Each successful attack generates an amount of
“potential damage”. This will be listed in the test results.
Effects of successful attacks are resolved as follows:
The target model’s armour (reduced for any AP ability of the attack) is subtracted from the potential damage to find the actual damage caused. This is then compared to the following table.
For example, a model is hit by an attack that resolves with a potential damage of 3. The model is wearing armour 2, and the attack is AP1. The AP reduces the effectiveness of the armour to 1 (2 armour -1 AP = 1 armour). The remaining armour then reduces the potential damage of 3 down to 2. Unfortunately this is still enough to kill the model. If the attack had not had any AP then the attack would have been reduced to 1 and the model would only have been Injured if it was previously undamaged.
0 damage caused: The target’s armour saves it.
1 damage caused: The target is Injured if currently undamaged or Killed if already Injured.
2+ damage caused: The target is Killed.
SETTING UP
In order to play Deadzone you need to get a number of things together. If you’ve got the boxed set then almost all of these are included. All you will need to find for yourself is an opponent. Once you’re ready, lay out the battle mat between you and follow these steps.
1. Choose Strike Teams.
2. Prepare your Strike Team.
3. Prepare the battlefield.
4. Determine deployment.
5. Start the game.
1. CHOOSE YOUR STRIKE TEAM
Each player should decide which of the different factions (Enforcers, Plague, Marauders, Rebels, etc) they like most. Then, using the Stat Cards from the appropriate faction deck, each player needs to put together a Strike Team following the rules on page 44.
As long as you have the models to represent the various soldiers and monsters on the battlefield, you can play any combination of factions you like, including fighting with the same faction on both sides. It’s up to you.
When both players have the models and cards needed to play and have each chosen a Strike Team, then go to the next step.
2. PREPARE YOUR STRIKE TEAM
Each player should follow these steps.
• Make sure you have all the models and item counters you have chosen for your Strike Team.
Sort out the activation, Aggression and other game counters so that they are within easy reach. Lay out the Stat Cards for your Strike Team.
• Shuffle your Battle Cards. Deal yourself 20 Battle Cards. These will form your battle deck for this game. Place the remainder to one side. They will not be used in this battle. Deal four Battle Cards from your deck of 20 as your starting hand.
• Shuffle your Mission Cards and draw a mission.
Keep this secret. If you don’t think you can achieve this mission then you can reject this first draw and choose another. You must attempt the second one regardless, and cannot change back to the first once you have drawn a second. Keep the remainder of the Mission Cards nearby as you will need them for deployment.
If you are using Plague, you must allocate initial mutations. Shuffle the 8 mutation counters face down and draw 3 at random. Allocate each of these to a separate model before the battle starts. Note that these initial mutations can be allocated after you see what they are. Put the rest of the mutations (still face down) to one side. You may need them later.
Not all mutations are useful. Despite this, all mutations drawn must be allocated to a model, good or bad. That kind of unpredictability is just part of what happens when you’re infected with alien mutagens.
3. PREPARE THE BATTLEFIELD
Lay out your playing area and place the buildings and other scenery on it to form the battlefield. Place the buildings first and then the cover.
Buildings
The Deadzone buildings can be assembled in an infinite number of ways, and this is part of what makes them fun. As a general rule, lots of smaller buildings is often better to fight around than a few large ones, but you should experiment for yourself to find out what suits you and what you think looks best.
When you have assembled some buildings, place them on the mat. Wherever possible, align buildings so that they are exactly in line with the printed grid on the mat.
Spread out the buildings, avoiding large open spaces. As a rule of thumb, try to avoid any 3 cube x 3 cube areas of the lowest level being completely empty of buildings.
Multi-level buildings can be connected by walkways above ground level.
Remember that you are laying out all this scenery before you know where either Strike Team will deploy.
Cover
Once your buildings are laid out, define some cubes as cover to break up clear fire-lanes and make the board look more interesting. Exactly what bits of scenery you use to show cover does not matter.