Post Scipt - Safe Zone in Numbers

I came home from work Friday evening and went to clear up the game table to find that the youngest heir had been playing. I have to say that he made a better job of the carnage and I just had to share it with you. I'll throw in a few numbers to finish off .




A Nine Year Old's vision of Zombie Apocalypse

122 - The number of rounds fired.

118 - The number of zombies in the final horde.

  96 - The number of zombies generated in game,

  81 - The number of zombies shot by the cops.

  36 - The number of humans in the mob.

    8 - The number of humans that failed the sanity test.

    6 -The number of humans that escaped. 

    5 - The number of zeds killed by the mob.

    4 - The number of hours taken to play the game.

    3 - The number of the mob eaten by zeds (during the game).

       2 - The number of buildings destroyed.

    1 - The number of dogs that escaped.

Safe Zone! - Episode 3 - ATZ Batrep AAR

Finale



The right flank

 Turn 16 (5-4)

They came shuffled out of the dark, dripping gore, their clothes torn and tattered. Jack and George had seen it all before. Taking aim each dropped a zed threatening their line. The others could hear the keening coming from their unseen foe as they lurched from their lairs.

The left flank

No move for the zeds but the cops managed to pop off a couple before they reached the fence line.

Turn 17 (6-6) (9) (3-6)

Within Purgatory the only remaining survivors had noticed the relentless march of ‘the sick’. George ‘Billy’ Wojcik slipped from is shack and pulled together all those he knew to be well, “arm selves,” he told them swinging a baseball bat he had liberated from an unknown corpse.

It sounded as if a swarm of bees were descending upon them; Chris Dean swallowed hard and tried to imagine what new form of hell would befall him. He pumped another shell into the breach of his shotgun and braced himself. The zeds just moved towards him. Chris was convinced that each and every one had eyes only for him.

The battle for the centre

Bursting from the shanties enraged panicking citizens crashed into the line of unsuspecting zombies.

“We can’t let any of them out,” yelled Hamilton, “we don’t know how many have been infected! Shoot to kill!”

Doubles created the ‘panicked civilians’ result and a total of 34 civilians would enter the board. I’d rolled up 30 prior to the game, but as I could only allow a set number (about 5 rows) onto the board, to be replaced as any fell; it didn’t prove to be a problem.

Turn 19 (2-1-4)

A group of the risen fell upon George and Jack’s cordon. We’ll aimed shots and the support of Ernest Carver blew them back. Yet more followed halted only by the mound of bodies that was piling up in front of the fence.

On the right, Big Joe and Connor were not being as effective. Joe’s Thompson was sure enough ripping into the creatures but not wiping them out. He had downed several in the past hours but many just rose again. Sergeant Ski threw round after round into the oncoming mass. No matter how many made their mark there was always another to take its place. A mass of rotting flesh crashed into the barrier before the men. Blood drained from Big Joe Savalas’ face as he saw the posts sway in the earth.

The three officers manning the barrier had no time to check their flanks as wave upon wave of bodies fell to their unerring fire.

“Sir, how long can we keep this up?”

Hamilton looked over at the Police Sergeant, as long as we have to Sergeant.”

Batons, stones and baseball bats crushed the skulls of the shuffling zeds as ‘Billy’ and his mob launched themselves towards freedom. Zeds reacted snapping at the fresh meat. Most fell to the civilian onslaught although a couple of the living paid the ultimate price. Hungry zeds dropped straight upon the bodies, tearing gobs of flesh from their bones. It was too much for some and they fled, screaming back from whence they came.

George and Jack on the right flank were exceptionally accurate and kept many of the zeds away from the fence. The odd one that got through did no damage to the structure. The pay back was on the far side. Connor and Big Joe; the former was used missing too many shots whilst the SMG (Thompson) was hitting but not being powerful enough to ‘off’ zeds. The mob crashed into the zed lines and did sterling work hammering them form the rear and cleared away many. During the next phase any zombie being generated within 3” of the mob would fall on them, the remainder would continue to the fence line. 8 zeds were generated.

Turn 20 (3-1-4)

Wojcik led the way over a mound of rotting corpses taking his mob to the police barrier. Chris Dean squeezed his trigger and Wojcik flew backwards into the next rank.

Two zeds crashed into George Carter’s stretch of line, they disappeared in a cloud of red mist as his 12 bore pellets shredded them. Jack took aim and blew the brains from another.

Big Joe and Connor Ski’s firepower pushed back those that had threatened to break through. Revealing yet another line of advancing zeds.



More zeds reach the fence line 

The battle rages

Ongoing battling, the piles of bodies in front of the barrier had slowed up the mob. The zeds kept advancing on the fence line. Massive police firing and accuracy had cleared the danger. 27 rounds were fired which created 10 zeds.

Turn 21 (4-1-2)

The right hand side fencing creaked and crashed to the ground under the sheer weight of attackers. Big Joe and Connor fell back loosing off a couple of shots, more in hope then anything else. Nozzer, seeing the collapse of Big Joe’s fence, jogged over pulling his pistol from its holster.

The zeds force a breach

Al Lynch ‘offed’ one more zed and took a couple of steps to the rear. Hamilton turned to face the breach falling back to secure his section’s new left flank.

Becky Smith just wanted to get out of Purgatory and when ‘Billy’ had proposed the dash she’d jumped at the chance, now she prayed for death to take as two creatures gnawed through her flesh.

It was bound to happen one of the fences gave way and it was the side where the most zeds were. The game is lost now, but I’m going to play on to see where it leads.

Turn 22 (5-2-6)

Big Joe drew a bead on the coming monsters and let rip with his Thompson. He downs two, the first’s cranium exploded under the impact of the rounds. The second staggered and looked blankly at the point where its leg once was. Constable Oswald banged a shot into its tumbling head sending it to whatever beyond they go to.

Not one of Purgatory’s ‘well’ cared for the body of George Wojcik as they trampled over it to reach the cordon. They fell on the wooden barrier with a determination to which it could not stand for long.

Turn 23 (5-6-4)

The sun began to rise casting a warm glow over the macabre scene. Gunfire sounded but the citizens were undeterred at their destructive task. Others fought for their lives against any sick that lunged at their ranks. Hamilton, Jack, Big Joe and the rest caught their breath and tried to fight away the exhaustion.

The Mob makes it to the Road Barrier

Only the mob activated this turn attacking the barricade.

Turn 24 (5-4-3)



 A wave of zeds pour through the breach

Connor Ski flees

A wave of zeds swarmed over Big Joe and Connor’s broken fence and charged the two men. Joe fumbled with the cocking handle of his machine gun. Sergeant Connor Ski ran. A further fiend lurched towards Nozzer; he panicked, dropped his weapon and fled. Sonny, who was lying beneath a vehicle awaiting his master’s voice, galloped after him.

The road barrier collapsed and a flood of civilians swept on towards the police line. Chris Dean fell as the torrent of humanity rushed over him; paying no attention to his uniform they clubbed him to death.

The Road Barrier is breached

Fairly straight forward what happened this turn. The cops rolled for fatigue and all dropped one rep, as did the mob, which dropped to rep.

Turn 25 (4-2-3)

Sergeant Lynch went the aid of his Constable but was forced back by the mass. His pistol was knocked from his hand and as he struggled for his baton a piece of four by two broke against his temple. He knew nothing else.

Big Joe goes down

Big Joe Savalas was a hard as nails and he fought like a demon. Two of the creatures descended upon him. Hammering one with the butt of his gun he crushed its skull, a swift kick between the second’s legs pushed it back giving him some breathing space, two gulps of air later a pair of the un-dead were on him. Tired and alone Big Joe made a desperate attempt to save his life. He died, shredded by beastly talons.

Hand to hand combat with multiple assailants never ends well.

Turn 26 (4-4-3) (4) (6-2)

JR/GC & EC withdraw

A shrieking echoed out of Purgatory, not one of panic or fear but one of determination, a battle cry. From within the shanty a horde of creatures poured forth, cleaving a gap into the ranks of frightened residents.

Hamilton Square beat a hasty retreat

Hamilton Square flashed back to the Ludendorff Offensive of ’18, he remembered the carnage, the useless loss of life as men stood because they were told only to be slaughtered by overwhelming forces.

“Go, go, get out of here. RV first set crossroads. MOVE!”

What remained of the section fled.


 

Epilogue

Hamilton Square and the gang are fleeing for their lives. There is plenty of nosh to keep the zeds busy so they have a very good chance of getting away. Hamilton will try and round up the two that ‘retired’ and RV with the cousins and Ernest.

Thoughts

Shotguns are devastating but HTH is lethal in this sort of environment. The flood of zombies were kept nicely at bay but something was bound to give. When?  was the question. I do not know why I didn't move a shotgun over to support Joe Savalas and Connor Ski, it may have made all the diffeence (hindsight is always perfect). The lack of doubles kept the inevitable away. Regeneration was also an issue and the rolls just kept giving me 5/6.

 Now the cops are away from Purgatory there is an open field run to safety. This game just writes itself. I love it!

I’ve been dabbling with VCBW, for all the good reasons, and I’m going to give it a go. But after this game I’ve got to keep my zombie world going! I keep saying this but it was so much fun.I would like to give FFO a shot but I can’t really justify the cost or the time.

Thanks for reading, I hope that you enjoyed it. Thanks for the comments also.

All the best.

Lorcan.

Safe Zone! - Episode 2- ATZ, Batrep, AAR

Turns 9-15

 

Fairly much as predicted there was a lack of doubles thrown and the game turned into and Aunt Sally booth. So I chose to do just a photo batrep, no prose.

 

 

Zeds close in on Regan's right flank

Zeds push out of the darkness. Only the road barrier is illuminated.

Nozzer is tasked to move the lighting to the two flanks

Body count is beginning to add up on the right

The left is getting overwhelmed, the fence is weakening.

T14: Showing the effect of shotguns in front of the road barrier

T15: View from the right flank.

Position at the end of turn 15. Headlights from the small torches.

Summary

Every section of fence has received damage (originally; fence BV-6/Barrier BV-4). The change from rural to suburban zed creation has proved to be the main challenge. Zeds have been created from 3-to a whopping 11 on the last turn. Can the cops hold out for another 9 turns? Will their doubles luck change? NB ammo is not a problem ere as it was assumed that the retreating units left enough for the siege.

Tune in soon for the final instalment of the 'Safe Zone' Trilogy.

Look after yourselves and tanks for popping by.

Lorcan

Safe Zone!- Episode 1: ATZ Batrep, AAR

Dramatis Personae

 

Section One

Section Two



Prologue

 

Special Agent Major (Retd) Hamilton Square knew the benefit of order in the predicament in which he found himself. Naturally, taking charge, he split the troops into two sections. One would patrol the fence line whilst the one would either rest or perform engineering tasks. The first task was to see if any of the vehicles worked. As turned out only the fire tuck 'fired up.' All the others were beyond repair. However, they'd managed to get electricity into them and he arranged for them to illuminate the barrier. He sent Al Lynch and his section to bed whilst he and the remainder stood stag. The day was coming to an end ad he had a bad feeling about what the night would bring.

 

Hamilton, Regan, Carter and Ski on Stag.



There are some forty zeds to bring on so some house rules were designed. Four bands of  10 zeds would activate on 1d6 turns after any zed activation. It takes two moves to reach the fence which had a DV and BV as per the Haven scenario. As a zed is offed a marker is placed. If a zed crosses that marker it has to roll 4 or less on a 1d6 to stay upright. If/when two or more markers are on top of each other the zed/character crossing them takes one full turn to do so. This was to simulate bodies piling up and the problems this may lead to (cf 'World war Z').  Doubles as per scenario and the game is played in a rural area until all hordes from the last game are on the table, then it reverts to a suburban one. 

Turn 1 (1-6)

Jack Regan patrolled, alone, along the right flank of the fence line. His cousin George was talking with his old pal on the right. 'Shouldn't be much bother 'til nightfall,' he thought. 'Anyway they'd seen this crew off on more then one occasion and the Cavalry would arrive by morning. The soldier boys had spoken of tanks and all sorts.' Jack Regan feel more comfortable then he had for the last month. 'Just one more night.' 


With no activation for the cops the zeds threw to see when the first horde would arrive. As (bad) luck would have it. The next turn. 


Nozzer take Sonny for his constitutional before turning in

Turn 2 (4-2)

Hamilton saw them first. They came from between dilapidated shacks, shuffling, many dragging their legs. Mouthing unheard words, vacant looks in their eyes. Intent on only one thing, the devouring of warm flesh. He pulled his Bolo Mauser from its holster, pulled back them hammer and loosed two shots. The rest of his section turned to face the threat. A many veterans do, he reverted to his training.
"Call out the guard!" he hollered.

The zeds appear and the officers had activated and only Hamilton reacted to fire. Al's section would take at least one move to reach the defences.

Zeds Appear

Turn 3 (1-3)

"No time for fancy orders men. Just blast them!" Hamilton's Mauser barked twice more. One round shattered a creature's skull and the second took the leg from another.

Hamilton heard the reassuring sound of boots hammering on the tarmac behind him as Sergent Lynch's section 'turned to'.

Straight forward target practise for the gang. Only one zed was created. However the next horde would appear in the next round.

 

Al's Section turn out.

Turn 4 (1-4)

Lynch had no problem giving tasks to his section. They mirrored that of Major Square.

"Get on that fence line and shoot he bejeezus out of them bastards!" They didn't need a second call and all men jogged to a slot in the line and opened up.

The zeds responded by starting their steady march on the barrier between them and their food. Five fell to the livings volleys but the zeds hesitated not.

The second wave appeared and began their march onto the police lines. There is not much left for them to do but fire and fire again. The 'easy to hit' rule (BDTZ) is a boon, especially to the lower rep figures. 1 zed created. The next horde would arrive in 6 turns.

Turn 5 (4-4) (12) (1-2)

Above the clatter of gunfire a loud bang was heard. Hamilton spun around to see Arch Wright's store ignite. White smoke billowed from the roof. As if in sympathy, the old garage that had acted as a makeshift hospital erupted.

"What the hell?"

Hamilton Square looked in amazement,"Unless Pious eleven has abdicated and the college of Cardinals has set up home in Purgatory the bloody houses have gone up."

"Sure now, Purgatory might be the best place for them," added the Irish Police Sergeant with a grin.

Hamilton gave him a laconic wink, "back to work Sergeant."

"Aye, Sir," said Lynch as he raised his pistol and fired,you heard the Major boys!"

The boys knew there was no option and did as they were told.

 Zed after zed fell, the ground before the fence was littered with corpses, all of whom had died twice.

"Holy Mary and Joseph!"

Al recognised Nozzer's tones, "stay with it lad!"

"It's  not that sarge. Sonny's tethered to Wright's place."

"Fall out lad and get him," a sideways glance at Hamilton confirmed he'd made the right decision.

The first doubles and a 12 was thrown,meaing a fire. The living's luck was not holding and 6 came up meaning two buildings ignited the second being the garage, this meant that in 2 turns a further 1d6 zeds would appear on the road. 3 zeds generated.

Turn 6 (1-3)

Nozzer ran back to the store to be greeted by Sonny, barking in panic as the smoke engulfed him. Nozzer slipped his leash and the hound bounded into the middle of the car park.

"He loves that beast," Lynch told Square.

"Oswald! Stay behind the firing line and do as I order."

Nozzer Ostwald crossed to his dog and made a fuss of him. 

Lynch picked his target and fired, "we need all the fire power we can get."

Hamilton jerked his head upwards, "night's coming. We'll need support tasks soon."

On the right flank Jack Regan was struggling. He had been holding the line on his own and although his accuracy had been good there was just too many of them and they began to attack the fence.

"Carter! Get that shooter over there and support your cousin. Carver, get yourself onto the right side of this gate, cover both the right flank and the centre!"

No real gaming this turn to explain. 2 zeds created.

Turn 7 (2-5)

Night begins to fall and the zed advance is relentless. They shuffle forward some moaning, some crying. All with slavering mouths filled with black rotten teeth.

The six zeds appear and the cops don't activate. They just keep advancing onto the fence. Those that are there attack it.
Turn 8 (3-2)

"Oswald get the lights on!"

Nozzer and Sonny moved and the former hit the lights on each of three vehicles casting an eerie glow to the front line.
In the fading light there gun flashes are brighter. More zeds fall but there seems to be an unending supply. Shotguns hammer away cutting gaping holes in the zed ranks, pistols support their work. Zeds tear at the barricade and chicken wire.

On the left, Big Joe, his Thompson and Conner Ski had kept the hordes at arms length but even their combined firepower couldn't hold back the numbers and a couple of zeds crashed into their section shaking the posts, loosening them.

Night fell on turn 8 and the number of zeds are begining to tell. To cap it all 12 zeds were created this turn. 

 


I haven't played a day/night match for 12 months so I'm giving it a go. The three shotguns are doing their thing and without them I feel the line would have been overrun. The other matter that has helped is the dearth of doubles. The game will last (potentially) for 16 more turn when the sun'll come up and the zeds drift away. The body count on the fence line is increasing and it won't be long before the assailants take 3 turns to reach the fence . This may save humanity! I have a feeling that if some doubles don't get rolled or the fence line is breached the next few turns will be a bit of a shooting gallery.

Hope you enjoyed the first episode. Thanks for reading.

Lorcan.


















A Terrace Build 3 - The Final Part

Final day of lates and I want to finish this build.

The rear of the property is done like the front. Pins hold the build together whilst the glue sets.

Stirrers and matches add the step and window ledges.

A background of roof tiles photocopied and reenforced with wooden stirrers. Some chimneys scavenged from another card model.

Bamboo skewers for down pipes

The finished piece. I'm fairly happy with it but it is allot of work for something that WWG or Stol would do which could be done in a third of the time. Would it be any easier to make a pre-bought model? I can't be bothered to base it yet, even if I do. 

I think that will do for building at the moment and I'll get to painting up some figures next.

Thanks for all your comments guys, most appreciated.

It's looking remarkably like spring here. No rain and the sun's shinning!

Take care. Lorcan.

A Terrace Build 2

With the heirs at school, it was back on site.

Cut the patterns from some brick backgrounds

Paste the cutouts to the frames

Open up the window and door frames, peel back and paste.

Pre and post

Now this was a stroke of luck. The admin girl was laminating some documents and forgot to put a document into a pouch. I got a sheet of modelling glass!

Classic picture of a piece of clear plastiglass!

Glass pasted in and doors added.

Dish cloth and paper towel curtains

Paper strips for frames and curtains added, the front complete.

The rear, roof and putting it all together next. I had a warping issue but I strengthened the walls with wooden coffee stirrers and put them under a weighted book whilst I went to work. It seems to have done the trick.  More soon, maybe tomorrow.

Try and keep dry out there.

Lorcan.

A Terrace Build 1.

Back on shifts, which I actually quiet like as it gives me time in the morning to do bits and pieces once the heirs are at school. The Viscountess leaves me alone (which is nice).

So today I decided to have a go at building some terraced housing for an English town/village. You all know where this is going.

 First of all planning. I checked out some average dimensions of terraced housing, there are plenty on the web. Then using a rather nifty app I was able to convert those measurements into 1/72nd scale. This can be found on:
www.Scale-models.nl/Scale.htm.
Just type in the distances and out they come to scale.
Then I drew up a 1:1 scale drawing in my modelling book. (My school didn't do practical stuff like TD. However I can read the Bayeux Tapestry!)

Gathered together my tools and materials. Yep I've tried it again, pizza packaging.

Finally I cut out the blanks and interestingly each base provides enough polystyrene for a long wall and a side.

Being a scrap builder I couldn't stand throwing away the waste as I'm sure it will come in handy later! In hindsight (which is always 20:20) I will put a fresh blade into the old Stanley Knife.

I left it there for more mundane chores. But the future holds making doors, windows, curtains and 

attaching them to the walls, before building the street.

 I want to get the albatross of a game (Safe Zone) completed. But family duty, work and the Six Nations has got in the way. So much gaming so little time.

Keep on gaming.

Lorcan.