Immersive Ink

Sorry... I missed that part and was focusing on the exchange of attacks... Yes please carry on with the revised orders, let Kitelark try and help Bertram who is likely toast.

Where do you want Spinderella to toss a flask?

Z7 and Z8 area

We've made it to round two folks, and the awful zombie crunch continues!

Let's zoom that ref-cam in a little closer to the action; each square is now 5ft across folks.
Each man-sized figure occupies a 5ft square; Ghillana (with her two-handed sword) occupies a double-wdith arc.

|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___| ####\\\\\\\\| | | | | | | | | | ##### |__#\\\\\\\\|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___#___| | #| ////////| | | | | | | | | # | |__#|___////////|___|___\\\\|___|__##___|___|___|___#___| | #| | | xXo | \\\\| | #### | | | # | |__#|___|___|___|(Z2)___|xXo|(Z4)_####__|___|___|___#___| | #| | | | (Z7)| ---- | ## xXo | | # | |__#|___|___|___(Il)|___--(Gh)--|___|___|___|___|___#___| | #| | | | (Z3)| | | | | | | # | |__#|___|___|___(Kl)|___|___|___|___|___(Z6)|___|___#___| | #| | | | (Br)| |(Sp) |(Al) | | # | |__#|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___#___| | #| | | | | | | | | | | | # | |__#|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|(El)___|___#___| | #################| | | | ################# | |___|___|___|___|__#|___|___|___|___#___|___|___|___|___|

On the right flank, Elan fires another silver arrow that nearly takes out Albert as he struggles to hold off his undead opponent.

In the center Ghillana's two-handed weapon is proving awkward in the press, but fortunately Spinderella fire bombs her second foe into oblivion. How Ghillana wasn't taken out in the conflagration is anyone's guess.

Kitelark leaps to Bertram's aid and stabs the zombie right in the neck with his dagger, but it is unaffected by a blow that could have dropped a man!

On the left, Ilithur continues to occupy a pair of them with his sword play dealing one of them a fierce blow, but once again these zombies seem impervious to injuries that could kill normal mortals.

ROUND 2

Spells/Missiles
Elan fires a second silver arrow at Z6, currently toe to toe with Albert. Any odd to hit result will target Albert instead. d20=9! Versus Albert's rear AC5, it's a miss.

Spinderella tosses her oil bomb at Z8 in melee. A miss will go long. Any odd to hit result will go random. d20=12. versus zombie AC9 it's a hit! d6=5. Z8 has 2d6=3 hp and goes down in a fiery conflagration!

Melee
First Blow
Illithur (FC 2 men) faces down Z2 and Z7 with sword and shield: 2d20=14, 6. Z2 is hit for d6=4. Z2 has 2d6=9 hp. Z2 down to 5/9hp.

Ghillana (FC man+1) attacks Z4 (AC9) with her two-handed sword. d20=6+1, a miss.

Z3 (FC Man) attacks Bertram (AC4). d20=10, a miss.

Albert (FC man+1) attacks Z6 (AC9) with axe and shield. d20=1+1, a miss.

Return Blow
Bertram (FC man+1) and Kitelark (FC man) attack Z3: 2d20=7+1,16. Kitelark hits for d6=3 hp. Z3 has 2d6=7 hp; down to 4/7hp. Kitelark gains the first blow position next round.

Z2 and Z7 (FC man) attack Ilithur (AC2). 2d20=11, 4, two misses. Ilithur retains the first blow position next round.

Z4 (FC man) attacks Ghillana (AC3). d20=10, a miss. Ghilana retains the first blow position next round.

Z6 (FC man) attacks Albert (AC4). d20=7, a miss.

Morale
The zombies need never check morale, so they fight on despite their losses!

But Bertram had an uncertain morale result last round, and there is still a rabid zombie trying to tear his throat out. Will he stick around?
2d6=8-1=7, so still uncertain. We'll check again next round!


In summary, a bunch of awful attack dice, but a couple of lucky breaks with the oil bomb and low zombie hp.
Interesting little cliff hanger happening with Bertram's morale

@mgtremaine what orders for next round?

Orders:

Illithur focuses his attack on trying to finish Z2 off.
Ghillana attacks Z4
Kitelark and Bertram (maybe) will try to take Z3
Albert attacks Z6
Elan will switch to hand-to-hand and attack Z6 also.
Spinderella draws her Dagger and moves to support Bertram by attacking Z3.

If luck holds we may live....

The fight continues into round three.

|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___| ####\\\\\\\\| | | | | | | | | | ##### |__#\\\\\\\\|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___#___| | #| ////////| | | | | | | | | # | |__#|___////////|___|___\\\\|___|__##___|___|___|___#___| | #| | | xXo | \\\\| | #### | | | # | |__#|___|___|___|_xXo___|xXo|(Z4)_####__|___|___|___#___| | #| | | | (Z7)| ---- | ## xXo | | # | |__#|___|___|___(Il)|___--(Gh)--|___|___|___|___|___#___| | #| | | | | | | | | | | | # | |__#|___|___|___(Kl)|oXx|___|___|___|___(Z6)|(El)___#___| | #| | | | | |(Sp) | |(Al) | | # | |__#|___|___|___|___(Br)|___|___|___|___|___|___|___#___| | #| | | | | | | | | | | | # | |__#|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___#___| | #################| | | | ################# | |___|___|___|___|__#|___|___|___|___#___|___|___|___|___|

Illithur shows them what swordsmanship is, cutting down one zombie and slashing another.

In the center, Kitelark and Bertram fall back before the rabid foe, but Spinderella stalks up behind it and jags her dagger fiercely through its ear cavity and soundly brains it. Bertram is visibly shaken by the whole experience.

Meanwhile, Ghillanna turns her fortunes around and smashes her opponent back out of reach with her huge blade.

On the right flank, Albert fends of the zombie attacks long enough for Elan to join the fray and slash it from behind. But it un-natrually fights on!

ROUND 3

Spells/Missiles
None.

Melee

The question of whether Illithur can "focus" both his attacks on one opponent is an interesting one. It's somewhat a question of: what would two men, faced with two opponents, be able to do?

First Blow

Illithur (2 men) vs Z2 (AC9 hp 5/9) and Z7 (AC9 hp ?) 2d20=19,15 two hits! 2d6=5,2. Z2 is eviscerated; Z7 has 2d6=8 hp; down to 6/8.

Kitelark (man) vs Z3 (AC9 hp4/7) d20=3, miss (even from flank position). Unopposed, so no return blow.
Then, Z3 (man) vs Bertram (AC 4 hp 1/7) d20=8, miss.
Then, Spinderella (man) vs Z3; d20=12, hit. d6=5, destroys Z3.

Ghillana (man+1) vs Z4 (AC9, hp=?) d20=9+1=10... that's a hit. d6=2. Z4 has 2d6=10 hp; down to 8/10.

Albert (man+1) attacks Z6 (AC9 hp 5/10) d20=3+1, a miss.


Return Blow

Z7 (man) vs Ilithur (AC2) d20=7, miss. Ilithur retains the first blow position.

Bertram no longer has any opponent as Spinderella just brained Z3.

Z4 has no return blow (hit by two-handed sword) and Ghilana retains the first blow position next round.

Z6 (man) attacks Albert (AC4) d20=17, a hit. d6=4; Albert is down to 1/5.

Finally, Elan (man+1) vs Z6 (AC9 hp 5/10) d20=18+1 hit, d6=4; Z6 down to 1/10.


Morale

The zombies have lost 5 of 8, but need never check morale.

Bertram's morale 2d6=9-1 remains uncertain.

Albert faced with an undead monster that won't go down, even after two blows that could have dropped a mortal man. And he just took a hit that reduced him to 1 hp, so he's tested.

Albert's morale 2d6=11-1 a good result. He's a stalwart fellow and fights on.


@mgtremaine It looks like the players have gained the upper hand! What orders?

Orders
Illithur attacks Z7.
Ghillana attacks Z4
Spinderella will see to Bertram wounds (she's pays him and saved him good outcome)
Albert and Elan attacks Z6
Kitelark will carefully advance on Z7 to see he can help Illithur.

Mm, I just figured out I should have checked Albert's morale too.

I've edited it in below.

Spinderella sees to Bertram's wounds, and distracts him with talk of pay, as the melee continues..

On the left flank, Illuthur continues the swordcraft, bringing down another foe.
Kitelark, jumps in to assist Ghillanna, and bewteen them they cut down the last zombie in the center.

On the right, the last Zombie tears poor Albert down, just before Elan is able to decapitate it.

The fight is over!

Round FOUR

Spells/Missiles
None.

Melee

First Blow
Illithur (2 men) vs Z7 (AC9 6/8) 2d20=6, 11; one hit. d6=5. Z7 is down to 1/8.
Kitelark (man) vs Z7 (AC9 hp 1/8) d20=10, a miss.

Ghillana (man+1) vs Z4 (AC9 hp 8/10) d20=15+1; a hit. d6=6! Z4 is down to 2/10.

Albert (man+1) vs Z6 (AC9 hp 1/10) d20=3+1; a miss.
Elan (man+1) vs Z6 (AC9 hp 1/10) d20=1+1; a miss.


Return Blow
Z7 (man) vs Illuthur (AC2) d20=6; a miss.

Z4 has no return blow against Ghillana (hit by a two-handed sword).

Z6 (man) vs Albert (AC4 hp 1/5) d20=19, Albert is slain!


Okay, the players are clearly going to wipe the floor here; let's finish it up.

Round FIVE

Melee

First Blow
Illithur (2 men) vs Z7 (AC9 1/8) 2d20=18, 13; two hits. d6=5. Z7 is destroyed.

Ghillana (man+1) vs Z4 (AC9 hp 2/10) d20=8+1; a miss.
Kitelark (man) vs Z4 (AC9 hp 2/10) d20=19, a hit. d6=6! Z4 is killed.

Elan (man+1) vs Z6 (AC9 hp 1/10) d20=17+1; a hit. Z6 is dropped.


It's all over folks!

Aftermath

The loss of Albert in the second last round not withstanding, the players won relatively easily.

Why?

The players had 32 attacks and 17 (53%) hits, probably around ~1 pip/~5% under the expected average against AC9 (depending on ratio of man:man+1 attacks). So near enough.
Meanwhile, the player damage rolls were above average, including 4 sixes and 6 fives. Overall damage was 4.3 hp per hit.
I thought the Zombies may have had low hp rolls too, but in fact they were [4, 9, 7, 10, 5, 10, 8, 3] exactly average.

On the other hand, the zombies had only 3 hits from 13 attacks (23%). This implies their average target was between AC 2 and 3. In fact the targeted players were AC2, 3, and 4, so the zombies marginally under-performed compared to the average (by about the same margin as the players).
On eight occassions zombies were slain, so they likely missed out on 8 opportunities to return a blow, and were denied an additional 2 blows by the reach of Ghillanna's two-handed sword.
Even considering these missed attacks, the zombies would have been outgunned by the players by a margin of 32 to 23 attacks, or roughly 3:2.

When they did hit, the zombie damage dice were 4, 4, and unrolled (needing only a 1 to slay Albert).

Overall, the players' superior AC and attack rate, and strong damage dice were the difference.

I conclude that there likely needed to be at least twice as many zombies for them to be a serious threat.