Surviving Alone Sucks

[GS Rider]

I just want to reiterate that it is easier to survive if you have a team than by your self. I just got of the phone with my buddy and he has a lot of gear that I don't have and he is willing to share with me. Both of our families are kind of in the same boat as well. They know a lot by being around us but are not fully into the survival thing. This probably has to do with coming to depended on us for those scary moments in life. Booth of us have what we need to survive short term but for long term survival we need each other. Also the more people you have that can perform a task the better your odds of success. I sometimes feel like the Rambo mentality kicks in and people think that they will just do everything themselves. So do you guys have people you can rely on and to what extent?

[MdlMkr 7.62]

Aye, no man is an island.

7.62

[Mikeal]

Yup. My brothers are both into the survival mindset, not totally ready for a long SHTF thing, but we can go for a while.

[GUN SNOB]

SO IS THERE A BALANCE BETWEEN FOOD AVAILABILITY AND THE # IN YOUR CREW? (f^%$ING CAP LOCK)

I would hate to try and Rambo it alone, but how many is to many. is there a magic #? I should ask what your magic # and why?

[GS Rider]

I don't know the ideal number of people to group but between our 2 families we have 10 armed people. Is that too many to feed and watch out for? I think that this is close to a perfect number10 to 20. But I am always open to diffrent points of view.

[MiamiARFan]

I don't know if there is a "magic" number. Yes, going it alone is going to be much tougher than a group, but group dynamics can play hell with your game plan. Who is going to lead, make decisions. Not everything is going to be popular with larger groups. Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. Then there are the added requirements that large groups bring, for supplies, food, shelter. Moving large groups can be tricky if you have to bug out due to CBR issues. A large, well armed band will certainly draw attention. Then again, large numbers of well armed people will frighten off the posers and wannabe's.

If you're planning on bugging in, larger groups can be a benefit if the composition of the group is diverse enough to bring needed skill sets, agriculture, cooking, medical, carpentry, metal working/welding, mechanical ability, military experience, etc.

Each situation will bring a different set of requirements and potentially group configuration. I don't have any family (other than my own) local so that's not an option. I've made some friends that have the similar mindset and have started our planning and stocking for future events. Guess we'll get to test out how well our planning has progressed in the upcoming hurricane season. :eek:

[Bidah]

Having been in and out of several groups, and growing up with a survival mindset along with the community I was in..

Group dynamics are a boondoggle, but can be overcome to an extent. Goals help a lot with that, and delegation helps as well. Leaders will come and rise up, and those that are good people will follow. You will have jerks no matter what.

Every family unit must provide food storage for themselves first. Weapons and ammunition come second or third. Food and water are a main priority.

The nice thing about groups is the diversity of knowledge, as well as the diversity of tools and other cool stuff. For example, I usually end up doing communications, supply, and being the fix it guy. I don't have a problem with that. You will have a problem with some people, especially younger males, since they WANT to go off and be Rambo. That is not survival in most cases. Sometimes you have to take the wimp solution and pick your fights. I am digressing now...

Anyway, my comments.

-bidah

[MdlMkr 7.62]

Having been in and out of several groups, and growing up with a survival mindset along with the community I was in..

Group dynamics are a boondoggle, but can be overcome to an extent. Goals help a lot with that, and delegation helps as well. Leaders will come and rise up, and those that are good people will follow. You will have jerks no matter what.

I agree with this statement. Good insight into groups

Every family unit must provide food storage for themselves first. Weapons and ammunition come second or third. Food and water are a main priority.

+1 again. Without food and water you don't need your guns. Can't really go around pillaging That is what we're trying to avoid, not become part of.

The nice thing about groups is the diversity of knowledge, as well as the diversity of tools and other cool stuff. For example, I usually end up doing communications, supply, and being the fix it guy. I don't have a problem with that. You will have a problem with some people, especially younger males, since they WANT to go off and be Rambo. That is not survival in most cases. Sometimes you have to take the wimp solution and pick your fights. I am digressing now...

Pick your battles. There has to be (1) something to win and (2) a good chance of winning. Rambo = dead :(
7.62


Anyway, my comments.

-bidah

Just my .02

[sparkky]

alone is tough. changes the tactics in my mind. "ya gotta sleep sometime".
the magic number depends on several things. talents, contributions, space/area, and compatability could make for touchy situations.
the logistics of more than 10 or 12 scares the hellouta me.
we chose our "bugout" place to be around like minds that we had met on the net and got to know in person. we hope to move there within a year although it is easily livable now and about 60-70% set up now.
we could easily throw in with 10 or so like minds within 15 minutes travel time but no specific plans have been made at this time.

[GUN SNOB]

I asked about the 'Magic number" to see more how some of you came up with it than what it was.

I agree, my first thought was the logistics of MORE PEOPLE. My wife announced that if SHTF her sister and the kids were coming with us. My first thought was they need to bring food. I'll skip my thoughts about the brother in law except to say if I had to survive with him, one of us wouldn't!

My second constructive thought (after the whole brother in law thing) was now we are going to be 3 adults with 4 kids. (1 ours, 3 hers. Ages 5 years to 18 months) Suddenly every thing for us has changed. Worse, by my way of thinking is that my kid is a very mature 5 year old and her 3 are spoiled and uncontrollable.

I am heading in to a rant, let me rain this in and get back on track.

I see the phrase 'like minded' a lot in this subject. I rode Harleys for a lot of years and ended up working in a custom shop for a while. I met a lot of like minded people and we had great times hanging out at the shop.

Problem was when I got to know them away from there they turned out to be a different kind of ass hole than me and I couldn't stand to be around them. After the bike thing we weren't like minded at all.

I'm just saying you may want to go camping, help with a remodel project or something that can be more stressful than knocking back a few cold ones and talking about the end of the world. Just see how they handle stress, discomfort, plans that don't work out etc.

Your life may depend on these people. I know all of you already know this and
I'm preaching to the quire.

I have been thinking about the magic number.

I would think that the more populated your ares the larger numbers you will need for security. (greater threat)

But the same may be true in a more remote area due to isolation. Trying to think like a gut eater I would expect that there would be more supply's at a isolated farm house than an entire inner city apartment complex and less people would be guarding it. You also run the risk of being a target of opportunity for passers buy.

No real info, just some thoughts.

[GS Rider]

Well the only things that might help it work out is to train the same way you would execute those ideas during a survival situation. But some things that should be avoided are the same ones that should be avoided at the work place like religion,family and politics. It may sound weird but why take a chance on pissing off the people that you have come to count on because you don't like how they talk to their wife or the type of Christianity they practice. Nothing good can come from it so don't there. Treat survival like a job and not a social event and it might work out better.

[411man]

Long ago I realized that a group has a much better chance of success in a long term survival situation than an individual for the same reasons as noted above. To add some detail as to why, consider that the following tasks are a daily necessity:

1) 24/7/365 Camp Security.
2) Food gathering/hunting.
3) Provision of purified water
4) Maintance of adequate shelter
5) Sanitation

Now it takes little thought before one realizes that tasks number 1 & 2 will require a large amount of time to complete. In fact who will stand the watch while the solitary individual sleeps?

In fact, any plan to survive anywhere near an Urban center would place the lone indivivdual's chances for survival at much greater jeopardy over that of a group's.

If your plan is to go it along, continually being on the move and setting up a new camp is going to take-up a lot of time as well.

As for the so called Magic number best suited for a group to survive; after much research, consultation, and thought it seems any size in excess of 50 begins to create the following major problems:

1) Group cohesiveness / control
2) Adequate food supplies
3) Water
4) Sanitation
5) Sufficient Shelter
6) last but not least - Footprint ( Attention Factor ) to hostiles.


If surviving requires location within 40-50 miles of an Urban center, Combat Power will take on Great importance and criticality.