ZOMG Rig

So I'm narrowing down choices for my AK rig. So far, I only have the base unit which is the chest rig (BCS Ak Chest Rig) and I'm going to add items in the following categories.

IFAK Pouch

Radio pouch for a GMRS radio

Pistol mag pouch

Folding dump pouch

I'd also like the capability to add more magazines so I will probably get a double AK mag pouch or two to stick on there if I need it, like if the situation really just devolves into total shit and I feel that 4 more magazines would be a good idea, and just stash it in my BOB most of the time.

I could also be sold on a small admin pouch if I can think of something to put in there. Other possible items of interest would be a pouch for a flashlight, maybe a knife sheath. I'm not really into hydration pouches and bladders and shit; I'm not the kind of tactical hardcase that can't be arsed to unscrew the lid off a canteen. I can also add these items to my belt as well if I run out of room on the chest rig. Maps and PSK are in the large admin pouch built into the rig itself.

I don't suppose anyone has any genius ideas for securing my tomahawk, do they? Also, did I miss anything obvious that I need on there? I'd like to keep it minimalist.

Jon Mackey's Tale is Told

Well, I finally finished Last Call, Last Stand.

I'm not going to tease you with a pedantic outro; I don't give a shit. I'm just glad the story is done.

There are no plans for publication. Some folks have PM'ed me or emailed me to inquire if I have plans in that direction for this story, and i don't. The entire premise of the story relies on the inversion of certain survivalist fiction tropes, and that just isn't a broad enough audience to market the book to.

Rather, it was something simple, a half assed junkie morality tale with an entirely undeserved happy ending and a couple of badass fight scenes. It takes place during SHTF, but it isn't about SHTF; it is about Mackey's redemption, and like all obvious junkie-finds-his-place stories it devolves into something heavy handed and entirely too self aware. But I enjoyed writing it and apparently some motherfuckers enjoyed reading it, so in the end, I feel it's purpose is served.

In the future, I will probably add another ZS Fiction Forum story to my list, but it will have to wait until I have Codex cleaned up for publication. I have two stories waiting in the wings and honestly I'm foaming at the mouth to post them; I really like the way they both start. Like LCLS, these stories are not without purpose-they are helping me refine my ability and promote my blog and my future commercial shit.

To those of you who stuck around for the whole show: thank you. I make it a point to snub the validation of strangers, but somehow every comment on my ZS thread kept me energized enough to finish the main story. It ain't perfect, but it was free.

I've got one more post about LCLS to make before I never visit it again, one entitled "Survival Lessons from Jon Mackey." I think some of you might be surprised at the advantages Mackey has, and it will manage to tie the story in with survivalist relevance. Look for that in the upcoming week.

Thanks, you scum. It has been a hell of a ride.

Pimping and Stuff

If you linked me or blogrolled me and I haven't reciprocated, let me know. I don't always catch everything in the stat meter because I am, as The Bastard Alaskan would so kindly put it, a stoner waste of skin.

Speaking of the Bastard Alaskan, he drops some knowledge in this post. The reading comes at a time when it has become painfully relevant again.

Via Kerodin I caught wind of this bit: Neo Nazis On Patrol in Florida. That fits the fucking race war narrative perfectly. Remember these skinhead fucks are not our friends, even when they agree with us-and this is going to create more problems than it solves. How much press would this have gotten if it was a hispanic rights group patrolling instead? Do you think they know Zimmerman is a Hispanic Democrat?

If you are on Facebook, check out Punk Rock Libertarians and Punk Rock Homesteading. It has become pretty common for me to share every damn thing they post, so I thought I'd pass the link along. Remember, Tribe is where you find it.

Oh, and I got a trackback from a site I won't link here with some snarky commentary about my Unicorn Hunting post. The principal concern of the Pissants For the Ethical Treatment of Unicorns is the concept of "couples privilege." Folks, when you have to invent a new term to showcase your victimhood, there is no meaningful way to for us to communicate. We no longer speak the same language. Jah blessings on you, you strange sad creature.

Home Invasion Survival Tips

Let me preface by saying that I am nobody high speed, just a dropout stoner from southern Indiana. But I wanted to bring up a little bit about no-knock defense to those who might be interested in the concept. Take my opinion with the requisite sodium dosage. This actually evolved from Codex Kalachnikova TTP's because one of the Scum Lord's major enemy groups favors these types of attacks.

Note that I'm not going to differentiate between a no knock raid and a home invasion. Why? Because there is no fucking difference, you moron.

So, we all know how a no knock goes down-door goes off the hinges or window gets break and raked, the entry team pours through the door with the breacher going last, everyone bolts out of the fatal funnel and they proceed room to room murdering you in a single, well organized group. They face forward to present their body armor, scream "SEARCH WARRANT-POLICE!" prone out any compliant victims and pump rounds into everyone else. Then they either steal your cash and electronics or haul the survivors off to jail, whatever fits the group's MO.

So how do we engage this kind of attack? How do we recover Violence of Action in this scenario? I've thought of a couple of ways.

First off, it seems almost everything relies on an instantaneous entry. So hardening your entry points is your first step. If they can, they'll get you before you can even open your eyes, so every second they have to waste dealing with your door or window is one of the most precious seconds of your life. There are a lot of ways to harden your entrances, but remember that no method is foolproof-an enemy that can't come through the door can always come through the wall or ceiling. Nothing says "Fuck yo' OODA loop" like not gaining entry. Of course, nothing else I'm going to talk about today applies if your ass doesn't wake up when the hinges come off.

Also noteworthy: many times, they know the layout or have previous intel on the layout of your home. So one thing you can do to completely fuck them up is to alter the layout of your domain. Even something as simple as a hidden tripwire-not attached to a trap, just a strong piece of wire strung at knee level-can have gain you a half second stumble or even a full on clusterfuck if everyone tries to rush the same area at once. The enemy may have reconned your house with FLIR or what have you, but a scattering of ball bearings on the kitchen floor doesn't show up in thermal and can righteously fuck up a bunch of tightly packed, adrenaline fueled thieves. In my particular case, I have a couple of large bookshelves right by the stairs that I can flip down as projectiles and obstacles to someone trying to rush my staircase. Nothing says "Fuck yo' OODA loop" like a full wooden bookshelf dropping on your stack.

Finally, those tightly bunched groups are great for concentrating fire but also means the team is vulnerable to what I like to call "area effect spells." Anything that covers a large area can hit every single member of the stack at once. Remember, these folks stick together at almost touching distance, so operational value increases for things like pepper spray foggers or molotov cocktails that affect multiple targets at once. Nothing says "Fuck yo' OODA loop" like running around screaming on fire.

Finally, I want to say this, and this is really how The Scum Lord gets the better of the NYE PUDs in Codex; when you are being home invaded, you fucking attack. Criminals (legal and otherwise) do not expect to be attacked; they are eternally on the offensive, and they can be shocked by any sort of resistance. Even if you can't get to your web gear, even if you can't get to your rifle, even if you can't get to your knife-FUCKING ATTACK. Get in the middle of their stack; they won't shoot then, and you can do what damage you can. Maybe you won't survive-getting home invaded is dangerous business-but I'd rather the coroner has to saw my thumbs off because they are stuck in some cocksucker's stupid dead eyes instead of just finding me in the fetal position curled up under the covers. None of these fucks are expecting to be seriously attacked by someone who means it-so use it. Nothing says "Fuck yo' OODA loop" like a butt nekkid dude leaping in the middle of your group to strangle you.

Hope this has been food for thought.

Sayings from the Codex Kalachnikova

So I sat down and read the completed manuscript to Codex Kalachnikova: The Scum Lord last night. It is what it is, still-blatant cheese-but I actually found it readable, so that must be a good sign. Or do all good writers never read their own shit? Anyway, I have collected the sayings from the Codex Kalachnikova-the iron clad law of the Scum Lord's tribe-and thought you sick fucks might enjoy hearing them. Some of them are cribbed from contemporary sources, though often distorted, and some of them are just shit I made up.

Note that the Codex Kalachnikova is different from the other two distinct codexes-the Codex Bushido and the Codex Hippocratis.

Here goes:

"Above all else, survive."
"No weapon has ever neutralized what the eye never saw."
"There are no dangerous weapons, only dangerous men."
"All true authority derives from the power of life or death."
"I must, so I shall."
"Desperation can serve for courage, to the rabbit in the blocked run. For there to be courage, there must be choice."
"The greatest danger to a species is not failure, but excessive success."
"Favor the oblique angle, always-but if there is no oblique angle, a fast enough rush from head on can still be enough to throw the enemy's balance."
"He who would have you surrender your arms is attempting something you could prevent by their usage."
"Judge men by what they are, not what you wish them to be."
"There is no advantage to fighting a battle that is poorly chosen."
"All others will ask a price for you, in coin, blood or flesh. The advantage in this is that every man has his price, one way or another-and you can move him if you are willing to pay."
"Savagery for it's own sake is a sin, but even savagery has a place in the arsenal. Sometimes savagery alone is the difference between victor and victim."
"Show no weakness, for it is always your weakest point they will attack."
"To steal the resources of your enemy is to deny him and enrich yourself. You will find few trades this beneficial in war or peace."
"Lacking a willing conspirator among your enemies, incompetence in their ranks will usually suffice."
"There is no honor in sacrifice without victory; die if you must, but always win."
"Knife to a gun fight, pistol to a rifle fight, be sure to pack shovel & shroud."
"A warrior cannot be afraid of corpses, any more than a cobbler can be afraid of shoes."
"All warfare is deception; lies are the bullets of lords."
"There is no such thing as a free lunch."
"Fancy gear will not save a fool, but it will ease the wise man's life considerably."

Paging all Bronies...

MC Chris, a straight dope mother fucker if there ever was one, releases a couple of free songs every April Fool's Day. This one is Bronie themed and has a refrain that I rather like.

you can't tell me not to grow my crops / you cant tell me which sex I can marry / it's so scary the weird way that you watch

Fuckin' a right. Wait for the doom metal outro.

The free download is here if you want a copy. Good day to you, ya freaks.

Video Games I'd Like To See

A strategy game about the Western Gunboat Flotilla. Partially because brown water navy gets no love-and partially because I want to watch a flotilla of steamers and mortar rafts bang away at Island No. 10 in support of landward operations. Civil War Strategy is a common enough genre, but Naval is rare and Riverine is simply nonexistent, so I feel there is a gap in the market for history buffs. Of course, to get non history buffs in on the act, you have to make the game awesome-but what isn't awesome about ironclad steamers?

A multiplayer co-op zombie FPS done exactly right, the way people want to see it. Let's face it; zombie games are Mary Sue fare par excellance, and people don't want to play a group of random one dimensional douchebag strangers with cheesy one liners; they want to play as themselves. I propose a fully featured avatar generator and maybe an RPG skill tree, coupled with a good FPS engine, maybe Source. Since we're going full retard here, we might as well add a CoD style weapon unlock system so you can set your avatar up exactly like you want. (I'd also like to see civillian legal weapons emphasized.) Nobody has come up with the "Me & My Crew vs. Zombies" idea for some reason, and I cannot fathom why.

And since no yearly crop of games would be complete without a remake, I'm gonna propose a remake of a classic from my childhood-Silent Service. Christ on a cracker, I played the shit out of this game; I mean I actually got my ass down to the library and read up and submarine warfare just to improve my odds. I think it's high time for a bad ass submarine game on a modern platform; not just a collection of pretty cgi cutscenes but a really high end simulator. I'll never forget that gut churning tension of diving and running silent after a torpedo launch misses and a big pissed off destroyer escort comes steaming my way. Good times.