Beyond the Apocalypse; Surviving in the next Dark Age, page 1

Originally posted by whatukno
Ah yes, you can prepare for SIT X all you like but unless you have a long term strategy beyond survival in the upcoming new dark ages your preparedness is all for naught. What happens when you use up the supplies you stored in your BOB? What happens when you run out of ammo? Can you take wheat and make bread? Can you distill your own Biofuels? Can you make your own penicillin? Do you know how to forge steel? Do you know how to rebuild your own civilization?

These questions must be asked because without the necessary knowledge one can only prepare so much. The aftermath of the end of our civilization isn’t necessarily the end of humanity. Humanity will survive, the question is, who knows enough about survival in order to survive the end of this age and the beginning of the new dark age?

So what’s your answer? Do you know?

Let us break down the questions posed here and see what we can collectively learn for ourselves, and collectively know what to do after TSHTF.

1. What happens when you use up the supplies you stored in your BOB?

This is where Catcheing comes in, if that runs out or you haven't bothered, it's time to get cracking and find some supplies before you starve! This is where the whole 'go back to the towns and cities' comes in

2. What happens when you run out of ammo?

Crossbow and bolts, reusable. When they aren't see question 1.

3. Can you take wheat and make bread?

Yes and hard tack as well

Can you identify plants that are edible from those that will kill you? Do you know how to purify water for drinking? Do you know how to field dress an animal? Do you know what parts you can use to make sinew? Can you tan a hide? Can you make soap from an animal?

From books, yes, in practise, not yet.

4. Can you distill your own Biofuels?

Do you know how to make grain alcohol to use as a fuel? Do you know how to make a generator out of a lawnmower engine? Can you make a small hydroelectric dam? Do you know how to make a light bulb?

Nope.

5. Can you make your own penicillin?

Ditto, I'm not Dr Zvaggo mate

6. Do you know how to forge steel?

Or more easily, do you know how to recycle steel into weapons, tools, armor, and the myriad of other conveniences that this base alloy provides?

Nor am a blacksmith!

7. Do you know how to rebuild your own civilization?

Do you know how to make a basic shelter, an advanced shelter, a house? Do you know how to dig a well? Raise livestock? Grow food?

With great difficulty if its TEOTWAWKI.

Right, several flaws in what you're saying. You're expecting that every survivalist ought to be a multi-skilled master-of-all-trades warrior. A master navigator of tradesmanship you might say.
This is a wonderful concept but in practise (and indeed fiction) but it's a hard thing to achieve unless you've got masses of time on your hands and a zealous mindset.
Specialisation is the key. Jack-of-all trades will be an aide BUT masters of trades will be king in a dark age scenario. This is one of the reasons different tradesmen exist. It can take years to become proficient in 4, 5, 6.

Also, if say you've struck it lucky and got a master navigator of trades on your team, what happens if he's incapacitated / killed (for whatever reason)? You've just lost you're main-source of knowledge and linchpin in fixing/making kit for the group.
This why diversity and specialisation comes into play. If one falls at least it will only mean one specialist has been lost and not the four or five equivilant from a 'master navigator'.

Having said all that doom and gloom.

For this thread does raise questions though.
The rudiments and basics of something are usually good for foundation.
But taking that foundation and getting off the ground into the flighty realms of mastery is another groove entirely