Choosing allies

GunnyGene · Mar 20, 2013

I read (as many of y'all do, I reckon) all kinds of posts, etc. related to government overreach, zombie apocalypses', police state tactics and so on. Much of it way over the top, written by paranoid psychopaths, out to lunch preppers, ho-hum clueless, and so on.

So the questions of the day is: Have y'all identified, and made contact with, potential allies? Do you think of yourself as a lone survivalist beating back the starving hordes invading from the big cities? Or are you planning to put together small communities for mutual benefit? I'm including the basics in this; food, water, shelter, needed skills, and so on.

Dysfunctional · Mar 20, 2013

Somewhere in-between. Depending on how topsy-turvey it gets my son would move back from semi-suburbia to small town country, my neighbor and his adult children & families would do the same so we would form a loose band. We already sorta-kinda coop garden and assist as needed. If it got extra-ugly and we needed to retreat deeper into the wilderness I think I would be on my own with just my wife and son as I don't think they (neighbors & children) are prepared to go that far. It would all depend on what the nature of the disaster is.

OhioArcher · Mar 20, 2013

Right now it is mostly solo but there are a couple of people we could team up with at their location (5-6 miles away). Much more ammo availability but that would mean we couldn't defend our property. Yeah, property may be the least concern if it gets really bad but we're makes preparations to stay in place at this time.

aksavanaman · Mar 20, 2013

I am nowhere near as prepared as I should be, but from the stand point of people I would trust in a situation that would either require defense of my family or long term survival, there are very few that would fit the category. I mean ultimately you are responsible for yourself and your family, beyond that you have to weigh your options on whether others are friends or foe. It's tough for me because I'm in a new place every 4 years so creating relationships that foster that trust is difficult. But I would think that if I eventually settled down in one place I would try to side with a few neighbors to form a small coalition of like-minded people. Preferable each of us having a different skill set that would benefit the group....and everyone being proficient in the use of firearms!

oli700 · Mar 20, 2013

GunnyGene said:
So the questions of the day is: Have y'all identified, and made contact with, potential allies? Do you think of yourself as a lone survivalist beating back the starving hordes invading from the big cities? Or are you planning to put together small communities for mutual benefit? I'm including the basics in this; food, water, shelter, needed skills, and so on.

I have moved 20 mile from a 400-500 person community where I grew up and will go back when it gets bad....family still has 70 acres up there . I know everyone and everyone knows me. We are all armed, hunt, garden and know the surrounding 100 square miles blindfolded. We know where to find water when there is none to be found, we can build home from what’s on the land …….most places don’t have internet service or cell service so most of us won’t be affected by losing it…….I have internet now but when it leaves I’ll miss a couple people on here but other than that I won’t miss it…..

old mossy · Mar 20, 2013

oli700 said:
GunnyGene said:

So the questions of the day is: Have y'all identified, and made contact with, potential allies? Do you think of yourself as a lone survivalist beating back the starving hordes invading from the big cities? Or are you planning to put together small communities for mutual benefit? I'm including the basics in this; food, water, shelter, needed skills, and so on.

Click to expand...

I have moved 20 mile from a 400-500 person community where I grew up and will go back when it gets bad....family still has 70 acres up there . I know everyone and everyone knows me. We are all armed, hunt, garden and know the surrounding 100 square miles blindfolded. We know where to find water when there is none to be found, we can build home from what’s on the land …….most places don’t have internet service or cell service so most of us won’t be affected by losing it…….I have internet now but when it leaves I’ll miss a couple people on here but other than that I won’t miss it…..

i'm insulted Oli,,,,,you won't miss me on the internet?

(i'll be in my foxhole.)

oli700 · Mar 20, 2013

I'm insulted you didn’t read my post entirely before you cut my balls off

mingaa · Mar 20, 2013

If we stay in the city, yes - I have a neighbor of 11 years that I can totally trust and we have a flexible plan depending on what might happen. We share many resources as-is tools etc. (co-own a lawn mower). He has been in the service - I am better armed and have more power tools and a generator. He has a hydroponic garden, 6 chickens and a small Tilapia fish farm all tucked away on a low lot line city property -and he has a safe room (not my favorite idea but it's there). Both houses are solid 3 story brick houses with easy passage between them. Side door to side door is a matter of steps. We could quickly create a structure where we could at least not be seen moving between houses. Might want that to be modular and on hand to throw together. Hmmm.

He's early 40s, I'm 55 - both hard workers. His wife shoots mine does not.

There is an older couple 6 houses down that we have discussed joining us under circumstances that dictated such a move. It would mean abandoning their house for the security of our adjoining pair. The gent is an experienced shooter and would bring a lot of firepower and experience. He likes the idea of combining if circumstances dictated. We have a loose plan about how and what to move quickly. We have 2 reloading setups. #3 down the block has asked if we would keep supplies and dies in storage at our place (his calibers) for 'safe keeping'. Yep. We could use one more trained reloader - probably the neighbor's wife who shoots.

Stay or go I'm looking at run flat tires for at least one of our cars. They would probably stay stored -I can swap tires on a vehicle pretty fast - not NASCAR fast but SCCA fast and have the jack and tools for it.

We have a secure spot for the generator but, depending on the season there are questions on how it would be best used. I have XX gallons of fuel. Neighbor has WAY more firewood than me. I usually keep 4 BBQ size propane tanks and may up that.

SO - a little living-in-the-city planning. Not crazy prepper thinking but adults pondering bad or worst case scenarios and the resources we have, want and how would we could best use them.

I've been pricing razor wire - that may sit next to the run flat tire set—just in case.

old mossy · Mar 20, 2013

oli700 said:
I'm insulted you didn’t read my post entirely before you cut my balls off

sorry Oli,,kidding.

rjpoog1989 · Mar 20, 2013

oli700 said:
I'm insulted you didn’t read my post entirely before you cut my balls off

first let me just say this is the funniest thing I've read all day :lol:

rjpoog1989 · Mar 20, 2013

Man, I'll tell ya, if shit hits the fan right now I'm more screwed than I don't even know what. I do have my truck, which I do tend to brag I could survive anything out of, especially now that I have a 12-volt fridge. That being said, the truck still is not where I want it to be (an expedition/bug out vehicle), but it's coming along. When I finally get out of this crap hole town of city slickers I am buying some property. I hope to be able to grow and can my own food like my parents do. I do have a good many survival skills from scouts and just from being out in the wilderness so much. I will survive, although right now is not the best time for that kind of scenario.
The worst part of my current predicament is my firearms are an hour drive from here. I can't trust my roommate so I won't keep them here. Luckily I only have to put up with him for another 2 months...

GunnyGene · Mar 20, 2013

aksavanaman said:
I am nowhere near as prepared as I should be, but from the stand point of people I would trust in a situation that would either require defense of my family or long term survival, there are very few that would fit the category. I mean ultimately you are responsible for yourself and your family, beyond that you have to weigh your options on whether others are friends or foe. It's tough for me because I'm in a new place every 4 years so creating relationships that foster that trust is difficult. But I would think that if I eventually settled down in one place I would try to side with a few neighbors to form a small coalition of like-minded people. Preferable each of us having a different skill set that would benefit the group....and everyone being proficient in the use of firearms!

There's a hierarchy that has been in existence for thousands of years. Immediate family, extended family, clan or tribe, community, city, nation, race. More or less in that order. All based on common belief systems, practical group survival needs, and the group self interest that binds a particular group together as mentioned above. Sometimes those things result in 'family feuds' (aka wars) when the belief systems, self interest, or survival needs of one group clash with those of another group.

Obviously these groups need not be geographically separated, but close proximity, between different tribes for example, can and does aggravate problems. You can see this in any city. Different gangs stake out territory, ethnic groups congregate in 'ghettos', and so on.