Best zombie baiting tactic?

[Icefalcon]

What is your best zombie baiting tactic? I know what mine are but I want to hear a few of yours before I post mine.

[G]

Get a group on the back of a Ford F350 (or dump truck, firetruck, or anything large and heavyduty).

The back of the vehicle is loaded to the brim with people and ammo. Lets say 4-6 people with weapon mounts...and lots of bullets.

Make lots of noise (honking the horn or shooting every zombie in sight if there are any) to attract zombies while driving very slowly out of the city. Use lots of ammo on the zombie hordes who try to follow you.

When you run out of ammo, simply drive away...and repeat.

If you start out of town, you may be able to find the truck setup with rifle mounts already, which would have been used to shoot possums, groundhogs, gophers, rabbits or any other wild animals that bother farmers or wilderness types in masses.

[Icefalcon]

Set up a circle of cars with two or three small openings. In the center, set up a portable radio with good speakers. Surround the inside of the circle, along the cars, with claymore mines hooked to a remote detonator. When zombies get into the circle, set off the claymores.

[Icefalcon]

Anybody else got an idea?

[MurderCityDisciple]

How about pre-setting houses to burn.
So, load up a large or 2 story house with fast burning flamables, soak it all in gas (zombies can't smell gasoline or sniff out a trap...at least the dumb ones) add an accelerant (more gas), get as many zombies as possible to chase you inside, climb to second floor, ignite before jumping to safety.

[Illendaver]

For zombie defense I use a 9ft pit trap with a molotov afterwards. For baiting, I usually will just set out some meat on a fire. The smell will always bring them in to see whats cooking. Alternatively, just try to turn on any car that you find and leave it running. Makes enough noise for you to either get away, or set up a shooting gallery.

[Icefalcon]

Has anyone ever used other people to bait zombie (as presented in Endless Dead), such as in a cage hanging from lightpoles or in a reinforced house (to make the zombies work for their meal?

These are two of the tactics used in Endless Dead to draw zombies away from the area the people using them are going to be operating in (ie. salvage ops, supply runs, etc.).

[Icefalcon]

No, not overly creative but remember simple works just as well.

[flatline]

Couldn't you just use a recording of the zombie moan to draw other zombies to the area?

Is there anything that will draw zombies to an area as effectively as another zombie moaning?

--flatline

[Icefalcon]

Couldn't you just use a recording of the zombie moan to draw other zombies to the area?

Is there anything that will draw zombies to an area as effectively as another zombie moaning?

--flatline

I hadn't even considered that. I wonder if it would work or if the recording would sound to "mechanical"? Maybe a digital copy would be best. The only other problem I see with this is what happens when the other zombies show up in the area? They will not have sight of the "prey" that started the moan and therefor would not start moaning themselves.

[flatline]

Couldn't you just use a recording of the zombie moan to draw other zombies to the area?

Is there anything that will draw zombies to an area as effectively as another zombie moaning?

--flatline

I hadn't even considered that. I wonder if it would work or if the recording would sound to "mechanical"? Maybe a digital copy would be best. The only other problem I see with this is what happens when the other zombies show up in the area? They will not have sight of the "prey" that started the moan and therefor would not start moaning themselves.

Find a crawler (or make one) with no arms, legs, or jaw so that it can't move or bite. Put it in a cooler (coolers have pretty remarkable sound insulation properties). GM's decision on how much of the trunk you need to leave in order for the crawler to still be able to moan.

When you want to bait zombies, open the cooler so the crawler's moan can be heard. If you tie a rope around him, you can safely lift him out of the cooler for even better effect. When you're done, drop him back in the cooler and close it securely.

Now you have the real thing and don't need to worry about how authentic a recording needs to be to be effective.

--flatline

[Icefalcon]

Nice. I like it.

[SittingBull]

The claymore trap is neat but, unless zombies in Dead Reign work different, the major strength of explosions is explosive trauma yes? The force of the explosion damaging internal organs. Yes, claymores would hurt some zombies but it would not (again unless its different for DR zombies) kill as many zombies as they would take our humans.

[Icefalcon]

The claymore trap is neat but, unless zombies in Dead Reign work different, the major strength of explosions is explosive trauma yes? The force of the explosion damaging internal organs. Yes, claymores would hurt some zombies but it would not (again unless its different for DR zombies) kill as many zombies as they would take our humans.

You have to remember that claymores are filled with ball bearings. Almost everything in that cone is going to get messed up. Whether they are missing limbs, filled with wholes, or whatever, the zombies are going to be easier to deal with if they are not outright dead.

[Wooly]

I always thought the pipe bombs with the attached car alarm/speaker (from the video game Left 4 Dead) were clever.

Loud speaker game call systems used to lure coyotes, crows, etc are basically a tape deck with a loudspeaker would be useful too.

[Wooly]

The claymore trap is neat but, unless zombies in Dead Reign work different, the major strength of explosions is explosive trauma yes? The force of the explosion damaging internal organs. Yes, claymores would hurt some zombies but it would not (again unless its different for DR zombies) kill as many zombies as they would take our humans.

M18A1 claymores use shrapnel (ball bearings) not concusive force to kill. Placed at shoulder level they would decimate packed zombies.

[Icefalcon]

Once you get a few zombies in an area, how do you keep them there? And how do you get them to call more for the maximum effect of either distraction or destruction?

[flatline]

Once you get a few zombies in an area, how do you keep them there? And how do you get them to call more for the maximum effect of either distraction or destruction?

As long as they can see you or can get close enough to sense your PPE, it's my understanding that they'll hang around indefinitely.

--flatline

[Icefalcon]

Once you get a few zombies in an area, how do you keep them there? And how do you get them to call more for the maximum effect of either distraction or destruction?

As long as they can see you or can get close enough to sense your PPE, it's my understanding that they'll hang around indefinitely.

--flatline

True but if you are going for distraction only (for a supply run or some such) how do you keep them there and not where you want to be? Do you designate someone as bait? How do they get out once you have accomplished your distraction?

I have some ideas myself. Such as use a few people for bait to keep the zombies occupied trying to get to them (probably teenagers since they have more PPE) and then have them zipline out.

[flatline]

Once you get a few zombies in an area, how do you keep them there? And how do you get them to call more for the maximum effect of either distraction or destruction?

As long as they can see you or can get close enough to sense your PPE, it's my understanding that they'll hang around indefinitely.

--flatline

True but if you are going for distraction only (for a supply run or some such) how do you keep them there and not where you want to be? Do you designate someone as bait? How do they get out once you have accomplished your distraction?

I have some ideas myself. Such as use a few people for bait to keep the zombies occupied trying to get to them (probably teenagers since they have more PPE) and then have them zipline out.

There are lots of ways to pull this kind of thing off, but the simplest is to find a wall where you can secure one side. When you're done being bait, just climb down the side where there aren't any zombies and go about your business.

Or lure zombies into the warehouse district of a city where you can easily secure large empty buildings. Stand on the roof where they can see you when you want to bait them, and when you're done, go inside and remain far enough from the walls to be unsenseable. Even better is that warehouses very often have direct sewer access, so you can travel underground from one building to another (bring a flashlight).

--flatline

[Icefalcon]

Nice and simple. I like it.

[SittingBull]

The claymore trap is neat but, unless zombies in Dead Reign work different, the major strength of explosions is explosive trauma yes? The force of the explosion damaging internal organs. Yes, claymores would hurt some zombies but it would not (again unless its different for DR zombies) kill as many zombies as they would take our humans.

You have to remember that claymores are filled with ball bearings. Almost everything in that cone is going to get messed up. Whether they are missing limbs, filled with wholes, or whatever, the zombies are going to be easier to deal with if they are not outright dead.

I agree, just saying that the claymores would probably do more damage against living targets due to explosive forces is all.

[ArmySGT.]

Coincidentally, this question was just answered by The Walking Dead, Season 3, Episode 12 Clear.

[SittingBull]

I liked the caged animal bait but really liked the man made 'burs' (like sand burs) to catch the zombies.

[Icefalcon]

I kind of like the idea of using your criminals suspended in cages just out of reach. It will draw a nice crowd and you wouldn't have to retrieve the "bait".

[ArmySGT.]

I kind of like the idea of using your criminals suspended in cages just out of reach. It will draw a nice crowd and you wouldn't have to retrieve the "bait".

Ultimately this makes the PCs no better than the criminals. Your group will fall apart rapidly, anyone could become a criminal when convenient for the rest of the PC team.

[SittingBull]

That did seem a little harsh to me.

[Icefalcon]

Nah, you only use it on murders, rapists and child molesters. That way you know that you are making them actually useful to society until they die.

[Gazirra]

In a Dead Reign campaign I was in, one of my buddies devised the "Wokka Wokka Bomb."

It's essentially an IPod, taped to the top of a crate, that loudly plays Fozzie Bear routines to attract in the zombies, then it detonates with tons of C-4 and ball bearings.

[ArmySGT.]

In a Dead Reign campaign I was in, one of my buddies devised the "Wokka Wokka Bomb."

It's essentially an IPod, taped to the top of a crate, that loudly plays Fozzie Bear routines to attract in the zombies, then it detonates with tons of C-4 and ball bearings.

See I don't actually see devices like this working, except for a very short period. Since the Ipod and the IED are inanimate objects, the noise attracts the zombies but, after a few minutes they just shuffle off.

There is plenty of things making noise, like trash, loose metal siding, even wind chimes. So personally I only give it a random few minutes and then the Zs wander off in search of PPE.

[Icefalcon]

In a Dead Reign campaign I was in, one of my buddies devised the "Wokka Wokka Bomb."

It's essentially an IPod, taped to the top of a crate, that loudly plays Fozzie Bear routines to attract in the zombies, then it detonates with tons of C-4 and ball bearings.

See I don't actually see devices like this working, except for a very short period. Since the Ipod and the IED are inanimate objects, the noise attracts the zombies but, after a few minutes they just shuffle off.

There is plenty of things making noise, like trash, loose metal siding, even wind chimes. So personally I only give it a random few minutes and then the Zs wander off in search of PPE.

I tend to agree. In the long run, you are going to need some form of live bait to keep the zombies in the area long enough or they will just shuffle off. Electronic sources of sound will start to lose interest for them after a short bit.

[dargo83]

in my game zeds are also attracted to living critters like large rats squilrs and such and the PCs have used that tactic a lot and it works for attracting them to an area and keeping them there for a while. one of the guys in my group used a few squirls to attract and kill about 30 dead heads for one heck of an epic ZKW (Zombie Kill of the Week)

[Icefalcon]

in my game zeds are also attracted to living critters like large rats squilrs and such and the PCs have used that tactic a lot and it works for attracting them to an area and keeping them there for a while. one of the guys in my group used a few squirls to attract and kill about 30 dead heads for one heck of an epic ZKW (Zombie Kill of the Week)

Nice.

[SittingBull]

Use someone with a death wish, with a boom box, doing the robot?

[Icefalcon]

Freerunner with in-line skates leading the dead heads on a merry chase?

[SittingBull]

No see there's another item, in-line skates especially built for heavy duty, could be very handy evading the shambling masses and conserving energy.

[Icefalcon]

I have given this kind of things many hours of thought. It is why in one of the Dead Reign campaigns at the Open House, I was halfway to the extraction point before the rest of the dozen or so players had found a vehicle to drive them there (losing at least four of the group who became zombies).

Mountain bikes, in-line skates, skateboards and the trusty feet for the win. Oh, and don't forget to learn to swim.

[SittingBull]

Yes mountain bikes are a solid choice except for noise but bicycles also work. They require no fuel and are quiet.

[ArmySGT.]

Inline skates? As long as the pavement is clear. Assuming your escape route is paved. Try going down a gravel path or through a grassy field on inline skates.

No.

[SittingBull]

Inline skates do work on grass.

[Icefalcon]

Inline skates do work on grass.

Yeah, you run but it is a little difficult.

[Illendaver]

Inline skates do work on grass.

Until you twist your ankle... I have done this once.

[Icefalcon]

Inline skates do work on grass.

Until you twist your ankle... I have done this once.

True but I was thinking more of using them in a city when you help clear them out.