A Man Of The People - ATZ Campaign Day 5

It's been over a month since the last installment of the Lazarus Campaign.  This game took 4-5 evenings to do.  I think it turned out pretty good.  I hope you enjoy it.

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Prologue:

What a mess, well “crisis” actually, the man thought as he checked himself in the mirror.  It wasn’t his crisis, though, so it was OK.  The crisis belonged to a man whose office he coveted.  Like a well known politician once said, “Never let a crisis go to waste".  He had no intention of doing that.  This was just the thing to bring down his opponent, and as an experienced community organizer, and mayoral candidate, he was going to use it.  His people had assembled a crowd and summoned the media to his campaign HQ. He sneered as he thought of how badly he was going to stick it to the mayor with his speech.  He was going to work people into a frenzy, and when all was said and done, the mayor would beg him to take his office.

 He adjusted his tie and headed out of his office.  This was his day, after all, because he was a man of the people.

Special Rules

• The presser will last for 5 turns, and then the news media gets to ask questions for 5
• Each stand represents a group of people.  If the zombies attack the crowd, each stand will flee a random direction.
• If a zombie comes in base to base contact with a group of people, 1D6 will be rolled to see how many people are attacked, then 1D6 rolled for each person attacked, with a 6 being an immediate kill; else just a wound.
• After the first police officer sees a zombie, he will call in for help.  A 4 man SWAT team will arrive 1D6 turns later.
• Due to the noise of the crowd, and the PA system, 6D6 will be rolled each turn for Zombie placement, in addition to any other rolls for zombie attraction.

Setup

The board shows the area around Candidate Wilson’s campaign HQ.  A large crowd of supporters has gathered; along with the media.  There is one police office stationed at a traffic barrier on either end of the street; with Officer Bakkus next to the patrol car.

Initial Zombie Placement: 5 Zombies start on the board at (Direction O’clock – Distance from the campaign HQ building):

 2-6, 3-11(inside building), 5-11, 7-5,7-6

Surveillance camera footage of two of the initial zombies

A zombie watches the crowd.

Turn 1 (Zombies 3, Humans No Move)

Zombie Move:  Drawn to the noise of the crowd, the zombies move towards it.  Officer Bakkus sees a figure turn the corner, tries to figure out if it is a zombie, or not.  He is certain that it is a zombie when it charges.  Officer Bakkus retires (Pass 0, Being Charged) into his patrol car and locks the doors and beings calling for help.  The SWAT team will arrive in 5 turns.

Zombies advance on the unsuspecting crowd.

 Turn 2 (Humans 3, Zombies 2)

Zombie Placement (None)

Human Move: Officer Bakkus remains hunkered down in his car (Pass 0, Rally).  Officer Thomas moves around the crowd to see what's going on.  Officer Thomas sees 2 figures and is shocked when they both charge him (Pass 0, Zed no Zed).  They fall on him.  He swings his baton and cracks one in the head, killing it instantly.  The other grapples with him as some n the crowd turn to look at what is going on.

Zombie Move:  The zombie by the police car loses interest in Officer Bakkus as it sees the crowd milling in front of it.  It charges into the crowd, attacking.  Four civilians are bitten, 2 of them mortally.  The zombie attacking Officer Thomas manages to bite him and put him OOF.

Officer Thomas battles the zombies, while the zombie by Officer Bakkus tries to get into the patrol car.

Turn 3 (Zombies 3, Humans No Move)

Zombie Placement: (7-6, 12-10)

Zombie Move: Officer Thomas is unable to defend himself, as the zombie tears into him.  Zombies that killed feast for 5 turns, other zombies fall on the terrified onlookers. Another 3 people are bitten, none mortally.

The zombies attack.

Turn 4 (Humans 3, Zombie No Move)

Zombie Placement: (10-1, 8-9, 4-1)

Panic send the crowd fleeing.

Human Move: The crowd surges away from the attacking zombies.  They scatter to the wind.  One group goes in the nearest door and locks it behind them.  The news Producer sees a zombie that shambled around the corner and screams for his camera man to get it on film.  The zombie attacks him ferociously (Pass 0 on Zed No Zed).  He manages to knock it to the ground. (+1 Melee Success).  The Photographer turns to snap a picture and a zombie attacks him. He swings his camera bag and is locked in melee.  The Soundman sees a zombie coming towards him and bolts to the nearest door, which is the campaign office and slams the door shut.  The Cameraman stands his ground and tries to film the whole incident (Pass2, Zed No Zed).  Candidate Wilson recognizes the threat (Pass 2, Zed No Zed) and turns to go inside.  The Soundman is blocking entrance, though.  The Soundman and Candidate Wilson battle for the door.  In his terror, the Soundman manages to lock the door and Candidate Wilson is stuck outside (+2 Success v Candidate Wilson). 

The Cameraman and Candidate Wilson face a zombie.

Turn 5 (Zombies 3, Humans No Move)

Zombie Placement: (7-11, 6-7, 4-7)

Zombie Turn:  The zombie the Producer knocked down gets to its feet.  The Photographer is beset by a second zombie. He doesn't last long and the zombies begin feasting for 2 turns on him.    Zombies attack the fleeing crowd from several directions; in total, 10 people are bitten/scratched; one fatally.  A zombie feast ensues for 3 turns.

Turn 6 (Humans 3, Zombies No Move)

Zombie Placement: (8-4, 6-7, 7-7)

Human Move:  The crowd, some of them bloodied and wounded, flees; some groups moving faster than others.  Some make it to safety, while others are still in danger.  Officer Bakkus decides it is time to get out of Dodge and drives off (Pass 1, Rally).  Candidate Wilson, the Producer and Cameraman follow the crowd down the road.  The Cameraman tries to get footage while he is moving.

The crowd runs for safety.

Turn 7 (Zombies 3, Humans 1) 

Zombie Placement: (8-9, 8-6, 11-4)

Zombie Move:  A crowd running down the street is surprised when two zombie step out an open door into their path.  The zombies launch themselves into the crowd.  Seven people are attacked, and each of the zombies brings a person down.  They feast for two turns.  The Zombies by the campaign HQ see the people huddled behind the doors and move to the front of the building.

Zombies attack the last of the crowd running for safety.

Zombies gather in front of the campaign HQ.

Human Move: The crowds all make it to safety, along with the Candidate Wilson and the Producer.  Keeping his wits (Pass 2, See The Feast), the Cameraman stops and films the crowd, along with the Candidate Wilson running away.  He then swings his camera to the zombies hunched over the dead bodies.  Down the road, the Swat Van arrives at the campaign HQ.  The Swat officers pile out of the vehicle, with orders to shoot to kill any one acting in a threatening manner.  They immediately take out 4 Zombies, and move towards those attacking the building....

The SWAT Team arrives and begins clearing the area.

Aftermath:

Even though the film of the initial attack was nothing but a blur of people, along with most of the flight down the street, the film the Photographer got of Candidate Wilson fleeing with the crowd and the zombies tearing up their victims was golden.  News 6 couldn’t get it on the air fast enough.  They were unable to tell how many innocents were killed, as the victims were mixed in with the “deranged attackers”.  It was confirmed that 16 people were treated by rescue crews.  Some were sent home, while others went to a nearby hospital. What wasn’t reported was that all the injured soon came down with a very puzzling fever and began slipping into coma. Finally, an editorial was run, showing Candidate Wilson fleeing the scene.  The question was asked, “Is this the man we want running our city? “  By 10:20PM Candidate Wilson’s political career was over.

People began to question what was really going on.  Speculation was raised as to what is causing these outbreaks of violence.  “Experts” postulated that some sort of hallucinogen had been used.  Others wondered how that could be, as reports were popping up across the region of similar attacks.  There are those that began to think the unthinkable, the visions are seared into their memories.  What is certain is that something must be done, and city official move to take control of the situation in the city. 

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Game Notes:  Well, Officer Bakkus survived another encounter with the undead.  Unfortunately, his actions were rather cowardly, and I simply can not raise his Rep to 4.  The Cameraman, on the other hand, did a bang up job and I think he rates Rep 4, when he shows up again.  He will show up, too, as the news station wants more footage of what’s happening in the city.  Candidate Wilson is surly a bitter man, after being ruined by the news report.  The question is, how bent on revenge is he?

It was a fun game that grew in scope as I played it.  I think I have some good stuff for use down the road.