Hive of the Dead: Last Days of Demaras Tertius

[Brother Tyler]

Since Games Workshop is killing Shadow War: Armageddon (boo!) and giving us a new Kill Team (tentative yay!), my Hive of the Dead – Operation: Manala is on hold. Once I get the brand spanking new Kill Team rules, I’ll convert the project over.

In the meantime, I’m working on a prequel, a campaign for the new Necromunda game.

Last Days: Zombie Apocalypse

You can see my plug for this great

game by clicking on my profile.

Zombie scenarios for the Necromunda game are nothing new. In the 1st edition of the game we had the Down Amongst the Dead Men scenario, and 2nd edition gave us The Horde (misspelled “hoard” tee hee) scenario. Those were great and all, but I recently got my hands on a copy of Ash Barker’s Last Days: Zombie Apocalypse game. It is a great little skirmish wargame and I’m going to borrow some concepts from that game for this 3rd edition Necromunda campaign.

Right now we’re in the concept stage, so I’m feeling out opinions. Here’s what I’m thinking right now…

This will be an arbitrated campaign, in large part because I want the zombies to be a surprise. Just like the Spanish Inquisition, no one should expect the zombie apocalypse.

Instead of starting as beginning level gangs, each gang would be advanced as if it had already progressed partially into a campaign:

• Gangs are created with 2,000 credits (vice the normal 1,500 credits)
• Each gang would start with it’s stronghold, 5 additional territories/turf, and 1 special territory.
• Each gang member would have 6 XP that may be applied when creating the gang.
• Each gang member makes a Toughness check. If the check is failed, roll on the Lasting Injuries table in Necromunda: Gang War, ignoring any Memorable Death results.

The campaign would start off normally, with gangs facing each other.

In each gang’s first battle, though, a few zombies will appear partway into the battle. On the third turn, a lone zombie will appear in the deployment area of the gang that is winning. On the fourth turn, a lone zombie will appear in the deployment area of the other gang. Post-game will be done normally, with the exception that fighters that have been bitten by zombies might turn into zombies themselves (rules for that will be presented later).

In each gang’s second battle, things will get a bit more serious. Zombies may appear on the table from the 2nd turn and thereafter. Post-game will see gangs losing territories (to zombies).

The third and later battles will see the full-blown zombie apocalypse taking place. Zombies will be deployed on the table at the start of the battle and will appear each turn thereafter based on the amount of noise made. Post-game will see each gang losing more and more territories (increasing each turn), and fighters may take special zombie hunting skills.

This should ultimately lead to each gang eventually losing all of their territories and having to defend their stronghold from a horde of zombies (controlled by the arbitrator or one of the other players in the campaign).

The “winner” will be the gang with the best reputation and performance against the zombies. Overall campaign length would have each gang take part in six or so battles.

Does that sound like an interesting and do-able campaign?