To Fortify? That is the question...

[CDAT]

I know several combat engineers who ran D-7 dozers and doing five miles of earth berm not a problem talking with them not even that long to do week or two. In my first deployment to Iraq in 03 we showed up and were told that this plot of land was going to be our base camp for the next little bit, our engineers had dozers and SEE trucks, with in two days we had all the trees, weeds and such dozed down had a berm around the “base” and by weeks end had wire up around as well.

[stormlion1]

Shipping Containers might be an option. Take them and fill them with dirt and rubble and you have an instant wall that can stop small arms fire. Relatively lightweight to move when empty and heavy as sin when full. Plus they can be stacked to form higher walls (I'd bolt them together for added strength) or have a container placed on the inside of the wall to use for storage or with some work as barracks.

[Raellus]

I prefer a dry moat/berm wall over fencing. A chain-link fence is not much of a barrier. It's really not much more than symbolic. A station wagon could plow right through it; it wouldn't trouble a small team with wire cutters much either. Unless it was well covered by fire, it's not going to stop any but the lazy and least determined.

In general, human-power is going to be the primary means of excavating/earth moving in a T2K environment. If it means protection from existential threats, most local citizens would be willing to contribute to some sort of defense works project. This is really the basis of the neo-feudalism that I anticipate would be prevalent in a T2K world. You wouldn't even necessarily need motorized excavating equipment- just picks and shovels- I'm sure you've seen pics of Soviet babushkas digging AT ditches on the approaches to Moscow. A motorized excavator would be a luxury that many communities would not have. Those that did, however, would be able to complete defense works projects much more quickly efficiently. Such equipment could serve as a form of currency in a T2KU and securing said excavators could make a side quest for a community-building campaign.

Another option for creating walls/barricades is derelict motor vehicles. Tow or push them into position for a simple barrier. If one had to the means to stack them, you could create a more effective obstacle.

You might want to consider a hybrid with a little of every method mentioned so far. Chain link facing the marsh, a moat/berm along the most approachable part of the perimeter, wrecked cars for half-a-mile on another side, and a couple of shipping container redoubts with guard towers at intervals all along the perimeter.

[WallShadow]

With all this discussion of chain link, what has not been mentioned is using the chain link as gabion material--forming baskets out of the fencing, lining the baskets with say, old carpet, and filling the lined baskets with rubble to form building blocks of a fortification. Use a tripod lever arm to maneuver the baskets into place and Voila! a rubble/gravel wall.

[rcaf_777]

Like a poor man's Hesco bastion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesco_bastion

Could also use Gabion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabion

Or Sandbags

[kalos72]

All good information...

But would YOU put some sort of physical wall/obstacle around the entire outside of your towns if able? Thinking along the 25 miles long mark....

The 43rd MP did...

[CDAT]

Originally Posted by kalos72

All good information...

But would YOU put some sort of physical wall/obstacle around the entire outside of your towns if able? Thinking along the 25 miles long mark....

The 43rd MP did...

If I had the ability, in a post disaster world? YES!