Called Shots on Zombies

[cornholioprime]

On Page 37 in the Base book the rules under "Inflicting Damage to The Neck or Head" it states under point 2 that Roll Strike as Usual, Only this time DO NOT include ANY combined Bonuses to strike "NATURAL" die roll ONLY! and Point 4 Only a Natural die Roll (no Bonuses applied) of 17-20 hits! But then on page 182 under Zombie Close Combat Firearm Rules, the Point Plank Attack section with the gun Barrrel 1-24 inchrs gives a +3 to strike when shooting the heacd or neck and 3-15 feet +1 to strike head or neck. These two rules seem to be at odds with eachother. Can anyone help me in clarifying this. Thanks.

One set of rules is for melee weapons, and one set of rules is for firearms (and presumably missiles such as arrows, as well).

[Tor]

I had this concern before too. I guess natural for melee and bonuses for ranged does help resolve that.

This means that in melee, it's probably a lot more efficient to de-limb zombies first (since bonuses count there) and when the threat is removed and if you have spare time, go up and decapitate them. I think decapitation is safer since it finishes faster in case you get interrupted midway. It takes longer for some cultist to come on the zombie and sew their neck back on compared to the brief amount of time it will take a zombie to regen skull damage if you don't manage to finish them off.

I would only use firearms in emergencies, in which case going straight for a neck shot is a good tactic. I still think since it's the same to strike but less capacity to complete that neck targetting is a safer bet for reliable disablement in minimal action or ammo use. Obviously if you have some kind of super-high caliber rifle with exploding rounds you know for sure will vape the head in 1 blow, may as well.