

Melée Weapons - check.
Armour - check.
Food - I've usually got a few weeks worth of tinned stuff in - check.
Water - must stock up on filters - the apartments all have a large hot water tank... potable? Probably, after boiling/filtering. Check.
Nails, basic tools, screws etc. for boarding - check.

Things I don't have at home that would be useful things to loot early on:

Vitamins - supplements whilst fresh veg is in short supply.
Medicine - local pharmacy? I'd probably need to read up on what's best to scavenge in an emergency to make looting the place more efficient.
Communications - the local Maplin (sort of like Radio Shack) would provide some sort of comms gear: A CB (does anyone still use those?), 2M/70cm amateur-radio rig, scanner... all of which I'm fairly confident with. Linear amp for power boost... depends what's in stock!
Ladder (for exiting the building from 1st floor)
Generator
Butane heater (if winter) & cooker of some description

I suppose I could start by researching how to hotwire Land Rovers, and get into petrol- (gas-) station tanks (or can you "hotwire" the pump motors?).  There's also an ex-military vehicle specialist down the A38 somewhere - I bet a Stalwart would be a secure, if thirsty, survival vehicle. Or a Ferret - I know how to drive one of those!

PS: Petrol powered strimmers? Those shoulder-mounted, long shafted things with propellers on the end used by the council for clearing undergrowth - I wonder if one of those would be good for "crowd control"?

[akumabito]

Just a random idea here: SPORTS STADIUMS!

Especially the old ugly ones! (not those newfangles ones with shops and office spaces on the outside)

They usually only have a handful of gates that are very easily secured - hell, they're made of proper steel, with pointy bits on top anyhow! There are very few exterior windows and doors, the walls are about as high as you can get, there are light towers that could easily double as watch towers.. Plus, you'd get a nice field you could use for farming.

Hey, and every self-respecting town should have one!

Hmm, I think I like this idea more than the airfield..

[Sean Patrick O-Byrne]

Stadiums not a bad idea, difficult to get out of though one your in.

Why do you keep calling us Former Colonials? WE never broke away violently. We waited a little while, then asked nicely... 

[akumabito]

Stadiums not a bad idea, difficult to get out of though one your in.

True, but the same goes for any building. In fact, one could make the argument that the safer the building, the harder it is to find a quick escape when things go wrong. Just think of underground bunkers for instance.. Facilities like that are designed entirely to keep any threats out. If the security is breached, you'd be SOL.

It's all just a matter of relative security. I'll gladly take huge walls and (relatively) secure gates over no protection whatsoever. It should be fine as long as you realize there is still a threat out there, so no slacking on security measures.

This is all about long-term survival anyhow.. and I honestly can't think of a better place for a homestead and small farm.. you'll have huge security risks everywhere, I suppose.

[Armydillo978]

And the threats aren't just zombies, but potentially from other survivors as well.    And the elements will play a certain part in things.

[A.G.Morgan]

Why do you keep calling us Former Colonials? WE never broke away violently. We waited a little while, then asked nicely... 

I suppose the Doctor figured that Canada was a colony, now it is not*. Ergo, Canadians are Former Colonials, same as Americans, Australians, Indians etc. As an American, I might be offended by "Former Colonials". But I realize it's easier than "Extra-Insular Anglophones" so I don't mind.

As to Zombies, I am fortunate enough to have been raised on a peninsula that is nearly an island in Fort Gibson Lake. 5 square miles of woods and fields, two ways in or out (one a bridge, the other a Dike), and a hydroelectric dam just a short boat ride away. A near perfect location in my humble opinion.
It'd be a simple matter of clearing the peninsula, guarding the two entrances, and patrolling the coast for floating zombies. Even now I'm accumulating an arsenal in preparation for zombies or any other such emergency _{(Don't think I don't know what those Texans are plotting)}.



*_{And of course they gave you your independence when you asked for it. If you decided to fight for it, they'd have to invade. And if there's one thing to be learned from the War of 1812, it's don't invade Canada.}

[akumabito]

http://www.myzombiepinup.com/ <-- WTF?

[flimflam]

that's kind of gross, especially july

[A.G.Morgan]

Mr. Fimflam is right.

Call me old fashioned, but women with too much in the way of tattoos just don't do much for me.

[Phoenix0879]

Good to know that somewhere on the internet every conceivable notion of 'cool' is catered for... I guess. But that is seriously disturbing. Good make up work though, to give them all due credit 

And tattoos rock, I have seven - all concealable by shirts, jackets etc though. I have an intense dislike of tattoos on faces, necks, hands etc.


Moving on to survival, I would favour a combination of ranged, melee and general hiding. It's been a while, but I do know how to handle a firearm and nothing brings back old skills like an urgent need for them! I have a sizable collection of bladed implements for any undead critters that get too close. I also have no qualms about killing or wounding an animal to serve as a handy distraction (if it works - some zombies crave any flesh, some specifically crave human flesh) whilst me and anyone with me makes a hasty retreat.

Given their limited motor functions, one idea I've had to hold off the undead hordes (albeit not indefinitely)  is, if you have the means (and/or preparation time), surround your location with a deep (I would say nine to ten feet minimum) trench with only one crossing point, which can preferably be retracted. If the undead do locate you, they will shamble towards you and go tumbling in. Said trench could be filled with various items - spikes to impale and thus immobilise the zombies, flammable materials (not really recommended, risk of the fire spreading once lit), acid (where you'd that much from I don't know). The spikes one I like, as immobilising them gives you the time to deal with them in a more controlled fashion.