"Best and Worst eras for a Zombie outbreak?" Topic

Since I should be doing something else right now, I simply must ask: What era do you think it would be easiest, and which hardest, to survive the Zombie Apocalypse?

Best: For my money, Medieval would be easiest for survival: Hand weapons are plentiful, ranged weapons are silent, armor is known and available, food and weapon production can be done at the village, or even individual, level, and population density shouldn't produce 'megaherds' yet.

Worst: I'd go with the period between Napoleon and the US Civil War. While food production is better than modern times, weapons are at about the worst possible point: Slow, one-shot guns are noisy, but bows and other silent ranged weapons are gone. Yes, every infantryman has a bayonet, but personal armor (other than a thick wool coat) is non-existent. The main weaponry (guns) is hard to manufacture and supply. Cities have enough population density that herds of zombies can form.

Modern times are kind of bad – we still use noisy guns that are hard to replace and supply, food production is crap – the estimate is that cities are three days from disaster in the even that the trucks stop coming. Transportation – bikes are better than cars, especially after gas either runs out or goes bad from oxidation, condensation, etc.

Thoughts?

The 19th century still has a major, self-sustainable rural population, so I would say modern times is the worst: Crowded cities make for rapid transmission of disease; there are a LOT more people now than in the past.

There is also a huge reliance on technology -- A lot of people are completely lost without their "smart"phones. Millions will be trying to Google, "how to survive a zombie apocalypse," but the powergrid will go down fairly quickly. And with GPS on every device, do kids still know how to read maps? Would they be able to navigate to safe-havens if they exist?

My default era is the 1930's. Some automatic weapons, but little understanding of what they are facing. Hey, it will be 85 years before they learn about the Walking Dead. So, authorities attribute the situation to the flu. I've got some warning signs posted around for the population to be aware of the "flu." Plus, the vehicles are cool.

Actually modern times are best. You can reach out and kill zombies without getting close and personal.

You can form militia battalions by the tens of thousands and put zombie removal on high priority. As far as manufacture of guns and ammunition it is already done (go to your local gun shop or check with your neighbors) just a matter of distribution and continued resupply of ammunition.

As far as food distribution goes those militia patrols going up and down the roads (about one car every mile on major highways) should keep the trucks rolling. Just dial 911 and report any zombies you see or kill for "removal". I suspect zombies would become an endangered species very quickly.

If you have seen the first "Night of the Living Dead" at the end of the movie they were doing a sweep to get rid of all the zombies and no special training needed (just spot and start shooting).

I'd argue that hand weapons were plentiful for some people in the medieval period (depending on locale), but not so much for the lower classes (for socio-political reasons) – at least not high-quality weapons.

I can't imagine a worse place for an outbreak than late 19th-century London's East End. Incredible population density, insensible and easily-bitten/consumed people everywhere and all kinds of warrens and passageways that would make it virtually impossible to contain the problem. Of course, the garrison is reasonably close by, so there is that.

The space age (say, late 21st [hopefully] or 22nd century) might be best. You strap up and fly away, or (if you're of a Star Wars/Star Trek bent), you can just vaporize zombies entirely; Stormtroopers would miss ever shot, but probably be protected by their otherwise pointless armor.

I'm not aware of zombies who can operate complicated machinery, though a group of space-faring zombies might be super cool.

Definitely now. The number of people on the planet gives them an unlimited number of reinforcements, and once technology/electricity breaks down just surviving that will be challenging, much less fighting off the Zeds.

Best and worst? Today with a pump action shotgun with lots of ammo:), with a wiffle stick:(

Definitely now. The number of people on the planet gives them an unlimited number of reinforcements, and once technology/electricity breaks down just surviving that will be challenging, much less fighting off the Zeds.

I would agree, now would be the worst time to Survive! Hunger and thrist, will make the guy next door hard to deal with as well. People down the street kicking at your door just becasue they THINK you might have something they need or to save their lives while yours will not mean much to them!

So not only would you will have to be fighting off the Zeds but the guy with family next door!

I think Medieval would be one of the worst periods. Most weapons of the period were not designed for decapitating or piercing the skull, and the average footman isn't likely to hold the line against a seemingly unkillable foe (even ignoring superstition). Even heavily armored knights are going to get exhausted and overwhelmed by relatively small hordes.

There is simply no weapons advantage compared to modern times. Your local hunting goods store will have far better bows, crossbows, and machetes than were available in Medieval times.

But in the Medieval period, even a low-level Cleric will be able to Turn Undead with ease!

Also, depends on which country you are in. Not everybody has a local gunshop or hunting goods store!

Don't write off peasantry so easily. Peasants were used to hardship, making do by themselves AND they've worked with hand tools all their lives. This means that every dirt farmer from the past has swung an ax, hoe, flail, scythe, etc. millions of times. They can keep swinging until every zed's skull has been crushed and not get tired.

I don't know why people seem to think machetes are good weapons. That's TV crap. They use soft steels and get dull quickly. Machetes are used to cut mainly green vegetation. Anyone who has read real news about machete uses like in Ruanda will understand that machetes are terrifying because they cause deep disfiguring lacerations. Attempts to remove limbs with machetes take multiple "hacks".

I'd like to see a modern city dweller swing a machete at a stump 100 times without getting exhausted or develop blisters.

Loads too think about here – great thread idea!

Random thoughts from my brain-jelly, in no particular order:

Re. the medieval period: fortifications are commonplace, and 'forting up' is SOP in times of crisis.
(of course, you have the downside of a 'carrier' getting in there with you, but that applies in every setting.)

Any rural population from a period before the industrial revolution would have a huge advantage in terms of survival in the wild – hunting/fishing/foraging, fieldcraft, manual craftsmanship, firestarting, weather sense, that kind of thing.

The biggest single factor by far is transportation.
In the middle ages, an infected victim might stagger as far as the next village before 'turning'.
In the modern era, thousands of those guys could fly across the Atlantic in the same space of time.

'Militias' and 'gun stores'?
Sorry. It's a big planet, and across the majority of it, private gun ownership just isn't widespread enough to be a significant factor in deciding the outcome of a major outbreak.
In those nations with relaxed firearm legislation, and in third-world hellholes where AK's outnumber people, then yeah ; privately owned firearms could prove decisive at a local level.
But the OP specifies a Zombie 'Apocalypse' – not a localized outbreak.
Looking at the big picture, Kennesaw, Ga. and Mogadishu are not going to save the world.

Other factors?
What did those cultures do with their dead?
In present-day Britain, we cremate the overwhelming majority of our dear departed. You could spray the whole place with 2-4-5 Trioxin – nothing will claw it's way out of the earth but the kitty at the bottom of the garden.
In eras when the dead were simply wrapped and buried – a 'rise from the grave' type outbreak would be immediately catastrophic.
Those cultures who 'expose' their dead, like the Parsee regions of India, or those who placed their dead in catacombs would fare even worse. Instant 'megaherd'. (Good term, that.)

Levels of superstition/religious belief would be significant.
Falling to one's knees in prayer did not stop viking raiders. It is even less effective against zombies, in that it gifts the mob another recruit.
A rush to churches would serve only to concentrate the population, drawing zombies and negating the advantages of a dispersed populace.
Also – where are people going to take their sick (bitten!) family members for succour and healing? Church!
And though their walls may be sturdy, churches are not set-up for defence and lacking in weapons!
It's a perfect storm for maximising the spread of infection.

An often overlooked aspect of the genre is the outbreak of occult origin – the 'demonic' zombies of the (brilliant) Spanish [Rec] series or 'The Evil Dead'. They had their origin in Vatican-related mischief and ancient Sumerian necromancy respectively.
Modern man is much less likely to open that particular box.

A modern society would have a greater understanding of infection vectors, epidemic spread patterns, PPE, disinfection/asepsis, vaccine development etc.
(I know… in zombie movies, none of this ever works!)

The flip side of this is that only modern science could come up with man-made zombie precursors like a 'Rage' virus or 'T-virus'.
Generally, medical science is shown causing outbreaks, not resolving them!

One factor in the favour of our medieval 'everyman' is that he's quite likely to be perfectly happy with the concept and familiar with the practicalities of walking up to somebody and smashing their skull with a cudgel.
The average modern man has never even wrung a chicken's neck.

@cwlinsj

I didn't say machetes were good weapons, I said modern machetes have far better construction (including steel) than what a medieval peasant had.

And while a peasant might have better stamina than a modern urban dweller, there is a huge difference between scything a field and combat. When chopping wood you work to your own pace and therefore can sustain the work for hours if need be, in combat you work to the enemies pace and can easily over exert yourself.

At best guess, the world population during the dark ages was about 200 to 340 million people, jump to present day, it's some where just over 7 billion!

Just saying if you were the only survivor it would far easier to destroy 340 million zombies no matter what the weapon was, then 7 BILLION!

On the plus side you would have arms better then Arnold would have ever dreamed of.

Gives a whole new meaning to Black Plague…..tehehe!!

"I don't know why people seem to think machetes are good weapons."

There are many machete designs – some for vegetation choppin' and some for head whackin'. Watch some of the "Cold Steel" videos pimping their excellent products. I personally think that Roman legionary style fighting in riot gear with short swords and shields would clear zed hordes out rather quickly…

California when Ronald Reagan was governor and degrading everything that wasn't rich and republican. I would've loved to have seen those selfsame CHP officers who so bravely tear-gassed hippies in Berkely cope with a horde of flesh-eaters.

Best: modern. Transportation, communication, and biggest for me – modern medicine. Plus, we've had years and years of zombie movies and books to teach everyone what to do.

Worst: any time before the widespread use of modern medicine. Please look into how medicine was handled even as far back as the 1850s and let me know where you'd like to have your minor medical issues handled.

Wild West might be a more favorable one for the common man – survival skills would be more widespread, ample access to firearms and expertise to use them, picks and axes would be household items, horses, and farming skills would be common. People in general would be more rugged due to the lifestyle.

Major cities like New York would be even more fubar than modern ones, though, and medicine is a little less than ideal. :P