West Berlin had building codes that all residence outer walls had to be 16″ of reinforced concrete. Inner walls had to be at least 4″ of reinforced concrete. Floors were at least 8″ of reinforced concrete. And every private yard had to have a perimeter brick, stone or concrete wall to a height of 16″ above ground, with a fence or wall to a total height of at least one meter atop it. Every single residence was a strongpoint.
Yeah, Here we have better fields of fire, and better weaponry.
Lived in Poland for a while. The houses there are all built such that they would do double duty as bunkers.
When you live in a land that has been a warzone several times in the last century, you tend to build accordingly.
I’ll pass. Better in my humble opinion to have cover and hides outside the living quarters. Bunker up if you want, I want fire and maneuver.
If you have to fortify your home like a firebase than your planning has already failed. Unless you are defending against a couple of incompetent idiots you will lose….even if the attackers have to burn your place down….with you in it. Without air support, fire support from artillery, ability to resupply and bring in relief, hunkering down against a determined attack has always been suicide. Network with neighbors, build a local structure of forces, gather intel, learn to ambush attackers before the besiege you….all better options
When your neighborhood, city, or State is the target, not you personally, this is how you make attackers bleed. This is how you conduct an urban ambush. Every house a strongpoint. Every intersection a deathtrap.
At my age, solo status, and fitness I’ll try to take as many with me as I can.
I’m kind of with tweel and WellSeasonedFool on this one — but I live on a farm in a heavily wooded area. It never hurts, though, to think through a few scenarios ahead of time. Not that any plan survives first contact, but some if… then thinking doesn’t come amiss.
All- Good points, and yes, fire and maneuver IS our preferred out in the sticks… But I do understand the philosophy of bunkering up in a city environment.
Sorry boys, a quick back of the envelope figuring says your double layer of sandbags has collapsed the floor at around 2.5 tons.
(Plus another 500 lbs or so in that packing crate.Because an empty crate will stop bullets better than two sandbags).
you need to build better floors.
Hi there Riverrider,
I believe sandbags come in around 25-30 lbs each. Two bags will exceed the 30-40 lbs per SQFT standards. 😁
30-40 lbs per SQFT as a design point gets you to a floor with minimal deflection and movement.
If you exceed the floor loading, then you start noticing the floor movement as you move in the building, you start breaking ceramic tile on the floor surface, and you start cracking the plaster on the ceiling below — or you would, if the infographic hadn’t told you to remove the plaster for filling the sandbags.
I prefer the Home Alone method of booby trapping the house.
Like some others have indicated, if it reaches this point my hope is to take several out before I assume ambient temp.
I’m glad I’m old, with all my fond memories.
I mourn the fact my 38 year old son faces an uncertain future.
My fault?
I don’t vote for the sonsabitches.
(But I did vote for Bush and now regret that.)
The following book offers some excellent advice. https://ospreypublishing.com/soviet-field-fortifications-1941-45
Wife’s limited mobility limits our options to “shelter in place.” Not a problem in eastern Tennessee.
Hell, the average checkout line at the local market probably has more firepower than your average NYPD precinct house.
Now that’s both interesting and helpful. And I’m afraid you’re psychic, just about to post something similar, but on a “bushcraft” tip.
Jet- I will say that a LOT of those old European houses have 12×12 floor joists for ALL floors…
Otherwise, I agree with everyone. LSP, bushcraft is good too! And more applicable to our area. 🙂
West Berlin had building codes that all residence outer walls had to be 16″ of reinforced concrete. Inner walls had to be at least 4″ of reinforced concrete. Floors were at least 8″ of reinforced concrete. And every private yard had to have a perimeter brick, stone or concrete wall to a height of 16″ above ground, with a fence or wall to a total height of at least one meter atop it. Every single residence was a strongpoint.
Yeah, Here we have better fields of fire, and better weaponry.
Lived in Poland for a while. The houses there are all built such that they would do double duty as bunkers.
When you live in a land that has been a warzone several times in the last century, you tend to build accordingly.
I’ll pass. Better in my humble opinion to have cover and hides outside the living quarters. Bunker up if you want, I want fire and maneuver.
If you have to fortify your home like a firebase than your planning has already failed. Unless you are defending against a couple of incompetent idiots you will lose….even if the attackers have to burn your place down….with you in it. Without air support, fire support from artillery, ability to resupply and bring in relief, hunkering down against a determined attack has always been suicide. Network with neighbors, build a local structure of forces, gather intel, learn to ambush attackers before the besiege you….all better options
When your neighborhood, city, or State is the target, not you personally, this is how you make attackers bleed. This is how you conduct an urban ambush. Every house a strongpoint. Every intersection a deathtrap.
At my age, solo status, and fitness I’ll try to take as many with me as I can.
I’m kind of with tweel and WellSeasonedFool on this one — but I live on a farm in a heavily wooded area. It never hurts, though, to think through a few scenarios ahead of time. Not that any plan survives first contact, but some if… then thinking doesn’t come amiss.
All- Good points, and yes, fire and maneuver IS our preferred out in the sticks… But I do understand the philosophy of bunkering up in a city environment.
Sorry boys, a quick back of the envelope figuring says your double layer of sandbags has collapsed the floor at around 2.5 tons.
(Plus another 500 lbs or so in that packing crate.Because an empty crate will stop bullets better than two sandbags).
you need to build better floors.
Hi there Riverrider,
I believe sandbags come in around 25-30 lbs each. Two bags will exceed the 30-40 lbs per SQFT standards. 😁
30-40 lbs per SQFT as a design point gets you to a floor with minimal deflection and movement.
If you exceed the floor loading, then you start noticing the floor movement as you move in the building, you start breaking ceramic tile on the floor surface, and you start cracking the plaster on the ceiling below — or you would, if the infographic hadn’t told you to remove the plaster for filling the sandbags.
I prefer the Home Alone method of booby trapping the house.
Like some others have indicated, if it reaches this point my hope is to take several out before I assume ambient temp.
I’m glad I’m old, with all my fond memories.
I mourn the fact my 38 year old son faces an uncertain future.
My fault?
I don’t vote for the sonsabitches.
(But I did vote for Bush and now regret that.)
The following book offers some excellent advice.
https://ospreypublishing.com/soviet-field-fortifications-1941-45
Wife’s limited mobility limits our options to “shelter in place.” Not a problem in eastern Tennessee.
Hell, the average checkout line at the local market probably has more firepower than your average NYPD precinct house.
Now that’s both interesting and helpful. And I’m afraid you’re psychic, just about to post something similar, but on a “bushcraft” tip.
Jet- I will say that a LOT of those old European houses have 12×12 floor joists for ALL floors…
Otherwise, I agree with everyone. LSP, bushcraft is good too! And more applicable to our area. 🙂