fyrd

How are Preppers Dealing with the "Fyrd" Mentality in Modern Times?

I've recently been reading The White Horse King: The Life of Alfred the Great¹ and was introduced to the term "fyrd." For those unfamiliar, the fyrd was an Anglo-Saxon militia made up of local able-bodied men called up during emergencies to defend their homes and local area. They weren't professional soldiers, and often had to balance the demands of defending their community with the responsibilities of their farms, families, and homes.

In many ways, when I hear preppers talk about the concept of a "militia" today, it reminds me a lot of the fyrd. Preppers seem to be thinking along similar lines—armed volunteers, not a standing army, with local defensive aims. But here’s the challenge that the Anglo-Saxons faced: the fyrd was often too slow to assemble, particularly against fast-moving enemies like Viking raiders, and they weren’t well-equipped compared to a professional force. Plus, once their immediate area was secure, they’d leave the field to take care of their families, leaving gaps in their defense.

Alfred the Great saw these flaws and reformed the fyrd into a more permanent and structured force. This got me thinking: how do modern-day preppers intend to solve these issues? With the emphasis on decentralized, local defense, how do you avoid the pitfalls of a part-time militia—slow response times, lack of resources, and the challenge of maintaining a force for prolonged periods while balancing personal responsibilities?

While today's preppers are generally better armed than the Anglo-Saxon fyrd, most still don’t have access to military-grade equipment, and we’d likely face the same dilemma of needing to abandon a larger fight to protect our own homes. How do you foresee overcoming these challenges in a real-world scenario? Would reforms similar to Alfred’s work in the modern prepping world?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!