Civil War Heat Map
This map details areas where the fighting was heaviest in the US. Areas shaded in red are significantly destroyed and surviving infrastructure is no better than a third-world nation. Most tall buildings in these regions are either outright destroyed or severely damaged. Major infrastructure such as power, internet, water, etc are either non-existent or significantly impacted. Fighting happened nearly everywhere in the US, but these red zones suffered the most catastrophic losses.
EMP Area of destruction
The orbitally-detonated nuclear weapon that caused an EMP toward the end of the civil war detonated off of the west coast of northern California at a height of 300 kilometers. Here's what to expect:
What will survive the EMP?
+++Some Vehicles
Most vehicles will not survive an EMP attack. The ones that will survive will either be really old vehicles or ones that have been modified to survive an attack. These EMP ready vehicles will have been rigged up ahead of time to make sure that when an attack did happen and are primarily the purview of the US military or individual survivalists prepared for this sort of attack. Here’s a list of some that will survive and can be modified to survive an attack:
- Toyota 4×4 Trucks 1985-and earlier – The keys that make these types of trucks EMP ready are they solid front axle and a carbureted 22R motor. It’s a simple setup, but when it comes to withstanding a pulse, these will do it. And the best part is, these trucks are known to perform better under pressure.
- American made Pre-1980 trucks, SUVS, and commercial vehicles – American truck motors were built very simple pre 1980. When it comes to choosing the right type of truck to use after an EMP, follow this rule of thumb: The simpler the motor, the better. American trucks can withstand and handle the duty of a bug out vehicle.
- Pre-1980 Jeep – Jeeps are iconic for survival. They will make great bug out vehicles and can double as daily duty vehicles.
( Pre- 1980 Land Rover – Like the Jeep, Land Rovers have their place in the survival game and for a reason. They are efficient and they can handle off road situations when getting you from point A to point B.
Dirt Bikes and Off Road Motorcycles
Certain types of motorcycles may survive an EMP. Those would be the off road kind, those designed to trek through the back country and over rough terrain. Some examples are the Kawasaki KLR 650 and the ROKON 2×2.
Solar Panels
Solar panels absorb nuclear radiation from the sun on a daily basis. An EMP will only affect these slightly. They’ll suffer a small decrease in power output, though most devices they could power would be destroyed.
Mechanical Devices
Any device (including means of transportation) that is fully mechanical. I.e. mechanical watches.
What Won’t Survive
The Power Grid
The main reason why enemies launch an EMP attack is to disable the power grid. Without power, there’s no computers to maintain the military defense system, there’s no communication between law enforcement or emergency personnel and without power and communication, the land is sure to descend into chaos.
Shutting down the main grid, puts everyone in the dark. Literally. Radio darkness occurs, causing confusion and panic everywhere. Without some type of emergency generators of some kind, if the EMP attack is bad enough, it could cripple the affected area for a very long time and thus give an enemy the upper hand.
Most Vehicles
This is a known fact that most modern automobiles will not survive an EMP attack. If a car is computerized in any shape or form (which is most cars manufactured after 1989), it will not work.
If a car has any of the following features, an EMP will render it useless: electronic fuel injection, anything computerized that controls your vehicles main systems, a PCM also called a powertrain control module, ABS (Anti-locking Brake Systems) electronic ignition or keyless ignition, or a negative battery terminal that is grounded to the vehicle frame.
Computers
Any computerized device that is not contained within a hardened location (deep underground or an otherwise EMP-resistant shelter) will be destroyed.
People with Pacemakers
A sad truth. The electromagnetic pulse that is released during an attack will likely kill a person with a pacemaker provided they are affected by the initial blast. This also includes people on life-support at hospitals.