STAND AND DELIVER. A . ) Choosing a Hideout.
If you come to the decision that your best option is to find a defensible building and hold it down, then you are in luck - that is what we are about to cover.
“Stand and Deliver”. It just sounds badass.
By now you may or may not have other people with you. You may also have some supplies. If you have neither, reread my first few posts and come correct. Anyway…
Look for DEFENSIBLE buildings. If you are in an area you are familiar with, you should already know where some of the bigger, more defensible buildings are. To determine whether or not a building is good to defend there are a few key characteristics to look for:
1. Doors and Windows. A place with no windows and 2 doors is great and the defensibility of a building diminishes as the number of windows and doors increases. I prefer 2 doors to 1 door so that you have an escape option if you NEED to get out and one door is totally out of the question. Sure, a single entrance is easier to defend than two entrances, but if it gets breached you are effectively fucked.
2. Roof Access. It is important to get to the roof of any building you are holding down. You need to make your hideout known to helicopters and planes that may be searching for survivors. You will need the space on the roof to grow plants and collect rain water (if you make it this far, we’ll come back to this concept in a future post).
3. Contents. Most buildings will have SOMETHING useful, but some buildings are a higher priority than others. If you are low on food, locking down a grocery store is pretty reasonable if it fits the characteristics you are looking for. If you need to know something - anything - a library is a solid place to check out.
You will have to be planning in advance with any building you decide to go with. How long are you going to stay here if nobody comes to rescue you? How long are you going to have before you need to make a run for supplies somewhere?
Some of us though will be unfortunate enough to be somewhere they are unfamiliar with when the Zombie Apocalypse breaks out. If you are advanced enough to be able to identify a defensible building in a town you are unfamiliar with, kudos. For those of you who are not this advanced or who don‘t feel confident in ANY building around, you may want to read
Genesis (c.)(1.) Run Away.
Some key buildings you are DEFINITELY going to want to find are:
1. Grocery Store. Any will do as long as it has usable food.
2. Super Center. Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Costco. Anything with lots of stuff and a variety of merchandise. Stopping at a Wal-Mart for medicine can save you a trip to a hospital (hospitals are a big “no-no” in the Zombie Apocalypse).
3. Library. Once you get settled in you are going to need to learn things you never needed to know before. Libraries are full of information on ANYTHING you need. Plus they have Maps! Big ups for the Library!!!
4. Police Station / Army Depot. These places may have weapons and/or badass survivors. Either of these constitutes an upgrade to your team (assuming of course that the cops and soldiers are still true-hearted protectors of the people in this time of great peril!).
5. Hardware Store. Great place to score building materials, seeds for plants, tools (for tool purposes or weapons purposes), and sometimes even hunting gear and guns! A good hardware store is a sleeper building not oft thought of.
6. Hospital / Pharmacy. Yes, it is a big “no-no” to go to a hospital. But for long term medicinal needs it is a very real possibility that you will have to get to a hospital to get medical supplies.
7. Gas Stations. For supplies (lighters especially) and gas.
------------What other buildings do YOU consider important to be able to locate?---------------------
Coming next, Stand And Deliver (b.) Taking Control of Your Hideout.
Wouldn't a library be an awesome place to barricade? It's got tons of info, and as an added bonus books are very easy to move, and can also be pretty heavy when you've got enough. In a library, you've got enough to help add a hefty amount of extra mass to whatever barrier needs it. Also, maybe it's just me but I feel like libraries generally have pretty high windows, which also let in a lot of sunlight; you might not even need to go on the roof to see helicopters or grow food. Plus you've got a hell of a lot of entertainment, even if it could get a bit monotonous.
ReplyDeleteThis is Trevor, by the way!
I'd say a school could be pretty defensible, depending on the layout. For example, My old high school had alot of windows on the first floor. BUT, there was a second floor which was very much defensible. Plus, they have libraries inside them, and some have pools. So, Schools.
ReplyDeleteI think a adult super store like the Eager Beaver in Bristol would be perfect. Let's face it, the world will need you to procreate to boost the diminishing population and you have no choice on the mate you might be shacked up with. She might be a bit on the uglier side and the shape of a linebacker for the LA rams. Mental stimulation might your only hope. Plus, I believe there's a 711 across the street that will fulfill the necessary need for food and water. We also know adult superstores are packing heat 'cause perverts are way gnarlier than zombies.
ReplyDeleteHead for a naval base! You can stock up on supplies and weapons, then head out to sea. Who knows? Maybe you'll come across a dessert island while you're sailing the ocean blue. :)
ReplyDeleteTrevor, yes a Library is an EXCELLENT place to defend (as long as it fits the characteristics anyway)!!! All those books = Years of Knowledge at your fingertips!
ReplyDeleteHey There Sexy, good points as well. A school would be hard to initially lock down but once you have control of it you can house lots of people comfortably. Lots of space in a school.
EdFactor, that is a very unique outlook on a serious part of the long term survival of the human race in the Zombie Apocalypse. My only concern is that, if you did have to move quickly through the Eager Beaver, you may be slowed down by temporary, unpredictable sticky spots on the floor. But the concept of using a 12" Dildo as a bludgeon more than makes up for the possible cons - great input!
GMar, yes a Naval Base would be an awesome spot to locate and defend also. I had a Marine friend of mine point out that I should have said any Military Buildings at all as opposed to limiting it to Army Depots and I definitely agree!
Thanks for the comments everyone!
A Gas Station? Start stocking up on gas so when you do have to "get out" you don't have to worry about breaking down. You can always stock up on Twinkies too :)
ReplyDeleteShannon....excellent idea, a gas station would be a great place to take control of so you can stock up on fuel (and Twinkies)!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your input!
Think maybe getting control of a radio station would be a good idea. You probably want to reach out to other survivors, the more the merrier. Telephone and network lines may be knocked down by the zombies so shortwave radio is always backup means to communicate.
ReplyDelete"Recon at the gas station by 1600 hours for Twinkie sandwiches. Over and out"
I like your idea of controlling a radio station. It is important to have some means of Communication. Still, you have to be wary of any survivors that you don't personally know. There will be people who are willing to kill others for their supplies. Caution always has to be exercised.
ReplyDeleteThat said, a Radio Station is still a good idea because of your ability to RECEIVE communication especially. If there are any Rescue Attempts in a world short on communication mediums, they will be reaching out by Radio also.
a school would be good as well to lock up zombies that follow you through the gym if you have multiple people with you you can barricade those doors once they enter a bad place to be is a zoo THATS A BIG NO NO think about trying to get away from a zombified Lion
ReplyDelete