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.