A shelter is a structure or location that serves as one's dwelling and base of operations during a zombie outbreak. A base is a place of shelter for a group, and provides a safe place to sleep and store supplies. Bases can be temporary or permanent, depending on one's current needs.
Your base is one of the most important factors when trying to survive a zombie outbreak. Deciding what type of base to use will be based on a range of things, including group size, specific individual and group needs, and threat level. A good base should be easy to defend with clear lines of sight, contain sufficient supplies, and should be able to provide shelter and support for the entire group. There are specific factors depending on the type of building selected, and certain advantages and disadvantages are inherent in the type of building or facility selected.
Potential Shelters
This is a list of possible bases. Please keep in mind that not all types of bases are available depending on where you live/plan to live.
Temporary Shelters
If anything is certain, it is that nothing is certain - especially when society has broken down. Anyone living in a territory infested with zombies will certainly lead a varied life. There will be times when you will need to quickly improvise a haven. It does not really need to be comfortable or spacious, it needs to be secure and easy produce. It needs little or no fortification, limits access to a small area, and is out of sight. These temporary resorts should be considered just that: a resort, and a last one at that.
▪ Fast food resturaunt
▪ Billboards
Small Shelters
Small bases are best suited for groups of less than 10 people. To make up for having less manpower and defenses, these bases typically leave a smaller footprint, and thus attract less attention. However, they will not fit as many people, animals, or vehicles as larger buildings.▪ Homes
▪ Farm Houses
▪ Apartments
▪ Stores
▪ Gun stores
▪ Mobile Bases
▪ Lighthouses
▪ The overpass gambit
▪ Power Line Tower
▪ Caves
Medium-sized Shelters
A medium-sized base is perfect for groups of between 10 and 25 people. Medium-sized bases often attract more attention, but possess the manpower and equipment necessary to defend themselves, service vehicles, and store supplies for sieges.
▪ City Halls
▪ Hotels
▪ Warehouses
▪ Mansion
▪ Office Blocks
▪ Police Stations
▪ Churches or places of Religious Worship
▪ Container Ships/ Other Large Vessels
▪ Stadium
▪ Offshore Oil Rigs
▪ Supermarkets
▪ Home Depot
▪ Bunker
▪ Plane interiors
▪ Radio stations
Large Shelters
Large bases, are often considered small cities or colonies. These locations are large and obvious, but their large populations and massive amounts of supplies make them extremely resilient. Often, traders and merchants spring up around and inside large bases, creating a sort of economy and attracting even more people. In the Citizens inherit the Earth Aftermath scenario, the large bases will likely become nations and absorb or possibly enslave those of smaller bases.
▪ Malls
▪ Cruise Ships
▪ Vacation Resorts
▪ Hospitals
▪ Prisons
▪ Schools
▪ Islands
▪ Castles
▪ Farms
▪ Military Bases
▪ Airports
▪ Refugee Camp
▪ Shanty Towns
Keep in mind, "No place is safe, only safer." -Max Brooks, The Zombie Survival Guide
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| Here is a checklist of things to consider when choosing a base |
Consideration for a Shelter
▪ Can the base be secured easily?
▪ Is it in an easily defendable location?
▪ Is it big enough to support the needs of you and your group?
▪ Is the location good for your survival plan?
▪ Is the location far enough away from known major human/zombie activity?
Reinforcing
Ideally, survivors should search for and fortify locations with as few ground-floor windows and entrances as possible. Also, there should be a second, isolated floor to retreat to in case the first floor becomes compromised. One excellent way to achieve this is by destroying the stairs and replacing them with ladders, so if you climb up, you can simply isolate yourself from the zombies in the floor under you. The building should be just large enough for your needs; the point being to have an area difficult for zombies to be in undetected. Consider a location that is away from major human or ghoul activity, so as to avoid attracting other, possibly violent survivors and the ghouls who pursue them. There should always be at least two escape plans, including where the survivors will regroup and potentially, a secondary base stocked with emergency supplies. To learn about what to fortify a base with, visit Base Modification. 
