Seems to me you could make a fairly effective multi-purpose shotgun round for a majority of your paranormal difficulties.
A shell with silver pellets (werewolves and humans), steel shot (fairies and humans) wooden fragments or small pellets (in case wood is effective in bits, otherwise we need to alternate with sabots for vampires) and rock salt (for ghosts - if they can’t cross a line of salt, it might be effective blasted into them - smarts, too.). Bless the whole thing - the Universal Life Church will make you a minister for a few bucks- and then blaze away.[/QUOTE
You bring up a point that has oft times been a pondering point with me,that Fairies(Elves etc)are vulnerable to cold iron.
I have always believed that this is not in fact a supernatural weakness but a purely normal physical one.
Think about it, substitute “Cold Iron” with “Cold Steel”…we’re not talking about touching an entity with a piece of metal and them dying on you(Though Pohl Anderson reasoned that maybe they suffer chemical burns from a reaction with the metal),we’re talking about getting stabby with them.
If that is the case then maybe an ordinary lead bullet could take them out?
I think maybe the thing about Vamps and Witches being unable to cross running water could also be just the physical barrier thing as well.
As far as Vampires being unable to enter any home without being invited I think it would be a good idea to have some sort of weatherproofed,multi lingual contract securely fixed to all doors and windows to your house saying that any Vampire recognised or unrecognised is not welcome in this house and that the written contract overrides any verbal contract whomsoever made by.
Perhaps one of our resident legal Dopers could help us out here?
To address a couple of other points in the thread Rand McNallys point about the Zombies "Moaning"communication system,couldn’t we use recorded moans to lure them into ambush zones?
Also my points about artillery/area denial weapons etc ref Zombies.
I realise that unless the brain is destroyed the Zs are still effectives but dismembered Zs will be easier to deactivate then those up and about on their feet.
My idea about setting fire to Zs is not as a means of deactivating them but a post deactivation precaution to hopefully destroy the latent virus in the Zs corpse.
I personally believe that you could catch Zombiism by physical contact with a no longer functioning Z.
Fire might sterilise them.
You could use a recording to set up an ambush, although I’m not sure what you mean by an ambush. The moment you get within smell of a zombie they aren’t going to be lured by the moan, but come straight after you.
The problem with artillery is that, while yes they can still dismember, in the end you’re still having to put a single shot into each one’s head. The odds of completely destroying a Z with an artillery strike is slim. You’re getting a lot of bang but not much effectiveness. Might as well put your resources into small arms where it’d do more good. Cut out the middleman.
How I think it works is that the Faerie are protected from physical harm by magic; either they have the equivalent of a personal force field, or else any wounds instantly heal. Iron is completely dead to magic, so they cannot stop an iron projectile or heal a wound inflicted by iron.
I have always though for Vampires defense we should concentrate our development efforts on mines.
I’m envisioning a “bouncing betty” type device with hardwood flechettes. Scatter them in all directions about 4-5 feet above the ground, and entire Vampire regiments will have their hearts ripped up.
Another couple of thoughts that have occurred to me are,position mirrors at the entrances to public buildings so that they act in the same way as x-ray machines at airports ref Vampires,no reflection they’re outed.
And if the running water thing IS viable then have a small recirculating channel operated by a low power pump(Only has to be a few inches wide and easily step overable)crossing doorways,and get it blessed to be on the safe side.
I am SERIOUSLY starting to wonder how vampires ever came to be considered a threat.
It really warms my heart to know that I’m not the only person pondering this kind of stuff. I always used to hate that ‘You look pensive, what are you thinking?’ question for this very reason.
Consider that we are NOT the chattel of our undead overlords, or that a small band of amateurs destroyed the most infamous vampire of them all, and that pretty much backs up your point.
Zombies …using a heavy machine gun in indirect fire mode,that is firing at an angle upwards but towards the enemy,you will release a hail of lead that will have a downward trajectory from above.
For those of us not familiar with ballistics,all rounds follow an arc,even high velocity ones.
Once fired a bullet doesn’t follow a straight line but will rise in its flight at the beginning but will drop the further its flight is.
I have seen but never actually used a machine gun firing in indirect mode,it was firing from directly behind us but at an angle to the sky.
The rounds actually went upwards over our heads and then like a shower spray went downwards in front of our position at what was being targeted,with devestating effect.
As far as Zs are concerned this means that a very good percentage of the rounds will be striking heads/brains.
We all know the carnage that even primitive H.M.G.s inflicted during WW1 so I think that bearing in mind Zombies tend to mob up,not seek cover and are not known for their agility this could be a winner.
I dont know why when thinking about a subject as important as this Ididn’t recall it earlier.
I must admit it was bothering me that there could be an enemy that couldn’t be beaten.
I must also emphasise that I AM sane and I have had girlfriends.
I watch ONE episode of Star Trek,O.K. I might have in an idle moment started to teach myself Klingon…because I was BORED Alright?
And you people YES YOU PEOPLE!
Just cant let it drop CAN YOU?
I enjoy Rugger and drinking beer and slapping my mates heavily on the shoulders,and yes!
Wrestling them to the ground in a manly way,just like all us virile REAL men do.
But you cant let it drop that I actually know who Judge Dredd is ,and not just from the movie,but thats ONLY from people telling me about it…
And I’;ve got this friend right?
And O.K. he likes Science Fiction AND Tolkiien,but thats not me and anyway theres nothing wrong ith my friend likeing that.
Do you understand that you Fascist and most likely closet Homosexual?
Just because they’re different you must stereotype and kill them!
Hell, I work with with zombies all the time. They don’t need coffee breaks or sleep and many have fine brains of their own. My assistant Orson has been dead for years, but boy does he know his differential calculus. The man is a wiz with numbers. It’s a joy to watch him work math, akin to seeing a concert pianist play.
I’ve met many shapechangers in my research for a stable man bat serum (How did Dr Langstrom do it?). Most just want acceptance. Apparently maintaining a serious relationship is hard when you turn into a human-animal hybrid three nights a month. I’ve only met one shapechanger who had any interest in biting me. She was specifically interested in biting my buttocks and we dated for a while.
The average vampire is neither a Bela Lugosi type, nor a gothic punk. They are people who go on with the lives they had before they died. So they’re allergic to garlic and have an aversion to mirrors. Allergies and obsessive compulsive disorder are nothing to mock. Besides which, you know what botox really is? Vampire blood. And that’s just one of the many useful products they provide.
So the next time you see a zombie, vampire, or werewolf, try treating them like a person and talking to them.
I can only assure you that this thread is not a hallucination. Of course, a possible hallucination reassuring you that it is reality is less than concrete proof.
Shenanigans! There have been countless incidents of someone trying to reason with a zombie only to be bitten. Yes, it’s a sad day when we cast of an entire ''people" because of a few bad apples but when the price to pay for tolerance is the annihilation of the human race, I think the choice is clear.
I’m advising tolerance, not stupidity. If somebody is acting aggressive or violating your personal space, well then it’s time for defensive measures. But, treating all zombies as a threat is just prejudiced.
A well-founded prejudice. Zombies can’t act vicious and not expect to receive a reputation. In all honesty, they really should have thought about future consequences beforehand.
You say “bigot” I say “pragmatist.” And I’d rather be either one of those than a walking dead sympathizer.
And if you say I’m being harsh keep in mind that I have never heard any zombie denounce other zombie attacks. All they do is moan as if in solidarity of their now rightfully bullet-to-the-head brethren.
