Hi, everyone. I actually used the cityboard today and some of my Survivors. Interestingly enough, not a single one of my new 200+ Zombie Horde made it onto the table. How you ask? PEFs I say. I decided to use the PEF rules from "I, Zombie" and as you will see, most of the PEFs were a false alarm. Was I rolling weird or did I just screw up? Read on and maybe you can tell me. I don't know. :) I put some questions for the experts in
red.
I decided to use a simple rescue scenario. Luckyjoe is at home on Day One of the Outbreak. Most of his family is there with him, but his daughter Mary went to work that morning at the Curl Up and Dye Hair Salon. She's now trapped in the store. Luckyjoe and his son Stephen set out to bring her home.
Luckyjoe - Rep 5 (I used the suggestion to start with Civilian Rep 5 Star). X-bow, BAP, and Combat Knife. Attributes: Slow (I picked this one cuz I'm no spring chicken and am no longer skinny) and Stone Cold.
Stephen - Rep 3. Automatic Rifle, BAP, Combat Knife. Knifeman.
Mary - Rep 3. Pistol, Fire Axe. Athlete.
Narrative: Narrative sections will be italicized. You can skip these over if you don't want some crappy prose.
Joe and Stephen arrive at the small downtown area by car but are forced to proceed on foot because of jersey barriers blocking off downtown to vehicle traffic. They now must proceed just a few blocks down Main Street to the "Curl Up and Dye Salon" where Mary awaits them. It's bright mid-morning on a sunny, warm winter day. The downtown area is deathly quiet, there's some patches of smoke drifting between buildings and many abandoned vehicles litter the streets, some of them Emergency Services vehicles. Then they start seeing bodies, some shot, others torn up as if by wild animals, some both. "What the hell?" Joe mutters. "Stay close and keep up your sitch, Stephen". Stephen just nods, knowing that by "sitch" his Dad is referring to situational awareness, the process of constantly checking all around you as you move, and carefully listening, looking, even smelling for danger.
I decided to only use PEF rules to get my encounters.
Should I also have used the rules from BDTZ for generating Zombies?
Pic above is the numbered grid for PEF placement.
Anyway, I rolled for PEFs and their placement. Ended up with 1 Rep 4 PEF in section 6 and 2 PEFs in section 2, a Rep 1 and a Rep 5. I'm using the white dice number up to represent the PEFs. The number on top is their Rep so I don't forget.
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| Rep 4 PEF in section 6 |
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| A Rep 5 and Rep 1 PEF in section 2. |
Humans entered the board from Section 7.
Turn one.
Activation: Humans 1, Zombies 4.
Zombies: Activate 1st because they had a higher d6 roll.
The Rep 4 PEF in section 6 was able to activate because his Rep, (4) was equal to or greater than the 4 Zees had for activation. He passed 2 dice on the PEF Movement table which allowed him to "move one section towards the largest group of players". I moved him from section 6 to section 5, which brought him into sight of the players. I then resolved the PEF on the PEF Resolution table. There were 0 PEFs resolved previously and I rolled a 6. That was a "false alarm". PEF was removed from the table.
Two PEFs in section 2. The Rep 1 PEF can't activate because the activation roll was a 4, therefore his Rep of 1 is too low for him to activate. Move on to next PEF in section.
Did I do that right? You have have to have a Rep higher than your activation roll in order to activate?
I then rolled on the PEF movement table for the Rep 5 PEF. I was pretty confident I would soon be putting some Zombies on the board. Rolled double 6s. Rep 5 PEF passed 0 dice - "PEF Doesn't Move". LOL
Humans: I did a normal 8" move forward. With "SLOW" as an attribute I didn't want us getting split up by a failed Fast Move. There were no PEFs in sight.
Turn over. Roll for Activation.
Narrative:
Joe and Stephen slowly move up the street toward the salon, cautiously checking alleys and cars they approach. Joe is torn-up wishing he could run up the street but with the apparent recent shitstorm here, it's smarter to use caution. Periodically, Joe hears Stephen gulping to keep from puking, some of those corpses are pretty badly mauled. "Poor kid," Joe thinks, "this is some serious shit for a first mission."
Turn 2
Humans 2, Zombies 5. No doubles so no new PEFs generated.
PEFs in Section 2. Rep 1 again can't activate because Rep is lower than act. roll. Rep 5 PEF passed 2 dice and moved down into section 5. In LOS, so triggers PEF Resolution. 1 PEF previously resolved, rolled a 4 and got a Hostile NPC. Here's where I find one mistake I made, I went to the Involuntary Encounter resolution instead of the Encounter Awareness Test on page 115. By going down the wrong resolution path I ended up with "small feeder animal". Crap, could have been fighting Zeds.
Humans advance another 8 inches.
Narrative:
A sudden sound brings both mens' weapons to bear on a small doe running noisily down an alley. "Damn" says Stephen, "I almost shit myself". "Yeah", his father says, "and you almost fired but you've still got the safety on. Take it easy, you gotta stay calm."
Turn 3
Activation: Humans 4, Zombies 3. No doubles.
Humans: Advance another 8 inches and enter section 5, no LOS to PEF in section 2.
Zombies: Rep 1 PEF in section 2 can't activate.
Narrative:
A big semi tanker truck is jack-knifed across Main Cross Street, with an empty Police interceptor next to it. "Looks like blood smeared on the rear windows of that Police car, Dad." "Yeah, keep going son."
Turn 4
Activation: Humans 5, Zombies 5. Doubles mean a new PEF is generated. A new Rep 5 PEF is placed in section six.
Here's where I had a question. I couldn't find anywhere who goes first when doubles are rolled for activation. It's a tie, so I re-rolled Activation. Is that right?
Anyway, rerolled Activation to see who goes first.
Activation: Humans 4, Zombies 2.
Humans: Advance another 8 inches. The red and white building in the distance on the right is the target.
Zombies: Rep 1 PEF in section 2 still can't activate. Rep 5 PEF in section 6 passes 2 dice moves into section 5 behind the Survivors. This could get ugly. A charge from the rear? Nah. PEF Resolution was "False Alarm". No Zombies on the board yet. :(
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| PEF went poof! |
Narrative:
"We're getting close now, Son. Keep yer guard up". "Yup" says Stephen, clutching his AK tighter.
Turn 5
Activation: Humans 2, Zombies 1. No doubles but at least the Rep 1 PEF in section 2 should be able to do something, right?
Humans: Advance 8". You can see Joe just past the hood of the ambulance. PEF patiently waits. Still no LOS.
Zombies: Rep 1 PEF again fails activation.
Narrative:
"There's a dead lady leaning against that building, Dad!" "Yeah" said Joe, thinking about the news reports on the Chinese Rabies epidemic sweeping the planet. Let's hope she is he thinks to himself.
Turn 6
Activation: Humans 4, Zombies 1.
Humans: Moved 4" to door of Salon, but entered PEF's LOS. Got an Involuntary Encounter, outside Haven, went to Destination Encounter Table, got an "X", = no encounter. So far the group has been very lucky, but my poor newly painted Zombies ain't gettin no play. :)
Here's a shot of the awesome interior, below. Notice the 28mm hairdressing chair, mirrors, sink for washing and dying hair, cabinet, stool, clock, counter and computer register. Who else on the web has a fully equipped 28mm beauty shop? Nobodyz, that's who. :) Oh course, who really wants one?
We then collected Mary and headed for home.
Narrative:
Mary was waiting hidden behind the counter where she could use the mirrors to watch the windows and doors, without herself being seen. The boss had kept a pistol on a shelf under the register, and there was a small fire axe there also. She had grabbed both after hearing all of the shots and screams outside. A couple of times someone had tried to enter the shop, but the locked doors had turned them away. "I hope Dad gets here soon", she thought for the hundredth time. Suddenly there were shadows on the windows. "Mary" she heard Dad calling softly, "We're here, open up quick." Mary scrambled to the door, flinging it open. Her dad and big brother Stephen rushed in, both of them sweeping her into a hug. "Thank God you're safe", they all said at once, with tears turning to quiet laughter. "Listen", said Dad, there'll be time for this later, right now it's pack your shit, it's time to git". Carefully checking around the door, Stephen led the way out.
Turn 7
Activation: Humans 2, Zombies 2. Doubles! New Rep 3 PEF placed in section 4. That's what I'm talking about! :)
Re-rolled Activation: Humans 1, Zombies 1. Doubles Again! A Rep 1 PEF placed in section 4, also.
Humans: Moved 8" entering section 5 again, and generating LOS checks for both PEFs in section 2.
Rolled the Rep 3 PEF first - False Alarm. Rep 1 next - False Alarm. LOL!
Narrative:
"Did you hear something over there near that firetruck?" Mary asked. "Ah, you're just jumping at shadows" Stephen teased his little sister. "Stow it" Dad said. "Save that stuff for when we get home."
Turn 8
Activation: Humans 4, Zombies 2. No doubles so no new PEFS.
I went ahead and rolled Activation even though there were no PEFs left. I figured I might roll doubles and generate a new PEF. Was that the right way to do it?
Humans: Move 8"
Narrative:
Mary: "Is that blood all over the windows of that Police car?" "Don't worry about that. Stay on task", grumbled her father.
Turn 9
Activation: Humans 1, Zombies 1. Yay! Doubles. A Rep 1 PEF placed in section 6.
Re-rolled Activation: Humans 2, Zombies 6.
Zombies: No LOS and Rep 1 PEF can't activate.
Humans: Move 8".
Narrative:
"Not far now" said Stephen. "Shut up and keep movin" Joe said quietly. "This is when missions get most dangerous. Stay focused and keep quiet, both of you. You're doin' good but we ain't safe yet."
Turn 10
Activation: Humans 1, Zombies 3
Zombies: No LOS and Rep 1 PEF can't activate again.
Humans: Guess what? Move 8". (No, really)
Narrative:
"Man, almost there" Joe thought to himself, sweeping the area with his eyes for any sign of danger. "Lord, just let me get my kids home safe", he prayed.
Turn 11
Activation: Humans 1, Zombies 1. Snake-eyes! Another PEF generated, Rep 1 in section 5. Has a positive LOS from behind party. Could be trouble! NAH! "False Alarm" OMG! Again. LMAO.
Re-rolled Activation: Humans 3, Zombies 4.
Zombies: No LOS and Rep 1 PEF can't activate again. (sound familiar?)
Humans: Move 8".
Narrative:
"Did you hear that?" Mary said. "I swear something's following us." Stephen just rolled his eyes. His Dad, he noticed, did a quick 360 just in case Mary was right. "Don't see anything" Dad said.
Almost safe. Just have to make it off the board. That's why the table edge is cunningly evident in this shot. Can our heroes make it safety, or will LuckyJoe's infamous luck allow him to once more snatch defeat right out of the very mouth of victory? :) Stay tuned for next week's thrilling conclusion.
Just kidding. :)
Turn 12
Activation: Humans 5, Zombies 1.
Humans: Haul ass off the board for the win. No shots fired, didn't even see a Zombie. Is that the most bloodless game of ATZ ever? :) From a mission standpoint it was a total success. Might have been a lot different if I hadn't screwed the pooch way back in Turn 2. Still a lot of fun.
Home, Sweet Home
They made it home safe. This is a little O scale Model RR house I'll be working on soon. It's similar to our real home.
Thanks for looking. I hope the non-violent nature of this report didn't make it too boring. I hope some of you will be able to straighten me out, too, on those questions.
