Voodoo Zombies, Ideas/Discussion

[Mad-eddy13]

So I was thinking, whats the deal with the cliche of zombiefied soldiers and began wondering about the merits of traditional "Voodoo" zombies.
Unlike a contemporary zombie, where a virus causes death and reanimation, a voodoo zombie is created with a narcotic compound, destroying willpower. The narcotic takes the form as a white or light grey powder that can be mixed with liquid like tea or delivered as a powder that can be inhaled. The powder is hugely addictive and one dose is all it takes to literally replace all free will with addiction.

In a WWW2 scenario it could be given to POWs to create immensely cheap soldiers. The Americans could have a New Orleans Houdan (voodoo priest) who controls zombie troops (German POWs with obsolete weapons) and turn enemy troops into zombies by engaging them in close combat (by blowing zombie powder in their faces). There are other things a Houdan could do but right now I'm focusing on zombiefication.

I was also interested in a modern/near future use of voodoo zombiefication as a combat enhancer by getting shell shocked troops back in the fight. However unlike the WWW2 voodoo this treatment is given via injection, and is coupled with steroids and other drugs to improve short term combat ability at the cost of lifetime health. These zombies would be near impervious to pain and capable of handling heavy weapons with ease. I am using Catachan Jungle fighters from Games Workshop to make my zombies, along with several modifications.

What do you think? Ideas for capabilities, appearances and weapons.                   

[Legion1963]

I remember years ago ( i have a feeling that a lot my posts of late have this beginning) there was a movie called, "The Serpent and the Rainbow", which was situated in the Haitie of Baby Doc Duvalier. Somewhere in the story this 'zombie-powder plays a part but i forgot precisely how. Lovely idea though.
I am most interested in your Cathacans as zombified soldiers.

[Mad-eddy13]

I remember years ago ( i have a feeling that a lot my posts of late have this beginning) there was a movie called, "The Serpent and the Rainbow", which was situated in the Haitie of Baby Doc Duvalier. Somewhere in the story this 'zombie-powder plays a part but i forgot precisely how. Lovely idea though.
I am most interested in your Cathacans as zombified soldiers.

I'll have to look up the film, sounds fun.
I like the zombie powder zombies because it seems a little bit more real than the mystery reanimation virus. Plus this way the zombies can use weapons, obey orders, feel no fear and they can be made in any field hospital without the risk of dismemberment.

For the Catachan to near future zombie troops, I first cleaned off all the Imperial symbols thickened their necks with Greenstuff to get the steroid junkie look. For weapons I made some M79 lookalikes out of the lasgun arm/buttstock assembly except the guy with the HMG, that I made out of styrene. For paint they get a sickly grey skin, pupil-less eyes and a myriad of painful looking wounds.   

The only problem I have is that my camera is on the fritz            

[mysteriousbill]

I'd also have them ignore light wounds. They can still be killed but feel no pain

[Mad-eddy13]

I'd also have them ignore light wounds. They can still be killed but feel no pain

Exactly! Like viking berserkers, they keep going with a few sizable holes in them. In a modern (troops use firearms) scenario you expect someone to drop like a stone when you pump a couple of rounds into them, not keep coming, so there would be a significant fear factor involved.   

[obsidian3d]

I think there's room for both really. The one concept is that they're still alive but follow orders / easily influenced. The other is risen dead that simply hunger for flesh to eat. I don't see why the two need be mutually exclusive.

[Mad-eddy13]

I think there's room for both really. The one concept is that they're still alive but follow orders / easily influenced. The other is risen dead that simply hunger for flesh to eat. I don't see why the two need be mutually exclusive.

They don't need to be exclusive, I just like things to stay dead, not get back up and try to eat me. Besides I played way to much Call of Duty: Nazi Zombies - the concept is, in my eyes, getting a bit overused.

[Count Winsky]

Sounds like making of a great wargaming scenario.

Since you want to use near future, I would use the prisons of your country to inject the enhanced vodoo vaccine into unsuspecting prisoners who would think they are getting a health vaccinations. This would give you an instant military force to do your evil deeds. :-)

Count Winsky

[Mad-eddy13]

Sounds like making of a great wargaming scenario.

Since you want to use near future, I would use the prisons of your country to inject the enhanced vodoo vaccine into unsuspecting prisoners who would think they are getting a health vaccinations. This would give you an instant military force to do your evil deeds. :-)

Count Winsky

Actually my plan was to use shell-shocked soldiers and POWs under the guise of "Treatment" for "Mental Trauma"...