How To Be King (after the SHTF)?

I have often wondered about what happens after the SHTF and the dust has started to clear.

Cars will be essentially useless without fuel and parts and will all grind to a halt. Use them initially in order to quickly possess your chosen territory. Warehouse as much of everything you find. Do not leave anything behind unless it is guarded.
Create a well-rewarded hierarchy of subordinates and make sure you do not reward yourself too much - most of the longest living dictators of the 20th century lived frugally until they had established their bases of power (not always through fear)

The following scenario seems likely:
1. Individuals and small groups of survivors will emerge from the ruins looking to join or form communites for protection and comfort.
2. Individual survivalists or small groups of survivalists will emerge looking to replenish their stockpiled goods.
3. Existing groups (large and/or well-armed groups) will roam at will preying on the above vulnerable people. Most large groups will be brutal by necessity (in order to stay in power, the leader will have to satisfy a lot of appetites:
Personnel Required
Armed Mercenaries will be your most highly sought after commodity and will be used in the following roles:

1. Bodyguards
   
2. Soldiers
   
3. Raiders
   

Medical Practitioners
Farmers
Skilled Craftsmen such as carpenters, builders, blacksmiths

Ensure you establish a system of learning in order to teach, transfer skills and cross skill your subjects.

Establish a large stockpile of scarce tradeable goods such as medicine. Do not trade away weapons. At some point they probably will be used against you.

You will require a defendable stronghold in an area rich in natural resources (water, good soil, game, minerals). This stronghold must be able to be in a position to protect outlying communities depending on its protection.

I suggest a study of Survival in the Dark Ages to get an idea of what it will take to be King in the SHTF. Pay particular attention the Art of Making Gunpowder. This knowledge alone could keep you alive.

A whole book could be written on this subject ...

If i am to be king, all i will need is a steady supply of toilet paper and dirty magazines...........

What?

Why would you want to be 'king'?

reply to post by GrandHeretic


Ah toilet paper ... in the army, the stuff was so scarce, we called it "white gold". When we were in the field (training) at Saldanha, the Impala jet pilots use to mock bomb us with rolls of toilet paper which caused a mad scramble for the valuable stuff. Thus was born "The Saldanha White Gold Rush"
I think I might even have a photo in my old photo album as an Impala screams over our LPD20 radar system.
.

Altho we could see a return to a quasi medieval, fuedalistic society think 'warlord' not 'king'. First, there will not be the predominantly agrarian society that existed in the middle ages. It will be more city gangs moving out to the surburbs and country scavenging and terrorizing the populace. Hopefully it wont be as extreme as the roving gangs of cannibals as depicted in "The Road" but it could deteroriate to depths we can only imagine. Second, authority requires command and control not just the threat of force and it will be hard to centralize authority in the hinderlands except for on a localized basis. I agree with the OP on what it will take to survive and what skills will be in greater demand for a SHTF scenario.

dp

tp

wtf - quad post
pc malfunction

Originally posted by soulshn
Why would you want to be 'king'?

Exactly! Nothing paints a giant bullseye on you like saying, "I am King of this area". I'd rather stick to myself.

I am the king of "Myland"!
As long as I rule it wisely the UN sponsored troops leave us alone.
I lord over nothing not even my Queen as I am wise.
What more could anyone want?

I would pick a place no one has thought of, which i have a few in mind, just in case they are occupied.

Then I would choose some resources that can not run out. One would be a small trap used to catch small animals, like rabbits, coons, and other small rodents. Whether you eat it right then and there is your decision.

I would also recommend an aluminum baseball bat and a crossbow. Those are good weapons that wont run out of ammo.

~Q

I'm not saying the OP wants to be "king".

But I am saying there is something seriously wrong with an individual who sits and fantasizes about the destruction of our civilization, in order that he might have a chance of being "king", and who literally goes over ways in his head that might expedite this aspiration.

~A leader emerges, he doesn't force himself on people, and he doesn't volunteer. Self-proclaimed leaders are the worse.

Why would I want to be "King/Warlord/Chief Muckity Muck"?

I think most people will agree that Democracy will not be the rule.
It will be survival of the fittest and strongest. So I can think of a number of reasons why I wouyld rather be in charge this time around:

- Easier access to scarce resources.
- Protection of family and friends
- Avoiding becoming a slave (or dead)
- Avoiding conscription to fight other people's wars

Do you want a modern case study when there is a power vacuum? Look at Somalia. Hiding won't help - in the joining a benevolent dictatorship might be the next best option if you don't have the stomach or leadership ability.

reply to post by deltaalphanovember


All my pictures are broken but you might still like my old thread:

HOWTO: Be wealthy after the collapse

Originally posted by IgnoranceIsntBlisss
reply to post by deltaalphanovember

 

All my pictures are broken but you might still like my old thread:

HOWTO: Be wealthy after the collapse

Excellent thanks, to tell the truth, all I want to form my own Secret Society with a special handshake and obscure rules. I will definitely allow female membership though

reply to post by deltaalphanovember


sounds fun, but....I think the warlords that emerge out of a SHTF scenario will be eliminated by TPTB.

Just like in the H.G. Wells film, Things To Come

reply to post by cointelprotroll


Personally I think this is a scenario where TPTB have wiped each out leaving an enormous Power Vacuum. It is surprisingly easy for a country to slide into total anarchy.
Think what would happen if the Yellowstone caldera blew?

Imagine if all communications and power is out.
Imagine that most soldiers will be busy looking after their own friends and family.
Imagine all the people ... starving, hurt, homeless.


It's not hard, if you try.

Originally posted by deltaalphanovember
reply to post by cointelprotroll

 

...Imagine if all communications and power is out.
Imagine that most soldiers will be busy looking after their own friends and family.
Imagine all the people ... starving, hurt, homeless.


It's not hard, if you try...

Imagine, instead, All the people sharing All the world... it's easy if you try.

edit: i'm not the only One; i hope some day you'll join us.

Cheers!

reply to post by soulshn

Imagine, instead, All the people sharing All the world... it's easy if you try.

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people,
Sharing all the world............

..........Thank you soulshn, for the reminder.

reply to post by BellaSabre


Unfortunately, I share John's sentiments but ultimately, a world inhabited by humankind will be one where a weapon has the last word.

Switzerland is a neutral and peaceful country but even they have a well-armed and trained potential army of conscripts.