Avast! Zombie Pirates Overwhelm new Zombicide Crowdfunder

The latest Zombicide games launched on Gamefound yesterday, but there was a significant difference between this new campaign and the ones that came before. For starters it is now being run by Fantasy Flight Games and Asmodee, who brought the Zombicide IP off CMON last summer, due to CMON’s financial difficulties. In adddition to the change of company, this campaign is not just offering another board game but has expanded to also include a comic and a tabletop roleplaying game.

The new installment of this popular franchise is Zombicide: Dead Men Tales - which sees a return to fantasy for the series, but this time with a pirate invasion.

Dead Men Tales brings the hugely popular Zombicide gameplay to paradisiacal pirate islands, where gold is plentifyl and grom flows freely. Command crews of humans, orcs, elves, and more as you face off against relentless zombie hordes. Fire cannons, swing from ropes, and fight for survival as the undead attack from every direction, including the sea itself! Dive even deeper into the fantasy world with Black Plague Comics Vol. 2 and the Plaguebearer Rolplaying Game for an even more immersive eperience. All of this comes to life with the stunning artwork and miniatures you know you love from Zombicide!

Zombicide: Dead Men Tales is a 1-6 player co-operative boardgame in which you control a crew of pirate Survivors. Your characters will gather treasure, acquire new skills, and fulfil objectives as they explore the cursed archipelago and fight against the growing Zombie horde. The game, as with the rest of the previous series, is miniature heavy with a choice of 10 Survivor figures to choose from and 42 Zombies across a number of designs, in the core box. That’s before all the miniatures that are unlocked during the campaign as Stretch Goals which, if this campaign goes the same way as previous installments, will fill up a second bulky box for backers to enjoy.

The Plagueberer Roleplaying Game is a stand-alone game and, whilst a retail version will probably be available at a later date, comes as a Crowdfunding Exclusive edition for those who back in during the campaign. This Exclusive Edition includes not only the core hardcover rulebook but a Game Master Screen, 4 double-sided area maps, 24 Initiative cards, 36 Talent cards, 20 Gear cards, 24 Charater cards, 6 Stronghold sheets and a book sleeve. The writing team also has plenty of experience, led by Francesco Nepitello (The One Ring), as well as Umberto Pignatelli and Chris Lites. The rules system is a revised and steamlined version of the Chronicle System which was used in the Zombicide RPG that was published a few years back. The game will be set in the Duchy and city of Wulfsburg, which Zombicide fans will recognise from the previous fantasy incarnation of the board game. You can download a preview of Plaguebearer in PDF on DriveThruRPG.

The graphic novel, Black Plague Vol 2: Path of Obliviion is a 120+ page full-colour hardcover, and continues the saga that started in the previously released first volume, Road to Hell, which is also available through the campaign. Both graphic novels also come with Comic Book Extras box sets of miniatures from the series that can be used in the board game. Black Plague is not the only graphic novel on offer, as you can also get the Company of the Gallows Volume 1 and 2 which alsso comes with an exclusive set of miniatures.

The Zombicide: Dead Men TalesGamefound campaign is live now and runs until mid-May.