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The Zombie Apocalypse Speculation Thread
hardxcore_conservative
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I've noticed that depictions of zombie survival scenarios in print and on film tend to gloss over the immediate consequences of an undead takeover, instead opting to recount the experiences of a few individuals over the longer term. (See: 28 Days Later, the George A. Romero "Dead" films, the Walking Dead graphic novels.) While this no doubt makes for better storytelling, it has made me curious as to what such consequences would actually entail.
How would a densely populated urban area such as Toronto, New York, or Chicago deteriorate in the immediate wake of such a zombie apocalypse? What would serve as major vectors of zombifying illness? How would essential services such as water, power, and emergency response services deteriorate, and over what time frames? How would this takeover be portrayed in print and televised media? How would the government respond? Finally, how many days would it take for a complete takeover of the undead within the specified area? Assume the following rules:
How would a densely populated urban area such as Toronto, New York, or Chicago deteriorate in the immediate wake of such a zombie apocalypse? What would serve as major vectors of zombifying illness? How would essential services such as water, power, and emergency response services deteriorate, and over what time frames? How would this takeover be portrayed in print and televised media? How would the government respond? Finally, how many days would it take for a complete takeover of the undead within the specified area? Assume the following rules:
- Most zombies possess average human strength, below average co-ordination.
- No zombie is impeded by darkness.
- Anyone who dies of any cause post invasion rises as a zombie within twenty-four hours.
- Anyone who dies after direct contact with the undead rises as a zombie immediately.
- No zombie requires sustenance to function, but all zombies are instinctively driven to hunt living people by an insatiable hunger for human flesh.
- These zombies are in all other respects the slow, decaying shamblers seen in The Walking Dead and the George A. Romero films.
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I'm afraid of Vampires. Taking over Salem's Lot style.
Also, after a zombie outbreak, if humanity managed to survive, you can bet on the military using the virus/whatever as a biological weapon [if that wasn't already it's purpose].
EDIT: Zombies wouldn't be the only problem. In the event of a Z-Day, I can see the heavily armed gangs quickly becoming as dangerous as the undead, as they're armed and could easily steal weapons and supplies from other survivors [DotD Biker Gang].
I had a discussion with a couple friends a little while back, and we came to the conclusion that it might be possible to survive as part of a water based hunter-gatherer society. Heck, survival in a fortified city might even be feasible, as long as the settlement is sufficiently defended and appropriate burial rituals are developed. (Though not specified in the OP, GAR zombies can be disabled through decapitation and severe head trauma IIRC. (This is based on what I've heard; I've only actually watched the Dawn of the Dead remake and read The Walking Dead.))
EDIT:
That's actually the reasoning for my OP. I'm writing a d20 Zombie Apocalypse RPG, but I figured that I'd have more success discussing the fluff here than in ODaM.
And World War Z
The zombie survival guide is wrong about a few things as far as guns go.
Other than that, its pretty good.
Vampires can be reasoned wiith, though. And if we have a situation where a vampire can drink from a human without killing them or turning them, it's no problem at all. Some people have 'live-in blood cow' as a career, vampires go legit, everyone lives happily.
Zombies? No way in fuck are you reasoning with a zombie. Maybe a xombie, but not a zombie. And your buddy gets bit? Suddenly your buddy is a zombie too. Mega-problem.
I've glanced at the Zombie Survival Guide, though I've yet to pick up World War Z. I posted this thread with the goal of constructing a timeline for the deterioration of essential services within the context of an urban environment. Are either of those books specific about that kind of thing?
It strikes me that hospitals and nursing homes would both act as initial sources of and major vectors for the zombie outbreak. Following those lines, emergency medical services would probably be the first to go—perhaps even by the end of the first day. It also seems plausible that subway systems would serve as another major vector.
Meaning, how quickly do you become a zombie once infected?
that's why we call it the struggle, you're supposed to sweat
Zombie survival guide goes over this
Let's go with fatal. Those who are bitten by zombies but survive immediate encounters rapidly become weaker, dying and rising as a zombie within the course of a day.
Destroy them
I would actually expect hospitals to be not that bad, since there are so many measures to prevent the spread of disease already in place there.
that's why we call it the struggle, you're supposed to sweat
And depends on teh incubation period to. DOTD remake, they can come back in a few seconds, thus somewhere like NYC would be toast in a few days, the living wouldnt have the chane to accomodate to killing what they think are humans and the majority aren't exactly survivalists either. They'd be consumed incredibly fast and increase the zombie horde.
Ceterum autem censeo, Carthaginem esse delendam
Again depends on hte movie. The living dead series involves the poison that creates zombies spreading whenever a zombie is incinerated, which is also btw, the only way to kill htem.
Consider this: Every zombie outbreak has to start with a zombie-zero, or Z-0 if you will, the first person who died and turned into a zombie. Now, I'd barely give Z-0 even odds on infecting one other person depending on how zombified he is before he comes into contact with others. Z-0, being a zombie and all, isn't really the brightest of fellows so I really doubt he could really be trusted to maul and shamble off. Chances are, he'll probably be partway through eating someone's medulla when police or bystanders spot him and go, "Hey, it's a nascent zombie apocolypse." In the best of conditions, assuming Z-0 got the good fortune of getting locked in a hospital, old folk's home, or orphanage overnight we're looking at 200 people infected at most.
Now 200 people is decent, but once you're that far the cat is prettmuch out of the bag and the populace is bound to be reacting. Anyone who's got a weapon (which averages to more guns than people in America) is going to be walking about armed and itching to re-kill some animated corpses. Zombie shamble? Bullet. Crypt walking? Bullet. Listening to Kernkraft 2000? Bullet. Anything that so much as limps will be shot on sight. Under these conditions, I can't imagine zombies being able to get more than a 1:1 kill:death ratio. Without 1:1, more zombies are going out of comission than are being enlightened to the Braaaaaaaiiiiiiiins philosophy, and it's just a matter of time until they get eliminated.
that's why we call it the struggle, you're supposed to sweat
A mall infestation would be manageable as long as you had a good supply of sports equipment and giant Lego heads.
You're expecting humans to react and fight back that quickly which wouldn't happen. For a start, half the people they'd be killing initially could possibly be their friends/family/loved ones. Secondly they aren't default murderers and it'd be hard to do. Also girls are wusses. It aint happening for them.
You're looking at at least a few hours before theres any kind of mass retalliation after all the panic and fear settles down and people start going nuts.
Unfortunately, and as much as I want to use a sword to lay waste to the zombie horde, it was discussed in an earlier thread that after about 3 skulls the blade would be dull as hell and worthless and thats if it doesn't get stuck in the bone, leaving you defenseless as the rest chomp down on you. A knife is better for a quick jab into the brain.
Yes, but all it takes is one particularly driven war photographer and a brainy-yet-sexy government agent to drive back the hordes. No sweat.
I actually played a few sessions of a game like this. Basically took the old-school (give me ALL the D6's) Star Wars rules.
Source material seems kind of easy, same as the world now except zombies.
Definitely depends on the sword. "The Zombie Survival Guide" shows that in trained hands a foil or other ranged piercing weapon would be excellent. A lightweight spear would be amazing. I could also see a heavy "Dao" type sword working, where sharpness isn't a major concern. Just the momentum can shatter and sever an arm. Katanas, especially those display kind, would be useless, as chestwounds aren't going to stop a zed.
(sharpened tip for eye-stabbing)
But again, skill of the wielder is the most important aspect.
Zombies are already slow, they'd freeze up north.
World War Z pretty much covers this, it even looks at what would happen to astronaughts on the space station. It doesnt really go into super pedantic detail about a specific city, but its the most chronological and detailed account of a zombie outbreak you can really find. It goes from initial outbreak, how it would spread across continents, the panic, zombie anatomy (even why their eyes look fucked up, due to having no water glazing them they grow dry and scratched, cut with black lines), to relocation of society behind 'safe zones' then reclamation or the 'zombie war', the training of soldiers specifically to fight large numbers of zombies, he basically covers everything. He also cites hospitals as major outbreak centres in one chapter im pretty sure, and theres a section where the underground tunnels of Paris act as an initial haven for refugees, but quickly become outbreak centres with high densities of infestation. Every zombie related phenomenom you could think of he covers, and theres even a samurai sword wielding nerd. I dont wanna hype it too much, but it was quite a good read.
Its not the perfect book, but it satisfys that detail-lust I often get when watching most zombie movies. If they were to ever make a tv series based on a zombie apocalypse, it would have to be based on World War Z.
That said I havent read the survival guide, but its by the same dude.
If they're slow ones we'll see people in a more offensive role, actively trying to erradicate the zombie hordes. If they're speedy ones we'll see people huddled in bunkers/fortresses taking a more defensive approach.
Either way I'll be driving around in a lifted 4X4 pickup truck with spikes on both bumpers laughing at all you people who don't own firearms.
http://www.sothisisacomic.com/Zombie/zomb3.html is fun to play with.
Edit - I think it's pretty safe to say that something like a zombie outbreak would spread like wildfire. As previously stated hospitals and nursing homes would be the sources of outbreak (if we're talking about the voodoo type "you die and become a zombie", and not virus type"you get infected and become a zombie") and would surge through pedestrian areas. Subways, streets in major cities, shopping malls, stores, etc. Anything where people are congregated together. Which basically means everywhere. In my opinion the most important thing in a zombie survival scenario is to stay mobile. Holding up in a location for more than some sleep/food/water is a bad idea. In any case, I would imagine all emergency/public services to collapse within a few days and we'd be dealing with a Mad Max meets Dawn of the Dead scenario within a few weeks.
This is discounted voodoo zombies, im kinda going with the World War Z-esque zombie.
Well look at teh DOTD remake. The black guy kept his russian wife away from the others for weeks even though she'd been attacked by the zombies, he managed to disguise the fact she'd been bitten. It was discrete and to those who don't know it can be transmitted or at least sped up that way, they'd let them into a safe haven without any question. Which is where the fuckeduppery begins.
Shit freaks me out. I hate any disease/drug that destroys my mind and takes away or changes my humanity.
Man you don't like anything
Who do you think you are, Target Practice?