The trade off is that when any individual player hits 7XP, or the subsequent levels, they increase the difficulty of the game for all players. Between each of the prementioned experience point levelling points is a colour. Between 1 – 6 XP is blue, 7 – 18 is yellow, 19 – 42 is orange and finally 43 and above is red. When it’s the boards turn and zombies spawn, the cards turned over have the four colours on them. Whichever is the highest colour of any player that colour is chosen. General practise is more zombies spawn at yellow level compared to blue and so on. Naturally this means at red level, when any survivor is above 42XP, often groups of 5 or more zombies spawning in one go.
So what has changed in Zombicide: Wulfsburg? Players now have the potential of looting items that require them to be of minimum yellow level, orange level or even red level before they can use the item. Potentially you could see a player, with this added incentive to get to higher levels, obtaining one of these new items by looting and actively trying to level up personally rather than splitting the experience between players. This creates an interesting dynamic within a team of players as some survivors start to pull ahead in experience, gaining new skills, while others are left behind.
These under levelled characters start to become easier prey for the zombies. As a result, they often have to tag along with the levelled characters, rather than being able to focus on multiple objectives. Some players dislike the feeling of playing one of these under levelled characters as it can occasionally mean you become a spare part, unable to affect the game in the same way as others. The game is cooperative though. It is all about finding that balance to make everyone effective otherwise the undead will overpower the living. Is it worth keeping hold of that powerful weapon, that you cannot use until your character has significantly levelled up? A new debate to have when playing, that will undoubtedly effect the way the game goes.
Zombicide: Wulfsburg adds in two new double-sided tiles, both featuring Towers. Yet, this certainly isn’t enough for a quest on its own. Combined with the base game set of nine tile, these two new tiles exponentially increase the variations of maps playable. These tower tiles add content in a different form, with a height mechanic being added to the game. When up in a tower line of sight to surrounding paths is the same as being on the same level. On top of this you can see in straight lines over buildings to outside squares. Get up a tower with a long bow and you can take out Wolfz and other incoming zombies while they are the other side of a building. This would be considered a safe place gifting your survivors a rest but make sure you don’t get trapped up a tower. Otherwise the horde will funnel up the staircase towards you.
Alongside all the new miniatures, survivors and map tiles are 10 brand new quests for players to complete. 4 of the new quests utilize one of the tower tiles and the other 6 have both tower tiles in-play, so make good use of the Tower mechanics. It seems Necromancers have taken up residence in a number of the towers of the previously prosperous city of Wulfsburg. After reaching the inner city the survivors must stop the necromancers in several ways before being eaten. Like other Zombicide games the quest text sets the scene nicely; giving some purpose, reasoning and a feeling of uniqueness to each quest. Personally, I have got rather stuck on the 5th quest “Immortal” thanks to some atrocious and diabolical dice rolling. I mean who manages to roll 12 dice in one go and only roll higher than a 3 on two dice… Fingers crossed for the survivors, and my gaming group, my rolling improves and fast.
Overall, the quests and tiles alone add plenty of content to the base game of Black Plague before the new weapons, with their magical equipment usability mechanics, and Wolfz enter play. This results in a thoroughly exciting, though not 100% necessary, expansion. I’m glad that CMON has designed the expansion this way. It means players aren’t forced to purchase it to get full enjoyment from the base game. For many the added difficulty will be more than welcome and if you enjoy Black Plague, Zombicide: Wulfsburg is perfect for you to carry on the zombie killing action!
[Editor’s Note: Zombicide: Wulfsburg was supplied to us by CMON for review purposes. Zombicide: Green Horde, the next medieval base game for the series full of zombie goblins and orcs, launches on Kickstarter on May 30th, 2017]
