zombie apocalypse

[Pollip]

Has anyone ever tried to do a zombie apocalypse campaign? It sounds like a ton of fun, but there would definitely be major snags involved, like how to represent a hoard of five hundred or more zombies with miniatures, or how to stat out what happens when someone invariably gets bitten.

Also, I'm wondering what system would be the best to use for this format. Standard dungeons and dragons might get complicated, because I'd want things to take place in a modern setting.

Anyway, any tips would be appreciated.

[Ent]

I recommend All Flesh Must be Eaten, at least for concepts if not system.

I am a zombiephile, and a big Eden Studios fan.

[horseboy]

I'd want something with really good explosion rules. Seriously, why do people in zombie apocalypse situations never use enough explosives? Hey look! We're in a concrete building with a horde of undead outside. We can make it to the roof, but only have so many rounds of ammo? What are we going to do? Set the zombies outside on fire or just blow them into tiny, nonthreatening pieces! Always with the stupid people in horror movies.

[FlyMolo]

I had an idea for this. It's a template, and I posted it somewhere on these boards.

Let me remember how it went...

Add the con score to the str score. That's the new str score. Zombies get FH 1, and DR 5/-. Single Actions only, and when you deal critical or sneak attack or precision based damage, that damage bypasses DR. For every 2, or 5, damage dealt to zombie not absorbed by DR, the zombie takes 1 point str damage. Zombie unkillable until str->0.

I like this system. It's a bit of work, but my players might run into it if I decide on that plot hook.

[Zincorium]

I'd want something with really good explosion rules. Seriously, why do people in zombie apocalypse situations never use enough explosives? Hey look! We're in a concrete building with a horde of undead outside. We can make it to the roof, but only have so many rounds of ammo? What are we going to do? Set the zombies outside on fire or just blow them into tiny, nonthreatening pieces! Always with the stupid people in horror movies.

Most anti-personnel explosives that are available (grenades, rockets) are designed to kill via internal bleeding from the shock wave or shrapnel injuries.

Guess what? Zombies just don't care much about those kinds of things.

The only valid option is demolishing a building or using such large quantities of explosives that the zombies are literally dismembered. Neither of those are very adaptable to plans which go awry. And this is a zombie apocalypse, plans will go awry.


As far as fire goes, unless your zombies feel pain, the zombie is just going to keep going until it's brain melts inside it's skull. Unless you're using white phosphorus or something similar, that will take a while.

In the meantime, you now have to deal with a zombie who is shambling around setting the surroundings on fire. And you have no fire department. Congratulations on being stuck in the middle of a roaring, zombie caused inferno, which is generally pretty fatal even without the zombies.

[Halna LeGavilk]

I've tried it. Start at level 5-6, anything higher is overkill, and anything lower just sucks against zombies.

[Illiterate Scribe]

SilverClawShift on these boards recounted what was possibly the most epic zombie campaign ever:

(a summary I made a while back)

Spoiler

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The battle.

Help from an unexpected source.

The big reveal.

Claustrophobia.

Creepy idiosyncracies, from the Paladin no less.

Discontent.

Woah.

Fighting in the dark.

The Tome of Magic is really creepy.

The epic conclusion.

[loopy]

Oakspar77777 on the DnD boards had a really good thread up on zombiegeddon campaigns and other things.

[FlyMolo]

SilverClawShift's campaign there was really epic.

That DM inspired me to DM my own campaign, although I'm not nearly as awesome as he is.

[horseboy]

As far as fire goes, unless your zombies feel pain, the zombie is just going to keep going until it's brain melts inside it's skull. Unless you're using white phosphorus or something similar, that will take a while.

Gas, moth balls and laundry detergent. It's sticky, it burns and burns and burns and burns hot. Make sure to not breathe the burning zombie vapours (as it might be able to cause zombism) after most of their flesh is gone you drop a concussion bomb into them, sending limbs flying. Then, and only then do you hop into your road warrior armour plated anti-zombie mobile to the next store, to gather needed supplies.

In the meantime, you now have to deal with a zombie who is shambling around setting the surroundings on fire. And you have no fire department. Congratulations on being stuck in the middle of a roaring, zombie caused inferno, which is generally pretty fatal even without the zombies.

Hence why you're in a concrete building.

[Vandin]

SilverClawShift on these boards recounted what was possibly the most epic zombie campaign ever

That's so awesome I can't even figure out a way to describe exactly how awesome it is.

[Nebo_]

Oakspar77777 on the DnD boards had a really good thread up on zombiegeddon campaigns and other things.

I was waiting for someone to post that, and if they hadn't, I would have done it myself. The actual Zombie part is a fair way into the thread, but the rest is worth reading, too.

Best. Thread. Ever.

[Hecore]

Gas, moth balls and laundry detergent. It's sticky, it burns and burns and burns and burns hot. Make sure to not breathe the burning zombie vapours (as it might be able to cause zombism) after most of their flesh is gone you drop a concussion bomb into them, sending limbs flying. Then, and only then do you hop into your road warrior armour plated anti-zombie mobile to the next store, to gather needed supplies.

I really want to know how you managed to make an armored anti-zombie vehicle that won't have its tires punctured almost immediately by all the detrius on the road, not to mention the roadblocks in the form of abandonded cars. I also wonder how your getting this gas - power is likely down and therefore the pumps won't be on. While it would be possible to siphon the gas from the reservoir at the station, I don't exactly see where you'll get the time to stay at one location for a large period of time. And I won't get into how you manage to get a large supply of powerful concussive explosives that you can reliably detonate at a distance.

Hence why you're in a concrete building.

One with nearby supplies, a source of water, easily defendable entrances, a parking garage, and roof access. Also make sure to get one that isn't inhabited by survivors, as it's likely that they wouldn't want to share this ideal shelter.

In most cases a zombie apocalypse happens over a very short period of time - you don't have time to scout for an ideal shelter, convert a vehicle into an armored transport, or gather a mass of unusual supplies in addition to food and water.

[Doglord]

Well D20 modern is quite, you know, a modern setting.
All flesh must be eaten is good as previously mentioned.

[Talic]

For combats, I use a "reinforcements" system. Start with a half dozen zombie tokens on the board, and every round that zombies nearby can detect, add more.

I usually rebuild the zombie template for more lethality, and transmission of the disease.

Recommended Reading: The Zombie Survival Guide, by Max Brooks.

[Bryn]

SilverClawShift on these boards recounted what was possibly the most epic zombie campaign ever:

(a summary I made a while back)

Spoiler

Show

The battle.

Help from an unexpected source.

The big reveal.

Claustrophobia.

Creepy idiosyncracies, from the Paladin no less.

Discontent.

Woah.

Fighting in the dark.

The Tome of Magic is really creepy.

The epic conclusion.

That was possibly one of the best campaigns I've ever read. Wow. My hat is off to SilverClawShift and her group (if I had a hat).

[MorkaisChosen]

How to solve the mini problem- don't use minis, use the power of your mind.

Zombie Plague should be a disease, Con damage, keeps doing more con damage until you get healed or die, if you die you become another zombie.

[Squash Monster]

If you have some free time, tokens will solve your problem with miniatures.

Take a few images of zombies and run them through the program Token Tool. Then go into any competent image editor and fill it with a grid of them at 1" size. Print off a few of these, and glue (I recommend spray mount) them to some cardboard or tagboard. Finally, get your group to all bring scissors to the table and have a token cutting party.

Tokens are cheap (they just cost free time), easy to store, and just as expressive as miniatures.

[horseboy]

Spoiler

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I really want to know how you managed to make an armored anti-zombie vehicle that won't have its tires punctured almost immediately by all the detrius on the road, not to mention the roadblocks in the form of abandonded cars. I also wonder how your getting this gas - power is likely down and therefore the pumps won't be on. While it would be possible to siphon the gas from the reservoir at the station, I don't exactly see where you'll get the time to stay at one location for a large period of time. And I won't get into how you manage to get a large supply of powerful concussive explosives that you can reliably detonate at a distance.

One with nearby supplies, a source of water, easily defendable entrances, a parking garage, and roof access. Also make sure to get one that isn't inhabited by survivors, as it's likely that they wouldn't want to share this ideal shelter.

In most cases a zombie apocalypse happens over a very short period of time - you don't have time to scout for an ideal shelter, convert a vehicle into an armored transport, or gather a mass of unusual supplies in addition to food and water.

Your neighborhood Lowe's or The Home Depot. They have everything you need to survive your standard issue Zombie Apocalypse.

Spoiler

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They have water and Gatorade in stock for your thirst needs. Food is available in both the machines in the back and impulse stations through the store and, depending on time of year, Lawn and Garden. It has limited access points, so they can catch thieves easier, the entrance ways are reinforced and in "bad" neighbourhoods bulletproof. All flat topped buildings are required by code to have access to the roof for the removal of snow and debris. Usually this is in a "secured" area to keep thieves from using it. Further, all but their most rinky-dink stores have a generator back up (Not to mention them selling them) for at least partial power.

The amount of dangerous potential in those stores are staggering. Hell, the amount of dangerous potential just in the Lawn and Garden center is staggering. Oh look, here's bags and bags of Carbon (charcoal), sulphur(Plant food) and potassium nitrate (fertilizer)! Don't want the zombies to have eyes anymore? Check out some of the warning labels on the bags of fertilizer and pool chemicals. If you've got "forever" you could just strait dump lime on them (No, not the fruit). You've got bottles and bottles of butane, mapp, propane and acetylene just lying around begging to be used. Grab the regulator off of a grill, some reinforced line, a one way valve, a gate valve some fittings in plumbing and you've just made yourself a flame thrower! Go through the women's lockers until you've found enough stuff to make "bath tub" C4, provided they don't have what you needed in the lubricant or welding section. Yes, they sell moth balls and laundry detergent (Though not the cheap kind that still has Phosphorus, but what to you care, there's a whole bag of Phosphorus over in Lawn and Garden) and in the back there's gas. Don't take it out of the generator unless you have to cause 1) I'm pretty sure it's running on diesel and 2) You're going to need it to power your welder to make your Road Warrior Vehicle of Awesome.
Why is there gas in the store? Well, technically, it'll be in a cordoned area outside the store. But short answer: People are stupid. They apparently enjoy driving to the store, fighting the crowd, buying a lawn mower, taking it home, filling it with gas, mowing their 10'x10' lot, driving back to the store, fighting the crowd, waiting in line and returning the mower. Never once does it cross most of their minds to drain the gas from the mower before they return it. Since you're not legally allowed to have gas inside a building and you can't dump it on the ground without it being an EPA violation, they keep buckets to drain the gas out of the mowers of the stupid. Once they have a 55 (US) gallon drum of it full, they have to call a hazmat team to come haul it off. Usually they also keep a gallon or two around for testing mowers that they're fixing for customers. So napalm is a go. Notes: 1) If at all possible, steer clear of the gas that's contaminated with the 2 stroke (chainsaw) gas. I haven't gotten as much success with that. 2) That blue (or pink) Styrofoam they sell in building materials is flame retardant, so you're better off with the mothballs.

People: Given that you've rendered all your local zombies to eyeless, quivering piles of slowly dissolving "eau," people will be coming to you for safety. This is actually a good thing as it allows you to expand your circle of influence. Well, that and odds are high they're coming in hot, bringing you new playthings. Have them bring in a small car or two while you run cover with your hunting rifle and someone else at the back gate to let them in. Bring in said car and dismantle it for parts. Then bring in one of those 1 ton rental trucks from out front. Build a defend able platform on the back to put supplies (like a generator and lots of gas cans. Have them kite over any zombies away from the gas station so it's safer for them. Then have them plug the generator into the circuit box at the station to run the pumps, fill the tanks, and get all the twinkies left there. Once you've got enough gas, and enough Road Warrior Vehicles of Awesomeness to carry your minions you then head over to your local National Guard Armoury (all this is of course provided your NGA isn't closer than the hard ware store) From there you either join up with the resistance, or if it's been overrun, loot useful stuff like a whore. Slowly work your power base until you've driven them out of down town/industrial/retail areas. Residential tend to be more flammable and call for different tactics that will rely on more what you have on hand.

Best of all, all this plan needs is the ability to pass High School chemistry, your character working in retail for like a summer, paying attention to your surroundings, and seeing a zombie movie or two, so the GM is going to be going NUTS trying to figure out how stupid zombies are going to "get" you. Yes this is why I'm not allowed to play Cthulthu anymore.