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[Vlynndar]

Well as I'm pretty sure it said earlier in the thread it came down to the type of infection. And it's good to have a plan for all cases, along with a good knowledge of common and uncommon types of infected.

Magic Zombies:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Generally the ones from the old movies, raised with Voodoo or some entity like a demon. Usually not killed by normal means, requiring lighting or some other bull crap. They usually walk really slow, you could just ride a bike to safety. and depending on the cause (Voodoo or demons) it could lead to different endings, demons invading from hell, etc. with the demon thing though, your pretty much screwed...

Shamblers :

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The more susceptible version of the magic zombie, slow and easily killed by normal means. usually raised by some disease or the like. If you had a sword or large knife and a bike, you would likely survive easily.

Speed Freaks:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The sprinting zombie, characterized by the head-shot kill, and the ridiculous amount of sprinting. One of the more difficult breeds due to their sheer speed and unrelenting behavior. The best option would to be to get where they can't reach, open water, closed off areas.

Mutants:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Changed through radiation or some supernatural force so many variants I'll only name a few, from your normal fetid corpses, to your weird ones that freak the living hell out of you (poltergeists from STALKER for one). honestly i would rather kill myself than fight these things...

!?:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Seen in some of the more recent zombie games. These zombies can operate complex machinery (Cars, guns, etc). um your pretty screwed with these ones, they can do most of the things you can, only they're a lot harder to kill than you are, and there are a lot more.

Non Standard:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Zombie types regularly not seen,
skeletons, easier and harder to kill at the same time, because of the material and magical nature.
Enslaved not seen often, enslaved by something of higher power, demons stuff like that, easy to kill but can be saved not really considered a zombie.
Vampires, you should know enough about these guys.
Liches, necromancers who have bound their soul to object outside their body to live forever, nearly impossible to kill since you have to destroy the vessel containing their soul. And they may have more than one.
Ghosts um, no real way to get rid of them, and may posses you, just grab holy water and a cross and run around yelling "THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!!"  or you could worship them, but that could have questionable results.

Infection types

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Airborne A: Your screwed unless you have some "no bacteria, perfectly sterilized area" that you can survive in forever, or be "MIRACULOUSLY IMMUNE".

Airborne B: The type that only infects corpses, all you have to do is not die

Contact: Spread through contact with the infected, whether saliva, blood, etc.

None: Magical zombie aren't usually infected with anything, but if you die you may be raised by the necromancer or witch doctor.

Enslavement: Unless you have a REALLY strong will to resist the commands your doomed from the start.

Parasite: Resident Evil and such, take control of the brain and are killed when you kill the parasite.

This will likely be the cause of the zombie apocalypse. Currently half the world is infected by a parasite (toxoplasmosa gondii [with a name like gondii you wouldn't expect it to be harmful]) that causes the brain to halt most functions excluding minor motor movements, and the natural urge to eat. All this parasite would need is a small mutation to have an effect on humans. you may or may not be infected. 

I'd mention headcrab under parasite.

[The Architect]

Alright, I've read up to page 41. And not having yet finished, I just have to say I think wehtamjd92 is full of crap. So you'd rather try to physically dismember 600 zombies than pop them through the head with a no-recoil weapon? You expect someone to run out of .22 caliber ammo before you get tired? And you are 6'1", 200 lbs and well trained in martial arts?

Full of crap.

Anyone with any training or knowledge whatsoever would realize how much force it takes to physically destroy the capability for movement or retaliation in an opponent not affected by internal organ damage nor pain. And they would also realize how ridiculously impossible it would be to do so while not being bitten, or while facing more than 2 opponents at once, intelligent or not.

Broadswords, weighing 20 lbs, are exceptionally tiring to swing, and were never "dual-wielded" for that reason. Also, blunt or not they are still cutting weapons, and when blunt would be *much* more likely to become stuck. You're asking to die, and without something to use as a shield you won't have a large blocking surface nor a practical way of knocking zombies back and creating distance to use your broadsword (which requires some distance from your opponent to effectively swing, by the way). Something along the lines of a short mace, preferably lead-filled and squarish so as to be weighty, have focused impact points and not get stuck -that's what you would want if you HAD to fight at close quarters. If you have the option of not allowing them close enough to infect you, why in hell would you let them get close?

Also, polearms are used for stabbing, and if they had a heavy end the torque required to swing them would exhaust anyone strong enough to even do so. Research the Macedonian phalanx, if you don't understand.

Besides shooting down some ridiculous theories that continue to repeat themselves from the same few writers, I'll offer my own preferred zombie solution later
Oh, and umamin or whatever is right -people are not stupid, lazy, or selfish enough to allow the zombie apocalypse to happen (yes, we are all of those things, but not on the monumental level we would need to be). But assuming people act like they do in WWZ, and rabies somehow turns a majority of the population into biting infections psychopaths, it's fun to think of how to defend ourselves.

In other words, the zombie disease already exists, and were you to infect 1000 people with rabies and release them in NYC, you still wouldn't get a pandemic. (lol?) it's just silly. But fun.

[Neruz]

Broadswords, weighing 20 lbs

No sword on the planet that is actually intended to be used in combat weighs 20 lbs.

[Vlynndar]

Though, apparently, the sword of Grutte Pier 'has a length of 213 cm (84 in) and a weight of about 6.6 kg (14½ lb).[1]'

[Angellus]

Yep, World War Z, and more importantly, The Zombie Survival Guide, will be your best friends in the coming zombie apacolypse.

Seriously, if you haven't read The Zombie Survival Guide, read it NOW, before it is to late. It is an excelent book, and even if you go into it with a critical mind, by the time you are half way through, I can gaurrentee you that you will be planning out what you will do when the zombies come.

On a tangential note: the World War Z movie is still moving slowly in production... 

I like the looks of its predecessor:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zombie_Survival_Guide

EDIT: They were there in the middle ages!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Strife26]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Alright, I've read up to page 41. And not having yet finished, I just have to say I think wehtamjd92 is full of crap. So you'd rather try to physically dismember 600 zombies than pop them through the head with a no-recoil weapon? You expect someone to run out of .22 caliber ammo before you get tired? And you are 6'1", 200 lbs and well trained in martial arts?

Full of crap.

Anyone with any training or knowledge whatsoever would realize how much force it takes to physically destroy the capability for movement or retaliation in an opponent not affected by internal organ damage nor pain. And they would also realize how ridiculously impossible it would be to do so while not being bitten, or while facing more than 2 opponents at once, intelligent or not.

Broadswords, weighing 20 lbs, are exceptionally tiring to swing, and were never "dual-wielded" for that reason. Also, blunt or not they are still cutting weapons, and when blunt would be *much* more likely to become stuck. You're asking to die, and without something to use as a shield you won't have a large blocking surface nor a practical way of knocking zombies back and creating distance to use your broadsword (which requires some distance from your opponent to effectively swing, by the way). Something along the lines of a short mace, preferably lead-filled and squarish so as to be weighty, have focused impact points and not get stuck -that's what you would want if you HAD to fight at close quarters. If you have the option of not allowing them close enough to infect you, why in hell would you let them get close?

Also, polearms are used for stabbing, and if they had a heavy end the torque required to swing them would exhaust anyone strong enough to even do so. Research the Macedonian phalanx, if you don't understand.

Besides shooting down some ridiculous theories that continue to repeat themselves from the same few writers, I'll offer my own preferred zombie solution later
Oh, and umamin or whatever is right -people are not stupid, lazy, or selfish enough to allow the zombie apocalypse to happen (yes, we are all of those things, but not on the monumental level we would need to be). But assuming people act like they do in WWZ, and rabies somehow turns a majority of the population into biting infections psychopaths, it's fun to think of how to defend ourselves.

In other words, the zombie disease already exists, and were you to infect 1000 people with rabies and release them in NYC, you still wouldn't get a pandemic. (lol?) it's just silly. But fun.

I agree with most of your post, but I'd argue the humble polearm as being a decent weapon. Primarily, it's important to remember that polearms have a lot of variance. Most were designed as stabbing weapons (like the old greek spears), but there are slashing spears. For example, the war scythe would be a ferocious anti-zombie weapon if you had one.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

A halberd wouldn't work quite as well, but is still usable as a chopper.

However, even the normal spear would be a decent zombie killer. Fighting has always been focused around effective range. It's no rifle, but a spear keeps zack out of his fighting range. Additionally, if one is sheltered behind an open barrier (like a barred window), a spear has the benefit of letting you dispatch zombies with relative safety and no ammo use.

[QuakeIV]

Although i agree it is fun to plan what to do in a zombie apocalypse, most standing militaries are twice as well trained and equipped as your wildest feasible dreams.

[Duke 2.0]

THE BLOOD OF THE INNOCENT SHALL RUN THROUGH THE STREETS AS I CONSUME THEIR LIVES. NOT A CHILD SHALL GO UNWEEPING AND NOT A MOTHER SHALL BE WITHOUT LOSS.

 THEIR CORPSES SHALL BE ANIMATED TO FULFILL THEIR GREATEST NIGHTMARES, WHATEVER SHREDS OF THEIR SOULD STILL LINGERING IN THIS PLANE GOING THROUGH THE TORMENT OF STRIKING DOWN THEIR LOVED ONES. I HOLD NO INTEREST IN THE HUNTING OF THE SURVIVORS, AS THEY SHALL LIVE IN A WORLD HAUNTED BY THE NIGHTMARES OF THE DAMMED ONES. YOUR PLANS ARE FUTILE BEFORE MY RAGE.

 Augh! It happened again! Why? Why me?!

[Firnagzen]

I don't honestly know.

Anyway, on the topic of the Zombie Survival Guide, I'm generally in agreement with it, though there's some points which are rather iffy.

One of them is his love for the shaolin spade as a weapon, his reasoning being that one thrust can decapitate a zombie. One strike? Hello? It's virtually impossible to do that in real life, what with the spine.

[Tack]

Butterfly AXES!

Tires you out like nothing else, but are designed to not snag on bone or spinal cord.
Decapitations imminent.

[kalida99]

I don't see how they came to that conclusion, the only way i could imagine decapitation with that thing is to jump down onto their head. not to mention most polearms are intended to deal with cavalry. Or to keep them at a distance. And considering that to keep a horde of hundreds possibly thousands of zombies away you would need quite a few people, more than one. Also most polearms are very heavy, a standerd 15^th century halberd weighs around 75lb's, easily tiring most people out in a few swings.

very few weapons can decapitate targets easily. Katana's which where made to cut their target in half (shoulder to hip), and large axes which a good cleave can easily decapitate provided it's sufficiently sharp (but have the downside of being slow and clumsy), and a few swords not commonly used, such as the Zweihandler which if a good swing could decapitate multiple people in one attack.

One of the down sides to these mighty decapitators is that they're two handed, and usually pretty heavy, which weighs you down, and prevents you from using a shield properly. If you had to pick a melee weapon, stick away from knives and machetes because they can easily get stuck. Blunt weapons could be a good choice, but can be heavy, short, and painful if you don't know how to swing it correctly. A Sabre would be a good choice since they where intended to slash and carve deep in, but the best choice would likely be a katana, light weight, some one handed and made to cut people in half.

[Tack]

Katanas are made for shallow slashing attacks. The principle shoulder to hip attack was actually a slash, not a "cut in half". If you tried hard enough, you could possibly decapitate someone with at katana, but the swords are very susceptible to damage, so you would want to hope that it cuts through the spine easily.

Also, the entirety of the above statement is very unfounded, and I will detract it as soon as someone finds evidence to prove otherwise.

Another problem - Katanas require training. Even in the way that a simple cut is done is different to everything else. Sure, with a german broadsword all you have to do is hack and slash and stuff gets done, but the Katana requires an amount of skill and finesse that the average joe, namely, me, does not have.

[RAM]

you would need quite a few people

Ooooooh, good idea, get a bunch of recreationists together, form a phalanx, and party like Spartans!

[Firnagzen]

I don't see how they came to that conclusion, the only way i could imagine decapitation with that thing is to jump down onto their head.

A decapitation'd render the zombie for most part inert; they'd have zero mobility. You can deal with his friends in similar ways, then destroy the heads however you wanted to. At least, that was his reasoning.

I personally think that something like a medieval warhammer has something to be said for it, or a trenching shovel has something to be said for it, if you complement it with a secondary weapon that can be wielded one handed, and quickly. Warhammers were designed for punching through armour, after all, and trenching shovels for trench warfare. But you need a fast, one handed weapon like a light hatchet that you can draw in a hurry, for when your main weapon gets stuck.

[The Architect]

I agree with most of your post, but I'd argue the humble polearm as being a decent weapon. Primarily, it's important to remember that polearms have a lot of variance. Most were designed as stabbing weapons (like the old greek spears), but there are slashing spears. For example, the war scythe would be a ferocious anti-zombie weapon if you had one.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

A halberd wouldn't work quite as well, but is still usable as a chopper.

However, even the normal spear would be a decent zombie killer. Fighting has always been focused around effective range. It's no rifle, but a spear keeps zack out of his fighting range. Additionally, if one is sheltered behind an open barrier (like a barred window), a spear has the benefit of letting you dispatch zombies with relative safety and no ammo use.

It's true that fighting can only be done at effective range; zombies can't swipe you from 4 feet away. However, spears are bloodletting weapons. They get stuck at nearly every strike if they hit bone and gristle, requiring time to free, and you won't be hitting soft targets when fighting the living dead. Their only vulnerable spots are protected by bone (the central nervous system). I took this point as a given: you can't use bloodletting weapons against zombies. So any piercing weapon like a spear is useless for its conventional purpose. Didn't feel the need to explain that at first, but it seems it was necessary.

To use your example, if you hide behind a barrier and try to "dispatch" them, you'll just get your spear stuck, and lose it. They don't feel pain, they don't need circulation, and they're going to keep pushing forward with your useless spear in their stomach, chest, or throat.

Scythes are practical, but actually one of the most inefficient (physics- and energy-wise) weapons for decapitation (which DOES require a lot of physical strength), though one of the easiest for anyone to use once taught. Yea, didn't even feel the need to cover the halberd. It's for fighting heavy cavalry, when higher mass and a sharp point/edge was necessary to stop momentum and pierce heavy armor.

As far as the weight of the broadswords...

I set traps and walls if they get past those then I deal with them systematically by duel weilding 20lb broad swords or a wide array of other weapons from throwing axes to dart guns and tonfa not to mention martial arts like Muy thai which has alot of "destroy head" moves.

This guy was spamming a lot of this stuff. I imagine there could be 20 lb broadswords, but there was just too much bullshit in his posts to wade through without choking on it. It's what prompted me to post before finishing the thread.