Zombie RV in - Borsetshire? Trailer Trash - The Finale

[Sunjester]

Absolutely brilliant report Doug, of a very intense game.

I'll be returning to Zombie Stagecoach next week, incorporating some of Mike's suggestions, as well as a couple of my own. Then I am planning a 3-player game for next month, with me as GM (allowing for a few extra surprises for the players!).

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

Superb conclusion to an epic scenario! Glad to see all of your team surviving and gaining a shotgun. I seem to remember when we played this scenario as a co-op game, you had a propensity for rolling '1's!

[nozza_uk]

Cracking finish to that game! ZombieRV does a fantastic job of steadily ramping up the tension—just when you think you're in control, things take a turn for the worse.

One of the things I’m really enjoying about all these ZombieRV write-ups is seeing just how much players are getting invested in their characters. Everyone has their own unique spin on the same scenarios, which makes for some really engaging stories. It’s fascinating to see how different playstyles emerge based on the same core mechanics.

When it comes to survival strategies, I’ve found that staying on high ground and keeping out of line of sight are key to avoiding zombie spawn points. A little bit of patience and clever positioning can go a long way in keeping the horde at bay.

In our games, we do use the ‘in-between games’ chart, but I’ve tweaked it slightly - I renamed the Starving entry to Spoiled Food while keeping the same penalty. It just felt a little more thematically fitting. I also keep coming back to an idea I saw in another game (though I can’t recall which one) about requiring Supplies (from the loot table) to feed the gang. Something like 1 Supply feeding 2 characters. If a character goes too long without food, they start suffering penalties and could even abandon the gang altogether. Still working out the details, but I think it could add an extra layer of resource management and tough decision-making to the campaign. Let me know if anyone has tried something similar!

[Doug ex-em4]

Fantastic ending to this action packed episode.

Thanks. Next scenario is on the table ready to go.

A thoroughly enjoyable read sir, before heading off to work  . Just the thing to kick-start my day  .

Talking about getting away by the skin of their teeth!  Well done team for making it out to live and fight another day in these zombie infested isles.

I am with you on the grammatical details Doug. When I write my AAR's, I type as I go along, sometimes having to correct typos and inconsistencies afterwards. But it's all part of the creative process  . Being foreign, I do try to stick to proper British English  .

Regards,

Legionnaire.

Thanks Legionnaire, I’ve a feeling Zombie RV has a higher number of Zeds in a game than County Road; do you agree?

Absolutely brilliant report Doug, of a very intense game.

I'll be returning to Zombie Stagecoach next week, incorporating some of Mike's suggestions, as well as a couple of my own. Then I am planning a 3-player game for next month, with me as GM (allowing for a few extra surprises for the players!).

Thanks Sunjester. Looking forward to more of your unique take on the game👍

Superb conclusion to an epic scenario! Glad to see all of your team surviving and gaining a shotgun. I seem to remember when we played this scenario as a co-op game, you had a propensity for rolling '1's!

It’s a speciality of mine Although in this game we had a few sixes at opportune moments, there were plenty of the dreaded oncers when it came to firing.

Cracking finish to that game! ZombieRV does a fantastic job of steadily ramping up the tension—just when you think you're in control, things take a turn for the worse.

One of the things I’m really enjoying about all these ZombieRV write-ups is seeing just how much players are getting invested in their characters. Everyone has their own unique spin on the same scenarios, which makes for some really engaging stories. It’s fascinating to see how different playstyles emerge based on the same core mechanics.

When it comes to survival strategies, I’ve found that staying on high ground and keeping out of line of sight are key to avoiding zombie spawn points. A little bit of patience and clever positioning can go a long way in keeping the horde at bay.

In our games, we do use the ‘in-between games’ chart, but I’ve tweaked it slightly - I renamed the Starving entry to Spoiled Food while keeping the same penalty. It just felt a little more thematically fitting. I also keep coming back to an idea I saw in another game (though I can’t recall which one) about requiring Supplies (from the loot table) to feed the gang. Something like 1 Supply feeding 2 characters. If a character goes too long without food, they start suffering penalties and could even abandon the gang altogether. Still working out the details, but I think it could add an extra layer of resource management and tough decision-making to the campaign. Let me know if anyone has tried something similar!

nozza - interesting comments. I agree that there needs to be something about Supplies being necessary to keep the gang going - not just food but clothes, ammunition, petrol etc. Mike (Demana) has a detailed section about supplies and feeding etc in his unofficial supplement. I’m sure he’d send you a copy if you pm him. I like the ability to re-roll a die, so long as it’s limited in availability. I just don’t think it should be called Supplies - I find that misleading. I just don’t know what to call it instead. Maybe Persuasion? I’ll have to canvass Snapcase and Vaggers and see what they think.

It’s a good little game though, no doubt of that.

Doug

[Sunjester]

In our games, we do use the ‘in-between games’ chart, but I’ve tweaked it slightly - I renamed the Starving entry to Spoiled Food while keeping the same penalty. It just felt a little more thematically fitting. I also keep coming back to an idea I saw in another game (though I can’t recall which one) about requiring Supplies (from the loot table) to feed the gang. Something like 1 Supply feeding 2 characters. If a character goes too long without food, they start suffering penalties and could even abandon the gang altogether. Still working out the details, but I think it could add an extra layer of resource management and tough decision-making to the campaign. Let me know if anyone has tried something similar!

That is the mechanism used in Ganesha Games' "Mutants and Death Ray Guns!.

[Legionnaire]

Doug, sir!

Regarding the zombie count, I would say definitely, as it's been mentioned in other games, that you were having to start recycling eliminated zombies after the 50 mark  . In my games, so far, I've had 11 on the table at one time at the most (which incidentally is the number I've painted up so far). I DO recycle eliminated ones but, again, so far, I spawn ONE (1) zombie at the end of each turn. Although, there are no spawn points, so they can literally pop up ANYWHERE on the table, which makes it quite unpredictable.

I am quite ahead of my self imposed deadline of the club zombie gaming, having only a dozen or so more minis to paint up, mainly zeds and a couple of survivors and one more MDF building to construct and paint up. Painting up the plastic police motorcycle I have already assembled and if I have time, finish off the helicopter model.

[nozza_uk]

That is the mechanism used in Ganesha Games' "Mutants and Death Ray Guns!.

Found it. I'd seen it in Insurgent Earth by Patrick Toderoff.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Great AAR.

[mikedemana]

Mike (Demana) has a detailed section about supplies and feeding etc in his unofficial supplement. I’m sure he’d send you a copy if you pm him.

Yep, it was one unit of supplies feeds 4 people (a full crew, in other words) in between turns. And yes, I am happy to send my unofficial campaign rules to anyone who's interested. Just PM me.

As for the "Spoiled Food" renaming, that's genius! I need to look at the chart again and maybe rethink not using it... 

Mike Demana

[Spinal Tap]

This is outstanding reporting Doug, really knocking narrative wargaming out of the park.

[Doug ex-em4]

Great AAR.

Thank you 

This is outstanding reporting Doug, really knocking narrative wargaming out of the park.

Thanks a lot - I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Speaking of which……



One week previously……

A normal day then suddenly, all over the UK, mobile phone screens, tv screens, social media, tablets - every type of communication device, displayed a stark message:

This message was repeated in one form or another in every major language all over the world. In the short time that was left, communication outlets were filled with images of………Zombies…!
Are you kidding me?
No, I’m not kidding you and by now you’re probably a zombie yourself or you have become zombie food.
The footage showed crazed mobs of zombies overwhelming police, troops, security. It showed mobs chasing and devouring unarmed citizens. Then the screens went blank.








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A couple of day later, the small group of boar hunters, Tristram Pitt-Bulstrode, Berenice Snapcase, Will Grundy and Wing Commander Jon "Vaggers" Vagabond, emerged from several days off-grid in the forest to find a world devastated. Actually, the world hadn’t changed much but human society, that was really devastated.

So, as detailed earlier, they quickly realised the implications and adopted a survival plan.

So far, their attempts to find vital supplies had had mixed results. Two of the original team had died in their first confrontation with zombies. They had been fortunate to find two more survivors to replace them and had more success in their latest foray in search of provisions, although they’d had to fight hard to over the ever-present zombies and several of the team had been wounded - fortunately not seriously.

Once again they were in the Range Rover, escaping from a zombie nest for the second time in less than a week. Will was driving but the tension with the Wing Commander wasn’t there any more. After the bloody events at Grandpa Grundy’s cabin, Will wasn’t feeling too cocky. He’d insisted they go there against the Wilco’s wishes and the result had been very little reward for a lot of pain, particularly for Wilco Vagabond. Finding a shotgun - yes, nice but hardly Eldorado.

So when the Commander told him to pull off the road and up a gentle, grass-covered hill, Will immediately complied.
"We can see anyone or anything coming for miles away from here so let’s stop, take stock and decide what to do next," said Wingco Vaggers.
"And while we’re about it," chimed in the Reverend Tinker, "let me look at the injuries you’ve suffered, Commander Vagabond. I have some medical knowledge."
"Wing Commander," corrected Vagabond. "But thanks, I’d appreciate a bit of patching up. Let’s get out of the car and get some fresh air."
The Reverend got to work with the Range Rover’s very basic medical kit and while he did so, the Wing Commander made some surprising revelations.





"From what I’ve seen, this disaster (one may almost call it an apocalypse) has happened with incredible speed and affected almost the total population; we appear to be amongst a tiny number of survivors." The others murmured agreement and Vaggers carried on. "We’ve all heard the expression ‘I can’t tell you but if I did, I’d have to kill you’, usually spoken as a jokey remark. Well up until four or five days ago, it would have been literally true if I’d told you what I’m about to say."
The others took one look at his face to know he meant what he said.

"However, the need for secrecy is gone. We’re on our own so I’ll tell you more about me and my job. You know I’m a Wing Commander in the RAF but for a number of years I’ve been working for a department so secret that even MI5 and MI6 know nothing about it. Its task is to prepare for a national or international calamity that renders normal government impossible; in other words, something like what has actually happened. I was in this area to sound out Tristram Pitt-Bulstrode about the possibility of him taking responsibility for running the show in Borsetshire. Sadly, this disaster has happened much faster and with far greater effect than we planned for and our careful arrangements have been blown away."

The other three were astonished by the Wingco’s revelations. No-one spoke. The only sound apart from Vaggers calm, matter-of-fact voice came from the Reverend Tinker as he carried on attending to the various wounds the group had suffered.

"I won’t waste time on the details of our planning, I’ll go straight to how it could help us now. The department has set up many secret resource centres all over the country. They contain basic but vital supplies to be accessed by local committees in the event of catastrophe - things like food, petrol, clothing and weapons. The centres are disguised to look like run-down commercial or light-industrial developments. They’re guarded by armed MOD police. There are several in Borsetshire, the nearest being at Loxley Barrett on the other side of Ambridge. I propose we make that our next objective. With luck, some or all of the guards will be survivors and we can begin to form a solid base from which we can extend our knowledge of the extent of the disaster, search for survivors and offer a refuge for those we find. Does anyone disagree with this plan?"
The only one at all likely to have objected was Will and he was thoroughly chastened by the result of his last disagreement with the Wingco. He remained silent.

When the The Reverend had dealt with the last wounds (which were his own), he retrieved the shotgun he’d found near grandpa Grundy’s cabin from the car and offered it to Will.
"I’m sure you can make better use of this than me," he said "and it was your grandfather’s, after all."
Wil started to reach out for the gun then stopped himself
"Thank’s but to be honest, you should give it to Mrs Hebden-Lloyd." Reverend Tinker look surprised but Will carried on, with a certain amount of pride in his voice "She’s a great shot - winner of the All Borsetshire Women’s Clay Shoot three years running."
‘Well, in that case, it’s yours, Shula," said Tinkler.
Taking the gun, Shula gave it a quick, expert appraisal.
"Very nice gun, I wonder where old Joe got it," she mused. Will suddenly became very interested in following the flight of a skylark that was rising from the grass nearby.
"Gentlemen, Shula continued, "If you would give me a moment, I’m going to change into some clothes I found in the Range Rover, presumably belonging to your previous companion (she was referring to Berenice Snapcase who had lost her life days ago in the first skirmish with zombies). "I need something a little more comfortable if we are destined to spend our time fighting the undead."

When Shula had changed, Will started the Rover and they set off for Loxley Barrett. For the first time in days, the Team enjoyed a flicker of optimism.

to be continued……


Doug

[Legionnaire]

What a bombshell sir!  I KNEW there was more than meets the eye with Vagger's, but I had no idea about his REAL work! He obfuscated that well  .

A sterling, riveting start of the next episode! I am off to work so hope to have some exciting catching up to do later on this evening.

Lovely pictures and I like that fond you've got, really brings that hilltop to life sir  !

Regards,

Legionnaire.

[mikedemana]

Love it -- the more storyline and character development, the better! Which reminds that mine has been sorely lacking in my games... 

Mike Demana

[Sunjester]

Excellent stuff sir! Looking forward to their further adventures.

[Vagabond]

Excellent stuff sir! Looking forward to their further adventures.

Me too