Damnation Alley (Part 3) "Conflicting Interests"

"That looks like smoke ahead."  Blake said, looking ahead on the highway.  "I think I hear gunfire as well."
"Yeah, I hear it too."  Larry responded, slowing down and avoiding several wrecks.  "Looks like the road is clearing out ahead...What is that?"  Larry almost stopped the Humvee.
"Crap, looks like some sort of roadblock."  Dawn replied.  "People are fighting all over the area, maybe we can get through quickly."
Several bursts of gunfire echoed through the roadway, and lumbering forms staggered towards the fighting.  "This fighting is drawing plenty of attention.  Let's not get caught up here!"  Anna offered and readied her weapon.

This section of road has a major roadblock.  It was originally setup by the military to keep people from going downtown, in an attempt to curb the spread of the zombies.  It has changed owners a few times in the month since the outbreak.  When I start the scenario, I will determine the occupants.

A quiet and empty roadblock

I roll on a randomized chart, and I get that two groups are fighting for the roadblock.  Rolling again, I get Gangers and agents of Phoenix Corp.  I decide to change it up just a touch.  The agents are being sent on a mission: recover a doctor, computer data, and test samples in addition, they need to disable a generator.  The gangers are attacking to loot the roadblock, capture the doctor, recover a captured member and locate medical supplies.

The agents will go first, with 1-4 turns before the gang attacks, and another 1-4 turns before the survivors enter the area.  I will do my best to play both teams the best I can.

Agent Team Epsilon

Agent Team Epsilon: (all agents are protected)
Leader: Echo; Rep 5, surv, 2xBAP (suppressors), Machete, Brawler, Hard as Nails <Star>
5x Agents: Rep 4, surv, BAP (suppressor), Baton
2x Heavy weapons Agent:  Rep 4, LMG (ROF 3 (6 on vehicle), Imp 4, range 48), knife
They have one hybrid SUV (no engine noise), one cargo Humvee (normal rules) and a sports car, rigged with a remote explosive detonator and jury-rigged remote drive (turning it into a remote control bomb of sorts.)

Looking out at an almost empty street in downtown, Agent Melissa "Echo" Anders could hardly believe this was once Minneapolis.  She supposed it still was, it just had new residents, as she could see from her vantage point in the parking garage.  Her team was nearby, their vehicles all ready to go, they were the designated response team for the south side today.  A light chirp sounded from her earpiece.
"Agent Echo, we need you to lead your team to Site Rawhide, coordinates have been sent to your phone.  This is a high-value target extraction.  Doctor Samantha Lewis is hidden in a container on site.  She is a valuable human resource.  Recovery of data and samples are also a priority.  Disabling the on site generator is a secondary objective."  Control's voice droned on through the radio connection.  "The area has been compromised by the local infected.  Surveillance indicates significant armed civilians in the area.  Expect conflict with locals.  Extraction available from parking garage site designated Delta Four."
Agent Echo checked her weapons, and readied her gear.  "Team Epsilon, we have an extract order.  Let's go."

LocoNation and their rides

Gang - LocoNation
Leader: Hatchet; Rep 5, gang, BAP, Hand axe (hatchet), Rage, Born Leader <Star>
9x members; Rep 4, gang, various (per model), knife or improvised melee wpn
3x members; Rep 3, gang, various (per model), knife or improvised melee wpn
For vehicles, they have 3 street racers, one off-road/rally racer and one SUV with a reinforced front ram.

Jordan Howard, or Hatchet as the street knew him, looked over the gang as they relaxed around their cars.  He could see Angel and Crossbones making out behind her purple street racer.  Suppressing a chuckle, he walked out in front of everyone.  "Lissen up Yo!  Even though the whole world's gone to shit, we don't take no dissn' from no one!"
A ragged series of cheers and agreement echoed in the garage.  "Hell yeah!  LocoNation stands together!"  T-bone yelled from his rally car.  "Nobody messes with us in our house!"
"Damn right."  Hatchet said.  "I don't know who these people think they are, but they took Trish and I am going after her."  Hatchet looked around at everyone, seeing grim faces staring back.  "They have her at that roadblock.  Last I saw there was food, fuel and all kinds of gear there.  We are going to grab everything we can, get Trish and get the hell outta there!"
Everyone cheered, and moved to their cars.  With a roar of souped-up engines, the gang sped into the dead streets...

The agents will go first, and get d3 turns before the gang shows up.

Objectives for the agents

I placed markers for the various objectives.  The three yellow radio markers indicate where the doctor might be.  Searching each location may yield the doctor on 2 successes on a simple roll.  If not found in the first two locations, the third will automatically have the doctor.  Unknown to the agents, the doctor also has a patient with her, Trish, from the gang LocoNation, and she is the gangs primary objective.

There are 14 zombies and a PEF on the board to start.  Zombies will appear on a 4+, this is board 6 of 14 and it is still morning of day 37.

Starting the game, the agents storm the barricade from the north.

Agents attack!

Echo floored the sports car and sped towards the barricade.  "Be ready to roll, we'll bail out just past the sandbags."  She said calmly to the agent with her.  "Think of it as a high speed dismount."  The car knocked aside a flimsy barrier, and Echo pointed it past the containers that were her priority.  "Go!"
Echo and the agent rolled onto the pavement, coming up with guns at the ready.  Sporadic gunfire erupted from the Humvees following the car as the rest of the team killed zombies.

The first turn the agents get a free turn, with the sports car/rolling bomb moving ahead on its own first.  The car gets to a convenient position...

Cargo Humvee on the right

Rolling ahead...

BOOM!

The agents deploy and thin out the zombies.  They trigger the PEF, it turns out to be 6 more zombies.  One group manages to secure the data files they are looking for.  It will take a full activation to download them, and the rest of the team continues on.

A model of efficiency

The next turn, the zombies go first.  The number of zombies is growing rather large...

Zombies attack Echo

Swarming the cargo Hummer!

Echo and Agent Johnson handle the zombies that charged earlier.  They then shot up some of the remaining zeds, Echo charging a lone zed in the open and Johnson opening the first container.

Agents make short work of the zeds

Johnson checks the container

Johnson pulled the latch on the container, swinging open the door.  Stepping into the darkened interior, he called out "Doctor!  Are you here?"  A rustling answered his call, and a box of supplies fell over and two zombies shuffled forward.  "Contact zed!  No joy here."  Johnson raised his gun and fired.

Johnson finds two zombies

Knocks the second down in melee

 Echo finished the zombie she was fighting, and then Agent Greene moved up and disabled the generator.  Two objectives down for the agents.

Generator down, data collected

On the other side of the road, Agent Finn opens another container...

What's in here?

There is a lone zombie in the container and Finn shoots it quickly.  Agent Smith in the Hummer swings his LMG into full attack mode and fires into the zombies on the roadway.

Thinning out the zombies

Echo looked around the roadblock, things were going well.  Most of the zeds were down, and the ones moving into the area were not going to be much of a problem.  There was only one container left to open, it must be where her primary target was hiding.  "Looking good team.  Blue group get the samples and head for Delta Four.  Red group form on me and let's get our target out of here."

A roar of car engines echoed through the highway, two bright colored sports cars zoomed into view, closing on the cargo Hummer with amazing speed.

"Contact North!  Civilian vehicles!"  Agent Smith yelled. as two sports cars closed on his position.

Echo looked towards the damaged wall nearby, seeing an orange civilian Hummer crashing through.  "Contact West!  AMBUSH!"  She yelled as shots rang out...

LocoNation launches their attack.  A pair of cars race up behind the cargo Humvee, trying to divide the agents, while a Humvee crashes through the broken wall section.

Hatch helps clear the road

The Hummer crashes the barricade

The rest of gang attacks

In sight tests don't go so well for the gang, the two cars approaching the cargo Hummer have rather poor luck.  The gunner on the Hummer goes first, and kills the driver and passenger of the blue rally car.  The red car occupants fire, but don't hit anything.  The blue car will be out of control next turn.  Talk about a rolling bomb!
On the other side of the road, the hummer does better, with the passenger riding shotgun managing to shoot.  He hits Echo twice, knocking her down.  She passes her checks and gets to carry on, thanks to her body armor.  Agent Greene and Echo return fire, killing the driver.

More gangers attack

Plenty of zombies spawn, from all the engine noise plus the shooting...

Zombies fill the street

Zeds appear amongst the agents

The next turn the gang wins imitative.  The various moving vehicles will go first, with the out of control vehicles being the very first.  The blue rally car careens into the barricade and explodes!  It manages to take down one agent as well.

One car explodes!

The red sports car attempts a "bootlegger reverse" but  ends up spinning out.

Just about to loose control

Angels purple street racer zooms off to draw away some of the zeds, and prepare to return.

Angel skids to a stop

The hummer moves out of control as well, but just comes to a stop in the roadblock. 

The gang assaults the agents

Piling out of the Hummer, the gang opened fire, pistol shots and the loud bark of a shotgun splitting the air.  Bullets pinged off the pavement and containers, a storm of lead in the air.  Agent Greene let out a grunt as a round penetrated his vest, killing him as it burst his heart.  Echo felt buckshot from the shotgun spray across her body, bouncing off her body armor.
"Agent down!"  She yelled.  "Stay on the primary target, but return fire!"

Gang shooting is not enough

One agent is killed, and Echo takes two hits from the shotgun.  One would kill her, but her hard as nails keeps her alive.  She passes her knocked down checks and carries on.  She has gotten very lucky with the knocked down checks.

Echo returns fire before going to the last container.

Echo fires and takes out the shotgun

Echo opens the last container

Gunshots still echoed as Echo opened the container door.  "Doctor!  Are you here?"  She yelled, glancing inside.

"Right here.  We're ready to move."  Dr. Lewis said as she pulled Trish up from a chair.  "She comes along, it was a success!"

Echo looked at the young woman, seeing several obvious bite marks on her arms.  "No way, she looks to be compromised."

"She was.  I have halted the spread of the toxin before z-stage."  Doctor Lewis looked smug.  "I think we can beat this!"

"Fine, we still have active hostiles in the area.  Stay with me, and head for the red and yellow Humvee.  We'll leave as soon as you are in."  Echo told the doctor.  "Team, Package plus one ready to evac.  Form on me and let's get out of here."  Echo informed her fellow agents.

Agents clear out the gang at the Hummer

On the other side, the gunner on the hummer kills the occupants of the red car, and Agent Finn collects the samples from the medical tent.  All of the objectives have been grabbed, now the agents just need to escape.

The gang is eliminated

Hatch looked past the Hummer, he could see a glimpse of Trish being led by the agents.  After the fire from the agents, most of his gang were gone.  "Trish!  I'm coming baby!"  He yelled.

"Man, you crazy!"  Dog shouted next to him.  "We gots to go or we all gonna die!"

Hatch looks down the road

All that's left of the gang is Hatch and his wing man, Dog, plus the last street racer car.  Dog has had enough and flees.  Hatch is going to stick it out (he counts as a star) and Angel in her car decides to split as well.  As Dog runs, the zombies give chase.

Dog makes his escape!

The zombies attack, closing in on the agents.  A couple of zombies stop and start feasting, there is plenty to go around...

Zombies close in, but the agents hold

"There is a mass of zombies between the evac and precious cargo." Echo announced over the radio.  "Clear the road, and form on the primary truck."  The agents moved into practiced action to get to the yellow Hummer.

Zombies in the way

The next turn, the agents act, and then the zombies.  The gang (now just Hacthet) don't activate.  Shooting from the gunner in the blue hummer, and the rest of the agents, thin out the zombies nicely.  They move up as fast as the doctor and her ward can move.  They are going to have to abandon the cargo Humvee, but everyone will fit in the red and yellow hybrid.

Carefully planned fire and movement pays off

When the zombies activate, they manage to crash into several of the agents.

Zombies get to the agents

Agent Johnson manages to kill one from shooting, and drop the other in hand to hand, clearing the area closest to the Hummer.  Echo shoots the lone zed that charges her.  Agent Jake, who has been tied up with a zombie for a couple of turns manages to fight to a stand off again.

Agents clear?

A wave of zombies pour through the damaged wall near the orange Hummer, and attack Hatchet.  He is quickly surrounded.

A horde is forming

Hatchet doesn't fall easily

At the end of the turn, Dawn's group enters the scene.  The scenario is finally ready to start...

Dawn and friends enter the roadblock

Smoke from two burning cars cut through the bright morning sun, casting dancing shadows across the highway.  Larry slowed the Humvee as he approached the roadblock, pushing aside a flimsy barricade.  "This looks like a war zone!"  He commented, quickly looking around the area.  "What should we do?"
"We're going to have to move that red car, looks like zombies are all over it."  Dawn said, peering through the smoke.
"There's people shooting on the other side."  Anna added, looking out the top.  "I see people running for some yellow and red Hummer in the other lane."
"Phoenix Corp?"  Larry asked Dawn.  "I don't want to tangle with them again!"
"If they leave us alone, we'll leave them alone."  Dawn replied.  "If not, we can settle the score from earlier."

I'll bet you forgot this was just the setup for the scenario.  I almost did when I was writing it up!  The team arrives at the end of the turn, I choose to go slowly, it's going to be hard to maneuver through the carnage on the table.

To be Continued...

Valar Morghulis

Just a quick update, a new batrep is on the way, but with Game of Thrones returning tonight, it will be delayed.  I "had" to binge watch season 4 to get ready for the new season.

woot

I am a bigger fan of the books than the TV show, but I think they have done a really excellent job interpreting them for TV.  I realize they have gone 'off the rail' and started moving away from the books already, but I expect we will see even more departure this season.  Regardless, the story is moving towards some sort of conclusion.  I'm curious to see what the differences will be between the books (whenever we finally get them) and the next couple of seasons of the show.

The barricade scenario became much longer and larger than I expected and is taking longer to write up as well.  It will hopefully be worth the wait.

Damnation Alley (Part 2)

"I've been wandering the neighborhoods and working my way around downtown."  Blake fished out a candy bar and tore into it hungrily.  "I've seen military, police, gangs, all kinds of people drive through the freeway.  You were the first in a few days that looked like someone I might be able to hitch a ride from."
"Is there anything we should be worried about?"  Larry asked over his shoulder, swerving around a stopped car.  "I mean, besides the obvious..."
"Well, there is a check point another mile or so up the road here.  It was empty a few days ago, but they still have barricades up, you can't just fly through there."  Blake checked his pistol as they drove along the highway.  "There's been other groups besides the cops that have taken over the barricades."
"Hey are those people on that overpass?"  Dawn said, looking ahead.  "Slow down a touch, let's see what is going on."

This is the fourth road board for the group to cross, it is an off ramp and an overpass.  There are a couple of usable vehicles, in the opposite side lanes.  There is a PEF located just before the overpass.

The approach to the overpass

Entering the area

Larry guided the Hummer around a zombie, aiming to get around wrecks scattered into the roadway. "It looks like some people on the overpass."  He said, looking upwards out the windshield.
"Are they cops?"  Dawn asked looking ahead.
"Did you say cops?"  Blake yelled, turning to the front quickly.  "Get us outta here!"

The first turn, the zombies don't act, and the survivors get a free turn.  Moving forward, the group triggers the PEF.  It turns out to be 5 police officers with a SWAT van.  I decide to have the cops trying to recover a damaged police car, or recover officers from the wreck.

Police executing a recovery operation

Once the group triggers the PEF and the police are placed.  The police are 4 SWAT officers (Rep 4, Assault rifle, BAP, Baton) lead by a lieutenant (Rep 5, BAP, Nightstick) all are protected.  They are working to get to a patrol car (which I added to the road) with two officers at the car, the lieutenant at the top of the ladder, and two officers covering the group on the overpass.

The Police go right to insight checks, engaging the lone "military" Humvee.  Things are bad in town.

Low in sight checks

Police are ready to rock

Two officers with assault rifles on the overpass scored three successes, and went first (well, the same time as Anna) firing at Larry, the driver.  Each scored one hit, luckily neither scored a kill right off.  Larry is wearing the liberated body armor from earlier, so has a chance to shrug it off.  He only passes 1d, and goes out of the fight.  He passes 2d for one check, for what its worth.
Anna fires back, missing with three shots.  Now the group is in an out of control Hummer. Great...
The next shots go, with the police lieutenant starting off shooting at Dawn.  She scores two hits, one of which is a kill right off.  Dawn uses her Hard as Nails to treat it as knocked down.  She passes 2d on both of her knocked down tests, and being protected gets to carry on.  The final officer that can act fires at Anna, but misses.
Blake is out of position to shoot at anyone.  Dawn fires back at the lieutenant, scoring one hit, and a kill result right off. At least something goes right for the team.

Not a great development

Automatic gunfire erupted in the morning air, and glass splintered from the windshield of the Hummer.  Larry let out a yelp, followed by a groan, and went limp in the drivers seat.  Dawn and Anna fired at the few people they could see, trying to return fire from their attackers.  "Larry's hit!"  Dawn yelled.
"Help me move him!"  Blake yelled, yanking Larry out of the front into the back.  "Hang on!"  Blake started climbing into the front as the Hummer slammed into the wreckage of a sedan...

Crash time

Blake manages to pass 2d on a difficult test, with a -1 penalty for being in the backseat, and takes control of the Hummer as it crashes into the wreck.  The hummer plows through the wreck, knocking it aside and continuing on its way. 
The police pass their leader down checks, and continue the fight.  The group passes 2d for received fire checks and everyone stays in the fight.
Anna fires at the two officers on the street level (they return fire as well) killing one.  The return fire from the police miss, shots thudding into the Hummer.  The second officer fails his received fire check and decides to run.
 
With all the gunfire, plenty of zombies spawn...
The next turn, the survivors don't activate, the Police activate and finally the zombies.  Being in a moving vehicle, the group moves 12" (current speed) straight ahead.

Plenty of zeds, but falling behind

A lone zed on the overpass

One officer kills the zombie on the overpass, while the other tries to shoot the Hummer before it escapes.  The shots thud into the Hummer, missing Blake driving.

The police keep firing

Finally, a pair of zeds charge the Hummer, their undead drive trying to get at the humans inside.

Two zeds try to stop the Hummer...

With predictable results.

Larry gasped for breath, rolling in the back of the hummer as it swerved violently around the wrecks.  "It feels like I got hit by a car!"  He coughed and grimaced, sliding to the right as the Hummer skidded on the road.

"They stopped shooting at us."  Dawn said, looking back out the side window.  "If you're fine driving, keep going Blake."  Dawn said, changing magazines.  "Let's get some distance from those cops.  What happened back there?"

"I've seen that the past few days.  Most of the police seem to have some sort problem with the military.  They have been fighting each time I have seen them together."  Blake said.  "I have no idea what happened, but we should do our best to avoid both groups."

"No argument there."  Anna replied dryly.  "Larry are you going to be okay?"

Larry was still bent over and slumped in his seat.  "I'll be okay.  Just give me a few minutes."

Speeding away from the overpass

Road section 5 is another straightaway, with ten zombies and a couple of sedans that may be useful.  My plan is to keep going as fast as possible, but I may try and stop to search one of the cars.

Open road ahead

Larry will be out of action for this section, but back in action for the next road.  I am rolling a 2d6 check, once 2d are passed an OOF character will return for the remainder of the sections.  They have to miss at least one road session.

The team speeds in,, plowing over one zombie in the road.  They get initiative and trigger the PEF.

The team finds the PEF

Six more zombies!

Blake slowed the Hummer down, having to turn between wrecks.  "Go you bastard!"  He yelled, trying to coax the huge truck into more nimble moves.  "Hang on, this thing isn't exactly a Ferrari!"

"They're coming at the doors!"  Anna yelled as zombies started pummeling the side of the Hummer.  "Keep us moving!"  She fired at the zombies closing on the truck.

Anna fired three shots, missing unfortunately.  The zombies swarmed the Humvee, trying to get at the living inside.

Zombie Swarm!

Can they get inside?

The zombies swarm all over the Hummer, but they can't manage to get any purchase.  Blake manages to at least tie or win the charge test against all the zombies.  They are all hit by the vehicle...  

Nope.

A few more zombies stumbled into the road, attracted by the truck noise and gunfire.

A few more zeds

Blake gunned the engine, the heavy truck lurching down the road, putting distance between the survivors and the lumbering dead.  "That one is pretty close!"  He said, pointing out a zombie stumbling past a signpost.

"I'll get him."  Dawn said, aiming her pistol out the window.

One zombie close

The survivors win initiative, and speed off towards the next road section.  They don't quite make it off the board, and Dawn takes aim at the lone zed.

The team is clear

Blake pulled the Hummer to the side of the road.  The nearest zombies were far away, and this seemed the best opportunity to change up drivers again.  "Are you sure you're good?"  He asked as Larry slid into the driver's seat again.

"Yeah, still sore, but I'm good."  Larry stretched out his arms, wincing a bit in pain.  "Besides, this body armor saved me once already, if we get shot at again, it will help again."

Blake closed the rear door as he got back in the Hummer.  "As long as you're good, I'll ride."

"Let's get rolling again."  Dawn said as Larry started the truck.  

As they rolled ahead, a mile or more down the road, they could see a structure in the road.  "Looks like a roadblock ahead."  Larry said.

"We'll need to be careful.  No telling who is actually in control of it these days."  Blake said.

"I guess we'll find out."  Dawn said as the Hummer slowed its approach to the roadblock.

Road section 6 will have the major roadblock.  That is where I will pick it up next time...

There may be a bit of a delay, with the holiday weekend and family commitments...