Thinking of Starting a convoy???

[CommanderKey]

Hey guys, Commander Key here. I've got news if in any time you need to migrate to an new area. Convoy 101.
All you need is a group of people, I would keep the number under 20 because that is alot of mouths to feed and alot of people to watch after, but it also means more people who are there if needed. Anyways, you need a couple cars... Now I'm not talking about smart cars, or sports cars... They're pretty but if you come driving around in one of those, there's not a lot of protection there. Get the big boys out. The trucks, semis, buses, rescue force vehicles! They'll do you some good. Also you need to stock up on canned food and water while you can. Medicines and other basic things for survival fit in there too. Stock up on fuel. lots of it...

Then you need a plan. 3 areas for a meeting place. 1 main one and 2 back ups at least. I suggest somewhere small such as a gas station which has food, water, and shelter while not big enough to be too big of a threat. Please keep that in mind! Any questions just ask! Over and Out!

Commander Key,
Commander of Convoy:966243

[izzyscout21]

Commander K,

I'm not busting your plan, but Just have couple questions for for you on how you plan on making it work:

1.) What is the stated goal of the convoy?
2.) Where is your final destination? DO you plan on staying mobile or do you have an end destination?
3.) How are you feeding all those engines? What are you going to do for fuel?
4.) SHTF means multiple things to multiple folks. There's no on defined incident that is "THE" SHTF. Under what scenario would the convoy be enacted?


As I think most of us are in the "Bug In" mindset, I think this is an interesting concept from an alternate view point.

Looking forward to the conversation.

Izzy

[mitunnelrat]

I'm curious about much of this myself, and I'm with izzy in thinking BI is the primary mindset here.

That's my main goal, and largely because I could conceivably have anywhere from 7-20 "dependents" with me during some worst case scenarios.

Idk how many would be willing to relocate per one of my contingency plans, but it does make me curious why you say "under 20" for convoy size? My immediate family alone could max that out...

Sent from my BlackBerry 9330 using Tapatalk

[ak474u]

This?
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3HFZm2CHLsg

[GunnerMax]

I am now an expert on convoy tactics.

[CommanderKey]

Izzy:
1) The goal of the convoy is to move small groups out of the one designated area. It is better to work in small numbers because you have more people giving supplies and more people at your side.
2) Final destination requires more information on the current event. Most likely it would be a place where there is no or little threat to survival compared to where we started. If we need to stay mobile, we will.
3) Each driver in my convoy is required to have at least 5 gallons saved up. Yes, I know that that will not hold for long but since in a group we can go to the stations, other abandoned vehicles, or any other fuel source and collect our fuel there. The world would be at our disposal if anything is to happen... Correct?
4)The convoy is used to flee. Say viral disasters, bombings, weather disasters... Practically anything. Such as being evacuated for hurricanes or tornados or big storms such as those. It's a good way to help secure everyone's safety.

mitunnelrat:
So far, I have a convoy of 18 members. I understand the difficulty in keeping it below 20. Pretty much each convoy has a plan of action that suits them and their location. Say part of your family lives in the same district and thats around er 5-12 people. You have a small convoy there. Each gathering of people is a convoy keep that in mind. They are all of importance. Each small group of your family can meet in a place convenient to them. I'm just saying that it's easier to keep a small group of people going then a whole crowd. I am making separate convoys that will also escape a threat if nessesary. They are not in my main convoy but are still there. A convoy just helps people fuel up, group up, and run with little hassle. I have a set leader for my small convoy here other than myself to help things follow through. Though if you'd like to keep your family together I say if you have enough supplies go for it, but I will not have the same conflicts with you. Please let me know if I've hit all the points you've asked. Over and Out!

Commander Key,
Commander of Convoy:966243

[mitunnelrat]

Thanks for the reply, keeping the numbers low enough to easily manage makes sense. Now that I'm on my laptop I have a few more observations/ questions for you. You'll have to forgive some of this, since I know a bit of your group make up from pm's.


Hey guys, Commander Key here. I've got news if in any time you need to migrate to an new area. Convoy 101.
All you need is a group of people, I would keep the number under 20 because that is a lot of mouths to feed and a lot of people to watch after, but it also means more people who are there if needed.

This is also a significant number of people who will need a defensive plan/ protection against attack. Do you have measures in place, and enough people qualified to mount an effective response against a threat? Both while moving and while stationary?


Anyways, you need a couple cars... Now I'm not talking about smart cars, or sports cars... They're pretty but if you come driving around in one of those, there's not a lot of protection there. Get the big boys out. The trucks, semis, buses, rescue force vehicles!

How many of these vehicles are currently owned within your convoy? Your response to izzy indicates you'll use these for every level of emergency requiring a bug out. There are numerous difficulties involved in trying to acquire materials you need "after the fact", including the fact it will legally be considered theft under most of the circumstances you outlined. This forum isn't a place to pursue that train of thought, save for advising against it. Even assuming a PAW level event, its unlikely you'll be the only one to pursue such vehicles. What if you don't reach it first?

Its primarily the "rescue force vehicles" and buses I have in mind here, since trucks and semis are more probable/ possible items within your inventory. If not, have you got anyone qualified to drive a semi? We've discussed this here, and its apparently possible to learn, but it will take some getting used to.

It also doesn't seem like too many of these choices are real good for passenger transport, at least not in significant numbers.


Also you need to stock up on canned food and water while you can. Medicines and other basic things for survival fit in there too. Stock up on fuel. lots of it...

Canned food can get heavy and bulky, especially for the numbers you're talking within your main convoy. Likewise with fuel and water. Is that the rationale for the semi?

Medicine. Have you got anyone qualified for more advanced techniques, or is this all basic first aid?

The "basic things for survival". Have you considered parts, tools, and lubricants for the vehicles in here as well? Do you have anyone knowledgeable in automotive maintenance and repair?

Fuel. The vehicles you've mentioned will mostly run on diesel. This concern ties back into if you have every one of the vehicles in inventory or not? If not, are your convoy member's stockpiling fuel for the vehicles you intend to get, or the vehicles they currently own?


Then you need a plan. 3 areas for a meeting place. 1 main one and 2 back ups at least. I suggest somewhere small such as a gas station which has food, water, and shelter while not big enough to be too big of a threat. Please keep that in mind! Any questions just ask! Over and Out!

Commander Key,
Commander of Convoy:966243

I agree on the multiple meeting points. That follows a model I follow called "PACE" Primary. Alternate. Contingency. Emergency. Does you plan extend to identifying routes to and from in the same manner?

May I ask what the full rationale is behind selecting gas stations as meeting points? They're likely to be considered high value targets by many people, and become centers of violence. Would it not be better to assemble nearby the station rather than at it?

Sorry if this seems harsh, some of it is indeed critical, but more as a method for further developing ideas and encouraging growth and thought. As I said I agree with the premise behind your plan. I need one like it myself to meet the requirements of a contingency plan.

[CommanderKey]

Some pretty good questions there. Let me see if I can be more specific for you. I do have people with basic knowledge on weaponry and defense tactics. Those people I call my "fists" so to speak. My convoys system instead of a social pyramid for example is more like a body of armor. The ones with attack and defense knowledge are the fists or the gloves. They are very important on keeping everyone safe. The boots or feet are our drivers in charge of transport. I have sources which gave me 2 buses and 1 semi and trailer at my disposal. Lucky for me some of my convoy have previous knowledge on how to drive the big machines. The torso or chest piece is made up of my specialists along with my friends and family. My specialists including 2 doctors and a couple war veterans. The head or the helmet is made up of three people. My Captain(second in command) and my informer and then myself. The food, as you said, will be loaded in the semi. The buses are my transport for people and so forth.
The perimeter of our meeting space is quite easy to master. Each meeting area is located 3.5 miles away from the next starting from the city and heading out towards the outskirts and suburbs. Each vehicle is rigged with a CV radio in order to communicate with the rest of the convoy. The problem is, I dont have enough vehicles to transport people too and from each meeting space which will cost us time but I'm working on that. We have extra parts and people with knowledge on how to use them.You do have a point on the gas stations though. My team figured its small enough to not hold as big of a possible threat as a market and such and that it has resources. We live in a small town you see... Not many places to choose from. Thank you for the thoughts... They shall help me improve my convoy.