The key to defeating, any enemy living or undead, is to make them fight the battles on your terms. When the dead rise, and the world as you know it has collapsed you will need to understand that you will have to make the undead fight you on your terms and not simply run at the horde baseball bat swinging and guns blazing every time you see them, or hear their moan.

For centuries armies fought battles primarily in the day. Why? Because, human beings lack good night vision. We as a race cannot see in the dark well enough to identify friend or foe at any great distance. Zombies, however, don’t care if its day or night, they hunt using all of their senses, hearing, sight, and very likely smell. Humans, on the other hand, primarily rely on their sight to maneuver and function. While, there will be those who will say that they can fight the undead in the dark here why these engagements are highly discouraged, except in controlled engagements, and as a last resort.

Night Vision Devices: Since the Second World War nations have worked on and developed, some may even say perfected, devices that attempt to turn night to day. Everyone, who has not been living under a dark rock, has seen combat footage of American soldiers fighting in darkness through the lens of a camera equipped to film in the dark. These green hued films may make many think that getting a set of night vision goggles, will make them the next Sam Fisher and the key to ending the zombie threat. In reality, and not video games, night vision goggles have short battery lives and narrow the line of sight of the user. Also, they make aiming a firearm with any degree of precision difficult.

Fire: While fire as a weapon is not highly recommended, except when the trap for the undead has been properly prepared, it’s use as a means of illumination is invaluable when dealing with a society that no longer has the advantages and luxuries that we are currently use to. However, to use fire as illumination for night fighting, first you must know how to make a fire, something that has fallen by the wayside. A fire, also needs to be fed, which may be difficult in combat, and it will also attract attention from things other than zombies. And, of course, if the fire gets out of control, the results can be disastrous.

Flashlights: Flashlights, an item that almost every home has at least three of sitting around, though not all will likely have batteries, have advantages and disadvantages that intertwine with the two above. First, they require batteries that may become hard to find, and will run. Secondly, they attract attention, and as fire will, they degrade your natural night sight, meaning that other survivors may be easily able to ambush you. However, flashlight are readily available and cheap, generally speaking, something that cannot be said of night vision devices. Also, they are simple to use, and are not likely to cause runaway fires that burn down your base of operations.

In the end, what you have on hand will likely affect what means you use to fight the undead. However, it is ZAC’s recommendation that you avoid combat with the undead at night, unless that is your only option. Make them fight you on your terms, and give them only the minimum number of advantages.

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.

The Bare Essentials are a new series of articles that are intended as a guide to what should be the corner stone to your kits. They are not, intended as a full description of what you should have. Since ZAC’s member base is so widely dispersed all of you will need to take in your own unique situations and areas and pack accordingly.

The Definition:

Firstly, a mobile Bug Out Bag, or Kit, is not a full survival kit. Nor is this a kit that is to be designed for extended, more than three to five days, trips. The mobile bug out bag is intended to be near at hand when you are work, either in you work area, or in the American way, in your car. It is you safety blanket, if things go to hell while you are away from you home and you are unable to use your vehicle to get out of Dodge then you mobile bug out bag is what you will need to rely on to survive and hopefully to get back home to your full kit and the entire stockpile of your equipment.

The Essentials:

1. The Bag: While it seems a given this may be one of the most important aspects of the kit. While a military surplus bag may be the most obvious choice you may want to look at civilian models. For one reason they may meet your needs better and secondly they don’t look like military equipment. Put bluntly, if you look like you are over prepared there may be those who will want your stuff and hen your away from all your gear you may not want to engage in unnecessary fights.
2. Clothes: Since this bag is to be with or near you at all times a change or two of clothes is essential. You may be at a wedding, or church, places where it is unlikely that combat fatigues or outdoor wear is welcome.
3. A shelter: A one man shelter is also advisable since, unless you work very close to home, it may take you multiple days to get there. Here is where military surplus is likely your best bet. Plus, most mil-surp one man shelters are quite lightweight, invaluable when you are counting ounces and things weigh pounds.
4. Water: In, or on your kit should be a container for water, possibly already filled, along with water purification tabs or if nothing else iodine.
5. A Weapon: While it may not be your primary arm a small compact weapon that you can carry on you or that will easily fit in your bag, even if it is only a large blade or a pistol is better than nothing at all. Along with your weapon also add additional ammo or cleaning supplies, a full battle kit isn’t what you should be looking for, unless where you work is just that bad. Though a small compact rifle would be the best choice this is not always an option. Take what you can get. Along with you weapon should also be at least one good working knife for mundane tasks, but that is also capable of combat tasking.
6. A fire starter: some simple device that you can use to easily start a fire should be in your kit. As for choice, whatever work, whatever works.
7. First Aid: While this is a subject in and of itself a first aid kit of some sort should be worked into the kit so that you can get to it easily and in a hurry if need be, but also secured somewhere that it is not in the way.
8. Food: A minimum of a three day supply of food, or more if the trek to your house or outpost is longer, be it MREs, power bars, or even cans if that is all you can get.

Again, these are only basic suggestions, designed to get the mind of the reader revolving around what they would need to survive a trek from your work or another place to your home or safe haven.

While it is fine to talk about you would do and what you would use during the coming apocalypse it does you no good if your just flapping your lips and never train or are not even familiar with your weapons of choice.

It has been brought up countless times the weapons that we would use in the battle against the undead, be it swords to tanks, but how many out there have their weapons of choice at hand and ready to go. How many train with them on a regular basis and those who do train how long have they been doing so? The fact of the matter the only way to be proficient and useful with your weapon of choice is to be not just have an idea of how the weapon is used. Reading about the weapons means you are nothing more than an informed amateur. One must also be not just familiar with the weapon but be intimately so. This does not come over night and even with the simplest weapon it takes years of practice to become proficient and decades to master.

So I open the discussion with these questions:

1. What are your weapons of choice? Yes weapons, not just your primary weapons but backups as well.
2. Do you have these weapons readily available? If not, revise your above post. Weapons that you would like to have are no use when you need them.
3. How often do your train with them?
4. How long have you been training with them?
5. Lastly, are you ready for the zombie apocalypse? Be honest.

Stay safe.  Stay informed.  Stay alive.

Fleeing the undead on your own is never recommended, trying to flee or fight alone is almost a death sentence no matter how good you are or think you are. Even though there will always be exceptions that prove the rule a group represents your best chance of surviving the undead and staving off insanity.

When preparing for the undead, food, weapons, and a defensible structure are high on the list, what also needs to be high on the list are other people. The reasons are endless but high on this list is that many sets of hand can take care of situations and projects quicker than one alone.

When preparing to fight, live, and survive as a group there are several considerations:

Compatibility: While these people may not be love interests if the members of your group often get on your nerves for any reason then they may not be the best choice. The undead will take a toll on you, no need for your companions to also grate your nerves. Again this is when you are preparing, when the undead rise you may have no choice, however, if you are able to choose your compatriots choose wisely. Not only with you have to rely on these peoples skills but their mental toughness, if they are either mentally weak or unstable then perhaps you may need to reconsider.

Specialties: Having each member of your group specialize in one of two jobs such as scouting, map reading, carpentry, medicine, hunting and fish, engineering, and not just for cars but to build fortifications and traps, language(especially if you may have to venture to another country where you do not share the language, for example our European brethren.), weapon smith, and numerous others can be a priceless in times of need. Also crossing training each other with the things you have learned also helps when one member may no longer be able to perform their job.

Safety: Ignoring the possibility of Tom going postal because from the stress there is safety in numbers. Not just because of moral support and the ability of being able to sleep with the knowledge there is someone pulling guard duty, but the knowledge that if you are injured there is at least the possibility that you will be saved and be able to fight another day, unless of course your group members are cowards and leave you for the dead.

Supplies: While a group will consume a larger quantity of food and water a group can carry more weapons, and gear. A trade off that will often outweigh the disadvantage since you may be able to carry less or be able to carry other thing since others in the group already posses thing on the MZPK. Also while there may be less food to go around for those who are willing, when times get especially tough other group members may provide nourishment.

Battle Buddy: The greatest consideration that you must face is whether or not you trust the man or woman next to you. They will be watching your back, fighting by your side, giving the zombies someone else to try to devour, and possible stopping you from going insane, as well as stopping from becoming a zed head if the worst happens. If you doubt that person then you cannot focus on the most important job, staying alive.

When situations go sour, public safety is called to run toward the problem while others run away.  Public Safety facilities are viewed by many as a safe haven, where they will not be harmed.  During a zombie outbreak, this is not necessarily so.

Here are five reasons why you should avoid a public safety facility during a zombie outbreak.

1. Lock-Down – More than likely, getting anywhere near a police department, fire station, or other emergency facility will be difficult at best.  Those facilities will be placed on lock-down until some type of order can be established.  I would venture a guess that they are also trying to figure out what is happening, and even if they do, you are not going to get a ton of details during the thick of things.
2. Mobile Command – Now that disaster preparedness and emergency management are labeled as hot topics, more and more, if not all, public safety departments are planning and drilling for major events.  A mobile command unit made up of representatives from community leaders as well as ranking officials with local public safety departments.  If you think you will get some type of answer from the police station, chances are, you won’t.  Those in the know will be attempting to control the situation via a remote location anyway.
3. Chaos – If you thought about going down to the fire station for help, imagine how many others would have thought about it as well.  This is a good rule before heading to any location, unless directed to do so and you are sure that the location is secured.  There were some excellent arguments about avoiding super shopping centers during an outbreak and chaos is one of them.
4. Nobody there to help – You are not going to get an officer to come outside and help you at the police department during a zombie outbreak.  They will all be on the road, flooded with calls and not be at the station unless they cannot avoid it.  This is why you need a plan.  Do not count on anyone else to help you unless you have discussed your plan with them and they are involved.
5. Risk of Infection – Just because a facility is labeled secure or associated with public safety does not make it secure or safe.  You need to always be cautious before blindly running to any location that you deem a safe-haven unless you have it on good authority that the location is indeed safe and void of infection.  The last thing you want to do is run toward a building full of zombie cops!

Your best bet is to create a mobile and stationary plan and couple those plans with your Mobile Zombie Preparedness Kit (MZPK).  Being prepared to defend yourself and sustain you and yours will be of far greater value than running to someone for help.  They might have fallen victim to the ghouls!

Stay safe.  Stay informed. Stay alive.

Reading many of the posts on this site  I have noticed that while many have chosen a firearm for their weapon of choice many have not considered that if they are forced to use it while fleeing the hordes of the undead that the report could blow whatever stealth advantage that they held.

Surprising only a few have brought up the subject of suppressors, more commonly, if incorrectly known as silencers.

The Bang- While they do not truly silence the report of the gun they do lessen the sound, a gun muffler is perhaps the best description. This could be an advantage to those combating the undead since the lesser noise would attract fewer zombies.

Another thing that should be noted about suppressors is that while for best performance you may need dedicated ammo. However, even with standard ammunation the suppressor may make it harder for zombies to locate where the shot originated giving you precious time to escape. Also the sound of a suppressed gunshot often lacks the distinctive sound of a gunshot, perhaps meaning it will be ignored, though this may be a false hope.

The Whisper- while a handheld weapon like the ax, club, or a trusty knife is undoubtedly the quietest way to dispatch a zombie having the ability to take a zed down at a distance and still have the advantage of stealth is a great thing. Plus one must consider that up close and personal there always lies the chance of a misstep that will lead to you become a shuffler yourself.

“When the zombie outbreak happens, I am going to grab my family, hop in the car, and get the hell out of town.”  This flawed logic will only get you killed.  Below are the top five reasons why a mobile zombie defense should not include your vehicle.

1. Where are you going?  Really… where are you going in that car of yours?  If you are going to make the mobile defense commitment, you need to have a plan, a back up plan, and a plan for when all of the above fails.  You will be stuck in a car and could possibly drive yourself to your grave by ending up in a place that was worse off than where you began.
2. Gas will not last forever.  Should widespread panic overtake the masses, gas could easily become a very valuable supply, thus making gas stations not the most ideal stopping point.  For argument’s sake, suppose you actually do end up with a full tank of gas.  That supply will eventually run out, possibly leaving you in the middle of an area that is unfamiliar and flooded with the undead.
3. The vehicle structure does not offer the strongest defense standpoint. A vehicle is not as sturdy as a building.  The average vehicle will have vulnerable spots and weak areas due to the glass.  A large van or bus might offer more security, however, you run a safety risk attempting to find a working bus that you would not have normally had access to.  Just as a home, a vehicle presents entry and exit points which you need to consider as you might find yourself in a situation where you are defending against multiple attackers.
4. Supplies are limited and generally unavailable.  Unless you keep a MZPK in your car or find a vehicle with some magical stash of survival supplies, you might find yourself ill-equipped.  Perhaps you are just using your vehicle to get to a stationary defense location and think to yourself “I won’t need any defense supplies because I am heading home.”  What about a break-down?  What about a road overtaken by the zombie horde?  Will you have adequate supplies to survive should you have to ditch the vehicle and go on foot?
5. Roadways are not dependable.  A large scale zombie attack could shut down the main roadways and interstates quickly and easily.  Vehicles left behind now serve as road blocks or obstacles.  Bridges could be blocked or destroyed and previously dependable “back roads” and “side roads” could run a greater risk of being overrun by nearby groups of zombies.

Max Brooks documents the mobile defense and use of vehicles in The Zombie Survival Guide in a section entitled “On the run”.  While Mr. Brooks mentions some of the above, he also does not condemn the use of a vehicle.  Simply getting into a vehicle for mobility is a death sentence.  Getting into a vehicle as a part of your well thought and executed zombie plan is ensuring your survival. 

Remember, view everything as a tool and consider if and how that tool can be used to secure your safety.

Stay safe.  Stay informed.  Stay alive.

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Some say that the best offense is a good defense.  We tend to agree, especially when speaking of an undead outbreak. 

Many times during a debate regarding the proper zombie defense tactic and plan, someone will make mention that you should go on the offensive and not sit back, waiting on the undead to find their way to your location.  While many believe (myself included) that the zombies will be slow and clumsy, it would be foolish to base all of your plans around this as it has yet to be proven.  With that said, you should not rely on slow and clumsy zombies thinking you can turn yourself into Rambo, instantly going on the offensive, shredding all of the undead that comes your way.  Be ready for fast zombies. 

Here are some reasons why the best offense is a good defense:

1. Outbreak Level: Unless the outbreak is minimal at first and the media outlets are functioning, you probably will not fully grasp the level of the outbreak.  As such, it is best not to begin trekking off toward the horde of ghouls unless you are heading toward a safer location than where you currently are.
2. Supplies: Hopefully you will be prepared and have some supplies in hand, no matter where you are when the apocalypse sets off (hopefully you have your MZPK).  However, no matter how prepared you are, taking to the road will surely deplete your supply.  Why use your supplies unless you have to?
3. Destination Where? So the zombie apocalypse is upon you and you decide to go mobile.  You can’t move forever as you will surely run into some unfamiliar territory or an impassible area.  Then you are truly between a rock and a hard place.  Going mobile only serves two purposes: 1) Moving to another location after your current one has been compromised or 2) Moving to a better location where there are more supplies.  Wandering around aimlessly hoping to possess the ability to take out any undead in your path is not the best option for surviving.
4. Unfamiliar Ground: If you find yourself in a building that you have never been in before, you automatically face many challenges.  Securing the location, being unaware of areas where the undead could already be inside, and potential downsides and weak spots, are all reasons to avoid unfamiliar locations unless forced to seek refuge there.

Naturally, we would never advocate hiding out solely to avoid being mobile.  When the outbreak happens, your plan might go to hell in a handbag very fast.  The ability to adapt to a changing environment is paramount to making it through the darkness.  Should you find your location compromised, then you have to go mobile, however your mobility is a temporary solution, not a permanent one.

Stay safe.  Stay informed.  Stay alive.