Thursday, February 17, 2011

Melee Weapons

Here's a short list of several potential zombie killers. If anybody can think of anything else, feel free to post it in the comments section.

Axes
They tend to be big and heavy, and the blade likes to get stuck in zombie skulls. If you miss a swing, it throws you off balance, leaving you open to a zombie bite. Since the handle is made of wood, it might break, leaving you weaponless. Overall, not a great zombie weapon. On the plus side, it has a fairly good reach, and has uses outside of combat, such as chopping down trees and doors. Not my number one choice for zombie killing.

Hatchets
Hatchets, tomahawks, and other hand axes are small, lightweight, can be used for various camp side activities such as chopping wood and zombie brains. Downside is that is has a short reach, and like its big brother, hatchets get stuck in zombie skulls very easily. You could find something better, but overall, not a bad weapon.


Machetes
These are great zombie killers. People have been using them to hack each other to pieces for years now, so using them on a zombie shouldn't be very different. Just be sure to aim for the neck, and be careful with the heads. They can still bite. Also double as tools, and are useful in wooded areas.

Knives
Kitchen knives, Swiss army knives, and cheap pocket knives from Wal-Mart are going to be next to useless. If you have a half-decent knife, that's better, but you're better off using your knife for more mundane tasks, like cutting your food, rope, or your wrists (God Mode is not suggesting you commit suicide. However, death may be preferable to zombification). Not very good for killing zombies. Better than nothing though.

Hammers
Lightweight, portable, and many are made of solid steel with a rubber grip. Great for bashing skulls in. Be careful with it though. Since it has a short reach, you may have to get closer to Zed than you may like. Useful for putting up a barricade.

Sledghammers
They can destroy just about anything in your way, including a zombie. But they're heavy, and a miss will throw you off balance. Also, carrying them along with the rest of your gear won't be any fun.

Crowbars
Most people think a crowbar is the ultimate close quarters weapon for taking on zombies. It can cave in a zombie's skull in a single hit, is relatively lightweight(especially the titanium models), and can still open doors, crates, car trunks, etc. However, they are NOT designed for swinging at anything. They're uncomfortable, unwieldy, and not very balanced. A pry bar is a little lighter and can accomplish most of the same tasks, and are a little lighter. Still a very good zombie weapon.

Power Tools
Useless. They're loud, require either electricity or gas to work, and aren't very good at killing zombies. Avoid at all costs. Yes, this includes the chainsaw.

Replica Weapons
They're decorations. Use one, and I can guarantee you're zombie food. You wouldn't use a chair to kill a zombie, would you? Then don't use your $20 katana you bought at a flea market.

Real Swords, Spears, etc
Most things in this category would be great zombie killers. Downside is that they tend to be large, require training, and can't be used for anything other than zombie killing.

While on the internet a couple days ago, I found something a think would be the ultimate zombie killer. Downside is that it's nine pounds. There's a smaller version that's only five pounds, but either one would kick ass. Also very useful for breaking down walls, prying open doors and car trunks, and just kicking zombie ass.

The 30" model


The 18" model

Monday, February 14, 2011

A Good Zombie Gun

When choosing what firearm you're going to carry during the zombie apocalypse, there are several things to consider:

Durability/Maintenance
Accuracy/Range
Rate of Fire
Ammunition
Weight

Maintenance
For obvious reasons, you won't want a gun that will break or jam while taking on hordes of zombies. Replacement parts will be difficult, if not impossible, to find after Z-Day. So you'll need something durable. The AK-47 is an excellent example of a highly durable firearm. it doesn't jam, and is extremely hard to break. God forbid it does break, however, and you're screwed. Whatever you choose, have a small repair kit handy, preferably with replacement parts. 


Accuracy
Considering you'll be aiming at the zombies head, which is the most difficult part of the body to hit, you'll need an accurate firearm. What you want to look for is something that's accurate between 150-300 yards. Anything less, and you'll have a hard time hitting your target. Longer range is fine, but while on the run, engaging targets from too far away will just attract more zombies.


Rate of Fire
Some assault rifles in use by various militaries can fire up to 600 rounds a minute. While fighting insurgents, terrorists, and other militaries, this is a good thing. While combating the legion of the damned, however, automatic weapons just waste ammo. Semi-auto and bolt action guns are more accurate, and better for conserving ammo. One thing to to consider though, is that during the early days of the zombie apocalypse looters and the like will be fairly common, and an automatic weapon could be handy. A weapon with selective fire is recommended.


Ammunition
You'll want something that can punch a hole in a zombie skull at 300 yards, but light enough to carry along with the rest of your gear. The 7.62mm has a lot of stopping power, but is too heavy to carry a lot of. The 5.56 is used in U.S. military assault rifles because it is light, yet retains stopping power. The .22, while very common, does not have enough stopping power to be effective at long range. One advantage it does have is that it's quieter than larger calibers. Something else to think about is how much harder it will be to find ammo as time goes on. Some weapons can be converted between calibers in the field. Carrying the extra parts will probably get annoying, but being able to use multiple calibers will be invaluable as time goes on.


Weight
The heavier your gun and ammo are, the food and gear you'll be able to carry. Just something to keep in mind.


Personally, I prefer the Ruger 10/22. It's reliable, ammo is cheap and easy to get, and the are plenty of accessories for it. It doesn't have a very long range, but it's better to run than to fight. 

Thursday, February 10, 2011

First Post

First post on the new blog. Haven't decided what to talk about yet. Topics may or may not include tech, video games, the zombie apocalypse, or just complaining about my day. Any suggestions would be appreciated.