My own personal Survival Guide for the Zombieapokalypse

Originally posted by JDBlack
Always assume the worst when talking about zombies, assume that they can run and are strong at the very least, that way if they aren't different you have an easier task than you thought you where facing. Also, assume zombies will decompose at a different rate, because the desease will certainly affect the bacteria that normaly carry out decomposition.

Also, when comes to guns, use semi-auto .22 weapons, using subsonic ammunition, and if possible, get a surpressor or find some other way of making it as quiet as possible. The .22 is fairly quiet, and when aimed at the head if it enters the skull the brain is pretty much f****** because the bullet will bounce around in the skull and destroy the brain. When firing a gun try to fire as little as possible, to avoid attracting attention. The bow and crossbow are also excellent weapons, however they are relatively slow to fire and hitting the brain and causing sufficient damage is tough with the bow. Also (assuming that it is legal) try to aqquire suppressors for as many of your weapons as you possibly can, in order to minimise the amount of attention you attract when firing.

For melee weapons, if you have the streangth blunt weapons are ok, but otherwise use a sword that is intended for combat (not like the modern fakes out there). A good machete or kukri would be a good weapon to use because they are designed to be tough and take a lot of abuse.

As for groups smaller is usually better. Less than ten people is ideal (but at the least 3) because there is generally less time spent on desision making and the smaller the group, the less food and noise they make. Larger groups are usually slower than smaller groups and attract much more attention.

When traveling use a bike as bikes are much faster than a walking person but quieter than a moter powered vehicle. Mountain bikes are preferable because you should probably avoid the roads and they are designed to take a significant beating and still function.

When baracading, make sure there is at least one extra way out, because otherwise if you are stuck by a large group (30 or more) you will have a hard time fighting free.

edit on 2-3-2011 by JDBlack because: add stuff

im impressed by how much you have thought and planned ahead, when i said my post i was thinking of satifying his thread, but in your situation i would have me and my 3 other friends and we would stay in the city, plently of places to hide, plenty of stuff to baricade with, and plenty of spots to see if zombies coming towards you.

There's only one rule in a Zombie apocalypse...

DISTANCE...

You don't want to be in melee with these guys. One drop of infected blood or spittle in the wrong place, and that's it...you're one of the undead. Forget all that nonsense in the movies where you see the hero going around with a machete decapitating Zeds left and right...(all that bloodspray could go in your eyes, nose, ears, mouth, open cuts, etc.) Your best bet for survival is to simply use your major asset (running) and get the hell away from them...and fast. Destroy them from a distance if you have to..(and the quieter the better). The Rambo firing off all kinds of shots is going to attract more zombies like moths to a lightbulb....and end up a zombie Rambo in short order when the ammo runs out.

After the one rule, there are suggestions...

SAFETY IN NUMBERS....

Your chances of survival increase if in a group of people with diverse skills. Kind of the basis for our whole civilization. Cooking, Medical, Combat, Engineering, Electrical, Construction, Mechanical, etc.

FORTIFICATION....

You need somewhere to sleep, safely, and live without worrying about Zack coming up on you and taking a bite. High ground, solid walls, few exits, secure doors...even a moat would be fantastic, even if just a trench with stakes (slows them up and allows for easier kills).

PERSONAL GROOMING/CLOTHES...

Shave your head (don't want hair to pull), don't wear loose, baggy clothing (that Zack can grab), wear some kind of headgear that could prevent splatter from getting in (like a paintball mask with covered airholes). Wear gloves and a hat.

GO NORTH...

Chances are, zombies will have a harder time in the north...be easier to spot against the snow, and generally even slower (if they don't freeze due to lack of warmth and blood like us living folks). You'd probably deal with much smaller groups or even just lone zombies too, which would greatly increase your odds.

reply to post by mindfreak21


As I understand it the bullet doesn't have enough power to punch out the back of the skull at any sort of distance. Sure at point blank the bullet would go right through, but otherwise, again as I understand it, the bullets don't have the nessicary power.

And my equipment woould actually be fairly limited. A pistol, A rifel/bow/crossbow. A pack with 2 or three days worth of food, woth a camelback and small portable filter. All in all I could fit most of it on my bike, (I have a small platform that can hold at least 20 lbs worth of stuff) or my back. Also there are saddlebag type thingys for bikes that would be able to stand up to more weight (not sure wat they cost, I've only seen them on a couple of bikes). Idealy I wouldn't have to bike for more than three days.

reply to post by locololo


Avoid the cities, the shere number of people in them means that there will be massive hoards of zombies running around. Also cities also have more restrictive gun laws, and you will have to fight witht the other people who don't want to leave. Also there is limited space in a city for growing food after easy access to canned food ends.

reply to post by Gazrok


Of course you don't want to be in melee with zed, that said (in the words of the immortal scholar Jagger) "You can't always get what you want," so be ready for melee if it comes down to it. And your discription of flying blood is unlikely, because if zombies are dead, their hearts aren't beating to push the blood around. Also a spear with a big cross peice wouldn't be remiss. not much good for killing zed but usefull for keeping one or two at a distance.

As for numbers, in all probabillity you want to have mid-size goups (up to 20) when defending a fortified location, but on the move stick with under ten people, see my earlier post.

The problem with fortifying, is that if you are surrounded by a large group of zed, the chances of your survival, are low because the zombies will eventually get through your defences, especially if they are in the hundreds, unless you are defending a midevil castel from europe or something simmilar.

As for heading north, unless you know something about surviving through a northern winter, you will probably die when winter comes around. Also, everyone is going to be heading north. Just get as far away from cities as you can.

reply to post by JDBlack


I have seen it argued, that the failure to punch through the back of the head (like a .22) is actually good, in that it may ricochet inside a zombie's skull and then do more brain destruction...

As for fortification, you have to hole up (and sleep) somewhere. My suggestion would be in a place that gives you a way out, such either a tunnel or connection to a boat and the coast, etc. This also allows for supply runs (by daring small groups). If the place is EVER surrounded though, you need to escape and get to another fortification.

Good point on the northern survival tips, but I camped in Alaska as a kid, so didn't think much of it. It's true though, you need to know about surviving in such places...(goes for any terrain) before trying to do so. Our ancestors did though, so I have to think that modern man would even figure it out, if push came to shove.

On splatter, just because the outer blood is congealed doesn't mean a bunch won't spray out when you slice off a head. I still will rather run, than even think about engaging these things in melee. If you have to though...use a machete or kukri machete that is made to stand up to chopping. Like others said, those decorative swords won't last in real fights. I'd probably rather carry around your idea of a crossbar spear...but it's only good against ONE attacker, pretty much, while opening you up to others. In this case, the machete is better...but again, your goal should still be to GET AWAY from them...period.

reply to post by Gazrok

Originally posted by Ahabstar
Let me add something I picked up from Dave at the Pathfinder School Channel. This is the cheapest and fastest modification to a standard wrist rocket type slingshot that usually sells for around $10 at walmart or most stores that sell sporting goods.

He does have a better modification that costs a bit more, but this is fairly effective as is.

Best part is that it is light, cheap and easy to store and carry. And yet, it still functions as a slingshot.

edit on 3-3-2011 by Ahabstar because: (no reason given)

This is a neat little moddificaton to your standard slingshot, and would be easier to use than a bow.

Also fortification is important as you pointed out, but I think that fortification is important but having several safe, back ways out is important.

reply to post by Perfectenemy


Avoid justin bieber concerts.

thats the rule i live by any ways. other than that does seting them on fire work becous that is a way better way to get more of them

reply to post by connorromanow


Wouldn't do damage to the brain quickly enough. They would keep coming, setting everything that they touch on fire, which could be really really bad.

reply to post by Perfectenemy


I love it!

Zombies. How to effectively rid the planet of them. Well I guess the easiest thing to do is go to Washington DC. Get an audience with all government officials. We all know that all of the government officials combined have less brain matter than one single fruitfly. Zombies wouldn't be interested in them at all.
Now tell those government officials that for every zombie they killed they would get 10 votes. It would be fun to watch.

Assuming that the Zombie needs to pierce skin with its bite to spread the infection, what would be an effective armor that would also be not encumbering.

Two very typical zombie attacks:
There is always the sneaky arm grab and bite how many would be heroes could have been saved by a heavy leather jacket or something similar?
Then there is the zombie clasp and throat tear attack which I've often thought could have been defeated with a nice gorget.




I think often survivors focus on offense and rarely stop to consider personal protective measures that could be effective.

What are the other typical zombie attacks?

So if you were stuck in a room full of female Zombies and they all started to ripe off there threads . How would the zombie sex look like you know, it could be pain full or a limb or two might come off.

Just saying.

I think the list in Zombieland was a pretty good one - cardio, double tap, avoid bathrooms and enjoy the little things.....but I think living in climate where ,although it may tough, that gets cold and will freeze the zombies - at least the first winter.

i am certi that if you shot a zombie in the head with a 22 it would die almost instantly, any object that enters the brain and travels all the way or part way through will defenty kill it, and as for the sling shot im not sure if it is powerful enough to enter the skull, i will try it out to check for sure but i doubt it..

reply to post by iforget


A leather jacket isn't a bad idea but the gorgets are less than ideal, just button up the collar of the leather jacket, it will probably provide simmilar protection from the neck bites, depending on the jacket. The problem with gorgets is that they can restrict breathing.

reply to post by JDBlack


What about going old school: full plate & an axe or mace

Sounds like an unwise choice but I hate running anyways

reply to post by iforget


Terrible call. The armour would be peeled off like tin (not quite literally but even so). The amount you would be slowed down would make it far to costly a tactic for actual use in battle. You'd be easy to surround and would be taken down by weight of numbers most likely. Go lightly armoured (leather cop jacket) and be able to avoid attacks rather than absorb them. All armour breaks eventually, realistically you only want to have it for the one you miss, instead of relying on it to keep you safe constantly, even the best armour eventually fails.

reply to post by JDBlack


I see your point believe me. I wonder how much kevlar you would need to be bite proof. It does seem feasible to come up with an armor that would offer both mobility and protection from zombies. I can see a studded leather gimp suit just for the true freak factor I mean if you cant go out with a laugh then whats the point.

Originally posted by locololo
personally i would just barricade myself somewhere they cant reach, and if one tryies to kill them silently, give it a couple of weeks and they will all rot away, or at the least you will die from no food, so you won't have to work

u make a good point, eventually they WOULD rot and die off ... so all's peachy

reply to post by papathetata


The question then becomes, how long would it take for them to rot? After all they may rot more slowly.