Akula's zombie skirmish rules

[chaplain severus]

This might be the wrong place since it isn't "Gothic" horror, I apologize if it is in the wrong forum.

I like Akula's skirmish rules for zombies and would like to give them a go, but I have some questions.

What is a good ratio of zombies to survivors?

How many liches/witches or hulks are appropriate?

I am looking to run a scenario where survivors try and make it through a city to the river and safety.

I plan on using 4 bands of humans with 4 figures per band

WWII soldiers using smgs, rifles, & LMGs

How many zeds should there be?

any advice is appreciated

[AKULA]

a good ratio is as many zombies as you have....

the variables for the rules are:

number of zombies
number of survivors
survivors weapons
survivors objective (in relation to the size of the table)

I typically run games on a 4'x10' table, with 400 zeds, 6-12 survivors, mainly harmed with closecombat weapons, pistols, and one or two assault rifles - if your table is smaller, it doesn't mean you need less zeds, it just means you'd use more weapons/survivors, or make the objectives different.

I would limit the number of "specials" - one witch/liche hidden on the table, plus no more than 3 or 4 tanks.  Horde bases are great for sticking near choke points, as are the other "specials" (if you've ever played Left 4 Dead, they always turn up at the wrong time).  Have as many fast zeds, as you want, but sprinkle them amongst the normal ones.

Basically try a couple of games, and you will soon get the feel for what is the right balance, for your table, players etc - then start to change the variables (above), before you are tempted to alter the number of turn cards, or mess with the shooting/combat modifiers.

 

[Lowtardog]

Dont forget to recycle the zeds if you havent got 400 like young Akky

If you are running it and the survivors are doing too well (maybe not enough zeds etc) throw in some glitches such as running out of ammo, more specials, blocked exits (buildings with locked dooors so you have to back track) that sort of thing.

ATZ is quite good for random occurences if you are the umpire. When I get home I will dig some out and try and post as I think I also have some from the Dead Walk again

[AKULA]

Yup, like Karl says - the rules are simple, so leave room for old-fashioned umpiring

 

[Lowtardog]

Yup, like Karl says - the rules are simple, so leave room for old-fashioned umpiring

 

Yes I think umpiring or playing as the zeds is one of the best games to do so as you can have a lot of fun throwing things in their way otherwise it can be a little of a turkey shoot

[chaplain severus]

Thanks for the info, I feel a lot more informed now.

A few more questions and thoughts

1. How do hordes work?  Are some zombies designated as singular while others are part of hordes?

2. If I have 15-16 survivors (5 teams of 3 or 4 teams of 4) how many zombie figures will I need minimum?  I don't have 400! With all of our club resources I think I will have like 150 tops. I will recycle as Lowtardog suggests, but is my horde to small?

3.  I figured each player would need a group to control, is that true or could a person go through the game with 1-2 figures and have a good experience?

4.  How long would a game last?  Seems with simple rules and my lack of figures it would go pretty quick

Thanks for all the help.

Matt

[AKULA]

1. a "horde" is a mass of tightly packed zeds - I base mine on a CD-sized base - they aren't essential for the game, but provide a different sort of terror - its basically indestructable in a skirmish game, as no amount of small arms fire will stop it, its like a vortex moving slowly across the table, eating anything in its way - great for placing near a choke point, any survivor in basetobase contact gets pulled into the horde, and ripped apart (no combat or saving throw).  In terms of figures, my smallest horde has 25 figures, the largest c50 - they are representative of a larger number.

2. 150 zeds is a good starting point - of my 400, 300 are based singularly, and scatter across the table. 100 are based on 3 horde bases.

Nominate a handful of "spawn" points, which you can use to recycle the zeds back onto table.

3. Yup, smaller groups of survivors aren't a problem - see my comments about balance, in my first post - just make their objectives realistic, or upp their weaponry.

4. As long as you want - given all the variables, you could get slaughtered inside an hour (unlikely), but most games should last anything from 2 hours - no reason why you can't introduce more survivors during the game etc, and keep it going.

[6milPhil]

I played these rules last Sunday and really enjoyed them for a number of reasons which I'll not go into right now.

I only had just over 60 zeds, and four groups of 3 survivors... for the first two thirds of the game I had every burst of fire generate another zed to keep them recycling nicely, only dropping this off when the game was approaching finish time.

It was great fun but also deadly... I didn't use any hoards, so every zed move I had to move upto 60 pieces (fag break anyone?) so next time I'll form hoard out of crowds to make movement and resolution easier but I'll use those Fenris Games irregular movement trays for that.

[Old Goat]

Re: 6milphil post, I played that game and popped my Zombie cherry.

Basing Zombie hordes is a nice idea as Phil (umpire) did suffer, fine by me as I smoke incessantly given a chance.

I can't remember who was doing the shopping mall, but that'd be great.

Nice fast, simple rules as mentioned plenty of space for Umpire imagination...

Not sure about the playing card based turn sequence we employed but to be fair don't know if that in the Akula rule set.  Some players spent a long time picking noses, cleaning finger nails etc.

Best, Goat.

[6milPhil]

yep the card based turns are in the rules.

However I adapted them to make allowance for four opposing teams of survivors (IDF, Delta, PLO, Taliban), and how we only had shamblers.

I reckon if there'd been one or two fewer cards per side it would have worked better, but you play and learn. I prefer that to the usual club rules... much less rolling of dice, more moves, etc.

[Commander Vyper]

For our games we use Matt's AR:SE with a few personal tweeks, again keeping the game fluid at all times. We work collaboratively with regards to controlling players and zeds, end of the day they're should be no game plan to the zombies so they will just move (en masse) to the nearest meatsack...erm I mean happy meal...erm survivor.

For spawn points we generally have 6 set across the table, (I've subway scenery so those count for two, other road entry points at the table edges, (6 d6 set 1-6 give us the point of entry role then 2d6 for number coming on the table). Digging out the old rpg dice is necessary when we add a few more spawn points in, (school bus, manhole covers, hospitals etc...).

Game length depends on table size of course, we usually go for quick and bloody rather than long and drawn out, so games last generally around a hour, meaning 2-3 different games can be had in one session.

Don't use hordes currently, and no specials yet (some on the table to paint soon) again have house rules for vehicles, zombie dogs, some weapons etc.. but basically it's all down to Matt's AR:SE!

[AKULA]

We work collaboratively with regards to controlling players and zeds, end of the day they're should be no game plan to the zombies so they will just move (en masse) to the nearest meatsack...erm I mean happy meal...erm survivor.

Spot on.

300 singularly based zeds with 5 players playing takes about a minute to move, if that - particularly as normally not all are within the sound range for activiation purposes.

[Commander Vyper]

Spot on.

300 singularly based zeds with 5 players playing takes about a minute to move, if that - particularly as normally not all are within the sound range for activiation purposes.

Exactly, if your survivors are quiet and stay outta sight, then the zeds are just a swaying in the wind.