Episode 356: Under Siege

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Dave

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Zombie Cliche Lookout: Build Up

Zombies, slow zombies anyway, have this nasty tendency to bunch up into every-growing groups around where they think they can get food. In other words, wherever survivors are hiding out, you’ll find a whole bunch of zombies outside, trying to get in.

This is the classic setup for the siege type of zombie movie (think Night of the Living Dead here), in which survivors are trapped inside by a growing horde of zombies outside.  I’m a big fan of siege setup because it turns the house – or what-have-you – into a boiler room. Everything gets amped up in a hurry because people have nowhere to go. Supplies are limited, personalities class, and the threat of zombies is both omnipresent and constantly becoming worse.

About this Episode:

In the last episode, I added a little Easter Egg to see if anything would notice. No one has, so now I’m going to give a hint: it’s something that most of us dislike. Strongly.

On a completely unrelated note, that second panel was accomplished thanks to a bit of putty, which I use on occasion in the comic. I can’t recall the name brand now, because I bought the stuff years ago, but it’s a great way to cheat a bit with your setups. The trick is to place it somewhere so that it won’t be seen, either because it’s blocked or cropped out of the photo.

Discussion Question: Biggest Challenge with Being Under Siege

You find yourself trapped in a location with an ad hoc collection of other survivors. Outside is an army of the walking dead. You have some supplies, but not enough to stay put forever. You also don’t know, nor get along well, with everyone in the group.

Fun setup, right?

So here’s the question. With all the cards in the deck stacked against you, what do you think your biggest challenge would be, any what’s your strategy for overcoming it?

33 thoughts on “Episode 356: Under Siege”

  1. theres always more zombies on the way, a quick message before spending the week (forbiden word) OUTSIDE! duh duh duhhhhhh cya in a week

    • Have fun outside.

  2. my strategy is to get a person or two to distract them away from the building then when thier backs are turned make your escape then grab your bait and ride off into the sunset or you could just just throw a grenade out the window and pray it works

    • I don’t know how effective grenades would be, if you could even get your hands on one.

  3. Is the “easter egg” located on the chest of drawers? One of these things is not like the others…

    As for the topic: Personally, I’m a bunker kinda guy anyway, so most of my plans are built on the idea of fortifying. However, being caught unawares could make it more difficult, as you may not be able to rely on the people you’re now suddenly with. Times like that, I’d summon my Eagle Scout leadership skills and take control. Don’t like it? You’re free to go. In times of crisis, people will follow a self-appointed leader, so long as his decisions are sound.

    (Also, long-time lurker, first-time poster. Dave, this stuff is AWESOME. Had to throw that out there. Thanks)

    • Indeed it is ZombroDan.

      Glad to have another poster!

  4. I say, old boy, you’ve gone and used a bloody clone stud on the dresser!
    Absolutely rubbish conduct sah!
    I think the biggest problem would be getting the other chaps to realize I’m actually worth keeping about, wot! Going off of my jolly old issues mentioned in the last discussion, they might want to get rid of me right off. I have a tendency to be appointed the blinkin’ redshirt.
    To avoid the dreadful fate of the lovable outcast, I’d have to figure out some bally clever way to get rid of as many of the undead blighters as possible. That way the other chaps would see I’m jolly well useful after all!

    In other news I’ve gone full bally 1800s British stereotype, for whatever reason.

    • I think you should talk like this all the time.

      • Jolly good idea, wot!

        • This can only go good places.

        • get your fellow Redcoats to ‘form line and fix bayonets!’ zombies don’t like it up ’em s’ah! 🙂

        • I say you chaps, I love how both of you are bally well thinkin’!

  5. I see someone put that damn 1×2 “tech” print piece to use. I’ve got like 400 of these sitting around. And I also see you went to Citizenbrick, Love those pants.
    For the question, I’d just start making spears and other such implements of destruction. Because everyone loves a person how can make weapons and that don’t use ammo. I only say that in the farm house situation. In a Urban scenario, different tactic, I’d have to find a way out and fast. Of course this is a very vague answer, a lot of factors would have to be weighed in before a proper reaction to this affair.

    • I figured it looked enough like a security system that it worked. I wish it was a bit lighter, but it works.

      • i use those tech prints for every lego electronic i make

    • btw i have a lot of improvised weapons at my house such as a extended tire iron,or a knife on a stick ,i usually use them for when i need to kill a cockroach and when an intruder comes in

      • Remind me not to visit unexpectedly

        • Hah! Surprise birthday parties are most definitely out!

      • A knife on a stick? Sort of a spear, then?

        • Take the knife and sharpen a green lodge pole. Then fire-harden the lodge pole. There, a much better spear than lashing a knife to the pole, and it saves the knife for its intended purpose.

          You’re welcome.

        • Yeah if anything putting a knife on a pole is going to just poke whatever you try to kill with it. Even if it’s a good bind there’s a high chance it will only cut the skin and fall off.

  6. Lol honestly if things were that dire I would probably just be like “Good lucky with that!” and run away FAST! And where did all those zombies come from :O

    • Hah, works for me.

  7. First off, I found this comic about a month ago, and read up to the newest episode in one sitting! This is the best lego comic i’ve read!

    For the question, i’d say survive there until you’re supplies are almost out, then create a distraction such as as a loud noise, and make an escape.

    • Thank you, Mattias!

  8. so……stuck in a place that I dont get on with everyone and short on supplies………..sounds like work! 🙂

    Some sort of distraction then bug out would be the best plan I think.
    If I was stuck at work then at least I would have plenty of smoke grenades and thunderflashes to use for distraction.

    • …Where the blazes do you have to work to have access to that stuff, old boy?

      • I currently work for an online airsoft retailer based here in Scotland, the smokes and thunderflashes are just some of the interesting things we have in the warehouse.

        • Well, there you go, wot!

      • I have a pretty decent stash of smoke grenades and parachute flares of the type used in lifeboats. I’m not sure how well they’d work against zombies, though.

        • I have my own supply at home as well but as you say how effective would they be against zombies. Other than creating a sizable smokescreen to escape in….flip side being the smoke obscures the lone zed that gets in close and chomps you!

  9. The biggest problem with being in a siege with folks I don’t care for would be convincing them that this is not a democracy, and that my property is my property.

    When the chips are down, many folks will want to form a democratic commune. They’ll say, “Well, my opinion matters as much as yours”, and “You have to share.” A survival situation is not a nursery school sandbox. I don’t have to do anything except take care of my family. It’s also not amateur hour, nor time to go rooting through my preps (even if it’s nothing but by EDC or car loadout (nursing bag, get home bag, lunch from Chick-fil-a, etc.). Private property and capitalism is still the order of the day.

    How to break the siege? Well, zombies don’t care if it’s day or night. They don’t care if there’s one of you, or a thousand, either. There’s always the old distraction chestnut. I guess I could shoot one of the other survivors in the thigh and throw him out the window, then run the opposite direction.

    It really depends on how well you know and like the other survivors, I guess. Of course a zombie apocalypse is hypothetical. Being besieged by normal humans would be much harder.

  10. The easter egg is a bootleg piece! Maybe.