Zombie Warfare Preparation: The Best Strategy Against a Zombie Attack

Okay, so the dead are walking the earth. What do you do?

You are now against an enemy that for the first time in human history can wage “total warfare”. It does not tire. It does not sleep. It does not require food. It does not need air. Fire and bullets, unless used properly, won’t stop it. Heck, it doesn’t even need a bathroom break. It is relentless. Your enemy is a product of a unique contagion that first kills its victim then makes them into a walking engine of horror.

Its rudimentary intelligence has one goal: To eat living things. And in this case – you.

You actually have three goals:

• To not get eaten – More than anything else, you don’t want to be eaten. Should a horde of zombies isolate and overwhelm you, there will not be any opportunity to negotiate, give up, or fool them into thinking you’ve decided to join their team. They will want to eat you. They will do it violently and painfully. They won’t use knives. They’ll just rip you or your loved ones to pieces and then feast on your fresh living flesh.
• To not get infected – You opponent is a walking infection. A bite or a scratch will, within 24 hours, kill you and turn you into one of them. For most people who contemplate dying, they realize that being dead is the ultimate release from any of life’s responsibilities. If you’re dead, your problems are over. However, should you be with your family or close friends, your reanimated corpse may present several emotional (and non-applicable) problems. They may think they are killing you. They are not. Unfortunately, it may cause them to hesitate in putting you down before your body tries to eat them.
• Survival – Regardless of whether the zombies are upon you or not, during a full zombie invasion, the police and government will not be able to help you. You’ll be on your own and you’ll need food, water, weapons, and fortifications. The best way to look at this is you’ve suddenly adopted an Amish lifestyle and will be required to do without the luxuries of electricity, heat, and most modern conveniences.

The very best strategy against the walking dead is very much like the advice given by Monty Python – Run away. Run far away. Get the hell out of there. Run quickly and with a direct purpose. If you see or smell one of the walking dead, the best move is to not be there. This requires stealth and a cool head for you and everyone in your party. If you’re lucky, the thing won’t smell you. If you’re really lucky, it won’t notice you at all.

I know. It seems like common sense. But you’d be surprised how many people think that the rush of adrenaline that hits their system is a sign to fight and not fly.

The best strategy is to run away.

So get your hushpuppies in gear. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Get the hell out of there. Run. Run away. Quickly.

Really. It's not a drill if you see the zombie and you're out in the open. You need to not be there. It will eat you and it won't be painless. If you're lucky, it will rip your head off and you can watch the horde eat the rest of your body.

Should the zombie sense anyone, it may begin to moan. If it moans loud enough, it will attract more zombies. Then the horde will be upon your party dooming them if they get surrounded.

So when you're running like a scared little girl, I would suggest you not scream like one. Shut up. Be quiet. And get to the business of getting away.

What happens if one of your party decides that shooting a zombie at close range is the thing to do? Why do I ask that? There's always one idiot in the bunch who didn't set his cell phone on vibrate.

The first problem is most people forget in their panic that the only way to destroy a zombie completely is a shot through the center of head – one inch above the eyebrow where the forehead indents slightly. Anywhere else won’t stop them.

The gunshot’s report, very much like a zombie’s moan, will attract the attention to other zombies. Given the limitation of ammo within a standard handgun, every shot needs to count. Using a gun should be a weapon of last resort.

The better tool to use is a crowbar or baseball bat. You need something that's going to smash and pulverize whatever is in that stinkbag's skull. Save your money. Don't buy a gun. Go to Home Depot instead and head for the garden section.

Once you and your party find a properly fortified base, you can begin to plan your defenses. The location of your structure should be away from any well populated city with a clear view of all grounds surrounding the structure.

I recommend any structure that has access to the roof from the top floor where you can set up a good sniper’s nest. Max Brooks in his book, The Zombie Survival Guide, recommends his weapon of choice is a WWI M1 Combat Infantry Rifle with a scope and plenty of ammo. I recommend any single shot long range rifle with a scope… with plenty of ammo. If you have the luxury of a silencer, even better.

Ideally, you want to solve a zombie problem while it’s a small one. For the stray zombie that wanders near your base, a patient single shot through the head should take care of the problem.

Brooks recommends a single shot long range fire arm because the temptation to waste ammunition through automatic fire is very great. Anything but a head shot is wasted ammunition. The single shot long range rifle will provide the necessary force combined with the accuracy of a long range scope needed to bring the zombie down from a distance.

The key words for this are long distance and patience. They are not going to run at you. Take your time. Take the shot. And take care of business.

Remember, your ultimate goal is the survival of you and your loved ones. With luck, you should be able to keep away from any large groups of zombies while other small groups of survivors are fighting their own personal fronts.

In the final analysis, what will be needed is an organized effort to reduce the zombie population and rebuild civilization. Until then it’s up to you to be prepared and take precautions.

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