In a zombie apocalypse it would be better to be on a roof, rather than in a basement.

FINAL ARGUMENTS Dearest voters, If the resolution had been “It is easier to escape from a house while on the roof, then when in a basement” I wouldn’t have taken this debate, because clearly that is true. Perhaps I can make a case for escaping from a basement as well, before I argue why a basement is a superior place to hide and to survive. ESCAPE FROM A BASEMENT, COMPARED TO A ROOF In our situation, clearly the house is overrun with zombies to the point where our hero has been driven into a corner and the only option is either a roof or a basement. Now imagine they were completely equal situations, except for the location. Both characters have a bolt-action rifle and say, 20 rounds. They are both uninjured. They both have no rations. The character in the basement has one thing the character on the roof doesn’t have; resources. The character in the basement might find something of use to him; a chainsaw or a torch for example. The character on the roof potentially has tiles to throw, I will give him that, but ultimately only has his gun. Now, I don’t think it’s too far a stretch of the imagination to say the basement would have the resources to make a torch. Some rags, a piece of wood and a flammable liquid. I can’t assume this, but I find it to be a very probable situation. Now, if the house is completely surrounded, clearly neither roof guy or basement guy have a reasonably equal chance of escape. To escape from the roof, the character has to either climb down or jump. Climbing down takes some time and gives the surrounding zombies time to surround you. Jumping down from the roof risks injury which could ultimately be your demise. Assuming we are talking about the house from NOTD, there is only one chance of escaping the basement, which is through the door and that is almost impossible. The character would have to be extremely lucky to escape through the door, although if he had the aforementioned torch, it might be easier. Therefore, I would concede that while both are exceedingly difficult in a surrounded situation, the roof is indeed a better place to escape from. HIDING IN A BASEMENT, COMPARED TO A ROOF Now, let me discuss the main argument I attempted to make originally. If you’re planning on making a short term base, the basement has obvious advantages. Unless you’re crazy, hiding on a roof is obviously a terrible idea, as there is no more open spot possible. You can be seen from every direction! Furthermore, being exposed to the weather would be detrimental. In terms of a long-term base, the basement (or in my example an underground bunker) is basement again wins. If the zombies have no way of getting in, you can stay there indefinitely. REBUTTALS “Let's clear something up here to as well. Zombies originally overran the basement! ” From the inside! That hardly counts as a breach. If there was a zombie on the roof with you, you’d be in trouble too. “My question is how? Being underground they are really only pro-longing the inevitable. ” Yes, but they are hidden while doing it, whereas someone on a roof is highly exposed, drawing more and more zombies. “Again in the basement there is absolutely nowhere to run or to hide, the zombies have every available opportunity to surround a basement. ” Yes, but there is significantly less chance of them doing so. Zombies aren’t magically attracted to people. They see, hear and smell them. Where are you more likely to be seen, hear and smelt: on a roof or in a basement? “Also being on a roof allows you to think of plans. ” And you cannot think of a plan in a basement? “For example if someone was to distract the zombies, another person could easily start up a vehicle while the zombies are subdued, and go pick up the distractor. ” Ok, so that could possibly work, given all the pieces were in place. Lots of things could work for both scenarios if the pieces are in place. “…two humans (Rick and Glenn) cover themselves in zombie guts and are able to escape while disguised as zombies. ” Remember that you are on a roof, not in a house. Given you have a zombie on the roof and I have a zombie in the basement, this would work equally well for both of us. “Also what makes the new movies "crap" compared to the old ones? They all possess hypothetical ideas of what to do in zombie situations. Each movie gives us a different theory on tactical approaches in saving ourselves from zombies. Same with the video games, too. ” I don’t have problems with new zombie movies, only the new Day of the Dead. It was a terrible movie and should be deleted from everywhere forever. The problem, as I already mentioned, with video games is that you can be bitten and scratched by zombies and not die and become one of them. [Talking about Day of the Dead] “Both movies, the characters in the basement always die, as there is no escape. A basement proves as a death trap, for those who cannot escape. ” Not true at all, demonstrating that you clearly haven’t seen it. 3 people survive Day of the Dead. CONCLUSION My opponent asked “Is it better to be on a roof in the zombie apocalypse, or in a basement? ” I answer with “It’s somewhat better to be on a roof if you are completely surrounded, but it is definitely better to be in a basement if you are hiding.