Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Zombies!!! 2nd Edition Board Game
While it's fun to plan bug-out bags and compare chainsaws, there are a lot of just plain fun activities going on with the Zombie craze! For example, you can always enjoy the Zombies board game with your friends!
By Matěj Baťha (vlastní dílo / own work) [CC-BY-SA-2.5 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Military Surplus Rifles for Fighting Zombies? Rifles with Style.
If you've gotta deal with zombies, get a rifle that accurate and stylish like this military surplus Swedish Mauser.
There are lots of classic military service rifles available as Military Surplus. Sometimes military surplus rifles can use obscure ammunition, but in other cases you can buy surplus ammunition by the case load as well!
Here are some advantages that a military surplus rifle offers when fighting zombies:
1. Mounts a useful Zombie killing bayonet.
2. Heavy wooden stock and butt can be used as a club.
3. Fires powerful high velocity skull penetrating ammunition.
4. Highly accurate at long, stand off, ranges.
5. Very Rugged.
For some classic surplus rifle ideas, check out this article:
My Favorite Military Surplus Rifles
The Swedish Mauser is featured prominently in the zombie apocalypse novel: Zombie Complex.
There are lots of classic military service rifles available as Military Surplus. Sometimes military surplus rifles can use obscure ammunition, but in other cases you can buy surplus ammunition by the case load as well!
Here are some advantages that a military surplus rifle offers when fighting zombies:
1. Mounts a useful Zombie killing bayonet.
2. Heavy wooden stock and butt can be used as a club.
3. Fires powerful high velocity skull penetrating ammunition.
4. Highly accurate at long, stand off, ranges.
5. Very Rugged.
For some classic surplus rifle ideas, check out this article:
My Favorite Military Surplus Rifles
The Swedish Mauser is featured prominently in the zombie apocalypse novel: Zombie Complex.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Lighting Up the Zombies
Since we solved the problems of seeing zombies at a distance, we should probably solve the problem of seeing zombies at night. Some how zombies that come scratching at your door in the middle of the night seem a little more terrifying than zombies that arrive for high tea or supper.
There are two approaches for seeing zombies at night. One is night vision equipment and the other is a good old fashioned flashlight. I've tried a fairly rudimentary Russian night vision monocular, but frankly, I don't think it would be comfortable to use for an extended period of time.
One alternative would be a traditional flashlight like the venerable Maglite. Some police departments reported switched away from Maglites because they allegedly caused brain injuries when applied upside the head of various perpetrators. If this is true, that alone would make the full-sized Maglite a perfect choice for fighting zombies.
Finally, both night vision monoculars and Maglites would burn through batteries over time. This could cause difficulties when batteries are in short supply during a zombie apocalypse. I would suggest rigging an alarm around the perimeter of your compound. Small bells spaced at intervals on a taut string should do nicely. Alternatively, soda cans filled with a few pebbles could rattle nicely on the same line. When you hear rattles, you could illuminate the zombies briefly and dispatch them.
Night Vision Against Zombies
There are two approaches for seeing zombies at night. One is night vision equipment and the other is a good old fashioned flashlight. I've tried a fairly rudimentary Russian night vision monocular, but frankly, I don't think it would be comfortable to use for an extended period of time.
Traditional Flashlights Against Zombies
One alternative would be a traditional flashlight like the venerable Maglite. Some police departments reported switched away from Maglites because they allegedly caused brain injuries when applied upside the head of various perpetrators. If this is true, that alone would make the full-sized Maglite a perfect choice for fighting zombies.
Finally, both night vision monoculars and Maglites would burn through batteries over time. This could cause difficulties when batteries are in short supply during a zombie apocalypse. I would suggest rigging an alarm around the perimeter of your compound. Small bells spaced at intervals on a taut string should do nicely. Alternatively, soda cans filled with a few pebbles could rattle nicely on the same line. When you hear rattles, you could illuminate the zombies briefly and dispatch them.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
The Importance of Binoculars in Zombie Prepping
Is that . . . is that . . . is that a Zombie?
If the world is ever filled with shuffling hordes of zombies, you'll need to be able to distinguish them normal humans from a distance. That will take quality optics. If you are preparing for a zombie apocalypse, you'll need some binoculars.
The binoculars that I use are Steiner Safari 8x22 compact binoculars. They offer excellent optics at an affordable price. They also come with a belt pouch and can fit in a coat pocket easily. You can buy a similar pair of binoculars here:
Saturday, January 7, 2012
A Great Collection of Zombie Stories!
I'm reading a great collection of Zombie short stories now. The book is called "The Undead: Zombie Anthology" and it is an excellent set of zombie stories. The stories have unique perspectives and many feature interesting plot twists. If you love a good zombie story, you should definitely buy this book!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Low Cost Prepping
 |
| Red Cross "Ready to Go Kit" - photo by Red Cross / Public domain |
To prepare, you simply need to set aside a sensible set of supplies. You'll need food and water. Oh, and a big ol' bat! But, seriously, you can build up a supply kit by investing as little as $10 per week on the things you'll need for any emergency.
One week, buy a small first aid kit. The next week buy bandages or gauze pads. The next week, get some nylon gloves. The next week get a flashlight. You can assemble a nice kit from things on the drugstore shelves just a little at a time. When you go to the grocery, get an extra case of bottled water or get a couple of cans of chili, beans, or vegetables.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Is Your Apartment Zombie Proof?
Take the Quiz!
With the success of AMC's series, The Walking Dead, zombies continue to terrify America. They are an interesting, if unlikely, survival challenge. What if legions of putrid, rotting, zombies were shuffling towards your apartment or condominium complex? Would your complex offer any protection? Could your neighborhood defend itself? Could zombies get in and wreak havoc? Take this quiz to assess your communities readiness for a zombie horde.
Walls and Fences. If your home is your castle, your castle is only as good as the walls surrounding it. Is your complex surrounded by brick or stone walls? How about iron fencing? How about chain link fence? Give yourself 5 points for stone, 4 points for iron, 3 points for chainlink or aluminum fencing, 2 points for wooden fences, and 0 points for lawn or parking lot.
Gates. A fence isn't much good unless its coupled with a serious gate. When that moaning mass of undead humanity reaches your complex, will the be greeted by a stout, locked, iron gate or something they can push aside? Give yourself 5 points for a stout iron gate, 4 points for an imposing aluminum gate, 3 points any gate that has gaps but can be made secure with a chain and padlock, 2 points for any gate with insecure gaps, and 0 points for any complex without a gate or a simple swing arm that blocks cars. Zombies don't drive much!
Building Height. Once the shuffle onto the grounds, your next line of defense is your apartment building itself. If you live in a ground level apartment, the zombies can come scratch at your front door. If you live on a higher floor, you can see them coming and fight them at the stairs. Since zombies can't figure out elevators give yourself a point for every floor level in your building up to five.
Access Controls. Do you need a key or passcard to get in your building? If yes, give yourself a point. Do you have stout steel or wooden doors? If yes, that's another point. Do you need a key or passcard to get onto your floor? If yes, that's another point. If you live in an open garden-style building, that's a big fat zero.
Self Sufficiency. The Zombie Apocalypse won't happen in one day. It's a long, protracted, struggle to survive the near collapse of civilization. If you have a garden on your balcony give yourself five points. If your complex has a community garden, give yourself three points. Since water storage will be important, give yourself a point for every pool, lake, or creek in your complex. If your building has a guttered roof that can be re-routed to cisterns, give yourself two extra points. It's not enough just to have a pile of weapons for the Zombie Apocalypse. You need other supplies for the long haul.
Skilled Residents. A community that organizes, builds a sense of community together, and has residents with useful skills has a good chance of fighting off the hordes. You can earn up to ten points buy having the right kind of neighbors. Give yourself a point for every building maintenance person, police officer, paramedic, medical professional, military person, or hunter that you know of in the complex. Of course, your group will have to employ the right tactics to survive Zombie attacks.
Assessment: If you scored 24 points or more, you have found a good place to ride out the zombie apocalypse. If you scored 18 points or more, you may have to work to secure your complex, but you'll make it. If you scored 10 points or more, you may have a tough go of it. If you scored less than 10 points, you are zombie bait and would probably be better off living in a van down by the river. Of course, a zombie apocalypse is pretty unlikely, but if your complex is zombie proof, it is probably a pretty safe place to live.
With the success of AMC's series, The Walking Dead, zombies continue to terrify America. They are an interesting, if unlikely, survival challenge. What if legions of putrid, rotting, zombies were shuffling towards your apartment or condominium complex? Would your complex offer any protection? Could your neighborhood defend itself? Could zombies get in and wreak havoc? Take this quiz to assess your communities readiness for a zombie horde.
Walls and Fences. If your home is your castle, your castle is only as good as the walls surrounding it. Is your complex surrounded by brick or stone walls? How about iron fencing? How about chain link fence? Give yourself 5 points for stone, 4 points for iron, 3 points for chainlink or aluminum fencing, 2 points for wooden fences, and 0 points for lawn or parking lot.
Gates. A fence isn't much good unless its coupled with a serious gate. When that moaning mass of undead humanity reaches your complex, will the be greeted by a stout, locked, iron gate or something they can push aside? Give yourself 5 points for a stout iron gate, 4 points for an imposing aluminum gate, 3 points any gate that has gaps but can be made secure with a chain and padlock, 2 points for any gate with insecure gaps, and 0 points for any complex without a gate or a simple swing arm that blocks cars. Zombies don't drive much!
Building Height. Once the shuffle onto the grounds, your next line of defense is your apartment building itself. If you live in a ground level apartment, the zombies can come scratch at your front door. If you live on a higher floor, you can see them coming and fight them at the stairs. Since zombies can't figure out elevators give yourself a point for every floor level in your building up to five.
Access Controls. Do you need a key or passcard to get in your building? If yes, give yourself a point. Do you have stout steel or wooden doors? If yes, that's another point. Do you need a key or passcard to get onto your floor? If yes, that's another point. If you live in an open garden-style building, that's a big fat zero.
Self Sufficiency. The Zombie Apocalypse won't happen in one day. It's a long, protracted, struggle to survive the near collapse of civilization. If you have a garden on your balcony give yourself five points. If your complex has a community garden, give yourself three points. Since water storage will be important, give yourself a point for every pool, lake, or creek in your complex. If your building has a guttered roof that can be re-routed to cisterns, give yourself two extra points. It's not enough just to have a pile of weapons for the Zombie Apocalypse. You need other supplies for the long haul.
Skilled Residents. A community that organizes, builds a sense of community together, and has residents with useful skills has a good chance of fighting off the hordes. You can earn up to ten points buy having the right kind of neighbors. Give yourself a point for every building maintenance person, police officer, paramedic, medical professional, military person, or hunter that you know of in the complex. Of course, your group will have to employ the right tactics to survive Zombie attacks.
Assessment: If you scored 24 points or more, you have found a good place to ride out the zombie apocalypse. If you scored 18 points or more, you may have to work to secure your complex, but you'll make it. If you scored 10 points or more, you may have a tough go of it. If you scored less than 10 points, you are zombie bait and would probably be better off living in a van down by the river. Of course, a zombie apocalypse is pretty unlikely, but if your complex is zombie proof, it is probably a pretty safe place to live.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year! Get Packed! The Zombies are coming!
Happy New Year! Have you made your resolutions in regard to a potential Zombie Apocalypse? Do you have a bag packed? Do you have the supplies needed to hunker down? If you had a kit, it would probably come in handy in case there was a hurricane, earthquake, tornado, or other major disaster. When the zombies come scratchin' at your door, it's a little late to run out to Publix.
Here is advice from Ready.gov on Building a Kit.
By Ana Maria Dacol Dacol (originally posted to Flickr as DSC_0223 b) [CC-BY-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Here is advice from Ready.gov on Building a Kit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)