Dealing with larger groups

[bigpaul]

just don't bet your life on it if in any kind of doubt, however small, go in the opposite direction. trust no one especially strangers.

[Scythe13]

Can I just note that we are all having a 'best case' kind of attitude towards it?

For example, BP, what if there is no option to slip away? What course of action would you take?

MNM, what if there is not enough time to properly observe the group?

[Midnitemo]

if you have the choice between fighting ill prepared and withdrawing it has to be withdraw everytime.

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you can't easily replace or replenish now so you must only commit yourself if the odds are massively in your favour.

[Devonian]

I think what S13 is saying, what if you were "ambushed and surrounded" by the larger group, and therefore running away was not possible, so in that situation, to me the options are:

1. Try and talk your way out of the situation so they allow you to pass on without any conflict
2. Negotiate with a view to joining them
3. Surrender and give them what they want, hoping that they will not kill you
4. Fight your way out and then run as fast as you can when you get the opportunity
5. Act dumb like some kind of village idiot
6. Fake some kind of horrid disease that they won't want to get near
7. Go psycho and try and kill them all in a mad rage before they get you!!
8. .....................
9. .....................

[Midnitemo]

If this means they are laying seige to my bug in/bug out then i'm prepared...they are going to have to pay dearly or fek off.....if i've been caught in the open as a patrol/fighting party then i will be looking to perform a fighting withdrawl or breakout depending how desperate the situation has become...sit tight and your in the bag or dead

[bigpaul]

I think we're getting into the realms of fantasy land here, I don't believe a party of strangers especially a large party of strangers would get very far without being spotted, I know they wont in my area, strangers stand out a mile, "who the feck are those emmets??"

[Straight Shooter]

Larger groups .....I would doubt it , that would mean a structure of command plus the logistics of moving around ...if via say 4x4s or vans....that would mean they will have use of firearms, fuel, and some food .....no match for us ....strength in numbers ...? Maybe but that means a lot of food to find....and mouths to feed, the only reason for a large group to stay put would be simple........lots of resourses easy to defend ,.......sounds like someones BOL , stay low and move on if you have to......can,t do much dead afterall, even when you have bugged out .....always have your BOB at the ready.

[Mortblanc]

Every time a question of this type is presented here it instantly morphs from a tactical consideration into a comparison of psychological types; brave vs. timid

The OP does not have enough detailed information to make a valid decision from the start.

1. how many people are in a "large group"?
2. what is their disposition? rogues or mixed aged families?
3. how are they advancing? organized and efficient or as a mob?
4. how are they armed?

5. How many do YOU have beside you?
6. How are YOU armed?
7. What defensive measure have YOU taken.
8. What are the weather conditions? Can you even survive running away?

Offering a generalized but hard and fast answer is impossible without this information and all one can offer is one's own personal outlook on how to overcome/surrender too adversity as a general lifestyle choice.

[Scythe13]

(25 April 2014, 17:14)Mortblanc Wrote: Every time a question of this type is presented here it instantly morphs from a tactical consideration into a comparison of psychological types; brave vs. timid

The OP does not have enough detailed information to make a valid decision from the start.

1. how many people are in a "large group"?
2. what is their disposition? rogues or mixed aged families?
3. how are they advancing? organized and efficient or as a mob?
4. how are they armed?

5. How many do YOU have beside you?
6. How are YOU armed?
7. What defensive measure have YOU taken.
8. What are the weather conditions? Can you even survive running away?

Offering a generalized but hard and fast answer is impossible without this information and all one can offer is one's own personal outlook on how to overcome/surrender too adversity as a general lifestyle choice.

That is kind of the point of this thread. To get questioning the many variables and responding to them. For example, I never said a large group. Simply LARGER. Meaning, more people than in your group. So if you have a group of 2 or 3, a larger group would be anything above 4.

The same with why I never said about how well armed a person is. 5 people with shotguns would be a pretty good deterrent, but I'm not sure everyone is a part of a group where 5 people have shotguns. So the question is meant to be aimed at a personal level. The idea is to be realistic, thus each response should be given with the considerations of that person's situation.

The different dispositions of the groups are also open to interpretation. Which is again something people should consider and think about. A mass of 50 mixed families could easily turn nasty. Parents defending/feeding their children are dangerous!

Movement is again something to be thought about and discussed. I also posted about choke points alongside this thread for a reason.

Nothing about how they're armed, as it's something to consider, against how well each person answering the question is armed.

5. How many do YOU have beside you?
6. How are YOU armed?
7. What defensive measure have YOU taken.
8. What are the weather conditions? Can you even survive running away?

Again, all these things need to be considered for each individual circumstance.

If I just put out a scenario, e.g. you're fishing on the beach and a load of people come along...etc.... It is a scenario that will not effect many people on the forum. But the possibility of coming across a large group, or a large group coming across you and yours, is a real possibility and highly likely.

So I'd like to get other ideas and views on dealing with this (in my opinion) INEVITABLE scenario.

[bigpaul]

it all depends on the event as to whether people are moving about and how many survived. we have been here before. I'm out.