Pardon the Interruption

My son and I had a chance to visit a good friend of mine this weekend, so no new campaign batrep.

While I was there, we did play a game of Walking Dead Risk, which, while still Risk, was quite fun.  I could see the potential of using the pieces and the idea of a Risk like game board to have a strategic level zombie game for ATZ.  I am not sure what I would need that for, but it could be fun.

Yeah, I held the prison, and really nothing else.

Luckily the guys fell for my plan, I held the center of the board the whole game, which was my secret victory objective!  Of course that's not how the game actually works, but I felt good.  In the end the viscous Greene family was victorious.

After the game and some BSing, we decided to play a quick game of ATZ.  We rolled up 4 survivors, made up a dubious mission and played a run and gun game.  It was a fast and fun play through, where one of our knife fighters died in the opening round of hand to hand, even though he was armed with a BAP he chose to go to HTH...  Maybe we egged him on a touch...

It was a pretty cool board, the base was a vinyl mat painted to look like streets.  We had quite a few various plasticville buildings, plus some nicely detailed Woodlands Scenics buildings.  We used one as our objective (it was a motorcycle garage) and a bunch of various scatter terrain.

The starting setup

We entered through the park area, and started fighting zeds right away.  One survivor fired off a shotgun, and started the chain reaction of zombies closing in.

I wonder if the church is clear?

I managed to get my survivor to the hotel on the south side of the board (trailing zombies behind me) and found two new survivors (by this time two of us had fallen, so they got new guys.)  They were armed with assault rifles, which looked like it would even things out.  One of our new survivors got greedy, opened another hotel room and died to the zombies inside.  Again, he may have been egged on...

The zombies pour into the garage...

...and out the other side again.

So we had a plan (not a good one, but eh, you know) one of us would start the yellow car to try and draw the horde away from the garage, and we could barricade it and reach our objective.   Like I said, it was a kind of plan.  As you can guess, no way could we get the car started.

The horde descends on the car.

Wisely (or cowardly) the remaining survivor inside the hotel held his fire, and watched the zombies tear the last two survivors apart.  The car didn't distract them, but at least the zombies feasting on the bodies did.  The last survivor made a break for it (starting a fire in the hotel to cover his escape!)

Run for it!

At the end, the last survivor tried to take a car and make a break for it.  Predictably, it wouldn't start, and a few zombies caught up and ended the game as it began, with a zombie killing off a survivor in hand to hand...

Should have just run for it...

It was a fun afternoon of zombie themed fun.  As the guys were setting up a game of Thunderstone Advanced, I had to take off.  I'll have find a chance to get back there and play that as well, it looked like fun.

With any luck I'll get a chance to get back to the campaign this week.

Law and Order

"The sign says approach by foot only."  Cindy said as she adjusted her pack.  "It looks like plenty of people heading that way.  Hopefully we're home free!"
"I don't like leaving my truck, but I would rather not get eaten by those things."  Allen said, a bit grumpy.  "Everyone remember where we parked..."

The check point loomed ahead, the normally busy highway overpass silent and still, just a few lonely wisps of smoke climbing from dead vehicles.  Hasty barricades, vehicles and tires formed a defensive perimeter around a generator and some lights.  They could see police sorting people into lines and searching them.

"Looks like they mean the no guns order."  Mark said.  "Let's see if we can talk them into letting us keep them."
"No way!  I don't want any trouble when we get to the check point.  Let's drop them and run through there."  Cindy argued.  "I want off these streets!"
"Whoa.  Let's wait until we are sure we're safe before we ditch the guns, okay?" Mark asked back.

The police barricade at the highway

This scenario has a couple of special rules.  The board was setup, with the highway on one side, a police check point set up under it/next to it, 2d6 citizens would be waiting at the check point and no zombies to start.  At the start of each turn, a d6 is rolled.  On a 1, 1+d6 gangers show up and attack.  On 2-5, another d6 citizens approach the check point.  on a 6, 1+d6 zeds show up.  I have 2 different gangs setup, and will randomize which shows up.
If a gang shows up, there will be a 1 turn break, and then only zombies will show up (at 1+d6/turn) until the board is cleared of zombies.  If its cleared, the rolls for start of turn arrivals resets.

For a victory I needed everyone to exit the side of the board past the police with all possessions.  A marginal victory would be everyone getting off board without weapons, or just escaping (any board side) if the police suffer 50% casualties.  Anyone dying from the group makes it an automatic failure.

In addition, I randomly determined one model to be 'fighting' with Mark, the leader.  Cindy won the roll, and each turn they would argue about ditching their guns to go through the police stop.  Once either model had 2 more successes than the other (each rolling rep) the fight would end with that model 'winning'.  If anyone in the group has to fight, it ends the argument, but may affect the stay or go roll.  This is going to be a judgement call on my part.

Whew, enough already - time for some action!

To start, two more citizens run past the group, heading to join the large crowd waiting to get past the barricade.  One of the PEFs moved close on the left, so Mark and Allen split off to investigate, while Cindy, Ben and Dawn move right to try and investigate a second PEF.

More citizens heading for "safety"

Citizens enter the alley

"See, it IS pretty safe here!  Let's just get in line and get off these streets!"  Cindy was pretty smug.  "I don't think dumping the guns is that big of a deal."
"Cindy might be right.  As much as I don't want to drop my pistol, this does seem safe."  Allen hesitantly added.  "Hey, did you hear something?"

Mr. Zed arrives, down the soon to be named 'Alley of Doom'

The first few turns are uneventful.  One PEF is a pair of citizens, another raises the ER by 1 (from 4 to 5).  The argument between Mark and Cindy continues, as neither can outscore the other by more than one.  However, I am considering actually giving in, and having the group follow the rules and go through, when the zombies arrive.  They should make this more interesting...

Meanwhile, at the aid station

As an aside, at the aid station portion, each model is checked by the "doctor" if they pass 2d, the model is escorted to the tent.  They are killed by his silenced pistol.  The medic takes anyone else to the ambulance.  Note this does not indicated either model is infected or not.  Rather slipshod medical attention I think...

GAH! Zombies!

The zombies chomp one citizen, and the others panic and run.  The snipers pass 2d and don't gun down the running humans.  The police manning the barricade falter, but Lieutenant Cole orders them to hold fire.  Detective Simpson finds a wounded person trying to pass through without getting checked out.

Sorry Ma'am, you need to see the medics.

Two more citizens enter the board.  Yep, you guessed it, down the alley.  They choose to run through the gap in the containers, and towards the aid station.  The snipers once again pass 2d, and don't kill the civilians.  The SWAT guards will deal with them eventually...

This doesn't look like our group...

The sniper perch

"Zombies!  Coming from the alley!"  Allen yelled, startled by their sudden appearance.  "Get back!"  Everyone turned and started walking away from the mass of zombies.
Dawn fell with a thud.  "Ow, son of a..."  She got up, limping from a pot hole.  "Keep going, I'll be okay!"

Doubles came up, and Dawn ended up with a twisted ankle.  So this is how its going go...

Well, it could be worse

The zombies move towards Team Mark, cleverly using the large sign as cover.  Only one is exposed, and the sniper manages to only knock it down.  The civilians are acting pretty well, I roll each turn between the police and the crowd, but the police maintain control. (I am using a simple rep roll, looking for successes.)

All that firepower and you knock over one zed?

The group gathers with Dawn

After moving, the group gets only a couple of hits, and they don't kill the downed zombie.  Team Mark's rolling isn't much better than the police.  This could make things very interesting...

As the undead shambled towards the group, a rhythmic thumping echoed through the streets.  "The police must have a helicopter for back up."  Cindy said.
"Hehehe.  Oh no, its not a copter.  That's a chopper!"  Allen laughed.

The next turn started with a gang entering the board.  The random roll indicated it would be my biker gang.  5 bikes roared onto the table...

Yep, down the alley.

The riders of doom!  (Cheesy, but why not?)

The gangers roar around the corner, and into a hail of gunfire.  This turn was easily one of the longest turns I have played out, with in sight tests, receiving fire tests and man down tests happening all over.  The snipers exact a toll, killing the first two bikers.  The rest of the police opened fire, and managed to miss.  For their part, the bikers rolled just about as well - not hitting anyone.

The bikers roll into the barricade

Team Mark elects to shoot zombies, and leave the gang war alone.  They kill a couple of zeds, and knock another down.

Shoot the zed

 Doubles come up and I get an armed zombie.  Looks like the downed zed is even more dangerous!

Ah, more fun!

The police don't activate, but the bikers do.  They hop off their motorcycles, and engage the police.  They roll much better, and the police don't react very well.  Even the detective (rep5) couldn't cough up a hit, although they did rush their shots.

The thin blue line...

Gunfire echoed through the streets, people were screaming and the undead continued their slow march forward.  Bullets ricocheted near Allen, and he ducked.  "Damn those boys mean business!  Maybe we best leave this to the cops!"
"Let's take care of the zombies, then get the hell outta here!"  Mark yelled as he squeezed off a shot at a nearby zombie.  "We won't stand a chance between the gang and the dead!"

The next turn, the gang goes first, and the police will activate just after them.  Seven zombies entered on the main street approach (at least it wasn't the alley!)  It's another active round, plus I get to see the police dog in action!

Detective Simpson and another officer down!

With a shout, Gary "Big Guns" Guzeman let fly at one of the snipers, smiling as he hit the pavement.  "We got 'em boys!"  He fired off a few more shots from his AR, grinning ear to ear, sensing victory!

The Sheriff sends in reinforcements!

Sheriff Dawson shoved Deputy Pfeiffer forward.  "Do something useful with that scattergun!"  Aiming his large bore pistol, Dawson shot the gang leader down.  "Bear - attack!"  Their trusty K-9 darted forward toward the nearest ganger.  Pfeiffer's shotgun dropped another ganger - smoke and lead filled the air

Two SWAT officers joined the fray, although one went out of the fight during the melee.  Ultimately, the last ganger was overcome.

The zombies are unimpressed

Mark and company clean up the zombies, the sheriff and his deputy (plus Bear) round up the panicked civilians.  The medic and last SWAT trooper recover the two downed officers and start back towards the ambulance.  The last SWAT sniper starts taking down zombies as Mark's team does the same.

This seems familiar

Back to the van folks!

Doubles come up, and I draw a fun random event...

No lack of targets I guess.

If I start rolling for each turn again, zombies will appear on a 1-2 instead of just a 1.  Should be lots more zed in the future...

Over the next few turns, zombies pour onto the board.  (Yep, down that same alley!)  Mark and team keep shooting, and with some sniper help, the horde of zombies gets whittled down.

Zombies keep coming down the alley

Finally some come from the opposite side!

Ben takes care of them, but runs out of ammo

"I'm out!"  Ben yelled, and pawed his pockets for shotgun shells.
"They're getting closer!  Do we run for it?"  Cindy asked, shaken.  "It looks clear now behind us..."

"Keep firing over there!  We'll help cover you to the barricade!"  Sheriff Dawson yelled, punctuating it with a shot.  "Let's clear them out!"

The sheriff and deputy finished with the crowd, and moved to the barricade.  the medic and last SWAT trooper moved up as well, adding fire to the team.  Well, they would, if they could activate.  Another mass of zombies entered along the main road, and Mark's group could only watch them shamble forward.

More for the party!

The zombies close in

Everyone kept firing, an even tempo, but the dead were relentless.  Slowly they closed in, more and more coming from the silent streets.  Dead, gray hands reached for them, and Mark could see the mass of zombies getting closer.  "We need some help!"

The police opened fire, opening a gap in the zombies.  "Now's our chance!  Make each shot count!"  Cindy aimed a burst into a nearby zombie's face.

The streets are about to be quiet again...

The team rolled well, everyone hit, and managed a kill.  This cleared off the board, and gave the survivors a turn before anything would start again.

It had been a long game, and I decided the sheriff (a bit more down to earth than the city police) would at least listen to the group.  I rolled a people challenge, and passed 2d (Mark let Allen do the talking!) and the group was allowed to pass.

Mark advanced to survivor, and while a success, I chose to not try and advance anyone.  It was a long scenario, but the group actually didn't do very much.  Besides, having a mix towards the low side for rep has been fun.  For keeping it together, I penalized Mark 1d, but he still kept the group together.



The highway fell behind them as they trudged up the road, passing a closed grocery store.  The occasional burst of gunfire echoed from the roadway behind them.  The day was hazy from the smoke, and clouds gathered overhead.  Surprisingly, the streets were empty compared to the carnage of the city they had just left.
"We need to find a place to stay."  Dawn said, still limping.  "I don't want to draw any attention from the police."
"Cindy will help us out there."  Mark replied, smiling at Cindy.  "Any good homes you want to show us in this neighborhood?"
Smiling back, Cindy pulled out her cellphone.  "Sure, let's see what I can still find..."

A Bump in the Road

"The radio was reporting that there was a cordon around the city, at the highways.  That means anyone inside the highway loop is going to be left to their own devices."  Cindy sighed.  "They said something about check points at the interchanges."  Cindy finished a can of soda.  "They want people to report refugee centers, at the schools in the 'burbs."

"Well, we can try down Spencer, or Prospect Avenue..."  Mark offered.

"Both of those go west - the airport was a war zone two days ago, and I think we can still see smoke rising out there.  I say we go east, towards the Locks area."  Cindy tossed her can in a recycle bin nearby.  "Besides, I may not have cell service, but I still have an app with realtor codes.  We can get into dozens of empty homes to hole up until we can all get home."

"Sounds fine to me.  I don't know where anything is around here!"  Allen laughed.  "Plus it will be better than sleeping on the floor, or in my truck for the next week!"

"Okay, so we head up Carlton Street and then try and cross the highway at Calumet..."  Mark started discussing their plans, as the sun climbed into the hazy morning sky.

I decided the group would take the rest of day 2 to get to know each other, take stock of what they have and just prepare in general.  This would be Day 3, and start in the morning. 

The group split into two vehicles, Mark and Ben in Mark's red Jeep would lead the way, with Allen and both Cindy and Dawn following in his big rig.  Everyone carries their weapons, a unit of food and everything else is divided between the vehicles.

Before I started, I rolled 2d6, and passed 0.  That lead to a random encounter, which I rolled up as a gang that has setup a road block.  I generated 5 gangers, with 2 cars, blocking an intersection.  They would be hostile, but Team Mark wouldn't attack until attacked (they are still citizens, and they have not had to deal with hostile living people yet.)  There will be no zombies at the start, but 1 +d6 will spawn on every doubles roll.  These will appear in a random section of the board.  If they appear where someone has died, or in the two locations with dead bodies, the zombie will replace the body.  The encounter rating is a 4, and the law is active (they will arrive in 1/2d6 turns after shots fired.)

This looks like trouble

Starting with an in sight test, Mark wins and swerves off the road and stops.  He and Ben bail out of the jeep, and move forward through the car wash and gas station.  Both groups are well out of range of each other, so we start maneuvering towards each other.

Allen and the big rig drive onto the board the next turn, and stop to the right.  Allen's team jump out and head up the alley on the right.

This alley seems quiet

"Maybe this is a check point?"  Ben whispered as he and Mark ran forward.
"I don't think so.  Those aren't cops.  Still, we'll see if they will just let us pass."  Mark suggested hopefully.

Mark Ran forward, and triggered the in sight test again - this time a few figs were in range of each other (everyone has pistols or a machine pistol) and we find out that gangers are not a talkative lot...

Hey, can we just drive through?

Mark poked around the hood of the Hummer, and yelled at the nearest gang member.  "Hey - what's going on?  We just want to get through!"  The answer was a hail of bullets, thudding into the hood and engine of the truck.  "Hell with this!"  Mark pulled out his pistol and fired back.

For once things really went my way.  Two gangers opened fire, one with a machine pistol, the other with a pistol,  They couldn't hit the side of a barn.  Mark shot back on reaction and dropped one, but only stunned him.  On Mark's next activation, he did the same to the other ganger in range.  The police were only two turns away at this point, so Mark decided to try and get into the gas station kiosk/office on his next turn.  The PEF inside resolved as two zombies.  Mark easily handled them in melee.

Never fails that an unfinished building becomes the center of action.

Ben made his citizen brown pants roll, and moved up behind Mark.  From there he fired his shotgun and killed one of the gangers.  The remaining gangers must be fanatics, as they shrugged off the loss of three members and continued the fight.

Ben moved up and exchanges fire

"Ben get in here!"  Mark yelled as the last zed slid to the floor.  I can hear the cops coming, I don't think we want to be on the street when they get here!"
"Gahhh!  Those guys are coming after me!  Don't shoot!"  Ben shrieked and ran.

The next turn, the gangers activated, and one moved to trigger an in sight test.  Ben failed his brown pants roll and ducked back, behind cover by the office.

Citizen Ben, how disappointing.

Meanwhile, over in the alley, Allen's group entered the auto parts store from the back.  They ran into a group of citizens hiding out.  Pleasantries are exchanged, but that's all.  With the police just about to arrive, the group decided to stay with their new friends for now.  Tactically I should have moved out and used Team Allen to fight the gangers, but I didn't want to see everyone arrested.

This is actually inside, not a roof meeting...

Ben recovers and climbs through the window into the store.  Ben fails another brown pants roll, and Mark misses the gangers.  The gangers move up on Mark and Ben, and begin to pepper the building with shots.  The police roll up and get out (and promptly don't activate for two turns) but the gangers keep firing.

Time for the law to assert control.

The three gangers poured enough fire into the building and managed to hit Ben, who went down stunned.  With the last shot, one ganger caught Mark, who also went down stunned.  With cops behind them, I figured the last ganger would move up, either to finish off Mark and Ben (and take the shotgun!) or use them as hostages.  The ganger ran to the door.  The gangers went first, so Ben and Mark recover from their stun.

Shots cracked around Mark, tinging off of the displays left in the store.  Ben groaned and crashed to the floor.  Mark felt a kick in his shoulder and spun to the floor.  The world grew suddenly quiet, and blurry.  Shaking off the cobwebs, Mark saw one of the gangers standing in the doorway, raising his pistol...

Doubles come up, and two zombies wander into the area.

Mr. zed shows up.

The next turn, Mark activated, the ganger missed two shots, and another as Mark charged him in melee.  Mark killed him in melee, right off.  The gangers outside fired again, but missed.  Even seeing one of their own dead, they still decided to stick it out.

More doubles came up, and zombies pour into the streets.  Including the dead ganger right next to Mark.

Here come the dead

The police put one zombie down right away.  The gangers manage to take out one zombie, but the others close in on them.  Mark and Ben decide to just watch from the store.  Mark picks up his pistol and Ben loots the dead ganger.

The zombies shamble forward

The zombies sense food

The undead finally get to the gangers

Officer Daniels faces a zombie

"Wow its gone to hell out there."  Mark whispered to Ben.  "Well, more hell than it has been recently."  Mark was watching the melee outside.  One of the gangers went down under a pile of zombies and the other ran.
"FREEZE!"  Officer McDougal yelled at the ganger as he rounded the sign.  The ganger didn't even slow down.  Firing twice, the ganger dropped to the pavement.

The end of this gang

Officer Daniels falls to the undead.

A couple of turns go by with no activation for Team Mark.  The zombies kill officer Daniels, and Officer McDougal runs for the hills.  Not an impressive showing by local law enforcement.  As the zombies begin to feast, Mark and Ben emerge from the gas station.

"Let's get 'em!"  Mark yelled and charged.  Ben hefted his bat and started to follow Mark.  As he rounded the Hummer, he saw the zombies tearing apart the ganger's body.  The gruesome sight made Ben's stomach lurch.
"Oh God!  What are they doing!"  Ben yelled and ran back, loosing his meager breakfast along the way.

Mark passes 2d for see the feast, and charges the zombies.  Ben only passes 1d, and slumps back to the store.

The dead don't seem so bad after that...

Luckily Mark has turned into a zombie killing machine.  He kills one, and the other two fall to him when they attack on their turn.  Ben rallies, and he and Mark begin searching for keys to the blocking cars.  There are only a couple of bodies available to search, or we have to hope some one left the keys in one of the cars...

My luck doesn't hold, and I am going to have to try and hot wire them.

"Ben!  Hop in to the gold one and see if you can hot wire it."  Mark yelled as he ran towards the truck.  "I'll try this one!"
The gold Camaro fired up, some tune thumping from the car's interior.  Ben smiled as he backed it up through the intersection.  Killing the engine, the streets seemed suddenly quiet.  "They left them in this one!"  Ben laughed as he got out.  "Maybe we should keep it - it seems fast!"
"Do you really want some gangers car?"  Mark asked.  "If these guys have friends, they may not like the idea of you cruising around in it."

Lets move, Ben!

Ben rolls a one for the gold car.  And finds the key in the ignition.  Ben moves the car and he and Mark head back down the street to the jeep.  Meanwhile, Team Allen pile back out of the car parts store, and get his rig running and headed up the street.  As Mark and Ben get back to the jeep, I roll doubles, and more zombies show up.

More Zeds

"Head on Allen!  We'll catch up!"  Mark waved the truck forward as he charged the zombie.
With a roar, Allen's big rig rolled up the street, zombies shambling out of side streets desperate to grab the fleeing truck.

Allen floors it past the roadblock.

This time the jeep starts!

"Hey we got company coming!"  Ben yelled.  He fired a couple of shots from his shotgun, but missed.  "I don't think they want to ride!"

Mark slammed the jeep around, and headed up the street after Allen's truck.

Quite the welcoming committee

Off we go!

Mark ran over one zombie, and managed to keep in control.  It was a short trip to the exit from the board.  

Once they left the board, the scenario was over.  I would call this at least a marginal success, and as it was an encounter between "major" scenarios, I am not going to check for advances, nor will I check for keeping together.  Regardless of the outcome of the next game, Mark will qualify for survivor status afterwards.

Mark zipped up past Allen's truck, taking the lead again.  For just a moment, he thought he saw a policeman running down a side alley.  "Just a few more blocks to the highway!"  he yelled at Ben.  "Let's hope they don't just start shooting!"

"Mark, I'm sorry man, I lost it back there..." Ben was shaking.

"Don't worry about it!  This is crazy, just pull it together and stay with me, we'll get through this together."  Mark reassured Ben.  "All of us together..."