Zombies! What are you going to do when...

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Raptor1

I'm not saying a horse is not useful, but you're underestimating the value of heavy motorized transport, especially since you're trying to run a permenant safe zone with other people, where the carrying capacity of the horse would not be enough to bring enough supplies for everybody (Unless you manage to grow your own food, that is).

I suppose it doesn't matter much, if I find that my truck doesn't work as well as it should, I could probably switch it to something else; if you find your horse isn't working well enough, you could switch it to something else as well.

Oh aye, that's why I initially put Toyota Prius. Might not be a big ass truck, but has a good MPG on it, which is good and since at first you're just going up against the hordes then the only real armour you need is something to cover the windows and perhaps some kind of plough at the front to push the hordes aside. Traditional fare really though is the Land Rover or the Taliban taxi (Hilux) but they do like to drink fuel on a regular basis, so half of your cargo is going to be petrol or diesel for trips of any distance.
But yeah, when it all runs out though, it'll be horse or foot...well, or bicycle, but I'll leave that to the Dutch zombies.
Oh, and TF, they already are using the channel tunnel....we call them the French.

Actually, Turbografx hasn't got too shabby an idea there, a floating oil rig perhaps or one of the forts off the coast, but regular trips to the coast would be needed for supplies, plus you've got to watch out for crawlers coming up out of the sea. Since the buggers don't breathe any more then walking underwater (or shuffling) won't be much of a problem for them.
I think I'd stick with the castle though, at least the buggers don't have grenades or cannons...

Furthermore (I'm spamming the edit button tonight) another big problem would arise from disease in the latter stages of the outbreak. Safe water locations are going to be hard to find since decaying zombies would probably take up a number of them, so medical supplies and old hygienic practice, as well as the quarantining of any new arrivals would probably not be a bad idea.

[Turbografx]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Actually, Turbografx hasn't got too shabby an idea there, a floating oil rig perhaps or one of the forts off the coast, but regular trips to the coast would be needed for supplies, plus you've got to watch out for crawlers coming up out of the sea. Since the buggers don't breathe any more then walking underwater (or shuffling) won't be much of a problem for them.
I think I'd stick with the castle though, at least the buggers don't have grenades or cannons...

Yeah, zombies can walk under the sea but can they swim?

The castle is a good idea; if I still lived in Holland, I would head to Muiderslot near me. It's in perfect condition and is a good size for a small group of people to manage. Some of the big ones would be too much. There are fruit trees, land for gardens or farming, access to the river for transport and fish and only one entrance with a drawbridge.

[Oberon]

That's a nice looking castle, walls are a bit small though, not much room in the grounds of the castle, but that's how a lot of them were made I guess, and there should be enough room there to do some stuff with.
They can't swim (I think) but if you had to drop anchor and then raise it again you could bring up a couple of uninvited guests...zombie fishing

[Dowly]

Zombies can walk/float, the cant drown, so theyr only objective is to get to the food source.

Just for Hunter;
CHOKE ON IT!!!


Romero, you're so awesome...

[Raptor1]

I wouldn't go into the sea. It might be safe there from the zombies, but you're absolutely depndent on fuel and a boat or helicopter to bring in supplies. Cut out the supply at the wrong time and you are dead.

[Turbografx]

Originally Posted by Raptor1

I wouldn't go into the sea. It might be safe there from the zombies, but you're absolutely depndent on fuel and a boat or helicopter to bring in supplies. Cut out the supply at the wrong time and you are dead.

No. Set up on an oil rig, you can get to and from shore with a sail boat.

[Raptor1]

Originally Posted by Turbografx

No. Set up on an oil rig, you can get to and from shore with a sail boat.

And what happens when the wind decides it doesn't want to blow strong enough to get you to shore? Or there's a storm on and your sail boat probably wouldn't survive it? It's way too dicey to be reliable.

Originally Posted by August

I think riding a horse leaves you open to zombies jumping on you from overhanging bluffs and trees and even on the flat your legs are wide open for bites from hangers on, and what happens if the horse throws you?

Now while it would certainly be a good means of transportation after the zombies are all dead i'd want the protection of bite proof armor around me until then.

Nah, zombies can't jump, at least not on purpose. A zombie might very well be able to survive a fall like that, but they're not smart enough to use that to their advantage.

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

For those who ask what sort of zombies we are up against:
Let's make this a little bit more challenging...
We are all up against "runners"! NOT your shambling, slow-moving type.
Zombies that move fast, are very good at adapting, learning as they go along, can swim and not sink, they roam generally in groups of ten and upwards.
Barely do you see them roam by themselves.
They have adapted extremely well in that they seem to "copy" or "mimic" human behaviour, eg. firing guns, behaviour when challenged (ducking for cover etc).
Good luck!!!!

Bah, nonsense. I hate those, take all the fun out of fighting zombies.

[August]

Originally Posted by Raptor1

Bah, nonsense. I hate those, take all the fun out of fighting zombies.

Definitely. I figure it'd be the middle road as in the movie Zombieland, fairly quick afoot but with dulled senses. If they have their act together enough to start planning and organizing then I'd say they ain't likely to be dying off any time soon.

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by Raptor1

Bah, nonsense. I hate those, take all the fun out of fighting zombies.

Originally Posted by August

Definitely. I figure it'd be the middle road as in the movie Zombieland, fairly quick afoot but with dulled senses. If they have their act together enough to start planning and organizing then I'd say they ain't likely to be dying off any time soon.

Well, there's always a rifle range, where you can advance towards Figure 8's with a Mag 58, shooting from the hip!

[Raptor1]

No, there isn't, rifle fire unless properly aimed at the head is ineffective against zombies.

If your zombies are fast and can use weapons and such, it becomes something like turning 3 thirds of the population into terminators and then asking you to fight them.

It also makes pretty much anything you can think of to survive moot.

Hide in the hills, castles, whatever? Nah, they'll figure out where you come from and hunt you.

Raid for food? Nope, they know you need food and will guard it.

Try to run? Nope, they can shoot you and probably use vehicles to chase you as well.

It's just not zombies anymore...

[razark]

As much as I like the idea of taking and holding a castle against the rampaging hordes of zombies, I do see a problem with the idea. Castles were built as fortresses. They really weren't meant to be major population centers by themselves. Any castle would require a town to support and maintain the needs of the castle, as well as farmlands to supply food for the town and castle. During times of trouble, the people of the town and surrounding area could withdraw to the castle, but to keep it operational on a day to day basis, it needs more land.

For an initial, widespread outbreak of zombies, a castle would serve as an ideal base. However, food supplies are going to run low after some time. In the case of an ongoing zombie situation, you would need to start holding and protecting enough land around the castle to provide food for the population. The agricultural conditions will not be the modern tractor and fertilizer methods we are now using. We will need to revert to horse pulled ploughs, and massive amounts of labor to provide for the population. We would need a decent sized base of skilled labor to support the military and agricultural needs as well. Blacksmiths, potters, wheelwrights, coopers, carpenters, glassmakers, bakers, masons, weavers, etc. Basically going from a modern lifestyle straight back to at least semi-medieval living. And how many people do you know who have those kind of skills these days?

In the case of a quick zombie situation, with a massive die-off of the zombies not long after it begins, you are faced with many of the same problems. Civilization will be in chaos. Normal networks for food distribution will be gone. If you can't grow it, you won't be eating it. You will need to hold enough land to provide food for whatever size group you have, as well as the skilled labor to support them. Once again, you're back to a semi-medieval lifestyle.

In either case, as well as fending off zombies, you will need to deal with the marauding bands of humans, with their swords and shotguns, riding their horses or SUVs or whatever, looking only to steal whatever food supplies you've managed to provide for yourselves. If you're in a coastal area, you'll also need to worry about those folks landing their boats or sailing over from their oil rigs to pillage your holdings.


Either way, I predict a return to a feudal system, with roving bands of pillagers.

[Feuer Frei!]

deleted due to infringement

[Turbografx]

Originally Posted by razark

As much as I like the idea of taking and holding a castle against the rampaging hordes of zombies, I do see a problem with the idea. Castles were built as fortresses. They really weren't meant to be major population centers by themselves. Any castle would require a town to support and maintain the needs of the castle, as well as farmlands to supply food for the town and castle. During times of trouble, the people of the town and surrounding area could withdraw to the castle, but to keep it operational on a day to day basis, it needs more land.

For an initial, widespread outbreak of zombies, a castle would serve as an ideal base. However, food supplies are going to run low after some time. In the case of an ongoing zombie situation, you would need to start holding and protecting enough land around the castle to provide food for the population.

This applies to any shelter. At least in a castle you know they can't break their way in.

The group I envision would be no more than 100 people max, and probably half that number would be ideal (40 or so). The castle has farmland surrounding it, gardens and even a fruit tree orchard. Also, a marina. So its pretty much perfect.

1. Everyone comes inside at night.
2. People work during the day with sentries on the perimeter and in towers.
3. If zombies are spotted:

a. Lots. Retreat to castle.

b. Few. Non-combatants to castle. Combatants deal with zombies.

Continue once the problem is overcome.

Focus on simple crops and food that can be kept well:

dried/smoked fish/eel (the river is on the doorstep, sea is just a little down the river.)

cabbage & potatoes (in the farmland)

plums (already planted in orchard, can be dried)

cooking and medicinal herbs (already planted in herb-garden)