Poll: What weapons will you use in a zombie apocalypse?

[chadachada123]

Both! I have a softball bat and my dad owns several guns. It'll be mostly firearms, though, unless they get too close.

 

[Flamezdudes]

Not sure if anyone ever thought about it, but how good are the zombie's senses? Because if they're average or lower.. I could blend in. Just tear my shirt up a bit, make an expression that fits right in with the zombies and follow them up in style. I could get anywhere and not draw attention to myself. However... if they're smart (how that is, I don't know) or have good senses, then-

I would have to go with my wooden samurai sword. Sure it's not the most effective killing tool, but it's not meant to kill. I'd bash their legs in, and trust me- a full thick wooden sword the strength of a tree trunk but more focus put into the force... could break a leg. Just cripple the zombies, and not try to kill them. See to me, trying to kill a zombie is good to limit their numbers but costs time. Just making your way through them by breaking their limbs makes it easier to escape within a faster time and the other survivors have a much better chance evading them too, or finishing them off.

You mean like this?

I don't have any guns as i'm living urban in the UK, so i'd have to use a lot of melee weapons.

 

[socialmenace42]

My Avatar.

Church-tank: the best offence and defence against any form of the undead

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

In a zombie apocalype, you need to find a way to defend yourself with the materials that you can find. The two most popular styles seem to be getting up close and personal with a baseball bat or a fire ax or a sledge hammer and using that to kill the zombie. There are pros and cons to each.

Guns

Pros
- Much longer range
- A single heatshot is fatal
- larger guns can be used as makeshift clubs

Cons
- It is easy to miss without training or when you panic
- Ammunition will most likely be limited
- A gun can jam at a crucial moment
- Zombies feel no pain, so a shot to anywhere but the head will be a waste of ammo

Melee weapons

Pros
- Can be used more often
- The blunt force is usually strong enough to break limbs, which can hamper a zombie's effectiveness and a single swing to the neck will most likely be fatal
- Are fairly easy to find

Cons
-Require you to be close to the zombie to use
- Bladed weapons (such as an axe) can get stuck
- It is possible to break them

So, what will you do in the zombie apocalypse? Melee weapon or gun? Or do you have another plan that doesn't involve either? Personally I'd rather carry around a sledge hammer. I've never used a gun before in my life and I'd probably use half a clip just to take down one zombie.

GUNS ALSO MAKE LOTS OF NOISE!!! That is probably the biggest con you can get from using a fire-arm.

 

[X10J]

- Are fairly easy to find > The only exclusive pro, but it assumes we aren't in America where almost every walmart carries some sort of firearm

I disagree with this rebuttal for a two reasons. 1.) The assumption that a person in the zombie apocalypse won't be in America seems reasonable. The U.S. population is about 350 million or so, compare to the Earth's population of about 6.7 billion. If you picked a person at random on the planet, odds are they won't be in America (I've not taken into account tourists, business people, etc, but I think the estimation is reasonable).

2.) While the idea of going to the nearest grocery store to stock up is a popular idea, it's also a stupid one. And its popularity is part of the reason why it's such a bad idea. Once the zombie apocalypse takes place, everyone's first instinct is to go to the nearest Walmart to get supplies, everyone's. So, assuming your party isn't the only one out there, which is almost always the case, your local Walmart is no longer a supply depot or an armory; it's a battle ground and a slaughter house. And, after the first few days, it's a barren slaughter house, having been raided and held a few different times by a few different parties.

Of course, if you do happen to be in the States, especially the South, firearms shouldn't be too difficult find. I just wouldn't go looking for them at Walmart.

 

[AngloDoom]

It's got to be a melee weapon for me, preferably something which relies more on blunt-force trauma than a sharp edge. Ideally it would a fire-axe due to have some good length, sturdy frame, and an edge that relies more on shock than sharp edges to smash its way through things. However, in my household the only things I have that would be any useful would be hammers and one mini baseball-bat.

My butterfly knife wouldn't be worth shit in the scenario, despite how much I'd like to pretend I was Hit-Girl with it.

 

[R0cklobster]

Duh, guns. Why would anybody specifically choose melee if guns are even an option? Why take your chances with not doing a good enough job the first time you hit it, and just shoot it in the face instead?

 

[dalek sec]

Screw that, I'd take a goddamned TANK! Even if I run out of ammo I can still squish the zombies under my mighty treads.

You'd likely run out of fuel before ammo. You think those giant steel behemoths run on happy thoughts?

They get crappy gas mileage.

Yeah, but even so I'd like to see a zombie get into one.

Not to be a douche to your choice of ride Canadamus but when dealing with zombies you aren't dealing with just one, it's usally thousands and once they hear and see that thing good luck getting rid of them. Even if they can't climb it you'll have them surrounding it like an ocean of rotting flesh around your island of metal.

OT: For me it'd be a gun, namely some kind of .22 kind and either a shotgun or a rifle to deal with humans. Trust me, it's not just zombies you gotta worry about when it hits the fan. Maybe carry some kind of melee weapon as a backup, not sure what though.

 

[Fasckira]

An angry badger tied to a long stick that I can just flail at anyone or anything I dislike.

 

[the_green_dragon]

The best offense is a killer defense.

I would opt for armour. Full plate would be best with a decent sized shield.

 

[kommando367]

I know I'm not accurate enough to pull off head shots on moving targets and I don't own an assault weapon, so I'll probably be best with my flail and a large makeshift shield unless I can get my hands on a good assault weapon..

 

[NightHawk21]

- Are fairly easy to find > The only exclusive pro, but it assumes we aren't in America where almost every walmart carries some sort of firearm

I disagree with this rebuttal for a two reasons. 1.) The assumption that a person in the zombie apocalypse won't be in America seems reasonable. The U.S. population is about 350 million or so, compare to the Earth's population of about 6.7 billion. If you picked a person at random on the planet, odds are they won't be in America (I've not taken into account tourists, business people, etc, but I think the estimation is reasonable).

2.) While the idea of going to the nearest grocery store to stock up is a popular idea, it's also a stupid one. And its popularity is part of the reason why it's such a bad idea. Once the zombie apocalypse takes place, everyone's first instinct is to go to the nearest Walmart to get supplies, everyone's. So, assuming your party isn't the only one out there, which is almost always the case, your local Walmart is no longer a supply depot or an armory; it's a battle ground and a slaughter house. And, after the first few days, it's a barren slaughter house, having been raided and held a few different times by a few different parties.

Of course, if you do happen to be in the States, especially the South, firearms shouldn't be too difficult find. I just wouldn't go looking for them at Walmart.

1) Its a fair enough point, but I'm sure if you took a poll of everyone on the site you would see that the majority of people come from 1 of 3 countries (namely the stats, Canada, and the UK, with Australia probably following after that), and maybe with the exception of the UK and possibly Australia, it shouldn't be too hard to find a gun in at least the other 2 countries.

2) I don't think this would be everyone's first idea. I think everyone's first idea would be to leave the city, and the only way I see the Walmarts getting raided is if you know the apocalypse is coming ahead of time. Besides you don't have to raid immediately. Me I live in a site that is on the Great Lakes, and has plenty of marinas and harbors for both recreational, industrial, and shipping boats. I would personally head down to one of those and grab a nice decent sized sailboat, and swim out into the middle of the lake to let everything cool down, and see how it is in a weeks time. Also I think if we're going traditional zombie apocalypse, 99% of the civilization is dead after the initial outbreak.

 

[NightHawk21]

The best offense is a killer defense.

I would opt for armour. Full plate would be best with a decent sized shield.

I think you inverted that quote a little lol While good defense is good and all, you wouldn't be able to move and sooner or later the zombies would knock you over, rip at the suit, and expose a part to bite.

You'd be much better off with some think clothing that nicely covers your body, a mask and goggles. Stuff that lets you move quickly.

 

[Sigma Castell]

A good, old-fashioned orbital strike.

 

[Chairman Miaow]

I'm a big strong guy, I'm in good shape but I can't aim for shit. If I tried to use a gun I would probably just end up hurting myself. I'd probably keep a shotgun or hunting rifle around for emergencies (assuming I could get my hands on one, although I live in the English countryside, and everyone's packing around here) I've got a few big heavy demolition tools around the house as well, so I'd get my huge travel bag and pack it full of tools and supplies, and be on my way to a friend's farm, It's massive and is powered by their own wind farm. I think I could survive there indefinitely if I had enough help from other survivors.

 

[ryo02]

a decent pair of running shoes ... ok fine err kitchen knives you can find them in most kitchens restaurants or stores.

also easy to attach to broom sticks for added range.

 

[Hoplon]

uh... both? I mean is it that hard to have an axe in a loop while you shoot a zombie?