Zombies

by Jorell Vuthivcha-Mor

If a zombie apocalypse were to happen, would the world be able to stop it? Humanity has not experienced a zombie apocalypse, but that does not mean the possibility of it happening is not there. With any possibility, there needs to be a solution. Depending on the type of zombie apocalypse would determine the solution needed. Whether the zombies are the slow and classic type, fast and rage-infected, intelligent, viral and contagious, or supernatural or undead, there are different defense strategies, offense strategies, escape strategies, and survival tips for each type of zombie apocalypse. With all these possibilities and strategies, there are many solutions to a zombie apocalypse, but the success of the solutions depend on the intensity of the apocalypse.

When it comes to the classic zombie that is slow and thoughtless, weapons, supplies, and location would be the main things that should be focused on in order to survive. For immediate survival, it is best to avoid panicking. This will allow clear thinking to then find shelter and gather supplies. Rural areas are best, but rooftops and buildings with limited access points will suffice too. Stocking up on food, water, weapons, medical kits, and tools is important. The type of weapon matters. Firearms are preferred, but they run out of ammo. This means it is important to conserve ammo. Jacob Pacheco, Ahmani Roman, Kursad Tosun, Scott Greenhalgh created a mathematical model over scenarios of a blunt weapon like an axe versus a firearm like a 9 mm:

Our predictions show the single-tap intervention is the best for stopping the zombie apocalypse, as it would avert hundreds of millions of zombies and deaths while also being the most cost-effective intervention. Altogether, this suggests conserving ammunition and supplying ranged weapons would be an effective use of limited resources in the event of a zombie uprising (Pacheco, et al, 2022, p. 2). 

It is also important to have a blunt weapon like crowbars and baseball bats as a backup. 

If the zombies are fast and rage-infected, firearms, groups, sharp melee weapons, shelter, supplies, and transportation are factors that are important to survival. Fast zombies are a hard threat to deal with, so quick decision making and adaptability is important. Food and water need to be stockpiled. It would be best to have water purification methods to keep the supply of drinking water abundant. Medical supplies as first aid kits and medications are important to have. Tools such as batteries, flashlights, and gear are needed, as well. The type of zombie changes the type of weapons best needed. For fast and rageful zombies, the best melee weapon would be a bladed weapon like a machete. They are able to decapitate a zombie and kill them quickly. For firearms, assault rifles, handguns, and shotguns are good weapons to have. Shotguns are ideal for close compact, and their wide spread at a close range can kill more than one zombie. An assault rifle may not be the easiest weapon to get ahold of, but it has the best fire rate and accuracy without having to be up close to the zombie to kill them. Handguns are useful since they are easy to carry and best for emergency situations. When it comes to firearms, ammunition does run out, so having a sharp melee weapon to keep up ammo supply is important. Noise is also a problem with guns, especially a shotgun or assault rifle. This is another reason having a blade like a machete is still important to have. 

Weapons, shelter, and supplies are important no matter the zombie, but the types may change depending on the type of zombie. There are a few factors that aren’t as important to consider in slow zombies but are in fast zombies. Instead of just worrying about a barricaded shelter, it is important to also have escape routes that allow quick evacuation. Defense strategies, like traps, can help when running or hiding from fast zombies. Having a reliable vehicle is important with these types of zombies because running on foot may cost someone their life. This means fuel is also a supply to keep in stock. Fast and rage-infected zombies might be considered one of the scariest types of zombies. Having a good group dynamic could help in an apocalypse like this. Each individual in the group should be assigned their own role, such as scouting, medical care, defense, etc. It would be best to have trustworthy individuals in a group. Of course, there are people who aren’t, there may be situations where people are low on certain supplies, and there may be certain amenities like weapons and transportation that not everyone will be able to obtain. These factors can change an individual’s likeliness of survival: 

Zombie lore focuses on the interrelations between social classes and groups (zombies and humans) as well as on the ones between different groups of humans. These interrelations involve power struggles in both a material (food, shelter, weapons) and a symbolic sense (trustworthiness, comradeship). As a consequence of these struggles, the internal organizations of the groups are also recurrent elements of the zombie myth, sometimes ending in either a democratic or an autocratic structuration of the survivors (Riebling and Schmitz, 2016, p. 1).

 The best way for humanity to have long term survival is community building. Sharing resources and information while still managing resources can ensure humanity’s long term survival. 

Intelligent zombies would cause serious troubles for humans, and their intelligence could cause them to take over. In order to prevent this, advanced technologies, community building, defense strategies, training, and resource management are all important factors to have. Humans need an advantage over something like intelligent zombies. Advanced technologies can be used as leverage. Autonomous systems like drones and robotic vehicles can be used for surveillance, surveying, and force multipliers. “Autonomous systems will fundamentally alter the way wars are waged. In particular, autonomous weapon systems, capable of selecting and engaging targets without direct human operator involvement, represent a significant shift of humans away from the battlefield” (Thurnher, 2016, p. 177). The internet of battlefield things (IoBT) is also technology that could be leveraged. “The internet of battlefield things (IoBT) is an innovative technology for improving the operational effectiveness of military systems. It is a network of sensors, wearables, and IoT devices that makes use of cloud and edge computing to create a coherent combat force, connect warfighters with smart technology in armor, radios, weapons, and other objects” (Zhu, et al, 2020, p. 1). IoBT can improve response to threats. These technological advantages would limit humans' exposure to zombies. Mobile defense and a chain of command would be important to have in place. Governments and organizations would have to have specific units to handle the zombies and levels to each unit depending on the threat of the attack. Psychological operations would help humans keep leverage over intelligent zombies. This would consist of deception tactics and controlling the flow of information. Like other types of zombies, shelter, supplies, and weapons are all important factors to consider. Community building is important for an apocalypse with intelligent zombies as well. Alliances would benefit with sharing information, manpower, and resources. 

A zombie apocalypse is currently a hypothetical, but that does not mean it will never happen. In order for humanity to survive, a survival guide will need to be followed. These tips and guides change depending on the type of zombie. If the zombies were slow and thoughtless, the main concern would be resources and shelter. If the zombies were fast and rage-infected, more concerns are added. Firearms, escape routes, sharp melee weapons, and transportation would all need to be included in a survival plan. If the zombies were intelligent, it would be the hardest zombie apocalypse for humans to survive. Warfare and defense technology would keep humans at a leverage. For humans to plan for long term survival, community building and alliances would be important. This would prevent mass people from running low on supplies and could share information.

References

Pacheco, J., Roman, A., Tosun, K., & Greenhalgh, S. (2022). Guns, Zombies, and Steelhead 

Axes: Cost-Effective Recommendations for Surviving Human Societies. https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2203.15093

Riebling, J. R., & Schmitz, A. (2016). ZombieApocalypse: Modeling the Social Dynamics of 

Infection and Rejection. Methodological Innovations, 9. https://doi.org/10.1177/2059799115622767

Thurnher, J.S. (2016). Means and Methods of the Future: Autonomous Systems. In: Ducheine, P., 

Schmitt, M., Osinga, F. (eds) Targeting: The Challenges of Modern Warfare. T.M.C. Asser Press, The Hague. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-072-5_9

Zhu, L., Majumdar, S., & Ekenna, C. (2020). An invisible warfare with the internet of battlefield things: A literature review. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 3(2), 255–260. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbe2.231