zombie distractions

[dargo83]

i was thinking of a way to distract zombies like nazi zombies with the monkey or in left 4 dead witht the pipe bomb or the boomer bile. i was thinking of a crystle like from a technowizardy that stores PPE. someyhing you can plant and activated by remote to cover a retreat or to gather them all in one area the blow them up.

[dargo83]

without the lose of human life

[azazel1024]

If you are doing a cross over, it might work.

I don't do it with DR, as it kind of defeats the whole survior horror thing and makes the game way to easy.

What you can do in the context of the game is a tape recorder. Record people sounds, maybe people talking, laughing, yelling, whatever. Its the wolves to the cow principle. Wolves hear cow moo and come to find dinner.

Set that tape record to full volume and play.

Moo cow, moo.

PS It probably wouldn't distract them if they actually had you in sight, as you are live and close at, undead, hand. If you were trying to get them to at least temporarily congregate it would likely work. A distraction so you could try to sneak through an area or lure them in and blow a bunch up. One thing to consider though is, you might be attacting them from far and wide, so instead of say 1,000 zombies in 10 city blocks mostly stationary or moving really slowly, you know have them slowly moving inward, possibly shambling right by where you are hiding.

I think this would work best either in a small geographic area, a small number of zeds (something like a small town, or rest stop situation) or else if you are attempting to booby trap the tape recorded with some explosives.

[azazel1024]

In the context of DR, zombies can see your life force glowing around you and can sense the presence of life out to about 30ft. Even in bright daylight they are probably going to tell something is amiss even with a life like movie maniquin before they get within the 30ft range, and will know for sure when they hit 30ft.

I think you'd have better odds getting the closest just by an appropriate noise maker. That might keep them milling around it in confusion trying to figure out where the sound is coming from, instead of noticing that the maniquin isn't alive.
-Matt

[King Newt]

i was thinking of a way to distract zombies like nazi zombies with the monkey or in left 4 dead witht the pipe bomb or the boomer bile. i was thinking of a crystle like from a technowizardy that stores PPE. someyhing you can plant and activated by remote to cover a retreat or to gather them all in one area the blow them up.

The answer to high storage PPE devices is very simple. It's called baby bombs. When the zombies get close throw a child out in front of you to distract them. Wouldn't recommend trying this around any good alignments they might have a slight problem with it. The younger the better. For those who have access to a helicopter you can dangle a small child from a rope and herd the bastards any where you want.

[dargo83]

thats messed up in so many different ways

[azazel1024]

Or the fact that it is so horrendous I think only someone who is either diabolical or insane would do it.

At a min, even with a young baby you'd probably traumatize the crap out of it.

Speaking as a parent with two very young children, babies are pretty aware of their sorrounding from a very young age, unless you were talking litterally a new born...which begs the question of A) what happened to the mother or B) why on Earth would the mother let you do that.

I think the best bet is slow moving animals, say a hobbled cow, or just a straight noise maker.
-Matt

[dargo83]

i like the idea with the fireworks or sky flowers from land of the dead its a good idea just hope there r no thinkers in the area.

[azazel1024]

Yeah at night fires probably would attract them in to see if there were yummies making them.

One thing I don't think the books are clear on, is that the level of PPE actually has any bearing on how bright a person's life force appears to zombies.

Zombies absorb PPE, but the books are not terribly clear on what it is that they see. They seem to indicate that PPE and level of PPE has no bearing on this "life force aura" that zombies can see.

So, my best guess reading the books is that a child isn't going to appear any brighter than an adult.

As for PCs, yeah if they had the appropriate alignment I'd let them pull the stunt anyway. I'd probably trip them up in some way, but that is only because I like to believe that the truely henous get it in the end...even in my games (which is why I generally encourage the people I play with when I GM not to play an evil PC game...or if they are going to, make it evil...but with some limited concience (IE aberant or maybe miscreant)).

Besides, at least in a no DR setting where there is some civilization, those who are truely diabolically insane and run around murdering, raping, pilaging, etc constantly without being able to hold it within bounds are probably going to have a very large Posse after them quickly. Now the occasional discrete assasination or murder during a robbery...well stuff happens, but it still is probably going to put you on someones S-list.
-Matt

[Silveressa]

We do have one weapon but no one in our group knows how to use it it's a mobile artilery peice from the National Guard Depo outside of town we can drive it we can use it to run over zeds but no one knows how to load it or shoot it.

Check the supply area of the national guard armory you acquired it from. Inside you'll find the maintenance and operation manuals instructing you how to fire said artillery piece. (If you can breech the armory section you may also find a limited number of rounds for it as well.)

[azazel1024]

I just hope you put some little red flags on each mine so you remembered where to step running away!

Wouldn't you have been better served with a command detonated mine for when all of the zombies showed up instead of random chance that one would step on something?

[dargo83]

dont think Hellboy would be happy about the last one for sure.

[dargo83]

you guys are all messed up. i was thinking with out the risk or lose of people.

[asajosh]

i was thinking of a way to distract zombies like nazi zombies with the monkey or in left 4 dead witht the pipe bomb or the boomer bile. i was thinking of a crystle like from a technowizardy that stores PPE. someyhing you can plant and activated by remote to cover a retreat or to gather them all in one area the blow them up.

In one of the DR campaigns I run I have a player who uses remote controled toys to distract zombies.
In our last encounter he duct taped 2 hand grenades to a high end RC car (previously raided from a toy store), tied a long piece of string to the grenade pins, and ran the car down a hallway to lure some zombies away (attracted to the noise and movement). When he guessed the car and zombies were far enough away, he yanked on the string and popped the pins. BOOM, small group saved and zombies splattered.

[The Beast]

A mutant with the APS power of either fire, plasma, or lava. Not only can that person attact the zombies, but once they get close enough he could transform and take the zombies out with fire. Same applies for anyone else who can transform in a similar manner.

[Gulzhad]

Take a car, put it in neutral, and then close the door. After that smash a window and push the car down a hill. The catch is you have explosives in the car that you can set off remotely. After a herd of zeds follow you set the car off!

[Illendaver]

@warhawk: LEAVE THE CHILDREN ALONE! holy cow, every suggestion is looking worse and worse for the poor munchkins!

As for distracting zombies, leave out some meat. Or better yet, build a small camp fire and leave a skillet with meat on it to cook/burn. It doesn't even have to be fresh meat, it will still smell enough to bring around some zed to see whats cooking. If your trying to lose a horde, I try tossing a stick of dynamite/molotov into an empty house/vehicle, Run like hell, then try to disappear into the sewer while their view is obscured by the settling dust/fire that I have started.

[dargo83]

ty Illendaver on the first part i agree 110% on the first part. like i said before in my posts using kids as a distraction is just messed up and more then likely to earn u several human enemies. but i like ur idea its creative and uses what u have on hand.

[dargo83]

hell i love it thats what i am talking about. like i said use what u got advaliable.

[Specter]

An ice cream truck. Packed with C4 and a remote detonator. Turn on the music and roll it down a hill. Do whatever scavenging you need to do but stay hidden and as far away from the zombies. Then about half an hour later... blow that popcicle stand.

[Zer0 Kay]

A car with an excessive stereo system... with lots of bass.
loaded with chickens or other more useless animals... like cats, with a bunch of catnip
a couple tanks of pure oxygen and a bunch of C4

The noise will attract them, the PPE will keep them trying and the O3 and C4 will make a big highly combustable boom.

Or increase the size to something less likely to be tipped by a few of zombies... say a bus or a train... with liquid O3 cars wrapped in C4 with an animal cage welded to the top have the train leaving town... slowly. I'd still get a good stereo system on it to just to make the "human made noise" that much more attractive.

Scrounging party using silent only gear, should just have to worry about Z's in stasis that weren't able to after the big noise decoy.

[Chronicle]

I don't know about you, My group chose to fight. We grabbed bull dosers and such. does a hell of a job until you run out of fuel.

In regards to distraction. The old Cinder Block on the gas peddle with music running full blast works well.

[Zer0 Kay]

Rig a car with a super-duper sound system to blow. Put the sucker in gear, and let it roll into a field, parking lot, or other space suitable for zeds to gather round it. Start blasting "Walk This Way" by Aerosmith at maximum volume. When the zeds start to walk that way, in pursuit of the human sounds, and enough have gathered around the car, hit a remote detonator and ka-blammo.

That is different than what I said how? Oh you rolled it. Why bother? There is too much chance it can roll the wrong way (i.e. into something) plus once some zeeks, but not enough that you'd want to blow them up figure out it is just noise they'll leave, since there is no PPE to keep them interested.

[Zer0 Kay]

I don't know about you, My group chose to fight. We grabbed bull dosers and such. does a hell of a job until you run out of fuel.

In regards to distraction. The old Cinder Block on the gas peddle with music running full blast works well.

until it hits a wall and the zeeks figure out, its not alive.

[dargo83]

well that was what i was thinking witht the technowizary crystels. or u can use there dreaded moan against them. what u can do is decptate a zed gag it with a piece of wood (i know what everyones going to say good luck on that or something like that) then place it in a ally way and use it to lure them there.

[Illendaver]

well that was what i was thinking witht the technowizary crystels. or u can use there dreaded moan against them. what u can do is decptate a zed gag it with a piece of wood (i know what everyones going to say good luck on that or something like that) then place it in a ally way and use it to lure them there.

Cant moan, no lungs. You would have to cut off all the arms and legs. Thats a lot of work. Even then they will try to head butt you and inchworm their way over to you.

[dargo83]

well then u can blame george a romero from his survival of the dead movie. 3 rednecks decapitated around 10 zeds and they where moaning

[Oberoth]

Perhaps an audio recording of the moan played with loud speakers on a RC platform.

[Nightmask]

well that was what i was thinking witht the technowizary crystels. or u can use there dreaded moan against them. what u can do is decptate a zed gag it with a piece of wood (i know what everyones going to say good luck on that or something like that) then place it in a ally way and use it to lure them there.

Cant moan, no lungs. You would have to cut off all the arms and legs. Thats a lot of work. Even then they will try to head butt you and inchworm their way over to you.

Is breathing a requirement? There seem to be enough stuff featuring undead that can still speak even decapitated that having a body attached isn't always a necessity.

[dargo83]

thank u thats what i said and besides the recorded moan would be to easy

[Severus Snape]

Got a question on the whole distracting a zombie thing. If you could somehow get a digital recording of a zombie's moan and then play that back at some innocuous location close enough to but not directly on top of where you want to be, would that lure the zombies away? And depending on the power source to play the recording, would that keep the zombies in that location indefinitely?

[dargo83]

i think the digital recording is a good idea but i want my PCs to work for there stuff.

[Zer0 Kay]

I always thought you could introduce a wizard rich in P.P.E. into the game have them create a Talisman, tie that around a dog /cat/bird(s) neck and have the fast zombies chase the animals for the P.P.E.... not only a great distraction but you could lure the zombies to dead ends for slaughter if the animals are well trained and there is a small exit for them to crawl through... a doggie door perhaps.

I like good one. Hey if you get it on a ferret, you don't have to plan too far in advance. You can train them, they can fit through really small holes and they can climb if they have to. Depending on how your allowed to make the talisman you could just do it into a ferret harness.

[Zer0 Kay]

well that was what i was thinking witht the technowizary crystels. or u can use there dreaded moan against them. what u can do is decptate a zed gag it with a piece of wood (i know what everyones going to say good luck on that or something like that) then place it in a ally way and use it to lure them there.

Keep Body and Head, sever arms and everything below the waste.

[dargo83]

i was just playing Dead Island and theres a zombie bait that u can make and in Dead Nation u can use road flares to disrtact dead heads

[Zer0 Kay]

what about a small remotely operated vehicle (R.O.V.) the kind that are shown consistantly on Future Weapons set up with MGs and such, with say a scarecrow of some sort on top instead of weapons, it could be packed full of explosives and a loud speaker.

you're taling about swords?
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/03/0306_deadliest_tech/image/swords2.jpg
try hewre: http://survival101.wetpaint.com/page/Weapons+Accessories.
its not big enough ofr a a scarecrow, but an bigger version shou,ld be easy enough to build, especially form an original one.

Shouldn't need a scarecrow if it just drives around making as much noise as possible it will attract zeeks.

[Zer0 Kay]

what about a small remotely operated vehicle (R.O.V.) the kind that are shown consistantly on Future Weapons set up with MGs and such, with say a scarecrow of some sort on top instead of weapons, it could be packed full of explosives and a loud speaker.

you're taling about swords?
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/03/0306_deadliest_tech/image/swords2.jpg
try hewre: http://survival101.wetpaint.com/page/Weapons+Accessories.
its not big enough ofr a a scarecrow, but an bigger version shou,ld be easy enough to build, especially form an original one.

Shouldn't need a scarecrow if it just drives around making as much noise as possible it will attract zeeks.

i was reffering to the op. me, id stick a boombox and some of those firecracjers that light off each other, turn it loose, and wathc fun as i mow them down with the machijne guns i postion BEHIND THE XCONSTINTINA WIIRTE they get tangled up in.

while i'm at it....... maye i'll just torch them alive. they're not going anywhere now, are they?

OR imagine razor wire (not constintina because that is any sort of "barb" [i.e.: razor, butterfly, barb, etc... ] type wire that is pre coiled so that it is easily deployed, expanding like a constintina) with really high tensile strength... heck it doesn't even need to be razor, so imagine say 8 strans of flexible high tensile strength cable something that a crane would use. This would have to be a static position or vehicle deployed. So the cables all lay loose in an intersection but diagnal across the intersection they are connected to two heavy steel rotating disks that are powered by something (I'll figure that out later). You lure the zombies into the intersection and when there is a sufficient amount in the area the disks rapidly spin in opposite directions causing the cables to jump around, entangle, drag, beat, decapitate, dismember, crush, and finally contract (just like like a towel when you wring it out). Oooh chain would probably work great too... but wouldn't last as long... may be lighter though. So you have a tripping hazard that can be turned into a cable barricade with a few turns but for best effect may want a device that after full constriction it switches direction and can either stop so it is a barricade or tripping hazzard again or just continuously cycle back and forth... until it looses power, whipping around creating all kinds of noise and snagging any zombies that come near to investigate!

[azazel1024]

Just a minor correction, it is concertina wire, not constintina.

It should prove to be a minor/major obstacle to the undead depending on number. It won't "hurt them" much, but it should still snag, hold and/or prevent them from crossing it. However, get more than a few and they'll just break the wire. That stuff doesn't have a ton of tensile strength. Maybe 1,000lbs to a ton. So get a dozen or more zombies on a strand trying to push through and they might break it. Though consider how quick it is to deploy and break down, it does make a good quick barrier. Frankly I'd take a few coils with me on any decent sized vehicle. Makes it easy for a ready made fortification. Probably 20 minutes if you have half a dozen strong guys to set up a 40x40ft perimeter fence of the stuff that could stop a dozen or two zombies trying to push through it.

Won't stop a massive horde, but it'll stop some of the ones who "get through" your long range defensive fire and when hung up shouldn't be too hard to dispatch with fire or hand to hand weapons. I'd want to set one up if out scavagening any place I was setting up for the night.

[dargo83]

what about a small remotely operated vehicle (R.O.V.) the kind that are shown consistantly on Future Weapons set up with MGs and such, with say a scarecrow of some sort on top instead of weapons, it could be packed full of explosives and a loud speaker.

you're taling about swords?
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/03/0306_deadliest_tech/image/swords2.jpg
try hewre: http://survival101.wetpaint.com/page/Weapons+Accessories.
its not big enough ofr a a scarecrow, but an bigger version shou,ld be easy enough to build, especially form an original one.

Shouldn't need a scarecrow if it just drives around making as much noise as possible it will attract zeeks.

i was reffering to the op. me, id stick a boombox and some of those firecracjers that light off each other, turn it loose, and wathc fun as i mow them down with the machijne guns i postion BEHIND THE XCONSTINTINA WIIRTE they get tangled up in.

while i'm at it....... maye i'll just torch them alive. they're not going anywhere now, are they?

OR imagine razor wire (not constintina because that is any sort of "barb" [i.e.: razor, butterfly, barb, etc... ] type wire that is pre coiled so that it is easily deployed, expanding like a constintina) with really high tensile strength... heck it doesn't even need to be razor, so imagine say 8 strans of flexible high tensile strength cable something that a crane would use. This would have to be a static position or vehicle deployed. So the cables all lay loose in an intersection but diagnal across the intersection they are connected to two heavy steel rotating disks that are powered by something (I'll figure that out later). You lure the zombies into the intersection and when there is a sufficient amount in the area the disks rapidly spin in opposite directions causing the cables to jump around, entangle, drag, beat, decapitate, dismember, crush, and finally contract (just like like a towel when you wring it out). Oooh chain would probably work great too... but wouldn't last as long... may be lighter though. So you have a tripping hazard that can be turned into a cable barricade with a few turns but for best effect may want a device that after full constriction it switches direction and can either stop so it is a barricade or tripping hazzard again or just continuously cycle back and forth... until it looses power, whipping around creating all kinds of noise and snagging any zombies that come near to investigate!

sounds like a good zombie kill of the week. one of my npcs did something simaler one but he used mono-wire instead

[Zer0 Kay]

Shouldn't need a scarecrow if it just drives around making as much noise as possible it will attract zeeks.

i was reffering to the op. me, id stick a boombox and some of those firecracjers that light off each other, turn it loose, and wathc fun as i mow them down with the machijne guns i postion BEHIND THE XCONSTINTINA WIIRTE they get tangled up in.

while i'm at it....... maye i'll just torch them alive. they're not going anywhere now, are they?

OR imagine razor wire (not constintina because that is any sort of "barb" [i.e.: razor, butterfly, barb, etc... ] type wire that is pre coiled so that it is easily deployed, expanding like a constintina) with really high tensile strength... heck it doesn't even need to be razor, so imagine say 8 strans of flexible high tensile strength cable something that a crane would use. This would have to be a static position or vehicle deployed. So the cables all lay loose in an intersection but diagnal across the intersection they are connected to two heavy steel rotating disks that are powered by something (I'll figure that out later). You lure the zombies into the intersection and when there is a sufficient amount in the area the disks rapidly spin in opposite directions causing the cables to jump around, entangle, drag, beat, decapitate, dismember, crush, and finally contract (just like like a towel when you wring it out). Oooh chain would probably work great too... but wouldn't last as long... may be lighter though. So you have a tripping hazard that can be turned into a cable barricade with a few turns but for best effect may want a device that after full constriction it switches direction and can either stop so it is a barricade or tripping hazzard again or just continuously cycle back and forth... until it looses power, whipping around creating all kinds of noise and snagging any zombies that come near to investigate!

sounds like a good zombie kill of the week. one of my npcs did something simaler one but he used mono-wire instead

Uh... DR is supposed to be in modern times, where the heck do you find mono-wire, besides fishing wire... which will not cut through bone? Thanks for the kill of the week though.

[azazel1024]

You could use piano wire and string it between a couple of cars and go mowing for zombies. Probably snap the wire though after it tears through/in to a couple of them though. I personally like the idea of unleashing an uparmored combine harvester on a mob of zombies. Litterally mow them down like wheat.

[dargo83]

well my game is set 20 years from now so monowire does exciste like in the movie johnny numonic or shadow run or cyberpunk 2020 where it can cut through just about anything.

[Zer0 Kay]

You could use piano wire and string it between a couple of cars and go mowing for zombies. Probably snap the wire though after it tears through/in to a couple of them though. I personally like the idea of unleashing an uparmored combine harvester on a mob of zombies. Litterally mow them down like wheat.

I like my modified Snow plow with auger in it. The snow throwing auger blades were replaced with bone crunching blades, frame reinforced and the motor augmented. It is just harder to find the materials to do the same with a combine.

[Mech-Viper Prime]

for my plan , i would need alot of prep time , and 10 modified tub grinders , a large crane, and steel cage , and a couple of brave mofos, that are overweight.

dig a gaint hole with a slope at 45 degrees , place the tub grinders in the hole , cover hole, so the only openings are the tub grinders , hook the cage on the crane, lower into position just within sight and out of reach and whole lot of noise and wait for the zombies to come, add a couple of snipers to pick off any zombies off that didnt fall into the grinders , once its done , clean the machines and get ready for the next group.

[dargo83]

love the idea that mech-viper prime made but i would put that in the running for my zombie kill of the week. one of the pcs had a simaler idea but used wood chippers and she ranked in the top ten.

[Zer0 Kay]

Hmm... a metal shredder like the ones they use at junk yards for cars! That isn't going to dull on bones. All the tub grinders I saw looked like they are used for vegitation.

[Zer0 Kay]

Every truck weight scale you find you wire up with a solar powered siren on the scale. The scale is rigged so when it reaches a certain weight it sets off a bunch of C4 you've set up around and on it. Sorry that is more of a zeek trap than a zeek distraction. Oh yeah and of course you change the weight scale sign on the entrance so it says "Scale closed, rigged with EXPLOSIVES!!" since zeeks can't read, should be just fine.

[Zer0 Kay]

whta about a wood chipper?

I dunnoh, I'd think that a wood chipper would eventually dull on all the bone and turn into a crusher but it isn't made to crush so eventually it would bind... maybe.

[dargo83]

it was a one shot deal they used about 10 or so of them and had then side by side on a downward slant. after about 40 or 50 dead heads went throught and they got the footage they needed for there ZKW and then they split.

[Zer0 Kay]

whta about a wood chipper?

I dunnoh, I'd think that a wood chipper would eventually dull on all the bone and turn into a crusher but it isn't made to crush so eventually it would bind... maybe.

some dude like 30 years ago offed his girlfried, ran her trhough a wood chpper, and all they ever found of her was a single strans of hair. id say its good enough for this.

How many times, would it work? That was one person, and that is obviously Urban Legend as they'd find blood splatter everywhere along with DNA and then it isn't like a wood chipper disintegrates wood... it chips it, so there would be flesh and bone chunks.
We're talking about a calcified substance in some locations denser than wood. Five, maybe a hundred but it is eventually going to bind up on something and we're talking about putting it through hordes...
But you know what... does it really matter. Play the game have fun.