I wouldn't really say that the UK has 'few urban enviroments', I mean, you live in London, the largest and most densly populated area in Europe.
And my tactics are running, hiding, scrounging and killing where I need to, but I'm from Somerset, so I'm at an advantage over you soft city types. =P
Not sure about blatant self promotion on the forums, but any help (particularily well informed help) is useful.

I don't think in terms of '90 day plans', I plan for a complete and utter breakdown of civilisation. Just in case.

And I wouldn't say that the ZSG is 'comic' or not useful, it's the base for my zombie plan and is (whilst certainly aimed at Americans) useful to an Englishman too. Also, reading through the details on Amazon, it seems to cover a lot of the same stuff as the YZP. Why should I go spending extra money on this when I already know quite a lot about defense and attack. Knowing a few Anglo-centric things about idk, makeshift weapons or something isn't going to help much.

TL;DR- What's different than the ZSG?

Hey,

I didn't say the ZSG wasn't useful - it is. Anyway, if you look at the population figures in the Uk you'll soon see there is no wilderness - not really - cities and large towns are close to nigh on each area.

I suppose the real difference is the survival detail - the 90 day plan is a big part of it - this includes a lot of information from how to store water to dried food storage times. Also, I have overlaid our police, army, even criminal gangs over a potential zombie outbreak. For example, I look at weakness in the Royal Navy, MI5, hell even the Joint Helicopter Command - that's the UK detail I mean.

There are also uk-based outbreak scenarios....the fact that we don't have guns is a bit factor.

Point taken about self-promotion - it's a balancing act really. I'm not in this for the money - I work a full-time job like most authors - I want to contribute to an area I love...I'm just posted on sites I've used in the post, am a member of or someone recommended to me....

Anyway, thanks for the comments & I hope you check it out - I'd be keen to hear what you think of it - sounds like you've down some sound planning already...

Sean

Heh. Don't know about now having guns. I'm pretty much slap bang in the countryside. To quote 'Hot Fuzz' (which was filmed near me) "Everyone and their mum's got guns"

hahah - yeah - I know what you mean - I'm not from London - I grew up in rural Kent - also when you look at how well armed some of our gangs here are....

Tell you what, I was shocked at the limited number of firearms trained officers in the Uk even including the PSNI.

Sean

Yeah, but I doubt they could shoot for toffee. My friend is from London and says he knows where he could get guns... So I think I'll be staying away. Mind you, I've only been once, and that was on a school trip. /sigh.
Since you are afterall a Zombie Guru, you should upload your zombie plan. Let us mere mortals have a glance at genius.

I talked to quite a few people when I was doing the book & it is amazing how cagey people are about their plans.

After all the research, the reading & the visiting places - mine is pretty simple.

In the UK & in most locations, I think you safest if you stay put. I have 90-120 days of supplies - I'll fortify - then runs silent for the first 30-50 days of the chaos. It will be pointless trying to join the chaos - looting for supplies will be dangerous.

I plan to keep my head down for the opening phase - then start planning my next move are 30-50 days. This may be a move to a bug out location - it may just be linking up with other survivors.

The thing is, during my research, people had these amazing travel plans but forget that in a crisis, transport here grinds to a halt. Also, you can forget the national parks if you thinking of those.

My plan might sound mundane but people underestimate the chaos of the opening month - you can stay alive but only if you run silent & quiet - forget airports, docks etc

Anyway, that's my thinking.

Here's my plan. Pretty much go to a hillside in the middle of nowhere and camp it out. Alive > Exciting.

That's a decent plan - I don't think the air rifle will be any good against zombies but it will scare people off. The network of people you trust is an excellent idea & the church as a fort is sound.

When I researcher for the book I found out you could buy a second-hand whaler - an old ocean-going ship - imagine getting this kitted out with all the food & water you need - you could leave port & be out for months, only returning to check out what's going on. I also did some work on microlites & their potential use - you should check it out - I had no idea that had made so many improvements in this area - they can fly hundreds of miles now - maybe a useful option.

Sean

I don't feel that safe going anywhere away from the shore. Something goes wrong on a boat and you're in the middle of the ocean. And with boats you need to ensure there's seaworthy, fuelled, you can't grow any food, sea sicknesses (it's not cool to survive the ZombPocalypse if you're then throwing up everywhere).
Microlites: you crash, you're seriously injured and could have been sighted from a long way away. = Lots of zombies. So unless you're prepared and can already pilot one, I would not suggest it again.

And that air rifle is on the very limit of legal power. Put some dum-dums in it and it'll mess the brain up plenty fine. Eye sockets, temples, forehead, nice thin bits of bone to hit. And it's always useful for rabbits etc.

There's a dock 5-10 blocks away from my house. My dad works on cars for a living for about 35 years, he can easily hot-wire a boat and get it running. Even if something goes wrong with it, we'll go closer to shore.

Shush you, this is for fine, upstanding British people. You've got the rest of the Forum, especially the WaSoZu bit to discuss your boat.

I do agree - I spoke to a guy when I was researching the book - he was a real 'survival nut' - anyway - he had a boat prepared & a route for he & his family to get there. Sounded relly interesting - he wouldn't show me anything - kinda understand why really...

My advice, get a good plan but don't tell everyone the details.

The main point which came out of all my research - all the interviews, chats, forum exchanges was that everyone seems to be such a goddam hurry to get somewhere once the zombies arrive. It's gonna be chaos out there - you are much better staying safe in your home fortress & running silent. You should only look to move later on. I really believe that...

Sean

Yes, but I live a row of houses from the countryside in a small town in the midde of nowhere. Even in the initial rush, there'll be very little traffic on my road and I can probably make it to my safezone. I've only told my friends and family that I would take with me, so they're all well versed on where to run and where to cower.
Cities are completely different, so lying low and waiting for the mad rush, the looting and the front-end raiding to finish before moving out might be essential. IDK, but you'd need at least a fair sized food store.

Yeah that is a good point. One thing that I did come across when looking at a project outbreak was whether after the cities had been 'done' crowds of humans then zombies would flood over the countryside looking for safety/food.

That was one of my issues - the big cities would become giant morgues - hundreds of thousands would flee to the countryside - looting as they went. One thing none of the experts agree on is whether zombies would move off in search of food or just become dormant - making cities no go areas...

That's the problem in the UK - just too many people....saying that your plan sounds good. In the book I look at quite a few long term locations - there are some brilliant ones in the UK - check out the Spithead Forts on the web & you'll find what I think are the best - even have their own water supply.
Sean

Dunno about the Spithead forts... a storm or some high waves and your supplies could get covered in salt water. And I'm not really a sea person... Also, food supplies. Apart from fish, your going to be severly limited. And if the water system breaks, you're... not going to be happy anymore. My plan puts me in the middle of the Somerset levels, constant water (pretty much flooded half the time), long sight lines, fertile soils, low population, rabbits up to the wossnames, and crates upon crates of cider.

Personally, I think that the zombies would wander away from cities. But not overly quickly, and they'll sweep back through several times at least. Bear in mind that they are (likely) similar to people, so give them the same senses. They see some light from a glass window, They hear a building fall, they smell the rotting corpses of anyone/thing that didn't make it out. Also, any animals left alive would likely begin to take over the cities, giving them yet another foodsource. Also, think about the complexity of cities, particularily London, with its twisting, tight streets and tall buildings. I don't imagine that a zombie would be able to make it down from, say, the top floor of the BT tower, then through the streets out into the countryside, and definately not quickly. Cities are (IMHO) a no go area for at least a couple of years, then afterwards only with extreme caution.

Yeah - interesting point for foraging. Cities should be full of loot but where it's matched by millions of trapped or wondering zombies - then it's not worth the risk.

Your airgun will help scare off other human survivors which will be good. In the book, I have no case studies of zombies eating animals - only humans. Also, that they can go dormant & could last for years.

Sean

I'm going by Brooksian model (since I haven't got your book to go by, I'll have a look when I next go to the book shop, but most of my book collection is Pratchett), and he says that they'll eat any source of non-infected meat, preffering live, then preferring human, with humans being the only animals to get infected and animals dying from the virus.
Also, that airgun is the very limit of the law. it could kill zombies. Stop saying it's for scaring. =.=

Crap, double post!
Sudden naked man being attacked by babies!

Indeed - I share some stuff with Brooks - I agree it's a virus but that's it - in my view, it is an RNA virus - spread in much the same way as AIDS or a similar blood disease. There is a quite of bit of science in the book to support this.

I have not documented cases of zombies attacking animals so that's what I went with.

My book is only available on Amazon - I'm not with a big enough publisher to get into the shops - it's actually really hard to get into retail unless you are a big name.

Whatever the origin, I guess the important part is the survival bit!

Sean

Survival first, then capitalism? Good mantra.
But you should seriously upload your zombie plan. there's a button at the top left. Let us see what you're planning and let us give our two pence. There's a guide linked on my profile that I wrote, but I doubt if you'll need it. include whatever details you want.
But I go back to school tomorrow, so everyone can expect me to stop lurking so much (for Monday to Friday, at least).

And rather than putting Sean at the end of each post, you can just put it in your signature and it'll auto do it. It just looks silly as is. (IMO)

Thanks for the tips mate. I've been around a few forums in my time - think I'll keep on signing off - not the first time I've looked silly - not in this line of work !

Sean

DIE SPAMBOT, DIE!

wow - I was worried mine might come across as spam until I saw that - hang on I'm just emailling my credit card details to a man in Nigeria.

Hah! 419s. They're so funny.

i hate that spambot :/ anger so i took care of it...anyway i like the uk handbook thingy u b talkin bout

I found this intersting and decided to do some research. While I did not look at the whole of the UK population I decided to look at England only, not include Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, ect. What I found is that England is a very densely populated area and I would have to agree with the no real wilderness statement.

What I found was that England has a area of 50,341 square miles with a population of over 51 million, 51,446,000 is what wikipedia says.

I compared this to certain states in the US where one could easily get lost or leave to if a zombie outbreak were to happen.
The state of Alaska has a area of 663,268 square miles and has a population of only 698,473.
The state of North Dakota has a area of 70,762 square miles and has a population of 642,200.
The state of South Dakota has a area of 77,116 square miles and has a population of 812,383.
The state of Wyoming has a area of 97,818 square miles and has a population of 544,270.
The state of Montana has a area of 147,165 square miles and has a population of 967,440.
I could include others but these states are the extreme.

For Australia from looking at wikipedia two states have similar low population and high areas.
The Northern Territory has a area of 548,640 square miles with a population of 227,025.
Western Australia has a area of 1,021,478 square miles with a population of 2,236,900.

I am not bashing England I am just posing the question ,after looking at the area compared to population, is how can you hide in England with its land area and population being so? Wouldnt the zombies eventually find you, or at the very least raiders?

That figure is largley boosted by the cities, London had (4 years ago) 7.5 Million. My county has less than 1 Million, it's the 22nd most populated county, and the 7th largest area. All the city folk will come pouring out and starve to death in a few weeks. Now, I'm not survivor man, but I can do pretty well for myself trapwise, skinning, foraging and shootingwise.

I totally agree mate - I think trying to find wilderness is pointless - it will be over-run by zombies or bandits or both.

My 'running silent' plan is primarily an urban one. If you were really serious about surviving, you would move from the UK - just too many people. However, many of us can't for jobs/families etc....so I've put together my best effort at a well-planned survival scheme - that's really what the book is about - just as relevant in most Euro countries & Japan - same in NYC etc....pointless running when all the roads will be choked.

Anyway - check it out if you are interested - there's a detailed 90 day survival plan from supplies to water. Only read if you are into survival stuff - it's not comic book stuff. Let me know what you think...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/THE-OFFICIAL-ZOMBIE-HANDBOOK-UK/dp/0980799619/re...

Dudes & Dudettes,

If you want to pile abuse on the living dead, you can do at our facebook page, brought to you by the power of the interweb. We won't even ask you for your bank pin number & there are no vampires.

Seriously - check it out if you are interested - be nice to see some of you overthere.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ministry-of-Zombies/128967513814495

lol i guess im gona have to check that out x)

Britain as a whole is really a terrible place to be in a zombie outbreak.

But a few pockets exist such as my home county, Northumberland

Northumberland has a population density of around 60 people per square kilometer, which is still not especially low.

However, a large percentage of the population live in the South east- Blyth is home to around 40 000 people, Ashington to around 30 000,Cramlington 40 000, Bedlington 15 000, Morpeth around 15 000, Guide post 10 000.

The other two largely populated ares are Hexham to the south west with a population of like 11 000 and Berwick on the Scottish border around 12 000.

So, hang on just a minute Start>All programs> Accessories> Calculator.
Ok, 173 000ish people occupy just a tiny area, leaving 138 000 people living scattered around the remaining 4500 square KM making the population density outside of major towns around 30 people per square KM by my reckoning.

On top of this, those people are further separated into minor towns with populations of up to 1000, villages and hamlets,this makes up around 110 000 of the 138 000.

The national park covers around 1030km2 and is home to the cheviots, kielder forest(the largest man made forest in Europe) and Kielder water, a 30kmish reservoir.

There is also a 230km2 military firing range at Otterburn, which has no relevance to the rest of the post, I just felt like including it.

So anyway, went the long way around a short corner there. Britain as a whole has a very high population density, but there is a massive divide between urban areas and rural areas. Almost all of Scotland is very sparsely populated as well, the major population centres are Edingburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen,and Dundee,(Sorry if I missed you any major Scottish place) the rest is empty.

I will leave you with a final little number to end this post Greater London is 78 times more densely populated than the county of Northumberland...
(Also Ndman, wrong thread to reply I know, but I just wanted to say I found your thread about the national guard/army reserve very interesting)

I think I might purchase this book.
When I have the spare moneyzzz

I agree with the comments that the UK is a sh&* place to try & survive against the zombies - sure there are some remote spots in Scotland but they would soon be flooded by ghouls from the massive city of Glasgow.

The book takes all of this into account - I do say that in an ideal siutation, you should just move but obviously this is not possible for everyone. The same applies if you live in a large US city - the roads will be blocked - where you gonna run to? How far will you get?

So, my survival plan hinges on staying put or close by - a 90 day survival plan of running silent...

For many of us it big urban areas - there will simply be too much chaos to move....

For many large urban areas in a zed apoc, there's suicide.

So long as it doesn't involve guns or most drugs. But hey; we get so little gun crime.

Hey All,

My book The Official Zombie Handbook UK was released back in August this year & has done really well in the UK, reaching No1 in its category on Amazon and going well in the US.

So, I just wanted to stop by & say thanks for the support from the forum. As an author with a small independent publisher, we pretty much do everything ourselves, with no advertising budget or links into big stores. The book has got where it is by zombie-fan power…

Anyway, I appreciate all the encouragement and of course you can pick up a copy on Amazon if you want to.

http://www.amazon.com/OFFICIAL-ZOMBIE-HANDBOOK-UK/dp/0980799619/ref=pd_r...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/OFFICIAL-ZOMBIE-HANDBOOK-UK-Ministry/dp/09807996...

However, I’m also here to put a call out for any zombie short stories, as I’m starting to post new authors up on the website www.ministryofzombies.com. The story of course remains your property but it might be good exposure – I have a few folks already sending in ongoing stories.

Don’t worry if you haven’t done it before, think you can’t write or spell – this the place for zombie fan stories – just send it in to seantpage@ministryofzombies.com

Thanks again

We have a few excellent story writers on the site actually.
If they all submitted a story you would soon build a decent collection.

That'd be great - longer term, I am planning an anthology of new/newish writers in a zombie collection but for moment, I just want a place where folks can post their terrible tales...it's amazed me what people have come up - sometimes it's as good as anything I've read in published books...

Hey All,
I’m running a competition to say thanks to all the people who’ve supported The Official Zombie Handbook UK, which reached No 1 here in the UK on Amazon in zombies & vampires over Christmas.

I’ve put a fiendish pack together which I hope all zombies fans will like. It includes:-

• A signed copy of The Official Zombie Handbook UK
• A ‘brick yourself scary’ Zombie Handbook t-shirt
• Some signed pages from the original script
• A signed copy of Dead Worlds 7 which includes my mental story about the flying corpse
• A few other bits thrown in like severed fingers that kind of thing
• Some things I found in the loft to bulk up the prize

If you’re interested, there isn’t a naff hard question – all you need to do is email me on the address below & say ‘I want that crappy prize’ or something similar.

And don’t worry; I won’t be selling your email unless something offers me a purse of gold.
Anyway, thanks for all the kind words folks have sent already.
Email me at:- seantpage@ministryofzombies.com & say ‘I want your crappy’ prize.

Believe me, you wear that t-shirt into work or school & people are going to think you are rock hard. I’ll do the draw at the end of the month.

Cheers

That is way cool.

Who doesn't love prizes?

there are places where hardly anyone lives in scotland (i checked on a school bookbut there all from 2003...)
up north of scotland there are hills where you could take shelter in a tent (bad idea though)and there are plenty of castles

WAT.

(I'll admit, my reply was a little gushy. Also, now everyone can find out my secret identity since my name's now on his facebook page, but fuckit).

I saw that you won on Facebook.
Congrats.

I'm a winner for once... This is unusual.

I rarely win anything.

Same, I think this is the first thing I've won in years; maybe even pre 2000!

I win at poker all the time, 'cause I kick ass.
but, draws and raffles, pretty much never.

Wait, I won drink-Uno the other week. Without taking a shot.