Zombicide: Invader — How to Play

Game Objective

In Zombicide: Invader, players take on the roles of Survivors in a science-fiction setting overrun by the Xenos, an alien swarm controlled by the game itself. The primary goal is to choose a Mission and successfully complete its objectives. Players must also survive the onslaught of the Xenos and eliminate as many as possible. While the Xenos can be predictable, their sheer numbers and tactics, like the Spoiler Abomination spreading Mold, create constant danger. Survivors must cooperate, share Equipment, and cover each other to achieve the Mission objectives and win.

Setup

Follow these steps to prepare for your game of Zombicide: Invader:

1. Choose a Mission.
2. Place the game tiles as indicated by the Mission.
3. Place the Objectives, Spawn Zones, and any other specified tokens and figures according to the Mission.
4. Select 6 Survivors and distribute them among the players. Since it's a cooperative game, all players form a single team.
5. Each player takes a Survivor Dashboard for each of their Survivors and places the corresponding Survivor ID Card on it. Attach a colored plastic base to the Survivor's miniature for identification and take 5 plastic trackers of the same color.
6. Set aside the following Equipment cards:
   • Starting Equipment (identified by a grey back): 4 Cattle Prods and 2 SMGs. These are for initial defense and should be replaced with better weapons as soon as possible.
   • Oxygen Tank (identified by an Oxygen Supply Room back): 6 cards. These are needed to travel outside the station and are found in Oxygen Supply Rooms.
   • Prototype weapons (identified by a red back): Prototype Assault Shotgun, Prototype Heavy Shotgun, Prototype Light Machine Gun, and Prototype Sniper Rifle. These are often Mission objectives.
7. Place the Peacekeeper Bot and Falchion Sentry Gun reference cards where all players can see them. These cards detail the Machines' rules and stats.
8. Distribute the Starting Equipment cards among the Survivors as the team decides. Each Survivor starts with at least one card. If a Survivor's starting Skill lists specific starting Equipment, they receive those cards in addition to the distributed ones.
9. Shuffle the Xeno cards into one deck and the Equipment cards into another. Place both decks face down near the board.
10. Place the chosen Survivor miniatures in the starting Zone(s) indicated by the Mission.
11. Place a tracker on the highest highlighted slot of each Survivor's Armor Bar, as indicated on their ID Card.
12. Place another tracker on the first (Blue) Skill slot. Place 3 more trackers in the reserve slots at the top of the Dashboard. Set the Experience tracker to 0.
13. Determine the first player and give them the First Player token.

Survivor Types: There are two types of Survivors: Civilians and Soldiers. Civilians can Search in any room Zone and typically have lower Armor (usually 2). Soldiers can only Search in Security Rooms but tend to have higher Armor values (usually 3).

Game Flow

Zombicide: Invader is played over a series of Game Rounds, each consisting of three phases:

Players' Phase

The player with the First Player token begins their turn. They activate their Survivors one at a time, in any order they choose. Each Survivor can initially perform 3 Actions per turn, though Skills may grant additional Actions. These Actions can be used to fight Xenos, move, and complete Mission Objectives. Some Actions generate Noise, which attracts Xenos. Once a player has activated all their Survivors, the turn passes to the player on their left. The Players' Phase ends when all players have completed their turns.

Xenos' Phase

All Xenos on the board activate. Each Xeno spends 1 Action to either attack a Survivor in their Zone or, if no Survivors are present, to move towards Survivors or noisy Zones. Hunters have 2 Actions and can perform two attacks, two moves, or one of each. After all Xenos have acted, new Xenos spawn in all active Spawn Zones.

End Phase

All Noise tokens are removed from the board. The First Player token is passed to the player on the left, and a new Game Round begins.

Actions and How to Play

During the Players' Phase, Survivors can perform various Actions. Each Survivor has a limited number of Actions per turn, which can increase with Experience and Skills.

Available Actions:

• Move: A Survivor moves from one Zone to another. Moving out of a Zone with Xenos costs additional Actions (1 per Xeno). Entering a Zone with Xenos ends the Move Action.
• Search: A Survivor can only perform this in room Zones with no Xenos present. Drawing an Equipment card. The player can keep it or discard it. Soldiers can only Search in Security Rooms.
• Door Activation: This is a free Action that can be performed once per turn. It allows a Survivor to place or remove a closed Door token. This cannot be done on doors leading to Mold Zones or if the door is destroyed.
• Reorganize/Trade: A Survivor can rearrange cards in their inventory or trade cards with another Survivor in the same Zone.
• Attach or Detach Equipment Cards: Energy Cell and Plenty of Bullets cards can be attached to weapons for re-rolls. This can be done during inventory reorganization.
• Combat Actions:
  • Melee Action: Use a Melee weapon in the same Zone.
  • Ranged Action: Use a Ranged weapon to attack a target Zone within range and Line of Sight.
• Take or Activate an Objective: Interact with Objective tokens as described in the Mission.
• Make Noise: Place a Noise token in the Survivor's Zone to attract Xenos.
• Do Nothing: End the turn prematurely, losing any remaining Actions.

Machine Actions:

Survivors can control Machines like the Peacekeeper Bot and Falchion Sentry Gun by using a Remote token or a specific Skill. This costs 1 Action and allows the Machine to perform its own Actions, such as moving or attacking. The controlling Survivor gains any Experience Points earned by the Machine.

Xenos Actions:

During the Xenos' Phase, each Xeno performs either an Attack or a Move. Attacks are always successful and inflict damage based on the Xeno type. If no Survivors are in their Zone, Xenos move towards the Survivors or the noisiest Zone. Hunters have two Actions and can perform a second attack or move.

Spawning Xenos:

After the Xenos' Phase, new Xenos spawn in Spawn Zones. A Xeno card is drawn, and the number and type of Xenos that appear are determined by the Danger Level of the most experienced Survivor.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends in one of the following ways:

• Loss Conditions:
  • A starting Survivor is eliminated (their Armor drops to 0).
  • The Mission Objectives can no longer be fulfilled.
  • Two or more Spawn Zones are linked by an uninterrupted chain of Active Mold Zones.
• Victory Condition: The game is won immediately when all Mission Objectives have been accomplished.

All players win or lose together as a team.

Tips for Winning

• Manage Noise: Be mindful of using noisy weapons, as Noise tokens attract more Xenos to your location.
• Cooperate and Trade: Share Equipment and coordinate your actions with other Survivors. Trading items can be crucial for survival and objective completion.
• Prioritize Objectives: While eliminating Xenos is important for gaining Experience, always keep the primary Mission Objectives in focus.