ATZ Batrep - Thanksgiving Z Day +1

After our close call on Thanksgiving day our heroes sped out of town and made camp in the middle of nowhere.  Dad and Nick felt like it was a very successful day so they allowed themselves four victory beers.

Mom and AJ didn't feel as confident, they just had three.  Mags had three also and was nursing a nasty bite from her OOF result in the melee and everyone was wondering if she could be infected.  Nick wanted to cap her on the spot but Mom said let's wait, we can always do it later if she turns.  After some discussion everyone decided to go back in the morning to raid the gunshop and try to steal that tanker.  AJ decides to stay in camp.  So here they go and right off they see several Zeds lumbering around town.

The group bursts into the gunshop where Dad and Mags are surprised by a couple of Zeds.  No problemo, the Zeds are taken down in melee.  Nick finds a semi-auto rifle!  Mom finds some meds.

So far so good.  All is quiet so the heroes go up stairs to see what they can find, but there is nothing.

The Zeds are heading for the gunshop where they last saw the group, but our heroes are already heading out the back way down the fire escape.

Since the girls still have no weapons, Dad and Nick stand guard while they climb down. The Zeds are getting pretty close.

Our heroes run into the tall office building across the parking lot where they find a single scared civilian hiding.  They have no problem convincing him to join the group and he doesn't even protest when Mom takes his gun.  Dad manages to find some food in here too.

The mob of Zeds is still following and heading for the office building so our Heroes decide to leave the back way.

What the Hey!?!?  Its AJ.  Looks like he got scared all by himself and decided to come anyway.  Here he is entering the board in an effort to catch up.  Complete with a Zed in tow.

A couple of lousy activations has the Zeds in the building and our heroes are still hanging around arguing about what to do next.

And arguing...  Really, they should be a little more observant.

Well that tears it!  While our friends are messing around a mob of Zeds burst through the door and attack!

They actually do a pretty darned good job of beating off the attack, but their new recruit is Zed chow.  He sure didn't last long.

Nick and Mags decide to head over to the silver convertible in the parking lot and lo and behold, Nick finds the keys in it!  About this time AJ comes running up all out of breath, but very happy to be with his friends.

Right about now there is a lot of chatter around the table about how well we are doing, how in control we are, blah blah blah..  Everyone is chasing butterflies and eating jelly donuts etc.. Top o The World stuff..

Then Nick decides he wants the garbage truck.  As he is heading to it, AJ whines about wanting his own car so Nick gives him the keys to the convertible.  Nobody has any idea yet, just how significant this decision will turn out to be.  (ominous background music)

Meanwhile, while the kiddos are playing, Mom and Dad are after much bigger game.  Dad heads straight for that tanker he has been thinking about all night.  Well, how cool would it be to have a mobile gas station?

Mom is back there breaking into the gas station office looking for snacks.  But nothing again.  Nick loots a building on the way to the truck and finds a shotgun!  Man life is good.

And then it happens..  AJ just couldn't stand it.  No matter how many times everyone told him not to start the car, it was just too much for him.  So he fires up the car, and backs out into the street all the while declaring and singing that he is going to run down all the Zeds.  See, the trouble is that there were some Zeds lurking around the corner, and he wasn't paying attention, and as he backed up they mobbed the car.  The car being a convertible, wasn't providing much cover, and he was sitting down in melee so he fought as prone.  The Zeds pull him from the car and OOF him right on the spot.  Yes Sir, lightning strikes VERY fast in this game.

Now, I am not sure if the full ramifications of this little boo boo have hit you yet, but believe me, it was big.  The only good news is that Nick and Mags were just out of See the Feast Range or who the hell knows what would have happened.  Starting and driving the car also drew a bunch of new Zeds into the area.  Anyway, the activation dice aren't cooperating and  there is no way anyone is getting there to help AJ before the Zeds start to tear him limb from limb in their big feast.  Nick is trying to steal that truck!

While the debacle with AJ is going on, Mom has been on a looting rampage and she's pissed cause she's not finding anything.  She runs into the building across the street by herself and is confronted by four Zeds!  Doh!

Luck is with her however, and she manages to drop one and match the others.  She now has a little time to think.

Here is a birds eye view of the feast as more and more Zeds are drawn to it.  But guess what kids?  We have some really bad news for you.  When AJ was yanked from the car, the car was left running and it is drawing 6d6 of Zeds every activation!   WHAT!?!?!?!?!  Holy Moly, we gotta get out of here is the new battle cry around the table.

Oh, and there is Mom kicking some Zed arse in the building.

Here is a nice view of the feast with the running car bringing in more Zeds each turn.  This is not good.

Mom has now lost all interest in looting.  She has ejected from the building and is heading around back to try to sneak out.

Things are going downhill fast, the Zeds are coming in like flies on dog doo.

Zeds everywhere!

Braaaaaiiins.. (sometimes one words says it all)

Right about now is when I first had the revelation that I simply do not have enough Zeds painted.

I really hate it when people say "well, at least it can't get any worse" because that's a bunch of crap, it ALWAYS can get worse.  This is illustrated here with the burning building attracting even more Zeds.  This was a surprise and Mom had to run and grab some red construction paper and a scissors to make this great prop happen on the fly!

Oh, I almost forgot about Dad.  All this while he has been over at the other big rig trying to hot wire it.  He figures with the new situation, his only chance is to get this thing running and bash his way through the Zeds but he simply can't get the doubles he needs.  (We have a house rule that you can try to hot wire each new activation).  To make matters worse, we roll doubles on activation about now and it seems that there is a Zed in the back seat of the truck!!  But don't worry, Dad is so tough that he defeats the Zed even when surprised from the rear.

Meanwhile, back at the feast, Nick is spotted by some Zeds and he gets out of the truck and bashes ones brains in.  Mom is already gone.  She told Nick to get out now as she left the map.  Maggie has already gone from the map also.  Maybe girls are smarter than boys?

Nick never listens in real life, why should he start now?  He decides to run around back and head over to help Dad.  What a nice boy..

Decisions.. decisions.  Things are heating up and Nick is having second thoughts.  Looks like he has groupies.

Uh oh, just great.  Zeds are coming from both sides, and to make things worse, a barking dog comes running up generating another Zed around the corner.  It ALWAYS can get worse.

Activation is the root of all evil.   Nick has a situation on his hands.  And to think that just a few moments ago he was talking about being the stud who would go save Dad.

Maybe he is a stud.  He's blasting and meleeing Zeds left and right with his shotgun.  He's such a nice boy.

Doh!  We got another building on fire and Nick running for his life with Zeds in hot pursuit chanting "Brrrraaaains".  But he's almost to the edge of the map!

Dad finally gives up on the big rig and decides to risk a run back through town.  He's a Born Leader and has a decent chance of keeping his fast move going.  And there doesn't seem to be many Zeds between the river and the town; better get moving then.

Did I mention activation rolls a minute ago?  And just like that, another one bites the dust.  Nick goes OOF when he gets slammed in the back by a horde of Zeds.  He manages to take a couple with him though.

(don't worry though, the dog got away!)

Well, Dad is all alone now and he sees a traffic jam of Zeds forming up ahead.  (sick feeling in stomach)

Dang these things multiply fast.

Take that Granny Zed!!!

Time to go around.  Dad blasts off to the left hoping to leave the Zeds far behind.  He also curses himself for a fool as he forgot to snag Granny Zeds cane for a melee weapon.  Too late now.

Look at Dad go!  He's running like a bat out o hell.  You know, I think he has a chance.

You do remember that the car is still generating Zeds all this time right?  We have been digging up figures from every game we have and recycling left and right.   Dad manages to make another great move and is hiding behind the building and truck.  He might just make it yet!

Left in the dust, many Zeds just wander aimlessly.

Uh oh, it looks like a fair number of Zeds noticed Dad zipping by and are starting to move off to follow.  Well that's it then, there is no turning back, Dad is committed.

Some of the Zeds who finished off Nick are still in the area.  There's only three of them, Dad can handle this!  He's going to make it!  As the Zeds charge home Dad fires two rounds from his BAP and....

He misses BOTH bloody shots!!  AAAAAARRRRRGHHHH!!!  Then he gets OOF'ed in melee.

Just 8" from the edge of the board and a brilliant escape.  Instead, he's Zed chow.

The day after Thanksgiving we have 4 out of 5 Stars down, I'm thinking the campaign is over.  The morale of the story is:

1.  Always listen to Mom.  She's always right.  (and the only one alive)

2.  ATZ is a bloody great game and you're a big lumpy Zed if you don't have it.

Happy Thanksgiving Z Day +1 to everyone!

So whaddya think?  Civilian kill of the week?