Aftermath

Aftermath is a gritty, d100-based tactical wargame where small teams of 2-6 operatives scavenge for exotic materials in a highly hostile, irradiated “Zone”. Heavily inspired by S.T.A.L.K.E.R., it features granular survival mechanics like weapon malfunctions, fatigue, wound locations, and environmental hazards.

When the Exotic Energy Warhead detonated over Eastern Europe, it was meant to be the weapon that ended wars without bloodshed, a clean strike against infrastructure, leaving armies intact but powerless. Instead, it tore a hole in reality itself. The blast fused soil, concrete, steel, and even the air into unstable pockets of exotic matter. Scientists call them Cascade Elements. To those who risk their lives hunting them, they are simply “the prize.”

The Zone that formed in the aftermath sprawls across fifty square miles of twisted ruins and poisoned earth. Buildings stand half-melted, forests shimmer with unnatural hues, and the ground itself fractures into glassy shards. The closer you go to Ground Zero, the stranger and deadlier, the landscape becomes. No probe, drone, or satellite has ever returned reliable data from the epicenter. Something there rejects observation, swallows signals, and defies explanation.

Governments claim the area is sealed. Patrols from a multinational alliance ring the perimeter, forbidding all but the most controlled research efforts. But the truth is different. Where there is value, there is demand and Cascade Elements are worth more than gold. They can power machines without fuel, withstand temperatures that would melt steel, or twist electromagnetic fields in ways no laboratory can replicate. Nations, corporations, and cartels all want them, but none can officially send soldiers into the Zone.

And so, a shadow industry thrives.

They are called Extraction Teams, bands of contractors, mercenaries, scientists, and scavengers who slip past the cordon to hunt for Cascade Elements. Some are well-funded, equipped with cutting-edge gear and military training. Others are desperate survivors with little more than a rifle, a map, and a dream of one lucky haul. In the Zone, ambition and greed walk hand in hand with fear and death.

Core Mechanics

D100 System: All major tests (combat, stealth, and survival) use a percentile system. Attributes like Mobility, Ballistics, and Intelligence range from 1 to 100, with hardened operators sitting around 70.
Granular Combat: Firefights are incredibly deadly and tactical. Damage calculation goes beyond simple health loss, factoring in hit locations, armor penetration, and lethality.
Resource and Fatigue Management: Characters aren’t just defined by their weapons. They track fatigue (which accumulates from sprinting, fighting, and injuries) and encumbrance, which steadily grinds down stats and limits mobility until the team can find shelter.

The Setting and Gameplay

The “Zone”: The game takes place in an isolated, abandoned area of the world where mysterious elements are highly sought after by corporations and syndicates. Players slip past the military cordon as independent extraction teams.
Environmental Hazards: Surviving the Zone requires more than just defeating enemy players or AI. Survivors must navigate radiation, anomalies, starvation, and constant battlefield chaos.
Campaign Focus: Rather than rigid competitive tournament brackets, Aftermath focuses on narrative immersion and ongoing progression, where characters develop over a series of raids.