Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Last Days (First Look)

So we’re back today with the first look at one of the games we’re going to be taking a closer look at for our trip to Gencon and probably the winter months into 2019. Today we’re taking a look at the official release of Last Days, a zombie survival narrative skirmish game from Osprey Publishing. Written by Ash Barker, of Guerrilla Miniature Games, it’s a set of rules describing the struggle that survivors of the Zombie Apocalypse endure in the aftermath of the end of civilization. Let’s take a closer look.

Last Days


Last Days is a rules set that allows players to create warbands of survivors attempting to live through the end of the world in a zombie apocalypse. The system is built for campaign style play where you and a bunch of your friends get together, build warbands, and then play links games that explore the highs and lows of living in the Last Days.


The game cleverly automates the zombies and treats them as a part of the scenery and as more of a combination of environmental hazard than a force that a player controls. There are some other games that feature “wild monsters” but the way they are used in Last Days is very appropriate to the source material.


The game plays quickly, with small bands of survivors skirmishing on small tabletops. This is a plus side for us, because it means the investment in terrain and other gear needed to play the game is fairly low. Skirmish wargaming is one of our favorites and this one adds that narrative element that encourages you to invest time and energy into your warbands and see what sort of mischief you can get into.


What drew our attention:


Ash demoed an older edition of this rules set some time last year, and the game looked fun. The game doesn’t require any specific minis or terrain from a specific manufacturer and that’s not something you see everyday. This is a game that encourages you to pick and choose whatever minis you want to use for the game and gives you the framework to play with them. 


Why we stayed:


Ash has done a fine job of promoting the game and teaching us how it plays. The GMG machine has done an excellent job of showing off the game in the fashion it was meant to be explored, the campaign. The Campaign rules highlight the best aspects of other games like Mordheim, Necromunda, and other skirmish gems and skins them as a modern masterpiece tied to the horror genre.


Why we’re digging in:


Now this game isn’t one that i would necessarily be digging deep into without Drewbacca. I know that he absolutely loves this genre, and when i started telling him about it he remarked that “this sounds like a game i could get my family into.” I personally love statements like that, because it means that the hook is enticing enough that he is considering it, and it’s got legs enough for him to introduce it to his family.


The freedom of choice on minis is one that i find rewarding, because it supports a host of choices and options for picking up your survivors and your zombies. There are no “official” Last Days minis (yet?) and that gives a leg up to the creative types. Since it’s set in a modern world, there are a host of terrain kits and options for building your own environment, and that gives us options and flexibility.


Now you can order the game from Osprey Publishing here. Now i also highly encourage you to go catch Ash playing the game on his youtube channel Here. Check them out and see what you think. We’ll try and get some coverage of the game after Gencon and we’ll be back to talk about some more excellent games.



Game On, Game Fans

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