Defending the Homestead

One of the biggest problems with a post-apocalyptic scenario is defending the homestead. The homestead should be able to defend itself from most invading forces, be it roving gangs, organized squads, or even zombies The problem is that too many preppers assume that simply having enough weapons is all that they need, and so worry about the weapons more than any other factor; this is the best way to lead to disaster. You need to consider a more general response, and one that allows for foraging and hunting (if animals are on your land). All you need are a few simple considerations and you should be ready for just about anything. In fact, some of these systems will make pre-apocalypse life a little easier.

[The starting assumptions we are working with are pretty simple: The homestead should be at least five acres (two hectares) with some trees, and it should be mostly flat. The main road to the house should be as straight as possible, with all other buildings visible from the house. The other buildings should be easy to secure, with at least one having a second story. There should be at least one firearm per adult, with explosives optional. There should also be a central command of some sort, with everyone having at least walkie-talkies. You should also have smaller vehicles, such as dirt bikes and ATVs, to travel through the homestead more easily.

In essence, you should have a defensible position and some means to defend it.

Also, this article should not be seen as a way to defend against actual police or military forces. They usually come in with more than sufficient force to overwhelm homestead defenses.]

Setting Up Central Command

Central command is the center of the homestead’s defenses. This is the base of operations and should be treated as such. If walkie-talkies are in use, the base should be placed here and Bluetooth cameras should be linked to the computer here. It should also have its own backup generator. There should be maps of the surrounding area, with a sand table (a three-dimensional representation of the area) in the room. In short, it should be able to provide all the needed communication between the members of the homestead, and provide someone there should be able to issue instructions on what to do about any invaders as possible.

Basic Surveillance

Being able to detect someone approaching makes defense a lot easier. At the very least, it’s going to make the detection of trespassers much easier; it’s also going to make tracking attackers a much simpler task. You should set up three systems: trail cams, drones, and Bluetooth cameras. Trail cams are going to help when it comes to hunting game and dealing with trespassers; you will be better able to determine game trails and habits while having evidence against anyone trespassing on your land. After a few arrests, you’ll find trespassing decreasing. Drones provide you with the ability to follow anyone entering your territory, and if flown high enough, it will evade being shot down.

Bluetooth cameras require some serious planning, but provide you with a way to track invaders in real time. You will need extenders given the short range of the cameras (30–90 feet (9–30 meters)) so that they can be spread throughout your acreage. You also need to debate how many: Too few and you will have a lot of holes in your defense, but too many and you will have a problem tracking the output of the camera; it’s up to you to figure out the balance.

Setting Up Fire Lanes

The hardest part of setting up home defenses is setting up fire lanes. On one hand, you need trees and bushes for a working ecology, and buildings can create their own problems. They can also create areas that are hard to defend. Thus, when setting up home defense, you should look at a map of your area when setting up lines of fire for areas where you can easily shoot incoming targets.

The first thing you should do is set up a primary and secondary shooting positions. The primary position should the home itself, while the secondary position should be the highest point on your land, such as a barn or other building. You should have a clear area at least a 200 feet (60 meters) radius from either position; there should be few obstructions in these areas. If you need to, you can set up purposeful obstructions; these can provide valuable ranges (such as knowing that a particular tree is X feet/meters away), which can provide areas where you can pin targets down. These clear lines of fire will make defending the home a lot easier.

[Low brush is actually a good thing here, especially if it’s of a wispy or short nature. If it’s too high or full it provides cover, while if it’s short it creates obstacles for anyone coming in. Plants like forsythia and bottle brush are ideal (they are short and spread out, even when mature), while plants like juniper should be avoided. Note that one of the cooler things about brush is that you can use them to funnel opponents into maximized fire lanes.]

This is also why you need the driveway leading to the house to be as straight as possible. There should also be stones or other obstacles on the edges of the driveway so that anyone driving up to the home is forced along a particular path. While a curving driveway is more aesthetically pleasing, it creates a serpentine effect which makes it harder to aim, even allowing for leading. On the other hand, a vehicle heading straight for the home creates a target that apparently grows as it gets closer, making it easier to hit. (If you need to, put a roundabout near the home for easy turning around.) Yeah, it’s going to be an eyesore, but it will make attackers debate going straight to the home.

[If your homestead has a slight incline, you can terrace the land using short retaining walls to create obstacles for any vehicles. Just makes sure that they are somewhat shallow, or they can be used by attackers to defend themselves from your fire. Also, see notes on low brush above.]

Debate Booby Traps

Hollywood would have you think that booby traps are de rigueur However, while they are somewhat easy to set up and can help immeasurably, there are three major negatives that need to be considered, making them somewhat debatable. First, there are legal issues to consider, as some jurisdictions ban booby traps outright (all 50 states, for example) and you can be sued for damages. Second, if your land is used for any sort of hunting, you may lose traps (and meat) as animals run into the traps; if you lose too many animals to the traps, then there is the possibility that the others will seek safer pastures, especially if the traps are of the loud kind. Third, there’s the problem of keeping your friends and family safe from the booby traps, especially the more curious younger members of the clan.

In short, while booby traps can add the element of surprise to your defenses, they are problematic in execution and may lead to greater problems than they solve.

[Fences are a special consideration here, and are a great form of passive defense. The fence should be visible to avoid lawsuits, with a wire fence being sufficient for most purposes. Electrical fences are really debatable, especially if your area has a lot of rain; they can also be a pain to keep powered, even with a solar source. Basically, you just want something that will slow people down and a good wire fence is sufficient, especially if you walk the line every so often. Also, debate putting purposeful holes in it (with Bluetooth cameras) to allow for game migrations.]

Summing up: Your home should be more than a castle: It should be a fortress in case of emergencies. With a few simple modifications, your home can be well-fortified should things hit the fan. A little preparation and you should find that surviving the apocalypse is a lot easier.