Science-Fiction Wargame #4 Game Design: Chris Taylor Developed By: Chris Taylor Art & Graphics: Vinh Ha and Nick Hayes (c) 2013 Chris Taylor and Victory Point Games (VPG); s vs. Zombies is VPG s name for its two-player wargame of aliens versus zombies. http://victorypointgames.com; info@victorypointgames.com; (714) 957-4066
s vs. Zombies is published by Victory Point Games 3303 Harbor Boulevard, Suite B-1 Costa Mesa, CA 92626-1523 http://victorypointgames.com info@victorypointgames.com (714) 957-4066
s vs. Zombies Table of Contents INTRODUCTION................. 1 [1.0] COMPONENTS............... 1 [2.0] SET UP....................... 2 [3.0] HOW TO PLAY............... 2 [4.0] EVENTS...................... 3 [5.0] ACTIONS..................... 4 [6.0] MOVEMENT.................. 4 [7.0] ATTACKS..................... 5 [8.0] VICTORY!.................... 5 INTRODUCTION s vs. Zombies (AvZ) is a two-player game about the life and death (mostly death) battle between two natural enemies: s and Zombies. The s attacked the Earth and destroyed 99% of humanity using orbital death rays. However, the weapon interacted strangely with human DNA and caused an unforeseen mutation! Within 24 hours of death, the recently dead arose and slowly shambled aimlessly, yet with purpose, in the general direction of the attackers to take their revenge. [1.0] COMPONENTS Included in your AvZ package are the following components: (60) ½ square Zombie counters (24) ½ rounded counters (2) 5/8 rounded big counters (10) ¾ x 1 1/8 rounded event tiles (1) 8½ x 11 color game board (6) six-sided dice (boxed edition only) (1) Rules booklet Everything you need to play is included, except an opponent. You may also need to provide a handful of regular 6-sided dice. Event Tiles: One event tile is revealed at the beginning of each turn. Events have a number (ranging from 3-10) and one or two icons. The number indicates the new Zombie spawns that turn. The icons are Zombie (red) or (blue) events. The event tiles are also used to keep track of game length. When all event tiles have been revealed, the game is over and a victor is determined. s: These rounded counters represent the s invading the town. There are several types of s, with different characteristics. Higher numbers are better. Units with circled combat numbers are armored. UFOs have a triangle behind their movement number as a reminder of their special movement rules. See the back cover for a key to all units. Zombies: These square counters represent the, very angry, recently deceased. Zombie counters have a single number the Zombie Number which is used for both movement and combat. Higher numbers are better for movement and lower numbers are better for combat. There are three types of Zombies, in two sizes. The larger Mobs are more difficult to kill and are stronger in combat. Zombie Mobs have a white number in a black circle. Rotting Zombies are the most common, and Tough Zombies are the rarest. Fast and Tough Zombies have special rules for movement and combat, respectively. See the back cover for a key to all Zombie units. Game Board: The board consists of rectangular locations, divided by streets. The locations regulate movement. There are three types of locations: building, park and dirt lot. Building locations are gray, park locations are green and dirt lots are dirty brownish. 2013 Chris Taylor and Victory Point Games 1
s vs. Zombies Since Zombies and s obey all traffic laws, they can only cross the streets at crosswalks and can never jaywalk diagonally. s awaiting landing are placed off to the side of the board in the reserve. s that are killed by Zombies are sent back to the reserve. Zombies that are killed are sent to the other side of the board to the Zombie dead pile. [2.0] SET UP Place the board between the two players. Determine which player will control the s and which player will shamble along with the Zombies. If necessary, roll a die to determine who will be the player. Place the 10 event tiles face-down and randomize them. Return two random tiles to the bag (they will not be used this game) without looking, leaving eight tiles on the table. Put all the Zombie counters in a clean, dry opaque container (like a coffee cup without the coffee) that is called the grave. The Zombie player draws 15 random counters from the grave and places them on the map, up to three Zombie counters per location. Meanwhile, the player should sort the units in the reserve by type and assemble three groups, each containing one Trooper, one UFO and one Tank. After the Zombie player has finished placing his or her Zombies, the player places the three groups on the map in locations with no other counters; each group must be placed in a different location. [3.0] HOW TO PLAY The game is played out over eight turns. Each turn is made up of the following phases, which are conducted in order. Repeat these phases if there are more event tiles to reveal. After the last turn, see (8.0) to determine the winner. 1. Event The Zombie player reveals one event tile. The Zombie player pulls X random Zombies from the grave, where X is the number on the Event tile, and spawns these Zombies on any number of locations on the outside edge of the map and/or dirt lots (brown locations); there is no limitation to how many Zombies can be in a location and they can spawn in locations with s. The Zombie player may empty the grave while spawning any remaining spawns are lost. Finally, the event depicted on the event tile takes place. See Events (4.0). 2. Landing The player rolls one die and adds the result to 1 (generating a number between 2 and 7). This is the total combat strength, or less, of small units that will land on the map this turn. The player can choose small units (Trooper, UFO, Tank or Leader) to place on empty locations on the map, as long as they have a total combined combat strength that is no greater than the random number. Only one Leader can land per turn. The BFAR and Mutant cannot land during this phase. Leaders like to travel in style and there isn t enough room for more than one in the same landing pod. 3. Actions Each on the map can take one action: Move, Attack or Blast Em. The player can act with one at a time or group s in the same location to perform the same action. See Actions (5.0). 2 2013 Chris Taylor and Victory Point Games
s vs. Zombies A Move action moves the from location to location up to its maximum movement allowance. An Attack action allows limited movement, but the can shoot Zombies in the destination location. Blast Em actions don t allow movement, but the s attacks are explosive. 4. Zombie Actions Each Zombie on the map can take one action: Move, Attack or Chomp Em. The Zombie player can act with one Zombie at a time or group Zombies in the same location to perform the same action. See Actions (5.0). A Move action moves the Zombie from location to location up to its maximum movement allowance. An Attack action allows limited movement, but the Zombie can attack s in the destination location. Chomp Em actions don t allow movement, but the Zombie has a chance of reviving killed Zombies from the dead pile. Extended Example: The Zombie player draws the 5 event tile (with one Laser symbol). The Zombie player draws 5 random Zombies from the grave, examines them and decides to place three of them in one location on the edge of the map and one each in two different dirt lots. The player then makes a laser attack against the new stack of Zombies but misses. The player then rolls a die and gets a 4 for a total landing of 5 points of combat strength. The places one Tank and one UFO in the same empty location. The player moves, attacks and blasts with each counter. The Zombie player responds by moving, attacking and chomping with each Zombie counter. This wasn t the last turn, so the next turn begins with the revealing of an event tile. If it had been the last turn, the winner would have been determined. See Victory (8.0). [4.0] EVENTS Each token has one or more event icons. Red icons favor the Zombie player, while blue icons favor the player. Zombie Bites and Lasers occur once for each icon on the event tile. Players can see the results of one event before choosing the next target. Zombie Bite: For each icon, the Zombie player picks any one location with one or more counters and rolls a number of dice equal to the number of s in that location. Zombies do not have to be present or adjacent. For each result of 5+, the player kills one. For each killed in this manner, the Zombie player takes one random counter from the Zombie dead pile and places it in the targeted location. Some of the s have been affected by the mutated Zombie disease. Laser: For each icon, the player picks any one location with one or more Zombie counters and rolls one die. If the result is equal to or less than the number of Zombies in that location, all Zombies in that location are killed and sent to the Zombie dead pile. The High Command has seeded space with Orbital Laser platforms. They can target many Zombies in the same area, but take time to recharge. Zombie Claw: Various body parts and limbs, separated from their bodies, attack the s. For this turn, all s on the ground cannot move. Grounded s can take the Blast 'Em action or pass. Only UFOs can take the Move or Attack actions. Add a +1 bonus to each Zombie attack die result until the end of this turn. Zombie Rise: The peaceful dead are peaceful no more! In addition to the four Zombie spawns listed on the tile, spawn one additional Zombie for each on the map. Any Zombies killed this turn are sent back to the grave, not to the dead pile. 2013 Chris Taylor and Victory Point Games 3
s vs. Zombies Mutant: The mutated Zombie DNA strikes a lowly trooper and creates a 30-foot-tall mutant! Replace one Trooper with the large Mutant counter. The Mutant immediately goes on a rampage and can move up to six locations (ignore terrain costs; it can only enter a location once during this special move). One Zombie is killed (Zombie player choice) in each location the Mutant stomps through while rampaging. The Mutant only rampages during the initial turn. If there is no Trooper on the map, discard this event with no effect. BFAR: The massive Battle Faction Armored Robot lands and immediately attacks nearby Zombies with SRMs (short-range missiles). Place the BFAR in an empty location. The player rolls six dice. For each result of 4+, the Zombie player removes one counter in an adjacent location (including diagonals). The BFAR only makes one missile attack when initially landing. [5.0] ACTIONS Each counter can act once per turn. Both Zombies and s can take Move and Attack Actions. Zombies can take the Chomp Em action and s can take the Blast Em action. A counter can pass and do nothing. Counters must complete their action before another counter can act. Counters performing the same action can move or attack at the same time. You might want to rotate or flip counters to indicate they cannot act again this turn. [5.1] Move: The counter may move more than one location using movement points, but cannot attack. movement points are equal to their movement number and Zombie movement points are equal to their Zombie number. See Movement (6.0). [5.2] Attack: The counter may use one movement point and then make one attack. See Attacks (7.0). [5.3] Chomp Em: Zombies that do not move can make this special attack. On a natural 6 on attack dice, deal one hit and return one random Zombie from the dead pile to this location. [5.4] Blast Em: An that does not move can make this special attack. On a natural 6, deal one hit and attack again. This will continue as long as natural 6s are rolled. Blast Em attack dice explode in gaming terms. [6.0] MOVEMENT Each point of movement allows the counter to move to one adjacent location by the long or short edge, but not the corner. A counter does not have to spend all of its movement points, but points are never saved and cannot be shared with other counters. [6.1] Big Trees: Park locations are dense with trees and cost two movement points to enter. A counter using the Attack action could not enter a park location since it only has one movement point. Exception: UFOs ignore terrain. [6.2] Enemy-Occupied Locations: Moving into an enemy-occupied location ends movement. Exception: UFOs and Fast Zombies do not have to stop. [6.3] Braaains!: The last Zombie cannot leave an occupied location. At least one Zombie must remain in a location with one or more counters. Leaders have very large brains and are especially tasty. No Zombie can leave a location with an Leader. [6.4] Rundown: s cannot leave locations with Fast Zombies. Exception: UFOs can leave locations with Fast Zombies. [6.4] Stacking: Any number of Zombies can occupy a location. At the end of a movement phase, there can be a maximum of four s in one location. The BFAR and Mutant count as two s each. The player must discard excess s to the reserves if necessary. 4 2013 Chris Taylor and Victory Point Games
s vs. Zombies [7.0] ATTACKS s and Zombies can only attack enemies in the same location. For each attack, perform the following steps: a. Roll Attack Dice b. Roll Save Dice c. Resolve Hits d. Remove Casualties [7.1] Roll Attack Dice: The number of attack dice rolled and the result required for a hit depends on if the attacker is or Zombie. [7.1a] Attacks: Attacking s roll a number of dice equal to their total combat strength and hit on a 4+. Leaders stacked with s add +1 to each die result (and so hit on a 3+). Example: There is one Trooper, one UFO, one Tank and one Leader attacking in a location. The player rolls a total of eight dice (1+2+3+2, respectively) that hit on 3s or higher. [7.1z] Zombie Attacks: Roll one die for each Zombie and hit if the result is greater than the Zombie number. If attacking with multiple Zombies, roll each type of Zombie separately. Zombie Mobs roll one additional die. Zombie Example: There are three Rotting Zombies, one Fast Zombie Mob and two Tough Zombies in a location that are attacking. The Zombie player would roll three dice that hit on 4 or higher for the Rotting Zombies, two dice that hit on 5 or 6 (one for the Fast Zombie Mob counter plus one Mob bonus die) and two dice that hit on 3 or higher ( for the Tough Zombies). [7.2] Roll Save Dice: The attacked player rolls one die for each hit. Each die roll of 5+ reduces the number of hits by one. stacks with at least one Leader and Zombie stacks with at least one Tough Zombie instead save on a 4+. [7.3] Resolve Hits: Players assign remaining hits to their own units. Each hit will kill one Zombie (non-mob) or un-armored counter. It takes two hits to kill one armored counter (UFO, Tank or BFAR) or one Zombie Mob. Hits cannot be split between armored units or Mobs to avoid taking losses. A loss must be taken if possible. Example: The player is assigning two hits to a stack with a Trooper and two UFOs. They cannot assign one hit each to the UFOs to take no damage. The player assigns one hit to the Trooper (they can always make more) and one hit to a UFO, which bounces. The dead Trooper is placed in the reserve. [7.4] Remove Casualties: Dead Zombies are placed in the dead pile. Dead s are placed in the reserve. For each dead placed in the reserve, return one random Zombie from the dead pile to the grave (in addition to any Chomp Em results). [8.0] VICTORY! The game ends after the 8th turn. To determine the winner, count the number of Zombies in the dead pile. Dead Zombies Level of Victory 0-10 Overwhelming Zombie Victory 11-20 Zombie Victory 21-25 Stalemate 26-35 Victory 36 or more Incredible Victory CREDITS Game Design by Chris Taylor Character Illustrations by Nick Hayes Map & Cover Art by Vinh Ha Playtesting by Brad Bernstein, Robert Choi, Hayden Decker, Tom Decker, Alan Emrich, Scott Everts, Joshua Gottesman, Chad Krizan, Lenz Poh, Mary Taylor, Nathaniel Taylor, Ko Travis, Ian Wakeham and Sean Young Proofreading by Chad Krizan, Rick Partin and Ian Wakeham 2012 Chris Taylor and Victory Point Games 5
3 3 4 4 2 2 Rotting Zombie Rotting Zombie Mob Fast Zombie Fast Zombie Mob Tough Zombie Tough Zombie Mob 1 3 2 6 3 3 2 3 3 5 4 4 Trooper UFO Tank Leader Mutant BFAR Zombie Number 3 Laser: For each icon, zap one location. Roll number of Zombies to send them all to the dead pile. Combat Combat (Armored) 1 3 2 2 6 Movement Zombie Mob (+1 attack die) Flying Movement BFAR: Land the robot in an empty location. Attack all Zombies in adjacent locations (ea. 4+=kill) Mutant: Replace Trooper with Mutant. Mutant rampage (5 locations; kill 1 Zombie ea.) Zombie Bite: For each icon, gnaw one location. Roll 5+ for each to replace. Zombie Rise: Spawn one extra Zombie for each on the map. Dead Zombies go to grave. Zombie Claw: Non-flying s cannot move. Zombies add +1 to all attack dice results. Sequence of Play 1. Event 2. Landing 3. Actions 4. Zombie Actions Attacks a. Roll Attack Dice b. Roll Save Dice c. Resolve Hits d. Remove Casualties Attack Hit Numbers s hit on 4+ (Leaders 3+) Zombies hit > Zombie Number Actions Move (Full move, no attack) Attack (1 MP, normal attack) Blast Em (No move, special attack: Natural 6 is a hit, then roll again.) Zombie Actions Move (up to Zombie #) Attack (1 MP, normal attack) Chomp Em (No move, special attack: Natural 6 returns one Zombie from dead pile to grave.)