The scenario itself is fairly simple: survive until the end of the thirteen turns without losing more than five heroes. Zombies must kill five heroes (each one killed becomes a Zombie Hero) before time expires. Heroes do get to draw another hero when one is killed.
This one definitely favored the zombies in our first play. Zombies spawn automatically, and have six cards in their hand. Zombies also always roll an extra fight die. Although heroes start with an extra hero card, it ended as a bloody victory for the Zs.
The cards included in the set also, in my opinion, lean toward the Zs slightly. The heroes get cards that:
1) allow them to carry three additional items
2) allow a Strange hero to instantly kill the zombie they are fighting
3) allow the hero toroll an extra move die and choose which result to keep (X2)
4) get a Hedge Trimmer, which allows a hero to roll an extra fight die for each Z currently in their space
The Z's get cards that:
1) either let the Z re-roll any # of fight dice OR prevent an instant kill (X2)
2) allow Zs to roll an extra fight die when fighting a hero when no other heroes are on the same board section (and it remains in play)
3) sacrifices two Zs to choose any one card from the discard pile and put it in your hand
4) allows a Z to roll an extra fight die, and if the hero takes a wound, you move all other Zs within two spaces into the hero space.
I felt that the cards were pretty well-balanced. What seemed to tip the scales in favor of the Zs (in the scenario) was the turning of heroes into zombie heroes. Because of their increased move, it allowed the first couple of kills to advance quickly on the hero positions. With the extra fight dice, it was a disaster for the heroes.
As with all games, this was just one play. Had one or more heroes started with something more useful (chainsaw, ranged weapons, etc.) they might have fared much differently. Kudos to the FF design team!
Now when can we expect that scenario book? I've got some extra stuff in Growing Hunger that I'm dying to use! (No pun intended)











