YOUR perfect place to build a stand?

[MinionZombie]

ok i found THE perfect place. Ho yeah! I take it the bride can be tilted up to cut off access? Just add some sea mines for the water, a gnarly fence all around it, and a chopper pad and you'll be good to go. Generally speaking, realistically, I would like to be in a mall or something - but properly defend the doors and all access routes. Strip malls aren't much cop, it'd have to be one of those really kick arse places, like those mega malls ... mind you, if the place is full of zombies, that is a problem - however, if you're tooled up and it's shamblers, then it's not as big a problem. If you had a boat you could always inhabit those old military watch posts that are off the British coast ... someone posted pics a while ago in the abandoned buildings thread ... you'd have to make them quite livable (although one or two are apparently occupied as residencies), so that would certainly cut you off. Supplies and supply runs are another problem of course, but just in terms of isolation and overall safety you're pretty good ... ... you might have to worry about sea pirates, mind.

[acealive1]

Ho yeah! I take it the bride can be tilted up to cut off access? Just add some sea mines for the water, a gnarly fence all around it, and a chopper pad and you'll be good to go. Generally speaking, realistically, I would like to be in a mall or something - but properly defend the doors and all access routes. Strip malls aren't much cop, it'd have to be one of those really kick arse places, like those mega malls ... mind you, if the place is full of zombies, that is a problem - however, if you're tooled up and it's shamblers, then it's not as big a problem. If you had a boat you could always inhabit those old military watch posts that are off the British coast ... someone posted pics a while ago in the abandoned buildings thread ... you'd have to make them quite livable (although one or two are apparently occupied as residencies), so that would certainly cut you off. Supplies and supply runs are another problem of course, but just in terms of isolation and overall safety you're pretty good ... ... you might have to worry about sea pirates, mind. if not this fortress, i'd consider a one floor mall. theres one kinda close by in michigan. if i got ahold of that mall, it'd never fall. not alot of big huge open windows at the entrances either. plus one of the anchor stores is a target.....i'd never get hungry. the mines your speak of would be cool to see......uh oh here comes the zombies..... *pops head up fast* there go the zombies......

[AcesandEights]

[acealive1]

lol perfect!

[Thorn]

ok i found THE perfect place. Not sure where that is my island castle is actually close to me though so I could get there and could take out the bridge if need be I think it has potential

[acealive1]

Not sure where that is my island castle is actually close to me though so I could get there and could take out the bridge if need be I think it has potential it's in miami oddly enough. if that moat is deeper than it looks.......infinite safety

[Sammich]

I would go with something like a houseboat or steamboat on the Mississipi River. Static locations eventually turn bad.

[Publius]

if not this fortress, i'd consider a one floor mall. theres one kinda close by in michigan. if i got ahold of that mall, it'd never fall. not alot of big huge open windows at the entrances either. plus one of the anchor stores is a target.....i'd never get hungry. I think I'd pick a Costco or Sam's Club over a regular mall. Often they stand by themselves, giving you a good field of view in all directions. They typically have better geometry than a mall (usually just a big rectangle) which again helps with field of view if you're defending it with few people. Fewer entrances makes it easier to secure. The relatively open floor plan combined with high ground (you can climb on top of one of those high shelves and plink away) makes it fairly easy to clear the inside. And they have huge amounts of bulk food packed for long-term storage, probably lots more than the Target at my local mall. Some Sam's Clubs used to sell ammunition -- now THAT would be something.

[Sammich]

What are you all going to do when you show up at Costco/Sams and the employees and their families already had the same idea? There is also the often repeated fact that when TSHTF the first thing the unprepared do is hit the hardware and grocery stores like a swarm of locusts. Because of this big box stores would be the last place to go to hold out. Remember, if it is easily accessible to you, then it will also be easily accessible to 100s of others.

[Danny]

Its always interesting to think about these when you think about the differences between England and America. For one thing England is still peppered with castles, theres 3 within 20 minutes walk or 40 minutes drive from me. It's such an older country so things like pipes laid for fresh water from the mountains and stuff are centuries old and made to last, things that have been the same for centuries would be pretty damn stable and less likely to 'go bad like old fruit' on you like modern buildings might. I mean think of all those modern buildings like skyscrapers that need constant maintenance just to ensure their own grandiose size doesn't bring them down, and of course odds are a more modern place being built later had less pick of the land to build on so odds of being on a flood plain or some centralia style underground coal fire waiting to happen and turn the area into so manly sinkholes is more likely. So where does that leave you in America? Assuming order wont be restored for a long time you need somewhere thats not just 'defensible' but going to last. Look at places like new york city or vegas. Without constant human maintenance on a bee hive level scale of workers constantly at work across the city and beyond its either going to flood and go through incredible structural damage fast or turn into a waterless wasteland. I'd say, if you can get there before winter head up the pacific northwest around washington. Find somewhere isolated enough to give you time to set up a home before the 'blotting effect' of the outbreak causes country wide saturation and hope you can grab some books on hunting and foraging if you dont know how and try and live off the land instead of scavenging for preserves for the rest of eternity.

[Publius]

What are you all going to do when you show up at Costco/Sams and the employees and their families already had the same idea? There is also the often repeated fact that when TSHTF the first thing the unprepared do is hit the hardware and grocery stores like a swarm of locusts. Because of this big box stores would be the last place to go to hold out. Remember, if it is easily accessible to you, then it will also be easily accessible to 100s of others. True. I just meant compared to a shopping mall Costco/Sam's would be better. Fewer employees than a mall too, come to think of it. But you're right, avoiding competition is very important too. Your best bet is to already have your own secluded mountain cabin well stocked with supplies. Just about any place we can identify and talk about in a thread like this is bound to be thought of by others such that you're rolling the dice in assuming you'd be able to get there before anyone else or displace anyone who gets there before you and hold it against anyone else who comes.

[acealive1]

I think I'd pick a Costco or Sam's Club over a regular mall. Often they stand by themselves, giving you a good field of view in all directions. They typically have better geometry than a mall (usually just a big rectangle) which again helps with field of view if you're defending it with few people. Fewer entrances makes it easier to secure. The relatively open floor plan combined with high ground (you can climb on top of one of those high shelves and plink away) makes it fairly easy to clear the inside. And they have huge amounts of bulk food packed for long-term storage, probably lots more than the Target at my local mall. Some Sam's Clubs used to sell ammunition -- now THAT would be something. the only problem i see with those stores is that damn cart door they put in. if they can get to andy through that tiny dog door......then we have a problem. in my area theres a sam's club and wal mart back to back with a gas pump in front of one. that'd kick all kinds of ass