Overview

Dawn of the Dead is a two-player science fiction board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1978, based on the George A. Romero zombie film of the same year. The game is set in a shopping mall on the day after a zombie apocalypse. One player controls four human survivors (two SWAT team members with M16 rifles and a man and woman armed with pistols) trapped in the mall. The other player controls the zombies trying to kill or infect the humans. The humans must link up and survive; the zombies must overwhelm them through numbers.

Components

• 1 game map depicting the shopping mall interior
• Die-cut counters (human survivors and zombie units)
• Combat results table
• Dice
• Rules booklet

Setup

1. Lay out the mall map.
2. The human player places the four survivor counters at their designated starting locations (spread across different areas of the mall).
3. The zombie player places zombie counters at their starting positions (surrounding the mall and within certain areas).
4. Place any item or objective markers as indicated.
5. The human player goes first.

Turn Structure

Each game turn:

1. Human Player Turn: Movement phase, then combat (firearms) phase.
2. Zombie Player Turn: Movement phase, then melee combat phase.
3. Infection Check: Check if any humans have been bitten and are turning into zombies.

Actions

Human Movement

• Humans have relatively high movement speed, allowing them to outmaneuver slow zombies.
• The humans start separated and must link up to improve their survival chances.

Human Firearms

• SWAT members carry M16 rifles (longer range, higher firepower).
• The man and woman carry pistols (shorter range, lower firepower).
• Firearms can eliminate zombies before they close to melee range.

Zombie Movement

• Zombies move slowly but relentlessly toward the nearest humans.
• Zombie numbers are their primary advantage.

Zombie Melee Combat

• Zombies attack in close combat. If they wound a human, the human may become infected.
• Berserk Zombies: Zombies can go berserk, increasing their combat strength.

Panic

• Berserk zombie attacks may cause humans to panic, ending their weapon fire for the rest of the turn.

Infection

• Humans bitten by zombies may turn into zombies themselves, switching sides.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

• Human Victory: Survive for the required number of turns, or eliminate enough zombies to secure the mall.
• Zombie Victory: Kill or infect all four human survivors.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Linking Up: The humans start in different areas and are vulnerable until they group together. Early turns are critical for consolidation.
• Berserk Mechanic: Zombie berserk mode increases their threat level unpredictably.
• Panic Effect: A panicking human loses their ability to fire weapons, making them extremely vulnerable.
• Infection/Turning: An infected human eventually becomes a zombie counter controlled by the zombie player – a devastating swing.
• Film Tie-In: The game closely follows the film’s setting and scenario, with the mall layout reflecting the movie.
• SPI Publication: One of the earliest zombie-themed board games, predating the modern zombie gaming boom by decades.

Player Reference

Human Goal: Link up survivors, use firearms to hold off zombies, survive

Zombie Goal: Close to melee range, kill or infect all humans

Turn: Human Move & Shoot → Zombie Move & Melee → Infection check

Key Threats: Berserk zombies (extra strength), panic (disables shooting), infection (human becomes zombie)

Humans: 2 SWAT (M16s) + 1 man + 1 woman (pistols)