A Rocky Stop

"Take a right onto 10 here."  Mark was helping navigate, rustling the folding map in the back seat.  "There should be a quarry on our left about two miles west of here."
"A quarry?  What, do we need some rocks to throw?"  Horace asked.
"Not a bad choice, it should be pretty deserted."  Allen said as he guided the SUV down the highway.  "Maybe we can find some gas or something else useful."

The group passed 4 checks with 2 successes each time, and did not have to have any encounters the rest of the day.  Unexpected, but I'll take it!  For the end of the day, I have selected a small quarry off of the highway, located in the country, so it would be a rural encounter.  With a little luck it is deserted, and I can decide to press on (thanks to the gas found at the bridge) or "explore" the area looking for supplies.

The group still needs to stop for the night though...

This scenario is afternoon, it is a rural area (zombie generation on a 6) and the ER starts at 2.  There are three PEFs (two are rep 6, one is rep 5) I decide that if any start or move to a building, they will stay until the building is explored.  Initial zombie generation gives me 9 starting zombies.  One of the PEFs started in a large building, where it would stay until discovered.  Success for the scenario would be clearing out a building and not having any zombie within 12" for one turn (plus nobody dying!) and no PEFs on the board.

Approaching the quarry

"Looks like some unwanted company hanging around."  Dawn said as Allen slowed down to make the turn.  "They are moving pretty slow through the rocks though."
"Let's get to the parking lot so we can get them in the open."  Horace offered.  "If they keep coming to us, it should make it easier."

My plan was to drive into the parking lot, bail out of the SUV and start clearing out the zombies.  Once I got a break, the group would enter the 'office' building, secure it and hopefully get a break.  If things go well, I will check the cars and other buildings for "stuff".

Zombies shamble in the quarry

Approaching the entrance

PEFs move towards the group

Dawn fires from the SUV, killing one zombie

Dawn fired a burst from her SMG as Allen pulled into the parking lot.  The bullets slammed into a wandering zombie, shredding its head and it dropped to the ground.  "The lot looks clear now!" Dawn yelled.
"Just park it anywhere, we'll start clearing out the zeds."  Horace said as he checked his pistol.  "Hopefully there aren't many more wandering around out there."

As the SUV turned into the parking lot, Dawn fired at one zombie in the lot ahead.  Even with penalties, she hit it twice, and killed it.  Zombies closed in, and then more appeared from the sound of the SUV and the firing.  They appeared mostly right behind the SUV - one of the dangers of moving from the zombie generation point!

Where did they come from!

One PEF moves to encounter

A gust of wind rocked the SUV and blew a cloud of dust around the parked pickup truck.  Behind them zombies staggered following the SUV.  Allen was blinded momentarily by the dust, he swore he saw figures moving through the cloud towards the group.  The dust cleared, revealing the nearly empty parking lot.  "Damn, I am seeing things.  I swear something is out there!"  Allen muttered as he pulled to a stop.

The first PEF moved into view and was revealed as a "something is out there" which increased the ER to 3.  The group pulled into the lot and started fighting the zombies as they appeared.

Everybody gets out...

...and starts shooting!

Zombies shamble closer

What is that by the truck?

Mark holstered his pistol, hefting his worn bat.  A sudden shadow moved behind the pickup truck, as a cloud moved across the sun.  The sudden drop in light gave the whole area a different look as the light faded.  Stretching out, Mark gave a yell and charged the nearest zombie.

The PEF was revealed as nothing, not passing any dice (the ER is still only 3).  Mark charged, and the rest of team moved in support.  The previous round of shooting generated 2 zombies, and I figured the group would need to take some down in melee, just to limit the noise and generated zombies.

Knock one down...

Shoot one down!

Everyone joins in!

Zombies continue their relentless march

Mark dispatches his opponent as more zeds appear

Mark defeated the zombie he was facing when it attacked.  Two more zombies appeared from the gunfire.  It was getting frustrating, I would kill 3-4 zombies only to see 2-3 appear.  That's why killing zombies is rarely an objective in ATZ I guess.  The group moved back around Mark, keeping distance between themselves and the zombies, I was trying to keep good fire lines open, and Mark (my best melee character) in the front, should any zombies get through.

Mark attacks!

Dawn fires, but runs out of ammo

Horace moves down and fires

Allen knocks down a zombie on the pallet

Zombies stumble closer

Zombies continued to shuffle through the rocky ground of the quarry, their low moans echoing from the blasted rocks.  Gunfire barked out in short stutters from the group as they thinned out the group of zombies that continued to approach.  "Keep shooting, they seem to be thinning out."  Mark called out.

Allen and Horace fired their pistols at the wandering zombies.  Rotted flesh and bone splintered from the fire and the walking corpses collapsed to the pavement.

Dawn slapped a new magazine into her SMG "They're still coming!"

Mark charges the lead zombie

One down, Allen and Horace take aim

Two  more zeds are shot

More zombies!

Finally the group got a break, and the number of zombies dropped down.  The group moved around to engage the last few and get ready to enter the main building.

Mark takes on the lead zombie

Horace takes aim at the next zombie

Allen draws a bead on the final zombie

A defensive circle

Mark shook off the remains of the last zombie from his bat.  A lone zombie wandered towards the group, stumbling over the broken ground.  As Mark watched it stumble towards him, he ran his hand down the bat, dislodging bits of gunk that had stuck to the surface.  "Looks like one last zed and we are home free."  Mark said as he nodded at the zombie.

"Then we check the buildings.  I'm sure that's safe." Horace said with a humorless snort.

Mark felt a chip in the bat, and took an experimental swing.  "Something doesn't seem right here."  With a snap, the bat broke in half, totally useless.  "Aw, crap!  I need to get a backup from the truck!"

A random event came up the next turn, weapon malfunction.  As luck would have it, the dice decided Mark was the one who suffered from it.  His favorite bat broke and was useless.  Fortunately there was another in the SUV, he would need d6 turns to retrieve it, and the rest of the group would have to cover him while he searched.

Random event.  At least I have a backup

Mark heading for the SUV

Allen takes aim at the last zombie

Mark hurries his search

Allen fired twice in quick succession, and the zombie dropped to the gravel strewn ground.  "All clear over here!"  He yelled  "Let's head inside, and see if we can stay here tonight."  Walking towards the office building, he checked the action of his pistol.  "We'll wait until Mark has a new bat."

"Almost got it.  We'll be inside in no time."  Mark replied from the back of the SUV, as he moved aside a water jug.  "Let's hope its not full of zombies."

The team moved to the office entrance, and Mark found his new bat after just 2 turns.  It turned out to be little more than an annoyance, rather than a huge issue.  Luckily it didn't happen any earlier.  Clearing the offices would hopefully not be very dangerous, but I did decide to use the Risks & Rewards deck to determine any occupants and what I find if I get a chance to search.

Office Layout

Two zombies

As they pushed through the front door, two emaciated figures stumbled towards the group.  One looked to have been quarry worker, his safety vest still a bright orange, even in the dull reflected light inside.  The second figure looked to have been an office worker, her casual dress in tatters on her pallid skin.

Allen and Dawn fired, the shots sounding like thunder in the enclosed space, killing both zombies quickly.  The group waited nervously for more zombies to appear before opening the doors to the back rooms.

Clearing the back office

Storage room is clear

Mark attacks a lone zombie near the generator

Clearing the office out went pretty smooth, and even Mark ducking into the the back if the building to finish a 'trapped' zombie was a non-event.  The group moved out to check the warehouse, to expose the last PEF, so the scenario could be concluded.

Time to open the warehouse

Empty

It was a relief, all I found opening the warehouse was a case of nerves, increasing the ER to 4.  The group searched the warehouse and found a unit of fuel.  At least that was handy.  Searching the two vehicles yielded nothing useful, both were completely out of fuel and the group found nothing in each one.  

I spent two turns moving the SUV around, which did not attract any zombies before entering the offices for the night.  Searching the office building gave the group a unit of food and a luxury item.  Figuring the group would use the offices for the overnight, they moved some of the furniture to block the doors and set up a watch rotation for the night.

The scenario ended as a win, with the added bonus of finding a unit of fuel.  Thanks to the success and previous keeping it together rolls, I don't need to make a check after this scenario.  Day 22 ends, and the group looks forward to the second stage of their trip.