In zombie films, how come nobody has ever...

[Dream]

...because it would be a boring movie if everyone dressed like Iron Man.

[Vendikarr]

Leviathan wrote:

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....ooo Knight Vs. Zombies - the next summer blockbuster

That has been an idea in my idea pile for years.

Knights and the Living Dead - pits of those killed by the black death rise up

[OdoWanKenobi]

Mr. Laser Beam wrote:

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Here's a better idea:

Flamethrower.

No, that's actually a worse idea. Now all you have is a bunch of flaming zombies.

[Mr. Adventure]

Vendikarr wrote:

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That has been an idea in my idea pile for years.

Knights and the Living Dead - pits of those killed by the black death rise up

What if they rode on motorcycles? Knightriders vs Zombies, it's like double the Romero!

[Snaploud]

Such armor could be torn off by a mob of zombies, and it would severely slow down the suit-wearer. In addition, you'll note that the joints are not actually covered by metal in all places. It's the chainmale (underneath the armor) that would provide the most protection from zombie bites.

Regardless, there are plenty of modern light-weight protective suits that would be more useful in a zombie apocalypse. Plus, a lot of those suits of armor need to be fitted specifically for the individual and require a lot of maintenance.

Some good background:

http://zombie.wikia.com/wiki/Armor

[Ayelbourne]

Leviathan wrote:

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....ooo Knight Vs. Zombies - the next summer blockbuster

Pretty sure that's gonna be the endgame in A Song of Ice and Fire.

[Tiberius]

Deimos Anomaly wrote:

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..put on a suit of medieval full-plate knight armour?



Instant, near-total invulnerability to zombie bites and scratches.

A squad of plate armoured knights with sharp swords and shields could easily cleave through a zombie horde, decapitating as they went. A follow up eachelon could destroy the severed heads (immobilised but still active as long as the brain is undamaged) in their wake at leisure.

Plate armor is heavy, so you couldn't go fast or carry much, and you;d get tired quickly. And using a sword to chop off a head is actually pretty difficult what with all the vertebrae and tendons and muscles and other stuff.

Mr. Laser Beam wrote:

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Here's a better idea:

Flamethrower.

But it would take a few minutes for the fire to destroy enough of the zombie's tissue to stop him, and in that time he'd be stumbling around, setting fire to other things. The risk of uncontrolled fire is too great.

Anyway, where would you get a flame thrower? They haven't used one as a serious weapon since the Vietnam war, I believe. The fuel is hard to get, and it's heavy, and once you are out of fuel it's just a very expensive and heavy back pack.

Best weapon is a crowbar. Light, smashes through skulls well and can be used as a tool as well as a weapon. best armor is a short haircut and tight clothes, make it harder to be grabbed.

[TemporalFlux]

Yeah; the comic version of The Walking Dead explored the modern day equivalent of this. The find some SWAT team riot gear and put it on. It ends up working pretty well.

[the G-man]

Tiberius wrote:

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But it would take a few minutes for the fire to destroy enough of the zombie's tissue to stop him, and in that time he'd be stumbling around, setting fire to other things. The risk of uncontrolled fire is too great.

I think WWZ posited pretty much exactly this.

Anyway, where would you get a flame thrower?

You can buy a propane torch at most garden supply stores. That might do the trick (again, subject to the WWZ theory).

And if recall my reading of the Anarchist Cookbook and the Poor Man's James Bond accurately (it was about 30 years ago), a "real" flamethrower isn't that hard to make.

[The Lensman]

I'm just gonna leave this classic right here:


http://www.cracked.com/article_18683...l-quickly.html

[Trekker4747]

The Lensman wrote:

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I'm just gonna leave this classic right here:


http://www.cracked.com/article_18683...l-quickly.html

One of the better ones, I liked the idea of comparing "zombie-ism" to rabies.

As for the OP? Why not? Maybe because, you know, full suits of armor are fairly hard to comeby in the 21st century Western World.

Quick, the Zombie Apocalypse has just started and you want a suit of armor, where do you go?! It's Summer so there's no Ren Fairs in town, shopping malls and stores don't keep much in stock when it comes to suits of armor. You MIGHT be able to find one in a museum if you've a good enough museum nearby.

Seriously, where do you get one? I think you'd be better off getting one of those bite-proof suits people train police dogs in.

[stj]

Well if you have a band of fighters, makeshift armor, shields and sword/chainsaws on the perimeter, an inner layer with long spears and and central firing squad with missile weapons (preferably rifles,) all in a hedgehog. When society gets reorganized, Macedonian phalanx tactics.

But taking this too seriously doesn't get the point of zombies, which seems to be fear of the mindless masses. Which means if they aren't too many right on top of "us" they aren't real, true zombie menaces.

[Tiberius]

the G-man wrote:

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I think WWZ posited pretty much exactly this.

You can buy a propane torch at most garden supply stores. That might do the trick (again, subject to the WWZ theory).

And if recall my reading of the Anarchist Cookbook and the Poor Man's James Bond accurately (it was about 30 years ago), a "real" flamethrower isn't that hard to make.

The Zombie Survival guide, written by the same guy, is my Bible when it comes to all things zombie...

The Lensman wrote:

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I'm just gonna leave this classic right here:


http://www.cracked.com/article_18683...l-quickly.html

Not really accurate though. The ZSG refutes each one of the points.

1. The first point says that predators such as maggots etc will make short work of zombies. However, zombie flesh is highly toxic and most animals won't touch it. Only a few types of bacteria can break it down.
2. The second - that the heat of the sun will encourage bacteria to quickly rot the zombie's flesh, is related. Few types of bacteria can decompose zombie flesh because of its natural toxicity.
3. While the cold can freeze a zombie solid, once thawed, the zombie is back to its former self.Zombies will keep going even if their flesh is physically destroyed.
4. The fourth point is fairly valid, but biting isn't the only way it can be transmitted. Spraying material from shooting zombies, any open wounds... There are actually quite a few ways to be infected. If you are fighting a female zombie with long nails and she scratches you, you can get infected.
5. Again, the ability of a zombie to not feel pain and repair itself is one of their greatest disadvantages, but in generally day to day zombie activities (shuffling, biting and moaning), they don't get damaged much. And zombies can go on chasing you even if they have suffered damage that will kill a regular person.
6. The sixth point says that because zombies can't see in the dark they will eventually walk into things that will kill them. bear in mind that zombies aren't the visually based creatures we are. They use ALL available senses to know what is going on. They aren't going to die just because they don't see something.
7. The final point makes it clear how easy it is to kill them. But it actually isn't that easy. The only way to kill them is to destroy the brain. Getting a headshot is quite difficult. And it's even harder when you are facing down a swarm of zombies relentlessly shuffling towards you. Easier to shoot it in the body, but that won't do anything.

So that list isn't that accurate. It assumes that zombies are basically people, with the same strengths and weaknesses. They aren't.

[lurok]

I loved how at the end of Starship Troopers 3 they turned up in those kick-ass robo-suits. I thought 'thank fuck...finally someone's put two and two together and figured: no armor, bugs bite you in half. With armor; walk in the park.'

[LaxScrutiny]

Not that this is a realistic event anyway, but I always laugh at most of these armour suggestions.

Put on some plate armour and then go jogging for an hour at a steady pace on a hot day. Then fall down and try to get up by yourself. Keep in mind you won't go through a hoard of zombies with a sword in less than an hour.

Now get some SWAT gear and go to a personal trainer and pay him extra to put you through a full aerobics workout and see how long until you pass out from dehydration.

Keep in mind pro athletes who wear protective gear are rarely in play for longer than 4-5 minutes at a time. But it's probably your best bet to go with the lightest weight hardpoint armour you can find that is breathable, likely hockey gear. Mix it with ballistic nylon/kevlar motorcyle gear that is breathable and flexible. Anything that is lighter and more breathable that can be substituted is an improvement. There is great gear for mountain biking that won't be too hot, but it doesn't cover 100% of the body.

Zombies don't shoot back, nothing has to be bulletproof, it has to allow free movement, not weigh you down, and not overheat you. The protection should be enough to protect from a large dog bite, or a rolling fall down a rough hillside.

Add a camelpack for water, which won't last forever, you have to figure on moving in and out fast, taking out a few each time. Full lightweight Coolmax underwear to keep you cool and prevent chafing. Boots can be lightweight workboots with composite armour soles and toes, or similar police issue or army surplus.

Leather will make you sweat like crazy, again try jogging in anything you have in mind, or at least imagine it.