Do You Know Zombies?

[VR_Jay]

[quote]What would be the most effective thing to do if a masive outbreak of solanum happened in some large city like new york or tokyo? (Think like resident evil's raccon city).[/quote]
Get the hell out. Cities and other congested urban areas will, literally, become war zones during a massive undead infestation. Deaths tolls will rise rapidly and often not even due to zombie. Mass hysteria, riots in the streets, and overzealous law enforcement will all contribute to the body count. If you find yourself unable to escape, then by all means prepare for defense. This will consist of properly fortifying whatever structure you are currently in. Here are some tips:

-Apartment buildings provide fine protection against the undead. The first floors of any such building should be abandoned, stick only to the higher floors. Also, either destroy staircases or make them inaccessible to keep zombies at of reach. Fill up your bathtub, sinks, and any large containers with water for preparation of a long siege, as plumbing could be lost at any time. Eat perishable foods first. Stay quiet and avoid using lights at night, as this may attract the undead. You can also use these rules in regards to office buildings.

-Schools, especially inner city schools, are ideal for protection. Not only are these buildings built to withstand riots, but most have heavy doors, chain link fences, and barred or reinforced windows. You will also have access to medical supplies and a respectable amount of food.

-Hospitals should be avoided at all costs. Not only are these centers where most infections start (the wounded being brought here only to rise from the dead later), but the mass of people located at a hospital is a prime target for attracting roaming zombies.

-Police stations should also be avoided as the masses of people who will undoubtedly flock there for hopeful protection will attract the undead, not to mention that the shear number of humans will create a nexus of chaos and probable panic-induced violence.

-Supermarkets and shopping malls should also be avoided, since they offer almost no long term protection. They are open, ill-secured, and will likely be teaming with other people.

-Banks, as well, offer little protection. Why? Because bank security relies on video monitoring, alarms, and an outside police force, none of which will do you any good when the undead swarm your position. In fact, the vault is the only secure place in a bank, but the complete lack of oxygen, supplies, or water gives you little more than some time to make peace with your god and put a bullet through your head.

-Avoid Churches as well. Despite all their technical savvy, education, and professional disinterest in the spiritual world, people will go screaming to their gods at the first site of the undead. The mass of people you can expect to find at a church is staggering, making it prime hunting grounds for zombies.

-Warehouses and Shipyards, as well as piers and docks, provide acceptable defense against the undead, especially once fortified. As these are industrial buildings, they will be of sturdy design with heavy doors. Most windows will be too high to climb through, and the surplus of raw materials makes fortification rather easy.

Of course, your best defense is an early escape, but hopefully this advice willcome n handy

[quote]Can the virus be transferred through air? Or food, if the food has been near, but not touching, a zombie?[/quote]
No. Solanum is not air born. One must come into contact with fluids to become infected. However, eating food which has come into contact with the virus will result in infection.

[quote]If you encountered a lone zombie, would it be best to catch it to avoid being charged with homocide?[/quote]
One living zombie poses such a threat to the immediate population that it is always best to kill it and risk prosecution than to let it live. Also, attempting to capture a zombie without any prior preparation is notoriously difficult and could endanger you to infection. If time permits, devise a way to safely lure the ghoul into a cage or closed area, effectively sealing it in. Just be aware that the more time you spend devising a way to capture it, the more time it has to potentially infect others.

[quote]Whats the best weapon for dealing with a zombies? Guns probably wouldn't be best, because of the noise, right?[/quote]
There is no one all around "best" weapon. There are, however, exceedingly better weapons than others. Here is a comparative list:

[b][i]Hand-to-Hand Weapons[/i][/b]

You should never want to find yourself dealing with a zombie up close. However, you should always be prepared for such an event. This is an overview of options:

[b]Bludgeons[/b]: These weapons should be avoided when possible. Not only does it take a tremendous amount of strength the fracture a human skull, but you will most likely not have the time to deal a second blow should the first one fail to kill. Also, bludgeons such as hammers are unwieldy and heavy. Bats, even aluminum ones, will bend and break after repeat use. If you do use a bludgeon, your best option would be a crowbar. Not only will it stand up to continual use, but it can also be used to pry open doors, shift objects, and other manual tasks.

[b]Bladed weapons:[/b] these are your number one choice. I would suggest a sword, particularly either a katana or military grade machete. The katana sword is light, has a long, smooth blade, and was designed for slicing. Its two-handed hilt also gives you the power you will need for a clean decapitation. However, its longer blade can be a hindrance in confined spaces. The machete as durable and, though shorter, was also intended for slicing. The more compact blade means better maneuverability in tight places, though you will have to be closer to your target. If you do carry a knife, be sure it is no longer than six inches and non-serrated, as this can cause it to become stuck in a zombies skull.

[b]Power tools:[/b] discredit these entirely. Not only are they heavy and unwieldy, but the noise they make will attract every zombie in the area. Also, there fuel is finite and, once depleted, they will be as useful for combat as a stereo. You can also hurt yourself as easily using these as you would a zombie.

[b][u]Primary Firearms[/u][/b]

Firearms are going to be your ideal weapon when fighting a zombie. However, what you choose could mean the difference between life and death.

[b]Machine guns and submachine guns:[/b] what could be better than spraying hot lead into a horde of zombies? Almost anything. Since nothing but a headshot will kill a zombie, these weapons are virtually useless. Loud, inaccurate, and a complete waste of ammunition, you will likely expend your entire ammo supply without gaining any real results.

[b]Shotguns:[/b] seen as the primary zombie killer in movies, these weapons have there place, but only as a backup role. At point blank, a shotgun has the power to completely destroy a human head, making it ideal for close quarters. However, increase the distance between you and your target and its effectiveness drops severely. As the shot spreads, the likelihood of successfully destroying a zombies brain depletes. One good thing that can be said for a shotgun is its stopping power. A single shot will be enough to knock over several zombies at once, ideal for if you are trying to clear a path for escape. Just keep in mind that a shotgun should never be chosen as your primary weapon.

[b]Bolt action rifles:[/b] As crazy as it may seem, the bolt action rifle is prime weapon for fighting the undead. Designed mainly for hunting, these weapons are easily obtained, powerful, and very accurate. Its only draw back is that you must reload after every shot. However, this can be seen as a blessing in disguise as it forces you to take more accurate shots, actually increasing the percentage of a successful head shot. I would suggest either a U.S. Springfield or Mauser Kar 98k.

[b]Semiautomatics and carbines:[/b] these are your best all around weapons for fighting zombies. Large ammo clips, high accuracy, and a decent fire rate make these rifles a prime choice. Some measure of restraint must be practiced when using these weapons, as there is the temptation let loose more than one round at a time. Carbines are lighter but possess only half the range, making them better for traversing great distances. This is your number one weapon, right here. I suggest the Ruger Mini-30 or the Soviet SKS carbine. The M1 carbin, though older, is still an excelent choice as well.

[b]Pistols:[/b] it is a proven fact that the average person cannot repeatedly land successful head shots on anything, let alone a shambling homicidal corpse, using a hand gun. Most shots will, in all likelihood, land in the torso region, doing nothing. These weapons should only be used in close combat and even then only as a last resort. Remember: Placing the muzzle of a pistol up to a zombies temple and pulling the trigger take no skill and ensures a kill. But for all practical reasons, completely disregard this weapon.

[b]Explosives and fire:[/b] Most conventional explosives such as grenades do surprisingly little against a zombie. You see, the majority of explosives kill its victims with flying shrapnel. However, most of this shrapnel will lodge itself in the torso regain, leaving the head intact. So, explosives should only be used to incapacitate, by blowing off limbs and such. Fire is effective and you should burn a infected body anyways, but just be wary. It can take up to an hour for a zombie to succumb to flame, and in the mean time you will have turned it into a walking killing corpse that is now [i]on fire[/i].
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[color=black]"Your toast is burnt and no amount of scraping will remove the black stuff!" ~ Caboose, Red vs. Blue[/color]

[VR_Jay]

[quote="Razeal (Raz)"] If a Zombie were to fall backwards flat on it's back, would it be able to get back up again? [/quote]
Yes. A zombie is not completely devoid of all dexterity, and, if it should fall, it is able to right itself again.

[quote]hmm I was thinking, could you get away from a zombie by going into the water? Since they can't move very fast they would'nt be able to swim well?[/quote]
Zombies cannot swim. When a zombie enters a body of water, its lungs will fill and it will (for lack of a better word) drown, sinking out of site. This means that if a zombie should fall into a lake, it could conceivably wander around on the bottom for years. So an island is a fairly safe place to be, just so long as you keep a continuous lookout along the shores for any undead which has wandered out again.

[quote]and would you be able to geneticly engineer the solanum virus to give positive effects (revival of body) and negate the negetive effects? (becomeing a man eating zombie) [/quote]
No. To engineer Solanum to revive a dead body would be impossible since this goes completely against how Solanum works. The virus needs healthy living brain tissue to multiply and thrive. It travels to the brain in the blood system. A dead corpse has neither living brain tissue for the virus to infect, nor a working circulatory system to carry it there. Therefore, it is impossible to reanimate an already dead corpse with the introduction of the Solanum virus. Solanum does [i]not [/i]create life - it alters it.
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[color=black]"Your toast is burnt and no amount of scraping will remove the black stuff!" ~ Caboose, Red vs. Blue[/color]

[Beatlechick90]

Do zombies listen to Joan Baez? Maybe Diamonds and Rust? or are they not into the whole folk scene?
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[url=http://dollyrockersinc.piczo.com][img]http://pic.piczo.com/img/i122379787_59088_3.gif[/img][/url]

[VR_Jay]

[quote]Do zombies listen to Joan Baez? Maybe Diamonds and Rust? or are they not into the whole folk scene? [/quote]
Zombies have actually been known to enjoy country, making them more despicable than ever. ^_^
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[color=black]"Your toast is burnt and no amount of scraping will remove the black stuff!" ~ Caboose, Red vs. Blue[/color]

[Meredianna]

Zombies are all like grr argh, why dont they talk?

:ph34r:

[VR_Jay]

[quote="Meredianna (Meredy)"] Zombies are all like grr argh, why dont they talk?

:ph34r: [/quote]
A zombie's brain is not capable of comprehending speech. A zombie's brain cannot comprehend much of anything. The only form of communication a zombie possesses is its moan which is used specifically when it has sighted prey.
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[color=black]"Your toast is burnt and no amount of scraping will remove the black stuff!" ~ Caboose, Red vs. Blue[/color]

[Razeal]

So they don't go BRAAAAIIIINS? :unsure:

What a let down ;_;

How hard can Zombies bite? The human jaw can only bite so hard.
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Cha Cha Chaaaa

[VR_Jay]

[quote="Razeal (Raz)"] How hard can Zombies bite? The human jaw can only bite so hard. [/quote]
Well, how hard can a human jaw bite? A human jaw can exert 200lbs of pressure every time it chews. That means a zombie can bite with at least 200lbs of pressure, more than enough to break the skin, bruise muscle, tear cartilage, and even fracture smaller bones.
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[color=black]"Your toast is burnt and no amount of scraping will remove the black stuff!" ~ Caboose, Red vs. Blue[/color]

[Razeal]

This thread scares me so ;_;

Mmkay, Say if you were to crush a Zombies jaw, stopping it from biting... could it still be able to bite you and infect you with the virus?


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Cha Cha Chaaaa

[VR_Jay]

[quote="Razeal (Raz)"] Mmkay, Say if you were to crush a Zombies jaw, stopping it from biting... could it still be able to bite you and infect you with the virus? [/quote]
All that requires for you to become infected is for the Solanum virus to enter your blood stream. This means if a zombie were to scratch you, if you touched infected fluids, or even if an open wound came into contact with infected flesh, you would receive the virus.
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[color=black]"Your toast is burnt and no amount of scraping will remove the black stuff!" ~ Caboose, Red vs. Blue[/color]

[VR_Jay]

[quote="MathinumDragon (Drake)"] Here's another one, Whats a zombies lifespan? do they even kick the bucket through age? [/quote]
The average "life span" of a zombie is three to five years. This is how long it will take for the zombie to decompose. This unnaturally long decomposition process is due to the toxic nature of the Sloanum virus. In a normal state, dead flesh is set upon my millions of microorganisms that begin the decomposition process. However, almost all organisms involved in the decomposition of a human reject flesh that has been infected with Solanum. This effectively embalms it, slowing the decomposition process from a few weeks to a few years. Environment plays an important role as well. A zombie residing in a swamp will decompose much faster than one in a desert. Also, a zombie can survive indefinitely in artic regions, freezing in the winter and them thawing again in the spring. Also, extreme conditions such as embalming could, theoretically, preserve a zombie indefinitely.
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[color=black]"Your toast is burnt and no amount of scraping will remove the black stuff!" ~ Caboose, Red vs. Blue[/color]