Fire vs Zombies?

[Hildred Castaigne]

I think it was the Return of the Living Dead films that introduced the whole brains thing. The zombie they capture in the mortuary in the first film says that she can feel herself decay and is driven to eat brains to ease the pain.

Fear of fire seems fair enough to me - vestigial animal extinct.

That is what I was thinking, just a basic animal instinct.
Zombies don't need nutrition, but something tells them to pursue prey and eat.
So what's to say there aren't more instincts at play there?

Thanks for the background to the brains obsession!
I'm certainly no purist, but I've never been able to bring myself to watch those films. 

[apeekaboo]

Could the fire cook the brain and stop the zombie?  Would it take too long to be really useful?  Is it unfair to use the L4D specials, but not the fire?  Should I just change my game to be more in line with L4D?  Should I stick with my rules and let them wallow in their misinformation?

What to do?

Cooked brain or muscles burnt to coal, does it really matter?
Zombies will malfunction from fire, eventually... and while they're burning, they'll set other zombies/humans on fire if getting in contact.
Don't get hugged by a burning zombie! Not cool!   

[Onebigriver]

I'm certainly no purist, but I've never been able to bring myself to watch those films. 

What! I heartily recommend the first two. The second has one of my favourite movie tactics for distracting zombies - an aerobics video. The third is worth watching for Melinda Clarke The fourth is a bit ropey, but is memorable for a roasted armadillo zombie. Not seen the fifth.

[Elders]

The way I see it zombies survive by having really low brain and nervous activity. If you heat them up long enough their neurons will fry and they won't be able to do anything.

[consectari]

Yes, but how long will that take?  Should I bother to represent it in game?  Will it take so long, that it's just too dangerous to set a zombie on fire?  Or will it be quick enough to put a zombie down in a game "turn" or 2.

Of course I'm talking about fire with accellerants like molotov cocktails, not just touching it with a torch.

[Onebigriver]

Yes, but how long will that take?  Should I bother to represent it in game?  Will it take so long, that it's just too dangerous to set a zombie on fire?  Or will it be quick enough to put a zombie down in a game "turn" or 2.

Of course I'm talking about fire with accellerants like molotov cocktails, not just touching it with a torch.

Couldn't you roll a D6 at the beginning of each subsequent turn? 1-3 the zombie is down, 4-6 still wandering about on fire, posing a threat.

[Elders]

I suggest you try something like what is considered by Onebigriver. With a limit of 2 or 3 turns?

Then playtest that rule a couple of times. Then ask yourself these questions:
What influence does it have in desperate scenarios?
Does it help in some situations but worsen the situation in other?
Are the outcomes in line with what I want 'fire' to represent in this game?

[dadlamassu]

Yes, but how long will that take?  Should I bother to represent it in game?  Will it take so long, that it's just too dangerous to set a zombie on fire?  Or will it be quick enough to put a zombie down in a game "turn" or 2.

Of course I'm talking about fire with accellerants like molotov cocktails, not just touching it with a torch.

It is a game.  If you need the zombies to go down enveloped in flame in 1, 2 or 3 turns then that would be OK with me.  Or if flame is ineffective in game terms then that is OK too.  Though I prefer the first.  Something like giving the weapon a rating (eg a number of d6 to roll).  Each "5 or 6" rolled damages the zombie and roll one fewer d6 each turn thereafter until there are no more.  Some weapons might have a burst area - WP grenade, flame thrower, fougasse etc.  each zombie in the area takes hits.  Each damage the zombie loses third of movement, combat etc representing loss of muscle power.

So an improvised molotov with (say) 3d6 rolls 3d6 in turn it is thrown, 2 in the next and 1 in the next.