The world has ended (Last Days page), and regular people are battling for survival. Two teams of everyday heroes have been fighting in a couple of skirmishes. Bai Wu is leading one group. Wade is leading another.
The group first clashed in the city center. Learning of a safe zone at a prison, both groups make for it. They clash again at an abandoned farm.
And now they arrive at the prison ... and it turns out to not be safe at all. Who would have guessed?
Setup
This is the first time I've played a game on my prison setup. Some of the board is neat mdf kits and others parts are homemade (fences, mats, trees, barricades). There's tutorials for all the homemade stuff in this section.
The scenario chosen was obviously 'Massacre Site'. So we placed lots of corpses on the battlefield.
We used all my Walking Dead prisoner, cop and prison guard zombies. See them in detail here.
Here's a video fly by over the prison setup. Beware the sound - there's noise in the background.
Special Rules
We decided to use a lot of zombies for this one. More than suggested in the scenario in the rules. Lots of zombies in the courtyard and a zombie in each cell inside the prison.
To not get too many supplies, we decided to roll a 50:50 to decided is a downed zombie was carrying supplies.
The Game
My team started on the back of the prison. The choice would be to spend lots of movement to climb the fencing or run down the prison, where a car had crashed down a section of fence. Thinking speed is the key, keep in cover, get inside the prison - before Bai Wu and his companions fight through the prison yard.
There was four (or perhaps five) zombies in the yard. Guards and cop who had tried to keep order and take in refugees - it didn't work out.
My team speeding towards the car, no targets to shoot, staying in cover from the opponents.
Firefighter Sam was taking point on the entry. I wanted to use his 'entry man' skill and his fire ax to get inside the prison. A big brute, he would enter the back and quickly secure the front door - preventing the other team from entering.
Bai Wu, Duncan Atkins and Dorothy making their way through the front gate. Spending actions to push the gates apart.
Frederick Luis, the soldier, taking up a position on the back of a truck. Using his military assault rifle he starts to take down the zombies inside the fence, before the final gate is opened.
After failing the strength check to force the entry, the firefighter simply options the door instead. Unnecessary noise made on that one.
Not spending time on mere shooting, the gate is opened. Duncan and dog Toto is straight in the face of a few zombies. They take them down with ease - though the don't carry any supplies.
Father Rotchchilds and Dr. Hendricks preparing to scale the prison fence. Checking the rear, to see if any zombies have been attracted by the noise.
My leader Wade inside the prison, taking down a guard with a burst from his SMG.
The shooting at the zombies in the prison yard unfortunately attracts a lot of zombies to the area. And Bai Wu's gang is immediately in danger of getting trapped in the prison yard. Father Rotchchilds makes all kind of noise, to keep them outside.
Unlike my opponent I'm lucky with the supply rolls and the Z's on the inside almost all carry around stuff.
Having fought their way through the yard, Duncan and Toto are at the front door.
This is where the game mechanics really start to matter! Because, being the aggressor, I'vemanaged to set up 'lock and load' fire lanes directly inside the door. Close up, with shotguns.
Having protection, securing the door, Sam makes it into the dining hall to pick up supplies dropped there.
The amount of dead on the other side of the fence gets too high. Frederick and Hendricks climb the fence, ready to aid in the entry to the building.
The noise from my entry in the prison and shooting in the hallways have attracted some zombies. John, well armed, is left defending our route of retreat - but fails to hit anything with his AR - he's locked in combat with an old zombie.
Father Rothchilds being the only one outside the front of the prison, is getting really close to being overrun.
Moments before the entry of the prison. My team has the upper hand. Securing the front door with 'lock and load'. Most zombies inside have dropped supplies, the zombies in prison cells are picked off one by one.
Bai Wu's crew on the other hand have had zero supplies on the outside - really bad rolls. For this to make any profit, they need to get inside the prison.
Scavenging supplies on the insde of the prison. Nurse Carla has gotten the scavenger skill, so I really want her to make it out with her supplies.
The door is opened and all hell breaks loose. Gunshots left and right, a few survivors are hut on both sides.
In the end Bai Wus team get inside though. My guys miss some very important shots at close range. The bloody super killer dog Toto takes down my firefighter and both Father Job and Leader Wade is shot down.
On the outside John is still trying to keep the escape clear of zombies. being outnumbered there's no chance he'll make it into the prison and take up a fight in there.
Father Rothchilds never make it away from the swarm and is overrun, but he manage to keep the zombies from eating all his friends.
Post battle
And absolutely brutal game. The game mechanic of aggressor vs defender really shined in a game like this, with the inside of a big building. City / building fighting is brutal and all about aggression. And the fighting at the front door reminded me of just training I had when in uniform.
Due to luck and first aid supplies non of the survivors were too badly hurt. A few leg injuries and post traumatic stress. But nothing too important done back at the refuge. Bai Wu had the talk with a group member and putting guys on watch duty.
My team had many wounded, so everybody ended up on guard duty as well.
For supplies a few guns and blades were found. But very thematic for the setting, Duncan Atkins (the melee bruiser from my opponents team) found a full riot gear armor. An excellent item that will make him insanely dangerous. So something good came out of the prison anyway.
Not having found a safe zone, it's back for survival and scavenging in the city.
Using a few bits, I sculpted up an armored Duncan Atkins for my friend. Still armed with semi automatic and heavy blade.
And using some extra bits (and the same head), I've made a veteran version of Carla. Still carrying her medical backpack, she now has a shotgun and surplus SMG.
