Pages

Friday 25 May 2012

ORDERS: Intro to the next phase of Haven ATZ campaign.


Gunnery Sergeant Major Thomas Highway surveyed his platoon. 'America needs a few good men! But are these them?' he thought ironically. After leaving the USMC Gunny Highway found retirement too tame and joined the 152nd National Guard. He surveyed his platoon; a mixture of  farm boys and city lads looking for a bit of excitement and a uniform to wow the girls. Sadly under trained but with enthusiasm and youth he hoped they wouldn't get his ass blown off on a live firing training exercise or in the next big one.

His, overweight, store clerk, of a Company Commander had dropped a live one in his lap. A 'No Duff' mission.

"Listen Up!" he started bringing all their attention to him.

"ORDERS!"

General Situation
There has been an outbreak of some unknown illness in the shanty town just outside of Moor City. The area has been quarantined and the CivPol are having a hard time controlling the populous. Hygiene has become an issue as one of the standpipes that brings water to the majority of the town has broken down. The city is sending in a work team to fix it.
Our job is to protect that work gang.
We are likely to encounter 'the sick' who, it would appear, be prepared to attack anything living within its sight, the civilian population, and we all know how they can be and organic outlaw gangs who have access to arms but with a loose command structure.

Our Intentions

It is our intention to support the repair of this pipeline by protecting the work team and bringing them out of the shanty safely.

Instructions for Units

The platoon will be split into two sections.
Section one: Sgt. Jones (R4,BAR); Swede Johanson (R3, SAW) & Tom Profile (R3, BAP). You'll have the BAR and provide over-watch to my section and the work team.
Section two: Me (R5,BAR); Mario Coozoo (R4,BAR) & Vincent Fragetti (R3,BAR). Standard patrol kit. Our role will be to provide close protection to the work gang.
In addition we'll have Mikey Quinoness (R3,BAP) as the team's medic and Jay Hicks (R4,BAP) as the driver.
We will pick up the work gang at the camp entrance 07.00 hours. Travel to the shanty in our own transport. De-bus and follow my lead.
The gang do their thing then it's en-bus and egress.

Comms

I'm in command and will be located with the main work team. Should I go down, Sgt. Jones takes over. After that it's Hicks.
There'll be no form of remote communication.


Other Matters

Only fire on my say so or if taking effective enemy fire.
Should we take any prisoners. Into the truck and we'll hand them to the civpol at the quarantine line.
Revallie 06.00 hours.
Last meal here breakfast 06.30 hours. Hicks, collect the ration packs for the day.
Parade 06.50 hours camp entrance. Hicks have the vehicle there by 06.45 hours.
Next hot chow, evening meal here.
Equipment: Standard Patrol Order. Springfields & bayonet twenty rounds each. SAW, one full case spare ammunition. No grenades. Don't forget full canteens. Quinoness, ensure we have at least one canteen extra per man.

Any questions?

So starts the next phase of my campaign, the Military. I'm going to stick with the 152nd North Carolina National Guard throughout this phase, and not bother with the regs as I'll just increase the reps of those that survive!

Thursday 24 May 2012

SPUnK Mobile


Well I got an hour to myself this evening so I thought I'd have a go at starting the SPUnK Mobile. My all maxim ''Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail," and I fell into it. Planning nothing, I let the creative juices flow.




Got all my Stuff out and Prepped the 'Man Corner'

Cut up sticks and glued them to the truck.


End of Stage One 'A'

End of Stage One 'B'
No idea where this is heading. So let's see.

All the best.

Sunday 20 May 2012

Next Project- SPUnK

Well obviously a relaxed weekend, another PZ blog.

It's a forward for my next project Special Police Unit (K Div) SPUnKs!

Birthday Loot. What a Lucky Boy am I

The Tablet was a surprise. I wanted the Indians to play a 'Muskets & Zombie' game, which was a freebie from THW. that doesn't seem to exhist anymore.

The WW1 German Infantry and  toy model car are for my next task. The reason I am embarking on this project is that I am so jealous of you guys with your SWAT teams. So I decided to create my own.

Potential SPUnKs

True to the 1930's & plastic theme I've gone for the German Infantry as, I think, their helmets are a close replica to the custodial helmet that we still wear. So they could make a decent 'bobbies helmet' (fnarr, fnarr).

Blurred final selection
 I went for the same ORBAT as we use now for a Police Support Unit (PSU), well half a one. One Sergeant, six Cons and a driver. Once selected there was the tedious job of cutting off the flash. I was a bit disappointed as there was loads of it on these figures.

What I wish my 'Man Cave' would look Like all the Time
 All kit prepped, pigs fed and ready to fly. Didn't last long as Sunday Dinner got in the way.



Prepped
Flash removed, appropriate webbing and back packs expunged, picklehaub spikes gone. Everything ready for the next phase. (Big thanks to Paul from 'Paul's Bods' for the plastic conversion inspiration.

I hope you enjoy this experiment with me.

Happy Sunday to you all!

Saturday 19 May 2012

Just like a bus!!!!



You wait a week for a blog and two come along together.

I spend a far deal of time listening to the radio. In particular radio 4. They are currently running a series about England in Shakespeare's time.

 'What has this got to do with zombie blogging?' I hear you cry.

Well, they ran one on the Black Death (which was very popular at the time) and how society dealt with it. It does not take much imagination to convert the thoughts to a zombie outbreak.

I highly recommend it, well worth 14 minutes of anyone's time. (The rest of the series is also very interesting).

Anyway here's the link and if you want more you can get them from the BBC website.


Tuesday 8th May 2012. BBC Radio 4. Shakespeare's Restless World. 'Plague & the Playhouse'

A Quick SITREP

It's been over a week since my last post and I must apologise for that. Although I have been following your blogs during my lunch break at work, but I can't post from there.

Anyway, its been a momentous week. I turned 52 last Sunday and my blog turned 1 on Monday. I was going to run a competition in honour. First idea was a guess the movie quote I have on a 'T' shirt but a glass of red wine, that missed my mouth, put pay to that. Then I had the idea of a guess who I am comp. taking a photo of me with some of my pals and posting it. However, none of my gang wanted to participate, and that was that.

Work and family commitments took over for the rest of the week and here I am. I'll try and get up to date with some posts this weekend. I have some ideas for the campaign which have been highlighted with my birthday toys.

All the best.

Thursday 10 May 2012

Obituary for Charlie

Moor City Globe
Serving the Community since 1910



MOOR CITY MOURNS by James Street (Photographer G. Street).


Moor City PD Mourn a Lost Colleague

                      Moor City mourns the death of one of its finest, Constable Charles 'Charlie' Dickens. Following closely behind the disappearance of two other officers in mysterious circumstances.
                     Charlie came to Moor City from London, Ontario, after qualifying from the University, majoring in English. Aged only twenty years he wished to be a writer and joined Moor City Police Department in order to gain some 'life exeprience'.
                     Posted to St. Paul's precinct he was attached to section three run by Sergeant Albert Green. On August ?? 193?,  Charlie was ordered to enforce a cordon on Donkey Drive, the entrance to 'Purgatory'. Moor City's shanty situated on the river's eastern banks, relieving the night watch. Initially the shanty was quiet. However, matters quickly worsened as local residents, roused by internal gangs attempted to break the quarantine, that had been in place since an outbreak of an unknown illness a week ago.
                   Charlie and his section fought a running battle with the rioters along Donkey Drive for eight hours. During the battle Charlie was ordered to summon help. Despite the danger to himself he ran a gauntlet of outrageous fortune and completed his order. He rejoined the thin blue line until re-enforcements from the city arrived. Sadly during the disturbance Constable Dickens was stuck on his head by a rock, crushing his skull. This wound proved fatal. Further investigations are ongoing to trace the offending rioter. Detectives are not ruling out a connection between this death and the disappearance of Officers Briggs and Louis in the same area.
                   The funeral cortege was headed by The Moor City Police and Fire Pipe Band. Followed by Police Commissioner; Newton Le Willows, Mayor; Micheal Brunswick and Charles Dickens (Snr).
                  


Moor City Police & Fire Pipe Band lead the Cortege.

Honour Guard pay their Respects

                  A firing party consisting of his colleagues and an unknown agent from the Bureau of Investigation fired a salute over his grave.

Firing Squad

                   "He was a good boy with a promising future, so brave. He'll be sadly missed," commented Police Sergeant Albert Lynch.


Tuesday 8 May 2012

Riot; Part 2: All Things Zombie; Batrep; AAR

Continued

Turn 9 (5-6)

"COME ON! COME ON FREEDOM LIES THAT WAY!" A grey haired dude in a shoelace tie yelled pointing at the police line.

"THERE'S ONLY SIX OF THEM AND A DOG! THAT'S NOTHING! LET'S TAKE 'EM!" With that the crowd charged forward screaming and hurling whatever they could find.

"Brace yourselves, boys. Here it comes! Jack stand by!" Al Lynch ordered.

Bricks and bottles rained down on the thin blue line. Out of the corner of his eye Lynch saw Constable Green hit the ground clutching his shoulder, "get up man, Do you want to die?"

Another shower of rocks fell on the officers. Al Lynch would later state , under oath, that for a split second all went quiet and he clearly heard the crunch of a rock the size of a football smashing into Charlie Dickins' head.



No move for the cops. The mob moves forward but does not get into contact with the line. They throw their ranged weapons hitting Lee and knocking him down. Poor Charlie was obviously dead.

Turn 10 (5-6)

Jack squatted next to his fallen comrade. He looked up at Al and shook his head. Al Lynch swallowed hard and spat.

"Here it comes!" screamed the sergeant.

The crowd surged forward crashing into the cordon line. They pulled at the barricades tearing and ripping at the posts and wooden barriers.

"Nozzer, give Sonny his head!"

Nozzer let slip his dog's leash and the animal leaped at the crowd. Fearful of the crazed animal the crowd fell back.

"Jack, prep yerself!"

The right hand cordon broke and the mob lurched towards the breach.

Constable Lee Green struggled to his knees and wondered if he'd ever see his Father again.

No police activation but the mob moves into contact with the barricades. I gave each cordon a rep and the mob had to melee their way through it; gaining success with one failing the other. Sonny; any person in a range of 1" from Sonny has to take a 1d6 against their rep. failure means they retired 1".

Turn 11 (6-6) (PEF-R3 in 6) (6-5)

"Gas! Gas! Gas!" screamed Al Lynch.

Jack Regan cocked his second baseman's arm and hurled his grenade. Landing right into the middle of the crowd many became invisible shrouded in white smoke.

Panic fell upon the once brave and they fell back. Snot and spit flying from nose and mouth.

"Nozzer, get this barrier up. Lee help him out. What did they say at the precinct?"

"Can't send no help 'til Sergeant Ski and his section come on for afternoons!"

Al Lynch checked his wristwatch and looked imploringly at his senior constable.

Jack Regan shrugged and stated the police officer's favourite phrase. "The job's fucked."




Gas!Gas!Gas!

Speaks for itself, no move for the mob the police use one of their four CS grenades. Thrown using the flash-bang rules as firing them had not been invented by then. JR passes all the necessary rolls and the crowd flee.

Turn 12 (1-6-3)

The crowd fell back to a couple of shanty buildings. Many still crying and spitting, but the sound of distention can still be heard.

Jack jogged back to his position next to his cousin on the left of the line, "this is a long way from over Al!"

"Let's hope Connor hot foots it from town," returned his sergeant.

"Amen to that."

Turn 13 (2-6-4)

"Jack, move them on again. Let's see if we can break them."

Regan prepped his second grenade and landed it in front of the spluttering crowd. The white cloud did it's job once again and the crowd fell back.

"What the hell?" shouted Lee pointing at a couple of kids that emerged from the tip.

"Get the hell away!" screamed the police line in unison. The children melted away into the ruins.


A Second Dose


The Mob Fall Back

PEF resolves itself to some survivors. The rest is self explanatory.
Turn14/15 (3-5) (4-6)

Al and his officers stare, grim faced, down into purgatory. The crowd had halted next to 'The Sportsman's Cantina'. Little Mo and his staff could be seen handing out bottles of clear liquid.

"Bet that ain't water," hissed George.

"We gotta sort that B when this fight is over," Nozzer added.

Al Lynch made a note to himself.

Stiffened by illegal hooch, the agitators from the two gangs had an easy job of rousing the mob.

"CHARGE!"

They surged forward the braver throwing anything to hand.

Bottles, stones and rocks fell short of the police line.

Jack shouted at Al, "Sarge we got to break this soon. If we don't they'll break us."

Al Lynch looked on at the howling mob. He'd never been in this situation before and was unsure, "Jack?"

"Bring em in Sarge and whack them, whack them with everything we've got and keep whacking them 'til they break."

Al dithered.


The Mob Advance Again.
 
Turn16 (6-3)
 
"Lee, Nosser! With me let's see if we can lock up one of them rebel rousers! On my mark, two, one, MARK!" Sergeant Lynch jumped the reformed barrier followed by Constable Green. Nosser loosed Sonny on his long lead and forced back the crowd.
 
One to the thigh, one to the shoulder and one prisoner. Sonny kept the mob at bay as the 'snatch squad' came back with their prize.
 
"I'm sorry Mista Lynch I just got caught up in the mood."



Snatch Squad


Sonny does his job and the two on one melee gets a prisoner, it turns out not to be an agitator. This is the end of the shift so Ski and his crew are on duty a d6 tells me, but not the boys, that they'll arrive with reinforcements in 5!!!! turns.

Turn 17 (1-3)

Lynch and the snatch team recover to their lines.

The mob sweeps forward. Debris rained down on the police line and they fall back. Determined mobsters rip the barriers from their posts and open the shanty to the outside world.

"YEGHHHHHHHH!"

Turn 18 (6-4)

The mob hesitated giving Regan his chance. Popping another CS grenade right in front of them the crowd disperse.

Barricades down, CS Launched
Turn 19 (5-4)

"Sarge, we're at the bottom of the ninth, scores are tied but the bases are loaded. We got to take it to them!" screamed Jack at his Sergeant.

"Jack do your thing!"

Winding up his right arm Jack Regan, considered to be the best ball player in the county, launched his final grenade. It sailed through the air watched by all. The crowd began to retire, knowing what it brought. Popping right in front of the mob it's noxious fumes spread across the company.

They broke and fell back to 'The Sportsmans' , Little Mo gulped and ducked back into his cantina.



The Last Grenade


Turn 20  (5-1)

The crowd recovered at seeing the advancing cops.

"LET'S GO!" The agitators urged the crowd forward and they responded.

"Shit or bust boys, George backstop. Shoot anyone that breaks our line. Rest of you CHARGE!" Al swung his baton above his head and launched himself down Donkey Drive.

"Erin go Bragh!"

"Semper Fidelis"

"Yeah!"

"Remember the Alamo!" Nozzer would later be unable to justify his choice of war cry, in the court of enquiry.



CHARGE!

Turn 21 (1-5)

The lines clash. Batons flail, fists are thrown and a dog barks.

Constable Lee Green goes down in a flurry of blows. Three are snatched and thrown into the waiting cover of George Carter's shotgun.



The Lines Clash



Three arrested. Officer Down!


This was a straight forward slug fest. The cops melee with the rioters. Sonny acts as above and creates the gap for the others to work in. 3 rioters go OOF (and are arrested.) Lee, being a Rep 3 is subdued and also goes OOF.

Turn 22(6-4)

 A sound of sirens are heard from the end of Donkey Drive as Sergeant Connor Ski's Afternoon crew burst onto the estate.

The agitatotrs can do no more and the crowd scatters.


Relief Arrives


Epilogue
 
The cops held their own and eventually won the day. Constable Charlie Dickens 'bought the farm' and his pal Lee Green was knocked out, eventually to recover. Al, Jack and the rest of them will receive awards from the Mayor, but all in due course.
 
Aftermath
 
This game for me was so unusual I enjoyed it so much, only having been in the real thing on a number of occasions, I did not think you could get the reality in a game. But Bloody Hell you can. (Ed THW guy, if you read this, great stuff on the rules). I got so carried up with the narrative that the rolls in the latter stages were not posted but I hope that you can work it out for yourselves.
 
Sadly, this brings an end to the Police scenarios, which is a shame as I have got into the characters, I will try and bring them into future games. However, I must make way for the Military scenarios and soon you will meet Gunnery Sergeant Major Thomas Highway and his platoon (not that you haven't met him before) because you all 'habla inglese'.
 
Thanks for your support. I do hope you enjoy this world of mine, I do enjoy yours.
 
'Take care out there amongst the English.' (?)

Monday 7 May 2012

Riot, Part 1: Batrep, AAR, All things Zombie

Prologue
Seven days on and things are getting bad in Purgatory. The sick are becoming more prolific and the gangs are loosing business. A public display of resistance has been organised.

Sergeant Al Lynch and his section have finished their night rota and are now back on the quarantine line for the early shift.

Turn 1

'Bull had done well,' thought Little Mo as he surveyed the crowd. They'd been asked, cajoled and bullied but were here. A mob, his own mob and armed with a few strategically placed crates of bottles he felt sure that they'd burst quarantine. Tactically placed gang members got the mob's dander up and off they went.


The Mob

Off they Go

"You bring those gas grenades, like I told you, Jack?" queried Sergeant Al Lynch. It had been a week since their last duty at Purgatory and now on the day shift things were markedly different.

"Aye Sarge," came the reply, "only able to get four though."

"Should be enough, Jack. Don't use 'em 'til I give you the order," Al Lynch tried to sound more confident then he felt. Only Jack Regan had been in a riot before and this mob looked like it was ready to rumble.

 The mob was rolled and they move their 6" into the fray.

Turn 2 (3-4)

"Jack! Look after the left. George, Charlie get the shotguns. Everyone else. Batons!" Al ordered. His section obeyed without question. He cast a sanguined eye over his men. Jack Regan; solid copper, ex-military, new his stuff. His cousin George Carter; young, able and good with a shooter. Nozzer and Sonny; the former a bit of a flake but could hold his own in a fight, the latter a cross breed pit-bull, enough said. Then there were his two tyros.  Charlie Dickens and Lee Green; neither having been tested and were a bit of a worry for him.

View from the Police Line
The mob stopped in place.

Turn 3 (4-4) (6-3) (one PEF R4 in 3)

"SERVE AND PROTECT, NOT SUPPRESS!" the crowd became more rowdy. The odd bottle flew at the police line but fell short.

"WHAT DO WE WANT TO BE IN JUST A WEEK?" "ALIVE!"

"Lee! Double away and 'phone this in. We're going to need help before this day is out!" Lynch ordered his junior officer.

The mob stayed in place and moved up an aggression level. The PEF did not move and the cops braced themselves.

Turn 4 (M5/PEF2/Cops4)

Al watched with increasing disquiet, "Jack man in boater with the baseball bat. He needs sorting!"

"Got that!"

"ALIVE! ALIVE! ALIVE!"

Little Mo, from the safety of the rear of the mob strained his ears. He thought he heard something, a moaning? A high pitched keening sound. Slapping one of the gang he said, "get 'em going, boy we need them UP!" The noise he heard forgotten.

Turn 5 (4/3/5)


The Sick
Mo heard the screams to his right. Then he saw them, they burst from behind the Mission building. Blood crazed and roaring.

"The sick! The sick!" Panic ensued as teeth snapped at them. Reddened talons clawed at mob members as the group of undead crashed into them tearing and snapping. Those that recovered fought back. Two, three more went down to the fight back. Baseball bats, bottles, canes and sticks cracked heads. Bodies fell. Those that went down to zeds were fell upon and their body's torn into bite sized bloody chunks. It was too much for most and the mob scattered.



The Fight Goes On
 The PEF resolved to be 10 zombies they fell onto the crowd. But with the higher rep and armed members being at the front the zeds struggled only managing two kills. The 'seeing the feast' tests for civilians is a tough one to pass. 5 fled and all but 3 ducked back.

Turn 6 (Z6/3)


Aftermath of zed attack

"Let's go!" Al Lynch vaulted the barrier and ran into the fray. George and Charlie opened up with their shotguns, two zeds disappeared in a cloud of black blood. The remainder followed their Sergeant.


 The zed gang are tidied up by the cops who sortie out to help their fellow humans.

Turn 7 (6(123)/3)

"You!stand still!" snapped Jack Regan as he came face to face with the previously identified. The shocked man just stood and stared at the officer.

"You're nicked!" The male made no reply but dropped his bat and obeyed Jack. Jack didn't bother to 'cuff him.

The exit to Purgatory was open. Those that survived came from their hiding places and gathered in front of Mo's place.

Jack, 'eels someones collar' & the Mob reform.
The zeds are finsihed off Jack gets into a melee with one of the survivors. Those that 'ducked back'came from their hiding places and were close enough to reform. Their aggression level went up to 5 & 'aggitators' are represented by the red markers.

Turn 8 (6-5)

"Ok boys. Take it easy, back up slowly. Keep facing the crowd," Al instructed his young in service. The comfort of George Carter's shotgun 'umberella' giving them the space they needed. The threat was enough and the mob remained in place.

Jack banged his prisoner into the Black Maria.

Banged Up
With no mob movement the cops managed to retire in safety.

To be continued.....