Rogue Zombies (Rogue Planet)

Now one thing my boys like is a good zombie - and a"good zombie" according to the Berman Boys means it's slow, groaning, shambling and of the brain eating variety.  While we were playing the Terminator Genisys Rules, we did incorporate Zombies rather successfully in our games but Rogue Planet holds a very different challenge: that being movement in Rogue Planet is effectively unlimited.  Yep, if a Unit has a clear path to its objective, then it can move directly to the objective - no measuring involved.

So that means zombifying a Unit by reducing the distance it can normally move ain't going to work in Rogue Planet.  What's that Paddy?  If you can't fight zombies, you won't play??  Talk about making things hard for your old man...

I tried out doubling the cost of Moves for such Units (i.e. instead of a Move costing 1 Action Point, they cost 2 Action Points) but that also prevented such Units from capitalising on their Movements e.g., they could Move to Engage but would be prevented from immediately attacking.  I looked at alternatives and this is what we came up with which seems to work from both a mechanical and thematic perspective:

A Zombie Unit in Rogue Planet is subjected to the following penalties and restrictions:

Move and Intercept requires a Skill Check, resolved as per Charge Skill Check.

When countering Zombie Move Actions, non-zombies are provided with the following buff:

Dodge - a Unit can attempt to Dodge a Zombie Charge at zero Action Point Cost.  Furthermore, because an Action Point hasn't been expended, the non-zombie player may attempt a further Counter Action (at the standard Action Point cost) then Charge with either another Unit or even attempt a Double Dodge (using two, instead of one Rogue Die).

I considered removing the ability for Zombies to Dodge, but that just felt plain mean... maybe anything short of getting blasted in the noggin is considered a successful dodge amongst zombie-kind?

So what did that do to our games?  Well it certainly made it harder for the Zombies to connect with their targets in melee.

I used a small force of Zombies against Paddy's Humans - nothing too complicated, just a 'simple hold' out style game.  What I found was the usual 2 Action Point combination of (1) Move/Engage and (2) Melee was being frustrated by my @#%% zombies failing their Movements (wasting an Action Point) and then Paddy was also regularly* Dodging as he'd just as often invest his Action Points and attempt a Double Dodge.  So my game(s) adapted over time and I found myself increasingly moving my zombies like a horde: not worrying about initiating Melee overmuch, rather trying to box in Paddy's Units UNTIL I could afford a number of consecutive Move-to-Engages ... funnily enough it kind of fit the theme quite well.

What I don't know yet is how to factor the 'Slow' Trait into Unit Credit costings.  Well cost isn't the right term, it should actually provide a discount of sorts.  I'm presently thinking that a zombie trait could offset a 1 Point increase in both CQ and DEF. That way zombifying Units is easily done and all such Units become more melee-focused and damage resistant regardless of whether they are designated as individuals or a Group.  So some examples of that thinking applied:

• Our standard Human Trooper's stat line would change from CQ2 RAT4 DEF4 to 3/4/5, equating to a 8 Credit offset for the Slow de-buff; and
• A zombie Gilli's 4/5/5 would up to 5/5/6 equating to 11 Credits.

The other bit we might trial relates to zombies use of Failure and Partial Success free Moves.  Presently only non-skill Checked Move Actions are awarded for a less than Total Success result.  With the above tweaks in mind,  I think we may allow allow that zombies can Move but will still be required to Skill Check, but with no advantages awarded should that particular Check fail.

*Paddy really should be playing craps in a casino and making us money rather than wasting his time learning how to wargame) and was more inclined to attempt to Disengage.  I wonder if Crown Casino does work experience for Primary School children?

PS shout out to an 2015 post from Ricardo Nakamura in his Fantalonia Blog which got me thinking after reading "...Since [in Rogue Planet] there is no way to model units with slower movement (I wanted "classic" slow zombies) they became infected mutants...".