I’m sure that I’m not the first one to suggest zombies in a science fiction, post apocalypse, or Metamorphosis Alpha (MA) setting.

In my recent MA kick, I had an idea for one level to have some sort of zombie plague, whether by disease, radiation, or the effects of some plant or animal poison. Would it only affect humans, or mutated humans, or any animal forms. What about intelligent plants?

I don’t have any specific game mechanics in mind, but there are certain questions to be resolved.

• What are the zombies after?
  • Do they want brains, entrails, or just to kill the living?
  • Are the zombies mindless killing machines, or do they have some level of intelligence.
• Is this form of zombieism contagious? Does being killed by a zombie make you a zombie?
  • If it is caused by radiation, does any dead body left near the radiation become a zombie, or only those killed by the radiation?
  • If caused by a plant or animal poison, what are the limitations and possible antidotes to that poison?
  • If caused by a virus or microbe, is there a cure or inoculation?
• Do you have to destroy the brain to kill them, or just do enough damage?
  • If the brain, then does it require a called shot, or some special mechanic?
    • I vote for just enough damage to keep combat moving.
• Will their be warning signs on doors?
  • If so, will the characters be able to read or understand them?
  • What happens when the doors are opened?
    • Are their hoards of zombies on the other side, or a single one to give the players a chance.
      • I smell a random table!
• How long will the zombies last?
  • If you have an ongoing campaign, will the zombies reach a point where they cease to be and there are no more new ones?
    • Who am I kidding? These suckers are going to happen whenever the players stumble upon them!
• If the zombie’s quarantine/containment is breached, how far will it spread beyond the containment point?
  • Is the nature of the substance that makes a zombie able to spread throughout the ship?
• Fast zombies or slow zombies?
  • I think let them move at 75% or so of their living speed, unless they are fresh.
    • Fresh zombies do surprise and initiative standard. (Can you tell I play AD&D?)
    • Really old zombies that are becoming skeletal would be the slow kind.
      • They could have tatters of colonists’ clothing, or crew uniforms.
        • Have a valued arm band on one of them in the midst of the swarm
        • Perhaps one of the captain’s rings could be here. (How bad do you want that ring, and will the player’s even know it is there?)
    • Not so fresh zombies only get initiative on an exceptional roll, and surprise is by chance when players stumble on one and are surprised.
      • Keep this mechanic simple and consistent.
• Can the computer or medibots be of any use?
  • If the computer is cut off from this area of the ship, it may not be able to update the programs of the medibots.
  • There could be one or two medibots with helpful answers, including inoculations, or some sort of spray or foam that stops the zombies.
    • It depends on how detailed you want to be, and if you want to be this “nice” to the players.
• If the players let it loose on the whole ship, are you ok with the rest of your campaign being about pockets of survivors who have zones where the zombies can’t or don’t enter?
  • If you are the referee, then you can control this however you like, just think it through to the logical conclusion. If you want a game like this, then you are OK with it being like that. If this is too much change to your vision for the campaign, you can make it work however you want; it is your campaign.