The Official Zombie Survival Handbook (UK)

Afternoon All,

I'm a regular on the Empire & Stainless Steel forum & wanted to share something with the forum - I hope this is the correct space.

I am the author of the above work which is due to be published in mid-2010.

As many of you will know, zombies are all over the place at the moment & of course we have had some useful guides up to now. But, I'm from the UK & we, like many, don't have guns, we live about 3 people to every square metre & most of our army is abroad...also, as my publisher shrewdly noted, our brave police are indeed mostly armed with sticks.

So, after a few years of research, I have put all of my zombie & survival knowledge into a handbook which I hope will be of interest.

I'm keeping a blog in the run up to the launch :-

http://officialzombiehandbookuk.blogspot.com/

And, although there aint much info there at the moment, you can check out the publishers site :-

http://severedpress.lefora.com/forum...s-and-authors/

So, that's all I wanted to say. Be great if you would support me & check it out. Your feedback as always would be appreciated.

Ta

Henri (seantpage)

I'll have a look. I could do with a zombie action plan.....


Interesting point about not having guns, being densely populated and army being abroad by the way. I have never really thought about that.

But just so you know, the police do have plenty of guns.




My plan so far is to break into the local Cadet Force store rooms at my brothers old school. They have a bunch of the those L85 Cadet Rifles. Its also a pretty good place to defend and has plenty of open space if I wanted to grow me some potatoes.

Either that or get to one of the nearby TA Barracks.


Out of interest, is you first thought on visiting a place whether it would do you any good in a zombie attack? (After reading your section about castles)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/071563318...sl_gdqidh2ph_e

I've already read this one, your a bit late.

^^Thats not for the UK though is it?

Originally Posted by Azog 150

^^Thats not for the UK though is it?

Publisher: Gerald Duckworth & Co Ltd; First UK Edition edition (27 Aug 2004)

Your point on the castles is valid for the most part, but some are situated on headlands that still have limited access as they did when they were built, for the most part many are still superb defensive locations. In the near-impossible event of a Zombie incident, I intend on sitting there with my shotties. Bollocks to everyone else.

Of the European nations, the Swiss would do the best (if not in the world).

So its a zombie survial guide if you find yourself in a zombie apocolypse in the UK? With no guns? And lots of castles? And trapped on an island?

Originally Posted by Azog 150

So its a zombie survial guide if you find yourself in a zombie apocolypse in the UK? With no guns? And lots of castles? And trapped on an island?

That's my point exactly mate - when I did the research, I realised we don't have the wilderness they have in the states, we certainly don't have the access to firearms.

I also wanted to include things we don't often think of here in the UK like how to store 90 days of food, what do if you disabled, what power set up you need once the elec goes down.

The stats are frightening if you look at the number of armed police we have - can't remember the exact number but it is very few in proportion to total numbers.

Good point about the swiss - the Swedes also have a good proportion of guns & wilderness.

Thanks for the feedback guys, really appreciate it.

Henri (Sean)

The first thing you need to do is define the 'Zombies.' If you're talking about all the dead rising on any given day the numbers around Britain would be fairly small (this is why most holocaust films go for the infection rather than Zombie route), The population of the UK would out number the dangerous Zombies by a long long way, making destroying them fairly simple even with no more than whatever weapons come to hand. A shovel for instance would make an excellent ''tool'' for dispatching the un-dead.

So these Zombies, do they move fast or do they mooch about slowly?.
How can they be killed, head removal or basic brain damage?.
Do people who are bitten become Zombies or do they have to actually die.
Do the Zombies eventually die (again) or do they remain in an active state until destroyed?.
How intelligent are they?. Do they retain memories from life or are they brain dead? basically can they turn a door handle, operate a lift.
Can they survive in or traverse water?

Originally Posted by Halie Satanus

The first thing you need to do is define the 'Zombies.' If you're talking about all the dead rising on any given day the numbers around Britain would be fairly small (this is why most holocaust films go for the infection rather than Zombie route), The population of the UK would out number the dangerous Zombies by a long long way, making destroying them fairly simple even with no more than whatever weapons come to hand. A shovel for instance would make an excellent ''tool'' for dispatching the un-dead.

So these Zombies, do they move fast or do they mooch about slowly?.
How can they be killed, head removal or basic brain damage?.
Do people who are bitten become Zombies or do they have to actually die.
Do the Zombies eventually die (again) or do they remain in an active state until destroyed?.
How intelligent are they?. Do they retain memories from life or are they brain dead? basically can they turn a door handle, operate a lift.
Can they survive in or traverse in water?

The zombies are lumbering & slow-moving - I don't believe in the new Brit-Zombies of 28 Days Later ones. Brain is the way to go to take them out. Transmission of the virus is by blood/saliva so yes bites do it.

Unknown how long they will last - most experts I spoke to put the window at 12-36 months before they start to fall to pieces in our maritime climate.

They cannot handle any equipment. Intelligence level is low - driven only by a desire to feed. Saying that, they can sometimes display almost pack like behaviour. They rarely give up & emit a morale sapping moan.

They can survive in water but cannot swim as such. Rivers seem to confuse them. As corpes, most will float making river transport a challenge. many will just be washed with the tide.

My biggest concern here in the UK & Europe is that people jsut don't store enough food/water & once the Sh*& hits the fan, you need to be able to survive, I estimate for 90 days on your own before things really die down (no pun intended).

Thanks again for the questions.

Henri (Sean)

Originally Posted by Henry707

The zombies are lumbering & slow-moving - I don't believe in the new Brit-Zombies of 28 Days Later ones. Brain is the way to go to take them out. Transmission of the virus is by blood/saliva so yes bites do it.

28 days later has virus victims rather than Zombies. Slow and lumbering are easy to kill unless overwhelmed by huge numbers, as I said in the UK those numbers just wouldn't exist due to decomposition and a lack of buried corpses, especially in major cities.

Unknown how long they will last - most experts I spoke to put the window at 12-36 months before they start to fall to pieces in our maritime climate.

That's presuming they're not killed off in the first week.

They cannot handle any equipment. Intelligence level is low - driven only by a desire to feed. Saying that, they can sometimes display almost pack like behaviour. They rarely give up & emit a morale sapping moan.

So it would be possible to take residents in my local Tescos and they're unlikely to have the sense to break in.

They can survive in water but cannot swim as such. Rivers seem to confuse them. As corpes, most will float making river transport a challenge. many will just be washed with the tide.

Fair enough.

My biggest concern here in the UK & Europe is that people jsut don't store enough food/water & once the Sh*& hits the fan, you need to be able to survive, I estimate for 90 days on your own before things really die down (no pun intended).

Thanks again for the questions.

I doubt services would stop before the Zombies were wiped out, in fact my local corner shop doesn't close for anything so nipping out for bread and milk doesn't sound a big problem

There is a virus that causes the process of zombification - it is just not the RAGE virus of the movie. I have looked at models of viral spread & with this kind of virus, less than 5% of the population would survive the opening months of the crisis. Don't forget this is live humans infected with the virus, 'dieing' for a short time, then returning. I modelled outbreaks based on various locations around the UK.

Point taken on the corner shop - nuclear war would not stop mine either.

Henri (sean)

There is a virus that causes the process of zombification

How is the virus contracted, other than biting/body fluid exchange?. Is it airborne?(if so we're ed, not worth surviving the initial days), if it's in the water system it provides a much larger threat, it's survivable but thousands would be effected before they knew it.

I'm not just trying to give you a hard time, but if you're going to write a guide you will have to give a detailed scenario. I, for instance live in central London and given there would be few Zombies that could actually move around and be dangerous I'd be surprised if the Zombie uprising wasn't over before it started. If it started somewhere like Harrlesden dem mandem be merked before dem bite jack bruv, y'get me...

Originally Posted by Halie Satanus

How is the virus contracted, other than biting/body fluid exchange?. Is it airborne?(if so we're ed, not worth surviving the initial days), if it's in the water system it provides a much larger threat, it's survivable but thousands would be effected before they knew it.

I'm not just trying to give you a hard time, but if you're going to write a guide you will have to give a detailed scenario. I, for instance live in central London and given there would be few Zombies that could actually move around and be dangerous I'd be surprised if the Zombie uprising wasn't over before it started. If it started somewhere like Harrlesden dem mandem be merked before dem bite jack bruv, y'get me...

No, I like the questions. The handbook is actually already written & due out mid-2010. I too am Lonodn-based & I know what you mean about Harlesden - I actually included a section on gangs versus the undead.

The virus is not airbourne but does have an unusual spread pattern as one of the vectors is that the deceased actually get back up & continue to spread the virus - on some models it was exponential...

One of the scenarios I look at is an outbreak in central London - I had a panel of experts review the scenario - the outcome was not good mate, tube stations over-run, everything.

Cheers

Henri (sean)

What other scenarios you got going? I don't suppose you have any West Country or Liverpool based scenarios? Or some kind of Highland based scenario (The situation I would most like to be in probably)




Also, will this be sold overseas?

Originally Posted by Azog 150

What other scenarios you got going? I don't suppose you have any West Country or Liverpool based scenarios? Or some kind of Highland based scenario (The situation I would most like to be in probably)




Also, will this be sold overseas?

Will be available everywhere.

Yeah, I plotted one based on a Manchester airport. In this case, the outbreak from an infected passenger was contained. What surprised me is just how many people live within 50 miles of Manchester airport - basically, if it got out - we're in trouble.

I did look at our national parks as places to survive long-term - trouble is the UK is in total gridlock on everyday monday - imagine it when the dead rise

Also, even our national parks have loads of people who actually live there. I'm city based & I thought hell I won't even get out of the urban area so I came up with a 90-day survival plan baed on staying in your own fortified home.

Henri (sean)

One of the scenarios I look at is an outbreak in central London - I had a panel of experts review the scenario - the outcome was not good mate, tube stations over-run, everything.

Hmm, ok this doesn't really sound like Zombies, as in the un-dead. How many people do you think die in London on an average week.? Estimates come in around 1500-2000 (I actually thought it would be more) that's about 93600 a year, give or take a couple of thousand). Now suppose they are all buried and not cremated, half that number, seeing as some would be to decomposed to be much of an issue. 46800, the population of London is roughly seven million.

No contest.

Oh, and panel of experts?. Is that a paid job?, cause I think I know enough about Zombies (dated a few) to sit on any panel if the dosh good.

In James Huberts book 'The Dark' a malignant force which turns people into ravenous flesh eaters (I think, some years since I read it) hides in the dark. It starts fairly slowly but erupts at a football match, around 60,000 infected in one hit. You probably need a trigger like that to kick it off in vast numbers.

Originally Posted by Halie Satanus

Hmm, ok this doesn't really sound like Zombies, as in the un-dead. How many people do you think die in London on an average week.? Estimates come in around 1500-2000 (I actually thought it would be more) that's about 93600 a year, give or take a couple of thousand). Now suppose they are all buried and not cremated, half that number, seeing as some would be to decomposed to be much of an issue. 46800, the population of London is roughly seven million.

Well assuming that zombies infect other people and are generally stronger than humans in hand to hand combat (due to non feeling pain etcetera) a single zombie might actually be enough in a crowded city without guns.

Then again, based on the fact that anyone with two legs can out run them, zombies aren't really that scary. At all.

Your pretty much screwed. You either die nobly with your cricket bat or starve to death in a castle. Or brave the atlantic in a boat and try to get to the USA, where you at least will have a chance.
The ideal place to be during the ZPAW would be any rural farming town. Lots of food, lots of guns and few people. Sorry brits, but in most apocalyptic situations you really are in a bad spot.

Originally Posted by Halie Satanus

Hmm, ok this doesn't really sound like Zombies, as in the un-dead. How many people do you think die in London on an average week.? Estimates come in around 1500-2000 (I actually thought it would be more) that's about 93600 a year, give or take a couple of thousand). Now suppose they are all buried and not cremated, half that number, seeing as some would be to decomposed to be much of an issue. 46800, the population of London is roughly seven million.

No contest.

Your including buried bodies? I hope not, 1) tissue decomposition means you have no method to to control motor functions...no ligaments no movement. 2) it is impossible for a human to break out of a coffin buried under 6 ft of earth. Nothing is going to come out of the ground unless it is dug up. You can not dig yourself up because there is no space to move it.

Originally Posted by scheuch13

Your pretty much screwed. You either die nobly with your cricket bat or starve to death in a castle. Or brave the atlantic in a boat and try to get to the USA, where you at least will have a chance.
The ideal place to be during the ZPAW would be any rural farming town. Lots of food, lots of guns and few people. Sorry brits, but in most apocalyptic situations you really are in a bad spot.



Your including buried bodies? I hope not, 1) tissue decomposition means you have no method to to control motor functions...no ligaments no movement. 2) it is impossible for a human to break out of a coffin buried under 6 ft of earth. Nothing is going to come out of the ground unless it is dug up. You can not dig yourself up because there is no space to move it.

Screwed is exactly the word I would use here in the UK. I did some analysis of the atlantic crossing but you need some real seafaring experience to make it - most folks here just don't have the skills.

Also, in most major outbreak scenarios the virus spreads internationally so we may not be able to call on our good allies in the USA for help. Be great if the Marines were sent over to help rescue what was left of the Brits but that is the best case scenario.

Henri (sean)