I was talking with some co-workers today about what would have the most effect as a force multiplier for just one individual other than keeping his head and thinking, in most given situations. I hate to coin the “Zombie’s are attacking” phrase; but in an all out bad situation, what would one man be most effective at surviving with.
-An accurate, proven long range rifle (.308, .300WM, .338LM)
-Decked out M4, NOD setup with suppressor & IR laser
-Body Armour
-?
What else? I realize this is a somewhat stupid topic, but for curiousity’s sake what are your suggestions on this, if you had the money for something reasonable; what would it be?
Nearly an impossible question to answer, so many things to consider when you are talking force multipliers. You essentially have to start with a baseline, which is standard forces. The advancements they can bring to the table are commonly the force multipliers. However, close air support, artillery, night-vision capabilities, aviation forces, and SOF, would be at the top of the list. Soldiers and soldier training, are the force, the extras brought to the table, are what I consider force multipliers, but you won’t see my explanation in a military manual.
Lets put it this way, 2015; and we are invaded by China as they have run out of domestically procured lead and need more for the toy manufacturing industry.
What could one man do the most with? No support system of our modern day military, just you defending your homeland.
My personal thought would be of a good long range scoped rifle, accessories, and someone that knows how to use it; similar to the Soviets and Fin’s in WWII.
Any other thought’s?
I guess this was a bad question as it is hard to convey my conversation earlier with guys at work to the computer.
Pack light…
1 good rifle…accurate and reliable to at least 400 yards.
1 good pistol…in case you’re separated from your rifle.
2 good knives…1 fixed blade, 1 folder.
Body armor would be worth the weight.
Steel traps or wire for snares…to get food silently.
3 good mules to carry food, clothes, ammo, spare parts, and such.
1 good dog…not a yapper…quiet and alert…
And thats just a start…theres alot to surviving for extended periods without WalMart…I think I could do it though…I have all the above (and then some)…and you know what they say “A Country Boy Can Survive”…and my Grandad did teach me to live off the land…it can be done without a gun of any type, but the guns are useful for protection against the other “2 legged critters”…
My theory is if the SHTF…I have a family to feed and protect.
I will make myself (me, wife, 2 sons) scarce for a while and let nature “take its course” (survival of the fittest). I will fight if cornered, or if presented with a fight that I can win…but I’m not a military man.
This may be off topic for your question…but you said “survive”
In some kind of invasion/overrun scenario I think one of the best “force multipliers” would be other like minded armed individuals. Forming a resistance group increases you force. There are some of us here that have enough weaponry to help arm a few others. There is power in numbers.
I have a liberal friend that believes that there will one day a food shortage and someone will invade the US. Even if somehow they could manage to overrun our military and dismantle it as a cohesive fighting force, there would be an army of tens of millions of armed citizens. We just need to join those around us.
So if any of you are in S. FL, let get togeather when “they” invade or the zombies attact.
I happen to believe that if you have done your bug-out job right, you won’t need to be concerned much with fighting other armed people. (be they invaders, or other people angry you got there first)
Your overriding goal will be food and water. You can get food with the guns and ammo you brought along, but water will be locale dependent, so plan a bug-out location accordingly. This is what I mean by doing it “right”. Your rifle should be accurate enough to score headshots on game to 100 yards. Repeat shots are not possible or necessary (we are talking game, not the two legged kind), but it would be most preferred on the off chance some hostile people DO find you. Your AR will be good enough for both roles, but its not like we are talking FAIL if you decide on a bolt-gun, as you will hopefully not have to use it to defend yourself from people if you bug out in the right spot.
If, however, for some reason you are hell-bent on actually fighting, then your best friends will be other like-minded people with guns. 100 guns do you no good in the hands of 1 person. Aside from that, using your wits and picking battles wisely will be your only option. (if you want to live long) Explosives will prolly be too scarce to throw them away on roadside bombs, so sniper attacks would be the best course for actually killing them with impunity. Consider the foreign view of snipers as opposed to our view, with an emphasis much more on concealment, blending into surroundings, and getting the hell out of dodge, than long distance precision shooting with a bolt gun and quality glass.
And above all, count on losing. Against a military with no qualms about collateral damage, you won’t last long at all. When they have armor, helos, airpower, and sheer numbers, don’t get any illusions that a few sniper attacks and 20 people with guns is going to bother them at all. The fact is, you simply can’t win. Someone had better give you some kind of anti-air solution quick or you won’t be able to last a month.
I don’t think it would be that bad - for me. look at America from an aggressor’s standpoint. There is no way you could control this place. You could try to hang onto the major population centers, railheads, and MSR’s, but the woods and open country, forget it. It would be like Saddam and Anbar province - “those people are independent and violent and don’t have anything i want anyway” would be the prevailing attitude. if you are an urbanite you probably aren’t allowed to to have a gun and don’t know how to work one anyway:D .
my main issue would be being deployed to fight said threat while my wife and kids are at risk, but that is a moral dilemma for another day.
I think the key would be survival, not fighting. Avoid the herd. i think the presence of a weapon, be it M4 or M94 would deter 90% of pillagers, rapists etc. My plan is to hop from national and state park to national and state park until i get to the tennessee/nc border. Then I will scoot my way to the heavily armed free enclave of North Alabama, where my extended family lives.
In my ever-so-humble view, BushmasterFanBoy and Striker5 are on the beam here – separate from the herd, survive, avoid engagements and prepare to defend.
Our SHTF mindset acknowledges that survival depends on existing despite a disrupted (or nonexistent) supply chain and presenting a low target profile. Preparing for SHTF does involve a shopping list, of course, but an arsenal of defensive weapons and a warehouse full of supplies are a whole lot less useful without the proper mindset.
As we often remind our spawns: “Less Rambo. More MacGyver.”
Force multiplier for an individual or a small family. Has to be something you can control and manipulate yourself. Training would be the biggest FM that an individual could get. Training in manipulation of weapons, tactics, and planning.
Water if you are urban, “they” will shut down the water to control the population of an urban area. Water purifacation and stockpile. Food, are you ready for cannabalism? “They” will shut off the food to control the population, both urban and rural. Hideout the first couple of weeks till the biggest bunches of sheeples are killed or starved. Must be hidden well because everyone who knows you will be seeking you out for what you have. Hidden because you cannot defend any location by yourself or just with your family.
Networking with those you trust because you can’t survive by yourself or with just your family. Who do you trust? Extended family, ex-military friends, with training and must have good judgement, not run off the handle.
Basic needs for extended two+ weeks. Mainly water because you can live with minimum food for several weeks. Rice and beans. What the hell, fifty # bags of dry dog food.
Don’t go to the National/State Parks, everyone thinks they will do that. Go where people won’t go. Don’t move cross country, that makes you to vunerable to the mobs/sheeple and the “They”. After the first two, three weeks the sheep will be weeded out, gone and dead.
Must be in an area that you know very well, it will hard enough to function as it is without having to do so in a strange location. Stay home, hunker down, be prepared to have a back door exit. Hide your water and food. Don’t defend one location, you can’t do it without a well trained unit of people/military. Gunshots attract attention/crowds. University campus will be empty, everyone in the dorms will be gone, the staff will be gone. Large buildings make it easier to hide, especially fireproof empty buildings of no value. Dorms imply food, stay out of the dorms. Large empty buildings with no power/no value make it easier for you to hide out and harder for anyone/“they” to find/approach you. Ever go down into a large basement with no lights? Put glass on the floor to make noise. Have noise makers as early warning in large empty basements. Have multiple ways out. Lay blankets on the floor so you can walk/run without making noise when you move to your exits. Don’t booby trap-that attracts attention and implies something of value. Beside who can remember their own booby traps when the fecal matter hits the fan and its time to move to the exits. Fill the basement up with water and find a place that is dry. Water makes noise, and if you put a few dead animals in it no one wants to wade through it.
Later you may want to have things to trade. Tools, food, purification items.
Come people prove me wrong, lets hear it.
S/F
Tipy
On the “tactical” side, this is a situation where a suppressed weapon could be a huge asset.
As stated, i don’t live in a metropolis, but an escape route, carefully planned and rehearsed would be a must. Trying to exit a city in a state of anarchy would be a very tall order, if you have a family. You would have to project the route that teeming masses would take out of town (foot or automobile) and plan around it. One thing you can guarantee is that 9.8% out of 10 are NOT going to plan and just run. History is replete with examples. Getting caught in a panic-stricken traffic jam would probably strip you of your vehicle and any supplies you have stowed.
Aside from criminals, people become very violent when there family is on the line. I recall the story of a German pleasure liner that was sunk by a Russian sub in WWII. The liner was packed w/ hundreds of officers and their families and the area around the lifeboats was one big OK Corral as they tried to get their families on board.
On the gear side - I have read similar threads that warn against the “Tactical Tommy” look in the course of a disaster or civil disturbance. if you have a vehicle, maybe stowing a long gun/plate carrier in the vehicle to be donned in an emergency. While not the ultimate battle rifle, a Mini-14 or 30-30 might be a good option due to their unmilitary appearance (I would not go with one of these as my ONLY rifle, if i had a choice)
“They” could be harrassed, hampered law enforcement. Getting into it with them would be bad, bad, bad. Another reason for avoiding other humans as much as possible.
The fact is, you simply can’t win. Someone had better give you some kind of anti-air solution quick or you won’t be able to last a month.