Let’s try and source some suggestions for a key question as I plan an post-apocalyptic game based in Nottinghamshire UK. Please post suggestions and thoughts in the comments, or drop me a line by email, or call in to the show.
I’ve got my local OS maps. Here’s the question:
What factors do you need to take into account when choosing a location for an outpost of survivors in the post-apocalyptic world?
Here are some supporting considerations:
- The world ended about two or three generations ago.
- There are zombies roaming, more in built up areas.
- There are zones of extreme weirdness – think: magical chaos.
- Groups are small, 100 ish people max.
- This is set in Nottinghamshire, UK.
- Climate change has slowed but post-apocalyptic weather can be extreme.
- The pre-apocalyptic UK had relatively few firearms in public ownership.
Obviously you might not have access to maps but what I am seeking is some guidance on where to place settlements and outposts. Some ideas seem obvious (they’ll need water) but let’s see if we can draw on expertise from the wider community. I want this game to feel… plausible.
Game on!
Roleplay Rescue’s Blog 
The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks is a great resource for this kind of thing. One suggestion from the books is a prison – they’re already fortified and easy to defend, as well as being self-contained with resources survivors might need.
Assuming your zombies can’t climb, anywhere with stairs that can be demolished would also work. Tower blocks with the lowest set of stairs removed could make an interesting little village/nightmare (think J. G. Ballard’s High Rise if you want to get really grim), but would need to send out people to get resources. You could even end up with bridges built between neighbouring buildings if they’re close enough.
Castles, depending on what state they’re in, might draw people looking for a safe place. Some old churches are also built like fortresses and would probably attract the religious, especially during the apocalypse!
Finally, motorway service stations might also house small communities as they’re isolated, away from urban areas and would have been a good source of food during the early days. They wouldn’t be too easy to defend though, and might rely on passing trade to survive.
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I’d love to hear more about this game, especially the setting! 🙂 why did the world end? Was it zombies, or were they just a symptom rather than the cause?
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