Surviving in an RV
They have been in movies and they are big. An Recreational Vehicle might seem just what the apocalypse ordered to survive those pesky zombies. But are they really?
Advantages:
An RV has a number of advantages not the least of which is the fact that it has a good deal of room for people and equipment. In fact if one was so inclined it very well could be a large bug out kit, all one would need to do is jump in and drive. Also the most luxury RV have well appointed kitchen and bathroom, even showers, allowing a small group to live inside the vehicle with the least amount of excursions. Also the vehicle is a mobile home, if the zombies got too numerous to handle you could simply drive away. What’s not to like?
Disadvantages: An RV is big, meaning that it is not the most maneuverable thing out there, and they are not tanks in any sense of the word. They are not made out of armor and bullets will readily pass straight through unless they impact the engine block which leads to a whole other set of problems. Nor are they likely to hold up to a great deal of hard driving and running over zombies. They are also gas guzzlers and though they are pictured off road in the wilderness as a more comfortable means of “camping” they are not designed to go mudding. To put it bluntly, they are big, cumbersome(though not that slow in all truth, I have know high end RV’s to get up to 90 mile an hour plus), ill armored, and very large targets.
While the advantages do not outweigh the disadvantages there are ways to employ an RV as a means of survival. Firstly would be to outfit it with a large supply of food, water, weapons, and ammo, along with as much survival supplies as you could manage especially things that could be used to gather food more than once, trapping supplies and gardening equipment. Next, give the RV a paint job and mount a cow catcher or push bumper so that you would be able to clear road blocks and zombies out of the way. The paint job is so that the RV will be able to blend in with your local wilderness or the area that you would flee to, as pack enough camo netting to hide the RV in the wilderness. Finally choose a remote area that would be far enough away from major population centers that zombies and other people would rarely cross your path and make sure you have enough gas in the RV or in external tanks to get there without having to rely on other sources, or cache it along the way.
Comments (40)
Ronin666 on 14 Apr 2010 at 12:18 am #
I know a guy who has just bought a bus with this very idea in mind.Altho he isn’t preparing for zombies he is expecting a social and economic break down in the next couple of years. His intention is to be already out of town when it strikes.He has solar power and hot water already installed and is fitting it out to be a base camp vehicle where he can live and make hunting expeditions in the surrounding area. As a battle vehicle it would suck, as a home that can be moved if conditions change it’s excellent.
Angryvikingman on 14 Apr 2010 at 3:46 am #
Buses and RVs are actually not bad survival vehicles. If you have a few people, and can employ this strategy, it would be ideal.
Strategy:
Have a fixed location that you operate from. The majority of your survivors stay there and train, work, garden, ect.
Start out with whatever coms equipment you can find, and use that at first. Stagger your departure times so that you have a 2 mile difference in distance between vehicles.
Using 10 people:
Use a small, fast, light scout vehicle. (Small sports car. 1 person)
This you can use to probe and report back to the convoy, as well as to the main base. Good for detecting ambushes.
Follow that with a gun truck. (Mounted .50 cal or a couple guys with rifles. 3 people. ) Good for squashing ambushes before your RV gets to them.
Use the RV to transport goods and people to bring in the goods.
(3 people)
Follow all that with another gun truck. (3 people)
While the people from the RV and the scout vehicle are loading goods into the RV, the gun trucks set up a perimeter with overlapping fields of fire.
Never take the RV where you can’t turn it around. It’d also be a good idea to have the drivers compartment armored, and have the driver practice turning and backing at speeds the RV can handle so that they can move that sucker when shit hits the fan.
During departure from the area, the scout vehicle should leave first, then the RV, then the two gun trucks.
If you can, I’d suggest using 4 gun trucks. 2 light, and 2 armored.
Also, always remember, if you have a crew served weapon, its most likely to be hit by sniper fire first, so be very wary.
As for the RV or bus being the sole command post, or your home/fort, well I suggest that you cut a hole in the roof, install a ladder, and put some railing up around the edges. Tethers are also good ideas. That way, you cant be thrown from the roof if you are on top of it, firing while it is moving. Put a large water tank in it. At least 100 gallons, set up a rain collection and filtration system from the roof to the tank. An area as large as the roof of the RV/Bus can collect a lot of water. If you can find a way to funnel it to a central location, and fill as many bottles as you can when its raining, then you can have days upon days of water with little to no effort. If you can distill it, then you won’t ever have to worry about it going bad. Rotate your drinking water every 2 weeks if possible because unless you did distill it, then it will get stagnate. Boiling it or treating it will sterilize it. Where I live, you hardly ever go 2 weeks without a good rain. As for food. If you can utilize abandoned farmland, grow crops and come back to them every few days. pick what you can, and can it using a pressure cooker. If you can your own food, I can last for months on a shelf. As for storing it in a moving vehicle, make sure all your shelves have railings on them so things don’t go flying off and breaking. Packaging canned food in carboard boxes will keep them from jarring together and breaking as easily. Also, a pressure cooker makes a great still for distilling water, and if you’re a crafty bastard, you can make booze. Just look up home canning, and distilling on the net for instructions. You can preserve meat via canning, but its just not the same as if it were fresh, or frozen, so keep that in mind. Jerky will be a life saver. Look online for alternative food preservation methods, and you’d be suprised what you can learn, and how easy some methods are. There won’t be anyone making any more packaged food when the zombiepocalypse comes…
Miguel Sanchez on 14 Apr 2010 at 9:59 am #
when the zombiepocalypse hits you won’t be able to secure 4 gun trucks..
It’d be nice to have the scout and a couple of other support vehicles, but honestly thats not gonna happen…
You just jump into your well fuelled and secured RV and get the fuck out of town…
Sharpshooter on 14 Apr 2010 at 12:59 pm #
Hmm in all honesty, they wouldn’t be very good. By themselves. Say they were appart of a convoy of ragtag vehicles, then they would be rather helpful. They could be used as a medical facility, or an armory, or hell even just as housing. But yeah my grandparents have one, seems like they would be tipped over quite easily. But then again they are better then say, a sedan. They aren’t as low, they have decently better armor. I don’t know, it would really just depend. Say if you could post a sniper up there, then it would be greatly improved.
KillerB on 14 Apr 2010 at 4:41 pm #
RV’s would be a great way to avoid people while still being able to enjoy some comforts of home. They are slow up hills, need well maintained roads to travel on, they are a little top heavy and most are way underpowered. But if you had a few then you could send out a large plow truck/snow removal truck ahead of the RV,s to push wreckage out of the roadway. Also if you were able to provide enough cordinated security of the convoy then travel would be fine. If you think about it after the first thaw many roads are pot holed up and damaged from the winter weather. Once the world ends there will be no road crews to keep the roads open. Any tree that falls across a road or rocks or anything will just keep piling up. Many roadways in the United States will be very hard to travel. RV’s if moved the right way would be great but an 18 wheeler with a converted bunk/storage trailor would be better. You could even mount the snow plow to the 18 wheeler to allow it to make its own path.
CHEERS
ThatScoutKid on 14 Apr 2010 at 5:02 pm #
they might work as a sort of mobile outpost for you main base. or maby put a snow plow or something on the front and park it in a barn or garage, and when you need to gtfo just hop in and go.
McLuvin on 14 Apr 2010 at 10:48 pm #
I agree with the convoy usage. As a solo vehicle I don’t care for them. Too big and cumbersome with terrible fuel economy and no strength. I’ll take a suburban anyday.
jay on 15 Apr 2010 at 12:51 pm #
i still prefer my ktm… but a rv is still pretty good in the point that you still have a few home comforts
3ID on 15 Apr 2010 at 3:06 pm #
guy you have to rember that the roads (not all of them but most) will be cramed with abandoned vehicals and bodies and zeds SUVs even better if they look like something form Iraq but a moblie home is to large slow and a gas sucker i would take any four whell drive vehical any day my truck would be great V8 4X4 tundru with any chocie it better be durable and ruged
sean on 15 Apr 2010 at 10:28 pm #
check out the walking dead series of graphic novels
in the first year it talks about some survivors (the main characters) living in an RV
3-15 INF on 16 Apr 2010 at 6:24 am #
I agree with 3ID- these things would probably be stuck in the car-choked roads. At best, they would be bullet magnets and a signal to every Zed within a pretty large radius that there’s people nearby.
Angryvikingman on 16 Apr 2010 at 4:56 pm #
Abandoned cars will likely have gas in them. After siphoning off all the gas, push it off the road. Use muscle power, or another vehicle. Chances are most of those abandoned cars may have the keys still in them, so put about 20 oz. of gas in the tank and drive it out of the way. In certain areas that approach could be very time consuming, so do what you think is best.
Dave on 17 Apr 2010 at 9:05 am #
You can buy standard vans that have been fitted out. Not quite as comfortable living as an RV, but with all the advantages of a van e.g. more fuel efficient, faster, far more manoeuvrable, can handle worse road conditions, less likely to fall to bits as you roll over your first Z and easier to find parts for anything that does break.
They are also less likely to attract attention, this is a big advantage. Put an RV anywhere people do not expect an empty RV to be parked and anyone who sees it assumes there is probably people living inside. People expect vans to be parked everywhere and your one will not attract any extra attention.
Loads of customisation happens with these things. Lots of hobbyists doing it themselves even, search for camper van conversions.
RV’s tend to be used by grandparents going on a travelling holiday. Converted vans are used more by people going on an adventure.
Dreamornaut on 17 Apr 2010 at 7:50 pm #
Well attempting to drive on just about any major road seems to me an exercise in futility so I agree with 3ID. Kinda like memorial weekend traffic except worse. You have everyone on the roads trying to get away from civilization and at here at least you usually end up having jams that run for several miles and slow going for around 100 miles in any direction. I would imagine that the traffic would be even worse when people are escaping the zed.
With everyone trying to escape I could easily see the zombie menace trailing right behind following dense lines of of fleeing people who get trapped on the roads and leading the undead right to the areas people would think they are the safest. Roads that wouldn’t be brought to a standstill often intersect with these major arteries so if you are relying on a road-bound vehicle like a RV would limit the area you could cover.
I do think an RV could be useful later on if you go scavenging for material and supplies as part of a small convoy, but that assumes you figure out a way to both live in relative sustainability and safety at a secure location. Though to be honest it’s a bit hard to imagine. After all no matter were you go, there could easily be tens of thousands of undead to weed through first before you go anywhere.
Sharpshooter on 17 Apr 2010 at 10:19 pm #
Yeah, generally it would be a bad thing. What about something slightly smaller, perhaps a paramedics vehicle? Those things have to be able to hop curbs and still be reliable.
Angryvikingman on 17 Apr 2010 at 10:37 pm #
During a zombie discussion, a friend of mine from work suggested a train as a great means of transportation. He suggested getting an engine and a few cars would be a great way to travel long distances between cities that wouldn’t necessarily be as congested as roads. Get a few refer cars to keep stuff frozen, a few passenger cars and armor them, a few cargo cars to store gas, ammo, ect, and a few flat cars. A couple for mobile pill boxes, and a few to haul vehicles to scout in areas for gas, ammo, food, and survivors. Trains can plow through cars and bodies on the tracks with little risk of drailment. This guy knows way too much about trains, and laid out the whole fuel consumption to weight ratio, and a bunch of stuff that I didn’t really follow. Just think, if you can get to a rail yard, a lot of food and gas is shipped by rail, so you could pretty much haul your own fuel supply, and lots of rail runs right through army bases. Ponder on that if you will.
Kain - ZAC Weapon Consultant on 17 Apr 2010 at 11:50 pm #
Ironically, when most people flee an area during a zombie outbreak or even a major catastrophe they tend to stick close to the regular rules of the road. There is the very real possibility that the incoming lane of the freeway would be open or at the very least less congested than the out going lane. Something to consider.
On the flip side, though, I personally would avoid major roads as much as possible since not only are they choke points but those who might prey upon you are going to be draw to that area.
“They won’t get me they won’t get me thought they never cease to try
they won’t get me they won’t get me I would rather fight and die
they won’t get me they won’t get me well my friend will they get you?
when they get you when they get you tell me what are you gonna do?”
Dropkick Murphys – The Gauntlet
Sharpshooter on 18 Apr 2010 at 10:45 pm #
Yeah I have to agree with Kain. I’d be a lot more likely to raid all the local outdoors stores here (Dick’s Sporting Goods, REI, Sportsman’s Warehouse and the like) and hijacking a 4-wheeler. You could follow regular roads when possible, and you could also make your own if needed.
Ronin666 on 20 Apr 2010 at 8:17 pm #
I often see people say “If you have a 4wd you can make your own road”
That would depend a lot on where you live. In suburbia you could drive on the pavement but so will a sedan. Unless you live in barren or semi barren country a 4wd wont get far in the bush if there isn’t already a trail there, it cant knock down trees. If there is a trail, you will be surprise just how far a sedan will go if you know how to drive off road.
I took a standard ex-postal dept 2wd Ford Transit van through Australia’s Flinder’s Ranges, I drove past small 4wd’s bogged to the axles in mud and drove thru countless creeks and never once had a problem or wished for 4wd. A little extra ground clearance and some practice and you can take a standard sedan to a lot of places. Add a winch to it and your covered.
KillerB on 21 Apr 2010 at 10:08 pm #
A Train? Come on Angry!
Roads will be clogged and so will the rail lines. Only the rail lines will be packed with a train or trains and possibly train wrecks. And if someone wants what you have on that train all they have to do is remove a few sections of track and you are stuck, or injured, or killed as the worst case situation unfolds or in the best case you will be stuck, on a track, with a wrecked train that is full of things that you can no
A rail line is operated by a huge network of computers, switching stations, cordinated movements of two or more trains using the same track, communications lines,mandatory raido check points, GPS tracking and navigation, etc, etc. I would venture to say that after the Zeds arrive trains will be shut down at the same time or shortly after the commercial air lines. If you are very lucky, and there was a little warning that the zeds are eating peoples brains then someone may decide to clear certian tracks to allow the rapid deployment of military personnel and equipment. But since America does not seem to belive in preparation any such attempt will be a scrambled, unorganized, half baked attempt to do something after it is already too late. So your tracks will not be clear enough to travel.
I am not going to mention that driving a train can’t be that easy. I am sure that there is some wildly complicated start-up procedure as well as the fact that trains are notorious for the time it takes to slow down or even stop. But I am sure that where there is a will there will be a way.
I bet that there will be large sections of track that will be clear enough to travel.
How about the rail crew trucks that can use both the tracks and roads. That would be a great thing. Use the tracks for travel but stay out of a train.
Now I 100% agree that a rail yard would be a great place to scavenge for things.
CHEERS
Speren on 21 Apr 2010 at 10:45 pm #
As for a train, Angryvikingman, there is the problem of being able to drive it. Those guys undergo a fair amount of training on a variety of topics including, but not limited to safe speeds for turns and what all the signs along a rail system mean. If you took a car that was too heavy over the wrong bridge because you didn’t know that the sign meant it wasn’t rated for that much weight, you could kiss your whole train, and maybe yourself, goodbye. If you could find a trained conductor that was alive or even a manual or training course then it would be a phenominal idea. The part about rails going through some military bases could also pose a problem though in that, if not overrun with zombies, then the military would probably not be too happy about civilians approaching in a train and not following whatever protocol the military doubtlessly has in place to deal with the arrival of a train. They would be jumpy and as long as shooting could be avoided, you could probably evetually smooth things over, but it would be tense since they will have been battling zombies for as long as you. And they will have been fighting in a stationary and easily besieged base, not from a nice mobile train. Still, good things to keep in mind if you can figure out how to make it work in a timely fashion. Maybe not such a great last minute emergency plan.
Sharpshooter has another idea that would be ok given certain circumstances. A 4-wheeler is typically a dangerous vehicle in the best of circumstances and require the rider to know what they are doing and to pay attention. Even then accidents happen with a high rate of frequency. So for a zombie outbreak, a 4-wheeler or other ATV is probably a bad idea. Despite the ability to carry extra gear, you’d probably be better off on foot. If you drive the 4-wheeler at speeds much faster than a brisk walk or jog, then you won’t be able to adequately watch the terrain and scan the underbrush for zobie ambush and keep an eye on your vehicles gauges all with enough success to avoid a serious accident. Also, the lack of an enclosed cab puts the operator at even more risk if a zombie ambush does show up on whatever trail you are following. Finally there is one advantage to being close, but not necessarily in, the press of people trying to escape… Two if you are a little morally flexible. The first advantage, and the one that most people will find reasonable, is that early in an outbreak scenario, people will still be willing to help each other. No matter how well prepared you are, you might still find yourself having some unforeseen trouble early on and being close enough to ask for aid means that someone might actually help. The second and less scrupulous advantage is that early in an outbreak, being near alot of other people means an abundance of targets and therefore less overall chance that any one zombie will choose you for its prey. Like I said, the second one is really only for the morally flexible. Despite all the flaws with a 4-wheeler, they would make for decent perimeter patrol vehicles once a large fortified base has been set up and farms established. They could be posted between the outer and inner walls of the fortifications and used as a quick response to any breachs or incursions.
Overall, the RV is really only going to be useful in the mobile search and rescue capacity, attached to a caravan and used to provide any un-infected survivors with a place to rest and be given any medical treatment needed/ available while in transit back to the main base. This also will provide the core group of survivors a chance to ascertain whether or not they can trust any new people found.
Finally I have to agree with 31D and Ronin666 a combination of 4wd (just in case) and knowing your vehicle and what it’s capable of and how to drive it effectively will be the best bet in any type of collapse, be it socio-economic or zombie.
Speren on 21 Apr 2010 at 11:07 pm #
Also, sorry for second post but I forgot to ask… Angryvikingman, are you still looking for someone to do photoshop work and put the T.A.C.T. logo on a “clear” background so that it can be put on different color shirts besides black and white? If so let me know and I’ll give you my email address, my roommate is, I found out recently, a wizard with photoshop and I can have him do the work ’cause he kinda owes me one right now. Let me know and we can set up that file transfer. Sorry for the second post folks.
“Train like you fight!”
Dreamornaut on 22 Apr 2010 at 12:30 am #
That’s a pretty simple job. To just have to make an alpha map. In PS that would involve doing a color select on the logo and adding a new layer and cutting the selection with the new alpha selected. It’s actually pretty easy.
Dreamornaut on 22 Apr 2010 at 12:42 am #
Ooops, I meant new channel in the layers palette. I wish you could edit a post.
Angryvikingman on 22 Apr 2010 at 3:23 am #
Yeah, I’d do it but I super suck at photo shop. Took me forever to get the writing go in a circle around the logo. Just shoot me an email to angryvikingman@yahoo.com and I’ll send you the files. Put ZAC TACT in the subject line so I dont just stick it in the spam folder.
Scav Dingo on 24 Apr 2010 at 1:53 pm #
..the train aspect, although a very solid platform, would variably lean toward fail as an effective safe mode of transportation, one other factor not held accountable would be the military, if they were doing a full sweep of possible infected or a containment and you were accessing a highly visible train out of or into the area – they would easily anticipate your arriving location and intercept.. ..remember military is probably on no-ones side but their own..
..not to mention as KillerB enlightened going through townships the tracks could still prove potential clogging of vehicular debris and downed trees/powerlines/etc, not to mention you would eventually need to slow down or stop for supplies, this is a huge risk for the security of this platform since the train takes along time to get back up to speed, and on top of this, the train is extremely loud and visible, you’d have every zombi in the area aggressing the train..
..and as Speren mentioned as well, operating this vehicle is not a universal knowledge of general populous, once your operator is killed, your contingency plan has high probability to abandon the platform, however with a truck/bus/car anyone can be the next operator and you keep moving quickly insuring the safety of fellow passengers in efficient time..
Sharpshooter on 26 Apr 2010 at 11:56 am #
I would also consider a dirtbike. A lot easier to maneuver.
Rob on 27 Apr 2010 at 12:08 am #
I would imagine, in a convoy,you’d need scouts on motorcross bikes to lead the way(via radio). A lite truck with arms to follow a mile or so back. A semi-truck with a big truck lift in tow to follow (to move any vehicles). Another truck with arms in front of convoy,perhaps an armored vehicle(to protect the lift truck).A few trucks with arms(to protect the following), then RVs, campers,ambulances and buses to follow,then a tanker or two in the back(filled with fuel),followed by another armored vehicle, and various armed cars and trucks behind to protect the flank. Altogether about 100 people.Various motorcross riders along the way. Auto and diesal mechanics(for vehicles),electricians(to set up generators, to siphon fuel),hunters and military and law enforcement(to handle weapons),Doctors,nurses,EMT,Firefighters(for medical).And intellectuals.The rest,like me would be fodder.
Rob on 27 Apr 2010 at 12:11 am #
Oh, and in the middle of all that,Two Semi-trucks stocked with non-perishable groceries. That would last at least six months with 1oo peeps, if not longer.
3-15 INF on 04 May 2010 at 1:12 pm #
An ATV would have all of the manueverability of a dirt bike, more stability, and cargo capability. A gunner riding bitch could shoot pretty effectively.
Scav Dingo on 10 May 2010 at 3:02 am #
..again, high expectations of great availability of military equipment, not looking at the practical individual having nothing..
cj on 21 May 2010 at 9:19 pm #
we own a 31 foot class a that we are equiping as our bug out vehicle, as it sits we can go over 600 miles without fueling up and with out bladders we can carry 75 gallons water, we have installed 270watts worth of solor panels and an extra battery bank along with a ham radio and enough food for 4 for 12 months, of course we have non hybrid seeds, guns, lots of ammo, and water filtration,
its easy to buy antibiotics if you get same for livestock. cheaper and does the same job.
the key is get out early have a place to go and several routes to it. be able to hide when you are on the road and stop. (we have a giant olive drab surplus parachute that covers the whole rv)
finally you must be ruthless, survival dictates that you must not render assistance whle en-route. you must be prepared to terminate any threat to your goal of setting up in the most remote area possible to access.
keeping your wits and sanity will be the biggest challenge
cj on 23 May 2010 at 7:34 pm #
oh and most important, engage all zombies at maximum distance when possible, a suppressed emi auto rifle would be best..
Kasper on 05 Aug 2010 at 6:38 am #
Not a train for escapes. Nor an RV. A van perhaps, can haul a fair amount of goods, with limited window area. Use RVs to leave your suburban home (taking small roads) with a group of passengers and a pile of food, if you lack a better vehicle. And I seriously think a Toyota Yaris might be a better vehicle, they’re surprisingly roomy.
The train might serve as a sort-of-decent base, though. Doors don’t open from the outside on many modern trains, not without a special key, and if you can maneuver the train half a mile away from the station, the bottom of the door will stand a good 3-4 feet off the ground, windows closer to seven or eight. They don’t tip too easy, what with wheels and occasional engine being in the bottom, and modern trains are smooth, to prevent train surfers.
A commuter train won’t have any real facilities though, but if you can get one of the long-range cargo/passenger trains fired up, and you don’t hit a wrecked train on the way, you can have a decent store of whatever was in the cargo, a lot of beds and linen, fairly good facilities, and an emergency exit that can’t be opened from outside every 30 yards or so, all parked on the mountainside of your choice.
Sucks to live in Denmark during the zompocalypse, though.
Elder on 28 Sep 2010 at 5:18 pm #
I liked the idea of the convoy, but i would suggest the main vehicle being a semi, you could put all your supplies in the trailer and just set them up when you reached your new area. or perhaps do vans. depending on the size of your group you could have 3 people per van, all equally loaded with food water guns ect so that if you were ambushed and needed to separate you wouldnt have one group with all the food and the other with all the water.
A six man group could have 2 drivers one for each van and than 2 in each aforementioned lightly armored vehicle one to gun and one to drive
And as a side note i don’t much see the possibilities of road side ambushes, it would mean the aggressors would have to be very lightly supplied and not fortified at all as not to make themselves visible.
this just leaves them dangerously isolated in a random area waiting for the presumably 5% or less of the remaining population to drive by. this is a stupid tactical decision on the part of the aggressors.
food for thought, also does someone know of an area where i can post about dealing with fellow survivors
thank you.
Slider on 07 Dec 2010 at 6:27 pm #
What is everyone’s thoughts on a slide in camper attached to a 4×4 truck?
Elder on 14 Jan 2011 at 12:10 am #
well a slider would be good for two or three people too live comfortably and all the supplies would be stored in the pickups bed so this sounds like a good idea, but there is a lack of defense in this, also the trailer allows a lot for the zombies to grab on to, and the supplies would be exposed to l’elements in the pick up bed, so they would need to be covered with a hard top.
KOREAN on 25 Feb 2011 at 8:42 am #
The best combat vehicle would definitely be a 6×6 or 8X8 airport firetruck. Those trucks are basically modified military trucks designed to go extreme off road and have really good acceleration; some have more than 1000 horse more than enough to plow trough zombies. You can fill out the water tanks with homemade napalm as Styrofoam and gasoline is pretty easy to get. That with a couple of machine guns and armoring the windows with bullet proof glass and steel and have razor wires with railing on the roof plus some very bright working lights WILL BE THE PERFECT PROTECTION. Also NO amount of zeds will ever be able to flip over the 30 ton mammoth. NO matter how big the horde is the truck will never run out of napalm to burn them all. Also reinforcing the truck with steel bars will save u in a crash. A flame throwing truck IS the best option because u would never run out of stuff to make napalm out of even if the world ever ends.
This combat vehicle with a couple of enclosed dune buggies for scouting (motorcycles are too vulnerable), some gun trucks, a couple of semis with workshops, living quarters and food + a tanker will be ample enough for how many people you have with you no matter where you will go. Also a bus to transport people and some support trucks and ambulance ( or RV) will also be a nice add. Zombies will eventually gather to your shelter if u stay in one place and constantly moving would be your best chance of survival.
KOREAN on 25 Feb 2011 at 9:03 am #
Just to add on. If there is any pesky fellow human looters around, the fire truck will not blow up when they are shot at because napalm needs a lot of heat to fire it up; actually Thermite is actually needed to ignite it depending on the amount of Styrofoam in it. If the tank is coated with stuff that blocks the hole when there is a leak, u will not have to worry about the truck blowing up unexpectedly. But if there is really a lot of looters around it will be better to armor the truck’s cab ,engine compartment and pump. Only weakness might be worse fuel economy. Also for the convoy a semi with 2 or 3 trailers would be ideal.
Oldefarte on 28 Nov 2011 at 10:10 pm #
The Military taught me the value of keeping a “Go Bag” packed and ready to toss into a vehicle. It has everything I need to survive for a week, plus gear to allow me to maintain myself for a considerable period thereafter under a wide variety of circumstances. Every family member has one, too, and stuff is swapped out and the “mix” updated as likely scenarios change or items expire or become available. However, even that level of preparedness pales when I consider what I could do with an RV set up as a “Go Vehicle”. Obviously, one would want to do a considerable amount of upgrading (oil cooling systems, heavy duty transmission, etc.) and customizing (including racks for spare tires, extra gas, etc.) and fortifying (especially strengthening access points and including camouflage painting). One critical addition would be haulage for a couple of dirt bike motorcycles (and even a bicycle or two) for scouting routes – RV’s are not maneuverable and it’s best to have advance knowledge of what is ahead and to explore alternate (including off road) routes before one ends up stuck by a washed out bridge or major traffic pile-up.
The major advantage to an RV, of course, is that it provides a comfortable and relatively secure base which can be moved as circumstances change. It’s a lot harder for a “walker” to break into an RV than to tear open a tent in the middle of the night. However, as a primary mode of transportation, it has obvious disadvantages and one would want to have one or more secondary/alternative vehicles (preferably 4 wheel drive), which could be used once the RV is set up in a secure site. Presumably, one would have a wide selection of abandoned vehicles from which to choose, so there’s no reason to worry about that unless and until the stuff hits the fan (by which time it would be too late to customize an RV).
That said, I must admit to wondering why no one on “The Walking Dead” has troubled to hotwire one of those abandoned Army/Marine “Strker” APV’s. Commodious, rugged, fast, utterly impervious to almost anything one is likely to encounter and more than adequate for both offensive and defensive use (with room to sleep several comfortably). God knows, I’d certainly be adding one to my inventory as soon as one became available.