Z-Day Plans and Preparations#2: Close Combat with Zombies

A few things to add: (I apologize if some of these were already mentioned)

(1) A spiked glove won't do too much to a zombie, as it has no chance of destroying the brain. You should never punch it out with a zombie.

(2) Breaking the neck of a zombie won't stop it. Again, you need to destroy the brain somehow with either blunt trauma, penetration, or decapitation.

(3) Axes can actually get stuck inside the zombie, which if you're facing more than one could be your downfall. As you're struggling to pull your axe out of Zombie 1's torso, Zombie 2 attacks and kills you. Machetes can also have this problem. Halberds and other bladed polearms can be useful, but in any kind of close quarters situation you're screwed.

As for protective equipment, I would recommend Fire Hose workwear. It's tough and made of the same material as a fire hose, yet lightweight and comfortable. One advocate was wearing the work pants and was knocked onto the ground by a 600+ pound boar. Apparently the boar tried to gore his leg but was stopped by the pants. They're also very resistant to water and stains, good protection for bodily fluids. Get yourself a riot helmet, boots, and gloves and you're well protected.

 

An excellent plan. You also have a fine selection of weaponry and armour. You are indeed Zombie-ready!

Zombies aren't going to walk across an ocean when they can't see any reason too. As for the molotov, exactly how long would it take to incapacitate a zombie? You want a fast takedown.

Another viable zombie-weapon (though banned in Aust so far as I know) would be an arrow sling. At short/medium range they would do the job, as well as being cheaper and more compact than a bow.

For protective gear I'd be looking at motorcycle leathers. Readily available and tough enough to withstand zombie bites. Gloves and boots that overlap the sleeves/trousers, and a helmet to give full protection. Hot yes, but better than getting bitten.

That depends on how big your spike is! Granted you would need a strong punch, but this is a last-resort weapon. It should actually be possible to go through the eyeball at punching range, making it much easier. Especially if you wriggle it around a little...

Breaking the neck/severing the spinal column will stop viral, chemical and AFAIK doomsday zombies. All these have the biological constraints of needing the nerve signals to reach the muscles. Break the spinal cord=stop the signal.

Agreed. Any downward cut to the neck will get stuck in the ribcage, as will body cuts. Horizontal neck-slicing preferred. A sword is probably ideal, but good ones are costly, and (in some countries) restricted.

That's a great find! Precisely the kind of information we need to share. I'm going to look it up now...

OK: I've checked it out - I'm impressed. Especially by the teflon-treated canvas that's impervious to fluids. You don't want any zombie blood on you when you're hacking through the horde!

 

Most of my machetes are Cold Steel...I also have pretty much every blade in the Krup steel line of outdoor blades.

I rate them very good value for the money...the baring machetes in particular are scarily solid!

 

Thank you! The cutting demos I've seen look impressive, as does bending a blade in a vice and seeing it come out straight, but there's no substitute for speaking to someone who owns the product.

 

I'm sick of all this anti-zombie prejudice. I'd try to empathise with them and acknowledge the rights and needs of the Zombie Community. Damn it, we're supposed to be a multi-cultural society, aren't we?

 

The needs of the zombie=human flesh/brains. Peaceful co-existence not going to happen.

Zombies bring it on themselves. DEATH TO ZOMBIES!

 

I vote we leave Johnno behind to campaign for zombie rights, while the rest of us use him as a distraction to run for the hills.:star:

 

He's not going to last long with that attitude. I call dibs on his boots. And anything else he's carrying.

 

You'll regret it when I've befriended them and am ruling the world with the help of my vast zombie army, while you're eating worms up a mountain somewhere.

 

And the zombies will follow you why? Not to mention, why won't they just eat you? I admire your vision, but I'm dubious about the execution of your master plan.

 

I just don't think that anyone has actually tried being nice to them before.

 

Did you ever see 'Day of the Dead'?

Scientist tried being nice to one zombie, but didn't stop its friends from killing him...

 

It would be like trying to befriend smallpox...Zombies are a disease - a walking virus. Their existence is a slow decomposition. I just wish to accelerate the process

 

That's just a completely intolerant attitude! I'm sure if you took the trouble to get to know a few zombies then you wouldn't say such unpleasant things.

 

In the same way I am sure the Ebola virus is a blast at parties....

 

I plan on using the two most powerful weapons in human history. Religion and politics. I'll build a following from the survivors, then declare myself the Z-god king. Anyone who stands in my way will be sacrificed to appease the zombies.

 

Zombies must be destroyed...you cannot kill was does not live and you cannot rationalize with a virus

 

Do zombies attack and turn animals? If not Aussies are fairly safe, dead moving bodies would be eaten by fish, sharks and crocodiles before they reached here. If they do well then most of us are buggered. Can you immagine your feeling safe on the river and a bunch of zombie sharks or crocs come looking to bite you. Your best chance would be to live in some remote outback town. Why would zombies cross a thousand Kms of desert to eat you if they don't know your there.

The next point is how much do zombies eat, I mean they bite humans who then turn into a zombie so clearly they are not eating them. They seem to crave brains, but they can't be eating the brains because they need them to move.

 

Zombies will eat as much as they can, given the opportunity. The humans who "turn" are those who are bitten, but escape.

The "T-virus" is known to infect animals, not sure about other viral types. Not many diseases seem to cross between humans and animals, but with the zombie virus most likely being a lab experiment the researchers would probably start with animals. That makes cross-infection almost a certainty.

Sadly, that's not true. In season 2 of 'The Walking Dead" the blonde chick (I forget her name) is profusely apologizing to her bitten/killed/zombiefied sister - who promptly tries to eat her. (Blonde chick then shoots sister in the head, proving she's distraught but not stupid.)

 

Wasn't that at the end of season 1? Just before they all head off to the research lab?