Weapons and Combat Techniques

In fighting Zombies, one must always have weapons! It is not necessary to carry a ton of weapons of mass destruction, it is in fact stupid to do so. But, one must always have weapons of some sort. Direct combat with Zombies can cause the spread of Solanum onto your person, or give them a chance to bite. Weapons allow safer and more effective combat in killing the Zombies. Don't let movies fool you; the bombs and automatic weapons are oftentimes helpful, but very risky, time consuming, and heavy.
Chapter Outline:
General rules:
   1. Obey the Law: Follow the restrictions that the law in your state uses.
   2. Train Constantly: The use of your weapon must become a second nature.
   3. Care For Your Tools: To keep them effective, one must always clean and make repairs to weapons.
   4. Beware Your Display Items: Always make sure your weapon is an actual weapon, not decoration.
   5. Develop the First Weapon: Train your body, it can be a dangerous weapon.
Close Combat: Always avoid hand-on-hand combat with a Zombie, but it is sometimes necessary.
      A. Bludgeons: A steel crowbar is recommended.
      B. Edged Weapons: These make it easier to kill a Zombie. Decapitation is recommended.
      C. Miscellaneous Hand Weapons: Small hand weapons aren't recommended without skill.
      D. Power Tools: Power tools, like chainsaws, are perfect, except their need to be plugged in and are heavy.
Slings and Arrows: These are necessary when trying to make a silent attack from afar.
   1. The Sling: Slings are very hard to master, therefore are often useless.
   2. The Slingshot: Although these are accurate, they do not deliver enough power.
   3. The Blowgun: Completely useless because poison doesn't affect Zombies.
   4. Shuriken: These throwing stars require skills and practice.
   5. Throwing Knives: Very effective, but also require extensive practice.
   6. The Long or Compound Bow: Only experienced archers have an advantage with bows.
   7. The Crossbow: The perfect far away weapon, but takes lots of time to use.
   8. The Hand Bow: Useful in some cases, but isn't good for the use of far away attacks.
Firearms: One firearm is necessary; must be clean, loaded, and oiled.
      A. The Heavy Machine Gun: These are not useful in delivering the desired headshot.
      B. The Submachine Gun: Only useful when fighting multiple Zombies at once within a close range.
      C. The Assault Rifle: A great weapon, but one may be tempted to turn on the automatic feature.
      D. The Bolt-/Lever-Action Rifle: These are two obsolete for effective Zombie combat.
      E. The Semi-Automatic Rifle: The absolute perfect Zombie killing weapon.
      F. The Shotgun: Perfect for close range Zombie killing.
      G. The Pistol: Pistols are very hard to use. Experience is required.
      H. .22-Caliber Rimfire Weapons: Can't stop a Zombie.
      I. Accessories: Silencers and telescopic sight are very useful.
Explosives: Explosives are very ineffective at killing zombies.
Fire: Zombies are not afraid of fire, yet fire can kill them very easily.
   1. Molotov cocktails: Very cheap and easy to use.
   2. Dousing: The only danger is being close enough to cover the Zombies in flammable liquid.
   3. The Blowtorch: Very convenient when the Zombies have already been covered in flammable liquid.
   4. Flamethrowers: The perfect Zombie killing weapon, yet is too impossible to aquire.
Other Weapons: Improvisation is very necessary.
      A. Acid: Sulfuric Acid is the best one, but takes too much time to kill.
      B. Poison: Poison is ineffective on Zombies.
      C. Biological Warfare: Viruses have no effect on Zombies.
      D. Zoological Warfare: Other lifeforms stray away from the Solanum in the Zombies.
      E. Electrocution: Takes large amounts of electricity to kill a Zombie.
      F. Radiation: Research is still being done on radiation's effect on Zombies.
      G. Genetic Warfare: Genetic reversal of the virus is still impossible.
      H. Nanotherapy: The science of tiny robots is still under development.
Armor: Speed and defense are necessary, and armor puts those skills down.
   1. Plate Mail: Super heavy and doesn't protect joints.
   2. Chain Mail: Can protect against Zombies very well, but is now only made for decoration.
   3. Shark Suits: Uncomfortable, noisy, and decreases speed and agility.
   4. Helmets: Serve absolutely no purpose.
   5. Bulletproof Vests: Complete waste.
   6. Kevlar covers: Can only be worn during battle.
   7. Tight Clothes and Short Hair: The best form of protection because Zombies can't grab you.
This chapter really surprised me. I always thought that the automatic guns were the most effective against Zombies. Every time I have every played the video game Nazi Zombies with my stepsister, the best weapons were the automatic ones! Plus, the flame thrower is the best weapon against the Nazi Zombies from what I've seen. The media had me fooled about effective Zombie killing! Overall, the best weapons are semi-automatic guns and wearing tight clothes and short hair. Close range should be avoided at all times and one must be quiet and agile.

The Undead: Myths and Realities

So, not everything you hear about the animated cadavers (Zombies, if you will) is true! The theory that claims that the living dead is caused by supernatural forces is indeed a fallacy! The dead walk because of a virus called Solanum that multiplies cells in the brain and causes many other organs to cease to function, including the heart. The person is technically dead, but is animated because of the new being operating in place of the brain. Sounds painful...
Chapter Outline:
I. SOLANUM: THE VIRUS
   1. Source: The source of Solanum is unknown.
   2. Symptoms: Injury, fever, other sick symptoms, numbness, paralysis, coma, death, then reanimation.
   3. Transference: Solanum can only be passed through a bite of some sort.
   4. Cross-Species Infection: Only humans can reanimate with Solanum.
   5. Treatment: There is no cure, only disposal of a body.
   6. Reanimating the Already Deceased: Dead can only be reanimated if they got Solanum while alive.
II. Zombie Attributes
   1. Physical Abilities: Contrary to beliefs presented Zombies do NOT have superpowers!
      A. Sight: Zombies have poor eyesight, but can still see.
      B. Sound: Zombies have great hearing.
      C. Smell: Zombies have a decent sense of smell.
      D. Taste: Zombies don't taste, but for some reason they prefer to eat humans?
      E. Touch: Zombies nerves don't work, so they feel no pain.
      F. Sixth Sense: Zombies possibly have a sixth sense.
      G. Healing: Zombies can't regenerate wounded body parts.
      H. Decomposition: Solanum helps preserve the Zombie, so their life lasts up to a few years.
      I. Digestion: Zombies don't digest, they just eat until their abdomen explodes.
      J. Respiration: The lungs of a Zombie still function, but is unnecessary.
      K. Circulation: The circulatory system isn't necessary for Zombies.
      L. Reproduction: Zombies are sterile.
      M. Strength: Zombies have as much strength as they did when they were human.
      N. Speed: Zombies are slow because of their lack of coordination.
      O. Agility: Zombies have very poor agility because of their primitive thought process.
   2. Behavioral Patterns
      A. Intelligence: Zombies have no intelligence.
      B. Emotion: Zombies only feel anger.
      C. Memory: Zombies know no memory of their former life.
      D. Physical Needs: Zombies only need hunger.
      E. Communication: Zombies know no language and can only moan.
      F. Social Dynamics: Zombies don't interact in any way, shape, or form.
      G. Hunting: Zombies have a random, nomadic, migratory way of hunting without any place to return to.
      H. Motivation: Zombies kill because the instinct given by the Solanum.
      I. Killing the Dead: You must kill a Zombie by destroying its brain.
      J. Disposal: Cremation is the safest form of disposal.
      K. Domestication?: Zombies cannot be healed or trained.
   3. The Voodoo Zombie: Voodoo Zombies have been buried alive as humans and awaken with brain damage. They aren't real Zombies, they just believe they are.
      A. They show emotion.
      B. They exhibit thought.
      C. They feel pain.
      D. They recognize fire.
      E. They recognize surroundings.
      F. They don't have hypersense.
      G. They can communicate.
      H. They can be controlled.
   4. The Hollywood Zombie: Traits of Zombies in movies are very inaccurate.
   5. Outbreaks: How you can know if there is a possible outbreak:
      A. When many dead people are found decapitated.
      B. Number of Missing Persons grows.
      C. When stories of people attacking their families and friends surface.
      D. Riots with lack of provocation occur.
      E. When people die of unknown disease.
      F. Always be aware of these symptoms of Zombie outbreaks!
This chapter was interesting because it taught how to recognize Zombies, what they can and can't do, weaknesses, strengths, and how to kill them. The author mentioned that Zombies in movies aren't actual Zombies because they're normally portrayed to have superpowers and be able to communicate. Also, the concept of a Voodoo Zombie was introduced to me; I always thought Voodoo Zombies were people that had a spell cast over them to turn them instantly into Zombies. Turns out, the people who are turning victims into Zombies are sprinkling them with Zombie Powder, which causes temporary paralysis and unconsciousness, and then burying them alive. If the victim survives, then they have most likely suffered brain damage from being underground with almost no oxygen. The brain damaged individual is said to become a Zombie, event thought they are not actual Zombies.

The Zombie Survival Guide

The Zombie Survival Guide... Sounds interesting right? Well, this is the book that I am reading for my 5th 6 weeks ORBIT project, otherwise known as the Outside Reading Book project. Very clever acronym. Anyways, because there was no specific type of book required for this book report, I figured, why not pick a super-fun book?! What is funner than Zombies? (The correct answer is nothing). And by the end of this project, when the Zombie Apocalypse happens, I will be completely prepared! I have never seen a more useful book!