Zombie Apocolypse - With a Twist.

[Chimichanga]

I think that's where we bring imagination into the picture, like an alien organism in/on their brain that can send signals to their muscles without the requirement of blood or oxygen

Not arguing with you, obviously, just trying to throw something in to fit the point.

Noted; at the time of my first two posts I forgot about the hearing-thing and assumed we were talking about ultra-realistic ones.

*snip

Yes to all of them, and 'infected' is different from zombie. I just assumed this thread was about the latter. My persistence in posting now has more to do with him than what my original assumption of realism. If I haven't stated it already, I accept the suspension of disbelief. He directly challenged me: I accepted, and I feel obliged to continue whenever I either have the time or the interest. If he continues to persist as well, then I may pick this up late tomorrow if I remember it. Maybe, maybe not. We'll see.

 

[bushwhacker2k]

I think that's where we bring imagination into the picture, like an alien organism in/on their brain that can send signals to their muscles without the requirement of blood or oxygen

Not arguing with you, obviously, just trying to throw something in to fit the point.

Noted; at the time of my first two posts I forgot about the hearing-thing and assumed we were talking about ultra-realistic ones.

Well, as you previously stated, the fact that zombies are in the picture kind of requires a suspension of belief. Lest I'm mistaken an organism developed by man that could use a mostly dead brain to send signals to a body isn't too far beyond something that reanimates dead tissue.

 

[Azure Sky]

Good; specific. Less to say.

Still not fully understanding your issue with how I quote. I find that they fulfill the use I have for them: provide context and a reference to things you have said that I am currently referring to.

Yes, I get that it's theoretical fantasy; what I'm trying to say is that the theoretical details (senses, etc.) about zombies are so important because very minor details like that change the entire imagined situation.

Heck, what I originally said was really not science or anything complex; all I meant to say is that it's totally reasonable to presume that zombies would have inferior senses due to constant decay. My reasons for continuing to reply to you now has little to do with proving myself factual, but because instead of a serious response you decided to give what I interpreted as the internet equivalent of sticking your thumbs in your ears and giving me a loud, wet raspberry. I would have acquit after my first reply post had you simply and maturely restated your OP's statement about the rules your zombies go by.

To the best of my knowledge, I have been on-topic the entire time: I have given answers to almost every relevant statement you've posted concerning me. What "facts" other than "it's theoretical fantasy" have you, yourself, otherwise made?

Seeing as you either are not aware or a feigning something else, I will assume the former for the sake of not being nasty. One of the primary uses for the quote system is to notify the quoted party. Not quoting properly will not do this, which can annoy people, especially if there is any form of 'debate' running. Other people may also go as far to taking it as being rude.

As to the issue at hand.
The OP is a theoretical scenario with a pre-given setting, with pre-set limitations.
My main problem is that you seem to be not recognizing that the OP setting is predefined and still trying to set other/your own limitations on it. If this was your thread, then it wouldn't be an issue. As it is not, it would probably be the best idea not to continue.

Suggestions are fine, trying to install your own ideas/preferences otherwise is kinda bad form.

I suppose I owe you an apology though, That previous blow-up was a culmination of irritation at the situation on the back of pulling an all nighter.

Can we drop the argument now and get back on topic please?

 

[Bravo 21]

grab some protective clothing, and some knives, I have no guns, and no idea where to acquire any on short notice, probably a steel bar that i have lying around, and then drive or bike to the nearby naval base, hop on a ship, and I should be alright.

 

[Riptide1]

well... i'm surrounded by rednecks so at least every other house has a gun/ammo supply... zombies wouldn't last 1 day around here. Hell they would prolly all get picked off in time for schools to not get a delay.

 

[skim172]

Spread by saliva and blood? Then there's little point in fighting - blood spatter would get everywhere. If you even slice up some ground hamburger, you're likely to get some flecks of blood on you.

I say I'm going for protection first. Namely, some sort of quarantine-type coveralls, with gas mask. We're talking the thick, military issue kind of deal. Underneath, I'll probably wear some sort of thick padding, and then under all that, a drysuit for good measure. Uncomfortable, hot, but protected.

The obvious solution would be to get onto some sort of plane or boat and find some island without any zombies and try to wait it out. As I said, it's pointless to go hand-to-hand when any fleck of blood spells your doom. And guns are awesome and all, but a) you'll run out of ammo and b) if these creatures can survive without eating, then you can't assume that targeting their brain or organs or musculature will do anything to stop them from moving.

Equally pointless to go to the countryside - if they don't die of starvation, then they're not motivated by hunger, so they won't be following the food supply.


Of course, any hypothetical zombie scenario would just highlight the impossibility of a zombie. How can a blood-borne virus be transmitted so easily? How come these walking dead don't decay rapidly with exposure to sunlight, oxygen, and millions and millions of bacteria? How come they don't all get eaten by carnivorous animals (and even more scavenging animals)? And if it's because the animals turn to zombie too, then how can this virus be transmittable between all species? And if animals do turn to zombies, how come we don't see people getting pecked and nibbled to death by songbirds and squirrels in the movies? And how come the zombies don't attack each other? No, seriously - one moment they'll be biting and eating each other, the next "oh, he's a zombie, better stop." If they're motivated by hunger, there's pounds and pounds of dead, shambling flesh all around them for the eating. If they're motivated by rage, there's many people around them still moving that can be attacked repeatedly. Instead, zombies work together. Why?

 

[StevenSuffern]

First off, any high-degree cranial damage would be sufficient to kill a zombie, as would severing the spinal cord. Hence the use of blunt trauma or decapitation.

Second, camo? Zombies are quite poor sighted, if not blind depending on where you referance. The best sense they have is sound, and on that note. [Edit: Correction, smell is probably the best, open wounds and all]

Third, overuse of firearms. Dunno about you, but -any- firearm going off in a wasteland is going to carry, far. Expect it to draw attention to zombies well over 5 miles away, no way you have that much ammo. =3

True, any severe cranial damage would kill a zombie, but using my zombie frame of reference (Max Brooks' Zombie Survival Guide) spinal damage may cripple them, but still leave the part attached to the head well and alive. And while I acknowledge that using something like a mace or axe or sword to inflict fatal wounds to the zombies is sometimes necessary, someone cannot simply pick up any blunt object and be able to consistently deliver fatal blows with every stroke. It takes practice to be truly proficient with any weapon, and it also take a cool head. If you're being surrounded by a horde of zombies, almost everyone is going to be in a state of panic and their blows will not be efficient. I'd rather be able to deliver fatal wounds with yards between me and them. Though as I said, I included a hatchet as a last resort melee weapon, and if I was able to establish a more permanent base, I would probably look for a bigger stick, so to speak. I am against the over-reliance of hand-to-hand weapons, as I think it exposes you to far too much risk.

I probably should have made the decision for camo clearer. It's not to hide myself better from zombies, as I know right well they will likely smell and hear me before seeing me, even if I'm right in their face. The camo is a long-term decision: hunting will be a key source of sustenance, and camo will obviously give me an advantage over my prey, or at least it will help even the odds.

Firearms are how humans are going to survive the apocalypse. If you'll notice that unlike everybody else who commented, I did not go with the biggest, baddest, loudest gun I could find, but rather small caliber weapons that will not alert every zombie in a 5 mile radius with every shot. Also, only in flat, unwooded areas is the sound of gunfire going to put me at great risk; once I'm in a hillier, wooded area, the sound of .22 caliber guns will be almost entirely masked.

 

[Singularly Datarific]

Saliva and Blood?
Get an Hazmat Suit and some decent combat armor (Mostly scratchproof).
I will arm myself with a VSS vintorez sniper rifle (80 rounds extra), combat knife, and some good boots.
EDIT:
Basically looking like the HECU, but with long sleeves

 

[Azure Sky]

Spread by saliva and blood? Then there's little point in fighting - blood spatter would get everywhere. If you even slice up some ground hamburger, you're likely to get some flecks of blood on you.

I say I'm going for protection first. Namely, some sort of quarantine-type coveralls, with gas mask. We're talking the thick, military issue kind of deal. Underneath, I'll probably wear some sort of thick padding, and then under all that, a drysuit for good measure. Uncomfortable, hot, but protected.

The obvious solution would be to get onto some sort of plane or boat and find some island without any zombies and try to wait it out. As I said, it's pointless to go hand-to-hand when any fleck of blood spells your doom. And guns are awesome and all, but a) you'll run out of ammo and b) if these creatures can survive without eating, then you can't assume that targeting their brain or organs or musculature will do anything to stop them from moving.

Equally pointless to go to the countryside - if they don't die of starvation, then they're not motivated by hunger, so they won't be following the food supply.


Of course, any hypothetical zombie scenario would just highlight the impossibility of a zombie. How can a blood-borne virus be transmitted so easily? How come these walking dead don't decay rapidly with exposure to sunlight, oxygen, and millions and millions of bacteria? How come they don't all get eaten by carnivorous animals (and even more scavenging animals)? And if it's because the animals turn to zombie too, then how can this virus be transmittable between all species? And if animals do turn to zombies, how come we don't see people getting pecked and nibbled to death by songbirds and squirrels in the movies? And how come the zombies don't attack each other? No, seriously - one moment they'll be biting and eating each other, the next "oh, he's a zombie, better stop." If they're motivated by hunger, there's pounds and pounds of dead, shambling flesh all around them for the eating. If they're motivated by rage, there's many people around them still moving that can be attacked repeatedly. Instead, zombies work together. Why?

Sigh... I had this argument no less then 5 posts ago...

For the sake of the thread I will correct you on a few points.
Yes, blood and saliva, like any zombie/infected movie or game.
As long as said blood and saliva doesn't get you in the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, open wounds etc or otherwise get into your system, you are more than likely going to be fine, but it is better to wash it off sooner rather than later.
Going full hazmat is silly, it's not airborne, see above. Hazmats are also not puncture-proof.
Hand to hand is fine, as long as they don't grapple, pin or otherwise back you into a corner.
The 'virus' as I am going to call it to save time, probably animates its host corpse for the sole reason to spread and sustain itself, generally through the living tissue they tend to eat or at worst, the host corpse. As it being a reanimated corpse, as said above, it is still a dead human. everything is as a human, they don't move by magic. Sever the spinal cord, stop the zombie. Damage the head enough, stop the zombie.

Can't be arsed with the rest.

This is basic zombie cliche, watch a few movies?

 

[Singularly Datarific]

Can you sterilize them by cooking thoroughly? Or will they still zombify you?

 

[Azure Sky]

True, any severe cranial damage would kill a zombie, but using my zombie frame of reference (Max Brooks' Zombie Survival Guide) spinal damage may cripple them, but still leave the part attached to the head well and alive. And while I acknowledge that using something like a mace or axe or sword to inflict fatal wounds to the zombies is sometimes necessary, someone cannot simply pick up any blunt object and be able to consistently deliver fatal blows with every stroke. It takes practice to be truly proficient with any weapon, and it also take a cool head. If you're being surrounded by a horde of zombies, almost everyone is going to be in a state of panic and their blows will not be efficient. I'd rather be able to deliver fatal wounds with yards between me and them. Though as I said, I included a hatchet as a last resort melee weapon, and if I was able to establish a more permanent base, I would probably look for a bigger stick, so to speak. I am against the over-reliance of hand-to-hand weapons, as I think it exposes you to far too much risk.

I probably should have made the decision for camo clearer. It's not to hide myself better from zombies, as I know right well they will likely smell and hear me before seeing me, even if I'm right in their face. The camo is a long-term decision: hunting will be a key source of sustenance, and camo will obviously give me an advantage over my prey, or at least it will help even the odds.

Firearms are how humans are going to survive the apocalypse. If you'll notice that unlike everybody else who commented, I did not go with the biggest, baddest, loudest gun I could find, but rather small caliber weapons that will not alert every zombie in a 5 mile radius with every shot. Also, only in flat, unwooded areas is the sound of gunfire going to put me at great risk; once I'm in a hillier, wooded area, the sound of .22 caliber guns will be almost entirely masked.

Fair enough, I'll pay the camo.
As for killing things in close ranges, I did actually have an alternative in my own response to my OP.
Loud noises are still enough to stir them, let me put this to you.

If you are in a mini suburban area, and wanted to move, but it starts raining.
Do you move? Sure the rain may mask your movements, but the zombies are going to be agitated by the noise made by the rain.

 

[Azure Sky]

Can you sterilize them by cooking thoroughly? Or will they still zombify you?

Cooking doesn't kill all bacteria anyway.
Considering a scratch can infect, I wouldn't take the risk, personally.

 

[barbzilla]

I can't really honestly say what I would do as it would depend on the situation. I couldn't very well break into the pawn shop to steal weapons if the zombies are horded around it, but I can say that I would obtain a 5lb bag of black powder (any sporting goods store would have it, even walmart) and a .22 pistol (.22 is quite lethal in the head as it bounces around in the skull and is the most readily available ammo), also find a few magazines for the pistol (probably not more than 3, because if I need that many rounds to take the zombies down I need to be running not fighting). Finally I would collect non perishable food items and water.

 

[StevenSuffern]

Of course, any hypothetical zombie scenario would just highlight the impossibility of a zombie. How can a blood-borne virus be transmitted so easily? How come these walking dead don't decay rapidly with exposure to sunlight, oxygen, and millions and millions of bacteria? How come they don't all get eaten by carnivorous animals (and even more scavenging animals)? And if it's because the animals turn to zombie too, then how can this virus be transmittable between all species? And if animals do turn to zombies, how come we don't see people getting pecked and nibbled to death by songbirds and squirrels in the movies? And how come the zombies don't attack each other? No, seriously - one moment they'll be biting and eating each other, the next "oh, he's a zombie, better stop." If they're motivated by hunger, there's pounds and pounds of dead, shambling flesh all around them for the eating. If they're motivated by rage, there's many people around them still moving that can be attacked repeatedly. Instead, zombies work together. Why?

The virus greatly slows the decay process, though as you point out, there are lots of factors that still cause the zombies to decay. The Walking Dead establishes that the scent of the zombies is peculiar, unique to only the "animated" dead. The scent identifies one zombie to another, effectively telling other zombies "I R NOT FUD," while also repelling all would-be predators, leaving the zombies unmolested at the top of the food chain. The zombies' sole purpose is to eat, according to Max Brooks, so much so that they will literally burst themselves from overconsumption. Finally, zombies do not have any semblance of society or organization; the fact that they appear to work together is due to each zombie's singular pursuit of prey. They will mass against a fence, bash down a door together not because some conscious thought told them that was best, but simply because each zombie wanted food, and they literally have no sense of self-preservation in seeking meat.

Though, as you did note, the idea of a zombie does not fit with our current understanding of biological principles and processes. It's just fun to imagine

 

[Kufaz]

I don't feel like writing an entire description, but I would obtain an oil tanker and helicopter and live in the ocean, making regular trips inland (remote, unpopulated areas) to restock.

 

[gostlyfantom]

lol i would grab my shoes, my pocket knife and strike out for north, fuckin zombies cant catch my ass! if at all possible i would obtain some sort of hunting rifle.

 

[MasterOfWorlds]

Being the pretty good sized guy I am, and in pretty good shape, I'd say I'd be able to carry about 50-70 pounds worth of gear without too much trouble for a while.

So, my equipment? Military flashlight with red and green filters, about a dozen D batteries, about 50 feet worth of lightweight nylon rope, my Roman dagger (~8-9 inches of near razor sharp folded steel in a scabbard), scoped M14A1 with about 100 rounds of ammo in clips, 2 one litre bottles of water, gun cleaning kit, first aid kit, small hatchet, gloves, 2 rolls of duct tape, bandana, safety goggles, mosquito net hat, military grade bug repellent, fix a flat, and a bike pump. I have a bike too, which would be quieter than a car, and doesn't need to be gassed up. I'd also bring some canned/dried food. Oh, and my Swiss Army Knife.

Edit: Since the zombies are still physiologically human, I'm not going for the head shots. I'm good, but I'm not nearly good enough to make consistant head shots. I'm aiming for legs. If the muscle in the legs are destroyed, they won't be able to walk and will be even slower. This is only when I have to though. I'm not firing a single shot unless it's really needed.

 

[ecoho]

speaking of witch how much preparation time do we actually have?

Lets see... Depends by what you mean?
If you mean 'Time after it first becomes an apparent threat'.
Then probably about a week, as that is when the infection starts.

If you mean 'Time after I find out about it'.
Then a day, maybe a few tops.
Depending on how much news you read/watch and how accurate it is.
Unless you are in a primary infection zone, in which case, zero. =3

id go about my daily life seeing as my staes borders would be CLOSED the second this became a real threat. but if this must be a run for your life thing. pack up my dogs, family ,and my asorted ammo and guns then drive my ass to the national gaurd armory 2hours away. live for 40 plus years as the zombies go nuts trying to find me.

 

[StevenSuffern]

As for killing things in close ranges, I did actually have an alternative in my own response to my OP.
Loud noises are still enough to stir them, let me put this to you.

If you are in a mini suburban area, and wanted to move, but it starts raining.
Do you move? Sure the rain may mask your movements, but the zombies are going to be agitated by the noise made by the rain.

Hah, I finally reread the first post and recognize you as the creator of this zombie apocalypse.

Looking at your response, you do have a good idea with the walking staff, as it definitely makes for some fun games of zombie-tipping. The Deagle, though, is definitely overkill. You can get the same lethal result from a smaller gun, like a Glock 17, but with the glock you would have a better gun in that it is lighter, more accurate due to less recoil, with a larger clip (you could spring for an enlarged clip that holds something like 30 rounds, like the Arizona shooter had, if you didn't think 17 was enough) and much easier-to-find ammunition. Also, assuming we are purchasing some of these weapons beforehand, due to our high-strung paranoia XD, a Glock is much, much less expensive, for the gun and ammo.

And with your rain example, what is the effect of these agitated zombies? Are they more alert for other noises for some reason? Because otherwise if i needed to haul ass, that is when I would do it.