Day 1 episode 4, Who says you can't go home?

   I was actually a little giddy about doing so well at the Wal Mart.  You take your successes where you can get them, I reasoned.  We were heading home and had turned into my subdivision when a  Gwinnett County Policeman stepped into the street in front of us, waving his arms, and stopped us. 
    "Folks, we've been getting some weird calls and had some looters come through.  We are only letting people who live here into the neighborhood.  Have you got any I.D.?"  We sat there, engine running, stunned for a second with what seemed a perfectly normal request.  "Sure officer" I said handing him my license.  "I'm the fourth house on the left."  He looked at my license, and it was exactly as I said.  He handed it back to me saying "I'd just lock my doors and stay inside for a while if I were you.  You should listen on the radio for updates. WSB is broadcasting with a CEDA man in the studio, answering questions."  We started to drive away, rolling up the window as he turned to deal with some people wandering through one of my neighbor's yards towards him.  We could hear him saying "Hey there folks, we've..."  The next thing we heard was him screaming.  I floored the tundra, while Toni was calmly saying "They got him before he even realized what they were." 
      I told her to run upstairs and cover me with the Mosin-Nagat and her pistol.  She went in first and up the stairs.  I went through the door and grabbed my 12 gauge from the wall.  The box of shells was just underneath it.  I just then realized that the dogs had been going nuts the whole time and had run out the door I'd left open while going for my gun.  I grabbed my sword and sprinted for the door.
      Dexter and Indy had gone after one zed across the street together.  They were tearing it apart.  I sure hoped that whatever made humans into zombies wasn't going to hurt my dogs.  They were all but eating it.  Bruin, my loving pet of many years was torn to bits in front of me.  I was crushed.  It was actually worse for me to see that than to see some strange person I didn't know get killed by one.  What does that say about me? 
     I slam the zombie tearing into my beloved pet and cut it apart with my sword. I am furious and my battle blood is up.  I can feel myself slipping into "the zone".  Behind me I hear Dexter and Indy fighting with another, using each other as decoys, darting in and out.  I've seen them play that game on each other hundreds of times.  Now it was for real.  As I turn, I see that the zed got lucky for a second, catching Indy and tearing out his guts.  Dexter makes him pay for that. while his attention is focused on Indy, Dexter grabs him by the back of the neck and literally rips his head from his shoulder.  Pretty gross, actually, but I don't care about that now. I hear a shot ring out, and realize that Toni has joined in the fight, covering me from the top floor like I asked her to.
    I see there is a group of zeds in the backyard.  I rush at them, hoping to quietly hack them down, and also wanting revenge for my pets.  Dexter and I go after the closest zombie, moving together.  He seems a bit more together than the others, and fights back almost... intelligently?  Dexter and I circle, feigning attacks, and get ready for our next move. I hear another shot ring out, but can't see what effect it is having.  I have to trust that the range time is paying off.
     Just as I am about to kill the strange zombie, what seems like forty people come running out of my next door neighbor's yard, though my fight and past us, running for the street.  In that rush, I can hear Dexter bark and whine, and I realize that for now at least, I am alone in the fight out here.  I am going a little bezerk. "You killed my dogs!" I am yelling as I chop him down.  I hear another shot, and see a zombie fall, brains scattering all over my shrubbery.  I have a random thought " I hope it rains soon, I don't want to have to wash that off by hand." Weird what your brain serves you, even in the middle of a fight.
     The larger group from my backyard is coming at me.  I level the shotgun and pull the trigger. A couple go down.  I can see one still moving, trying to get up, even though I blew about a third of his guts away with the buckshot. No time to deal with that now, the last one is one me, biting and scratching.  I push him back with the shotgun, and switch hands to use the sword in my right.  I take a step and throw my most powerful shot, a rising flat snap, into that zed's temple.  The top of his skull come off in a neat section, dropping him.
      As if it couldn't get any stranger, another crowd of people, Asians this time, came running out of Jarl's backyard.  I hadn't had a chance to check on the old man, and this made me worry.  No way he'd be cool with all this going on.  I shouldered them aside and turned to face the zed who was standing after I'd SHOT him, yes SHOT him down.  Just as I was going to swing, I heard someone yelling "Stop what you are doing.  Put your gun down! Put it..... Nevermind, shoot them, SHOOT THEM!" Pistol shots rang out.  Not my range fire where I have all day and aim in between. Not the panicked fire I'd heard earlier in the day. A very measured Bang heartbeat Bang heartbeat Bang. 
     Looking over my shoulder I saw another Gwinnett County Policeman running from across the street, shooting and killing zombies.  "Have you seen my partner?"  he was yelling.  I sure didn't want to have that conversation now. I busied myself with fighting another zombie, putting my sword rapidly through his neck.  Toni snipes one staggering toward me into a heap in the backyard.  The stench is getting awful. I hear behind me still more of the measured fire.  Almost lost in the confusion, I can see Dexter isn't really hurt, just stunned.  Must have been one hell of a shot to get through that skull of his.   The Asians are assaulted by some zeds.  They scream and run.  Damn.  I was hoping one of them was Jackie Chan's brother in law or something.   No such luck.   Where did Asians come from in my neighborhood anyway?
              I am attacked suddenly by a pair of zombies.  Chopping off arms seems almost to do no good.  We fight, and I finally put one down.  There is still screaming from the Civilians, and there is still precise pistol fire behind me.  I am afraid, but begin to be hopeful.  Not all my dogs are dead.
       Finding myself not surrounded for a change, I sprint after the zeds in my backyard.  I need these to all be dead, I have to unload my truck and board up the house.  I can't have them attacking me while I do it.  A rifle shot reminds me that I am not alone in this, as a zombie is knocked to the ground.  He starts to stagger back up.
       I pause for some deep breathing.  I can see the Asians running for it.  Behind me I can hear the lovely sound of pistol fire, and it is getting closer.  I might have to have that man's love child.
      I chose my footing carefully as the next zombie comes at me.  I swing hard, and am rewarded with a spray of gore and gray matter.  The Asians are almost out of sight now, and the pistol fire is back after what could only be the time needed to reload.  There are less of them now.  It's not over, but I can see the finish line from here.
     I hadn't realized there were three of the zeds in the shrubbery behind the house.  I thought I was closing on one, and they surprised me.  I got off a shotgun blast, killing at least one of them, and then put my sword in the eye socket of another.  The pistol and rifle fire continues.  The last of the Asians turn a corner and are out of sight.
     The last zombie, the one I shot, gets back up.  Now, I am 6'7" and 310lbs.  This guy made me look like PeeWee Herman.  He was gynormous.  I couldn't get my shotgun up fast enough, so my sword flashing I went in.  He was also fast.  That didn't seem right.  Big and fast?  Just not fair.  I still could hear pistol shots and the occasional rifle banging away.  For right now though, my world narrowed into this fight.
     I looked for an opening.  My problem was needing to get the kill in one shot.  If I let this gorilla grab me it would be over.  Even the regular zeds were strong.  I could only imagine what would happen if he got a hold on me. 
    The pistol fire silenced.  Suddenly I spotted the policeman rushing at the big zed, baton in hand.  I tried to help, yelling and stamping.  The big guy was having none of it.  He kept facing us, moving his feet so we couldn't flank him.  A rifle shot happened then, but I saw none of what happened because of it.
   Finally I saw the policeman in a great spot.  I threw my own shot at the zed's head.  He raised an arm, blocking it and almost cutting off his own hand.  He raised his other hand to smite me, and the Policeman hammered him from behind. 
    Another zed in the backyard stumbled in, and I just creamed him.  He never had a chance.  Toni put one into the brainpan of the last zed we could see.  Toni called out "All Clear".  I was shaking.  I reached out a hand to the policeman, wanting to meet him. As I turned, I was floored to recognize him.   He was the same guy who had given me a ticket about three years ago for "failure to stop" at a stop sign.  He was a jerk then, but he was a godsend now.  "Can I get you a glass of Tea, Officer?"  I ask.  I am checking Dexter, and picking him up.  There may be a knot on his skull later, but he looks okay now.  "Have you seen my partner?" He asks.  Sorrow wells up in me for him.  When I turn to face him, he knows.   "Where?" Is his only word.  I just point.
    
     
I passed getting there at 1 d 6, so it was a +1 to my result.  Fortunately, it would not matter on this game. I rolled three Zeds and placed them.  Since there was no mob to fight, I started things off. Should be pretty straight forward, I thought.  Drive to the house, unload, and lock the doors, I thought.  Grab my stuff and deal with the few zeds in the area, I thought.  I might as well have said  "Hey Y'all, hold my beer and watch this"  It was Loki messing with me for being cocky after the Wal Mart trip.



Turn 1 Z5 m6  My first Policeman.  The engine running produces 2 zeds.  No moving means the engine will become a problem quickly if I don't get an activation.

The homestead, only few shambling zeds to be seen.

Turn 2 Z 2 M3 P2 We drive the truck to the front of the house and turn off the engine.  The engine puts 3 more zeds on the board.  The zeds close in on all of us, and Officer Tasty blows his zed no zed test.

We screech to a halt, shutting down the Truck.

Officer Tasty realizes he's in trouble

Turn 3 z 4 m1 p 3. The zombies pile into Officer Tasty.  He only passes 1d6 being charged, so melee ensues.  A welter of gore later, he becomes a one turn feast. 

Trouble

We run into the house to grab stuff, leaving the door open and the dogs run back out.  I am using the dogs from the ATM scenario.  Mine are big dogs, and I can only hope they would be as protective against zombies as they are against the pizza delivery driver. I also rule that my damn dogs bark a lot when threatened, so they will each get a noise counter for each turn a zombie is within 8".




Who let the dogs out?

 Turn 4 z 6 m 1 .  I have 3 zeds appear in the back yard of the house. Indy and Dexter charge the zombie coming from the right of the front door. Bruin bravely (foolishly) takes on the other zed alone.  He dies.  Strange, it was a bit unsettling having my pet eaten by zeds, even in a tabletop game where he's being represented by and old chaos horse.  Anyway, the other two dogs charge and kill that zed.  I rule that while the shotgun is kept in the front office and easy to get to along with my sword, the rifle and pistol are kept in cases in the bedroom upstairs.  I grab my shotgun and sword and head back out.  Toni races upstairs.

Bruin?!?!  You killed Bruin you Bastard!!!!

T5 z2 m1 dexter kills another zombie, but Indy dies horribly.  I don't care as much for Indy anyway, so the trauma is considerably less.  He barks too much, and at shadows.  While combat is going on downstairs, Toni uses the rifle to miss horribly from the window upstairs.

 

Indy and Dexter going at the next Zed

Turn 6 z6 m1 another zeds arrives across the street from the dice roll, and two appear at the end of the street attracted by last rounds noise.  Toni shoots one zed, knocking him down.  I run for the backyard.

Dexter getting revenge for Indy

The pile begins

Turn 7 z 5 m 3 I roll absolutely horribly and the zed both Dexter and I are trying to kill locks us in combat.  Obviously this is Zomi-raptor.  Toni shoots and misses.  A new zombie is attracted to the noise, and comes in the backyard.

Turn 8 doubles... I have 4 civilians suddenly on the board.  From where? I guess it doesn't matter.  We get past them trying to take me out,  Z 1 m3 c 6 A civilian knocks Dexter OOF.  I kill the zombi-raptor zed, Toni shoots and knocks down another. no zombies attracted to shot

Turn 9 Z1m 6 c3 I pass 2 d 6 being charged, use shotgun and knockdown 1 zed. There having been three charging me, I kill one and lock in combat with the third. 3 zombies come to find out what that noise was.

Turn 10 doubles, 3 more civilians.  Resolve that, no issues. Z6 m5 c6 P1  I have a policeman show up.  He passes 2d6 zed no zed test.  Rules say he would argue with me to put away my gun and go home.  I am home, and he see they zombie problem.  I roll a d6, odd he helps, even he hinders.  Roll a three.  I have a rep 4 policeman with a pistol helping me now.  Not exactly what the rules say.  Any comments here about how to handle this in another way? I have him fire twice and kill one zed. No zeds show up due to noise.

Thank god for rep 4 and 2 passes on a Zed no Zed test

Turn 11 z1 m3 c5 p2 I kill zed in hth.  Toni shoots and kills one. Police shoots and kills two. I pass 1d6 being charged test, fight my zed to a standstill. A civilian is charged and retires. It's crowding up in here. 2 zombies appear due to noise.


Turn 12 z4 m5 c4 p1. The policeman and I are both charged by two zeds each.  He passes 2d6, I pass one. He knocks one down and kills the other with fire on the way in.   I kill both mine in hand to hand. The civilians are also charged and stand fast.  One puts down a zed, while another is taken down under undead hands. This starts a 4 turn feast.  The civilians around do a much better job of passing the feast test.  The Police officer pops the weasel on the grounded zombie, then misses another with his second shot.

Civilians here control thier emotions better than at Wall Mart

Turn 13 z 6 m2 c4 p 6.  Only Toni and I do anything.  She knocks one down, I move closer to the horde in the backyard. No new zeds this turn.
Turn 14 z 4 m 6 c1 p1 zombies close in.  The civilians run like rabbits.  The Policeman shoots twice, killing one and missing one. The noise draws another zed.

Officer Awesome puts down even more of the zeds

Turn 15 z 2 m6 c3 p1 I kill a zed in hand to hand while the civilians are quickly closing on the edge of the table. Our policeman knocks down a zed and misses with the other shot.  No new zeds this turn.

Turn 16 z3 m4 c4 p 3 1 new zed appears down the street near officer tasty.  I am charged by three zeds, pass 2d6 and knock down two of them with the shotgun.  Moving into hand to hand,  I kill a zed. The policeman goes next, shooting twice and missing... meh.  Even with all the banging going on, only one new zed comes to see.  He is also near officer tasty.

Turn 17 z1 m4 c1 p4 Our policeman kills a zombie and misses another.  The zombies close in a bit, and some of the civilians are off the board. The rest are near the edge.

His pile keeps on growning

Civilians beat a hasty retreat from the scene

Turn 18 z 6 m 3 c 2 p 3 The policeman fires twice, missing.  From having some great rolls early on to whiffing now.  I am getting worried.  I charge a zombie, killing it in melee. Toni shoots one getting a Obviously dead result.  Two more come onto the board looking for lunch.

A lone zed thinks Awesome looks tasty.  He will violently disagree.

Turn 19 z4 m1 c5 p 5 The policeman and I are charged again. I am apparently now being charged by zombi-zilla, as I am deadlocked in combat with him.  The Policeman kills his in HTH. Toni kills one with the rifle.  No new zeds spawn.

Turn 20 z6 m 4 c1 p 5  The civilians, seeing that we are distracting the zombies for them, run off the board.  Thanks.
Turn 21  z 1 m2 p 3 The  policeman shoots and kills two zeds.  Toni knocks one down with rifle fire.  Zombi-zilla and I continue to fight it out.

Turn 22 z6 m4 p 3 Policeman shoots 2 zeds, killing one and missing one.

Turn 23 z2 m 3 p 3. I win the roll off with the Policeman.   Zombi-zilla and I continue to stomp Tokyo flat, locked in combat.  This is insane how badly I rolled.  Toni kills a zed with the rifle.  The policeman runs up to the melee and gets locked into combat.  Finally, on the zombie activation, we put him down.  Crazy. No new zeds

The body pile gets huge.

Turn 24 z6 m1 p6 Toni misses her shot.  I fast move out for one of the remaining zeds.

Turn 25 z 5 m4 p1 Policeman kills one and spawns 1

Turn 26 z 3 m1 p 1 I kill mine in hand to hand easily.  Toni gets the last kill of the game with the rifle, as no more spawn.  Whew.
I figured I had to kill all the zombies around my home.  Couldn't have them sneaking up and eating my brain while I was sleeping.  I thought I might lose this one a couple of times.  I enjoyed it, but it was tense.  I was amused to see that after four games with no police, my shiny new officers had TWO chances to come out and play in one game.  As a always, input is appreciated.