Zombie Cliche Lookout: Flank’Em If They Can’t Take a Joke
I might be taking a big leap here, but I’m guessing that most of us are not military strategists or tacticians. However, we’ve seen enough war movies and played enough first person shooters to understand the concepts of flanking the enemy and the element of surprise. We understand how these maneuvers can give you substantial advantages, and it feels kind of awesome to say things like “flank” and “maneuver”.
At any rate, many of us are eager to using these sort of basic tactics in post-apocalyptic survival scenarios, either against zombies or biker gangs. It really doesn’t matter to us, so long as we can flank them.
About this Episode:
After quite a bit of saving, I was finally able to swing getting a new camera. This is the first episode using it, which I’m super excited about.
I upgraded from the Nikon D60 to the D5200 for a few reasons. The big reason is that the D60 doesn’t record video, which is a major drag. The new camera also has a substantially more robust auto-focus system, live view, and a lot more options as far as tethering to a computer, phone, or tablet. Exciting stuff.
On a related note, I’m trying out a slightly different look for the comic, and I’m curious to see what you guys think (or if you even noticed). Before, I shot the comic with a fairly high contrast and color saturation because I wanted to give it a more “comic book” feel. Now, I’m trying out a more flat shot, which should be more similar to a film look. I kind of like it, but it’s also new, and novelty is awesome.
Discussion Question: What Would You Say You Do?
We’ve got an awesome group of people here, and I want to know more about you guys. So today’s question is an easy one: what do you do for a living?
I work for a small web development company as a manager of content and technical support. It’s about as exciting as it sounds. I yell at people (but only sometimes) and do a lot of reports in Excel. I’m also an amateur zombie survivalist, naturally.
I think I prefer the more film-like look. And no, I didn’t notice the change ^.^;
Thanks Wom-Bat.
“See me, you merely see me because I want you to see me!”
I try not to piss off my parents for a living…. But in reality just a freshman in high school so I’m not sure if I should look for a summer job, or not. I aid the Red Cross if that counts as a job, even if its voluntary.
Also, who is the youngest reader here? I’ve been on this comic well over a year and a half or two and had that question. To start it off, I’m 15.
Volunteering with the Red Cross is very cool.
I’m not sure who the youngest person here is. I seems like we had a couple young teens in here for a bit. Maybe that’s a good follow-up question (or maybe I’ll do a survey).
I do a lot of physical work mostly, but I did go to a Technology Center to fix computers (Computer Repair and Maintenance) which I was kinda good at a lot of the physical aspects but in the end I couldn’t stand it.
I’m also some what of a survivalist, but I still feel that I need yet more experiences. Oh! And I play a lot of D&D and Read good physical books (Can’t listen to audio or read on computer it just becomes distant for me).
Oh! And flanking is an interesting thing you bring up here. The basis of flanking as most people know it is silly. In Pathfinder/DnD there is a rule about flanking, where if two enemies are opposite sides that are adjacent to the player they get flanking (+2 to rolls). So this means that there are 3 lines up in 3 squares, well an allie will join behind one of those flanking monsters.. Slowly people start piling up to get flanking in one large ass line and we like to call that “The Conga line of Death”.
Point I’m trying to prove here is, flanking is usually too broad a term & too overly used to probably be done properly by some one with out military training. I know it doesn’t make sense to say that with what I previously stated, but that’s because in my Pathfinder group we all strategies and move around the battlefield to gain proper flanking posistions and cover (This includes avoiding the Conga Line of Death)
I should’ve addressed everything at once, but look at me go! I like the new look because the whole ‘filmy’ feel is kinda more serious and dramatic.
Hah, no worries, Calicade.
Re: Flanking – yeah, that’s kind of where I was going with it too. I’m certain it’s much more complex than the average person’s understanding of it (myself included here).
there’s something called a kindle, it’s designed so it looks like a book on the screen. (it actually uses something called E-ink) i don’t know the details but it works. so you get the advantage of a computers immense storage space with the feel of a book. how cool is that?! (as someone who has owned one since Christmas i can say, very.) it also fits in you’re pocket if you have a slightly large pocket, and it has all sorts of options for more expensive models with internet connectivity. oh boy i sound like an Amazon ad. (that’s where you get them.) oh and for the discussion question. i make my living by begging my parents and depending on various laws to make them buy me dinner, pretty much. I’m 15 and too lazy to get a job until I need to. (yes I know I’m a horrible horrible person and I should get a job. shut up!)
I’ve got the 1st Gen Kindle Fire. It’s cool, but I’m not a fan of the Amazon UI. I hacked mine and put a different desktop on it and I like it a lot better.
I do most of my reading on my phone though. It’s one of those “I almost always have it with me” things.
I have a very basic kindle, it can only read books. it is literally incapable of doing something else. (well it also has a WiFi and a connection to the amazon store but i don’t think that counts.) there is very little UI to not like.
I think I’d actually use that more often. With the tablet-version, my kid usually runs the battery dead watching YouTube and playing Angry Birds.
New look looks a little washed, less color but clearer picture. Slightly blue, do you use fluorescent light bulbs?
I am a Microwave engineer and video editor for Detroit news (ABC 7), freelance producer and one half of Town of Jack Wagon youtube videos (they are work in progress). Also a Zombie enthusiast
I do use CFLs, diffused in a home-made light tent. I thought I had the white balance set right (I use a gray card), but it sounds like I need to warm it up a bit. Thanks for the head’s up there.
I had no idea you had a YouTube series. Subscribed!
Make sure the temperature and watts of your bulbs are the same for your Key lights (do you use a three point lighting system?). Also some Pic formats may shift color during export and/or web software import. The color seems affective (colder I hope) for the dark world that is BotD.
I’m not using a three-point setup. I’ve built a little light box diffuser instead.
I think it’s picking up these cold temperatures when I tweak the tone in Photoshop. Since I’m colorblind, I have a really tough time picking up on some of those changes.
I work for a dental insurance company in the billing department. Now THAT’s scary.
I’m also a huge military history nerd, and would absolutely be talking about “fire and maneuver”, flanking, “suppressing fire”, and all other such things in a post-apocalyptic scenario. As a bonus, I actually know what they all mean.
…On the other hand, most of these tactics would be totally useless against the walking dead, or anything else that doesn’t get scared or pinned down.
I go through the occasional military history periods in my round robin of “Crap I’m into at the moment”. I generally focus on World War I & II, but I’m also a big fan of ancient history. Good stuff, all.
That’s funny. I used to process dental prior auth requests when I first started this job.
I like the tinkering and the new look (subtle as it is); makes the whole strip more organic with the changes.
The success of Flanking, beyond the obvious need for stealth is actually contingent upon enemy formation. Flanking is used in “traditional” combat whereby forces are moving as a singular unit in only one or two directions. The history of Western Warfare was essentially two massive armies confronting each other head on. So if you were able to detect enemy direction and location, you could go around them.
Same principle applies to small units . . . as long as the are moving en masse.
Guerrilla tactics, urban warfare, disorganized zombies use counter intuitive, unpredictable tactics; making flanking just as much as a risk as a potential benefit. By their nature of combat, you never, never know who or what you are going to run into when you run around.
It’s why the unexpected zee works so well as a plot device, because, you really never know what you’ve flanked into.
Really good thoughts here.
A question: can you flank an enemy in a fixed position, or is that a different tactic?
i imagine if they have some kind of fixed defense thing you can flank them by going around that.
That’s what I thought too, but the way Luis talks, I’m thinking I’m mistaken here.
I don’t know what he’s talking about; it’s perfectly possible to flank anything down to an individual. All it means is attacking from two directions at once. In this case, sneaking into the house and attacking the room from the window and doorway at once would constitute flanking. Since they only have one gun, it would probably involve shooting in through the window and then rushing the prisoners from the doorway while they’re distracted.
I work in IT, fixing PC’s remotely mostly. I deal primarily with Pharmacies from around the country. I also setup systems too which sometimes requires travel (I consider that the fun part).
Always interesting to sort of specialties people fall into.
I do contract engineering work, primarily in test automation. I also teach classes at the local community college, primarily Computer Science but also, I kid you not, the “Zombie Apocalypse Survival” classes. 🙂
Honestly, I didn’t notice the new color scheme, but now that you mention it I like the bright “comic book” feel just slightly better because it makes the strip less serious.
Seriously, KimJ? That’s awesome! Tell us more about this class.
🙂 It’s a one day emergency preparedness class. We talk about having a plan, building a BOB, foraging for food and, of course, the best way to kill zombies. This summer, I’m teaching my first ever “teen” version and plan on some hands-on “zombie” killing action. Some day, I hope to make it a whole term-long class where we can get more in-depth on some of the topics. I have a LOT of fun teaching this class. My kids dress up as zombies and are my class assistants.
That sounds totally cool, but I’m surprised you can teach teens how to kill. Even though it’s only zombies, what kills a zombie would also work on a real person.
I don’t often get time to comment here, but I thankfully have a “slow” day today.
I work for a local health insurance company, where I’ve recently taken on a new role. I supervise our data entry team for the state Medicaid Prior Authorization department, I also run reports (Timeliness, phone stats, inventory, etc.) for the Medicaid PA and Member services, Medicare Utilization Management, Provider Services, and Member Services, Commercial Utilization Management, Member and Provider Services departments. I review benefits for new and enrolling employer groups for our commercial product. I also review outgoing Commercial ID cards have the correct benefit information on them. Makes for a busy day usually, but I throughly enjoy what I do.
Oh, I do a lot of phone statistic reports. Consequently, I also drink a lot of coffee.
I can get a little tedious, right? But for some strange reason, I’m really enjoying it. That may change once the newness wears off though.
I don’t mind doing some of it, but quality control stuff? Awful.
Does looks a bit different…
I’m a EMT in the UK, so probably the first to cop it when ol’ bity appears *sighs*…
But if you do manage to survive, you’d have a lot of great skills.
I’m a college student 😛
I remember those days. Good times!
To answer the youngest person question, I’m 11. Love the comic, its the highlight of my day btw.
Awesome!
I got a job for not caring
Does it pay well?
Hey Dave, long time reader first time posting though. Since you wanted to know directly more about your readers I figured the least I could do is answer this one question. I’m 32 and a police officer in Illinois.
Very cool, Jones! I’m sure you’ve got some great insight on account of your job.