Patrol Beta-Gamma/World

Background

   The year is 2038 and the world had collapsed 15 years ago. The reason is unknown but most suspect a failed military experiment.
   The events started with a zombie apocalypse, with people turning into flesh-eating, unintelligent and slow creatures. The zombies still require food though and their organs still work.
   Zombies are not the only or even the hardest enemy – the military nuked areas with the highest concentration of zombies, which caused nuclear contamination and mutation of some animals – most notably feral dogs, some of them with two heads, mutated wolves that can grow as large as a human being, as well as abnormally large cockroaches, rats and ants. Mutated, large spiders are very rare, but form occasional colonies in sewers.
   There are no known towns in the wild, but there are multiple bandit camps, cults, and anarchist communes. Most of them extremely hostile to everyone else. The only settlement that welcomes strangers is Gaslamp, south of the ruins of Kokomo, Indiana. It is also the only place where the National Guard soldiers aren't shot on sight.

Indianapolis

   The city of Indianapolis, Indiana is one of the few megacities that survived, as the US Military established a safe zone there. Other known megacities include Albany, NY; Cleveland, OH; Detroit, MI; Richmond, VI; Dallas, TX; and Los Angeles, CA. It is known that London, Copenhagen and Rome survived as well. There is hardly any trade or travel between these, though, and occasional flights are only available for the very rich.
   Highly efficient greenhouses made farming mostly obsolete so there is little need for the cities to reclaim highly dangerous, irradiated and savage wilderness.
   Indianapolis, like other cities, only allows its citizens to enter the through its only gate.
   A shantytown emerged by the city gate, kept in check by laser turrets fixed on it, police drones, and National Guard patrols.
   National Guard patrols the area around the city and maintains a “zero tolerance” policy, shooting everyone caught committing a crime.
   It is almost impossible for a wastelander to become a citizen, but passports are occasionally on sale for the highest bidders.
   Pre-war money is no longer used, replaced by city-issued credit cards. Credits are the only acceptable form of currency in the city, but barter is still used, mainly outside the walls.

National Guard

   A military police force, easily recognised by their black uniforms, black helmets with bullet-proof gas masks and deadly attitude in the wastes.
   NG never recruits wastelanders, and usually only accepts people who lived in the city since the very beginning.
   While they are subject to the Indiana State Court when matters involve citizens within the city walls, they serve as both judges and executioners in the wastes. While they usually show leniency when crimes involve citizens, they rarely show mercy to outsiders.
   Players are members of the National Guard, the Ranger Division responsible for patrolling the wastes and keeping peace in the shantytown.
   Hated by the wastelanders, they are usually attacked on sight by bandits. Defenseless scavengers, however, are usually docile and helpful.

Zombies

   Zombies have short eyesight but good hearing that usually directs them.
   They are unintelligent, and have a sort-of 1/0 mindset. Once something startles them, they will continue “thinking” about it, seemingly forever. They clearly have no idea about what happened before they died.
   They can survive for about a year without eating. It seems that they have some sort of fungi colonies that assist their energy retention – it takes a few days for them to develop, but zombies don’t really need them until about a month after they “turn” – bodies retain the energy at the time and fresh zombies are both strongest and fastest.
   You can become a zombie only by being bitten. Whatever caused this, whether it is a virus or a fungus, only survives in them and has to be transmitted directly. While bites originally had a mortality rate of around 99%, younger generations have a 35% chance of surviving a bite. Death usually occurs within the first two days and results in a “reanimation” after several minutes. Death after a week almost never results in a “reanimation”, and one cannot become a zombie after two weeks. It is, however, impossible to develop an immunity.
   While zombies are no longer the main danger of the wastes, with mutated monsters and bandits being far more dangerous, they are still dangerous at night and in cities, where they often kill unsuspecting scavengers.
   Zombies with damaged internal organs will continue to “live” and organs will heal over the course of a few days. The only way to fully kill them is to either cause enough internal damage or destroy the brain. Decapitated zombies with intact brains can survive for about a day.

Other hazards

   Nuclear radiation around 20 miles from Indianapolis - that’s where hordes of zombies were directed and obliterated.
   Chemical weapon residuals - poisonous gas was used to kill zombies. It failed but some areas are still contaminated - especially buildings and cellars. You are equipped with detectors, never lose them!
   Lakes and rivers are mostly poisonous. Proper water filters are scarce and may not always be available.
   Booby traps are frequently used by bandits and to protect scavengers’ stashes.
   Mutated fungi are present in some cellars and sewers. Don’t lose your gas masks and make sure your skin isn’t exposed before entering these.
   Old buildings may collapse. Don’t enter them unless necessary.

Campaign

   We will be using GURPS 4E.
   PCs are a part of Patrol Beta-Gamma. Missions involve patrolling, looking for missing persons and patrols, hunting bandits, recon, establishing FOBs and rescuing hostages. They occasionally conduct investigations as well.
   Unofficially, soldiers are involved in smuggling and scavenging, often bringing in valuable electronics and pre-apocalypse alcohol.
   I need 3-4 players interested in a long-term campaign. As soldiers are frequently moved between patrols, I will be able to continue game even if original players have to quit.
   The campaign’s main themes are combat and survival. While soldiers are very well-armed and much tougher than common bandits or scavengers, they still have to be careful when facing mutated monsters and zombies, as well as avoiding ambushes. Careful planning and adherence to military tactics is crucial. Fights will be realistic and I will not cheat to make sure that players survive. If you die, you can still continue with a replacement PC.
   You can use 140 points to create your character, plus no more than 30 points in disadvantages and 5 in quirks.
   Please use GCS to create your character - http://gurpscharactersheet.com/
   Don’t worry about inventory, each soldier will receive Standard Issue Ranger Gear and the National Guard Armory will usually be available between missions - you will be able to resupply, change your main weapon and receive gear specific to a particular mission.
   The squad will need a sergeant, a corporal, and up to two privates. The first player to create an acceptable sergeant or corporal character will claim the rank. I expect the sergeant to have some knowledge of military tactics.
   TL is at level 8.
   You get Legal Enforcement Powers and your rank for free as advantages.