Colony

[Paul]

I'm not dismissing drifters out of hand SD. Far from it.
Probably because I'll be one (hopefully with SWMBO quietly in the background covering me because she is a better shot than me!).
I'll guarantee I won't not be the only one either.

Drifters nowerdays are used to being moved on. I know this having been one many years ago.
The difference post event could be what's slung over their shoulder.
You've got to look at it from their side. You are many and many means supplies.
You say no, and you're hoping they'll walk away politely????????????

Any ex mil knows the importance of observation. A survivor (unless they are a total wally) is unlikely to walk up to you without having sussed your camp out before hand.

Now let's take the case of one or more technicals arriving.
Technical's NEVER move without support or too far from a fire base ergo they may have further heavy support or manpower.
Again, unless they are supremely confident (which is daft at best) they'll have surveilled you.

Unless you prudently put have outposts and have damn good perimeter protection / barriers, your neutral ground will most likely be your front gate.

Bit difficult to say politely "not today thank you" when staring into a couple of stacked GPMG's.

I'm non Rambo, more of a Bambi and I'm not trying to make this sound like the return of the Mad Max, survival is what it is.
If I'm forced out, I'm going to need supplies at some time.
If you say "no go away"?
Just hope we haven't got support or are desperate because we will have to take if we can.

Much like anyone would if the position was reversed.

[bigpaul]

i would like someone to explain to me why they think ex military types are going to survive any better than civilians, whatever it is that kills or killed off the population will not discriminate between military and not(military). if an EMP shuts down all the electricals, how are military types going to survive any better than a well preppared prepper, if they havent got access to food stores, water and equipment then they are going to be in the same position as the sheeple. just because someone had military training many years ago, but now works 9-5 dosent mean they are going to be in any better situation than anyone else.

[00111001]

(26 April 2012, 13:48)bigpaul Wrote: i would like someone to explain to me why they think ex military types are going to survive any better than civilians, whatever it is that kills or killed off the population will not discriminate between military and not(military). if an EMP shuts down all the electricals, how are military types going to survive any better than a well preppared prepper, if they havent got access to food stores, water and equipment then they are going to be in the same position as the sheeple. just because someone had military training many years ago, but now works 9-5 dosent mean they are going to be in any better situation than anyone else.

I think it's due to the teamwork / organisational skills etc. Having got stuffed at paintball against a group of ex squaddies I know where they're coming from.

[bigpaul]

(26 April 2012, 13:55)00111001 Wrote:

(26 April 2012, 13:48)bigpaul Wrote: i would like someone to explain to me why they think ex military types are going to survive any better than civilians, whatever it is that kills or killed off the population will not discriminate between military and not(military). if an EMP shuts down all the electricals, how are military types going to survive any better than a well preppared prepper, if they havent got access to food stores, water and equipment then they are going to be in the same position as the sheeple. just because someone had military training many years ago, but now works 9-5 dosent mean they are going to be in any better situation than anyone else.

I think it's due to the teamwork / organisational skills etc. Having got stuffed at paintball against a group of ex squaddies I know where they're coming from.

i think you could say that about street gangs or hells angels!

[00111001]

(26 April 2012, 13:57)bigpaul Wrote:

(26 April 2012, 13:55)00111001 Wrote:

(26 April 2012, 13:48)bigpaul Wrote: i would like someone to explain to me why they think ex military types are going to survive any better than civilians, whatever it is that kills or killed off the population will not discriminate between military and not(military). if an EMP shuts down all the electricals, how are military types going to survive any better than a well preppared prepper, if they havent got access to food stores, water and equipment then they are going to be in the same position as the sheeple. just because someone had military training many years ago, but now works 9-5 dosent mean they are going to be in any better situation than anyone else.

I think it's due to the teamwork / organisational skills etc. Having got stuffed at paintball against a group of ex squaddies I know where they're coming from.

i think you could say that about street gangs or hells angels!

Yup, no argument from me there! You could say the same about a football team to be honest. got a load of mates you knock around with on a regular basis - then you're going to be better off than the average joe who's on this todd.

[Paul]

Woops, missed the key on the last entry, moderator please delete.

How true bigpaul.
Difference is the training. Doesn't make an ex-mil indestructable but some of them have very "useful field skills".

[Skean Dhude]

Paul,

Are you used to being moved on.I'm not yet we could easily be the drifters of the future.

Nothing is 100% perfect. It dependson circumstances and planing. Plan for a couple of GMPG's. Make sure that you and yours end up alive the rest is secondary. Plan for a couple on their way to their BOL 300 miles away. A little bit of help if it won't hurt you too much.

We dwell too long on the extremes. There can't be that many ex military or Hells Angels. We spead our caches around.One gets caught the others hide. Plan for everything you have read about and that is all you can do. Planning and covering extreme circumstances only make bad general plans.

We just don't know what will happen.

Oh and IMO a football team is not a team in line with a military outfit who have trained together. Hells Angels are not either but they are much closer. Close knit teams are not something that generally people do.

[00111001]

(26 April 2012, 14:04)Skean Dhude Wrote: Oh and IMO a football team is not a team in line with a military outfit who have trained together. Hells Angels are not either but they are much closer. Close knit teams are not something that generally people do.

Football was probably not the best analogy to be honest. Maybe a rugby team

any group of people who spend a lot of time together, train together (in this case it's physical training), often go out on the piss together, probably end up fighting together. They stand a good chance.

When I did Wing Chun we used to meet up 4 times a week for the lessons, but we'd be round each others houses training 6 or 7 days a week, then we'd go out on the lash. When it kicked off, the group of us we're pretty much unstoppable, even when we got jumped and were outnumbered. Not just because of the martial arts training, but because we knew how each other thought and fought. It almost becomes a subconscious form of communication

[bigpaul]

i've got a lot of "traveller" friends, they are adapt at moving around & staying hidden, they are also very good at living off the land and whatever other people throw out, wife's got a hippy friend who taught her all about herbal remedies, she(the friend) lived in a "bender" for many, many years.

[The Local Ned]

OK , I'll do a bit of spin on this.

What makes you guys think that ex-forces types wont have at the least - a headstart on most preppers , and a total advantage over the sheeple ?

This will be interesting to see and debate.

What I will remind most of you ( the ex forces guys will know what I'm on about here ) is the very reason why our forces - army in particular will have a good advantage over most of you.

Training and Experience.

Trained to use bushcraft skills. Experienced enough to use them correctly.

Trained on basic shelters , building basic structures. Experienced enough to use them correctly , and using the ground to your best advantage.

Trained using a variety of different weapons. Experienced enough to use them correctly.

Trained to improvise where resources are scarce.
...example - someone on this forum had a few hundred metres of wire and was looking for ideas how to use it - any army signaller will tell you all about basic antenna construction , and how useful wire is at making a basic di-pole antenna.
...form a basic stretcher ?
Easy , the old combat jackets were brilliant for this.

Living off the land ? or using ration packs for at least a week or more ?
Forces - are experienced enough to do it and do it correctly.

Do not kid yourselves on - any army assault pioneer has all of these skills and more , including watercraft , demolitions , building and maintaining water supplies etc...and of course - skill at arms.

The Army doesnt go out in the field without the knowledge and experience , and certainly not without the training, to survive either in constant contact with the enemy or from being cutoff logistically.

Like Paul said - the mindset will be - hide all you want ,if I know you have supplies - I will find you and plan accordingly....

I am deadly serious when I say this - visitors/wanderers MUST be stopped and discouraged from coming anywhere near your colony area , and by that I am talking within an hours walk , at least until you have vetted them as being needed/useful.

Rugby teams ? , football teams ? eh ?? - it isn't all about team bonding , but I agree that those types will have a slight advantage.

Put a squaddie in an office , he'll be making mental notes on entrances/exits , fields of fire , arcs of fire , resources to use...
Put a rugby player in a survival situation....I fail to see the slightest advantage , even as a group.
Hells Angels / Biker gangs - wont be going far without fuel...granted there may be some experience of weapon handling...but not much else.

Many of the comparisons only make sense in a rural environment...ex-forces types are also trained in FIBUA too , or whatever its called now.
They might have a slight advantage in urban scenarios, but are miles in front in rural situations.

Just my humble opinion.