Zombicide: Green Horde - Emerald Waves of Undead

It was well known that the zombie plague wasn’t limited to just humans. Undead wolves and crows had been harassing the living since the beginning of the outbreak, and various methods had been utilized to deal with those threats. It seemed as though the worst might be over. But then, way out at the edge of human civilization, on the borderlands that led to Orc territory, reports started coming in that the plague had spread even to those remote regions, aided along by Orc Necromancers. Worse still, the Orcish undead were massing in huge groups, sending enormous hordes of zombies into towns, leaving nothing behind but blood stains and gnawed bones. Survivors in these far-flung regions had to adapt new tactics when dealing with this onslaught. They’ve learned to use the countryside’s hedgerows and grazing ponds as places to trap and disorient zombies. The massive trebuchets that once protected towns from raiders are now being put to use against Orc zombies. Zombicide: Green Horde is the stand-alone expansion to Zombicide: Black Plague, and this time, the zombies are bigger, meaner, and greener.

Zombicide fans will recognize the new challenge the Orc zombies represent. These brutes were always stronger than humans, and they retain that power as the undead. Orc zombies inflict two Damage with each hit, quickly breaking through a Survivor’s armor and reducing them to a bloody pulp. Goblins were always a constant companion of Orcs. They too, have succumbed to the zombie plague and move with a greater speed and agility than their brutish cousins. It’s not simply that Orc zombies are stronger than regular zombies, they also tend to group together. Orc zombie spawn cards marked with the Horde symbol will grow the Horde. Players set aside one extra of the type of Orc zombie spawned with the card in a growing pack on the side of the board. Then, when an Enter the Horde card is drawn, the whole Horde is unleashed on the board at once. This mass of rotting green flesh will surely give players bad dreams.

Looking to put an end to the nightmare is a new batch of heroes. All of their lives were thrown into chaos with the coming of the emerald tide. Asim was thought to be a simple merchant, but has shown himself to be quite adept at killing Orcs. Johannes was an engineer in his pre-outbreak life. Now, he’s using his vast knowledge to create fortifications and weapons to combat the Orcs. Megan’s the heir to a family of thieves. She’s not just good with daggers, but has also dabbled in magic. Berin is a mercenary for hire, with lots of experience against the Orcs before the plague. He’s had to adapt his fighting styles, but alive or dead, he’s ready to tackle any enemy. Rolf was used to hunting Orcs along the borders on his own. He’s had to eschew the lone wolf lifestyle and team up with others for the first time. Seli is an enigma. Found in a pile of corpses with a wound on her head, she’s unable to remember who she is or even beyond a couple days at a time. It’s not dulled her ability to kill, however, and she’s a welcome member of any zombie-hunting party. These Survivors will have to work together over the course of a 10-quest campaign.

To help manage zombie movement and to give the players a fighting chance, Zombicide: Green Horde includes new Hedges, Waterhole Zones, and the formidable Trebuchet siege weapon. Hedge give Survivors a place to hide from and sneak up on unsuspecting undead Orcs. Meanwhile, Waterhole zones have both shallow Banks and steep Ledges, which savvy Survivors will use to trap zombies. The Survivors’ greatest new weapon is the mighty Trebuchet. Originally designed to protect against the Orc raiding parties, they’re now being used to crush masses of undead. When using the Trebuchet, players can choose one of three types of ammunition to load, depending on what sort of target they have in mind. No Orc wants to be on the receiving end of its fire.

This horrifying new green menace will test new and veteran players alike. Zombicide: Green Horde will be available in your FLGS on April 27.

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Jason "Polar Bear" Koepp is a Content Producer for CMON and Editor in Chief of the Tabletop Gaming News website. He lives in Atlanta where he enjoys baking and sharing the results with the others in the CMON offices.