Generation Zed - Day 1

Hello, my name is Tim and I’m addicted to war gaming.

Haha I always feel that when I meet new people, especially at a war gaming convention this should pretty much be a standard introduction.

But more seriously, I’ve been getting absolutely smashed at work recently and it hasn’t allowed me enough spare time to really pursue the Pathfinder campaign.

And firstly, before I go on, I must sincerely apologise for that, especially to the players who have been involved in the campaign with me.

Unfortunately, I think I’m going to be under this heavy work load and travel requirement for a while which isn’t great for anyone.

Without having the time needed to purse the Pathfinder campaign (which really requires greater continuity and more frequent posting to really keep the momentum going) and being inspired by The Wargame Addict’s recent campaign I figured I might do a small solo campaign for All Things Zombie.

So here we go.

I thought I’d start with the Day One supplement to get into the swing of things.

The game will be centred on myself, pretty much a regular jo at rep 3 and my missus, Amanda, who’ll also be rep 3.

Working through some of the other basic starting stats, we won’t be Star’s, we’ve got a fair bit of food in the house (4 units), plenty of hand to hand weapons but no firearms (hey it’s Australia and we banned all that stuff long ago -  although I do own a 30 pound recurve bow, which by the way is legal), I’ve got my Pick Up Truck which has 4 units of fuel and Amanda has her Sedan which has 1 unit of fuel, we’ve got a small boat which has another 2 units of fuel and I always have some spare in two gerry cans (another 2 units of fuel) and we’ve got 1 unit of luxury items (being booze – in fact many people have said to me that I’d be alright in the apocalypse, right up till when I’d run out of beer……shudder).

For the start of the campaign I think I’ll just say I’m working from the office (urban environment), rather than out in the bush where I sometimes work and I think what I would do in the circumstances is to get my car, get out of the city to a local supermarket for a few supplies and then get home. Amanda typically works from home, so she’ll just start there.

So, the first mission will be ‘Vehicle’.

---   000   ---

“This past week has been crazy,” Tim thought to himself. “News stories about people getting sick and attacking each other. It’s like they’re turning into some type of crazed cannibals. Still the world must go on. The authorities will manage this mess. They always had in the past so why wouldn’t they now”.

It was about mid-morning on Tuesday. The work load was piling up then the phone service suddenly went out. “Friggin Telstra. That’s three times in the past 12 months”, Tim exclaimed.

And then suddenly, a large booming voice sounds from the window. Tim and his co-workers rush curiously to the noise and look out from the office. A police car slows and stops. “Be advised the dead are walking the earth and are attacking the living. Stay indoors and lock yourself in until further notice”.

Brendon, Tim’s manager exclaims, “Yeah right, the dead are coming back. What bull. And screw staying here. Everyone pack up and get out. Get back to your families as soon as you can.”

Tim quickly bundles all his paper work and his laptop into his locker and grabs his keys. Heading for the stairs he knows that his truck is only a couple of blocks away. “I’ll grab the car and get out of the city”, he thinks, “then I’ll pick up a bit more food on the way home. Hopefully Amanda stays there and doesn’t come out looking for me.”

Walking briskly down the street it doesn’t take long before he can see his truck. But there are three crazy looking people between him and the truck.

“Hmmm”, Tim thinks, “I’ll try to avoid em. They could be crazy rioters for all I know. I’ll cross the road and go up the right hand side till I get around them.”

Before Tim can get going three more people come rushing out of the building on the left in front of the truck. They run straight at Tim, by passing the first lot of people, who seemed to be just milling around.

“Sod it”, he thinks to himself as he dashes across the road to the bench.

Tim stops for a moment as he sees the new group still moving towards him. Suddenly someone from the building just to his right opens up the front door and yells out to him, “Hey! Buddy. Get in here quick before all these goons get you!”

It’s a generous offer but before he can even say thanks another group runs around the corner towards him.

A general melee breaks out where the two of the three groups start battling it out. In a moment two people are on the ground and the attackers start jumping on them and continue to attack them.

“It’s pell-mell” Tim whispers to himself under his breath.

Everyone who can starts to scatter as the melee gets more viscous.

< What had happened is that the two PEF’s had resolved with 3 citizens each. They had rushed towards me, as per the rules in the Day One supplement, but then in the next initiative the zeds had gone first and charged the group closest to them. Two of that party when OD/OOF and the zeds started to feast. When the citizens activated they needed to take a Citizens Brown Pants test and three of the four ran, with one just left stunned, looking on. >

Tim takes the opportunity to skirt around the melee and he double moves towards his faithful pick up truck.

The remaining citizen is frozen, watching the viscous fight. Blood seems to be spurting out everywhere as Tim keeps moving to his car.

He gets in, fumbles for just a second with the keys and then the big straight 5, 3.2 litre turbo charged diesel fires up. He floors it and leaves the carnage behind him.

--- 000 ---

And that’s why I love All Things Zombie. Jeez I’d forgotten how tense it is to play. No way did I think I was going to get through it. I thought for sure that the three zeds would get me and I’d be a first day victim. But then the PEF’s came to my rescue.

Thanks Ed. Great gaming system.

DEW