A Nice Neighborhood (Part 1)

Smoke drifted over the ruined landscape as the mid-May sun rose over the ruined highway.  Dark packs of zombies still roamed the roadway, looking like insects from the fifth floor perch Dawn was watching from.  "It's been almost a week.  The worst of the pack seems to have moved away from us, I think it's time to look around and get our supplies sorted out."
"I agree, I am getting tired of Doritos from the vending machine."  Larry said, looking at Anna.  "Thanks for sharing by the way, too bad there wasn't a bit more variety."
"The machines were pretty full when I hit them, but we've gone through most of the food I had."  Anna finished a bottle of water and continued.  "We still need to decide where we are going to go.  That farm you mentioned sounds great, but can we even make the trip?"
"If we want to get there, we need to make sure we have plenty of supplies.  Let's see what we can scrounge up around here, and then see where we can go."  Dawn said, standing up and checking her weapons.  "We'll find it easier to get out of town if we don't have to stop and look for food and fuel every few miles."
"That makes sense."  Anna replied.  Loading her rifle, she looked down to the street below "There's a few of those things out there.  Looks like we'll have to fight our way to the other buildings."
"Well, no time the present."  Larry said and picked up his shotgun.  "Let's get this done."

It is day 35, the group has watched the zombie horde disperse from the relative safety of the office building they are living in.  They are trying to get the supplies together to make the trip back to Ella's family farm in Wisconsin, about 300 miles to the east.  They have only started forming a plan, and need supplies to be able even try to make the trip.

This scenario requires the group to search either all the buildings or find 3 resources (any successful search) and return to the central building with no active zombies within 6" of the group.  It is morning, the ER is 5, zombies spawn on a 4+, there are 3 PEFs and 17 zombies to start.

A quiet morning street

The group starts out coming out the front doors, I decide to head towards the Starbucks and empty building next to it.

The group walks out into the morning air...

Blasting the nearby zombies!

Gunfire echoed in the streets, and zombies fell from the concentrated fire.  As the rotting remains tumbled to the ground, the sound of low moans and rough shuffling could be heard in the sudden silence.  More undead shambled from the corners, or rose from the trash littering the roadways.

"They are all over out here!"  Anna yelled, trying to look in every direction at once.  "I'm not sure this was a good idea!"

"Head for the shop!  We'll get inside and try and find a way to loose these things."  Dawn yelled, snapping off a burst from her SMG.

More zombies!

From 12 dice for zombie spawning, 9 zombies appeared!  The group only killed 3 zombies from their shooting.  At this rate, I might run out of zombie figs!  Time to try be more quiet...

At the start of the next turn, one of the PEFs moves to contact.  What now?

PEF moves up

Meet Gary, survivor

A figure ran from the nearby eatery.  He brandished an assault rifle and was yelling.  "Get out of here!  These things are everywhere!"

"Hey, calm down!  We're trying to leave town.  Are you looking for a way out?"  Dawn yelled as the man ran towards the group.

"You people are crazy!  I'm safer on my own!"  He paused and fired on nearby zombies.  "Stay away from me!"

The meet and greet went against Dawn and team.  At least he didn't try to walk the walk.  I decided he would just try and run for the nearest board edge to "escape".  His name is Gary and is Rep 3, armed with an assault rifle and has the initiative attribute.  He will activate with the team, but not be a part of it.  Too bad, another rifle would be helpful.

Dawn leads the way into the Starbucks.

Zombies in the coffee shop!

Four zombies were inside the coffee shop.  Dawn shot one and then the group went to melee.

Fighting in the shop

"We need to clear this out and lose some of the zombies!"  Dawn yelled as she struggled with a former barista.  "There's too many of them on the street!"
"I've got the door!"  Anna replied as she finished off an undead shop patron, turning to pull closed the glass door.  "We should be able to head out the back."

The next turn starts with a random event.

A case of the nerves?

A random roll indicates the survivor that chose not to join the group is the one who fires.  At least that goes my way...  The zombies activate first, and one stumbles through the front door of the coffee shop.

They let anyone in here!

He might be wishing he had gone with the group

Gary fired into the zombies starting to surround him.  He didn't see any fall, and ran for the nearby alley.  "I gotta get out of here!  Those fools are going to call the whole city down on us!"  He thought as he ran.  The zombies slowly shuffled after him, chasing his retreating form.
Unnoticed a lone figure in the shadows ahead moved towards Gary...

Gary runs for it!

The group moves to the back room

Having dispatched the zombies, the group moves to the back room area of the coffee shop.  They search the building, but don't find anything useful.

On the next turn the survivors activate but the zombies do not.  Gary finds a new friend when the zombies spawn from shooting...

Zombie appears right on Gary!

Gary illustrates the exact reason you don't shoot and then move (especially fast move!)  As one zombie appears right on top of Gary.

An unfortunate end for Gary

Dawn led the group out of the back door of the coffee shop, into the alley.  Running through the garbage strewn street, they kicked a few cans and bottles which skittered through the junk.  As they ran between buildings they could see more zombies coming towards them from across the street.
"We'll clear this next building, and head out the front.  Hopefully that will throw the zeds off our trail."  Dawn said as she tried the door.  "We'll have to break in, this door is locked."
"No problem."  Larry pulled out a crowbar, and pried open the door with a wrenching sound.

Entering the next building

The next turn the survivors go first, and enter the building.

A lone zombie is inside.

It's easily dispatched.

Gary does prove useful in another way...

Let the feast begin!

For one turn, the survivors search the empty building.  They manage to find a unit of meds.  At least something useful!  The zombies expand their feast, and they move into the alley the team was moving in.

The zombies activate for two turns without the survivors being able to act.  This results in a predictable concentration of the zombies...

The zombies are searching...

and eating...

When the group gets the chance to move again, they run across the street.  Unfortunately the zombies get to activate and a few begin to follow the team.

They make a break for it

Zombies start following

At least the feast ties up a major chunk of the zombies.  The team continues to run, trying to gain some space.

Ducking around a corner

The survivors activate for a turn without the zombies.  They try to make a sprint between buildings while the horde is still busy with their feast.  They don't quite make it in one turn.

Not quite to the next building

Where will the horde head next?

The group is hoping to get past the second skyscraper, and then make their way back to their own building. 

To be continued...