While it would be bad no doubt, I don't think it would be quite that bad. Nuclear doctrine is to airburst smaller yield weapons over the targets, not wasting the destructive energy making a hole in the ground. Generally between 500 to 1000 feet above ground. The blast radius is not as large as you think either. The EMP triggered by the detonation will have an effect farther reaching than the blast and heat.
I've never understood the point of these even if they were safe. Most of the ones I've seen are not even hidden, so it's pretty obvious where the thing is. And the people inside like to pretend they are somehow secure, but they are simply sitting ducks. Would be super easy to kill any of them inside and steal all their gear. Many of these have laughably short escape tunnels to obvious areas. Find their ventilation system and block it. If they have a stairwell flood it with gasoline and light a match. Even if they the door is air proof it's going to bake them. Lay a bunch of wood and sandbags over the top of the thing to act as a shield, now dig a small hole down to it, drill a hole into the top, pour gasoline in, then match.
etc.
But this begs the question: If the top is secure enough that the bunker doesn't need to withstand attack, why are they in a bunker to begin with? Anything above ground would be far more pleasant to be in and cheaper to build, plus now the inhabitants can contribute to defense by firing on any trespassers.
I've played all the fallout games. They are clearly inspired by this kind of thing.
After you read this book one realizes that most of you folks are over thinking things . It is pretty detailed and even a trench covered over with perhaps 3 feet of dirt would give a person a fair chance to survive . Ventilation is the key with a filter to keep out the harmful radiation.. Ground zero you hardly have a chance to survive ..However folks in earth covered shelters built for air raids survived in Nagasaki as close to 1/3 of a mile from ground zero. .. Fire would destroy any wooden buildings
I read about this story years ago .... From what I recall towns folks did know about them and at times would leave food for them. I think the authorities knew about them but they were not worth going after for a long time . In a way they were in their own prison .
It is true though, that the modern warheads are more powerful than the Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombs. However, you are correct that most way over estimate the destructive power of nuclear warheads, and how they are used. At ground zero, standing below an airburst detonation, you have zero chance of survival. The downward pressures would also collapse any poorly constructed shelters. However, as you move out from the blast epicenter, it doesn't take long before your odds go up pretty quickly as long as you avoid the blast and thermal waves, and then the following fallout. The post detonation fires and rubble heaps could pose a problem if one were in a shelter close enough to a detonation to experience the immediate blast effects. I read a great book back in the 80s about all of this stuff, and have a good army field manual that deals with some of it.
Just watch your back if you assume there is only one way outI may not force my way in but I guarantee you'll open the door once I found it
The only thing I would assume, is that if someone had their shelter concealed well enough, they'd also be armed with friends. I wouldn't be lurking about alone.Just watch your back if you assume there is only one way out
A good shelter set-up would be hard to do that to. There are many ways to monitor activity above ground so that one does not blunder out into a band of unfriendlies. A few hidden surprises could be used to let any people waiting by the door know that it isn't their best idea.
Yeah, hidden surprises would make things much more interesting. Proper concealment is extremely important though. There will have to be fresh air intakes somewhere, and if not hidden properly will either lead to their tomb, or their exit. Even if there's an air scrubber inline, they can only handle so much.
Looks like there will at least be four years before any underground shelters need to be finished!
