The Zombie Apocalypse

I will let the dead go up to eat the living…

-The Epic of Gilgamesh

The dead will stand on their feet and strike terror into those who see them.

-Book of Revelation

The people will become like walking corpses, their flesh rotting away.

-Book of Zechariah

Who died and made you king of the zombies?

-Shaun of the Dead

zombie - thebody of a dead person given the semblance of life, butmuteandwill-less, by a supernatural force, usually for someevilpurpose.

zombie apocalypse - when a widespread rise of zombies hostile to human life engages in a general assault on civilization

Introduction:

Previous zombie outbreaks were relatively minor incidents that were easily contained and isolated. In the spring of 2012, however, what experts refer to as a Level “D” zombie event occurred. A level D event indicates a total zombie apocalypse, with millions of people turned into zombies and most major urban and residential areas rendered uninhabitable. A near complete collapse of civilization has occurred: law and order has broken down, armed mobs roam the countryside, the economy has stopped functioning and (in the words of Wikipedia) “the world has been reduced to a pre-industrial hostile wilderness.” You are a TCNJ student stranded on the campus. Flesh eating zombies (including several former professors, now undead) roam the area around Ewing, and although you have barricaded yourself in the Social Science Building, it is only a matter of time before you and your small group of survivors are overrun and either eaten or turned into more zombies. You must escape. Fortunately, a fellow survivor has managed to build a simple short wave radio set. Through it, he has learned that a safe zone exists just outside Denver, Colorado. You and your group decide to leave TCNJ and make a run for Denver and the safe zone. Naturally, you can expect a lot of challenges on your journey, from zombie hordes, to lawless mobs, to marauding thieves and gangs. It will not be an easy trip. You could easily end up dead or eaten.

Fortunately, TCNJ in well stocked with all the things a band of hardy travelers might need, from transportation, to weapons, to survival gear, to provisions. Your task is to choose a way to get to Denver and select the things you are going to bring with you. You must adhere to the following guidelines.

1) Each vehicle has a carrying capacity and each item has a specific space requirement. You may take no more with you then your selected vehicles can carry.

2) You may be able to find additional provisions and ammunition along the way. Then again, you might not.

3) The distance from Ewing to Denver is 1750 miles along I-70. However, your short wave radio operator informs you that much of I-70 is apparently blocked with abandoned vehicles and is impassible. You should assume on travelling approximately 2300 miles along secondary roads. As you move west also remember that the terrain will grow considerably more difficult to travel (over hills and mountains). You may be able to find fuel along the trip. Then again, you might not.

A few things to know about zombies:

1) Zombies are dead, but they can be “killed” with a shot or sharp blow to the head. Decapitating a zombie will not kill it, but it will render the zombie immobile, as only the head will remain “alive.” Needless to say, stay away from a decapitated zombie head.

Zombies can also be burned. The effect will not be immediate, but after a period of time, the flames will eventually kill a zombie. Similarly, military grade incendiary weapons will create a heat blast so powerful that it will vaporize any zombies caught in the blast radius. Other powerful weapons (such as hand grenades) may not kill a zombie, but can incapacitate them by detaching limbs or mangling the body to the point where it can no longer walk.

2) Zombies do not get tired, do not sleep, cannot be reasoned with or spoken to, and have no memories of their previous lives. They exist only to eat and their preferred food is living flesh.

3) A zombie bite will turn the victim into a zombie after a period of approximately one day. A similar effect will occur if a zombie scratch breaks the skin.

4) Zombies can smell living beings and have an acute sense of hearing. Loud noises (such as gunshots) will attract them. When they spot humans, they emit a low pitched moan that will in turn attract other zombies within earshot. Extended exposure to zombie moans has been known to drive people insane and to suicide.

5) The zombies in the scenario are the traditional, slow moving, uncoordinated version, although they will move slightly faster when in sight of potential victims.

6) A zombie will only live for a limited period of time. Since it is dead, its body will eventually decay and die. The goal is to travel to Denver and wait out the zombies’ lifecycle.

Now, let’s get to Denver. You will be travelling in a group of eight (including me). You should choose a form of transportation and the things you will be taking with you. The things you take cannot exceed the carrying capacity of your mode of transportation. Remember to choose wisely, as it is literally a manner of life and death. You may find abandoned gas stations, pharmacies and stores along the way, but you have no firm idea of what you will find or what will be located at these locations. Also remember that each time you stop, a horde of zombies will almost certainly descend on your position.

What you need to do:

1) Choose 1 form of transportation

2) Select the various things that you want to bring with you, without exceeding the carrying capacity of the transportation mode you chose.

3) Remember that you might find additional fuel and provisions on the trip, but there are no guarantees of what you will find and when (or where) you will find it.

4) Use the organizer on the next page to help you.

5) Justify all your choices

6) Don’t get eaten by zombies.

Game rules

1) Choose your mode of transportation and the equipment/weapons you are bringing with you.

2) You begin the game with 16 “lives”. Over the course of the game events will occur that will cause your team to gain or lose lives. Use the “life counter” to keep track of these lives as they are gained and lost.

3) The game is conducted in turns. In each turn, players must draw an event card. Follow the instructions on each card as they are drawn.

4) Once you get to the encounter area, roll a six sided die. On a roll of 1-3 open “Encounter Envelope #1” and one a rollof 4-6 open “Encounter Envelope #2.”

5) If you survive the zombie encounter, you have won the game.

6) See below for the rules for conducting a zombie encounter.

How to Conduct a Zombie Encounter
a) Read the scenario and calculate the number of dice you have accumulated.
b) “Combat” with the zombies is conducted through die rolls and “lives”
c) Players have the amount of lives that are indicated on their “life counter”
d) The amount of zombies that must be “killed” are indicated in each scenario
e) A zombie is “killed” on a die roll of “4” or higher
f) A player loses a life on when a “brain” is rolled on a zombie die
g) “Combat” is conducted in rounds. The players roll their accumulated dice and the zombies roll theirs. After all dice are rolled, “lost” lives are marked off for the players and zombies. Playing rounds are conducted until all the zombies are killed or the players lose all their lives.

Transportation type: Total carry capacity:

Item chosen for the journey / Reason for the choice / Space used by each item / Total carrying capacity remaining
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
18)
19)