Prepper category three: Marauders.

[Psalm7]

Kind of off topic. But I didn't want to start another conversation about having a conversation.
Talked to a guy recently . He invited me to his yard sale . Everything for sale going to move ! Turns out He's moving to a " prepper " community somewhere here in middle TN . He said he has farm equipment , log chains , tools . I'm thinking a prepper community and He's selling this stuff . I noticed he was wired a bit tight . Someone else said it sounds like a cult , he didn't like that . After he left someone asked what I thought . I said the groups " leaders " or " founders " are probably going to take them for a bunch of money and leave them with nothing .

 

[SoulSeeker]

As I see it, when shtf cities will begin a major upheaval with armament (sporting goods stores) and stores (food, clothing, medical, housing and fuels). Gangs will try to take over everything they can from Walmart's to Wendy's. There will some loss to gangs from vying for territories. Eventually this will settle to either 1 gang in control or several controlling a city. In the meantime people will start an exodus to find safer living conditions which will mean forging or stealing food. Where is the best place for this? Smaller communities and farms. Now we see Marauders doing their thing. This won't happen overnight but it won't take long.

As a defense my idea for one is to plant berry bushes. Plant them in your field of fire in a sort of maze. This will defiantly slow them down and night raids will very hard.

 

[joel]

Isn't the Gun Culture the whole reason Marauders will not work in Rural USA.
Or is self defence a pipe dream.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

I’ve read books of several ex-military who witnessed first hand the collapse of a nation. Also a couple of regular citizens who were able to survive both the collapse and war who wrote books about their home country’s downfall. All interesting stories and information, which vary according to the person’s experience. BUT, you know what they ALL have in common? Their advice, in unison is “get out of the cities”.

Jonathon Hollerman is a great resource for learning how to survive what is coming. Here is a Free download of one of his books.

https://www.griddownconsulting.com/grid-down-report


Here is a recent interview. Start at about minute 9.





This book was tough to get through because it shows how man changes from human to animal. If you want to experience what a war feels like from a citizen’s perspective, this will put you there.

 

[Steve_In_29]

Marauders are the least of my concern. Our location and very low population density ensures that they won't be a problem.

Same thing for us. The current bad apples are known and will be eliminated at the first sign of trouble.

 

[Sourdough]

Hell........I was married twice. Whatever is coming will be easy.

 

[Jim Costa]

We have plans in place to bring up a Neighbor Hood Defense plan.

Pass out a few Baofeng radios with magnetic antennas for rooftops.
This would be to select persons willing to cooperate.

If any of you are attacked, radio for help.

All your neighbor has to do is a drive-by shooting at the truck.
Once he is positioned for a safe escape, give it hell but leave the truck somewhat operational.
The intruders will be caught off guard and fear being trapped in the neighborhood.

That will end the party quickly. No friends get shot at.
More than likely, a raid will occur just at sunrise.

 

[Steve_In_29]

Yes and there weren’t too many copies actually printed in the only printing that occurred. It took me a couple of years to actually find a copy. They were available online on Ebay at one time, but they were a bit expensive for me. It was recommended by former Navy Seal Officer, Matt Bracken. That’s what originally motivated me to find a copy.

I found a place online that had a few copies for (iirc) $35 a pop.

I had seen the crazy prices being charged and thought about picking up a couple more to flip but decided against it.

 

[Steve_In_29]

Marauders are going to be more of an urban/suburban thing.

Rural areas will have a few criminal types (that can be dealt with) but there simply isn't enough to be gained for raiders to drive hundreds of miles. Only to face the WELL armed locals.

 

[Jim Costa]

How to find out who in your neighborhood will wish to help defense wise?

You drive through the area and spot households you think might be interested.

Deliver an anonymous letter to all those addresses explaining your idea.
Leave a new email address such as [email protected]

After contact go to phone or local hamburger shop. Consider borrowing a car.

Inventory a few extra Beofeng radios so you can communicate after the **** hits.

 

[Steve_In_29]

How to find out who in your neighborhood will wish to help defense wise?

You drive through the area and spot households you think might be interested.

Deliver an anonymous letter to all those addresses explaining your idea.
Leave a new email address such as [email protected]

After contact go to phone or local hamburger shop. Consider borrowing a car.

Inventory a few extra Beofeng radios so you can communicate after the **** hits.

Or you go introduce yourself to your neighbors. Like we used to do in the old days when people knew each other.

Invite them over for a BBQ maybe.

No need to be all secret squirrel.

 

[Jim Costa]

One might not want to advertise to the neighborhood that you have stored food.
Then you advertise yourself as a target to be forced to share with seven other families.
Search out other Preppers first.

 

[Sourdough]

I plan to be a "VERY RELUCTANT MARAUDER".

 

[Steve_In_29]

One might not want to advertise to the neighborhood that you have stored food.
Then you advertise yourself as a target to be forced to share with seven other families.
Search out other Preppers first.

I didn't say knock on their door and announce you were a prepper.

And in most suburban neighborhoods the couple hundred unprepared people WILL take your stuff no matter how many preppers there are.

Odds are that the neighborhood preppers won't be living next to each other within a defensible area. Which makes you all vulnerable no matter how many guns you have.

The simple fact of the matter is that if you live in an urban setting or suburban bedroom community you won't have to worry about organized packs of former military marauders. Your own neighbors WILL take you out first. Neighbors who despite living around you for years...don't even know your name.

 

[AWSCSRET]

How to find out who in your neighborhood will wish to help defense wise?

You drive through the area and spot households you think might be interested.

Deliver an anonymous letter to all those addresses explaining your idea.
Leave a new email address such as [email protected]

After contact go to phone or local hamburger shop. Consider borrowing a car.

Inventory a few extra Beofeng radios so you can communicate after the **** hits.

Hey Jim,
It's been said that any plan is better than no plan, but that actually depends on the quality of the plan. It is great that you are thinking about neighborhood security, but you have made fatal assumptions.

I served in the former Yugoslav during their nasty collapse, which is closest in structure (corrupt Govt attempting to control a divided populace) to our pending collapse. To be brief, none of your ideas will work in real life. SW radios are not like CB's; SW must be programmed with frequencies, modulation and bandwidth. Even to scan you must first program the desired freqs. So you can not hand them out like candy and expect to have effective comms.
Also, at 4w for the UV-5R you have 1-2 miles at best with line of site. Much better off with handheld CB radios for local neighborhood comms with other amateurs. Put a sticky note on each with 2 channels, like 18 & 39.

You assumed one group of "marauders" with one truck? Shoot the truck and they all scramble? No offense, but Hollywood much? IRL, there will be 100 well armed attackers, with a 2nd wave 1/2 mile behind. Both groups are disciplined and well trained. The 2nd wave has skilled long-range shooters who will drop you and your family without breaking cover. They are not clearing villages; they are killing everyone in your neighborhood.

You will NOT be able to determine good guys from bad. They look, dress and talk the same.

As others have posted, your nice, friendly neighbors will gut you for whatever you have - guns, food, propane, gasoline, blankets, golf cart, bottled water, daughter. Man knows not how he will respond when he looks into the abyss.

Are there some rowdy boys in jeeps out looking for trouble? Sure. Will a few well-placed shots influence their decision on which house to rob? Sure.
But that's the mundane. Better to prepare for worse case scenario - that's the one that will end you quickly.

FYI, approx 10% of the entire Yugoslav population was killed during this war. >200,000 souls. We are making every move they made in the 1-2 years before SHTF. (Months really)

Out of curiosity, what is your criteria to "spot households you think might be interested".?? Military aged man with 2 daughters in the back yard?
Retired man/vet with 25ft flag pole in front yard? Young couple with pregnant wife, trying to make ends meet? Single guy putting on his helmet to ride his sport bike? Retired couple on fixed income, praying Medicare does not increase? Those are 5 I saw this afternoon. Which of those do you believe will be willing to die for you and your family?

 

[Caribou]

We’ve run a cross a handful of these, I’m going to take from others, types at prepper sites over the years. They are usually youngsters with grand ideas. When you point out that they have to be lucky every time and you only have to be lucky once they tend to sober up in short order. Most of us have been young and stupid so we didn’t get too rude with these kids. They don’t have anything so this seems to be the obvious easy way.

 

[ssonb]

The marauding lifestyle always losses in the long run, the personality types drawn to such enterprises they are like the communist.. Its all gonna be better for me but not necessarily for thee.
Yes there will be many deaths on the prepared and the regular people from such until we realize that all one needs to do is not try to reinvent the survival wheel but take a page from our past and group together like our forefathers did.
Our ancestors seemed to be able to exist in and around fortified communities or wagon trains mutually defending, feeding,serving and caring for the unit with losing independence and individuality.
After many hard life lessons we will figger it out also.

 

[Morgan101]

Can we differentiate between marauders? IMHO there are those who will steal out of necessity. They are desperate and want to feed thir families. Then there are those who are just a criminal element. They will not lift a finger to work. They fully expect to steal from others with malice aforethought.

The first category, again JMHO, you could maybe bring into a group, and they would be willing to help and contribute. The second category will not likely ever contribute to a peaceful group. Both groups will likely find each other. The good will bond with the good, and the bad will always find more bad.

 

[lonewolf]

Hell........I was married twice. Whatever is coming will be easy.

heck try 3 times, divorced twice, dealing with male marauders would be a doddle after that.

 

[M0del_31]

On the topic of marauders, I think the biggest threat to the southern US post SHTF will the be cartels. I suspect those would become roving armies when the food becomes scarce. If there is no government funded military and police force, it would take full on militias to protect communities against them. Much like the indians raided settler camps in the 1800s, cartels would probably expand into the US and raid communities. They'll be trading in narcotics, human trafficking and theft of any useable resources...guns, food, equipment. Eventually they'd probably move on to slavery to grow and control food production. The brutality that comes out of the cities would be nothing compared to what comes up from Mexico or even California. They are already have more capable weaponry that is illegal for most of us to have and probably the best civilian drones and communication radios money can buy. They'll probably be listening for all the FRS/GMRS and baofengs so we best plan on some digital encryption radios for ourselves. It is always best to overestimate your opponents because there won't be any 2nd chances for some.

 

[lonewolf]

not really a problem in the rural south west UK, even post collapse they will be few if any.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

They'll probably be listening for all the FRS/GMRS and baofengs so we best plan on some digital encryption radios for ourselves. It is always best to overestimate your opponents because there won't be any 2nd chances for some.

Totally agree! A solid set of code words could be helpful if encryption isn’t possible.

 

[SoulSeeker]

Isn't the Gun Culture the whole reason Marauders will not work in Rural USA.
Or is self defence a pipe dream.

If you have the defenses you need and the skills to use them. Set up a field of fire you can easily defend on the 4 points around you.

 

[SoulSeeker]

On the topic of marauders, I think the biggest threat to the southern US post SHTF will the be cartels. I suspect those would become roving armies when the food becomes scarce. If there is no government funded military and police force, it would take full on militias to protect communities against them. Much like the indians raided settler camps in the 1800s, cartels would probably expand into the US and raid communities. They'll be trading in narcotics, human trafficking and theft of any useable resources...guns, food, equipment. Eventually they'd probably move on to slavery to grow and control food production. The brutality that comes out of the cities would be nothing compared to what comes up from Mexico or even California. They are already have more capable weaponry that is illegal for most of us to have and probably the best civilian drones and communication radios money can buy. They'll probably be listening for all the FRS/GMRS and baofengs so we best plan on some digital encryption radios for ourselves. It is always best to overestimate your opponents because there won't be any 2nd chances for some.

I agree. The cartels are already a huge network of gangs. Very sophisticated operations and armament provided by drugs and human trafficking/slavery.

 

[Oddcaliber]

Cartels may look intimidating on the surface but I'm looking at there logistics and how well they work. Yeah they have guns and ammo but what about food, meds and other things? Old military saying is amateurs study weapons and tactics, professionals study logistics.