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ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster

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ORIGINAL: LadyPact

This is going to sound damn egotistical.

I'm already a leader.  People follow Me in part because I'm good at it.  Not because I have multiple degrees and speak seven languages.  It's because I assess a situation, find the practical solution, and find a way to carry it out.  I can spot the best person for the best job by a long shot and I can convince darn near anybody with the right method mixed with common sense.

First move.  Fulfilling needs that support life.  Food, shelter, medical supplies.  Who has the strength/endurance to forage for food?  Who is the nurturer to care for the sick/injured?  Who knows what we have on hand for heat?  Who has survival training?  Who has intellectual knowledge that is useful for whatever happened to us?  Give every person a purpose for our survival.

After that, we decide as a collective what immediately follows physical needs.  Is it best to travel?  Is leaving a record important if there is a possibility that another group can find us?  What do we have to do to protect ourselves from outside threats?  What course of action should we take, if we decide to take any at all?  Survive first.  Then we consider matters of choice.

No, that doesn't sound egotistical at all. I'm Alpha, myself, and actually had a small following way back around 72 or so (very long story). Also have run a small business, have chemistry training, yada yada. But I also understand that I'm neither capable of, nor competent to, micromanage everything. And I would absolutely reject a traditional heirachical power structure. I would also reject any organization based on religious mythology. I would be inclined to subvert, overthrow, or kill anyone who attempted to use force to control others. Force is to be used for self-defense only (including defending against those who commit what the group deems to be criminal behavior (rape, theft, hoarding, and so on).

I suppose that initially travelling would depend on whether one is in an urban or rural environment. At some point I think whatever group forms will need to grow/raise food, so enough land for that will be necessary.

Foraging is a given, considering civilization has collapsed. After securing food, water, and weapons, I would go for medical supplies. Sterile bandaging, syringes, sutures, and alcohol swabs. Antibiotics, antifungals, and antivirals. Pain meds (those are for me - sorry [:D]). Crutches and orthotics. Surgical equipment. Medical textbooks.

Batteries and lamps (flashlights). Candles. Kerosene and kerosene heaters. Bleach.

I think the above is basic. Keeping people alive is the first priority, I think.

Second tier: seeds. Books, especially chemistry, soil science, engineering, plumbing, sustainable gardening, animal husbandry, veterninary science. Hand tools. Building materiels, especially fasteners (nails, etc.) and insulation. Solar lighting and panels. Garden tools. Fishing gear. Clear roll plastic, plasic sheeting, cirrugated fiberglass (greenhouses). Fencing (for raising fowl and livestock). Spare parts for weapons (and more ammo). Livestock and horses (tempted to put horses in the first tier).

3rd tier: pretty much everything else.

SO what are the advantages of being stationary vs. roving? And vice-versa? To me, having an enclave is not an option, it's a necessity.

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ORIGINAL: SexyBossyBBW

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ORIGINAL: NocturnalStalker
I refuse to follow LadyPact.

I'll start a post-apocalyptic cult that runs crazy radioactive experiments on devastated survivors and transforming them into mutant monstrosities.

Okay, but if you're successful, your dominant hand will be your only best friend, since you've mentioned, liking 'em pretty.
Are you sure this is the plan you should go for? Better to bow down to the women, as you have in the past. [;)]

As to continued survival, I'd follow gungadin09, and LadyPact.
*waves wait for me* M

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LP: Completely dependent upon what is being faced. What resources are available within a certain distance? Medical facilities, military bases, (weapons.... how many folks do you know that can hunt with their bare hands?) other people with skills that My little group might not have? Whatever we might have that supports "need" would run out at some point.

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ORIGINAL: NocturnalStalker
To ensure my survival I must do away with all of yours.

>:)

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ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster
Initially, absolutely true. That's why I put a high priority on weapons; useful for food as well as defense, regardless of the location (except urban areas; not many deer there). I'm thinking that an inventory of local facilities/assets, after making sure everyone is fed and watered, should be a priority. It's probably wise to assume that there are bad guys out there looking for easy marks, so the scouting parties should be organized like the patrols were in Vietnam, in the jungle, with someone on point quite a ways ahead.

This is interesting to me, to think about reestablishing civilization pretty much from the ground up, but also seeing what others see as priorities. In a way, it's like a Rorschach test.

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ORIGINAL: LadyPact

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ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster
Initially, absolutely true. That's why I put a high priority on weapons; useful for food as well as defense, regardless of the location (except urban areas; not many deer there). I'm thinking that an inventory of local facilities/assets, after making sure everyone is fed and watered, should be a priority. It's probably wise to assume that there are bad guys out there looking for easy marks, so the scouting parties should be organized like the patrols were in Vietnam, in the jungle, with someone on point quite a ways ahead.

This is interesting to me, to think about reestablishing civilization pretty much from the ground up, but also seeing what others see as priorities. In a way, it's like a Rorschach test.

I interpreted the question in relation to where I am geographically.  Not a bad location, if we had the ability to hunt.  (Again, weapons and ammo.)  If we were surviving on canned food, we could do that for a while.  Medical supplies would also be limited.  We might find things at one or two doctor's offices in town.  Real supplies would be at the hospital twenty miles away.  Big plus, a military post twenty miles the other way.  Satellites and communication.  Various ranches (cattle and sheep) that would be more than easy enough.

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ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster

........... Who would you band together with (what sort of person/people: authoritarian/strong leader, or a democratic socialist group)?

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ORIGINAL: LadyPact

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ORIGINAL: NocturnalStalker
To ensure my survival I must do away with all of yours.

>:)

You mean, you hope.

Your physical needs would be the same as ours.  Even if you killed us all and survived on any and all resources at our disposal, you'd really be in the same position.  How are your skills at obtaining food?  How is your knowledge about health care?  The ability to fight off predators (animal and human alike) on your own?

Short sightedness would be your undoing.

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ORIGINAL: NocturnalStalker

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ORIGINAL: LadyPact

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ORIGINAL: NocturnalStalker
To ensure my survival I must do away with all of yours.

>:)

You mean, you hope.

Your physical needs would be the same as ours.  Even if you killed us all and survived on any and all resources at our disposal, you'd really be in the same position.  How are your skills at obtaining food?  How is your knowledge about health care?  The ability to fight off predators (animal and human alike) on your own?

Short sightedness would be your undoing.

I would cannibalize your bodies and this new-found increased insanity will lead me to believe I have become a God.  After this, I will be hit by falling debris from a bridge, and die.

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ORIGINAL: NocturnalStalker
I would cannibalize your bodies and this new-found increased insanity will lead me to believe I have become a God.  After this, I will be hit by falling debris from a bridge, and die.

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ORIGINAL: gungadin09

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ORIGINAL: NocturnalStalker
I would cannibalize your bodies and this new-found increased insanity will lead me to believe I have become a God.  After this, I will be hit by falling debris from a bridge, and die.

... is what You would imagine in a fit of delirium brought on by starvation; which would be made considerably worse by the delicious smell of roasting meat wafting over from our campfire, just out of reach. Maybe if You ask really nicely. Well, actually... no.

pam