Apocalypse Hal - In the zone

Another lesson in self defence against zombies 

Don't let zombies get close. Pretty simple huh? For those who want the advanced version there are some standard 'zones' used in martial arts and law enforcement that are worth being conscious of. 

There are a few versions of these zones and the spacing will vary and are also dependent on your body size. Taller people will have a slightly longer reach. Stronger people will be able to hold a longer chainsaw.

Not only do these zones dictate what techniques and weapons you can use, there is also changes in the level of risk. Now some martial artists may argue that being in really close with an attacker is actually safer, because this limits the attacker's power and techniques. A skilled fighter can then use this to their advantage. However, with zombies the closer they are the higher the risk of you getting infected. You may defeat a zombie in a close combat fight, but all that grappling means scratches, bites and body fluid splatter. 

So go all Daryl Dixon and crossbow* the undead before they get close enough to harm you. 

Bite off more than you can chew

Mr Rimsky


* Note crossbows are illegal in Australia but in America you can buy them at Walmart.

Build the perfect survival kit

Now most survival books will have a chapter or section on making a survival kit. But you know there are so many types of survival kits, you could write a whole book on them. Oh wait, someone has.

Toss away the scrapbooking, making survival kits is the new fad. And its fun for all the whole family with so much to chose from, everyday carry, vehicle kits, bug out bags and boat kits. John McCann is a guy who takes survival kits to a new level, he even shows how to put a survival kit in a bamboo walking stick.You know, just in case.

The book covers the basic components you should induce in a survival kit. The usual stuff like fire, shelter, signalling etc. If you are a gear junkie then you will enjoy checking out all the products John discusses. There are even some items John has created himself. However, some of these cool products may be hard to get in Australia. Maybe you can get away with ordering online, if you really want that CAT Tourniquet.  

There are lot of useful hits, like how you can fold an aluminum foil pan flat, and store it in your kit. It make a good emergency container for boiling water or making roadkill meatloaf. And there are lots of item lists for mini, small, medium and large kits. After reading this book you there are no excuses for not having at least three survival kits ready for the zombie apocalypse.

This is the updated second edition and so contains even more survival! 


Bite off more meatloaf than you can chew

Mr Rimsky

Apocalypse Hal - More OODA

When too much OODA is not enough. 

In this chart I have added a few more details to the OODA steps and used Cooper's colour code to show your possible state of awareness in each stage. The United States Marine Corp use some of these principles in their combat profiling course. Marines are trained to look for anomalies that stand out against what should be a normal situation. Like you may suspect a person in the local market is being up to no good because they are always looking over there shoulder. Naturally it is easier to spot zombies.

But one odd thing or bit of strange behaviour may not mean anything serious is going to happen. So there is a threshold set. For example three odd things would be considered enough to trigger making a decision. That decision is probably a based on series of predetermined acts, for zombies, run, hide or fight would be a good set. In the first instance you would run but if this was not possible, hiding would be next. Fighting would be the last resort.

The colour code is a guide. Your state of awareness will vary depending on the situation. In a low stress situation you may just stay in condition Yellow as you keep cycling through the loop, avoiding zombies before they can get to you. But if things get desperate and you find yourself into a fight to the death with a zombie, you will move up to condition Red and as stay there. You will keep cycling through the loop as you deal with each attack the zombie throws at you. 

In the worst case scenario you go to condition Black and you start to falter. The zombies then get to eat your brains. 

Bite off more OODA than you can chew 

Mr Rimsky

Apocalypse Hal - the OODA

So having got to grips with a the Cooper colour code it is time for John Boyd's OODA loop. Like Jeff Cooper, John Boyd served in the military. In Boyd's case he was a fighter pilot who went on become a military strategist. His OODA loop was a radical new theory that has influence such diverse fields as ligation, reality TV and sports. 

Ok so it may not look like much but Boyd's theory is actually very complex, this is a very, very simple version. What is interesting is you can see how the first two steps are about situational awareness while the next two steps are about tactical decision making.  

The OODA loop is not a one time thing, you are constantly going around and around the loop as your situation changes, causing you to reassess your decisions. In a fight the goal is to complete your loop before your opponent, because then you can execute your attack before they can. There are ways you can speed up your loop and slow down your opponent's. 

Bite off more OODA than you can chew

Mr Rimsky

Build the perfect Bug Out Vechicle

Well Spring is here and I have been so slack with my survival skills. Maybe I can make up for it by reading more books.

Like another book by Creek Stewart.

I saw this in the library so couldn't pass up reading it. Strangely it is the only one of his books in the library. Wonder why they got it in.

Anyway, back to the book. This is the second in Creek's Bug Out series and is packed with lots of information. Like how to made a Faraday cage using a galvanized bucket and cardboard. You need a Faraday cage to protect your electronic equipment in case of an EMP (ElectroMagnetic Pulse). EMPs can be created by solar flares or terrorists. And who wants terrorists wiping vital data from your mobile phone, like the latest Taylor Swift song you downloaded. Other useful ideas are using rat traps for perimeter alarms and how to spray paint your esky in camo colours. Awesome stuff.

Most of the book focuses on how to create a BOV. The pros and cons of different vehicles types like SUVs and four wheel drives. All the extras you should pack, like survival gear, winches and chainsaws. While the focus is on cars, towards the back things get creative with boats, pack animals and experimental aircraft. Naturally Creek uses his new BOV to illustrate many of the things you need to consider. And I must say his BOV is a pretty impressive vehicle (that it on the cover). It even has a bike, cart and canoe as backup transport options.

What fascinates me is the amazing array of stuff you can legally buy in the United States and I don't just mean the assault rifles. I particularly loved the pepper spray holder that clips into your cigarette outlet. Or the store bought caltrops or the camo netting for hiding the car. It is those little touches that make a great BOV. Sadly we have to just improvise our vehicles here in Australia, Mad Max style.


Bite off more pepper spray than you can chew

Mr Rimsky