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Author Topic: THE SANTA ZONE - Zona Alfa at the North Pole - 23 Dec - 5th AAR added  (Read 8426 times)

Offline dadlamassu

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I was looking for a set of rules to take our rather basic (but very enjoyable) zombie games to another level with a bit more role play without affecting the game play.  I read several reviews and settled on Osprey's "Zona Alfa" by Patrick Todoroff.  I had a short e-mail conversation with the author.

Why?  Well it was far less expensive than its competitors, had some rather nice games on the internet, had a relatively simple set of game mechanics and an easily modified background.  All that said a major factor was that it is not tied to a manufacture's range of figures.  This meant that all my "Dedburgh" figures could be used along with monsters from my fantasy collection.  All I had to do was move the Russian setting to the UK.

What did I need for a game when we come out of Level 4 Covid restrictions?  A background that moved Chernobyl to the UK near our zombie infestation in Dedburgh.  This is still being worked on and will come soon.

A few bits of post apocalypse terrain.  A search of the spare bits and the tub of "useful bits" that gets all of the "that might be useful one day" broken models, packaging and stuff revealed bits to make ...
A wrecked Humvee:


A contaminated pool


A car and some debris

A fallen pylon and another car

A fallen robot
« Last Edit: December 23, 2020, 02:48:27 PM by dadlamassu »
'He could have lived a risk-free, moneyed life, but he preferred to whittle away his fortune on warfare.'
-- Xenophon, The Anabasis

Offline Grumpy Gnome

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Re: The Delta Zone - Zona Alfa in Dedburgh - a British setting
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2020, 10:23:39 AM »
A good start, looking forward to seeing your project develop.
Home of the Grumpy Gnome

https://thegrumpygnome.home.blog/

Offline Spinal Tap

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Re: The Delta Zone - Zona Alfa in Dedburgh - a British setting
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2020, 12:11:30 PM »
Really imaginative terrain pieces -  some ideas might be 'borrowed'.


Offline dadlamassu

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Re: The Delta Zone - Zona Alfa in Dedburgh - a British setting
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2020, 12:39:15 PM »
A good start, looking forward to seeing your project develop.

Thanks, I am enjoying it - quite a change from my Romans and Celts!

Really imaginative terrain pieces -  some ideas might be 'borrowed'.

Thanks, and borrow as much as you like!

The Hummer is a diecast by Maisto Humvee bought cheap ages ago washed liberally with various browns and black stuck on some Das Pronto clay.  The two "civvie" cars are from one of the pound shops bashed and painted.  I have no idea where I got the lead/metal robot - it was in the junk box as was the ruined pylon.  The contaminated pond is a plastic bubble pack lid that used to contain figures and used for ages as a mixing palette.  It is turned over with the shiny side now facing up, edged with Das Pronto and a few aquarium stones and grass clumps.   

Offline Dentatus

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Re: The Delta Zone - Zona Alfa in Dedburgh - a British setting
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2020, 03:40:51 PM »
Looking good.
(well, not good, good. But in that toxic, desolate, dangerous kind of good.)

Waiting to see more now.

Offline CookAndrewB

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Re: The Delta Zone - Zona Alfa in Dedburgh - a British setting
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2020, 07:30:37 PM »
Good looking scatter. I'll be curious to see it in Dedburgh. Will the Pink Pearls be exploring the Zone? lol

Offline dadlamassu

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Re: The Delta Zone - Zona Alfa in Dedburgh - a British setting
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2020, 08:58:04 PM »
Good looking scatter. I'll be curious to see it in Dedburgh. Will the Pink Pearls be exploring the Zone? lol

Very probably.  Not sure that their limo will be a suitable transport though!
For those who have not seen them - The Pink Pearls (or maybe Pink Perils!)

Offline Storm Wolf

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Re: The Delta Zone - Zona Alfa in Dedburgh - a British setting
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2020, 09:36:01 PM »
Very probably.  Not sure that their limo will be a suitable transport though!
For those who have not seen them - The Pink Pearls (or maybe Pink Perils!)


Nice! But surely they are the Pink Panthers? lol
Only the insane have strength enough to prosper. Only those who prosper may truly judge what is sane.

Offline Mr. White

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Re: The Delta Zone - Zona Alfa in Dedburgh - a British setting
« Reply #8 on: December 08, 2020, 09:20:14 PM »
I love alternate settings for the Zona Alfa ruleset. It's neat seeing all 'The Zones' people have created cropping up around the world.

Offline iDreamofMinis

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Re: The Delta Zone - Zona Alfa in Dedburgh - a British setting
« Reply #9 on: December 09, 2020, 02:07:41 PM »
I love alternate settings for the Zona Alfa ruleset. It's neat seeing all 'The Zones' people have created cropping up around the world.

I agree, it is very cool.  Seeing all these new Zones gives me the itch to play some more Zona Alfa.  Great rules.
Looking forward to seeing more of Dedburgh!


Offline dadlamassu

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Re: The Delta Zone - Zona Alfa in Dedburgh - Game one set up
« Reply #10 on: December 09, 2020, 04:38:10 PM »
Looking forward to seeing more of Dedburgh!

The game for tomorrow is based on the first scenario of three in the book.  One starter team (2 Veterans, 2 Hardened and 2 Newbies)
Game One: The Crossroads at Dungton (on the road to Dedburgh)


and from the other side


"Heads up, Toerags, listen in. For you new guys this is goin’ to be your first run into the Devil Zone.  I’ve hammered my rules into your thick skulls. So switch on, stay alert, shut up, stay close, don’t think and do everything I say, right away when I say.  We’ll go by Gate 17.  The Sergeant there is an old army mate. I pulled him out of trouble a few times so we’ll not be followed.

The target is just inside the fence.  It’s a French Panhard VBL Recce Car and its team.  They’d been guarding a cache from early on.  They were ordered to evacuate and they almost made it out.  Word is that they were loaded down with valuables.  Best bet is that they were overrun by the Muties days ago when the Nuke Storm hit.  It has passed over now so we are goin’ in tonight.  The army boys are waiting for a recovery truck so won’t drag it out any time soon. It’ll be dodgy in there, Muties, storms, God knows what else. 

Any loot we get will be split between us. No Newbie! Nowt for yourself an’ nothing shiny for your maw or granny!  Count this run as an investment in your experience.  If you do what I say you'll get some lovely cash eventually - if you survive long enough that is. So remember: Switch on, stay alert, shut up, stay close ".

The objective is to clear a small hamlet of hostiles, get to the armoured car and retrieve any loot from it. There are reports are a few hostiles and feral dogs roaming around the area.

You can split your team into smaller groups if you want to cover more ground.  If you do then each group will roll to see which corner they start in. 

Report will follow.

Offline Spinal Tap

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Looking good.

Offline dadlamassu

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Re: The Delta Zone - Zona Alfa in Dedburgh - AAR For First Game 10 Dec
« Reply #12 on: December 10, 2020, 07:46:50 PM »
The Team was selected from the figures I had that most reflected those in the rule book rather than Dedburgh and so had far more firepower than usual.   The Team rolled for random entry points and entered the table from 2 adjacent corners.  The weather was poor, rain meant that all movement was reduced by 1" and shortened the observation and shooting range.  The plan is to approach the target from both sides so each group was relatively equal.

"Heads up, Toerags, listen in. For you new guys this is goin’ to be your first run into the Devil Zone.  I’ve hammered my rules into your thick skulls. So switch on, stay alert, shut up, stay close, don’t think and do everything I say, right away when I say.  We’ll go by Gate 17.  The Sergeant there is an old army mate. I pulled him out of trouble a few times so we’ll not be followed.

The target is just inside the fence.  It’s a French Panhard VBL Recce Car and its team.  They’d been guarding a cache from early on.  They were ordered to evacuate and they almost made it out.  Word is that they were loaded down with valuables.  Best bet is that they were overrun by the Muties days ago when the Nuke Storm hit.  It has passed over now so we are goin’ in tonight.  The army boys are waiting for a recovery truck so won’t drag it out any time soon. It’ll be dodgy in there, Muties, storms, God knows what else.

Any loot we get will be split between us. No Newbie! Nowt for yourself an’ nothing shiny for your maw or granny!  Count this run as an investment in your experience.  If you do what I say you'll get some lovely cash eventually - if you survive long enough that is. So remember: Switch on, stay alert, shut up, stay close ".

The objective is to clear a small hamlet of hostiles, get to the armoured car and retrieve any loot from it. There are reports are a few hostiles and feral dogs roaming around the area.
Group 1 Gayge (hardened, GL), The Leader, Edan (veteran, SLR), "Slim" (Rookie, Assault Rifle) left flanking

Group 2 Zyre (Rookie, Assault Rifle), Derryl (veteran, LMG), Karilla (hardened, SLR with scope), right flanking


The initial advances met no opposition on the right

And on the left.

All seemed quiet and all that could be seen through the pouring rain was a group of figures swaying and staggering about the Panhard.  Peering through his optic sight Edan cursed “F@*ing Zombies!” Slim the Newbie murmured, “Can zombie soldiers shoot?” Drawing a look that froze him to the bone right through his soaking clothes.

Moving quickly down the right Karilla gets into a good position to steady her aim against the zombies at the Panhard.  “Just let the rain ease off a little and I’ll get them”.

Meanwhile on the left Edan moves up with Gayge while "Slim" covers the exposed flank.  Gayge now spots the zombies around the Panhard and takes aim.  "Put that down!" hissed Edan. "Do you want to blow up the salvage?" Gayge slings his Grenade Launcher and draws his fighting knife and pistol.  An evil grin spread across his face.  Two shots later Edan has dropped the two nearest zombies

On the other side the rain thins just long enough and Karilla drops another on the very edge of visibility.  Excellent shot!  And a little later another zombie appears from the rain and meets a hail of LMG bullets.

Now things got hairy.  Two packs of feral dogs rushed from the ruins one heading of each party.


Both packs ran into a hail of fire. One pack was annihilated by Edan and Gayge but on the right three dogs were killed but one charged home on the hapless Rookie who had fired and sprayed his bullets everywhere except the dogs.  He put up a gallant fight killing the dog with his knife but in its death throws the dog inflicted severe damage.  Both lay tangled in a bloody heap.

Fortunately Karilla was on hand to administer a Med kit.

With all hostiles now dealt with and time running out Edan and Gayge rushed forward to the Panhard and recovered 2 French Assault Rifles, ammunition, a haversack containing 2 smoke grenades, 2 med kits, 3 HE grenades, as well as 350 value salvage, a pair of binos and a briefcase containing documents and a laptop.  With a little more time it would have been even better!
But all in all a very successful first salvage run. 

Thoughts on the game:  The party was quite powerful and found dealing with the Zone Hostiles relatively easy.  That said it did teach us the movement, shooting and melee rules.  The main pressure was the 7 turn limit and the Team very nearly ran out of time exiting the board on Turn 7!
So enjoyable and quite balanced for a starter game.

Next up – a walk through Tiddybar Woods.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2020, 08:36:14 PM by dadlamassu »

Offline sir_shvantselot

  • Mad Scientist
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Re: The Delta Zone - Zona Alfa in Dedburgh - First AAR 10 Dec (Pic Heavy)
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2020, 10:34:57 AM »
Really enjoyed the report.

Offline iDreamofMinis

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Re: The Delta Zone - Zona Alfa in Dedburgh - AAR For First Game 10 Dec
« Reply #14 on: December 11, 2020, 01:35:05 PM »
“Can zombie soldiers shoot?” Drawing a look that froze him to the bone right through his soaking clothes.

Great report, I'm looking forward to seeing more!

I wondered that myself about those zombies.  In the Stalker pc game I remember them shooting but their aim was awful.  May be something fun to add in.  :)

 

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