Zombie Outbreak - where to hide?

[AnonymousOne]

I recommend a .22 caliber weapon, light, good ammo capacity and enough power for a clean head shot... the round just sort of "bounces" around inside the skull... I'd be picking up a Calico M-100 myself...

Only problem being you're not going to hit jack beyond 50-70 yards with a .22LR

Maybe a .22 Hornet ...

Still I'd rather have a rifle, more accurate, mount a scope or reflex sight, and go to town.

 

[Nadaka]

Keep a rifle in every room of your house, 2 in your truck. But a pistol should be fine for walking around. And never go anywhere without your anti-zombie spray.

 

[Jim Hague]

Yes, but you'll note that the local and state authorities acted rather swiftly, and then requested Federal assistance. The way it works in the US, the Federal government doesn't just automatically step in.

To amplify what Celebrim said, while a national coordinated response would take a while, local response would likely be far faster and fairly vigorous. Once it's known that these are the walking dead, and that they can be clearly identified as such, there's going to be a lot less hesitation about shooting people in the head, even if you knew them. There will likely be some nightmares and a lot of soulsearching afterward, but you can't do that if you're dead.

Brad

Simply put - if you're going to assume a real-world response, who's going to believe they're the walking dead, beyond a few crackpots?

And I'd also point out that many, many soldiers, individuals trained and indoctrinated to kill, have problems shooting anonymous strangers identified as 'the enemy'. What happens when they recognize those they're 're-killing'? Worse still, civilians with guns are, again, some of the worst people to rely on in this kind of crisis situation.

In the genre, authority of any sort simply cannot be relied on - they're incompetent, disbelieveing or flat-out overwhelmed if well-meaning.

 

[Jim Hague]

These numbers make a human win vs. zombie seem even more inevitable. As for the mental "break" with seeing the recently dead...? I think most people would make the "shift" to a new world view rather quickly. Seeing Gramma attacking your sibling is going to change your opinion of her MIGHTY quick... I don't care who it is, if they attack me or those I love, they are going down...

Doesn't wash in a psychological context, unless you're a sociopath of some sort.

Even in a Romero type verse, they numbers just don't show a zombie win... it would be a much different I admit... the elderly would be seen as a constant threat... every emergency responder, doctor or nurse would carry a gun... heck, EVERYONE would carry a gun... the gun makers would be thrilled... I recommend a .22 caliber weapon, light, good ammo capacity and enough power for a clean head shot... the round just sort of "bounces" around inside the skull... I'd be picking up a Calico M-100 myself...

A .22 long rifle won't penetrate a human skull, and I speak from talking to the Denver ME. If you shot at point-blank range, eye, roof of mouth or foramen magnum, maybe you might get inside, but at the average 25 foot range of a gunfight, no. I've been popped with a .22 LR in the leg and it barely penetrated a good pair of denim jeans at the kind of range you're going to want to engage at.

As for a Calico...exotic weaponry is in short supply as is, how're you going to get it from every other crazed, desperate person wanting a gun, any gun, during the Rise? Shoot them? Stab? Club 'em with a rock? Congratulations, you just created another recently-dead corpse...thus, a zombie.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

So how many people want to play a AFMBE or Year of the Zombie campaign after reading this thread? I know I do!

On a slightly different note, I can't believe there has been this much debate about if we would be able to survive a zombie invasion!

Olaf the Stout

 

[Jim Hague]

So how many people want to play a AFMBE or Year of the Zombie campaign after reading this thread? I know I do!

On a slightly different note, I can't believe there has been this much debate about if we would be able to survive a zombie invasion!

Olaf the Stout

Both are exceedingly good games, and I always tell folks looking for zombie fun to get 'em both.

 

[JDJblatherings]

These numbers make a human win vs. zombie seem even more inevitable. As for the mental "break" with seeing the recently dead...? I think most people would make the "shift" to a new world view rather quickly. Seeing Gramma attacking your sibling is going to change your opinion of her MIGHTY quick... I don't care who it is, if they attack me or those I love, they are going down...

really?

"Grandma is dead ...sob, sob,sob."
"holy crap grandma just sat up. see if she is okay."
"ouch she jus bit me."
"crud she jst bit me too!"
"oh no grandma is sick, she needs help."
"oh my god Grandma just ripped Mary's throat open!"
"oh crud somene stop grandma."
"quick call 911."
"she is deranged."
"I've got her pinned down...crap she bit me too."
"o holy cow...stop...stop. Uncle bob just killed grandma."
"why you bastard..."

Police response arrests Uncle Bob.

Mary sits up on the ride to the morgue, the driver dies in the crash, the first passer-by is bitten...

 

[Warren Okuma]

The military will be able to hold a few places for a little while, but usually all it takes is a few bites and then you have zombies inside your secure perimeter and it's all over, then; it's an exponential thing.

Nah, the military has defense in depth strategies. They favor mobile attack and defense. And snipers and marksmen will quickly find out that head shots will work. Very quick. And will let everyone know. Then they call in Puff and some A-10's (loased wtih 30 mm HE) and cluster bombs, and some Apaches...

You get a couple survivors who, an hour or so later, die and Rise as zombies. They kill a couple and wound a few more before someone manages to head-shot them. Doctors and medical personnel, who would be the first to realize 'hey, don't let these things bite you', are usually among the first to die since they're so close to the original sources of mass infection: hospitals and morgues.

And they will let other people know by radio. Almost the entire military is wired and radioed. The US military learns really fast. One person like guards standing outside give warning or the ambulance drives get a warning, the alarm is out.

The military? They'll enjoy a few successes as officials report a 'mass breakdown in order'. Some people will be attacked and bitten, some zombies will be mowed down by massive heavy weapons fire. Then those wounded guys are going to be taken directly back to their base to be thrown in the infirmary, just like ants taking poison back to the nest.

Not unless a biohazard warning is sounded. And it will be. Procedures are really different.

Those wounded guys will Turn, and start killing everyone around them, creating more zombies incidentaly.

Nope. They will be "haz matted."

The base will be overrun and then command and communications break down.

The base might be overrun. The US military command is mobile and decentralized.

When they finally realize what they're dealing with,

Not likely. The US military has real time reconnaissance and live feed recon drones. They can concentrate an enormous amount of firepower really quickly. They have snipers that will be making head shots that kill and radioing it to everyone. The US military learns shockingly fast. It's called the hyperwar doctrine.

fear and panic will destroy all attempts at dicipline, especially when soldiers realize (too late) that their families are even now undergoing attack.

Snipers and marksmen will tell them that head shots work. Then the US military will just scoff at the pathetic zombie amateurs.

Once that sinks in, you'll have mass desertions start as soldiers try futiley to get home.

Most of their families will be evacuated or live near the military base. Yes, some will flee, but most will not.

Once training and dicipline breaks down, it doesn't matter what weapons they have or how many of them. You'll have a small core group of orphans or those who are able to keep their heads about them; they'll be overrun and scattered in the first big waves of dead civilians.

Not likely. Maybe in Russia. The US? No. Zombies are an epidemic at best and easily destroyed.

 

[JDJblatherings]

Nah, the military has defense in depth strategies. They favor mobile attack and defense. And snipers and marksmen will quickly find out that head shots will work. Very quick. And will let everyone know. Then they call in Puff and some A-10's (loased wtih 30 mm HE) and cluster bombs, and some Apaches...

Too bad most of the good snipers are overseas, along with a lot of the good hardware, vehicles and weapons.

Not unless a biohazard warning is sounded. And it will be. Procedures are really different.

yeah, specialists endu p in serious immediate danger rushing to help infected people and isolating them.

Not likely. The US military has real time reconnaissance and live feed recon drones. They can concentrate an enormous amount of firepower really quickly. They have snipers that will be making head shots that kill and radioing it to everyone. The US military learns shockingly fast. It's called the hyperwar doctrine.

and someone has to be giving the orders. There will be a lag between outbreak and activating military forces.

Most of their families will be evacuated or live near the military base. Yes, some will flee, but most will not.

huh? When most of my friends were in the service they were hundreds to thousands of miles away from old friends an family. Good luck rounidng people up in that situation.

 

[TheYeti1775]

Keep a rifle in every room of your house, 2 in your truck. But a pistol should be fine for walking around. And never go anywhere without your anti-zombie spray.

Already do. Yeah just need to go to Wally World and pick up my Made in China Anti-Zombie Spray and I'm ready for the Zombies.