Today we are going to discuss how to select a base of operations and the proper fortifications you need to make sure are in place to make it as secured as possible.
First we are going to discuss how to build a base of operations from scratch. Now this is going to admittedly cost a bunch of coin. I have given this quite a bit of thought over the years, and so I will lie out the plans of my perfect base. Ok, first of all when I think shelter I think bomb shelter. You know the kind from the 50's and 60's. Underground with only one access point from outside. I would amend this to two access points, but will discuss that in a little bit. The dimensions of the of your shelter I will leave to you, as comfort and budget will help shape yours as you wish. I would suggest having the following rooms, as a minimum: living area, sleeping area, kitchen, bathroom, storage, cold and room temperature, an infirmary, armory, a quarantine area, power room and a panic room. I know what you're thinking: A panic room in a freaking underground shelter?!?!? This is where the second above ground access point comes in, but like I said we'll discuss that in a bit. Also while digging the area where your going to place your shelter I would suggest also digging room for two tanks, a 10,000 gallon and a 20,000 gallon. The ten thousand gallon tank for gasoline, or diesel, and the twenty thousand gallon tank for water. You'll need the fuel for a vehicle and the generators, which is if you want power in your shelter. Also the shelter itself should be made of rebar reinforced concrete. The top of the shelter should be at least 5 to 6 feet underground
Now we'll go into a description of the things you'll need in each room. For each end of the entryway I recommend a steel reinforced doorway, preferably a vault door if they can be found. I also recommend forming a box with a shatterproof glass front, for an Infrared camera, one outside and one in the entryway, facing the outside door. The layout of the compound is, of course, up to your own choosing. Now what is in your living quarters, sleeping quarters, and storage area, depends on a few considerations. How many people you plan on sheltering, if you plan on taking in survivors, and to what type of comfort level you want to have in your shelter. The layout and components of the living and sleeping area or the bathroom, I won't go in to because they are all a matter of taste. In the kitchen you can skip the refrigerator because of the cold storage. I would recommend an electric stove or, if you're so inclined, a propane stove. The propane tank for it can be built when installing the tanks for water and fuel. I also recommend a sink and small storage cabinets for dishes and cookware. That wraps it up for the kitchen. In the storage area I would suggest having a variety of canned and frozen foods, batteries, clothing, and basically back ups of everything you have in your shelter. The power room is where you'll keep the generators needed to maintain power to the shelter; I would also suggest an exhaust system to expel any fumes. The armory is where you'll keep all firearms, ammo, and you bladed and blunt weapons, as well. I do suggest keeping a back up or two in the living and sleeping areas. In the quarantine area I suggest the basic layout of a cell with a minor modification. Instead of bars I suggest a window with shatterproof glass and then bars. In the infirmary I would stock every type of medical equipment and medication I could get my hands on. In the panic room is where you'll keep the monitors for the IR cameras, firearms back ups, a survival kit, including food, clothing, ammo, and anything else you'll need to make it on the run. I suggest having another vault door as well. Now the real purpose of this room is to have an escape route in case the shelter becomes over run by the undead. I suggest having the escape hatch go to an enclosed garage, once again made out of rebar reinforced concrete. Now to make sure you keep out any undead I suggest having an elevator to raise the car out. Ok now that we've covered the shelter if your prepared to spend the coin necessary to build it we'll go in to how to fortify an already existing place if the Outbreak catches you off guard.
Ok now when picking a place to hole up you to keep a few considerations in mind: accessibility, location to possible scavenging areas, population, and how long to fortify and how much fortification it will take. Now as to accessibility you want a place above ground, possibly an apartment building. The reason behind this is the undead can't climb. So if you choose a place with stairs you can either block them off or destroy them so the undead can't follow you up. You also want to make sure that if you do destroy the stairs that you have a way back down to go scavenging and incase the shelter is compromised by the infected. As to location to scavenging you want a location close to a grocery store and a pawnshop. This gives you ready access to food, medicine and ammunition. Population you want to consider because if the area you choose has a large population your looking at a greater population of undead. Also when you choosing a location you want a place that you can fortify without taking forever and that doesn't take a lot of supplies to fortify this location. You want to make sure that all windows are reinforced and also all doors leading to the outside.
Ok that's it for the fortification discussion. Next time we'll go into scavenging techniques.
First we are going to discuss how to build a base of operations from scratch. Now this is going to admittedly cost a bunch of coin. I have given this quite a bit of thought over the years, and so I will lie out the plans of my perfect base. Ok, first of all when I think shelter I think bomb shelter. You know the kind from the 50's and 60's. Underground with only one access point from outside. I would amend this to two access points, but will discuss that in a little bit. The dimensions of the of your shelter I will leave to you, as comfort and budget will help shape yours as you wish. I would suggest having the following rooms, as a minimum: living area, sleeping area, kitchen, bathroom, storage, cold and room temperature, an infirmary, armory, a quarantine area, power room and a panic room. I know what you're thinking: A panic room in a freaking underground shelter?!?!? This is where the second above ground access point comes in, but like I said we'll discuss that in a bit. Also while digging the area where your going to place your shelter I would suggest also digging room for two tanks, a 10,000 gallon and a 20,000 gallon. The ten thousand gallon tank for gasoline, or diesel, and the twenty thousand gallon tank for water. You'll need the fuel for a vehicle and the generators, which is if you want power in your shelter. Also the shelter itself should be made of rebar reinforced concrete. The top of the shelter should be at least 5 to 6 feet underground
Now we'll go into a description of the things you'll need in each room. For each end of the entryway I recommend a steel reinforced doorway, preferably a vault door if they can be found. I also recommend forming a box with a shatterproof glass front, for an Infrared camera, one outside and one in the entryway, facing the outside door. The layout of the compound is, of course, up to your own choosing. Now what is in your living quarters, sleeping quarters, and storage area, depends on a few considerations. How many people you plan on sheltering, if you plan on taking in survivors, and to what type of comfort level you want to have in your shelter. The layout and components of the living and sleeping area or the bathroom, I won't go in to because they are all a matter of taste. In the kitchen you can skip the refrigerator because of the cold storage. I would recommend an electric stove or, if you're so inclined, a propane stove. The propane tank for it can be built when installing the tanks for water and fuel. I also recommend a sink and small storage cabinets for dishes and cookware. That wraps it up for the kitchen. In the storage area I would suggest having a variety of canned and frozen foods, batteries, clothing, and basically back ups of everything you have in your shelter. The power room is where you'll keep the generators needed to maintain power to the shelter; I would also suggest an exhaust system to expel any fumes. The armory is where you'll keep all firearms, ammo, and you bladed and blunt weapons, as well. I do suggest keeping a back up or two in the living and sleeping areas. In the quarantine area I suggest the basic layout of a cell with a minor modification. Instead of bars I suggest a window with shatterproof glass and then bars. In the infirmary I would stock every type of medical equipment and medication I could get my hands on. In the panic room is where you'll keep the monitors for the IR cameras, firearms back ups, a survival kit, including food, clothing, ammo, and anything else you'll need to make it on the run. I suggest having another vault door as well. Now the real purpose of this room is to have an escape route in case the shelter becomes over run by the undead. I suggest having the escape hatch go to an enclosed garage, once again made out of rebar reinforced concrete. Now to make sure you keep out any undead I suggest having an elevator to raise the car out. Ok now that we've covered the shelter if your prepared to spend the coin necessary to build it we'll go in to how to fortify an already existing place if the Outbreak catches you off guard.
Ok now when picking a place to hole up you to keep a few considerations in mind: accessibility, location to possible scavenging areas, population, and how long to fortify and how much fortification it will take. Now as to accessibility you want a place above ground, possibly an apartment building. The reason behind this is the undead can't climb. So if you choose a place with stairs you can either block them off or destroy them so the undead can't follow you up. You also want to make sure that if you do destroy the stairs that you have a way back down to go scavenging and incase the shelter is compromised by the infected. As to location to scavenging you want a location close to a grocery store and a pawnshop. This gives you ready access to food, medicine and ammunition. Population you want to consider because if the area you choose has a large population your looking at a greater population of undead. Also when you choosing a location you want a place that you can fortify without taking forever and that doesn't take a lot of supplies to fortify this location. You want to make sure that all windows are reinforced and also all doors leading to the outside.
Ok that's it for the fortification discussion. Next time we'll go into scavenging techniques.
anthea:
wow! Lots of stuff to learn
riese:
Anyone who has the evil monkey as their profile pict is cool with me!