Medieval Zombie Apocalypse

[mangekyou-sama]

We've all seen various possible scenarios of zombie apocalypse. There are movies, TV series, comics and even survival books dedicated to this concept. All of them however seem based on the life we have now. Sure we have guns, WHO and other weapons that can deal with such an epidemic.

Go back a few hundred years into the medieval age and you get swords, bows, pitchforks and a rather primitive concept of medicine (plus loads of superstitions). There were no cars, tanks. Jet fighters/bombers are out of the question. Add constant wars in the frontiers to the mix.

Here's the question: How high (or low) are the chances of surviving a zombie apocalypse in the medieval era? And for the more "zombie survival" enthusiasts here, what survival "tips" can you share for such a scenario?

[Helix935]

We've all seen various possible scenarios of zombie apocalypse. There are movies, TV series, comics and even survival books dedicated to this concept. All of them however seem based on the life we have now. Sure we have guns, WHO and other weapons that can deal with such an epidemic.

Go back a few hundred years into the medieval age and you get swords, bows, pitchforks and a rather primitive concept of medicine (plus loads of superstitions). There were no cars, tanks. Jet fighters/bombers are out of the question. Add constant wars in the frontiers to the mix.

Here's the question: How high (or low) are the chances of surviving a zombie apocalypse in the medieval era? And for the more "zombie survival" enthusiasts here, what survival "tips" can you share for such a scenario?

very high actually since at the time virtually everyone was a survivalist and knew the terrain so they should be able to survive well...

god now i want to see if someone would make a Romans versus zombies game now that would be cool

[Rakaydos]

Not to mention that the typical noble habitation is intended to survive a mob pounting at the gates for months at a time, feeding all the locals and their livestock until their neibors can come rescue them or the attackers die of disease.

So it really depeds on how "Immortal" a zombie is in that universe.

[Godot]

Considering that usually the best ,ethod of getting rid of zombies is decapitation, fire or destruction of the brain, medieval times seem to have been well prepared for Zombie invasions.

Swords are a rather good choice for cutting heads ... most polearms of medieval times had blades (cutting heads), spikes (making holes into skulls) or a combination of these (for example Voulge, Bec de Corbin, Halberd).

Ranged weapons like bows and crossbows were good at piercing skulls

The use of Fire in sieges was common (like firepots getting hurled via catapults, trebuchets) and last but not least you had castles everywhere (which might hold out against most zombies, with exception maybe the zombies of Worldwar Z ).

There also were just around 500 million humans on the whole world and there were no means of fast long ranged mass transportation, meaning that the virus (or whatever means the Zombie invasion would be caused by) wouldn´t be able to spread very fast (messages about zombies could be transmitted faster by horse courier from one castle to the next, than the zombies would be able to walk on foot).

Perhaps no bad chance for mankind, at least if the survivors discover fast enough, that a wound caused by zombies will lead to a zombification of the victim

[NovaSilisko]

I am unsure what this has to do with science...

[Airlock]

Looks like weapons have been covered pretty well. How about armor? Let's take a look at a 14th century knight.

Bites would be a non-issue for a well equipped army of the period. Even the common man-at-arms/foot soldier/archer/levy would have some sort of gambeson and a helmet.

[KerikBalm]

Low population density means the zombie horders wouldn't get that large (can't have more zombies than you had people).

Military forces of the day were geared towards close range combat, thus well prepared to hack up zombies without being bitten.

Military preparations of the day had a lot of preparations for withstanding seiges. Zombies would have a very hard time penetrating a castle.

Less zombies, slower zombie spread, more armor agaisnt bites, more defensive works, and men that know how to use melee weapons.

They'd be fine.

[MedwedianPresident]

I think that the armour back at those days was a good thing against zombies. Also good that there were no Zombie Dentists out there,

so quickly the population would deteriorate as the zombies lose their teeth trying to bite knights - without teeth they are unable to bite at all and will be very sad and then the zombies will surrender.

[78stonewobble]

Well, one thing that allways annoyed me about "world war Z", the book... was the battle of Yonkers? ... Where a million plus zombies are drawn out of new york (or entirety of newyork zombiefied) and the US army LOOOSES ?!?!? Because they used cold war tactics and foxholes and barb wire... Uhhhh... huuuhhh...

So they didn't bomb the .... out of the concentration of zombies? (explosions crack heads as good as a bullet to the head if close enough).

And/or .... Just line up some 70 ton tanks, and just drive up and down, crushing everything (human or formerly human, including skulls and brains)?

...

Ok, it was one thing, if the disease or whatever just spread so quickly, that the military never got to gather up or react, but the above? The level of stupidity implied just made me unable to suspend my disbelief.

[peadar1987]

Yeah, even now a zombie apocalypse would fail pretty darn quickly. There's almost no chance of an obvious hostile getting close enough to a modern, well-equipped soldier to bite them. As 78stonewobble said, we might lose a city or two, but unless there was a huge incubation period, it would be quickly quarantined and the zombies wiped out when they ventured into open ground.

[magnemoe]

Well, one thing that allways annoyed me about "world war Z", the book... was the battle of Yonkers? ... Where a million plus zombies are drawn out of new york (or entirety of newyork zombiefied) and the US army LOOOSES ?!?!? Because they used cold war tactics and foxholes and barb wire... Uhhhh... huuuhhh...

So they didn't bomb the .... out of the concentration of zombies? (explosions crack heads as good as a bullet to the head if close enough).

And/or .... Just line up some 70 ton tanks, and just drive up and down, crushing everything (human or formerly human, including skulls and brains)?

...

Ok, it was one thing, if the disease or whatever just spread so quickly, that the military never got to gather up or react, but the above? The level of stupidity implied just made me unable to suspend my disbelief.

Don't bomb, use tank and splat, any sort of truck would work here if the area is flat.

Use an bulldozer to dig a trench, then drive it forward and back in trench then zombies come. Driver might need some protection, however protection does not need to be bullet proof.

And, we have an major benefit over medieval times, resources and tools, probably more armored offroad trucks today than it was suits of armor back then.

Any organized group with some days to prepare would have no problem defeating or at least holding off any number of zombies.

[78stonewobble]

Well, I'm still enjoying games like l4d1/2 and state of decay and even the occassional doodling of a zombie proof compound. *lol*

[magnemoe]

Well, I'm still enjoying games like l4d1/2 and state of decay and even the occassional doodling of a zombie proof compound. *lol*

Fun gameplay and looks cool has nothing to do with realism

Lots of settings would be far more boring if realistic or even logical.

[Zad Fnark]

That's when Nagash would take over.

ZF-

[Javster]

Thinking about it, they were more prepared than us, and would probably fare better if they were reduced to a nomadic state.

We could easily survive it, (well, actually, with Ebola I'm having some doubts) provided we crushed them with military things, we'd be screwed living in the wilderness.

[mangekyou-sama]

Bites would be a non-issue for a well equipped army of the period. Even the common man-at-arms/foot soldier/archer/levy would have some sort of gambeson and a helmet.

Well I guess an airborne pathogen would change the game then? Was the Black Plague back then airborne or bloodborne? I'm not quite sure.

Either way, that presents a problem because I'm pretty sure sanitation wasn't that good back in those days. Definitely no hazmat suits which means people disposing of the bodies are at a high risk of infection too.

Edited October 15, 2014 by mangekyou-sama

[cantab]

The Black Death was insect-borne. (Rat fleas, I think).

[Nuke]

i have a feeling the zombies would carry fleas around everywhere they go. we might be able to kill them off in droves, but the black death they bring everywhere would probibly kill a lot. they were burning bodies as fast as they could, but if they get up and start walking, you are going to have a very hard time controlling plague.

[Tommygun]

This is my Boom stick. There are many like it, but this one is mine..........