The Colony

[HotGuns]

Ya know, it just so happens that I can build exactly what one would need.

A suppressed rifle with night vision.

With that, one could rule.

[SC Dave]

The Deep Winter books really opened my eyes to what may happen.

[farronwolf]

Well last nights episode was both bad and good.

Bad part in my mind was that they didn't allow the colonist any weapons at all. Ok, steel pipes, and what was it with the compressed gas cylinder. What the hell was that supposed to stop? Yet the outsiders got tear gas and pepper spray.

Also bad was everyone situational awareness sucked. They all just seemed to go to sleep at night without any concern for anything. And what is with the crappy defense. I mean if you had a steel pipe and really wanted to stop someone couldn't you? I know it is a reality deal, but hey they wanted your crap.

Good, well they did get a water filter and a fire going. Shelter was already prepared for them, so they really didn't have to work for that one. It does seem this time that there are more normal people on the show, not rocket scientist or whatever. However they seem to be heavy on the construction scale, we will have to see how those guys work out.

The smaller dude that needs naps during the day would definately be out if he didn't man up and start pulling his weight.

I guess we will have to see how this plays out.

[PointnClick]

If I were in the cast of this program, I would have immediately appointed myself "Security Czar", since no one else seems to think security is an issue... well, maybe they do now, after getting maced and getting all their band-aids ripped off.

For example, everyone needs to be armed in some manner... pipes, improvised spears, baseball bats, axe handles, claw hammers, whatever is at hand. No one should be without a knife, even if it is a steak knife. I don't know what criterion was used to select their shelter, but a prime consideration should have been roof access. No shortage of bricks there, and a few well-tossed bricks from the roof might have deterred the gang before they got in hand-to-hand range.

It doesn't seem like they are going anywhere, so every vehicle and lawn mower in the vicinity needs to be drained of any gas and motor oil they might have and turned into Molotov cocktails. Doors on the shelter need to be reinforced. Windows need to be at least partially boarded up to cut down on points of entry but still allow a view outside. The shelter clearly needs hardening... I could overrun it with a good plan and 4 Boy Scouts.

At least 2 people on security duty at all times... definitely a night watch...

Definitely need organized salvage teams... they need to collect anything of value and keep it close at hand, right down to 16 penny nails. Glass, lumber, tools, chemicals, batteries, containers, rope, scrap metal/steel, electrical wire, rubber and plastics (improvised napalm)... collect everything and get it closer to home. Even if they do not have the ability to use car batteries for electricity, spray bottles with the nozzles set to "stream" filled with the battery acid would be more effective than Mace.

Ninjas used to make a really nasty blood poison from the green patina that grows on copper, mixed with blood and feces... dead in 2 days, in this scenario. I'd have poisonous caltrops and punji sticks ready for deployment in 48 hours.

I saw a giant "water balloon slingshot" years ago... some people on the Hillsborough River here had it to shoot water balloons at boaters. 2 five-foot pieces of rebar driven into the ground, with surgical tubing between them, just like a modern-day "wrist rocket" sling shot. Saw a drunk guy get hit in the head with a water balloon at 20-30 yards and it blew him right off his boat and into the water... one of those on the roof set up to fling flaming bags of glass shards would probably be an excellent anti-mob weapon...

I can wargame this stuff out for hours.... you wouldn't believe the mayhem I could create with a propane tank off a gas grill... LOL

[RIA45]

I stopped watching these shows. They are good, but not realistic. The true survival sense is lost because there is no real danger. Those guys may hang around and get hungry, but eventutally the producers will feed them. The outsiders aren't really going to hurt anyone, and how far will the production company let you take it if you counter-attacked the outsiders? The true test of this show is how well the participants can motivate strangers to perform in this pretend situation. A true dominant leader would emerge in a real situation. Someone who would whip the people into shape - figuratively or literally.