How would you survive a Zombie Apocalypse.

[Pulp Hero]

It takes place in the real world. If said soldiers in said military base manage to organize a defense, then sure, they survive, however, plenty of them will be waking up with their zombie bunkmate ripping out their trachea.

Since the Zombie story won't be believed, can we also influence events by informing them of an overheard conversation that seemed rather sinister between two people (one short arab, one tall white male)?

Placing the base on at least a casual level of alert would improve the survival chances of the base.

Eglin will get over-run by zombies pretty quickly because it is spread out and without people manning the perimeter like usual, zombies can go freely. Also its not some hardcore, super-hooah place. There are no APCs or artillery, and the only people on base who carry weapons are the Airforce SPs(aka MPs) and I doubt they pack a lot of ammunition normally. There are stores of small arms used for training (the AF has some stocked up right acxross the street actually) but I live here and even I don't know where the live ammunition is.

[Lazarus]

A lot of people overestimate their capabilities in scenarios like this. Like this fellow:

Well I live 17 miles away from (Warwick Castle)
So I spend the next 30 days moving the contents of the local Tesco inside Warwick Castle and probably see if I can stock up on some solar power equipment and some means to filter and treat water. Sufficient tools and seeds to start farming veg would be helpful as well.

Right, so the OWNERS of the castle aren't going to mind you taking their property off them at all then?

The action that needs to be taken in case of zombie outbreak is very much determined by their capabilities. In this scenario, you'll need to take more action than the standard destroy the stairs rule, since the outbreak will last longer than a few months (if I read the OP right), which is about as long as most people could survive in the upstairs of their house with as many supplies as they could practically assemble.

Such scenarios are massively more difficult to survive in the UK thanks to the lack of firearms, or decent weapons in general (e.g, neither I nor any of the people I know own a crowbar). All we can do is construct a defense/evacuate to some location where active defense is not required.

This is somewhat difficult, if not impossible, in this scenario. My 'zombie plan' for any normal outbreak scenario is to evacuate to the mining rigs off the coast here, but this won't work as the crew will be undead. The best I can do would be destroying the stairs of my house, and storing supplies and what weapons I can assemble upstairs. I wouldn't expect to survive for very long, so some form of ready suicide method might also be in order.

[lance]

<snip>

You're going to have a rough go of it storing 6 months worth of water in a house. Anyone who doesn't head for a natural source of water is toast if you ask me. You're going to have to venture out for water soon...

I don't think so, I have a hundred empty 2 liters in a closet, so thats enough for 3 months, I could easily store 4 hundred of them in my place, and if you pull the fill every glass with water idea having enough should be a breeze.

Also I look for survivors immediately after the infection happens. From a high location with binoculars. I figure this would be the best time for that. If I find someone I can save with minimal risk I go for it, if not, I live another day.

I also go online a couple hours later to try to locate survivors before the electricity goes.

[Darth Tanner]

Right, so the OWNERS of the castle aren't going to mind you taking their property off them at all then?

You make a good point however it would be possible to work around this problem to some extent by loading my supplies into a lorry and taking up residence of the castle just before the outbreak and before the castle opens for the day, setting off the fire alarms perhaps to evacuate any staff that are present for the morning shift or simply threaten them with my crossbow.

This will not give the owners sufficient time to have me evicted by the police before the outbreak occurs (Warwick has a fully functional portcullis so the police are going to have a job getting in) and will minimise the risk of zombies already being inside the walls.

Also I look for survivors immediately after the infection happens. From a high location with binoculars. I figure this would be the best time for that. If I find someone I can save with minimal risk I go for it, if not, I live another day.

But if you find someone and rescue them you immediately half your stock of supplies.

Also people destroying their stairs... to what extent do these zombies possess their former agility and problem solving abilities. If I retreated upstairs and destroyed the stairs you could still get to me quite easily by climbing onto the roof of the conservatory and then into the upper floor.

[Alferd Packer]

As an aside, the OP doesn't specify when during the day the change happens. For example, if it happens during the middle of night, there aren't going to be a lot of zombies roaming the streets. Rather, most of the houses are going to contain the zombies inside, especially if there's only one or two people. Where it'll get messy is if there there's one person still living in the house. In all likelihood, they'll survive long enough to open a door and run screaming into the street, thus freeing the zombies inside. Since 90% of the population is turning, however, this won't happen too often.

Conversely, what happens if the switch occurs during one of the rush hours? The roads instantly become impassible, as millions of cars suddenly become unguided ballistic missiles and crash into everything around them. Thousands, if not millions of people, however, are going to be out in the open, making things much more dangerous there.

[The Vortex Empire]

As an aside, the OP doesn't specify when during the day the change happens. For example, if it happens during the middle of night, there aren't going to be a lot of zombies roaming the streets. Rather, most of the houses are going to contain the zombies inside, especially if there's only one or two people. Where it'll get messy is if there there's one person still living in the house. In all likelihood, they'll survive long enough to open a door and run screaming into the street, thus freeing the zombies inside. Since 90% of the population is turning, however, this won't happen too often.

Conversely, what happens if the switch occurs during one of the rush hours? The roads instantly become impassible, as millions of cars suddenly become unguided ballistic missiles and crash into everything around them. Thousands, if not millions of people, however, are going to be out in the open, making things much more dangerous there.

Let's say it happens at noon on the 30th day.

Also people destroying their stairs... to what extent do these zombies possess their former agility and problem solving abilities. If I retreated upstairs and destroyed the stairs you could still get to me quite easily by climbing onto the roof of the conservatory and then into the upper floor.

They have equal agility to a living person, until their muscle rots away. They're problem solving skills, on the other hand, are just enough to not walk off of the edge of a collapsed bridge to reach someone on the other side. So, they're stupid, but if one wanders onto the conservatory roof, it'll get in.

[commander owen]

the tank i admit, is a bit much, but you don't really need the main cannon re-armmed, just the machine guns. and if you have thirty days, just get a really big loan, and just hope the banks employess all turn into zombies and to help fund the tank, sell all of my crap not nesisary for my survival. while a bit on the extreme, it is posible.
DIE ZOMBIES, DIE!!!!

[Chardok]

the tank i admit, is a bit much, but you don't really need the main cannon re-armmed, just the machine guns. and if you have thirty days, just get a really big loan, and just hope the banks employess all turn into zombies and to help fund the tank, sell all of my crap not nesisary for my survival. while a bit on the extreme, it is posible.
DIE ZOMBIES, DIE!!!!

You're going to live for six months in a tank? You must have balls of solid rock.

Oh, and you must want to die. Of hunger. and thirst. Or go sompletely septic from wallowing in your own feces and urine for weeks.

[commander owen]

live in the tank?! of course not. just have the tank, in case of emergancys

[Lazarus]

Yeah, nice emergency tank idea. See, I'd buy a Supercarrier for emergencies, and fill it with Reaper drones. Just in case.

As far as cognitive ability goes, the zombies would have to be able to figure out that to reach the upper floor, they have to climb on top of the back gate, then jump onto the conservatory, then break through a window. Romero zombies can't do this, last time I checked, neither can Solanum-types, or DotD 04 types. 28DL types might be able to, just maybe. So yeah, if they can, that's a problem, but then it also makes this scenario actually impossible for anyone in the UK, rather than just probably impossible.

[Baal]

Yeah, nice emergency tank idea. See, I'd buy a Supercarrier for emergencies, and fill it with Reaper drones. Just in case.

As far as cognitive ability goes, the zombies would have to be able to figure out that to reach the upper floor, they have to climb on top of the back gate, then jump onto the conservatory, then break through a window. Romero zombies can't do this, last time I checked, neither can Solanum-types, or DotD 04 types. 28DL types might be able to, just maybe. So yeah, if they can, that's a problem, but then it also makes this scenario actually impossible for anyone in the UK, rather than just probably impossible.

Yeah the tank idea is very dumb. If you could somehow get a tank then odds are you could also get an armored car which would work just as effectively, carry more, and be much more comfortable.

Hell, with a months time to prep you could purchase a Winnebago and bolt some steel mesh over all of the windows. This would be as safe as the armored car or tank and infinitely more comfortable.

[chitoryu12]

I take it you have all read the Zombie Survival Guide? Trust the guide, my friends.

If you do use an armored vehicle and it actually has ammo for the main cannon, use only rounds that will fragment or, in the case of tanks, fletchettes. You need a head shot to kill, and fletchettes will help.

[CaptHawkeye]

You need a head shot to kill, and fletchettes will help.

Headshot zombies? Oh please, no no. To paraphrase Stark, Romero esque "head shot only" zombies are so incredibly over wanked you might as well be asking how to defeat Cthulhu.

[CaptHawkeye]

EDIT: Ah, missed what it said in the OP. Sorry. But in any case, I doubt you'll need to load "flachette" style weapons in vehicles such as armored cars. A 50 cal should turn any type of zombie into a hamburger. I don't care if they're headshot only zombies, it's not going to be much threat if a signifigant portion of its torso and limbs have been vaporized.

[Pulp Hero]

Why do people always assume that they are going to be able to access crazy shit like tank with working main cannons, tank rounds, and machineguns?

[CaptHawkeye]

Why do people always assume that they are going to be able to access crazy shit like tank with working main cannons, tank rounds, and machineguns?

Because frankly, that's the only way you *might* be able to survive a Romero zombie horde. Sorry, but all the family hunting rifle is good for in a situation like this is to provide you with an alternative to "slow and painfull".

I admit a tank is a little much, but you're kidding yourself if you think you stand any chance without some kind of automatic or heavy weapon.

[Pulp Hero]

Why do people always assume that they are going to be able to access crazy shit like tank with working main cannons, tank rounds, and machineguns?

Because frankly, that's the only way you *might* be able to survive a Romero zombie horde. Sorry, but all the family hunting rifle is good for in a situation like this is to provide you with an alternative to "slow and painfull".

I admit a tank is a little much, but you're kidding yourself if you think you stand any chance without some kind of automatic or heavy weapon.

Normally, if one day zombies just suddenly appear, yes. But with 30 days warning and time to prepare, a Romero horde is easily survivable.

An resorting to crazy out of reach weapons isn't nessesary. Automatic weapons won't give a big advantage against zombies, since they have no fear and only headshots kill them.

Zeroed in and with a bit of practice, a hunting rifle might be one of the better firearms choices. Couple that with a shotgun and molotovs, you can feed off zombie attacks.

[Raptor 597]

Considering that I live on the largest military installation in the free world, I'd say I'm golden. I'll get my family to come here on post and convince just my platoon of the ensuing struggle. We'll say that we are going to shoot a tank gunnery and fuel up tanks and load them to gills with ammo, supplies, extra fuel, and cannister rounds. Whats good about cannister rounds? They are live rounds designed by the Army to kill people; it's grapeshot consisting of 1500 tungsten ball bearings. The perfect zombie. We go hide up on Jack Mountain form a tight coil and holdout for the next six months.

[Chardok]

I am completely stunned by the number of people who are worried about actually standing and fighting the zombies. a Tank? An Armored car? Insanity, just get the fuck away from the food source. Zombies don't go far. This is so easy to survive it's crazy. Also, people, be reasonable, I mean, realistically, you're not going to convince anyone to just give you a .50 cal, or a tank, or, even if you get the chassis, you're not going to get anything resembling ammo for the damned thing. Or the afore mentioned .50cal, and I think it goes against the spirit of the thread anyway(opinion).

Those of you who are doing the "Kill the stairs thing" what if the zombie bodies pile up? They'll climb their dead. Just something to think about.

And for you "I live on a military base" types. Rememebr that 90% of those soldiers are going to be zombies. Of the few that survive, how many will have armory keys, or be able to get them, how many tank drivers are left, where are you going to get the keys? what about the motor pool? That's locked up nice and tight, and I KNOW the ammo is. So, you have the following problems: zombie has the armory keys, to kill the zombie armorer, you need weapons, which are locked in the armory, and who's gonna leave their barracks room to run down to the armory to Break in (Loudly, by the way, you'll have to bash the lock AND door, then break the locks on the racks (If you can do so without a cutting torch, a tall order to say the least.) All that banging is bound to attract the attention of the zombies. about the only people who have live, locked and loaded weapons at any given time on a military base are the MP's on Patrol, and guess what? 90% of em are zombies.

So put some more thought into it, base rats.

[Dienonychus]

You are informed by an Omnipotent Being(Q, etc.), that in exactly 30 days, 90% of the human race will be infected with the Zombie virus, and transform into zombies. Who becomes a zombie is entirely random. However, only 1 in 10 of your friends/family will be infected.

You may use these 30 days to prepare in whatever way you wish. You may only use the resources of yourself and anyone you convince to aid you. You may only move up to 20 miles away from your current location.

The zombies are Dawn of the Dead style zombies. They can run as fast as a human can, and can only be killed by destroying the central nervous system. They will rot away in 6 months after infection. The infection can be transmitted by infected body fluids entering your body, so even a single drop of zombie blood entering a wound will infect you.

So, denizens of SDN, how would you survive a Zombie Apocalypse?

So easy... I live in one of the least populated counties of the USA and the largest city with a population over 50k is in the next state over about 100 miles away. There are about 20 cities in between here and there but most of them have maybe 900 people per town. Hunting is the pass time here so those who do not become zombies will generally have enough ammo on hand to feed the brains of those who turn nearby. (We've all seen enough zombie movies to know the head is what kills them dead, dead.)

I collect functional weapons no matter the type (swords, clubs, firearms, etc) so I've plenty of things to choose from.
I'd stock up on some more reloading supplies and order a year's worth of provisions from Walton Feed in ID. I've got a well that's already secure and the high ground. An LP/OP (listening post/observation post) would be all I truly need to keep an eye out for any Zacks. If any of my family members become a Zombie, so much the better for me because they don't stand much of a chance fighting me alive...and I'll be nice no more putting the hurt on them.

[His Divine Shadow]

I live far from any population centers. I just need to get ammo and canned food and stock up at home. We also grow plenty of our own food already as well as being used to picking berries in the forrest and making stuff like jam and distilling lemonade concentrate and so forth.

We're alot more self-sufficient today than most people in the western world so we are much better prepared. Supplies and defence are about the only things we can improve on here, if we want to keep it realistic *snort*

[Lazarus]

Headshot zombies? Oh please, no no. To paraphrase Stark, Romero esque "head shot only" zombies are so incredibly over wanked you might as well be asking how to defeat Cthulhu.

Because, of course, Romero films are the ONLY places where zombies which can only be killed by headshots appear, right? Oh wait, actually its the vast majority of zombie sources.

A 50 cal should turn any type of zombie into a hamburger

If a round doesn't go through the head, then the zombie is still dangerous, it's that simple. You can take the head off, and it will still try to bite anything near it's mouth.

I take it you have all read the Zombie Survival Guide? Trust the guide, my friends.

Unfortunately the guide is only of so much use in this scenario, since the zombies are smarter than Solanum-types, and also the 90% instant switch makes this something beyond even a Class 4 outbreak.

I admit a tank is a little much, but you're kidding yourself if you think you stand any chance without some kind of automatic or heavy weapon.

The best choice of weapon is something like the training version of the SA80 - it's semi-auto so as to prevent panicked spray and pray which wastes ammo, has a 30 round mag, and is highly accurate and quite reliable. The M1 carbine is recommended in the ZSG, but I'd go for the SA80 because of the higher mag capacity and SUSAT sight.

[The Yosemite Bear]

I'm diabetic, I won't survive. however I will make sure to have a colourful exit.


probably something involving lots of explosives....

[Enola Straight]

Get one of these:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/78284/automatic_shotgun/

[Schuyler Colfax]

I'd find a group of friends and stay with them. They would probably end up chasing us into some abandoned building. One by one we would get picked off. I of course will be one of the lucky ones, considering that I would have tripped one of my friends while we were being chased. (Just kidding) After all of that there would only be about 3 of us left. Then rescuers will be searching for survivors probably helicopter, then we would go on to the roof so they could pick us up. Then I make out with the girl of the group. (I watch way to many movies)