Akalistos said:
spyro2103 said:
I probobly, no, definitly, would not survive because I'm fat, and everyone knows the fatties always die first.
Not really, if your smart. Check out Max Brooks' Zombie Survival Guide
The problem with that was that book was written purely as entertainment, fiction, and of the comical rather than "Edu-tainment" variety.
For example he recommends an ice-pick (or First World War dagger based on the ice pick) as the "ideal anti-zombie melee weapon" only failing to realise the number of medical cases of HUMANS getting stabbed in the head with narrow pointed objects and them being in pain but virtually un-phased.
See, a narrow ice pick destroys so little actual brain tissue, hell just consider how Pre-Frontal Lobotomies used to be considered a "simple procedure" as the ice pick is hammered up through the top of the eye socket into the front of the brain and then
ground around to churn up and destroy the brain and yet after the general anaesthetic wore off they were expected to walk home!
Look, there is a LOT of serious research into gunshot wounds and how they kill humans. Assuming Zombies are just humans only disease reduced them to base - and violent - functions then there is a lot this can say about what it might take to "kill" a zombie.
For example, it is surprising how NON LETHAL a bullet to the head is, especially a low velocity pistol round. See a bullet is quite narrow, even if it shoots right through the brain it may not damage enough for the victim to even realise much difference to their cognition once they wake up. In fact the way a bullet to the head is usually deadly is if a major blood vessel in the brain is cut where you get a haematoma that CRUSHES THE ENTIRE BRAIN! But you can get that just as easily as from slipping in the shower and your head hitting the hard floor. Or from a stroke.
And a bullet to the head "drops" humans instantly because it is moving fast enough to essentially deliver a concussion, it shakes the brain. Hell there have been cases of people being shot in the head and never noticing till years later when they get their heads X-rayed (usually enters around or through the eye, never exits and they assume they were hit by a brick or something and never realise they were shot).
See if we will accept the rule that the only way to kill a zombie is to destroy the brain, then you'll need a HIGH POWER rifle shot right to the cranium, at least .357 magnum power, with a soft-point or fragmenting bullet as that will cause the shock-waves through the brain tissue fast enough to actually destroy it, rather than merely disrupt it (cause a concussion in humans).
For example if a zombie is operating on only lower brain functions then you could put 3 or 4 low power .22LR round right through his forehead and he'll just keep coming.
as to Zombieland vs Max Brooks on the weight issue, I'm going to have to give it to Zombieland's conclusion that the fatties go first, even though I am overweight myself. I am slowly coming round to the fact that above all else, even above having a gun, for a zombie scenario (and all disaster scenarios actually) being in great physical condition is paramount. Especially for endurance and sprint running over raw strength. But I like running... if only i went to the gym more often and ate less pies
Oh MY opinion on an ideal anti-zombie melee weapon?
Well tazer them and/or captive-bolt pistol to the base of the skull, aiming to sever the spinal cord or at least destroy the lower brain. Tazer should work just as well on zombies as healthy humans so should keep em twitching and a captive-bolt pistol is the weapon of choice of professional killers (people who slaughter animals on farms).
Other than that the ideal weapon is a spear, not to kill them, just to keep them back as you make way for your escape. Remember, there are a lot of people in the world, if most are zombies you don't have time to stand around killing every one you see. You only want a weapon that'll save your life.
