Zpocalypse
Zpocalypse Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 Survival Manual
- 12 Dice (4 blue, 8 red)
- 27 large-size cards: 21 Goal Cards, 6 Scenario Cards
- 135 poker-size cards: 32 Armory Cards, 20 Food Cards, 20 Item Cards, 16 Scavenge Cards, 12 Something's Happening Cards, 35 Survivor Cards
- 30 zombie miniatures: 10 male green zombies, 10 female green zombies, 5 male gray zombies, 5 female gray zombies
- 1 German Shepherd miniature
- 8 hero miniatures
- 1 Victory Point Tracker
- 1 Bunker
- 4 Squad Stands (red, green, blue, yellow)
- 5 sheets of punch board: 8 Death Tokens, 2 Double Wall Tokens, 2 Double Sandbag Tokens, 10 Gate Tokens, 2 Lookout Tower Tokens, 20 Map Tiles, 25 Radioactive/Biohazard Tokens, 10 Sandbag Tokens, 16 Search Tokens, 6 Trap Tokens, 10 Wall Tokens
- 4 sheets of punch board: 4 Player Squad Boards, 4 Firearm dials, 4 Health dials, 4 Melee dials, 4 Movement dials, 4 Smarts dials
- 4 wooden player pawns (red, green, blue, yellow)
Zombie Miniatures: These plastic figures represent the zombies you will face in Zpocalypse. A gray figure represents one zombie, and a green figure represents two zombies. Whenever two gray zombie miniatures occupy a single square, replace them with a single green zombie miniature.
Survivor Miniatures and Stands: These plastic figures represent the Squad of Survivors each player controls. Players select any 2 Survivor miniatures they wish to represent their Squad and place them on the stand of their chosen color.
Squad board: Each player receives one Squad Board matching the color of their chosen Survivor miniatures. This is used to keep track of your Squad's combined stats, and also outlines the Phases of the game for easy reference.
Victory Point Tracker: Players keep track of how many Victory Points (VP) they gain throughout the game on the Victory Point Tracker. You gain Victory Points by killing zombies, building fortifications, and accomplishing your Daily Goals at the end of the day.
Player Pawns: Each player receives one wooden pawn in their chosen color. These are used on the Victory Point Tracker to track your score during the course of the game.
Map Tiles: Map Tiles link together in various ways to form the game board. Each square on a tile is considered a space.
Dice: The game comes with 2 types of dice: blue and red. Red dice are used for attacking and skill checks, and blue dice are used for ammo checks. The number of symbols tells you how many dice to roll. For example, if you must roll three dice symbols, you would roll three red dice. One face is a "kill" symbol (a Z, the 6 on the die) and another is a "click" symbol (the 1 on the die).
Armory Cards: Armory Cards represent useful equipment players find during the game. The deck contains armor, accessories, firearms, and melee weapons.
Food Cards: Food Cards represent food you find during the game. Food is required to keep your survivors fit to handle the onslaught of zombies. There are 2 basic types: normal food and radioactive food, and several special types.
Item Cards: Item Cards represent the different items you may find. They are broken down into 3 simple classes of cards: scrap used for building fortifications, first aid for healing, and ammo for your firearms.
Survivor Cards: Survivor Cards represent the survivors who will either cower in the Bunker or form your Squads. Each survivor has a back story, special ability, and stats which define the character. Stats are Hit Points, Armor, Smarts, Movement, Firearms Skill, and Melee Skill.
Scavenge Cards: Scavenge Cards represent the locations where you scavenge during the morning of each day. Each location has a Smarts skill check, which if passed, may gain you more loot.
Something's Happening! Cards: Something's Happening! Cards represent a special event which happens as night falls. Spoiler alert: the event is never good. Each card tells you the number of zombies attacking you, how fast they move each night, and any additional complications your Squad may face.
Scenario Cards: The Scenario Card defines the type of game you play. Are you going head to head to see who is the best player, or cooperating to survive the zombie onslaught? The choice is yours.
Death Tokens: Death Tokens are used when a player dies. All the cards belonging to their current Squad are placed in a pile with a matching color Death Token on top, and the second Death Token is placed on the square where they perished.
Fortification Tokens: Fortification Tokens are bought and placed about mid-afternoon each day. They help slow down or even prevent the movement of zombies during the night.
Search Tokens: Search Tokens are used during the night, if a Squad searches the map for loot. However, some of the tokens have zombies on them—so watch out or you'll be discovering zombies as well as loot!
Rad and Bio Tokens: Radiation Tokens are used to denote when a Survivor has eaten radioactive food. Biohazard Tokens are printed on the other side of the token; they may be used in future expansions and can be used for player-created scenarios.
Bunker: The Bunker is where you hid during the bombing of the city. It's very important to protect the Bunker so the survivors sheltering inside don't get bitten and turn into zombies themselves!
Daily Goals Cards: Optionally, each player will draw a Daily Goals Card each day. If they complete the goal, they may earn Victory Points, or even a special advantage.
Playing Area Setup
Are you playing a full co-op, the Quick Play Scenario, or just trying to survive? Either way, you get to slay zombies, survive attacks, obtain victory points, and do it all with style! No matter how you start, perform these steps when setting up a new game of Zpocalypse:
1. Set Up the Tiles
Choose your starting Base Tile set. A Base Tile set consists of 4 Map Tiles with a matching colored glow in a corner. Place the 4 tiles together to create the area outside your Bunker. Leave some space around these tiles, because once you start exploring, the map is going to grow.
The yellow Hotel Lobby Base Tile set is recommended for first time players, while the green Park set should only be used by veteran zombie slayers! On their flip sides, you can also choose from the violet Supermarket or the light blue Restaurant.
Once you've chosen and placed a Base Tile set, there will be 4 Base Map Tiles remaining. Shuffle these with the rest of the tiles, keeping the matching Base set sides faceup, to make the Map Tile stack, from which you'll draw during the game.
2. Organize the Card Decks
Shuffle the following card types into separate decks: Survivors, Armory, Food, Items, Scavenge, Something's Happening!, and Daily Goals. Place all these decks within reach of all of the players.
Once a Food, Items, Scavenge, Something's Happening!, or Daily Goals Card has been used, it is discarded to the appropriate deck's discard pile (faceup, unless otherwise stated on the card). When a deck is exhausted, immediately shuffle the discards to create a new facedown deck.
3. Set Up the Bunker
Place the Bunker near the Base Tile set. Randomly draw 2 Survivor Cards and 2 Armory Cards and place them facedown underneath the Bunker. Place the Victory Point Tracker board near the Base Tile set.
4. Organize the Other Bits
Place the Search Tokens facedown (X side up) in a randomized pile. The Death Tokens, Fortification Tokens, dice and zombies should all be placed in separate piles within easy reach of all the players.
5. Assemble Your Squad
Each player does the following:
Choose a color and take the Squad Board with the same colored skulls in the top corners. Don't worry about setting the dials on the Squad board just yet; you can do that in the Feed & Fortify Phase of the first round.
Choose any 2 Survivor miniatures, attach them to the Squad base matching your chosen color, and place this miniature in the Bunker.
Take the wooden pawn matching your color and place it on the starting space in the bottom left-hand corner of the Victory Point Tracker board.
6. Choose a Scenario
Choose a Scenario Card and follow the setup instructions. Return the remaining Scenario Cards to the game box.
Other setup instructions may vary according to the scenario. In the Main Scenario, for example, each player starts with the following cards drawn from the appropriate decks:
- 2 Survivor Cards,
- 2 Food Cards,
- 1 Item Card, and
- 2 Armory Cards.
Your starting Armory Cards must both be weapons (either Melee or Firearm cards). Keep drawing until you get 2 weapons, then reshuffle the unused cards back into the deck.
7. Start Playing!
Begin play with the first Phase of the first day. If you like, have someone read the story at the start of this rulebook aloud; preferably someone classically trained. Okay, maybe just literate. When the zombie apocalypse comes, the actors will be among the first to be eaten!
How to Play
Overview
A game is played over a series of Days, each of which consists of 4 Phases:
- Scavenge
- Feed & Fortify
- Something's Happening!
- Combat
Zpocalypse can be played in many different ways. The game comes with 6 Scenario Cards, and the chosen Scenario Card describes the story, setup, objective, and the number of days the game lasts. At the end of the indicated number of days—or earlier, if everybody's Squads are killed—each player adds up their total Victory Points.
Players get Victory Points during the game from killing zombies, building fortifications, and completing the goals and challenges on Daily Goals Cards. At the end of the game, players also add the total number of Victory Points on any cards they have that have Victory Point values.
Whoever has the most Victory Points is the winner of the game—even if everyone ended up dead! (Well, you were the best at surviving, even though you didn't survive until the end of the game.) Remember, it's not about living or dying, it's about how much ass you kick!
On each Day, the player with the least number of Victory Points goes first. On the first day, no one has any Victory Points, so each player rolls a red die and the highest roller goes first. Re-roll ties.
Zpocalypse is designed to become increasingly difficult as each day passes. Rules describe games of up to 4 Days, but a game that lasts that long can take 2 or more hours—even for experienced players.
Phase 1 (First Light): Scavenge
At first light, your Squad of Survivors cautiously ventures out of safety and into the wasteland to gather supplies and meet other survivors. During this phase each player draws a Scavenge Card and a Daily Goals Card, then adds new tiles and zombies to the map.
Starting with the first player, each player performs the following steps in order:
1. Draw a Daily Goals Card
Discard the previous day's Daily Goals Card and draw a new one. Place the card on or near your Squad board—face down! Do you want everyone knowing your business?
2. Draw a Scavenge Card
a. Draw a Scavenge Card and read it aloud, noting any special instructions.
b. Make a Scavenging Roll. Roll a number of red dice equal to your Squad's Smarts (if your Squad's Smarts stat is 0, roll 1 die). Any roll of 5 or Z means you're successful.
Your success or failure determines how many Food, Item, and Armory Cards you draw from the appropriate decks (and how many zombies will be on the new tile you'll place next). Don't worry about who's carrying what gear just yet—carry limit doesn't count until the Feed & Fortify phase.
Some special Scavenge Cards may require you to make 2 checks: one for a special event, and the second to see what supplies you get. If the card says you rescue a Survivor, draw a card from the Survivors deck and place it sideways in front of you. You may not use any new Survivor's stats or special abilities until they have been fed in the next Phase.
c. Draw a new Map Tile and attach it to an existing tile. Then place the number of zombies indicated (depending on whether you failed or succeeded on your Scavenge Roll) on the tile, following the rules for Placing Zombies.
Tiles may be connected in any way, though matching tile borders is recommended. If you choose to place the tile as close as possible to the Bunker entrance square, you get 1 Victory Point. Record this by moving your pawn up the Victory Point Tracker.
Any tile that belongs to a Base Tile set must always be connected to other tiles from that set with a matching colored border that have already been placed.
At the beginning of the third day, return all the map tiles (discarding any fortification tokens on them) to the stack and reshuffle all of them into a new tile stack, this time using their opposite sides. Set up a new Base Tile set and begin exploring a new area, rebuilding the board off this new Base Tile set.
Placing Zombies
Zombies are placed during the second step of the Scavenge Phase, and during the second step of the Something's Happening! Phase. Whenever you have to place one or more zombies on the map tiles, unless specifically instructed otherwise, follow these guidelines:
a. Place as many double zombies as possible. For example, if you have to place 5 zombies, place 2 green double zombies and 1 grey single zombie.
b. Place 1 zombie miniature per space.
c. Place zombies on spaces with search, biohazard or radiation icons wherever possible.
d. Never place zombies on spaces with a no-access icon.
e. Never place zombies so they are 'penned in'. Zombies must always be able to move towards the Bunker entrance or players.
Placing Map Tiles
You can place map tiles wherever you like, but during the Scavenge Phase, you get 1 Victory Point if it's as close as possible to the bunker entrance.
It's a good idea to do this, because you'll need those extra Victory Points to help increase your Firearm and Melee Skill training as soon as possible!
Each game should have a different tile layout, grown organically by the players. Like carrots, only less healthy and more wasteland-y.
Tiles may connect to the main board in nearly any order. However, it's recommended that you try to match the tile borders with each other. It just makes for a more appealing layout!
Remember, however that you may never trap zombies by placing map tiles. Zombies must always be able to move towards a Bunker entrance or a Squad.
Special Scavenge Cards
Some special Scavenge Cards require you to make another Smarts Check for a special event in addition to your Scavenging Roll. Roll for the special event first.
Event: Succeed and you'll get some extra stuff, but fail and something bad might happen!
Skills: If you're lucky you could be gaining some extra skills.
Night Owl: If you choose—or are forced—to stick around until dark, place your miniature on the Scavenge tile you draw this phase. During the Feed & Fortify Phase which follows, your Squad may not build any fortifications or trade, but you still have to feed your Survivors in that phase. Survivors that aren't fed are discarded to the bottom of the Survivors deck instead of placed in the Bunker.
Speeding up the game
Once you get the hang of the Scavenge Phase, all the players can complete their phase at the same time. Have one player draw cards while another draws tiles and places zombies. You know, to get to the fighting faster.
Scavenge Cards are discarded to their discard pile after use.
Phase 2 (Mid-Afternoon): Feed & Fortify
About mid-afternoon you make it back to the bunker. After all that scavenging your Squad is quite hungry and sits down for a meal. Only those fed will be strong enough to endure the zombie onslaught soon to come. However, the day is fading fast, so you'd better find the time to build a few fortifications to help hold back the zombies.
Starting with the first player, each player performs the following steps in order:
1. Feed Survivors, Squad Maintenance
Discard Radiation Tokens placed on any Survivors the previous day.
Each Survivor must be fed to remain in your Squad. Feed each of your Survivors 1 Food (normal or radioactive) by discarding the appropriate cards to the Food deck discard pile.
A survivor who eats any amount of radioactive food will be 1 Hit Point weaker for the rest of the day. Place a Radiation token on the survivor's card as a reminder.
If you use a 2 Food Card to feed 1 Survivor, the card still has to be discarded. It's perfectly fine to trade or beg for food from other players.
Fed Survivors are active, and may build fortifications and act in the Combat Phase. Unfed Survivors are no longer part of your Squad—they're too weak to help—place their cards in the common Survivor Pool, facedown under the Bunker.
If you cannot feed any of your Survivors, choose one to keep and lose 2 Hit Points from your Squad Hit Point total. You must show the other players you have no food.
Getting Survivors from the Bunker
During this step you may spend 2 Food to look at all the Survivor Cards under the Bunker and select one for your Squad. You may do this several times if you have enough extra food.
Decide on your Squad of up to 4 Survivors and assign your cards to them. Each Survivor may only carry up to 4 total Armory, Food and Item Cards. You must place any extra Survivor or Item Cards faceup under the Bunker.
Now it's time to tally all your Squad stats (see Survivors & Squads) and record them on your Squad Board.
2. Fortify
In Zpocalypse you will face an ever-increasing number of zombies—you need to defend your bunker to survive! When placing fortifications, think about defending your bunker, and consider how restricting zombie movement will help when the rolls get more vicious on the nights to come. But let's face it: this will only buy you extra time... they will eventually batter down your walls, smash your gates, and invade your bunker!
You may build as many fortifications as you have active Survivors to allocate, but each Survivor may only work on one task per Day.
Remember, if you drew a Night Owl Scavenge Card in the Scavenge Phase, your Squad is still out in the wasteland and can't build fortifications.
Used Scrap Cards are discarded to the Scrap deck discard pile.
Fortifications cannot be placed anywhere on a map tile that has zombies on it, nor on any space with a no-access icon. If you want to be strategic, place them so zombies will be funneled for easier killing, or slowed down from entering the Bunker. If you want to piss the other players off, put them in the middle of nowhere!
Each fortification you build adds to your total Victory Points: record these by moving your pawn up the Victory Point Tracker.
Armory, Item and Food Cards are discarded to their respective discard piles after use.
Fortifications that don't get destroyed by zombies during Combat remain on the map for the next Night. However, any fortifications still on the map when you reset the Map Tiles are destroyed.
Speeding up the game
Once you get the hang of the Feed & Fortify Phase, all the players can complete their phase at the same time.
Fortification Costs
| Structure | Survivors Required | Scrap Cost | VPs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandbags | 1 | - | 1 |
| Trap | 2 | - | 2 |
| Wall | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Gate | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Lookout | 3 | 3 | 6 |
Fortification Types
Sandbags are placed on the edge of a square or, if you build two at a corner, on a square. When a zombie moves over one, its move ends and it cannot attack during its next turn. Squads must spend an extra point of Movement to move over a sandbag. Both zombies and Squads can attack over a sandbag.
Barbed Wire Traps are placed on squares. 2 zombies can fall into a trap and be killed (no one gains VPs for zombies killed in this way). When 1 zombie is killed by the trap, flip the token; when 2 have been killed, remove the token from the board. Traps slow down Squads, but do not damage them.
Walls are placed on the edge of a square or, if you build two at a corner, on a square. When a double zombie reaches a wall placed by a player, it is blocked for 1 round of combat. On the next round remove the wall from the board. On the third round, the zombie can continue to move. Squads cannot move through walls.
Gates are placed on the edge of a square. They act the same as regular walls, and are destroyed in the same manner, but survivors can move freely through them. Squads may not attack through gates. A single zombie cannot push over a wall or a gate: it tries for 1 round, then looks for another way in.
Lookouts are placed on squares. Nothing blocks the line of sight of a Squad using a firearm from a lookout space. A Squad may only use melee weapons with a range of 2 from a lookout space. When 4 single or double zombies are adjacent to the lookout, it acts the same as a wall. On the next turn it turns into rubble and anyone on the space takes 1 red die of direct damage, ignoring Armor, and loses both their actions next turn. At a cost of 1 action during the Combat Phase a Squad may jump down from a lookout into an adjacent empty square.
Phase 3 (Sunset): Something's Happening!
Night is coming fast... too fast. For some reason, the zombies are more ferocious at night. The Something's Happening card affects all players, and adds additional tiles and zombies to the table.
Perform the following steps in order:
1. Draw a Something's Happening! Card
The first player only draws a Something's Happening! Card and reads it aloud. Make it sound spooky. Sound effects are encouraged. Follow the special instructions on the card.
2. Place new Tiles & Zombies
Starting with the first player, each player draws 1 new map tile and attaches it to the existing tiles as close to the Bunker entrance as possible (no Victory Points are gained for doing this). As usual, any tile that belongs to a Base Tile set must always be connected to other tiles from that set with a matching colored border.
Therefore, at the end of the Something's Happening! Phase, a number of new tiles equal to the number of players in the game will have been placed.
On the Something's Happening! card you'll see a number of zombies and their Movement stat depending on the Night (i.e., the round of the game you're currently playing). Place the number of zombies indicated on each tile.
Phase 4 (Night): Combat
Night has come, and the moans are growing louder as the zombies approach your location. They smell fresh meat...
The Combat Phase starts with each Squad in the Bunker (unless indicated otherwise by a Night Owl Scavenge card). Each player gets two Actions until all players have gone and then the zombies get their Actions. This sequence repeats until all the zombies are dead or all Squads are dead!
Perform the following steps in order:
1. Player Actions
In turn order, each player may take 2 of the following Actions (or one of the following Actions twice):
- Attack (Firearm / Melee) using Armory Cards.
- Move a number of squares up to your Movement stat.
- Heal 6 Hit Points damage by discarding a First Aid Card.
- Search spaces on the board that have a Search icon.
A Squad may also take 1 free Action per turn from the following list:
- Trade Food and Items Cards with adjacent Squads. You may not trade Armory or Survivor Cards during this Phase.
- Reload: Discard 1 Ammo Card. If you don't have any Ammo for a Firearm it cannot be used: turn the card on its side.
- Rearrange weapons among the Survivors in your Squad.
2. Zombie Actions
When all players have taken their Actions, the zombies all move, then all attack.
Night Special Rules
Each night the zombies get more numerous, harder and faster. Follow these special rules depending on which night your Combat Phase falls:
Night 1: Walk in the park. Normal rules.
Night 2: They keep coming! Double Zombies roll an extra red die when attacking.
Night 3: Low on ammo! Zombies move and attack first! Double Zombies roll extra red dice when attacking. Squad defense rolls are successful on Z instead of 5 or Z.
Night 4: Nightmare! Zombies move and attack first! Double Zombies roll extra red dice when attacking. Squads get no defense rolls.
Order of Play Example
Phase 1: Scavenge
The Blue player goes first and draws the Hospital Scavenge card. He rolls a Smarts test for the card's special event and passes, so no extra zombies follow him home. Then he makes a Scavenge roll, also using his Smarts. He succeeds and gains 1 Survivor, 2 Food cards, 2 Item cards, and 1 Amory card.
He must then draw and place a new map tile, placing 4 zombies on the tile. He places it as close as possible to the Bunker tile and gains 1 VP for doing so.
The other players then take their turns drawing Scavenge cards, making their rolls, and placing tiles.
Phase 2: Feed and Fortify
Blue has 3 Survivors (including the one he just found). He discards 2 normal Food and 1 radioactive Food, placing a Radiation token on one of his survivors.
Red has 3 Survivors and is short 1 Food, so she trades a Firearm weapon card with Yellow to get 1 normal Food. Green has 3 Survivors and can only feed one of them, so he chooses 2 Survivors to leave in the Bunker. Yellow has 4 Food but gave one to Red, using the remaining 3 Food to feed her own 3 Survivors.
All the players adjust their Squad board stats. Remember, Blue will have 1 less Hit Point because one of his Survivors has a Radiation token on it.
Blue builds a gate with 1 Survivor and 2 Scrap and gains 5 VPs. Now that he has over 5 VPs, he gains a Skill Point and spends it on his Firearm skill. Red builds a 2x wall with 3 Survivors and 2 Scrap. Green only has 1 Survivor so can only build a Sandbag for 1 VP. Yellow builds a trap and a sandbag with 3 Survivors and 0 Scrap and gets 3 VPs.
Phase 3: Something's Happening!
The Blue player draws a Something's Happening! card and reads it aloud: it's The Moans! All players must lose 1 Food, and some may lose 1 VP if they don't have any Food to lose.
This is the first night of the game, so, starting with Blue, each draws 1 new map tile and places it as close to the Bunker entrance tile as possible, then placing 4 zombies on the new tile. These will have a Movement of 4 during the next phase.
Phase 4: Combat
The board is already swarming with zombies. Starting with the Blue player, each player takes 2 actions. When all the players have taken actions, the zombies move and attack.
Survivors & Squads
They are your people, your gang, your Squad. Get to know them; they will help you kill the undead. The more Survivors in your Squad, the better your odds of surviving, but you can only have a maximum of 4 Survivors in your Squad at a time. Place extra Survivors in the Bunker, where other players can recruit them from in the Feed & Fortify Phase.
- Hit Points are the measure of your Squad's total health and are equal to the sum of your Survivors' Hit Points.
- Armor is how much damage you deflect when your Squad is hit. It is equal to the sum of your Survivors' Armor plus Accessory Armory Cards with an Armor rating.
- Firearm Skill is how effective your Squad is at shooting. It is equal to the sum of your Survivors' Firearm stats. Note that this value never decreases.
- Melee Skill is how effective your Squad is at smashing, slicing and dicing. It is equal to the sum of your Survivors' Melee stats. Note that this value never decreases.
- Smarts is how good your Squad is at scavenging and searching by a combination of book learning and street smarts. It is equal to the highest Smarts stat among the Survivors in your Squad.
- Movement is how many spaces your Squad can move per action. It is equal to the lowest Movement stat among the Survivors in your Squad.
Events, items and special abilities may modify these totals.
Each survivor has a special ability that can only be used once per Day unless otherwise specified. Choose carefully when you decide to use it! Combat abilities apply to both of the Squad's actions during their turn.
Carry Limit and Dropping Gear
Arrange Armory, Item and Food Cards underneath or next to your Survivor Cards to indicate who is holding what. Each Survivor can carry a maximum of 4 cards during Combat (any combination of Armory, Item or Food Cards).
If you exceed your carry limit, drop the extra card(s) immediately. Place one of your matching colored Death Tokens on the card(s), and put the second token on the space where you dropped them. The first Squad to get to the token can pick up your dropped gear for 1 Action. The token stays on the board until all the gear is taken or the Combat Phase ends. If your gear is still on the map when the phase ends, it is removed from the game (return the cards to the game box).
Skill Points
The first time your pawn reaches each one of the red or green spots on the victory point tracker, you are immediately awarded the number of Skill Points indicated on the Scenario Card that match that color level. You must spend the points immediately.
Skill Points are used to increase Firearm or Melee stats on a 1 for 1 basis. Remember, these stats can never be reduced. These Skills stay the same regardless of losing Survivors or VP. When swapping out Survivors, add the new Survivors' skills to your Firearm and Melee stats.
When you hit 5 and 10 points in these stats, your skill level in those skills increases.
Tallying your Squad Stats
In the first step of every Feed & Fortify Phase, after you've fed (or not fed) your Survivors, it's time to create your Squad and tally up your Squad stats.
Perform the following steps to tally your Squad stats:
- Your Squad heals all of the damage that was inflicted upon it the previous night. Total the Hit Points of all the Survivors in your Squad and record the number using the Hit Points dial on your Squad Board. Remember that any Survivor with a Radiation Token on his or her card has 1 less Hit Point!
- Total the Armor Skill Points of all the Survivors in your Squad, plus the Armor value of any Accessory Armory Cards with an Armor rating, and record the number using the Armor dial on your Squad board.
- Total the Firearm Skill Points of all the Survivors in your Squad and record the number using the Firearm Skill dial on your Squad Board.
- Total the Melee Skill points of all the Survivors in your Squad and record the number using the Melee Skill dial on your Squad Board.
- Find the highest Smarts value among all the Survivors in your Squad and record that number using the Smarts dial on your Squad Board.
- Find the lowest Movement value among all the Survivors in your Squad and record that number using the Movement dial on your Squad Board.
Remember, events, items and special abilities may modify these totals.
If you ever lose a Survivor (usually when they're bitten by a ravenous zombie!) or a relevant Armory Card, you must immediately re-calculate your Squad stats. Hit Points, Armor, Smarts and Movement may go up or down, but Firearm Skill and Melee Skill never go back down.
Daily Goals Cards
At the start of each day every player draws a new Daily Goals Card (and discards the one from the day before, unless there is information on it they need to refer to for the rest of the game, for example the Combat table on the Black Belt card).
The card contains a personal objective that each player may try to complete by the end of the day.
The left side of the card provides a bit of story as well as your goal for the day. As soon as you complete the goal, you may immediately claim the reward. It's optional to complete the goal but who doesn't like some extra Victory Points, or even a special reward?
The right side of the card is your challenge. As soon as you complete the challenge, you may immediately claim the reward. The challenge is completely optional, so there's no need to fret if you can't complete it. However, the rewards are often worth the effort.
Are you tough enough to complete both the goal and challenge? Daily Goals are private, keep them face down, and reveal them upon completing your challenge or goal.
Movement
General Movement
When a Squad or a zombie moves, it may move a number of spaces up to its Movement stat. All figures may move diagonally, but diagonal movement through doorways or around wall corners is not allowed.
Two miniatures can never occupy the same space at the end of a movement. A Squad may move through a space occupied by another Squad, and a zombie may move through a space occupied by another zombie (though see the rules for double zombies and pushing zombies, below), but Squads and zombies cannot move through each other's spaces.
Walls on the map tiles are indicated by red lines and impassable spaces are indicated with the no-access icon. No Squad or zombie can move through red lines or into squares with the no-access icon.
It costs 1 point of Movement to move from a Sewer Entrance space to another Sewer Entrance space (there must be another Sewer Entrance space on the board). Zombies may not use sewers unless noted.
It costs 1 point of movement to move from the Bunker to the board, or to move from the Bunker to a Sewer Entrance on the board (or vice versa). The Bunker acts as a single square for all purposes except that any number of Squads and Zombies may occupy the space at once.
Squad Movement
Squads may move twice by using both their actions (but obviously, the Squad can't then attack—it was too busy running away to fight!)
It costs 2 points of movement for a Squad to move onto a yield space or over a sandbag with a yield icon on it (and 4 points of movement to move onto a trap with a yield icon).
A Squad who starts their turn on, or moves through, a biohazard or radiation space loses 1 hit point.
Zombie Movement
Usually, the player with the most Victory Points moves the zombies, but other players may help. Start with the zombies closest to their goals (the Bunker or nearby Squads).
Zombies always move the maximum number of squares possible along the shortest path to the Bunker entrance, moving around all objects except sandbags and traps. They move towards a Squad instead of the Bunker if, at any time, they or the Squad come within 4 squares and line of sight.
Single zombies (grey) become double zombies (green) when they move into the same square; create double zombies whenever possible. Zombies may pass through a square occupied by other zombies, but if they land on a square occupied by a double zombie, they push those zombies towards their goal.
A zombie must stop after it moves over a player-placed sandbag; otherwise it ignores all yield spaces.
If a group of zombies must decide between more than one Squad to move towards or attack, divide the zombies into equal groups. If there is a larger group, it moves towards the Squad belonging to the player with the most Victory Points. On a Victory Point tie in this case, both players roll a red die and the player with the highest result is the target of the smaller zombie group.
Once the Bunker is breached and there are no Survivors left inside, zombies gain +2 to their Movement stat, and always move towards the closest Squad regardless of line of sight.
Map Symbols Quick Reference
- Biohazard: A Squad who starts their turn on, or moves through, a biohazard space loses 1 hit point.
- Bunker Entrance: The blue or yellow arrow indicates the Bunker entrance space. It costs 1 point of movement to move between this space and the bunker (or vice versa).
- Fire: These will be used in a future expansion: for now, ignore any instances of these symbols. Mwahahahahaha!
- Lookout: A Squad on a lookout space has unrestricted line of sight. See the Fortification Types section.
- No Access: A miniature cannot enter or move through a no access space. These spaces also block line of sight.
- Radiation: A Squad who starts their turn on, or moves through, a radiation space loses 1 hit point.
- Search: A Squad may search a Search space for 1 action by rolling a Smarts check and drawing a card per success from the indicated deck.
- Sewer Entrance: It costs 1 point of Movement to move from a Sewer Entrance space to another Sewer Entrance space. Zombies cannot use sewers unless noted.
- Yield: It costs 2 points of Movement for a Squad to move onto a yield space or over a sandbag with a yield icon on it (and 4 points of movement to move onto a trap with a yield icon). A zombie must stop after it moves over a player-placed sandbag; otherwise it ignores all spaces.
Search
If your Squad is standing on a square with a Search icon on it, you may spend an action to search that location.
Make a Smarts check by rolling red dice equal to your Squad's Smarts: for each success (5 or Z), draw 1 card from the deck matching the symbol inside the Search icon (and written on the space).
Now draw a Search Token from the facedown pile and place it on the space with the number side faceup.
White numbers indicate the minimum Smarts stat you need to roll to search again. When a location is successfully searched a second time, flip the token to the X side to show the location is exhausted.
Red numbers mean you immediately must place that number of zombies adjacent to you; that location can no longer be searched. Flip the token to the X side to show the location is exhausted.
When a location is exhausted you cannot search that space for the rest of the game.
Combat
Fight until all zombies or survivors are dead! We want destruction and blood. Woo!
Armory cards that depict weapons are called Weapon Cards. There are 3 types: melee, firearm, and explosives. During an attack action, each of the Survivors in your Squad can use one weapon they carry against a target within the weapon's range and in the Squad's line of sight.
Squads Attack!
When performing an attack action, perform these steps in order:
1. Choose your weapons
Each Survivor can only use one weapon at a time (unless the Dual Wield ability has been unlocked, in which case both weapons must have this ability).
2. Choose a target
For each Survivor in your Squad, choose a zombie or double zombie within the range of that Survivor's weapon and in line of sight (you may attack zombies in adjacent squares).
You have to see what you're attacking! To check line of sight, draw an imaginary line from the center of the attacker's space to the center of the target's space. If this line crosses a space containing another Squad or zombie miniature, a space with the no-access icon in it, or if it crosses the edge of a space marked by a red line, line of sight is blocked.
If your Squad is in a lookout tower, you have line of sight to everywhere on the board.
You may change targets between actions.
3. Grab your dice
Check your Skill Levels to see how many dice you roll for each weapon. Use your Firearm Skill stat when using firearms, and your Melee Skill stat when using melee weapons.
The number of dice you roll for a given Weapon Card, what you need to roll to succeed, and whether you can use the weapon's special trait or not, all depend on your Squad's weapon skill level in either firearms or melee: untrained (1-4 points), proficient (5-9) or master (10).
The maximum number of dice you can roll is 8.
If a Weapon card has an Ammo Check icon on it, add a blue die to your dice pool for every time this icon appears.
4. Roll to hit and kill those zombies!
Roll your dice pool, then assign your dice results to the Weapon Cards you are using.
The card tells you what result you need to succeed, depending on your training level.
For each success, you kill a single zombie and receive 1 Victory Point. Record this by moving your pawn up the Victory Point Tracker. Skill level increases take effect immediately! So always apply your skill points to your Squad Board as soon as you get them.
When attacking with firearms, the first successes rolled kill the targeted zombie/double zombie and subsequent successes kill zombies on or adjacent to the target zombie that are still within line of sight.
When attacking with melee weapons, successes kill the targeted zombie/double zombie.
Remove killed zombies from the board. After one success against a double zombie, replace it with a single zombie. Two successes against a double zombie kill both zombies.
Can I roll for my weapons one at a time?
It's fastest and easiest to roll all your red and blue dice together, then assign the results to the Weapon Cards you're using. However, if you prefer, you can roll for each weapon separately and check the results one at a time.
Out of Ammo!
Each "click" you roll on a blue die means a weapon is out of ammo or an item is unusable (turn the card sideways to indicate this).
If you've rolled for several weapons that need ammo checks at the same time, you can choose which weapon or weapons receive any click results rolled.
You may discard an Ammo Item Card as a free action to make one weapon or item usable again (turn the card back to its vertical orientation).
The bullet symbols on the dice have no game function.
Unarmed
No weapon? No problem! Unarmed Survivors may roll a melee attack with a range of 1, with a success on a Z result. Look, it's better than nothing!
Armory Card Features
Ammo Check: This means that the weapon requires ammo. You must roll 1 blue die when attacking.
Range: This is the maximum distance in spaces at which the weapon can hit a target (count the target's space, but not your own).
Range, Throwing: This range icon shows a number of dice: roll this number of dice to determine the maximum number of squares the object may be thrown.
Special Weapon Traits: If your skill meets the required level, you can use a weapon's special traits. Once you have reached the level to unlock a trait, you may use that trait if you are at a higher level.
For example, if your Squad is masterful at firearms, you could use both the Dual-Wield and Sniper traits of the Colt .45.
A special ability can only be applied once per action.
Armor: Added to your Squad's total Armor stat.
Victory Point Value: Each card is worth a number of Victory Points at the end of the game.
Special Weapon Traits
Most special weapon traits are described sufficiently on the card, but here are some extra notes:
Dual-Wield: One survivor can use 2 Dual-Wield weapons, but you attack with 1 less than the sum of the two weapons' dice.
Gas Powered: If you roll a click on this weapon's Ammo die, you are out of gas. The weapon no longer works until you refuel by spending 1 action while in the Bunker.
Knockdown: You knock over a single zombie, instead of killing it. Knockdowns occur when you roll a number 1 less than your skill requires on a red die for weapons that have this trait. Place the knocked-down miniature on its side. Any player may then spend 1 action to automatically curb stomp its face for the kill.
On the next zombie turn, if the zombie was left alive, it gets back up. It cannot move, but may attack a survivor within range. You cannot knock down double zombies.
Zombies Attack!
A Squad attacked by one or more zombies must make a defense roll. Roll a red die for each survivor in your Squad. Each success rolled (5 or Z) prevents 1 zombie from attacking you.
If there are still zombies attacking you after your defense roll, roll a red die for each attacking zombie. Double zombies roll extra red dice. Remember, on nights 2, 3 and 4, double zombies roll extra dice.
Add up the total result and subtract your Squad's Armor. Reduce your Squad's Hit Points by the final result.
Bitten: Oops, that's a clean bite. If the zombies roll double Zs, immediately choose a Survivor to lose from your Squad (dropping any cards he or she carried), and add a zombie to the board adjacent to your Squad. Well, don't think of them as dead, think of them as joining the winning side!
Be sure to recalculate your Squad's Hit Points, Armor, Smarts and Movement. (Firearms and Melee skills stay the same). Finally, tally the result of damage, ignoring the double Z results.
Zombies in the Bunker!
When a zombie enters the Bunker, and there are no Squads there, it attacks the unattended Survivors. Each zombie turns 1 Survivor into a zombie. The next round, those 2 turn 2 more, etc. This continues until either a Squad intervenes or all of the Survivors in the Bunker are turned into zombies.
You may not fire or attack into or out of the Bunker entrance: if there are zombies inside the Bunker, you must enter the Bunker in order to attack them.
When you have run out of unclaimed Survivors there is no chance to restart your Squad! If a Survivor dies during this round, they lose all the equipment they were carrying. The rest of the players may continue. Turn over the Bunker tile. Zombies are now enraged: they gain +2 Movement and move towards the closest Squad regardless of line of sight.
Combat does not end until either all the zombies have been eradicated, or all the Survivors have—well, stopped surviving.
Combat Examples
The green player has line of sight from his lookout position to every zombie on the board. His Squad has 1 Survivor with an MP5. His Squad's Firearm skill is 5 (proficient), so checking the MP5 Armory card tells him he rolls a number of dice, killing on a 5 or Z result. He must also roll a blue die. The MP5's range is 4 spaces so zombie Z1 is within range.
He rolls 5 and 5 on his attack dice, and a click on his Ammo die. Zombie Z1 is removed from the board along with zombie Z2. He gains 2 VPs, but he must turn the MP5 card sideways and can't use it again until he discards an Ammo card.
The blue player has 2 Survivors and 2 melee weapons: a crowbar and a fireman's axe. He has a Melee skill of only 3 (untrained), so he attacks by rolling one die for each weapon. He rolls 2 successes, kills double zombie Z3 and gets 2 VPs. This takes him to the 5th spot on the Victory Point Tracker, rewarding him with 2 Skill Points which he immediately spends on upgrading his Melee skill to 5 (trained).
The red player attacks double zombie Z7 (note she cannot attack zombie Z8 through the door corner) with 3 melee weapons (gumball machine, crowbar and fireman's axe). Her Melee skill level is 4 (untrained) so she rolls a total of several dice. She rolls only 1 success, so the green double zombie is replaced by a single gray zombie and she gets 1 VP.
The yellow player decides to throw a grenade to try to blow up zombies Z4, Z5, and Z6, aiming for Z4's space. She rolls for the range and gets a total of 4, successfully beating the 2 space range easily. Then she rolls her damage dice and gets 4 successes—KA-BOOOM! All 3 zombies are blown to smithereens and yellow gets 3 VPs.
Explosives
Explosives, unlike firearms, do not have a fixed range. Under pressure, you might not always be able to throw that grenade just where you want it.
When throwing an explosive, perform the following steps in order:
1. Roll the throwing range
All thrown weapons require you to roll the number of dice shown on the card (bottom right hand corner) to see how many spaces away you are able to throw it.
The distance to the space at which you wish to throw the explosive must be equal to or less than the number rolled on your dice. If you roll double 1s you have dropped the explosive. Oof. Sucks to be you.
The square in which the explosive lands and all 8 adjacent squares are affected, unless there are obstacles. Any single or double zombie in the center of the blast is automatically killed (you get 1 victory point as usual).
2. Roll damage dice
Next, roll the number of damage dice listed on the card. The number of successes equal how many zombies are killed in the surrounding 8 squares (don't forget, you get 1 Victory Point per zombie killed).
Explosive damage is dealt within line of sight; therefore walls block the blast. Fortifications caught in the blast are destroyed and removed from the board.
If another Squad is in the blast radius, roll the damage dice, killing off zombies as normal. Any dice that are not absorbed by zombies in the blast are applied to the Squad as attack damage: subtract the Squad's Armor and reduce its Hit Points by the final result.
If you throw the explosive directly on the square of another Squad, use the 'dropping the explosive' rules for that Squad.
Dropping the Explosive/Grenade
If you roll double 1s on your range dice you have dropped the grenade. Don't roll double 1s. Seriously, don't do it!
Roll the number of damage dice on the card: each 5 or Z kills 1 Survivor in your Squad.
The total of any remaining dice is applied to your Squad as normal attack damage: subtract the Squad's Armor and reduce its Hit Points by the final result. Adjacent zombies are not affected.
Death & First Aid
When a Survivor is killed, another zombie is added to the map adjacent to your Squad miniature. Remove the Survivor Card from the game and recalculate your Squad's Hit Points, Armor, Smarts and Movement as a result. The game continues, with your remaining Survivors continuing to fight the good fight.
If you have no Hit Points left, arrange your hand of cards (Items and Weapons) into a pile, placing one of your Death Tokens on top of them. Leave your second Death Token on the space where all your gear just dropped.
Pick 2 new Survivors from the draw pile under the Bunker, and start your next turn in the Bunker. You can use your old Squad miniature or make up a new one. Take the 2 Armory starting cards under the Bunker if they are still available. These Survivors form your new Squad. Set up your Squad Board stats accordingly.
Then choose one of the following 2 options:
Easy Mode: Keep your Firearm and Melee Skill values at the same level. This keeps the game fun and easy if there are remaining Survivors who can reform your Squad.
Hardcore: When your Squad dies, reset both Firearm and Melee Skill values back to 0.
The first Squad to stand on the same square as your Death Token on the board can pick up 1 item of loot for 1 action. The token stays on the board until all your possessions are taken or the Combat Phase ends. If your gear is still on the board when the phase ends, it is removed from the game.
No Survivors left in the Bunker
If you were eaten by zombies and there were no Survivors left in the Bunker for you to recruit, roll for scavenging at the start of the next day and gain whatever Survivors and items you may find on the Scavenging Card. If you don't find Survivors, tough nuts! You may be able to recruit some from the Bunker during the Feed & Forage Phase, or you'll just have to wait until the next day.
First Aid
On your turn, you may spend a First Aid Item Card and use 1 Action to restore 6 Hit Points to your Squad, up to your maximum. The card is then discarded to the Item discard pile.
Variants
Quick Play Scenario
The Day Zero scenario is a quick play cooperative scenario where all players must work together to find the Bunker. It's a shortened game with some quick and dirty combat.
The scenario is a Combat Phase only game; all previous phases are skipped! Start with just one tile, and on each player's turn their Squad may walk off the board and place a new tile.
To set up with Quick Play scenario, remove 1 Bunker entrance tile from the game, and shuffle the other Bunker entrance tile into the bottom half of the tile stack. Have all players start on a Road Tile. Follow the Scenario Card for starting Survivors and weapons, plus other game instructions.
On a player's turn they may spend 1 action to walk off the map and draw a new tile. Zombies have a Movement stat of 3 and move towards the closest Squad, even a Squad that isn't in line of sight.
When a new tile is placed, roll a die to determine how many zombies are placed on that tile. When the Bunker entrance tile is drawn, place an additional roll worth of zombies on that tile.
Simpler Game
If you want to play a simpler game, just remove the Daily Goal Cards from the game and skip the step in which you draw them.
Your Incredible Scenario
There's a blank Scenario Card provided so you can make up your own!
Expansions
Zmergency introduces new armory cards, new tiles (Hospital/FEMA Camp), and an Encounter Deck which introduces new game play and enhanced quick play scenarios such as "Get to the Chopper".
Zmaster adds a fifth player to the Zpocalypse main game as the game master. This new player controls all the zombies on the board, as well as introduces zombie upgrades, new mutated zombie miniatures and the Deck of Doom. The zombie master adds new mechanics which spice up an already epic zombie survival game. Choose which scenario you prefer for the style of zombies to combat each game. Zmaster provides rules and mechanics for altering the physics of the game to make it harder or easier, depending on your preferences and style of play.
Z-Team Alpha and Z-Team Beta expansion packs introduce new survivors, scenarios, weapons, and vehicles—bringing a whole new set of challenges and adventures to the world of Zpocalypse. New scenarios include enhanced gameplay: in Z-Team Alpha, desperately search for scrap and supplies to repair a cargo truck and make it out of the city alive! In Z-Team Beta, ride into town on a tank to rescue a senator trapped by a swarm of zombies!
Fortification Pack includes 41 post-apocalyptic fortifications. Designed to enhance the parent game, Zpocalypse, the 3D fortification miniatures replace their cardboard counterparts. However, there is nothing stopping you from using them for your own mischievous ends in any other tabletop games. Each miniature comes fully assembled and unpainted.