Oh. You write about zombies.

I just returned from FenCon 2016, held in Irving TX. My lovely wife was kind enough to fund my attendance of a writing workshop that this con offers for an additional fee. There were many issues regarding this writers workshop I could gripe about (switching of instructors at the last minute, lack of supposedly vital print material, use of Yahoo!) but I just want to concentrate on one thing.

I submitted a short story for critique as was required for all participants. My submission was called “DMZ”  a short story I submitted to Homepage of the dead a few years ago. Its zombie survival horror, noting the battle between a zombie horde and not only the US Army and South Korean forces on the 38th parallel, but also with fragments of the North Korean army assisting the US/ROK forces as well. Not my best story, but not my worst either. There were issues with the story that had been brought up to me, but instead of correcting it I left them in so I could discuss them with the critique group.

Now, let me be clear; I don’t mind being critiqued. I’ve both given and received critiques on work throughout my academic career. Its part of the writing game, regardless of what you write. However, not only was I the only person to write about zombies (out of 19 participants) but the opinions I got from my critics were mostly negative. Which is fine, but they also told me that none of them actually liked or read zombie fiction, and I shouldn’t write about zombies either because “the market is flooded and nobody considers them good material.”

What. The. Hell? Getting a critique from non-zombie readers can be a good thing, but in this crowd I was treated to a near-unanimity of disdain and virtual eye-rolling for even submitting something so trite as zombie fiction. This group in its turn had long and enthusiastic critiques of urban fantasy, Native American fantasy fiction, dystopian sci-fi, children’s Christmas tales, and even a trans-gen horror-fantasy story.

Yet my zombie story (and apparently zombie fiction generally) barely rated a sneer. Everyone got some books mentioned to them as possible sources of inspiration and study, and I expected something along the lines of Mira Grant’s Newsflesh or even Max Brooks…which I’ve read already but are the better ends of the genre.

What did I get? A passing (no pun intended) recommendation of ‘The Passage’ and they then rushed off to critique the Young Adult Harry Potter ripoff. The Passage is good, don’t get me wrong. But its not even zombie fiction and seems to be used by non-ZA’s as a go to reference for most anything post-Apok.

Maybe I’m overreacting, but it’s a kick in the teeth to go to a scifi/fantasy writer’s con like FenCon and then to have your favorite genre belitteled and not worth the time for an extended critique on merits not personal preferences of the critics. One of the three critics wasn't too bad, I should note. However, even he admitted he didn't find the genre of interest. Oh, and none of them mentioned the problems I originally was critiqued about online. Of course, my session was cut short because time was poorly scheduled in this workshop, but that’s another story.

OK, I’m done now. Thanks for letting me vent!

Zombie Chow
Proud writer and reader of Zombie fiction!

  

 

 

Questions for the Readers: Books?

Hey all,

I've been looking for zombie apok books to read, and have been hitting a lot of zombie PI/Urban Fantasy stuff. Which is fine if you like that, but I want more traditional ZA stuff.

Can anyone recommend some books? I prefer books set at the outbreak, or pretty close to it anyway. I also prefer ordinary people not commandos, and finally I like Romero-style zombies. Now these latter two aren't set in stone, since in the past I've found books that violate each but were still great reads.

I look forward to the assistance!

Zombie Chow

The Peoria Plague

I’ve been listening to zombie podcasts recently in order to return to the zombie apok mindset. While listening to an episode in the 120’s I found a review of the following:

 

Peoria Plague

https://archive.org/details/ThePeoriaPlague

 

 

This is a 1-hour broadcast made circa 1970 at a radio station in Peoria, Illinois. It appears they were doing homage to Orson Wells’ War of the Worlds radio broadcast from the 1930s.

 

In this show, actual radio reporters and staff of the station narrate you through a zombie-ish outbreak in Peoria on Halloween, apparently started by a UFO. It was an AM station, so the sound is rough but it’s a nice (and free) mp3.

 

Zombie Chow

 

The Zombie Apocalypse and 'Consumption'!

Hello all,

 

Believe it or not, I’m still alive. I’ve been busy over the past year writing a RPG for Troll Lord Games (Victorious) along with five supplement books. I haven’t given up on zombies though, and I do intend on returning with Connor and Chance to continue the blog game in a month or so.

 

I’ve been recently reading some zombie books and fic to get back “in the mood” as it were. During this recharge of mindset, something unusual occurred to me.

 

How often in zombie stories do the main characters have to deal with simple supply problems? All too often its like the original Dawn of the Dead movie after the mall was secured. There’s some chaos with the outbreak, but all too quickly both survivors and zombies are gone and its “one stop shopping” as Roger’s comment put it. Food, water, arms, even reading material is sitting in locked stores, unmoved and available to anyone willing to break in. Does this sound plausible?

 

So, if anyone is still out there checking this blog…. ;)

 

How realistic is this to you? In my opinion, most of the ‘obvious’ places such as grocery stores, Wal-Marts, gun shops, etc. should be hit at the first. Oh, you can go house to house and that’s very plausible IMO, but unless you’re extremely lucky it seems to me that it’s not going to be a free shopping trip. Those houses will have zombies in them, or rarely even paranoid survivors who might shoot before asking little things like “Why are you breaking into my house? “

 

Opinions?

 

 

Zombie Chow

 

Zombies & the Turner Thesis

Hello all,

 

This post is going to divert from the usual ATZ game…though it’s been on hiatus while my Victorious Kickstarter was plugging along. This is more about the idea of zombie apocalypses (ZA) and their fascination to Americans.

 

What first got me interested in this idea was a comment made on the “Watching Dead” Podcast (baldmove.com) where the hosts compared the shooting and camerawork of the series The Walking Dead (TWD) to a western cowboy-style show. This connected with me, and I wondered why that was. After all, other than gunplay it didn’t seem to have much similarity on the surface.

 

Then (as I’m a historian) I thought of the 1893 Turner Thesis. In essence this lamented the fact that by 1893 the “Frontier” of the United States no longer existed. Turner was concerned at this because he believed that American culture was shaped by the idea of a frontier. A place where people who failed or had trouble in one place could simply go to the frontier and ‘remake’ themselves and their lives. This created the American ideal of self-made (wo)men and hard work leads to success. In short, overcoming obstacles was a character building exercise.

 

Then it occurred to me, isn’t that exactly what a post-ZA world is? A frontier of danger and opportunities all around you? Civilization is limited to small communities constantly under threat by outlaw humans and ‘natives’ (ie zombies)? A place where people can remake themselves for good or ill? Thinking about each of the main characters in TWD (TV)…each one of them has changed and grown as people. A few went bad to be sure, but they either died because of their bad choices (Shane) or recovered a sense of humanity to become overall better people (Rick, Daryl,…arguably Carol).

 

Anyway, it seems fascinating to consider. Please feel free to post opinions!

 

Zombie Chow

 

At the Clinic

 

The spattered man in the coat blinks at Connor, then sighs and comes over to the driver’s side of the cruiser. “Damn…” the medical staffer says. “I was hoping you were police reinforcements. Do you guys have any idea of the night we’ve been having?”

 

Matt slides across the seat and opens the rear doors. The man leans in and helps the officer out of the back. The officer seems disoriented, but then fixes his gaze on Connor. With a weak flip of his cuffed hands, he mumbles “My….daughter. At home…address on keychain….check on her.”

 

With that he falls unconscious again and it takes both Connor and the medic to carry him into the clinic.

 

Inside the stark lighting reveals chaos in motion. Moaning patients on gurneys, sitting in a waiting area with bandages, and several clinic staff rushing around trying to see to as many patients as possible. The medic gestures Connor to a curtained off side room and they set the officer onto the rumpled and bloody gurney set up within. The whole place is a cacophony of moans and shouts….then there is a piercing scream!

 

ZC

 

 

Highway to Hell!

 

“Damn, I feel like I’m in a buddy cop movie.”

 

Matt wasn’t thrilled with having to sit in the front seat of the police car, sandwiched between the brothers Connor and Chance, but from what that list from the CDC said it beat getting infected. The cop in the back seat was still unconscious and despite CJ’s best attempts couldn’t be roused. His bitten arm had been bandaged but that was all they could do.

 

Matt glanced down at the policeman’s belt in his lap. He’d holstered the cop’s pistol he’d grabbed off the street back near the hotel, but he still felt awkward in putting the belt on. It felt to him that if he did that, he’d take an irreversible step in this crisis. Almost as if by that act it would make the night’s horrors a grim reality.

 

“Hey!” Connor’d been flipping through the police radio and caught what sounded like an announcement. All three listened as a mechanical voice stated:

 

“…The Tyson City airport has been closed. All first responders are encouraged to maintain distance from infected individuals. Do not bring any injured to the East Texas Central Medical Center, as the riots there are still ongoing. Contact TCCM for additional advisories.”

 

The message continued on a loop, with uncertainty growing among the trio. Chance had found a brief hotspot and used his smart phone to find GPS directions to a nearby clinic just two blocks down, one block over. Unfortunately the signal had been lost immediately afterwards.

Curiously there are only a few cars on the road, though there seems to be more pedestrian traffic than expected this late at night.

 

Your moves, gents!

 

Zombie Chow

 

Turn 14: Up and Away

 

Stars: 6

Police: 2

Zombies: 1

Tiger: 4

 

Stars don’t activate, but I use the Final Fade-Out rule that cars running still move even if the driver doesn’t activate. After all, you’re driving at full move so you wouldn’t suddenly hover in place just because you didn’t make the roll.

The tiger goes first, attacking another zombie. Zombie loses (it’s a tiger after all!) and is Out of the Fight, which means Obviously Dead. The zombies go into melee on the tiger in return…leaving the tiger battered but victorious!

The remaining policeman takes a “Leader Lost” roll to reflect the cruiser taking off, and falls back to the convention center. He fires at the zombie nearest and misses.

Zombies converge on the cop except for the one on the highway, which follows in the cruiser’s wake. Curiously no zombies are generated this turn, neither the shot nor the car engine causes enough noise.

Our Stars saunter off the board edge, and this game ends.

So, you’ve got a police car, a shotgun, a truncheon, a pistol with ammo… Where do you guys go next?

 

Zombie Chow

 

Turn 12: Bugout?

Matt doesn’t reply at first to Connor’s query, showing the bleeding police officer into the car by main strength. He falls into the back seat as well, only then replying.

“I dunno. But we need to get outta here. This cop needs a doctor. Other than you two.” Matt’s eyes are drawn to the oncoming creatures, as if mesmerized by the danger. He blinks, then continues. “I don’t know WHAT the hell’s up with that cougar over there, but it looks like more of those rioters care trying to get past it. Let’s just go north. At least there the power’s still up.”

His last words are drowned out by the continuing gunfire of the younger cop, seeming determined to shoot every weirdo coming down the street. ‘Looks like both that cop and the kitty over there as lost it.’ Matt thought frantically. Will they be next?

The cop in the back seat seemed to have passed out, and Matt quietly retrieved the policeman’s pistol and spare magazines.

 

*          *            *

 

Turn 12

 

Stars: 3

Police: 1

Zombies: 6

Tiger:  5

 

The Tiger, Stars and cop activate, zombies do not.

The Tiger attacks one of the zombies following it, and gets 2 successes over it resulting in that Zombie being Obviously Dead.

Stars move as noted earlier. Connor jumps into the driver’s seat of the police cruiser, with CJ jumping in to ride…er…”shotgun.” ;)  Matt is already helping the injured cop into the back seat so will pile in as well.

What about the other cop? As CJ is nearest to him this will be a Rally check to get him into the car. CJ rolls 2 successes, but the cop gets 4! He ignores CJ’s pleas and keeps firing at the oncoming zombies. His two shots result in a miss and an Obviously Dead result, dropping one of the oncoming hordes.

What to do? Do you leave the cop, or try again to encourage him to see sense?

Zombie Chow

Turn 10: "Whacha gonna do when they Come for You?"

*For last turn, gunshots generate no zombies.

 

 

Turn 10

 

 

Stars: 2

Police: 1

Zombies: 5

PEF: 2

 

 

The lone PEF gets no successes so doesn’t move from its place behind the retail shop.

Stars:

*Connor makes a in sight test to see the zombies moving east down the road towards them. He gets 3 successes, so sees the four moving towards them from the west (where car alarm and ambulance is).

 

*CJ makes a challenge test to see if the shotgun is in the front seat or in the trunk. As the police have been dealing with looters I’ll say only 2 successes are necessary for the shotgun to be there. CJ gets 3 successes, so surreptitiously snags the shotgun without either cop seeing him.

 

Matt moves towards the older cop to assist in melee.

 

Zombies do not activate.

 

Police go into melee with zombies.

 

Round 1

Rep 5 cop:3

Matt: 1 success

Zombie: 4 successes (2 on cop, 2 on Matt)

 

Round 2

Rep 5 cop:  1 success

Matt: 1 Success

Zombie: 3 successes (2 on cop, 1 on Matt)

 

Round 3

Rep 5 cop: 0 success

Matt: 1 success

Zombie:  1 success (on cop 2)

 

Round 4

Matt: 1 success

Zombie: 0 success

The Rep5 policeman is Out of the Fight, while the zombie is Obviously Dead.

 

Now: Cop 2!

 

Round 1

Rep 4 cop: 3 successes

Zombie: 2 successes

 

Round 2

Rep 4 cop:   3 successes

Zombie: 1 success

 

Round 3

Rep 4 cop:  1 success

Zombie: 1 success

 

Round 4

Rep 4 cop:  1 success

Zombie: 0 success

 

Zombie is killed

 

 

The Police car is left running so 3 zombies are generated. 2 from the west, 1 from the east, all 12” from the Stars.

 

***Random Event and fiction coming up!

 

Zombie Chow 

 

 

"Its not what you think...?"

Fast move

CJ: 1 success

Connor: 1 success

Matt: 2 successes

 

Using the ATZ: FFO Fast movement rules (which I like better than ATZ:BDTZ) both CJ and Connor move the 8” normal move +4” which equals 12” north. Matt with 2 successes could technically move 16” but doesn’t want to leave the group so will only move 12”.

 

Running straight north leads them right into PEF 2, which resolves as… Oh yay, a police car! Police are in a vehicle, and pass in sight test.

 

 

Meanwhile, what about that pesky car alarm?

 

The car alarm now generates zombies. As this is Day 1 of the outbreak, this urban area is treated as a suburban area (5 or 6 on d6) to generate new zombies. I roll and resolve 3 zombies that appear, one north, at 12:00, one southeast at 5:00, and the last at 6:00 south. They are placed 12” away from the noise that generated them (the car alarm) which means our heroes run right into the 12” zombie!

 

All zombies congregate on the car alarm as currently Stars are out of sight of any zombies. The two (5 and 6pm) zombies walk around the convention center and move west. The zombie walking north into section 4 turns around instead and heads south towards the car alarm. The two zombies in the street and the one on the west side of the center turn and congregate around the van; probably beating the hell out of it to get inside.

 

*          *            *

 

With Connor’s suggestion, the trio runs down the side of the street, northwards and hopefully to freedom. As they get nearer to the intersection suddenly a car’s headlights come on, and so do police lights and siren. A gruff voice over a PA system says “Hold it right there! Do not move!”

 

*          *            *

 

Now, we need to do a “Meet & Greet” for the police. Over to you folks!

 

Zombie Chow

 

 

 

 

 

Down the Road

ATZ Turns 3-5

Activation:

Stars: 6

Zombies: 4

PEFs: 3

There are no doubles so no Random Events

Zombies and PEFs move, Stars do not activate this turn. PEF #2 moves into area 5 on the road, but is still beyond the 6" visual range for nighttime without lighting so no Insight test is triggered. The group is out of visual range of the zombies at the ambulance so their movement is random.

Zombies at the wreck: 1 moves North 6” toward section 1. The other zombie bumps into the ambulance and skirts around it south into Section 7.

Zombies at parking lot: 1 moves south then east to the side of the convention center. The half zombie moves north to the roadway. This zombie is only a half a body, so movement is reduced to 3”.

 

Still no zombies in sight of Stars or visa versa as turn ends.

*          *            *

Turn 4:

Activation:

Stars: 5

Zombies: 5

PEFs: 6

Nobody activates, but doubles are rolled so a Random Event is triggered!

A roll of 12 means 2 events are triggered, and a 6 and 7 means both are vehicle events. A roll on the Vehicle Events table comes up a 3 and a 7, to wit;

 

3     Random vehicle on table has car alarm go off. Roll each turn to attract zombies. May be disconnected by hotwiring the vehicle. If a Raid encounter the enemy will now count as fully aware.

 

And…

 

7     If inside a vehicle there is a zombie in the back seat. The zombie automatically activates and melee is joined.

***Since nobody’s in a vehicle 7 is ignored. A random roll says the vehicle the 2 parking lot zombies are near (the Mobile Service van) has its alarm go off.

 

*          *            *

 

Turn 5:

Activation:

Stars: 2

Zombies: 1

PEFs: 5

Stars and Zombies activate this turn, PEFs do not. Stars move before zombies though.

The car alarm will possibly draw zombies, they will be placed at the end of the turn.

Your move, guys!

Zombie Chow

Out on the Streets

The three friends stood at the rear steps leading into the back of the Victorian mansion now convention center. The faint glow of electric streetlights far to the north broke up the otherwise pitch-black night around them. Down the facing street to the west could be seen the strobing lights of an ambulance but little else in the area.

As they looked at each other, deciding what to do…Matt waves at a figure coming around the east side of the building. “Hey, are you with the convention?”

The figure doesn’t respond, and walks slowly to the three on the steps…

***Time to roll a “Zed or no Zed” check! I’ll post results as a reply to this thread.

 

Zombie Chow

 

 

Shots in the Dark: Turn 2

Connor couldn’t see much past the small circle of light around him, but heard CJ’s voice echoing from the upper landing of the stairway. While waiting for his brother to make his way down the dark stairs, a stranger made the landing first. He blinked at Connor in the yellow flickering light and said “Hey. Did you hear anything about the riots? Are the police here yet?”

 

Before the zippo-wielding man could comment, the sound of police sirens cut through the night. They rose in volume, then began to recede. Strobing red and blue lights past the windows of the convention rear of the building as a squad car shot down the street, moving at high speed.

 

Matthew joined his friend in the lobby, and said “Riots? What’s that about?” The unnamed man continued in a rush. “I was watching TV before the power went out, and the local station was saying something about attacks and fights breaking out at the hospital. They had some guy at the scene, but were having trouble raising him.” He shrugged at Connor and Matt, then said “Either way, I’m not staying at this lame con. I’m outta here!”

 

With that he walked blindly towards the back door. From the side windows, the four of them (now joined by CJ) saw the faint yet steady glow of flashing lights…they appeared to be coming from an ambulance down the street, parked next to something in the darkness. The stranger opened the back door and stumbled off into the night, going west toward the parking lot.

 

 

***Ok, next moves?

 

Zombie Chow

 

Cast of Characters

Our 3 Survivors

 

“C.J.”

Reputation 4 Citizen

Attributes: Medic 2, Marksman, Free Spirit

Weapon: None

 

“Connor”

Reputation 4 Citizen

Attributes: Medic 1, Athlete, Knife fighter

Weapons: None

 

“Matthew”

Reputation 4 Citizen

Attributes: Born Leader, Swordsman, Runt

 
Weapons: none

 

 

...pics to follow tonight. Honest!

Zombie Chow

Day 1: "Splattercon!!!"

 

Day 1

 

“Man, I hate lame conventions…”

 

Matthew sighed dramatically and took another drink of rum and coke. This round, was it the fourth? Fifth? He couldn’t remember…was more rum than Coke he figured. Still, what else do you do at the hotel bar at possibly the worst attended Horror convention in North America.

 

His companion just nodded sagely. “True dat.” He threw back his own drink and glanced with a gimlet eye at the television running the local news channel. It was posted on the ceiling, almost at the opposite end of the bar. The chipper blonde on there seemed to be smiling while informing the public of a new celebrity faux pas, a new terror attack, just about anything and ms. ‘Tee Hee’ chick wouldn’t change her delivery one jot. He turned back to Matthew and asked “Where the hell is CJ anyway?”

 

“Still in his room I think.” Matthew’s reply was dour, but he’d been that way as soon as the attendance became apparent. Granted, this was the first Horror con in Tyson City, “Splattercon!!!” had been all over the papers in Chicago a few years ago. Well, this sequel in the semi-boonies didn’t seem to be making a splash. Or a splatter. Or anything.

 

Connor shrugged, and gestured to the barkeeper for another scotch. “Well Matt, I can’t but think he might have the right idea. Or is he still sick from dinner?”

 

The other man just shrugged. “He’s your brother, how should I know? Though it is funny, an internal medicine doctor getting sick from Taco Hut burritos.” He chuckled, an expression not shared by Connor.

 

“Well” the brother of the aforementioned doctor grumbled. “It could be worse.”

 

With a far off crash down the street, there was heard the pop of electronics and all the lights went out in the bar.

 

In the pitch-blackness, Matt sighed again. “You just had to say that, didn’t you?”

 

*          *          *

 

Day 1 – SPLATTERCON!!!

 

The player characters will start inside the Victorian mansion that Tyson City remade into a convention center back in the 1980s. It is 1am in the morning, with a partly cloudy sky. All power in board sections 4-8 are out, and sections 1-3 are spotty, with the warehouse in section 1 lit but not the auto body shop.

 

The goal of the player characters (PCs) is to leave the center and get out of the “dead” area. Exiting via the road going west off board in section  1 or the road leaving the board north on section 2 are the only obvious ways out of the blackout area. Other might or might not work…as encounters may show. All PCs came to the con by taxi, so they have no cars themselves. However, hotwiring may be possible, as are chances police will show up and arrest carjackers (see Day 1: rules in ATZ: BDTZ for details).

 

The Board

 

Section 1: Auto-body shop, warehouse, road west.

Section 2: wood

Section 3: North road, clear/Hill

Section 4: Electrical Transformer

Section 5: Retail Store

Section 6: Hamburger Hut

Section 7:  Road west, clear/Parking Area

Section 8:  building***Con center

Section 9: Offices, road east

 

There is one wreck, a car into the transformer at 4, killing electrics on most of the board

 

There are 4 starting zombies:

1 in 7 between parked cars

2 at 4, Transformer wreck and ambulance

1 at 8, on the Far East side of the convention building

 

There are 3 PEFs (Potential Enemy Forces) along the north endge of the board, sections 1-2. Visibility is down to 8 inches on sections 3-9, but are 12 inches on sections 1 and 2.

 

Special Rules:

 

* Even though all PCs are in the convention center, the center can still be “searched” for useful items or encounters. Searches count as Suburb instead of Urban in the center due to lack of light.

 

* Game starts with Matthew and Connor, though others who are currently out of town (no names!) may join in as they wish. If there’s no post in a given week, then we assume that the PC is holding in place…no doubt terrified!

 

Your move, guys!

 

Zombie Chow

 

Podcasting Goodness

Hey all,

Still working on the BatRep for game 6, but here’s some zombie podcast goodness for one and all:

Watching Dead with Jim an Aron

http://baldmove.com/category/watching-dead-walking-dead-podcast/

Their coverage of this past Sunday’s episode “Arrow on the Doorpost” can be found at:

http://baldmove.com/2013/03/313-arrow-on-the-doorpost-the-watching-dead/
 

For non-zombie goodness…

Up Yours, Downstairs with Kelly and Tom

http://upyoursdownstairs.libsyn.com/

Both are part of the Bald Move network at: http://baldmove.com
 ...and are quite cool. I’ve listened to WD since their second season cast and went back to listen to all their first season shows to get their reaction to Walking Dead season 1. UYDS is a Downton Abby Podcast, and provide a lot of detail about the historical period as well….even though they occasionally reference <shudder> Wikipedia. :P  The Bald Move folks do several podcasts on TV shows, such as Breaking Bad, Madmen, Justified, Game of Thrones, etc. as well as some original podcasts too. Put it this way, I’ve never watched Downton Abby and I still feel like I know everything that goes on during the show!

Zombie Chow

Youtube Fun

A quick post, as I'm still waiting on the pics for the Defend scenario. To keep my readers amused, check out the below 2 links on Youtube.

This is an actual broadcast on a TV station in the Great Lakes region. Hackers got into the Emergency Broadcast System of the station and ran the following announcement:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R76a8mffg2M

 

This is some ATZ miniature gaming that was pretty cool: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=795mTrnR_-s

 

Hope everyone had Happy VD on Thursday! :D

LOL!

 

Zombie Chow

 

 

Surgery, In-Laws, and Defend!

Hello all,

Well, I've managed to get an ATZ game in this week but I had to play the Defend scenario for my group a bit fast and loose as my wife was supposed to have surgery today. Which meant my mother-in-law came down to help her through the post-op and for some reason wanted to stay in the guest bedroom instead of sleeping on the couch because my ATZ board was set up with minis on the bed. Weird! ;)

Anyway, I stayed up until 1am last night finishing the game (pics and batrep to follow soon) and I discovered a couple of things. First I rolled that half my group was gone (Kaylee, Sebastian, and Neeva) while Liz, Jennifer and I were at the house with the two little girls from the Domestic Disturbance scenario from ATZ Haven. The dice said for the team not to return until 4 activations but was a bit fuzzy as to when the count started. I had them start from the first activation the zombies began attacking the barricades as otherwise Team Kaylee would make it here in no time. How do others handle this?

By the ATZ barricade rules, since 2 of the 3 people in the house had some carpentry tools it seemed like the zombies couldnt' get in very well. After all, if a survivor is on the other side with tools then even if 3 zombies tear down the barricade 1 rank then that survivor can just put it back up on their activation right? Was I doing this correctly?

Anyway, more later. Hope all are having a fun January!

Zombie Chow

A warning for those buying plastic minis

ThinkGeek is running a sale on some plastic army men and zombies...As I am big into 20mm figs (ie plastic army men) I thought this would be a great set to use to increase my variety of zombies. A few extra survivors wouldn't hurt either. So, I put them on my Amazon wishlist for Christmas.

My In-Laws (of all people!) got them for me. Great, right! Wrong! The figures are nice, well sculpted....and about 45mm tall(!) Who thought THAT was a good scale? not only are they waaay too big for my 20mm stuff, they're not even terribly useful for the standard 28mm gamers! I sent them to Dexter (from the Board of the Living Lead) to see if he could do something with them, as I can't.

The big gripe I have is that ThinkGeek didn't put their scale on the page, just that they were zombies and troopers of "traditional plastic army men". Now, is it just me or does "traditional plastic army men" bring 1/72 scale figs to mind? Or even 1/35 at the outside, not 45mm.

***This has been a Zombie Wargamers Public Service Announcement***

Zombie Chow