Pretty much right there in the title, with a few twists.

So, I found this game and introduced it to my group. They seemed to like the idea of playing as themselves in a zombie apocalypse, so we're looking to get a campaign going sometime when we finish up the current one we're running.

Then something occured to me. We live in Sweden, and while the game makes locations and encounters generic enough to easily adapt to our cold north and it offers a somewhat novel perspective on the zombie apocalypse, there is one thing I'm having a hard time trying to incorporate. That'd be the the lack of the great equalizer; guns.

In Sweden, guns are pretty much soley the domain of police, military and hunters. You get the odd collector and sports shooter, but in the former its often required that you remove the firing pin (or whatever the word is for that little thing that ignites the powder). Most stores will not sell guns and/or ammo over the counter either as far as I'm aware, so even if you could raid a store chances are you won't be able to get any guns.

So, how do you reckon this will affect survivor interactions once the government collapses? Early on I reckon deserting police and military units will probably be top of the food chain, but when ammo supplies run low and those guns become litteraly empty threats then what?

Anyone got any ideas, maybe run a game in a similar setting? Cause frankly - and blaming US centered zombie fiction - I'm drawing a blank.

Cheers to any replies in advance!

I live in Canada, so we would most likely have a similar scenario. Save a few smuggled guns and those from hunters, most people are SOL in terms of pure firepower. That said, even in the American media where guns are excessively prevalent, they don't get as huge an amount of press you might think, and for one ironic reason: survival. Watch the walking dead; guns are a loud, limited, highly sought after resource, and as such, are usually used sparingly. They draw a lot of attention from both dead AND living.

But to answer your question, it really depends on where you are and who you are with. I personally feel that an aggressive society facing a violent epidemic will be more inclined to murder each other rather than work together, and vice versa for an optimistic society. Both make for an interesting campaign, in that one scenario will make far more use of melee weapons and "aggressive negotiations," while the other will make more use of social interactions and group survival. The reality of the situation may require both.

I have no intention of my game being gun heavy. I don't usually keep track of ammo in the games I run, but in this I absolutely am. I want an atmosphere heavy game, not an "everybody has a gun" hunt game. If I want that, I'd use a system with more rules, honestly.

Same problem for the UK... plenty of options though... farmers are allowed shotguns for rabbit/pheasant hunting, Clay Pidgeon shoots/clubs, also wing it by saying that larger towns and cities may have an armed response unit, local army/navy/air force bases will have firearms..

depends if the players want to acquire firearms.. Watch 28 days later or 28 weeks later

I live in Canada, so we would most likely have a similar scenario.

Guns are not, by any means, scarce in Canada. We may not wave them around as much as our neighbours to the south, but they're still available. Maybe not assault rifles or military grade equipment, but we're a nation of hunters, so shotguns and rifles are plentiful. There's also a fair amount of red tape involved in actually buying one; background checks, registrations, etc. Not that any of that would really apply in a zombie apocalypse.

In Sweden, guns are pretty much soley the domain of police, military and hunters. You get the odd collector and sports shooter, but in the former its often required that you remove the firing pin (or whatever the word is for that little thing that ignites the powder). Most stores will not sell guns and/or ammo over the counter either as far as I'm aware, so even if you could raid a store chances are you won't be able to get any guns.

Might be funny to let someone find a gun in someone's house only to discover later that it won't fire because it's missing the firing pin

So, how do you reckon this will affect survivor interactions once the government collapses? Early on I reckon deserting police and military units will probably be top of the food chain, but when ammo supplies run low and those guns become litteraly empty threats then what?

Anyone got any ideas, maybe run a game in a similar setting? Cause frankly - and blaming US centered zombie fiction - I'm drawing a blank.

How do your players get by in a fantasy setting without fireballs?

Lacking guns just means your players will have to get creative. The relative scarcity of such weapons means that they probably WON'T have to worry about running into too many other people with guns either, so they just need to steer clear of anyone they see with a gun and figure out how to kill zombies with knives. If anything, it should make your game more unique and interesting than the typical "US-centered" zombie fiction.

Alternatively, if you WANT your players to have guns and run around blowing zombie brains out left and right, you can make excuses to give them all the guns and ammo they'd need. Have a SWAT van flip over in front of them - the driver is killed in the crash, leaving them with a van full of guns and body armor. From there, they can work on finding more guns and ammo, and they should be "top of the food chain" since not many other survivors will have guns to oppose them.

And then, the game can takea VERY interesting twist when they finally run out of ammo and have to figure out how to continue without it.

Less guns should make the game even more fun.

1) Knives

2) Bats

3) Tire irons

4) Swords

5) Shears; things used for cutting hedges (you can affix these to the ends of poles, brooms, etc.)

6) Razors (straight razors used for shaving)

So many common household things can be used as weapons. I think that not having as many guns readily accessible would be fun.

I have many (25+) guns, and so playing at my house makes the game seem too easy.

Less guns should make the game even more fun.

1) Knives

2) Bats

3) Tire irons

4) Swords

5) Shears; things used for cutting hedges (you can affix these to the ends of poles, brooms, etc.)

6) Razors (straight razors used for shaving)

So many common household things can be used as weapons. I think that not having as many guns readily accessible would be fun.

Good ideas; thanks for reminding everybody.

This may sound dumb.... isnt sweeden where i always here that everyone is required to have a gun in the house?

This may sound dumb.... isnt sweeden where i always here that everyone is required to have a gun in the house?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_of_gun_laws_by_nation#Sweden

This may sound dumb.... isnt sweeden where i always here that everyone is required to have a gun in the house?

You're thinking of SWITZERLAND. There was a law stating that members of the military were required to have a firearm in their household in case of invasion, but that law has been disbanded.

During the apocalypse any place that has or sells firearms will be the first stop for most folks. Even in countries with firearm restrictions there are still places to purchase them. Even if just hunting rifles and shotguns. Here in Canada I have a Canadian Tire hardware store up the street from me. My first stop for rifles, shotguns, crossbows, camping gear, hatchets, machetes, baseball bats, hockey sticks, and what have you. Everything you need for the apocalypse.

During the apocalypse any place that has or sells firearms will be the first stop for most folks. Even in countries with firearm restrictions there are still places to purchase them. Even if just hunting rifles and shotguns. Here in Canada I have a Canadian Tire hardware store up the street from me. My first stop for rifles, shotguns, crossbows, camping gear, hatchets, machetes, baseball bats, hockey sticks, and what have you. Everything you need for the apocalypse.

You guys can just suit up in your hockey gear with ice skate hands!

In our game based around the Peak District and Sheffield in The UK the pcs have found out that Medieval re enactment armour and weapons are good for killing zombies so are garden scythes and a Toyota Hilux 4x4 no guns anywhere

Umm.... Yeah. Many guns are illegal all over the place, but frequently there are sly ways around restrictions. For instance automatic weapons are illegal in Canada, but you can buy the upgrade kits semi-automatic weapons. My father also smuggled a few guns for hunting. Its not hard at all.

Anyways, I'd integrate local issues into the setting.

And to the original poster.. YOU FORGOT THE CRIMINALS! Those guys will be armed as well.