Road Clearence: Are they ever going to do anything about it?

[Red Shirt]

I think as Saul would put it, the roads are "slammed." The view from the air showed that the highway out of LA were FULL, 12 lanes to a side and going up on to the embankment.

I have an interest in the "Gun Trucks (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_truck)" of the Vietnam and current modern era:

Eye Candy links:
Link (http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=685&q=gun+truck&gbv=2&oq=gun+truck&aq=f&aqi=g4g-m6&aql=&gs_l=img.3..0l4j0i5l6.1214.2771.0.3946.9.9.0.0.0.0 .137.856.6j3.9.0...0.0.BnhiaiR72nw#hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=gun+trucks&oq=gun+trucks&aq=f&aqi=g3g-S2g-mS1&aql=&gs_l=img.3..0l3j0i24l2j0i5i24.59837.59837.0.60160. 1.1.0.0.0.0.103.103.0j1.1.0...0.0.4jKzZjtBSog&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=d62b84d248bd0b0a&biw=1366&bih=685)
Link (http://www.google.com/imgres?q=alabama+slamma+gun+truck&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1366&bih=654&tbm=isch&tbnid=xjsT1PaHcPBSmM:&imgrefurl=http://armorama.kitmaker.net/modules.php%3Fop%3Dmodload%26name%3DSquawkBox%26fi le%3Dindex%26req%3Dviewtopic%26topic_id%3D131216&docid=gOTmsTBP1syB1M&imgurl=http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq184/abflug_r34/reference%252520photos/M923%252520What%252520tha/095acfea.jpg&w=640&h=426&ei=nT-1T7PQHYqC8QTOtvjnDw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=414&sig=103688860894308374851&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=183&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:72&tx=81&ty=76)
Link (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?140486-Vietnam-War-Land-Forces-Gun-Trucks)
Link (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Improvised_vehicle_armour)

What I want to know, are they EVER going to get one of THESE (http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/db/weather/split-car-wth-snow-plow.html), or build one of THESE (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HillbillyArmor5tonCargo.jpg) with THIS (http://www.victorianweb.org/cv/rrmuseums/crm/23.html)?

Getting roads open would help I think.

[Cabbage Patch]

I see what you mean, and I can certainly see the value in having armored gun trucks for running on zombie infested roads. I think you need some of these for actually removing the cars from the roads:

1884188218851883

You should be able to find all of them at Fort Irwin, or at the National Guard base at Los Alamitos in Orange County.

[Red Shirt]

Found a better idea I think, the Assault Breacher Vehicle (http://www.military-today.com/engineering/abv.htm). All M1s have a 1500 HP engine and about a 300 mile range with a full load of fuel. Failing that, the M88A2 Hercules would work too. Both still needs the train plow on the front.

Put that at the front of the convoy with one or two M104 Wolverines (http://www.military-today.com/engineering/m104_wolverine.htm) or M60 AVLB (www.military-today.com/engineering/m60_avlb.htm)'s, a few Gun Trucks or MRAP (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MRAP_%28armored_vehicle%29)'s; RG33 HAGA (http://www.armyrecognition.com/rg33_rg-33_variants_bae_systems_armoured_vehicle/rg33_rg-33_haga_heavily_armoured_ground_ambulance_data_she et_specifications_information_description.html)s to pick up survivors and there you go.

I was thinking of using a wedge style plow to essentially push and shove the vehicles out of the way. I figured on dealing with 'removing' them from the road later, if ever.

Irwin WILL run out of fuel eventually, they need to consider the fuel depot back in LA, if nothing else.

[Cabbage Patch]

Once the roads are opened it would open some interesting story seeds for the future. I'm imagining convoys running from Fort Irwin to, say, the Colony, periodically having to transit "Injun Territory" where they'd have to shoot their way through crowds of zombies.

[GeneTwo]

How about one of these. Just armor up the cab and put an M1 Abrams in the back.

http://www.zombiepodcast.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1886&d=1337297537

[Red Shirt]

I like how you think.

However I would go with filling the dumper with machine gun firing points and doing something about that giant target of a radiator.

[GeneTwo]

I remember seeing these in a PBS show about mining. These trucks are called ultra class trucks. They can carry more than 300+ tons of dirt, so pushing a pile up of cars out of the way should be no problem. The only problem would be fuel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar_797

[Cabbage Patch]

I like how you think.

However I would go with filling the dumper with machine gun firing points and doing something about that giant target of a radiator.

They did something exactly like that in the movie "Soldier", with Kurt Russell. I wish I could find an image to post!

[Red Shirt]

They did something exactly like that in the movie "Soldier", with Kurt Russell. I wish I could find an image to post!

It was apparently called a "Crawler."

I found a couple: A still from the movie (http://www.google.com/imgres?q=soldier+movie&num=10&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1366&bih=685&tbm=isch&tbnid=9SuHQeNxiVYZTM:&imgrefurl=http://www.movie-page.com/1998/Soldier.htm&docid=JQ8H2-mJMz75YM&imgurl=http://www.movie-page.com/1998/soldier/soldier07.jpg&w=500&h=336&ei=3v22T9H5EIyc8gT8wcGcCg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=432&sig=104747049158853819321&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=144&tbnw=192&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0,i:141&tx=105&ty=67) and in LEGO (http://www.google.com/imgres?q=soldier+movie+crawler&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&gbv=2&biw=1366&bih=685&tbm=isch&tbnid=qKYljEAt4gkuDM:&imgrefurl=http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/105150&docid=T2tsz3W77rS5qM&imgurl=http://images.mocpages.com/user_images/7319/1237432623m_SPLASH.jpg&w=500&h=318&ei=BAK3T7jfK5P-8ATEwemVCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=399&vpy=167&dur=824&hovh=179&hovw=282&tx=186&ty=91&sig=104747049158853819321&page=1&tbnh=130&tbnw=205&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:76)!

[GeneTwo]

Put a giant plow on one of those and the colony is done.

[Red Shirt]

Put a giant plow on one of those and the colony is done.

Indeed. I hope that Kimmet is thinking outside the box. This is definitely asymmetrical warfare what with the zombie hordes and hostile human factions. Conventional thinking and tactics are, at best not going to work, at worst you'll get captured/killed/eaten.

Found this gem for sale this morning (http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=93003&endYear=2013&sortBy=derivedpriceASC&showcaseOwnerId=767054&startYear=1981&searchRadius=100&showcaseListingId=312008386&listingId=321184297&Log=0). I'm not even sure what to make of it. Needs more armoring but it looks cool.

[Leedo2502]

While all these look cool they are impractical since most of the vehicles you posted are huge gas guzzelers... the M-1 has a jet turbine engine on it and has a huge support team just to keep it running! when they go into battle they ride on the back of a HETT to save gas (and those thngs have their own problems)

If you need armor go with the 1151 Humvee or slap some armor on a Land Rover.

[Cabbage Patch]

While all these look cool they are impractical since most of the vehicles you posted are huge gas guzzelers... the M-1 has a jet turbine engine on it and has a huge support team just to keep it running! when they go into battle they ride on the back of a HETT to save gas (and those thngs have their own problems)

If you need armor go with the 1151 Humvee or slap some armor on a Land Rover.

The issue on the table is road clearance, and there's no way you can accomplish that with only light wheeled vehicles. You're going to need something with the mass and the power to either push or plow through the vehicles clogging the roads, while providing the crews with protection against biters, Mallers and other hazards they might encounter in the process. Using heavy engineering equipment or armored combat vehicles you pay a penalty in fuel and support costs, but they have the ability to successfully complete the mission.

Humvees would probably be suitable for recon missions or convoy escort, but they are at a severe disadvantage in a stand up fight. They can't plow through massed crowds of zombies, any heavy weapons they carry are partially exposed and vulnerable, and if they ever get stopped and swarmed they don't pack enough armor to keep the biters from getting at their chewy centers.

[Red Shirt]

Humvees would probably be suitable for recon missions or convoy escort, but they are at a severe disadvantage in a stand up fight. They can't plow through massed crowds of zombies, any heavy weapons they carry are partially exposed and vulnerable, and if they ever get stopped and swarmed they don't pack enough armor to keep the biters from getting at their chewy centers.

Me, I prefer the scream filled ones. :D


But seriously though, If they are going to go anywhere on wheels and clear a road to get there, they are going to need a really, REALLY good reason. Getting to LA to shore up your fuel supplies is as good a reason as any. If you are going for the fuel, economy getting there is moot. Besides, this is a job you don't want to half-ass or pull punches on. You need something big and massively heavy on point like an M1 Abrams or an M88 Hercules with a train plow on the front to push the cars out of the way with. An earth mover dumper would work too, but further thought has raised the issue of clearing overpasses... sure, you could "go around," but for efficiency and safeties sake for future trips, I'd rather have the straight shot.

The M1151 Up Armored Hummer is a step in the right direction, but frankly I'm a bit wary of them. Don't get me wrong, I would trust my life to one, but given a choice I'd go with something different. I would prefer something that was designed from the ground up to be that heavily armored like the M1117 ASV or any of the RG33L series. The MaxxPro XL and the Caiman 6X6 are pretty good too. A Buffalo would be epic, but they are decidedly rare though. That Infantry Brigade that was supposed to rotate in to Irwin should have some of those armored trucks.

[Red Shirt]

A recent episode of the Mythbusters is worth bringing this idea back to the top, if for nothing else other than the Lolz:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUApcC9jj9c

It's super effective!!

Granted, it's a vastly different world in the show now, versus the point in time some nearly two years ago when I first posted the idea... but hey, the idea apparently does have a bit of merit to it.

[Gooer]

Not really sure how easy it would be to clear all the cars away; if the roads are completely packed with cars, as you expect in a zombie apocalypse, it would take a lot of time to clear them out of the way

[TacticalJHP]

First off, POST 100! Woo!

OK, now that is out of my system...

I like all the thought that has gone into this thread, but really there has been a case of over-analyzing the problem here.

A standard size wrecker could clear about 75% of traffic from the roadways, hauling the cars to another location if you wanted to use them for another use. (refit or repair for working vehicles, salvage for parts, ect)

A backhoe or a bulldozer can clear 99% of all traffic by shoving and pulling the car out of the way.

And for the remaining 1%, LEAVE IT and drive around. Set booby traps as you wish for added malice.

[Miss]

The way I see it yeah the roads are blocked but why bother clearing the roads. Just send a scout or two out before large groups to find the best route and move any cars that are in the way on that route saves time energy and gas