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Author Topic: Zombie game advice? Now with game photos!  (Read 5453 times)

Offline James Holloway

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Zombie game advice? Now with game photos!
« on: July 31, 2012, 10:42:14 PM »
OK, so -- the week after next, some friends and I gather for Dudetimes, a two-day extravaganza of cooked meats, miniature games and possibly some bad movies. During that time, each of us will "present" a game, if you will, which is to say be responsible for the logistics of it.

I have decided I want to do a zombie game -- I have the zombies, I have the terrain, I have the survivors, so that should all be cake. What I don't have is a system. My goal is to have each player control a small group of humans, either trying to get to safety, rescue a stranded victim, or secure an area. It would be nice for each player to have differing (and possibly conflicting?) objectives. I as GM will probably control the zombies. I'm thinking something like a 4' x 4' table, a few dozen zombies, and maybe some 'boss' or 'character' zombies.

I know that you guys are knowledgeable about this, so I invite suggestions for a good, enjoyable game that can be played in a few hours and that is suitable for a game like the one I've described above. It would be extra lovely if the game were available online, since the short time scale means I'd prefer not to wait for something to come in the post.

And, you know, if it's free, that's best of all.
« Last Edit: August 15, 2012, 07:35:18 PM by James Holloway »

Offline DoctorPete

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Re: Zombie game advice?
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2012, 11:19:01 PM »
http://www.nick101.f9.co.uk/Projects/RE.htm

Give these a look.  Seems to have all you want.  I have used them and enjoyed "tweeking" them to fit my needs.  And...they're free!   :)
I am not a quack!  I'm a mad scientist.  There IS a difference!

Offline Miniman

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 208
Re: Zombie game advice?
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2012, 11:52:36 PM »
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/roweller/ARSE/akulasrules.pdf

This may be exatly what you need for a quick "lets get into it" set of rules.

I have used them as is and it is easy to learn fast.
I now combine them with Kill Zone future warriors and my own home rules for more detail.
No amount of planning will ever replace dumb luck.

Offline James Holloway

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 763
Re: Zombie game advice?
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2012, 11:55:42 PM »
See, I knew you guys would know the kind of thing I was looking for! These are both great -- now I just have to decide which one is best for me! :D

Offline AKULA

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Re: Zombie game advice?
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2012, 07:58:18 AM »
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/roweller/ARSE/akulasrules.pdf

This may be exatly what you need for a quick "lets get into it" set of rules.



Thanks for posting the rules, but I'd rather people posted the link from my blog -that way the link to the Combat Stress Charity appeal gets a plug as well.....  ;)

http://akulasrules.blogspot.co.uk/

You don't need to donate anything to download the rules, but if you enjoy them it would be great if you could donate a couple of quid to Combat Stress by clicking on the logo on my blog (which will take you to a secure just giving page).

The link above also has the mutant/alien modification "half-AR:SE'd" and my set of Battlefield rules "Bad AR:SE" - both also FREE to download.

 :D

Offline James Holloway

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Re: Zombie game advice?
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2012, 08:54:27 AM »
Thanks for posting the rules, but I'd rather people posted the link from my blog -that way the link to the Combat Stress Charity appeal gets a plug as well.....  ;)

http://akulasrules.blogspot.co.uk/

You don't need to donate anything to download the rules, but if you enjoy them it would be great if you could donate a couple of quid to Combat Stress by clicking on the logo on my blog (which will take you to a secure just giving page).

The link above also has the mutant/alien modification "half-AR:SE'd" and my set of Battlefield rules "Bad AR:SE" - both also FREE to download.

 :D

Thanks for the link, and for giving away your work in the service of a good cause.

Offline AKULA

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Re: Zombie game advice?
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2012, 12:09:03 PM »
Thanks for the link, and for giving away your work in the service of a good cause.

Cheers James - happy to answer any questions about the rules. 

They have been left intentionally simple to allow for some old-fashioned umpiring (half the fun for me).

Have played with500+ zeds on a table, with 6-8 players regularly.  Games will basically last as long as you want, depending upon the size of the table, number of player, concentration of zeds, objectives,number of suvivors, what they are armed with etc etc

Best advice is give them a go (i'd suggest maybe start off with 2-3 figures per player) - if you end up killing everyone inside 20 minutes, then give them more figures etc

 lol

Offline James Holloway

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 763
Re: Zombie game advice?
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2012, 03:43:24 PM »
The question I did want to ask was roughly how many zeds you recommend and how large a table you usually use. I currently think I can field about 3 horde bases, a couple of "specials" each (so maybe 2-4 each of tanks, witches, fast guys, etc.) and then another couple of dozen rank-and-file zombies. Any more than that and I'm going to have to start drafting in skeletons, which is no problem but probably not as artistically satisfying.

I'm thinking maybe 2-3 models or so for the better-equipped military team, and maybe 4-5 for the various survivor groups, with the option to rescue people who are stranded in various locations around the board.

Offline AKULA

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Re: Zombie game advice?
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2012, 04:56:51 PM »
sounds like a decent plan to me - personal choice, but i tend to favour more rank and file and reserve the "specials" for if the players are having too easy a time of it, but ultimately it depends upon what you've got to hand.

Hordes are particularly useful if placed only a few inches away from a potential chokepoint, whether a narrow alley way, or the netrance to and over pass etc.

Basically see how you go!

 :D

Offline Miniman

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 208
Re: Zombie game advice?
« Reply #9 on: August 01, 2012, 10:54:54 PM »
Quote
Thanks for posting the rules, but I'd rather people posted the link from my blog -that way the link to the Combat Stress Charity appeal gets a plug as well.....
AKULA didn't mean to offend thee, I will keep this in mind next time I recomend these rules.
Also I wasn't aware of your blog until now and visited it, way cool.
I have played them a few times now, made my own cards as well and combined them with Kill zone future warriors (for skirmishing other gangs of survivors along with the zeds) added in my own house rules and it has become quite the system. Basicly when survivor cards are drawn I move into KZ and draw inititive for opposing groups. After all groups complete thier actions back to the cards and your rules.
The cards really make things interesting. Thanks again for sharing them.

You can see my post where I picked up on these rules here.
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=38871.0
« Last Edit: August 01, 2012, 10:59:41 PM by Miniman »

Offline AKULA

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Re: Zombie game advice?
« Reply #10 on: August 07, 2012, 10:46:05 PM »
AKULA didn't mean to offend thee, I will keep this in mind next time I recomend these rules.

No offense taken

 :)

Offline 6milPhil

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Re: Zombie game advice?
« Reply #11 on: August 08, 2012, 02:04:36 PM »
Just like to second Akky's zombie rules - I use both those and modern ar:se a lot. Quick to learn, fast to play. Makes it all about the game on the table and not the words in an all-too-often enormous book.

Offline James Holloway

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 763
Zombie game -- now with pictures!
« Reply #12 on: August 15, 2012, 07:34:43 PM »
Right, so! We played this twice, and both times it was great. Compliments all round from the players. The first time, the survivors managed to get away with minimal losses, but the second time I toned their guns down a little bit and it was much more apocalypse-like, with only 4 out of 12 characters making it off the board at the end.

Here are some photos!



One of the groups splits up early after a tank zombie beans one of them with a thrown trash can. One by one, they get picked off, like granny here who mistakenly wandered down an alley by herself.



The group's last survivor, Fake Rick O'Connell, manages to make it all the way to the parking lot and clamber into a car. He even gets it started and heads back to rescue the members of the second group, only for another tank zombie to smash his car, grab him and pound him to death.



The third group, the mobsters, creep out from hiding to sneak around the south side of the board.



But the zombie hordes are hot on their heels!



Colonel Sanders and his sidekick, Dick, deliver a jailhouse-style beatdown to a zombie.



Evading the pursuing zombies in a tense running battle, they make it to the car park and jack a car. A passing zombie gets the drive-by treatment. One of the crew is dragged out and eaten before the rest make their getaway.



Colonel Axemurder and his batman Hans fend off the zombies following O'Connell's failed rescue attempt.



They run off and circle around to make a second attempt, but the hordes are closing in.



The Colonel gets swarmed.



As the Colonel and Lady Axemurder go down under the wave of zombies, Aziz makes a run for it.



Leaping into a parked car, he throws it into reverse and hops it with the zombies right behind him.

Offline James Holloway

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Re: Zombie game advice? Now with game photos!
« Reply #13 on: August 15, 2012, 07:48:38 PM »


The cops are supposed to be rescuing civilians trapped in the neighbourhood -- so naturally they'll want to check the pub, right?



A zombie gets close to Detective Waller -- but not close enough!



A parked truck at the docks becomes the Party Bus!



The first party bus having crashed, a military truck becomes a replacement -- but the horde is close behind.

Offline AKULA

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Re: Zombie game advice? Now with game photos!
« Reply #14 on: August 15, 2012, 11:09:47 PM »
Great game report and photos - looks like you had a good laugh!

 :)

 

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