An RPG Resource Review:

Originally written as a tournament adventure to launch 12 to Midnight Games, it's now presented as a stand-alone scenario, complete with pre-generated characters. The nature of the game, with the need for all the characters to be members of the US National Guard (and some of the backgrounds that they have!) makes it unsuitable to be inserted into a campaign - although you might wish to use it as a campaign starter... if any of the characters survive, that is!

Basically, the characters - who are all, as mentioned above, National Guardsmen (members of the US Army's volunteer reserve, in other words) - are ordered to do a tour of duty at a remote Army base in New Mexico. All is, as one would expect, not quite what it seems...

To put it briefly, the base was being used for some exotic biological warfare research, which as well as having some, shall we say, uncontrolled results in the 'real world' has also attracted the interest of certain supernatural powers. Naturally, just as the characters arrive on the scene things start to go wrong big style. To provide the necessary groupings, characters are split into 2 groups, one arriving by helicopter (with special orders), the rest being ordinary National Guardsmen in a bus. It's a bit unfortunate that the bio-war lab explodes just as they all arrive in area...

The whole adventure is filled with advice to the GM on how best to run the action. There's loads of hints and tips - although I think it might be hard work for a complete novice GM, it could well prove a good arena for a GM with a few games under his belt to step up his game a notch with a mass-action, loads of stuff going on, adventure.

For those of you fortunate enough to be able to access a computer when role-playing, there is quite a treat in store. The zipfile contains 2 PDFs, one with the adventure and another with fantastic detailed maps of the entire base... and they have been hyperlinked so that as you reach each location in the adventure, a second window will open with the appropriate map. Excellent use of the technology! Those who game on paper will just have a large file of maps to flick through - there are recommendations as to which will be most useful if you do not wish to go to the trouble and expense of printing out all 57 pages of maps! They do make a wonderful army base, though, so it might be worth keeping them for any adventures you plan that use military facilities. The author's foreword says that they were based on several Army camps in which he had served - and while I've not been on a US Army base, they do have that authentic feel of a military facility that all veterans will recognise! To enable non-military GMs to stay in character, a drill sergeant explains military terminology and customs in frequent sidebar notes.

Once you have played out the opening moments, which neatly unite the 2 groups of characters and set them up ready to investigate what's happened on the base, the adventure is very free-flowing. The characters are free to go wherever they wish, while the GM is provided with all the resources to deal with them wherever they wander! Each location and its occupants are described - this serves as the 'starting position' for all the NPCs, but it will be up to the GM to move them according to clearly specified guidelines once they become aware of the characters' presence.

Appendices provide full details of all NPC statistice, plus useful things like the damage you can do with a variety of common object - hey, just because this is an army base you will not have weapons freely available (not unless you raid the armoury, that is - remember, soldiers' access to weapons is probably more limited than that of civilians in the US). There is also a section on common skill checks and procedures, to aid the GM in moderating likely occurrences. You also get a collection of player handouts, including initial briefing notes and - very useful - inventory lists for certain key locations to hand to those players who want to know every last thing that's in a particular area; and character sheets ready to give out to the players.

The whole thing is well presented, with clear layout, wonderful incidental photos apparently taken at the scene (some supplied by serving US soldiers as part of a competition run by 12 to Midnight); although I find the typeface a little unclear both on screen and when printed out. As a final helpful feature, the adventure appears twice, the second version has none of the incidental photos and other illustrations, so can be used by those who want to print out the adventure without wasting too much of their printer resources!

Overall, a very well presented scenario with the potential to create a memorable - if deadly - game. It's as well that pregenerated characters are provided, as some deaths are almost inevitable. I think this would work best if you conceal from the players that it is essentially a horror scenario, let them think you have something military planned... I'm looking forwards to running this one myself.

Excellent-the map pack alone is worth the purchase price. Until most 12 to Midnight products, there is solid research and excellent attention to detail.

This is a good purchase if you want to run a one-evening game that's not too serious. The provided characters work very well, proving useful both to forward the plot (which, like in any good bad horror movie, is not a plot so much as an excuse to put the characters in danger). The setting is well-detailed and set out in a realistic fashion. The maps are simple in style, but quite useful.

Players who are not careful can quickly find themselves in hot water in this adventure, which is written very well to make low-level encounters quite challenging. Players with infantry training will probably make short work of the module. Mine did, but we had a blast anyway.

The layout and design could stand some improvement. There are some typos, and the enlarged excepts scattered throughout don't always contribute to the overall mood and tend to clutter up the text. However, the links which open maps to relevant sections directly from the text are very, very handy, allowing the GM to run the game off a laptop, as I did, and help one get an overall picture of the setting while reading the area descriptions.

The adventure's shortcomings are understandable, and are made up for by its strengths; well-balanced encounters, a detailed setting, plenty of maps, and a fun atmosphere. My players and I had a great time, and I'd recommend the product.

Wow! Great maps! Looks to be a fun one! These guys make good stuff for both d20 and Savage Worlds.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

WOW! I play tested this game and it rocked my socks off. 122Midnight has created another great one shot adventure. With the pregenerated characters all you need to do is sit down and play! The game is fun, exciting and suspensful. We didnt get the cool maps when we played and first and let me tell you after seeing them they are amazing. I am looking forward to running this one!

I'm not big on long reviews.

I loved this product. The maps are fantastic. the Adventure is exactly the kind of zombie horror, suprise your players type of adventure I was looking for. The only downside is that you pretty much have to have a computer at the gaming table to run it. It's not too printer friendly & I do not have a laptop, nor does the person who's house we game at have a computer in his basement where we play. This does tend to put this product on my shelf of what I'd love to run but can't area.

I admit it, this one overwhelmed me! But I mean that in the best of terms. Great maps and a solid "zombie hunt" plot behind it, can't wait to run this game

Weekend Warriors certainly lives up to its description. All in all, it seems to be a fun (perhaps difficult for a small group) rompin' stompin' zombie bashin' adventure. Med - High on the action, mid-level on the mystery, and high on the fun factor.

This doesn't even take into account the incredible number of maps that comes with it.

If you're looking for a good one off, or even the beginning adventure for a group of .... well... Weekend Warriors ... Then this is for you.

Chairborne Rangers might as well stay home.

This was a large adventure, and quite ambitious. I feel it was very well-written, except for one thing: the locations were not detailed enough. For those of us without military service, we don't know the difference between a barracks and a CS HQ building. Interesting twists and story, great work.

Very handy. It is good as both an adventure and as a general reference for a military base. Tons of floorplans are providied.