Best Historical Weapon VS Zombie Hordes (Might Surprise You)

[@Skallagrim]

I like my news with as much transparency and as little bias and clickbait as possible, and that's why I appreciate Ground News. Great tool if you want to compare how different outlets color their presentation of a topic. Check it out: ground.news/skallagrim

[@lamia197]

I am a gutendag addict. Please talk more about the gutendag.... Also I am suprised no one stuck soimthing like a incan copper mace-axe on a gutendag yet.

[@whyjay9959]

Not impressed with them, to say the least. Their picture for the topic Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is the bogus series of maps pretending British, Jordanian and Egyptian territories were Palestinian. Their selection of articles on the subject seems as echo-chambery as any.

[@Skallagrim]

@@whyjay9959 They show the coverage by different outlets. Some of which are biased, which they clearly mark as such. That's the idea, so you can compare and draw your own conclusions.

[@geo-fury]

Nice opening animation. The warrior looked like he's possessed or something. 👻Spooky.

[@dima_keller]

Am I the only one who's more impressed that this comment is 2 days old when the video was posted like 40 minutes ago?

[@pokemon1895]

When Skall said, "the real world," I got so scared I almost left the video. Then I realized I wouldn't know how to protect myself so I stayed.

[@dutchvanderbilt9969]

Yea the world's still fucked

[@Ahrone1586]

@@based_prophet wtf are you talking about man

[@Ahrone1586]

He said the real world a few times, whay exactly

[@dutchvanderbilt9969]

@@Ahrone1586 think about it

[@shindeiru2014]

You know what's scarier than zombies? INFLATION!

[@LDSG_A_Team]

The real reason Clerics in D&D always seem to use maces is because they are the ideal weapon to use against zombies and skeletons.

[@ebreshea1337]

Skeletons in D&D are the only ones weak to bludgeoning. Zombies are weak to slashing. But I think the canonical reason is because they spill less blood compared to other weapons, and are thus seen as less "violent" and maybe more "merciful" weapons. IIRC this is the reason why maces are used as a symbol of authority historically.

[@julietfischer5056]

@@ebreshea1337- Historically, Christian clergy weren't allowed to spill blood. Maces were a way to get around that. So imagine Archbishop Turpin in _The Song of Roland_ laying about with his mace, leaving a trail of dead opponents.

[@caseco4979]

@@julietfischer5056 bashing someone to death with a mace will absolutely spill blood and cause other kinds of horrific damage so ive never really understood this

[@conchosewing]

round shield and a mace!

[@ancientreddragon5617]

Eh, I still use a sword whenever I play a Cleric lol I'm biased, I love my longswords

[@jeffgoode9865]

Love how Skallagrim always accounts for realistic exhaustion, and how it affects weapon use.

[@crystalbluepartain3434]

i think baseball bats are over rated for that reason. it takes alot of effort to swing a bat for an extended period of time and the huge wide swings are slow leaving you open but also take time to recover from leaving you open. too fatiguing to be worth the damage out put. spiked or nailed baseball bats would likely get stuck in bone as well. how ever, idk how to describe the technique i came up with but holding the bat with a reverse grip you can use it to push them back and get some smaller though much less powerful swings in but def less fatiguing. all that being said some people are large and fit enough to probably make a bat work for longer then most of us could

[@jeffgoode9865]

@@crystalbluepartain3434 man, you get an aluminum bat, you can swing that thing fast enough that you don't need to be using crazy power to do real damage. That's why MLB only allows wood. On the flip side, people DON'T consider how much it HURTS to hit something with a bat if you don't hit with the right spot. I hit a tree with a bat once, when I was a teenager, because I was a punk, and it shocked my whole nervous system.

[@tfan2222]

@@jeffgoode9865 Granted, trees also don’t really fall over when hit by a bat.

[@DamianSzajnowski]

@@jeffgoode9865 lmao never thought of that (never swung a bat hard in my life tho)

[@jeffgoode9865]

@@tfan2222 yeah. That's why the recoil hurt like hell. It's about the most extreme example I could think of. Still, hitting a human skull attached to a 70 kg body won't feel great, I bet.

[@Mae_Dastardly]

Winter is the most effective weapon against zombies, heavy clothes are damn near biteproof and the cold makes it easy to travel in them without heat being an issue. Plus undead type zombies don't produce bodyheat so they'd freeze over in the cold, potentially destroying their brains from ice crystals forming, and even if that doesn't happen they'd still be immobilized meaning they'd be easy to clear out in preparation of spring

[@cybererox2055]

So zombie will never invade Canada ! :D

[@expl0sives4day58]

At least during winter.

[@metaparalysis3441]

@@expl0sives4day58 Ah, so the zombies are really germans

[@veemie8148]

@@cybererox2055 You'll just have to survive the deathroad to get there ;)

[@marcosdheleno]

that's what i dont get about zombie movies, they make them seem like they are both, immortal and with the strength of a bear. as opposed to slow moving decomposing lumps of flesh who would probably all stop moving after a week at most. and if they are magical, why bother making the brain the weakness? they are magical.

[@ericmitchell985]

When you talked about using the axe as a sort-of walking stick, my mind immediately went to shepherd's axes, which are designed as walking sticks that can be used as tools and makeshift weapons.

[@anttilehto2628]

I second this. You don't really have to lug it around it just kinda is there in your hand. It is always usable even in an ambush scenario. If the head is well designed you can use it also as a tool. Usually they have very very light heads so splitting firewood and things like that is not easy but you can do it. And maintenance wise if you blunt your light axe in a long stick you end up with a long blunt impact weapon. If shit ever hit the fan I would definately take mine with me.

[@CazadorSlayer]

Even just a simple shepherd's crook would also be a deceptively deadly weapon if it were reinforced. Reckon it'd be rather similar to using a quarterstaff, but with a hook. Good for...hooking things n such. Wonder how easy it would be to hook the legs out from under a zombie...Probably not too difficult! Quick thrust to the chest or noggin to get them off balance and then hook an ankle and pull!

[@svenstefansson4022]

Its called Fokos in Hungary

[@williamjenkins4913]

This is the first I have heard of the shepherds axe. What a clever tool. Thank you for mentioning it.

[@ArtietheArchon]

a version of the bardiche could serve very well in this idea...streltsy troops used the bardiche alongside their muskets in battle

[@ooklamoc4411]

When the zombies finally come and we discover they keep going even after a head shot it’s going to be really disappointing for a lot of people.

[@dylanwight5764]

Nah, most of us will already be immolating them in general principle anyway

[@Dell-ol6hb]

Then you gotta hack the limbs off and burn the bodies

[@MylesKillis]

Yeah cause they’ll really be more like dead space zombies

[@RequiemPoete]

This is what pisses me off about zombie fiction. IRL a person has a 1 and 10 chance of surviving a bullet that pierces the brain. A zombie that only uses its brainstem, occipital lobe and cerebellum should survive any head shot that doesntbdestroy the structures in the back of the brain.

[@jek__]

Not that many people, considering the only real threat of zombies is in their numbers, there can't be that many people left to disappoint! lol

[@Andrew-zq3ip]

The main issue I see with a shield is that zombies don't launch strikes to be blocked, they grab at things. Your shield would be grabbed and you'd need to either kill them quickly or give up the shield. Woe to thee if it was fastened to your arm and you became immobilized.

[@mondaysinsanity8193]

Perhaps that scissor arm thing gladiators had would be Better? For defense

[@foldionepapyrus3441]

Perhaps, but if they are grabbing the shield you are not under any direct threat and their noggin should be in easy pulverizing range with the weapon in your other hand. Win some loose some as with everything, but I think on the whole its more beneficial in the actual fighting part than not, just going to be a pain to lug around.

[@dave_8600]

I’ve only seen it in fantasy but having your lead arm plated or even well gauntleted could give you an agile yet bite proof parrying tool to set up a 1H weapon’s killing blow.

[@mondaysinsanity8193]

@@dave_8600 it was used for gladiators

[@douglasduda9826]

So have a fairly smallshield...cover it with something Slick so they cant "grab onto it".

[@promcheg]

The best I've seen so far was in a book series, starting with "No Easy Hope". One of the protagonists uses a fork made from a tree branch and a rapier. Using a fork to keep the zombies at a distance and stabbing with a rapier through the eye. Very economical.

[@2dRgr]

Thank you, I just ordered it.

[@mrsnail8664]

A fork sounds extremely ineficient to push things

[@ericwolf9664]

@@mrsnail8664 he's referring to a pitchfork essentially, which is designed to push things.

[@Mae_Dastardly]

@@mrsnail8664 Think like those mancatcher forks that the chinese police use

[@mrsnail8664]

@@Mae_Dastardly oh, makes sense

[@crazzanthictlabbar1056]

Palladium Books (a dice & paper RPG company) made a game called Dead Rising. There was a big section which weighed the pros and cons of various weapons and vehicles in a Zapocalypse, much like you did. They also concluded that a blunt trauma weapon was ideal, because you can keep swinging - no getting lodged in a skull or ribcage, minimal maintenance. If you have an edged weapon (axe, sword, knife), the best idea might be to focus on destroying limbs to render the zombies less effective so you can escape when outnumbered. Sever tendons and split limbs at the joint, and take away the Z's mobility and/or attack options. For a vehicle, one of the best choices was a bicycle - very quiet, small enough to fit more places, and portable in a pinch (in case you run into a roadblock of abandoned cars), and requires no gas. Its only drawback is cargo capacity. An off-road capable truck (for cargo & distance) with a bicycle in the back (for quiet raids) is the ideal mix.

[@samuelshin593]

Lol bicycles are least durable. You ever owned a bicycle?

[@crazzanthictlabbar1056]

@@samuelshin593 Several. They tend to last years, and even then they're super easy to repair.

[@joshluedtke512]

This idea is great sad that bikes weren't really used in the walking dead

[@TheInsomniaddict]

Bikes can carry a fair bit, at least for easily storable things like food and water. The frame of my touring bike can hold 5-600 lbs. You can also get trailers for a bike to pull more. Of course the more weight you add the harder it becomes to move, but in a pinch a good bike can do a lot.

[@KaijuAKD]

Max Brooks stated that the best choice was a machete, but used not to crack the skull, aiming to the neck. Even if you don't get to behead the Z, there is a huge chance you end up severing the spinal cord, leaving it harmless until you have the time to finish it off.

[@balkmindobro3313]

Something most people do not consider is the fact that with a bladed weapon, you're a lot more likely to infect yourself. All it takes is a little knick from a blade that has not been cleaned and you're infected. I'd rather use blunt so that the chance of self infection (or just self inflicted wounds overall) is reduced.

[@semanticalman7802]

You make a really good point that I've not considered

[@Storebrand_]

When you're going by movie logic sure, but we have an immune system and a small viral load is easier for your immune system to fight off before succumbing to the virus. I don't think a zombie virus would be incurable or all powerful as an infector in real life.

[@Nimno74]

Neagan wins again...chain wrapped baseball bat.. Lucille.

[@robertagu5533]

Well in TWD it's said EVERYONE is already infected it's just IF you die is all. An you always clean your weapons if you win anyways for such reasons if nothing else to also keep that from happening and to also keep them useable for any reason. Only way anyone seems to get infected is getting hurt by a walker or massive exposure to also massively infected food

[@Nimno74]

@@robertagu5533 True, but getting bit or having zombie blood or saliva introduced directly into the bloodstream seems to accelerate the process drastically. Besides, other zombie flicks have variations on the same theme...but that one thing remains universal,

[@giggityguy]

A kukri would be a great pickup for a sidearm. It's already intended to do double duty as both a tool and a weapon, so you don't have to double up. It's quite sturdy, good for chopping, and the forward curve could help you keep your arms a little farther from zombie mouths.

[@Gr3nadgr3gory]

Agreed, it's a good chopping blade that could decapitate, I'd avoid any Melee with a zombie if possible but a Kukri is an amazing multipurpose blade.

[@Str4vv]

Got my heavy duty kukri right here and thought: Yeah, that´s convenient, deadly and useful!

[@VosperCDN]

Agreed, a kukri would make a good all round choice, especially in the larger sizes.

[@fragtagninja1633]

@@VosperCDN the only downside is that many traditionally forged kukris are quite soft and prone to damage.

[@SeemsLogical]

Everything you said is true, but the true benefit of a khukuri is how useful it is as a tool. Wood chopping, digging in the dirt, food prep, prying doors open and bludgeoning containers open. And yes, it can be used as a weapon in a pinch, but it's effectiveness as a tool to either avoid combat and provide basic survival needs is the true boon of carrying a khukuri.

[@whitesupremepizza7057]

A pollaxe would be quite handy. Or, a “Walking Tall” stick made out of hickory is about as good of a brain basher as it gets for zombie apocalypse purposes.

[@papyrophobia]

i'm a fan of Blackthorn Shillelaghs myself.

[@napzilla]

Yes and No... sure there great in a fight, but think of the mobility issues especially if your forced to run or are in confined spaces then its just encumbrance... But say working in formation with shield wall well YEAH your Boss. But if your solo I think the pole axe would likely be dropped or broken sooner than later?!

[@napzilla]

Blunt force trauma so deep it rattles there ancestors!

[@I-am-a-Kiwi]

i think it may be better to break their legs cuz they will get eaten by something or decay.

[@darylobey8867]

A nice sozed claw hammer would be handy usefull and deal damage :)

[@Nachtmahr79]

My Experience from several Zombie-LARP-Events: The loadout you mentioned might be optimal for someone fighting alone, with no backup. As soon, as you travel and fight in a group (even if its only 3 people), tactics change drastically, becaause: A Riot Shield is absolutely OP against Zombies! If you have a doorway to defend and your shield bearer is heavy enough and knows what hes doing, you can hold that position forever. When fighting in the open, the advantage is not as great as in buildings, but still enormous.

[@r3dp9]

I don't think I've seen a zombie movie make proper use of teamwork.

[@CazadorSlayer]

Treat the apocalypse like a DnD party and you are set! It sounds stupid but it'd probably work. Strong lads with a big shield to hold them back, someone with a spear or something behind'em. Boom, any standard hallway or doorway is now a death funnel. For small crowds you'd be set. I reckon any horde big enough to overwhelm that formation is too big to fight in the first place.

[@skurdibbles7913]

Making a trip wire with a spike pit/strip would be op against slow zombies. I want to rp a zombie apocalypse really bad.

[@skurdibbles7913]

@@r3dp9 the walking dead TV show did.

[@pervavita]

@@skurdibbles7913 only later on and that makes sense as they learned but it took too long to get there and to create drama. They also tend to forget all the training as soon as it’s convenient for plot.

[@ggcpres]

I think skall undersold the usefulness of a hatchet. You can use it for all sorts of Bushcraft stuff, it can do the same job as utility knife in a lot of situations, it has a little bit of utility for getting into rooms and breaching areas, and it's also far easier to make a sheep for us than a sword. All you really need is a loop and maybe something to put over is a blade. It's also not uncommon for hatchets to have some sort of hammer type thing on the back, or for you to just be able to flip them the other way and use them to drive nails and such.

[@GarrettDenton]

@@KeksimusMaximus Skall talked about utility applications with the machete, did you watch the video, my dude?

[@BeelzeJon]

@@GarrettDenton with 3 likes that koksimmons has, it's obvious there's at least another two goofy asses that got the memory span of a goldfish. Unless it's fake bots or accounts. We live in a society...

[@ryanturner3930]

@@KeksimusMaximus Dude, he spent a good amount of time mentioning bushcraft and reliability in the long term. A heavy hatchet, something thats mostly a solid chunk of metal with a sharp end, would be incredibly useful in the field. I was waiting for him to mention some kind of war ax or something, because it would be incredibly useful in both survival and defense situations. Being a mix of both blunt and slicing weapons (you really dont have to keep an ax/hatchet sharp to work) you can both hack down trees and brush, as its obviously meant to. Theyre shorter than any of the more medeival options Skall mentioned in the video so you can carry them easily, and they dont need any special instruction to use. Especially in a bearded/angled form the weight and sharpened end would be incredibly useful at splitting skulls just as it would trees and brush. The vikings and other peoples carried them for hundreds of years because they were so useful. Its not a stretch to think that a good ax wouldnt help people in plenty of other scenarios.

[@goblingamer606]

Yeah basically an hatchet with a hammer on the other side would be the way to go for all survival activities

[@nickstersss]

I concur, this is why Vikings can easily pillage and settle on foreign lands easily because of the axes they use are good for certain amount of work too

[@mythguard6865]

I kinda feel like the messer is probably one of most universally effective swords in history

[@SovereignAUS]

I was gonna say Falchion would be a great idea because it's a hefty cutter, although I figure you'd tire easier as well.

[@rafaelcastor2089]

@@SovereignAUS Same blade, different hilt.

[@mythguard6865]

@@rafaelcastor2089 unless we’re talking about the Morgan bible kind which ironically enough is almost the reverse of what you said

[@tommeakin1732]

If I'm interpreting "universally effective" properly; probably not. A sturdier blade with less of an emphasis on the cut is probably more "universally effective"

[@mythguard6865]

@@tommeakin1732 by universally I mean you could put it any point in history and it would get the job done nearly equally well

[@RabblesTheBinx]

I feel like all of these options miss one crucial detail: you don't want the zombies to get within melee distance, in the first place. Especially if the disease can be spread through other bodily fluids, like blood, as is the case in most zombie media. Ranged weaponry and traps are the way to go.

[@memeboi6017]

And among ranged weapons, one is king, the sling. Easy to make, durable, and ammo is quite literally free

[@gilibran]

@@memeboi6017 And silent, the amount of gunfire needed to thin out a horde would only keep atracting more and more zombies. But just like the zombies, strength is in numbers, if you can organize enough people into something resembling a Roman legion or medieval style pike formation it would make short work of any horde. A shield wall to hold them off and the second line just stabbing at the zombies rotating back and forth the lines for rest. With all the materials lying around in a modern world you could easily make something like Da Vinci's Scythed charriot, almost any axle from a rear wheel driven vehicle makes a perfect mechanism for a scythed Chariot. As long as you still have a truck to push that would be best to keep momentum, just make sure the wipers work and the wiperfluid is topped off 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣Much like Ash did with the Delta in army of Darkness 😂😂

[@brianj.841]

If I remember, MythBusters did a show/episode on this. The problem with ranged weapons, even mag/clip fed is reloading and ammo capacity. Lead-based ammo is heavy, even 5.56/.223. Bows and crossbows are quiet, but slow to fire; also, bows take training to use properly. In the end, a melee weapon worked better than anything they tried. Make sure your 'D&D' party includes a medic!

[@hede_the_call]

A pet peeve of mine in ZA films and shows is how rarely (never) squad tactics are used. Riot shields and boar spears, (or just pitchforks) supported by axes and clubs. You're not going to kill of a horde of hundreds, but you'll quickly eliminate roving bands. You'd also be able to hold fortifications against that horde of hundreds and eventually destroy them.

[@SouthernGuy5423]

Yup. Digging a shallow trench that a human can easily hop across is a simple thing that a lot of movies miss out on. Doesn't even need to be very deep - even a foot deep by three wide and a few feet long or so would be enough to get most walker-type zombies falling in, making themselves easy prey for melee weapons. Pits are OP versus most TV and movie zombies, unless they're some kind of runner-type. Even then, just adding a tarp covered in dirt on top would probably work versus most runner-types. Pits can scale to any size horde you have, too. Within reason, of course, and depending on manpower and time.

[@rubenkramers5222]

Late response, but the bad guys actually do use squad tactics in I believe the second book of the Mountain Man trilogy.

[@rubenkramers5222]

@@SouthernGuy5423 I literally thought of just placing a few ladders on the floor. I can even take them with me if I want. Car tyres would work well too.

[@VicknairD]

Aluminum fungo bat.

[@magmat0585]

was thinking the same thing. 1 spearman by himself is a bad time. A guy with a boar spear to distract the zombie while someone with a mace or axe to coup de gras the zed? Easy win.

[@SkumyPete]

This was very useful to me because I am writing a story with a character that fights zombies with historical weapons! Just watching today I realized I've been watching you for well over 6 years and I've learned so much from this channel.

[@marocat4749]

Hmm let me guess, it has a pommel joke XD Which might even be funny.

[@selkiara1272]

@@marocat4749 I confused a DM who does not watch this channel once at D&D. I declared I'd 'end the foe rightly' then ask how much damage I'd do chucking my pommel. Only did 1d4+ strength :(

[@danielrempel9839]

My mind wanders when I'm doing mindless work and for hours I'll fantasize apocalyptic survival. Weighing the pros in cons of certain items I'll need. I love when you put my thoughts into a video like this.

[@MarkovChains223]

War hammer seems pretty ideal to me. It's lightweight, easy to use, has good reach, no maintenance, easy to repair, and is basically designed to do brain damage. I'd say you should have 2, though, or a sidearm, because you don't want to be weaponless if the wooden haft breaks at a bad time and you haven't had time yet to replace it. Or you could get one with a metal haft, in which case it'd be virtually indestructible

[@Mad_Skeletron]

Keep a couple screwdrivers on you as emergency weapons

[@MarkovChains223]

@@Mad_Skeletron if I've got to resort to a screwdriver, things have already gotten too out of hand lol. Piercing a skull is no easy feat

[@davidlocke1668]

Can’t carry on the belt like a large hatchet though

[@MarkovChains223]

@@davidlocke1668 sure you can! You don't *have* to use the 5-6ft long halberd-style ones. A 3ft long one would be sufficient, and would allow you to carry it on your belt. And, of course, there's no reason that your weapon of choice needs to be carried on your belt at all! Even for the long, halberd-style war hammers, it wouldn't be difficult to have a back-harness for it. Not to mention, you can just use it as a walking stick. You can even use it to help carry things like food and water if you put it over your shoulders and hang the heavy stuff you need to carry off of it. Especially if you opt for a wooden haft, there are nearly endless customization options, that don't require special or electricity-reliant tools, to allow you to use it for all sorts of practical purposes beyond just zombie-brain-crushing!!

[@kyoukan91]

@@MarkovChains223 It's actually extremely easy to piece a skull. The pterion is very thin and prone to injury. You could get through someones pterion with a screwdriver if you needed to. It's not ideal something like a rondel would be better if you were going for the stabby route.

[@theoriginalgummy]

I wasn't expecting Nurse to appear in a skallagrim video. Best indirect collab I could have never have thought of.

[@TheScience69]

I guess the real best historical weapons for zombies were the friends we made along the way

[@zaholykrusedar1459]

Yeah turns out 3/4 of your friends are cannibalism and they have already started to butcher and smoke the other 1/4

[@mitcharcher7528]

(slower) friends*

[@AnotherDuck]

The friends who're slower than you are the best friends. :) But yeah, more seriously, cooperation is by far the best advantage humans have.

[@nirfz]

I would not necessary say friends, but i fully agree with "cooperation". If there's no one watching/guarding, sleeping is not going to happen, and without sleep no one survives for long. So being on your own equals the need for something like a absolutely safe bunker or big distance from any danger to be able to sleep or even take a 💩 for that matter. I would argue that it doesn't need friendship or love for successfull cooperation. Sure friendship can devellop over time too, but it is not essential for it to work. Look at people in armed forces. Camaraderie is the best description i think. And that's basically a combination of trust and cooperation. When you start your basic training, chances are slim that the others are already your friends. More likely that they are all strangers. But no matter who they are, you have to work together as best as you can so chances for being successfull are the highest. And with some of them you will never be friends or even hate each other (with passion), but that doesn't matter. You have to suck it up and be as good a comrade as possible so they will be to you. Unless the person is a psychopath or sociopath or similar. Which usually gets somewhat sorted out in recruiting/conscription medical checks. Thinking about it, in this scenario there is the danger of encountering such a person, which would be really bad. edit: correction of a spelling mistake i was thankfully shown.

[@steelforcezhd9051]

yeah if you use them as a shield maybe

[@slimetank394]

Conveniently, Shad just posted a video about the War Wagon. I think that would be a great choice for resources scavenging/foraging and hunting trips, basically a wooden homemade anti-personnel armored vehicle, just armor-up your horse if possible

[@scottbauer71]

camper van/pickup pulling a boat. Many forms of walkers don'tswim.

[@slimetank394]

​@@scottbauer71 i hope fish are immune... But yes, that would be a perfect shelter from zombie

[@scottbauer71]

@@slimetank394 Aquaman wasn't in the genre

[@heibk-2019]

Or alternatively you know....a car. Its not like there will be a shortage of fuel or cars in a zombie apocalypse.

[@slimetank394]

@@heibk-2019 that's true, but i guess it does depends on how long the situation last and how many people are having access to that fuel source. idk i just have fun with ideas. If this apocalypse happened in the medieval time war wagon would be a good alternative to cars

[@vladimir945]

Taking all those points into consideration, the most practical thing would be an average-sized carpenters axe. The only slight disadvantage compared to the flanged mace would be that some edge alignment is still required, but no matter how misaligned your strike is, the blade isn't going to bend or anything. Otherwise it would serve more or less the same for killing zombies. On the plus side, it's probably the most useful all-around tool for "survival": chop wood, chop meat, build stuff, break stuff, you would probably carry one with you even if you don't use it as a weapon. Also it's extremely easy to get, and is just as easy to replace (at least if you are "surviving" in a previously populated area). Whereas if you somehow manage to ruin your mace, your only option would be what, to loot the closest historical museum? Although a properly fitted axe would serve decades without repair, and even if it gets extremely blunt, it's still a potent killing tool.

[@johnjason1472]

The DISC MACE. Its has all the blunt damage concentrated on a relatively small area, splitting heads wide open with no edge alignment required. Also a massive advantage of the disc mace is its very simple design, you literally just need a disc like object strapped to any form of shaft. In a pinch you could just break a broom to get its handle and strap a small weight training plate and you are set.

[@izoi24]

Literally just take a dumbbell handle or bench press bar, and put a 5 pound weight on one end, instant improv disk mace

[@schonlingg.wunderbar2985]

@@izoi24 That would make a great improvised sledgehammer, but not a practical weapon. It would be far too heavy.

[@izoi24]

@@schonlingg.wunderbar2985 depends on the weight of your bar, 5 pounds aint that heavy (though maybe a 2.5 lb weight would be better)

[@pasatebo]

@@izoi24 for something you would be swinging around quite a bit, with one hand, 5 pounds is very heavy

[@izoi24]

@@pasatebo not really, I've split wood with axes for days and 5 pounds isnt a very heavy head, and hammers are made with heads at a similar (or even much greater) weight, it just depends on if you're using it as a one handed or two handed mace.

[@Ace-Lee]

Most lore says the brain is the only zombie weakpoint. What they don’t explain is HOW MUCH damage needs to be done. I don’t generally watch zombie content, but this was an interesting comparison, and it’s always nice to have a plan for the ‘just in case.’

[@MrPingn]

The way I see it. Odds are that it will be the same, though more crucial, as with the living. The Fatal T as it's called. Putting as much damage in one shot as possible in that area of the head. It generally puts anything living out of commission instantly. The person is dead before the body begins to fall. Many forms of lore suggest it's the subcortex that holds the spark that keeps them going. Same concept. As much of that area in one shot as possible.

[@michaelpettersson4919]

I have in movies seen zombies go down due to head wounds that some people have actually survived. People have survived plenty of horrible headwounds with stuff stuck into the brain including gunshot wounds.

[@Ghork1]

The brain thing is rather be tbh really annoyes me

[@evanharrison4054]

I don't usually spend a lot of time thinking about zombie shit(my nightmares provide me with enough of that) but it always struck me as how they never figure to...not kill zombies, but rather cripple them. If you took a BB to your kneecap, you'd have a hard time walking. It stands to reason that if you let a burst loose on their legs, they'd just fall on the ground and have to resort to crawling, provided that they have the hand eye coordination to do so. Then, using a brisk pace, you can basically escape, even if you are injured or slowed down by some other means. Every zombie movie makes it clear that you can't just kill all the zombies(probably some malthusian metacommentary or some shit), but they never bother to explain how damage to their ambulatory extremities wouldn't just render them a useless pile of barely motile undead crap. Nobody ever thinks of taking out the legs, even though preventing zombies from shuffling up to you is literally the number one priority in dealing with zombies.

[@Ace-Lee]

@@evanharrison4054 that's pretty similar to my thoughts on the matter. In some universes they are shown as being almost immune to physical damage, but surely taking out the legs would be effective.

[@raphlvlogs271]

it is important to remember that zombie survival is not about how many zombies you can kill its all about how long you can stay alive

[@nirfz]

Seems there is someone thinking more in the direction i am thinking. (I would start with how i could protect myself from getting bitten if i need to go outside)

[@oblivionsa7973]

The first rule of the zombie apocalypse is: cardio! The second rule of the zombie apocalypse is: cardio!

[@c99kfm]

@@nirfz Indeed. Awareness, stealth, discipline and cardio are your best friends. Feel free to add in some protective gear, for when those fail. Offense? Well, something to get a zombie off you, I guess. Maybe a hatchet?

[@oberstmoos425]

@@c99kfm just carry a hammer on your belt. Great utility and easy to use

[@davebathgate]

@@oblivionsa7973 and always double tap.

[@branharak1331]

I think it would be a fun test to see you trying to hurl yourself over a fence as your friends tried to zombie munch you, WHILE trying to maintaining a grip on different types of weapons/ equipment xD

[@arforafro5523]

I guessed correctly when I thought "its going to be a club". Pretty much spot on; not too big, packs a punch and it's a tough guy that can endure a lot of punishment.

[@marcusc9931]

just use a stick!

[@Sturmsaenger]

I'd definitely pack 2 of my coldsteel PP escrima sticks! The are a bit on the weighty side, but therefor pack some punch and are nearly indestructible! The big advantage with blunt weapons is that you can train and hone your skill with it without too much danger of injuring you or your sparring partner severely.

[@stephenballard3759]

Yeah, I keep coming back to something like a flange mace, a disc mace, a good old-fashioned nail-studded club, a couple of framing hammers......a short blade with some backbone for backup.

[@christinolopezjr7078]

To be honest, I love how smart you talk about things and metrics for weapons and fighting. It’s really enjoyable and helps me think of things from amazing perspectives!! ❤

[@Pirokh]

I feel like the Crowbar is the ideal weapon/tool for exploring during a zombie outbreak. Good for breaking into places or faces.

[@nirfz]

you could have shortened it by leaving out the second "breaking" and it would have rhymed even better i think.

[@truelich1231]

crowbar is too heavy to be able to use it effectively all the time, if you are exhausted you are better off to drop it to ground. also weapons are weapons, something what is primarly tool is not suited for combat and with that you are taking risks.

[@tylerpham6556]

I mean some guy in a science facility used it on creatures from another dimension and an interdimensional army

[@ramboturkey1926]

you better have nice gloves but thats going to give you blisters on the first swing

[@soundchamber2696]

@@ramboturkey1926 Maybe if ur a pussy who has soft hands.

[@redscale82]

A long handled mace or a staff with a reinforced end maybe. Also you have a walking stick if needed.

[@Woodkin007]

Nah, not good for corridors.

[@EvilerOMEGA]

GET STICK!

[@IgorNV]

@@Woodkin007 just gotta keep a shorter stick handy

[@Woodkin007]

@@IgorNV you cant keep moving the goalposts mate.

[@TheGameReview217]

Honestly, my first thought was the club/flanged mace. It's small, pretty easy to carry, absolutely devastating to skulls and basically never breaks. Also, cheap and easy to produce, even in a post-apocalypse setting. Carry that and a pistol, and you have most things covered.

[@TheScience69]

HEH. flange.

[@jlogan2228]

best thing about bludgeoning weapons is you dont even need something super heavy, just something that is dense, sturdy, and has a good shape to focus the impact. Like the moari tribe had the mere club wich was basically a jade paddle and it could pop a skull no problem and is VERY light and portable.

[@jestfullgremblim8002]

@@jlogan2228 true

[@benwagner5089]

A rifle would probably be a better long-range weapon than a pistol, especially since we're dealing with zombies only going down with headshots. For max portability, though, yeah pistol's the way to go.

[@TheGameReview217]

@@benwagner5089 Yeah, my first thought was max portability. I agree a rifle would likely be better if you know you'll encounter danger, but I'd still argue a pistol and mace would be excellent as a "just in case".

[@joshuacook4116]

I've heard of a weapon from England called a tipstaff, which was a quarterstaff with the ends shod with a metal, normally wrought iron to keep the cost low. It would have good reach, omnidirectional functionality, and could double as a walking stick while traveling. The only drawback I can see would be if one had to climb a wall or something in a hurry, then you may have to abandon the weapon. But they are so simple that crafting a replacement wouldn't be difficult.

[@robinottmann8301]

you should be able to throw a quarterstaff over a wall fast and pick it up after, great choice in my opinion

[@marlonruvalcaba386]

All the damage comes from the enchanted metal part that provides +100 holy damage

[@Citrakite]

Simple answer would be some cordage wrapped around it like a sling so it's harder to yank away from you and you can just slip it over your hand/shoulder when you need both hands free to climb.

[@gln6f]

@@Citrakite I like the idea, but little worried about getting stuck while trying to escape and not being able to undo the sling when in a panic. Sorry if I misunderstood what you're describing

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

@@gln6f No sling. Just a inch, inch and a half around moderately heavy piece of wood about a foot and a half long tipped with a rounded piece of metal on the bottom and a crown-shaped piece of metal on top. They were once carried by officers of the law in England and its colonies, and remains a symbol of government today. The top of the staff would be a hollowed out space officers would use to carry warrants and other important documents used in their work.

[@gunargundarson1626]

Not to be blunt, but a nice round club is actually the best option.

[@indicible4794]

That was a rather cutting remark.

[@themydnighthour]

@@indicible4794 an all around good piece of advice

[@indicible4794]

@@themydnighthour It was certainly delivered by a piercing intellect.

[@Sr_ECO]

What a dull joke

[@CriticalCoen]

You can really stick it to them.

[@valkyrieace5768]

I think the most common and convenient would be the crowbar. It would have low maintenance and easy to keep on you. The ones I have are 3 feet. It's overall a tool as well.

[@FriedPi-mc5yt]

Bonus, you can find crowbars everywhere. A mace? Hard to find in the wild. Short sword, same. Crowbars are the go to weapon for fighting zombies. Open crates, pry open doors on buildings, smash glass to get in cars, etc…. Lots of goodness with a crowbar.

[@yjlom]

@@FriedPi-mc5yt well swords are rare but maces (or mace-axe hybrids at least) aren't too hard to find

[@FriedPi-mc5yt]

@@yjlom Well, if you want to count axes or hatchets as maces, then yes, that’s true. But I personally would prefer a crowbar as my “go to” Zombie Apocalypse weapon. If I needed an ax or hatchet, I could break into a hardware store with the crowbar and get one. It would be more difficult to break into a hardware store with an ax to get a crowbar.

[@hotdog9262]

you can`t really carry a crowbar around though, it would wear you out over time. it would also be exhausting to fight with if you are already a bit tired. a small axe and regular big knife would be ideal imo. both fast and complement each other as weapons and tools

[@valkyrieace5768]

@hotdog9262 it only weighs about 2-4 pounds and could be put in a bag. Not to mention, the only thing in management would be rust. Unlike blades. But a knife would always be worth it.

[@tarille1043]

I'd say that a 3 weapon combo would be best: - Quaterstaff as your primary. It can function like a hiking stick when walking around and can bludgeon zombros with decent reach when necessary. - Hatchet as a secondary. Has tool functions to enable cutting wood and is easy to carry on a belt, smacking a zombie in the head will typically end well for you. - Small fixed blade knife. Primarily used as a tool for bushcraft stuff. But can be easily carried at all times and stabbed into a zombie head in a pinch.

[@FirstLast-wk3kc]

Hatchet id a bad tool => too thin blade, would be really uncomfortable and ineffective as a tool

[@mondaysinsanity8193]

@@FirstLast-wk3kc counter argument read the book hatchet. Youre thinking of a walmart "survival hatchet" not a proper well made and sharpened hatchet

[@CaptainHigg2184]

Agreed @mondays insanity

[@FirstLast-wk3kc]

@@mondaysinsanity8193 no, i am not thinking of walmart, i am thinking on battle hatchet) But i ve understood what type do you mean now

[@Likexner]

You can also combine the knife and the staff and use a piece of string to make a spear.

[@unclescipio3136]

I think the quarterstaff is an underrated weapon in this regard. More than hard enough to cause traumatic brain injury, can be used at close quarters or at a distance, and doubles as a hiking staff. Combined with a bindle, it can even help you carry stuff. You will need to use hand protection so that the zombies don't get to nibbling on your fingers, though.

[@novamagician2425]

Stick some metal to the end to make a spear, also easy to make

[@fabnasio]

Well, solid hand/foot protection should be super high on the priority list anyway. The staff would only really be hampered in hallways, but if you keep it

[@lucashayes346]

I would definitely want something reinforced though. Maybe with metal rivulets or a core?

[@muninrob]

@@lucashayes346 Both of those will increase the chance of splitting - metal rings & caps of a slightly smaller diameter than the staff were the normal solution. (Put on red hot, like the rings on barrels)

[@KMDRG]

If the staff isn't too long, and you have some cord and/or leather, you can add a sling to the end for a range option. Adding it to the end of the staff, as opposed to just using the sling by hand, will let you get more power/range out of it with less effort.

[@virplexer1428]

Have to ask Skall, cracking through a Zombie skull seems like it would take some effort. How viable do you think it would be to cut/break off a zombie's head is by attacking the neck instead? The only thing you'd have to get through is the spine, and once that's gone the zombie stops functioning. If a neck attack gets pulled off but doesn't get all the way through, enough force applied to the head after might tear it off anyway. Doesn't matter how much of the brain is intact if it can't get commands to the rest of the body.

[@matthewrolls6985]

Ah yes, but what if the head stays animated? It's not as likely, but you could still get bit. Watch your feet, I suppose...

[@virplexer1428]

@@matthewrolls6985 yeah, if it’s like a realistic zombie type would probably die after like, 30 seconds. If it’s a magic zombie type might be a problem. I’d imagine it’d still be hard for a zombie to get a good bite through shoes or especially boots, and you’d basically have to be standing still for a good bite. Disposing them would be easy enough, just pick it up by the hair or something and bury it/burn it with the rest of the zombie corpses.

[@kronoscamron7412]

by the way humans are easy to kill, same for zombies, if you partially bash a skull it will make a person convulse because of the pressure to the brain and force of concussion, if you swing at legs even with a sword, it will break bone, neck strikes is good because it will break the neck and sever the nerves and zombie or not no one can survive without nerve connections, get good at cutting and do a lot of tatami test cuts.

[@veemie8148]

@@virplexer1428 Zombie heads functioning like rattlesnake heads where you have to be careful of bites even after death would be cool for a setting

[@banjark1944]

@@virplexer1428 hopefully not many bald zombies

[@llywyllngryffyn8053]

I definitely like the Mace idea: it is often overlooked that you can also break the arms of a zombie to make it unable to grab you and you are more likely to do that with a mass weapon. Sure, mass weapons are more tiring to use, so the good survival knife it a great sidearm. Generally, a good Crossbow would be a better way to start a fight with zombies and a pair of reliable running shoes is more valuable than a polearm. The small mace is easy to carry, like you said and has no real maintenance issues. It also doesn'thave any tool use, really, unless you need to pulverize a lot of stuff. Now if you can make any weapon you want, I would have a tool head that was sharp hatchet on one side and blunt mace on the other. The weight would make cutting wood easier and a quick revers of the grip leaves you weilding a mace that can crush skulls instead of an axe that can get stuck in them. A tomahawk where the back side is basically a blunt weapon is a great choice; tool and weapon and easy to carry. Another option would be a quarterstaff with an attachable slim pike spear point. A long nail that can easily kill zombie brains, isn't too heavy and since it can be attached or detached, it makes it easier to carry for the long term. The quarterstaff could be shortened or evn cut and replaced over time, so it has usefulness and replace-ability. If the staff was a two-piece so it could be shortened and assembled, it would be easier to carry for long periods or through crawl spaces... also, you could opt to use only one half of it if you needed more control and less reach. (Or you need to arm a friend quickly) Speaking of which... Why does no one elver talk about TEAM tactics for Zombie Survival?

[@matthewquan9083]

I suppose you could use a mace to break down doors when looting abandoned buildings.

[@miriamweller812]

A spear would work fine when you are smart enough to not fight them directly. Overal when we stay with the whole zombies = dumb thing, it should be easy to lure tham into a positoin where they can't reach you, but you can pick them one by one with your spart from a good, save distance.

[@adamjames1375]

Check out Estwing's 26" Campers Axe. It's all steel, from a forged (1045 I believe around 55 H.R.C.) head & neck, then welded into a tubular steel handle with a nylon grip. They're light & fast & can be used easily one handed while choked up a bit. I've put alot of miles on mine & love it for all kinds of stuff. Check them out, Home Depot & other big retailers stock them under $50 (in the states).

[@elgatochurro]

Bludgeoning doesn't get fetishized as much as sharp slashing weapons

[@erikseavey9445]

You're not going to out run zombies. They'll never tire. Also a crossbow bolt probably wouldn't be that effective against zombies.

[@danpitzer765]

I've always felt that a flanged mace is the ideal. Regardless of the 'type' of zombie, they can't chase and bite you if you've reduced their joints to shards and dust. They can just kinda flop and twitch on the ground.

[@s-o-u-p6095]

And if the infection is bloodborn, you don't have to splatter their head open at all. Breaking limbs like you said is a totally viable option. Not as flashy as bladed dismemberment though

[@alchemystudiosink1894]

Well, the They Live type where melted and reformed into more of an oozy zombies. Then there is the Japanese types that basic are utterly unkillable and constantly get back up like Michele Myers or Jason, regardless of how much damage they take.

[@Bacteriophagebs]

Too short and too heavy, in my opinion. Something longer but the same weight will do the job just fine with more reach and could serve as a walking stick instead of a burden.

[@DuBstep115]

@@Bacteriophagebs Aluminium baseball bat, the ones you get from store are hollow but you could drill a hole and fill it with molten aluminium. Leaving you durable and light blunt weapon that has a great range. Plus you can get little one for close quarters

[@heathermillsphantomlimb9314]

I think that, overall, the best weapon choice is going to be situational and will depend heavily on where the majority of your fights with the undead would take place. For instance, in big open fields, a big axe or sword would be fine to use, because you’ve got the space to wind up and let it rip, although you would most likely exhaust yourself in short order. In smaller spaces (like a hallway or basement) where you don’t have that room, I actually thought a javelin spear would work extremely well. My reasoning is that it’s a bit shorter and lighter than its bigger cousins, has a more rounded shape with 3 small blades oriented into a triangle that would penetrate an eye socket very efficiently, then could be withdrawn cleanly with no worry of the blade getting stuck in the skull. With the ease of its penetration, it also might not incur the same amount of stress that a leaf blade or boar spear would, because it isn’t getting stuck and forcibly wrenched from the enemy, so it would possibly hold up longer than other types of spears. In addition, a simple forward thrust with a spear is much more energy efficient than big, loping swings with an axe or sword, so it would take you much longer to get exhausted, while having the potential to be thrown in a desperate situation. I don’t know, just a thought. I have a very nice combat ready javelin spear, and I’ve always thought it would make an excellent weapon to be used while on the run against zombies. I’d still want to carry either a knife, short sword (like a xiphos), or a small hand axe/hatchet as a backup, but I honestly think a 4-5 foot javelin spear would be a hidden gem in a worldwide disaster like that. Sorry for the novel length explanation. I just didn’t know how to condense my thoughts any better than this.

[@brettk9316]

Mace

[@maxmagnus777]

Sword against 10 zombies can be used once and then you need tools to repair the edge. Swords are also easy to get stuck or not go too deep into flesh. Still yes something like a cleaver could be used for both close quarters and a field. As you've really got to pick one. An axe is a good blunt weapon too. For me it is a 100% winner because you can do damage without destroying your edge. That is if the axe doesn't bounce back at you edge first.

[@jackmakmorn]

count me in on the xiphos team :)

[@Yoquese511]

Personally i think that weapons like small war hammers should be better, for example a hammer doesn't need to we sharpened or reapair the edge also a hammer doesn't need to much training to be used, just smash the zombie head

[@heathermillsphantomlimb9314]

@@Yoquese511 that’s all well and good until you find yourself in a confined space where you don’t have the room for a wind up swing hard enough to ensure it penetrates the skull. It’s got the same issues as a baseball bat. A lot of people don’t realize that the skull is a pretty tough bone to punch through. You’d also have to factor in exhaustion from swinging it over and over for extended periods, and you’d be hard pressed to find one that isn’t just a display piece and breaks after one swing. A well made war spike (a Warhammer with a spike on the other end, traditionally used to penetrate plate armor) would negate some force issues, but you’d still have the wind up problem, and the very real possibility that it’ll get stuck in the bone or meat. You need a weapon that penetrates deeply enough to consistently kill, with as little energy expenditure as possible. A javelin spear requires basically no training or maintenance (since it’s essentially just a metal spike on the end of a long shaft), keeps your target at a distance, guarantees a kill by entering the brain through the orbital socket (which is the thinnest part of the skull), and cuts down on exhaustion by only requiring a quick thrust forward, followed by a quick yank to withdraw it cleanly.

[@Trizzle2Jernts]

I'd want a weapon that's not just a weapon, but more utilitarian. Maybe a crowbar for an urban scenario, or some homemade deal that can crack a door open or a zombie head with the same efficiency.

[@kronoscamron7412]

a crow walks into a bar....

[@ryneagheilim9782]

Then have a hammer - You can build barricades with it and claw away nails. Aviation Snips - Can be used as scissors BUT 100 times stronger. Cuts away steelwires and can be used as a good stabber for small confined spaces. Bolt Cutters - Never have to worry about not having keys. Excellent blunt weapon. Wrench - Get those cars workin. Yay!! Mobility is freedom!! Good blunt weapon. Pipe Wrench - Perhaps this is useful for finding water. Excellent blunt weapon. Frying Pan - Cook after hunting. Good blunt weapon. Chains - Connect the dots if needed be. Good blunt weapon. Sickle - So you can be part of The Children of the Corn. Excellent bladed weapon. Crowbar - Ah. The tunnel rat's favorite. Tunnel rat is a term for someone going underground, looking for secret passageways. Great Blunt Weapon :) Shovel - How could I forget? Another Tunnel rat's useful tool!! Dig to build tunnels, burrows, traps and trenches with it. Excellent blunt weapon.

[@Nerdsammich]

Crowbar are heavy and unwieldy. Now a crate hatchet, that's a multifunction tool that will still crack a skull.

[@klen4569]

This issue with convincing your weapon with your tool is that if one breaks (which is much more likely if you use it a lot), then you’ve lost your utility as well as a way to defend yourself

[@chrionimorcom]

Halligan tool

[@ranndomundead9112]

a sickle on spear shaft would be quite effective against slow moving humanoid targets, at least in my head.

[@dilen754]

You just re-invented the bill, the glaive, the guisarme...

[@ericj6636]

Naganita would do well

[@Sauvenil]

@@ericj6636 Also a glaive more or less, ha.

[@thorin693]

If you want a cutter/chopper with reach get a double edged ditch bank blade. With a long enough handle you have reach and a walking staff.

[@ZagorTeNayebo]

Godakin peeler

[@kleinjahr]

One of the advantages of the goedendag is that it is easy to make. Made mine out of a 4 ft, 1 1/4 oak dowel, some pipe fittings and a piece of 1/2 " reddi rod. Works a treat.

[@artosbear]

One of the things I always found silly about a lot of zombie things is like...you can protect yourself from bites far more easily than it seems Like just...good heavy cotton or wool flannel is going to protect you from most bites...even with presumably unhindered force a zombie with human teeth is going to have a very hard time actually biting through such clothing. Nevermind something like gortex or thicker clothing with multiple layers. A zombie isn't wielding weapons they just have their nails and mouth and weight. A crushing bite through thick clothing might injure you and that could be a big problem but the zombie is going to have a hell of a time actually penetrating tough fabric without actually tearing it first, and a nasty contusion is better than a bite or scratch that guarantees death

[@ComradePhoenix]

Chainmail. Its heavier, but also a lot more breathable (especially in hotter climates, you don't want to wear thick cotton or wool in the middle of the Louisiana summer), and even harder for a zombie to chew through.

[@Christopheromoan]

Right. Supernatural aside, I can’t bite through a leather jacket. So undead me probably couldn’t either.

[@TheKarofaar]

Yes, but imagine that a zombie is like a lunatic from the asylum. Those people has no pain, they hit and push whith all the strenght. Even a small woman or man, can easily put you in the ground and then you are in buried alive. They will broke you, or grab your hands arms, or whatever with so much force than they could broke you in pieces. The main atack of the human are not tthe bite, but their arms and body, like the gorilas.

[@CyberVonCyberus]

@@TheKarofaar Well of course, if you end up getting dragged into the ground an pinned down, you're as good as dead regardless of how much protection you have. But thick leather clothing would still be a lifesaver against any unexpected accidents or ambushes.

[@nirfz]

These are the comments i was looking for. I thought a mail suit or Police riot gear, Motorcycle gear and helmet (no face biting)... And there is a huge difference in strenght between humans and gorillas. Even a chimpansee is way stronger than any human. (there's enough examples where that was studied) And for the biting force of a human: while enough to take off fingers, it's not like you will be waiting for it to happen or can't make a fist or wear gloves with hand protection. (icehockey gloves anyone? Good luck in biting through those. :-D) Protective clothing would increase the chances of survival drastically in my opinion. ->A bullet proof west won't save you from a headshot, but does that mean it doesn't protect you from bullets... Edit: quick question: if they are basically dead and rotten, wouldn't that mean that most water has left their bodies? So they loose a lot of their weight and thus they can't easily pin you down or hold you back with their weight either.

[@filipe_paixao]

Couldn't you have a shield that's a bit more bent so you place things inside it? You could carry your water, food, materials in the inside of the shield (maybe all inside a bigger bag that is plave inside it) and use the shield as a backpack. Then during an attack you can just use the shield as a heavy shield in case a 200Kg zombies come flying like a cat against you, or you can unstrap the big bag out of the shield to be able to move the shield faster if it's a fast Zombie.

[@Bzuhl]

Shields cannot get very heavy before they become a liability. The weight would be at the end of your arm, with the zombie pushing on it, which would work against you rather than with you. Any speck of shield weight need to go into coverage or solidity.

[@Thalanox]

@@Bzuhl What if you just took a plastic barrel, cut the ends off of it, and then cut the main part of the barrel into thirds? It seems like it'd be a decent substitute for a light shield like a Kite shield or a Tower shield. Zombies aren't commonly characterized as being able to shoot guns, wield sharp or heavy weapons (except in fantasy games and settings), or be particularly co-ordinated. A lot depends on how the zombies actually work, how much speed, dexterity and intelligence they retain, the ability of their body to not just fall apart from no longer being alive, and how strong they are. I mean, with the lack of breathing causing a lack of ATP regeneration to allow for muscular contraction, a viral kind of zombie apocalypse probably wouldn't result in zombies that are as dangerous as a normal person in a fight (threat of zombie infection notwithstanding). If you're going with "an evil curse has animated the formerly dead, who use their unnatural strength and hatred of the living to kill everything they see", then you've got a ton of zombie body properties to define.

[@Bzuhl]

@Thalanox that would be something you could strap on your backpack and get out quite fast if you're smart about it. But if you try to have a hand-carried shield to which you add weight by stuffing it with supplies, even bagged with fast release, you're losing on many aspects : - ease of carry out of combat - endurance in combat (whatever zombies you face, that is an issue) - handling of you supplies if you want to take them out of the shield.

[@Thalanox]

@@Bzuhl _"But if you try to have a hand-carried shield to which you add weight by stuffing it with supplies"_ What? No, I don't think that's a good idea at all. You tie your supplies into bags that your soldiers carry with them on the tops of walking sticks. That lets them walk while strapped and prepared to fight, and lets them quickly drop their supplies so they can draw weapons at a moment's notice.

[@Bzuhl]

@Thalanox I think we kindof agree then, that part was keeping up with the main comment and its "heavy shield against heavy zombie" proposal

[@nemopatrickson6925]

I just want to point out that I absolutely love the opening tick tocker joke he made. Those people really are the worst kind of zombie 🤣🤣

[@westernbody]

Next to a politician

[@toxiclemonade878]

That's the kind of video I start watching Skallagrim. Fantasy matching realistic HEMA and the jokes are on point :D

[@lamia197]

I have a doctor friend who always says that people in zombie apocalypse no one talks about soap. His idea is to make a sock-soap flail and put it on a end of a pole, after you can clean yourself with the soap. Personally I think a Hoe-Axe is the best. Axe to chop, hoe to dig and both to crack skulls. Also my favorate gutendag.

[@Sid_Streams]

It's a stupid idea. The soap would soon become a pulp. Also blood and rainwater could mix with it.

[@zakncooper]

I'm more worried about the sock breaking down with each strike, but soap is a nasty object. Disease is big concern. I do wonder if it could Crack a skull though. I see value in the hoe axe.

[@MogofWar]

You don't want your soap to be a mechanical component to any other system because it gets contaminated when used for one purpose and consumed when used for another.

[@lamia197]

@@MogofWar Its a stupid weapon. and I think the sock will rip before we use the soap. also I didn't want to break his imagination of his 'best weapon'. My friend is fasinated with prison weapons these days.

[@greenleafyman1028]

That is a troll weapon😂

[@autopsipath]

Really solid how you considered all the points like space and fatigue, I ended up feeling like a mace/club and a machete are the go. I feel like bolas might even be a nice lightweight addition to the kit to add some range, separate opponents in a 2v1 or have non lethal tool against a human stranger.

[@Nirakolov]

Something overlooked... the humble sling! Yes, simple ball bearings can be shot with enough force to go in and out of a skull. Of course, slinging needs considerable training - but after that you have essentially infinite ammo and virtually zero upkeep and almost no weight.

[@little_lord_tam]

You are so damn right

[@torg2126]

A good hand sling can be uses as a belt.

[@201hastings]

I’d rather just use an actual gun over a sling

[@little_lord_tam]

@@201hastings I wouldnt. Much harder to maintain, gets the whole city chasing after you and impossible to make ammo for

[@greenleafyman1028]

​@@201hastings realistically, I think everyone would pick a gun if they found one. But it would run out of ammo eventually and thats where the problem starts. I would recommend Bolt action rifle with a bayonet. 1. Highly accurate (you need accuracy rather than firing rate, you need to conserve ammo) 2. You are not that doomed when ran out of ammo. ( Bayonet might just save you) 3. It is versatile, it can fire different types of ammo. ( this is important since you cannot often find ammos that would exactly fit in your specific auto or semi auto guns like in the video games) 4. Easier to maintained and repaired due to lesser moving parts 5. Less likely to fail due to less moving parts, again. Of course, bring some sling in case, it's not that hard to carry though.

[@yavorvlaskov5404]

Surprised you didn't mention cutlasses. I guess your favorite hunting sword kinda falls in that category, but there is something to be said for slightly longer weapons, with some hand protection around the hilt, that can be used to bludgeon the zombie in a pinch to get distance. Solid video as usual, and I applaud the mention of shields as a reasonable pairing. An idea for a video would be to sum-up some of your videos of best protective gear against zombies in your opinion, that'd be fun to watch as well. Cheers!

[@bionizard5480]

I’d see cutlasses outclassing the katana really, it’s one handed allowing for more maneuvering and does the purpose of being a close quarters weapon in cramped areas like caves and shopping malls a tad bit better then a katana. The two upsides the katana haves over the cutlass is thrusting power and the two handed grip but in a world where you may need a spare hand at the ready it’s better to use a one handed weapon in cramped combat

[@OnlyKaerius]

I mean the final blade he showed was a hanger, which is essentially the same thing. His had a wider blade than most historical ones though.

[@yavorvlaskov5404]

@@bionizard5480 My thoughts exactly. An argument can be made for the katana for more cutting power, but with zombies it shouldn't be necessary, you are going for vital hits, not trying to chop them in half.

[@yavorvlaskov5404]

@@OnlyKaerius It's more of a hunting sword (the correct definition that I didn't use is langmesser, which I didn't use, but it is in the same family), it has around 50 cm blade, which is around 20% shorter than the shortest cutlass or hanger, which start off at 60cm and go up to 75cm in blade (i.e. entering the territory of scimitars). It's not much longer than the daggers he showed previously, so it kinda suffers from the same drawbacks, albeit being much stronger cutter.

[@elio7610]

Skall's "blunt" weapon had a sharp point... I know it was not a blade but it was certainly sharp...

[@s-o-u-p6095]

Just the example he had. He was talking mainly about striking with the club anyway, only brought up the thrusting point in passing. Like how a Messer has a point at the end, sure you can thrust with it but it's by all means a slashing weapon

[@RaptorGeorges]

The first thing that came to mind when I saw the title was the Godendag, I'm happy to see all these hours considering implausible scenarios weren't wasted! ^^

[@SeanFication]

This is the sort of useful knowledge I come to KZbin to get!

[@zxyatiywariii8]

Yes me too!

[@brandonm9378]

I hope we can see the goedendag getting tested soon. Has quickly become one of my favorite weapons since learning about it and I've been trying to look into where to pick one up.

[@readable95]

A Kukri as a back up weapon always made sense to me. Great cutter and good as a back up survival tool. Main weapon is harder to decide on

[@lalli8152]

Yeah kukri would be good, but i think would go with something with better stab than only chop maybe, and i guess blunt weapon would be good as main like skall says. Personally though maybe axe with hammer poll. Would be good for blunt damage, but also really useful as tool in survival situations

[@asdergold1]

I'd go with a blunt one. Easier to replace. No maintenance. Fucking great stuff.

[@insidethemachine]

I'm so glad you're not biased, honestly. It's nice to have places we can get away from all of the arguing with Statists.

[@Loafusbreadmyre]

this is why clerics in so many fantasy settings carry maces! In old D&D, clerics were primarily holy warriors (they would later be separated into clerics and paladins, spellcasters and warriors) who used their divine might to kill undead monsters, and maces were chosen so that they could effectively dispatch both the fleshy type of undead like zombies, and varieties of skeletons, without the need for a ton of complex training, and by using weapons that didn't need constant maintenance/replacements!

[@changingform250]

D&D took its inspiration from medieval fighting bishops. They used maces as the weren't supposed to be shedding blood...... The original meaning was holy men should not kill, but legal wording let's in all sorts of technicalities.

[@Grim_Bud]

wasn't it because whenever the clergy went to war back then it was deemed cruel to shed blood with blades but because some still wanted to go to war they carried blunt weapons. might be BS but I think I've heard that somewhere.

[@Loafusbreadmyre]

@@Grim_Bud I have too, though I think it's a myth. Could totally be wrong tho, but maces..... still shed blood

[@Grim_Bud]

@@Loafusbreadmyre probably a popular belief, I couldn't get informations to back up this hypothesis though I did not look into it for very long.

[@Loafusbreadmyre]

@@Grim_Bud I'm no authority here, I'm in the same situation as you. I heard it once, looked into it, found nothing, and now kinda think it was a myth. Like the myth that Messers (german swords constructed like knives) were made cuz it was illegal for commoners to own swords, but TECHNICALLY messers were knives, which is completely false, cuz it was actually a pretty humorous feud between knife making guilds and sword making guilds.

[@sigmundholt2313]

Bows would be handy, so would slings if you got good with them. I like the thoughtfulness of encumbrance, you’d definitely carry different weapons in the field as opposed to in a shelter or out of transportation. That wicked axe thing would be great from horseback.

[@JoseMolina-ij3xx]

Arrows with explosive ends stuck to them would be particularly useful, since they would not only kill the zombie you're killing, but also severely damage nearby ones. And if you're far enough away and well concealed, it could serve an additional effect and draw other zombies towards the explosion and away from you.

[@StudleyDuderight]

@@JoseMolina-ij3xx Explosive arrows have too much weight on the end to be effective. There's also the risk of blowing yourself up just handling them since the fuse would have to be pretty sensitive. You would be better off just using pipe bombs or hand grenades.

[@JoseMolina-ij3xx]

@@StudleyDuderight I was actually thinking more along the lines of using a stick of dynamite and lighting the fuse, rather than a contact explosive, since most zombies would never think to pull an arrow out of their body. But yeah, contact explosive could be a problem.

[@StudleyDuderight]

@@JoseMolina-ij3xx That's even worse. The arrows wouldn't fly further than a dozen feet or so, and you would have to worry about keeping the stick dry. I think Shad has a video about fire arrows. The same principles generally apply to explosive arrows. This does give me an idea. A bow wouldn't work with explosive tips, but a scorpion(ballista) would. Good luck building one though. It's a pretty dangerous project if you don't know what you're doing.

[@rubiconoutdoors3492]

A sock with a rock in it is good small backup weapon that can fit in a cargo pocket

[@666toysoldier]

A very practical, well-thought-out analysis of a fantasy situation. Excellent!

[@baryo615]

I saw a comment on a different video related to this subject that said that a lot of the effectiveness of spears comes from their fear factor. Because zombies don't care whether or not they get impaled, you'd have to keep retreating if you're fighting a group of them at once and if your spear gets stuck you're in trouble. That said great video, love your content!

[@junichiroyamashita]

16:50 is it interesting that you talk about a shield,because in Italy there was a shield called Targone,which can be worn and use a knuckleduster,but also as a bludgeon itself! So imagine that you are chopping away at the horde with a machete and a shield in your left hand,you drop your weapon in the rush,and ,suddenly,you grip your shield with two hands and bash their skull in,while still being useful for blocking.

[@couchbear6108]

My guess, before the video: a stout, robust branch, made into a club. Similar to the Irish wooden club, shillelagh. Also handy as a walking stick. Extremely low maintenance and very forgiving

[@SwingAllNight]

a swiss warclub would also be quite effective

[@natejackorjillkate4136]

Your first point about polearms not being portable, using it like a walking stick will actually save you stamina especially on hilly/rocky/uneven terrain

[@kentknightofcaelin4537]

That's true to some extend, but you'd have to set it down whenever you have to use both hands for anything. You'd be bound to lose it at some point.

[@natejackorjillkate4136]

@@kentknightofcaelin4537 True, I need both hands every time, due to my impressive size. So, I'd probably lose it in a fortnight.

[@TrickinNinja]

@@natejackorjillkate4136 lol! Nice! I don't think people realize how true your statement is.

[@TrickinNinja]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaGkm5KNe7R9pMk Skip to about 2:15 in the video to see a couple techniques by some beginners. You can absorb a massive impact from a long fall with no pain, that would have otherwise broken your legs. That can open pathways that others can not follow. (If you can take a 2 story drop and they can't) And many techniques don't require you to take off your packs. That saves time, and effort.

[@TrickinNinja]

If your pole arm has wings or lugs or any kind of hook shape, you can hook the top of a wall and climb up multiple stories like this: kzbin.infoT_3WJm6uOdA?feature=share

[@marktownsend2384]

Honestly Skall, I think I favour the flanged mace with a Kukri as backup. The weight of the mace makes it tiring to swing a lot, but if you're having to bludgeon your way through a zombie horde then you messed up in a much worse way than choosing the mace.

[@180dagger]

Carrying a (sort of) polearm in the hand. Either grasping it at or near the point of balance or a walking stick as needed. I always take my spear with me when I go out into the deeper forest. Partially for fun, but it's also a walking stick, a potential defense and a way to signal to my dogs ( or people) where I am.

[@smaakjeks]

The amount of thought that went into this is admirable. I think the ultimate kit would be mace for combat and machete/Sámi knife for CQC and bushcraft would be ideal.

[@mikelazure7462]

One thought related to handles and muscle fatigue - the kind of bulbous handle end you find on Kukris would be a sensible addition to any swinging weapon in this kind of "melee to exhaustion" scenario. I have found that even when my forearms are tired - I can still swing something quite heavy without it sliding out of my grip, if there is a bulb at the end of the grip. In addition, if, that bulb is flattened somewhat on the 'end' then you could use the palm push method, or the 'on my chest lean into it' method to drive the point home using body weight even when arms are tired.

[@ConnorSinclairCavin]

A riot shield on the back is a rather good idea for a Z incident, it helps you against surprise attacks in case of flanking and can even be incorporated into your storage to keep safe access in pinning situations and such. Possibly modified to make it less intrusive for you while maximizing blocking against enemies from behind. I mean yes, normally you want to full clear before moving on, but thats not always an option, and one more light weight safety feature is always great. Plus, if you do full clear an area and are retrieving supplies, you can use it as a sled to transport goods, or use it to transfer wounded allies if needed. Also great for improvised barrier on small access points like vents to stop potential pursuers while easily having slots to shoot through or corners to shoot around, or at least visual confirmation of enemies

[@watcher314159]

As always, bicycles are highly underrated here. Super reliable, don't need fuel, and with some saddle bags and/or a wagon attachment they can carry a surprising amount. Also, the fact that shields can often be slung over the shoulder for more convenient carry (and even passive protection on your bike) gets really underappreciated. It's a shame most riot shields lack a boss grip, as that style is a lot faster to "draw" in a pinch, and is more versatile and agile when surrounded (though TBH with the shape my wrists are in, the extra stability of a strapped design is probably best for me, even as I'd recommend a boss grip for someone more able-bodied). I'm a big fan, as far as weapons go, of an axe and combat knife to go with a shield. Short enough for use indoors, very wearable, and your shield removes most of the disadvantages of their limited reach. They're also valuable tools outside of combat, meaning you get a lot of value for weight (helping to make up for the shield). And axes make edge alignment a fair bit easier than most swords, which is nice. And in general sharp things are more stamina-efficient against unarmored opponents than bludgeons. The thing about axes though is that they're a pain to sheathe and wear on a belt and swiftly draw, especially compared to a sword. But if you can integrate an axe sheath on a hip quiver suddenly all of that annoyance disappears, to the point I'm frankly astonished I don't see such a thing more often. Speaking of quivers, you probably want a bow of some sort, because they're quieter and more reliable than firearms, are awesome for hunting both zombies and food, and have reusable ammo. I'm a big fan of the slingbow, a powerful slingshot with an arrowrest and nock-point (and wrist-brace). Yeah, the rubber makes maintenance more of a pain, especially in cold weather, but it's far lighter and more portable than any other type of bow, and in a pinch where you run low on arrows you can switch to other ammo like stones, nuts and bolts, or anything else at hand.

[@mrmicro22]

"Dies the Fire"!!!! Read it now.

[@tomwalker8944]

Except the fact the average human can't go two miles on a bicycle at anything steeper than level without getting off and pushing the thing. For the average person... pretty useless. I'd prefer any sort of offroad capable atv. Last for years with zero to minimal maintenance, and it's not like fuel is hard to come by. I have enough sitting in my garage to get me 1,000 miles away right now. How much traveling do you really need to do?

[@watcher314159]

@@tomwalker8944 you do realize fuel expires after a few months right? Plus, you're not going to be the only person needing fuel, and that fuel is probably going to be better spent cooking food or powering medical equipment. Your ATV is going to be useless within 2 months. And even if you have to get off and push your bike, you're still going to be moving more weight than you could with just a backpack, and 2 miles (hell, even half a mile) is probably plenty to escape a sticky situation even if you have to ride uphill. If you're really worried about uphill travel, then get one of those battery-assisted bicycles and a solar panel. The battery will lose capability after ~15000 charge cycles, which should be plenty enough time to rebuild some infrastructure.

[@tomwalker8944]

@@watcher314159 I'll just run over the guy on the bicycle and take his crap. Sounds easy enough. :P Also you can keep gas for years with a bit of stabilizer as long as you store it in an air tight tank. The degradation is much slower than these "studies" backed by the oil industry might lead you to believe. I've had no issues running four wheelers and the like on fuel stored for 3-5 years.

[@kinkajuu1]

Slingshot is king haha.

[@SitKid721]

You probably already have a video on it but I would love to learn more about Shields. Like witch ones are actually worth the money and the actual practicality of the thing.

[@dougmartin2007]

I do want to see something on how to use shields against grappling attacks. In the fighting group I am in they allow grappling and a strapped shield can be used to pin your arm pretty easily.

[@thehittite6982]

The Zombie Survival Guide recommends a crowbar as both a main weapon and a useful tool. Having swung one around, I'm not too hopeful in its usefulness as a weapon. The weight is all kinds of awkward and the handshock is considerable. Personally I'm tempted by the prospect of a pipe wrench. The weight is distributed near the end making it pretty similar to a mace, and while you probably won't be tightening many pipes it could make short work of most padlocks you find.

[@FirstLast-wk3kc]

Crowbar is way too heavy, would tire you out too quickly

[@DaShikuXI]

Having a crowbar with you would be incredibly useful as a tool. I would only use it as a last resort weapon though. I think a good sturdy stick would be much more effective, while still being a potential tool as well.

[@zxyatiywariii8]

I agree, it has awkward balance and its weight is unnecessarily cumbersome.

[@foldionepapyrus3441]

@@FirstLast-wk3kc Crowbars come in many sizes, I've got a tiny little one as well as the move a mountain sized one... So doesn't have to be super exhausting.

[@FirstLast-wk3kc]

@@foldionepapyrus3441 okay, that's fair. But it's still not an optimised shape, a shame.

[@fenrisfalcon5648]

I'm honestly surprised with what the results were that he didn't show a rifle stock club. With or without the spike it still be my choice for primary.

[@KingKajiit]

You're telling me that using a ranged weapon for something far from it's intended use without any modification would be a better option than a purpose-built melee weapon?

[@fenrisfalcon5648]

@KingKajiit2263 u obviously dont know wat weapon I'm talking about if u think I'm taking about a ranged weapon at all.

[@mowmowmow8]

@@KingKajiit it's a club that resemble a gun stock. Normally in wood, but today you have the option to use plastic. I have a ball club made by Cold Iron that have 1,1 kg. You can bash a head, an wall and the thing don't break. They made a version of the stock gun club too.

[@dagdammit]

I've always wondered about the Lochaber Axe, particularly in the context of fighting as a team. Polearm axes with a hook on the back that you could use to catch and hold zombies (or haul them them off others) without putting your body in bite range. With good practice and fitness, a team could systematically use them to clear an area, restraining zombies and quickly dismantling them while always keeping them at a distance.

[@mattg6106]

I feel like if you extended a mace's handle to also make it a workable walking stick that would be about as perfect as it could get. You'd have range, power, and durability with little encumbrance. A wooden handle would get worn though and start breaking over time but it would take a while and sticks aren't really hard to find in this kind of apocalypse scenario so you could make a new handle before it becomes problematic. Of course you would always want a knife and hatchet as well to cover most versatile melee range/survival tool combos.

[@sillysailor5932]

Wouldnt that just be a knobkerrie or shillelagh?

[@mattg6106]

@Paul Ridgeway "fall off balance"? How heavy do you think a mace is?

[@mattg6106]

@@sillysailor5932 I specifically said 'mace' because I was implying a metal head on the end which I don't believe those generally had.

[@absolutedegenerate2992]

way to go... you just made the cold steel walkabout

[@mattg6106]

@@absolutedegenerate2992 Does that have a steel head? Looks like it's 100% poly.

[@Pystro]

4 Things to consider; And my conclusion for *THE best* anti-zombie weapon at the end: 1: Zombies don't offend you in the classical dueling/warfare sense. They won't try to stab/ slash/ clobber you. 1.1: You don't need any ability to block or any ability to defeat armor (beyond a thick down jacket on top of a leather jacket). You do not need to out-reach them, but consider point 1.2: 1.2: They grab you (or your weapon), which means that in order to avoid getting grabbed yourself, your weapon should at least out-reach an arms length. To avoid loosing your weapon you might not want something with an axe head or mace head in the classical sense, and having something with a haft might be bad too. A chopping implement similar to a Falchion/ machete / Gladius with a broader head than body would be fine. You could even get away with carrying an axe as long as the blade continues to the bottom of the axe head, preferably a few inches along the haft. The idea is that someone grabbing the haft should get their fingers chopped off instead of getting great pulling leverage on your weapon. An alternative is to carry a weapon that you can still use to dispose of a zombie that is holding on to your weapon. Something with a spear head MIGHT work. That Godendag technically qualifies, but with that tiny point you might need 20 or 50 stabs to kill the zombie (especially since there will be a zombie arm clinging to the weapon which will keep you from using full force). 1.3: The worst type of threat they can pose to you is by swarming you. The swarming (and the quick spread of the disease) means that you have to be prepared to take out a whole town at once. I.e. the weapon should not require too much stamina. Being able to strike quickly will come in handy - as long as the strike can at least stagger or stun a zombie. 2: The human survivor we are talking about might be female. Again, a weapon that doesn't require too much force will be advantageous. 3: Your main weapon doesn't need a lot of versatility. As long as you can kill zombies in one way, you can kill 99.9% of all zombies. No need for real armor piercing, you won't do fancy flailing attacks in order to strike with the false edge, no need for ranged/throwing attacks. Cross guard, spiky bottom end, different types of polearm heads: all of those unneeded features will more likely just add extra weight and/or maintenance. The only extra ability that will yield extra survivability is the ability to do more damage than is needed to kill a typical zombie. Points 1.2 1.3 and 2 kind of exclude blunt weapons. Point 1.2 excludes weapons with more haft length than bladed length. But you still want decent reach... I'm thinking that a en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guandao with a shortened haft might be what you want. Single-edged (as you mention at 5:15). Fairly long blade length, in order to avoid being successfully grabbed. And if it does get grabbed, it can stab into the offending zombie pretty well. If it's sturdy enough, you can get away with using the back edge for blunt attacks (in order to minimize wear on the sharp edge). If I could custom-design an anti-zombie weapon it would have a zig-zagging back edge (with a quite blunt 20° blade angle or so). A zig-zag pattern with shallow angles, expanding by 2cm on 4cm of blade length, then receding by 2cm on 4cm of blade length, and repeating. This shape will provide several points along the blunt edge where your force is getting concentrated, and the "spike" distance of 8cm is chosen so that typically only one of them will at any time come into contact with a zombie head. And since it's similar in shape to a machete with longer grip, you'll probably be able to get away with using it as one. I don't know if an original Guandao will be sturdy enough for that, but if I was able to custom-make (or modify) one, I'd try to give it the same stiffness as a machete.

[@drysoup3017]

Wouldn't that be hard to make?

[@nurso15]

Sort of gleve, to use an european Word...

[@Oznerock]

@@nurso15 or naginata to use a japanese one. It's a fundamentally simple weapon design, just a sword with a pole. Of course it would be invented in multiple places. And on the point that the fighter might be female, I don't know about Guandao, but I do know that there was a slightly smaller naginata variant specifically for women usage!

[@KeksimusMaximus]

Didn't read but I surely understand what's a better weapon for zombies. Something that outhreaches hands and has a great stopping power. A shotgun. Case closed

[@Pystro]

@@drysoup3017 Making it (properly) from scratch? Probably. The biggest issue is probably weight, combined with the fact that you're trying to use a sheet of metal as a blunt force weapon, which requires significant thickness. (You wouldn't want something as flexible as a Greatsword.) Making one in the field could be as easy as finding a Guandau, halving the length of the hilt and bolting a steel plate onto the false edge. Or finding a machete that is suitable to have its hilt extended.

[@Mr-Broc]

Does that War-Scythe has a particually name? I love the design and shape, it just looks great

[@Laryon720]

you can look for glaives

[@youareanidiot7138]

Or just search war scythe

[@p.rileebenjamin7201]

Regarding shields, I was wondering if a shield with inward facing hooks on the edges would be helpful. The idea is they would let you body check the zeds, and they would have a harder slipping past the shield. Also may be useful to give you a ready made handle to move the zed around as needed.

[@Bokator2]

The only problem I would see with that probably is the zombies grabbing onto the hooks, but overall having something on the edges to better deflect zombies holding onto the shield sounds like a good idea, maybe even spikes sticking out or something

[@p.rileebenjamin7201]

@@Bokator2 envisioning spikes/hooks just long enough to let you manhandle a walking cadaver, 3-6 cm or so

[@s-o-u-p6095]

@@p.rileebenjamin7201 it would be the same thing as spikes on your car, they will not care, just have more material to grab onto. Really small spikes will probably have no discernible difference to just having a hard edge

[@epicmetalwarrior5476]

We lived to see Skall saying that a Katana would be best than a Long Sword, in a specific scenario (context). I would go with the same kit as Skall because it mix a good offense with survival. Skall ever tried a Wakizashi? Since it's a blade specific for tight spaces and it's literally a smaller katana i wonder how it would feels to use.

[@semanticalman7802]

A wakizashi or tanto would not be bad probably

[@That_One_Chick_]

I like the idea of a smallish buckler and a trench mace. Seems like a portable but effective combo

[@nickhunter9673]

Best Zombie weapon is probably a slingshot. Easy to Carry, you can find stones for ammo almost everywhere and you dont have to get close. It doesnt help you fight a horde, but nothing else will help you fight a horde either.

[@Sr_ECO]

Except explosives.....maybe

[@miracledang3025]

Not a bad idea. It’s relatively quiet for a ranged weapon as well. If I could figure out how to use it, I would probably go with that, along with a big walking stick and some sort of bladed weapon like a hatchet or machete.

[@SuperSpasticNinja]

@@Sr_ECO Explosives will only draw more hordes

[@angrytheclown801]

@@SuperSpasticNinja That's why you use them as a distraction and corral the zombies as you need.

[@Sr_ECO]

@@SuperSpasticNinja then you use more explosives

[@RonJeremy514]

The only thing I'm too scared to fight is a zombie horde of Skall cloned zombies.

[@christopherjones7023]

AA12 shotgun, spiked bat, Hungarian shield, good running shoes, good light armor. Personally I'd make do with my katana, AK-47 (civilian semi-auto model), a pistol, and pocket knife. would not last forever but might survive for awhile.

[@Spartan1312]

My Choice would be a Boar Spear... they have the guard to hold the animal in place and stop it from closing on you. If you want to avoid getting bitten and pin it while ending it this would be the perfect weapon.

[@speedy01247]

True but the issue is A that only keeps the zombie at bay and B what if there is a group of zombies? Also C can you hold back potentially several hundred pounds of rotting flesh back?

[@Spartan1312]

@@speedy01247 Well as far as Melee weapons go when you are outnumbered you are fucked...

[@Blowtorch87]

@@Spartan1312 speed is an advantage. If the number of zeds isn't too large you can just pick them off one by one with a spear while keeping a distance. Assuming that terrains allows for it... and the zeds are not the runner type.

[@Spartan1312]

@@Blowtorch87 Yeah but lets be real you will not outrun something that does not need stamina or a group of somethings. Once you get outnumbered and surrounded you are dead.

[@slavaukraine716]

I always enjoy your content Skall. You've gotten me interested in so many topics I otherwise wouldn't know about. Just wanted you to know, I'm a proud subscriber and patron since 2017.

[@dirkdiggler2178]

Thanks, enjoyed and liked the video, but the Nerd in me says the best historical weapon for zombies would have to be the "Light Saber". It is after all from " A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away."

[@Prussia.1815]

Hehe, **VWUNG**

[@d.j.casanova960]

The moment you stated that the fungal type of zombies actually already exist and are the most realistic, I’m glad somebody else has the knowledge and knows this stuff.

[@ListersHatsune]

I studied ZGB very closely from the days of Jim to its end so one thing I'd say is to watch your power with blunt weapons. Not only will it exhaust you, too much power and blood gets everywhere - increasing risk of infection. I often recommend spiked weapons (honestly that headhunter axe is a really good pick albiet still a bit too messy) to get that balance perfect.

[@adeptronic]

Did you see this one? kzbin.info/www/bejne/jn3XfKV_jLirhbc Gotta be careful with those spikes or you can tag yourself.

[@StudleyDuderight]

A wooden baseball bat is the best zombie slaying weapon. You get a lot reach and power from a weapon that won't gas you out too quickly, and is easy to fasten to a backpack. Improve durability by replacing the core with a steel rod then wrap sheet steel around the cap and barrel. It also won't get stuck and poses very little risk to the user. There are so many reasons why a bat is the best choice. I'm a sword guy, but I can't deny the effectiveness and ease of use of blunt weapons.

[@cazador7131]

My thought with a bludgeoning weapon is the energy cost. When it comes to an individual opponent or even a few it's great. But they aren't in small groups, your going to be seeing a lot of larger clusters.

[@YanPagh]

You are so nerdy - what makes your content just so much better. Hope all is well.

[@gurtlord]

I've always thought Spartans equipment would be very good. Maybe a war club or mace instead of the short sword.

[@Gr3nadgr3gory]

Why blunt weapons in an environment where the enemy's blood is filled with a highly infectious disease? Blood to blood transmission works for almost EVERY disease we know of. A slash is at least more predictable in the viscera pattern.

[@RendelHinote]

Spartan equipment? A huge shield? That's heavy af bro you will get tired more easily

[@mjkcomposer]

i've always said aluminum baseball bat: readily available and absolutely no maintenance.

[@speedy01247]

I think you underestimate how much a metal bat can take, perhaps if it was solid aluminum or made of iron/brass/bronze it would work better but a store bought bat is likely to break after a few hundred strikes to a skull.

[@DeusExNihilo]

@@speedy01247 yes but it's easy to find a replacement

[@OnetastyJoe]

@@DeusExNihilo Can already see myself carrying like 6 baseball bats with various durability "just in case i run out"

[@shatteredlegion6934]

True only down side is they are hollow inside prone to denting

[@adamjunk2162]

And you can make cheesy one-liners: ¡PING! "HOME RUN!" ¡PING! ¡PING! "FOLKS IT'S A DOUBLE HEADER TONIGHT!"

[@animemanno.4391]

axes offer everything except maybe they could get stuck but it shouldnt be so hard to get unstck as the have a thicker blade

[@baz3184]

I'm going for the axe. Easy to maintain, repair, replace even good to throw and doubles as a hammer and can open any door 👍

[@MrFiremagnet]

I think this is a perfect seasonal content. Like a Halloween special.

[@jelkehuisman]

It gives me a certain level of national pride that the goedendag is one of the best choices for surviving the zombie apocalypse 😂

[@Wookie120]

Odd that you mention the spear getting stuck. You should read the book Forever War. Towards the end they wind up using martial weapons like spears, swords, and the spear is a bane to its user.

[@diveforknowledge]

Love Forever War. I loaned my copy out pre pandemic and never got it back. Should probably get a new copy.

[@Asertix357]

Skall, one of these days I'd really love to see you testing out the applicability of the 22 ounce Estwing framing hammer. It's got an oval, cushioned grip, all steel construction, 16" overall length, commonly available, easily affordable, and can deliver crushing and potentially piercing damage.

[@frost8077]

lol, I was just thinking of mine as well. I always thought of it as my secret weapon and the claw end also looks brutal. Sharpen the handle for zombie hordes.

[@utoobuser206]

An estwing alternative i think would be their drywall hammer wich has a 2" hatchet head or any of their axe versions

[@Lilith-Rose]

​@@utoobuser206or their rock pick which has a square spike, even their brick hammer would work great

[@pkonneker]

I will never tire of very serious discussions of zombie scenarios. 😁