Wild West weekend

I was scheduled to run this Month's game for one of my wargaming groups session and figured it was time for me to breakout a Wild West game. It's been at least 7 years since I ran one, I just couldn't find a set of rules I liked and also thought would be fun for the players and eventually I kind of forgot I had Wild West stuff.

Late last year I picked up Shoot n Skedaddle (from Turnstyle games), and thought they looked like they would fit my stringent requirements (fun to play and easy to run). I haven't ordered the cards yet as they are (with shipping) somewhat expensive, so I bought the PDF cards, printed them out and stuck'em in card sleeves and made my own versions of the character cards to match my figure collection.

In preparation on Saturday (December 9th) I took the rules and stuff to the Hamilton Road Gaming Group for a trial run and ran two games. Just one picture of the games. First game had 2 players and I learned 6 characters is too many for one player to run. Second game, both players ran 4 characters and things went more quickly. Might have made some sales for Turnstyle Games.

Shinbone shoot out at the Crouch aka the HRGG

Experience gained, I then ran two games Sunday (10th December), again in my Wild West town, Shinbone.

The first game was scenario one, with each of 4 player drawing 3 characters, one player drew a cowboy and both Soiled Doves (I suggested he swap one out for a redraw but he declined). No pictures of that game. It was mainly to get everyone acquainted with the rules.

We broke for lunch and afterwards played scenario one again with new characters.

Outlaws hanging around near the Saloon,

Some of the forces of Law and Order, The Judge (inside) and Mountain Man in the street,

Bodies piling up at the corner of the Dry Goods Store

Mountain man's body atop Herman's Feed and seed.

Mid way through the game, the Lawmen turned one of the outlaws (via special card), but then the outlaws almost immediately had a townsman join them (via another special card) he popped up near the corner of the dry goods store, very near the end of a turn, and so got both actions quickly. Oh and he had a Mare's Leg

3 men remain, a pair of outlaws vs. the Bounty Hunter (atop the Sheriff's office). One outlaw has taken a hostage, but all doors are locked and he can't climb over a fence with the hostage (and refused to turn her loose).

The game was called at that point, Bounty Hunter had a carbine but the only target he had was the hostage taker who was rooted in cover with his hostage and the other outlaw was wounded (and not coming out).

Players had a great time, but now expect more games of this, I guess I'll have to level up my terrain, Thanks! Turnstyle games. Might have made some more sales for Turnstyle Games.

One thing players didn't like was the amount of one shot weapons, (by one shot I mean you get 1 shot then have to reload before you could shoot again), but that could just have been the luck of the draw.

Gallery - Old West Injuns

Old West Injuns

All Foundry

Figure on the right was supposed to have a seperate weapon but wasn't in the Blister.

Not Foundry (real 25mm), I was given these for playing a war of 1812 game.

Gallery - Old West Small Arms

Old West Small Arms


A mix of Old Glory (Warpaint), Monday Knight Productions Bandidos and Foundry.

Monday Knight Productions

Monday Knight Productions

Old Glory

Mostly Old Glory

Old Glory

Old Glory

Foundry

Foundry

Foundry

Foundry and Unknown

Gallery - Old West Long Arms

Old west long arms

Once again mostly (if not all) Foundry.

 

I was given these for playing a War of 1812 game at a convention.

Gallery - Old West Townsfolk

Old West Townsfolk

Most of my townsfolk are from Foundry.

These are NOT Foundry, If any one knows what maker made them let me know.

Tutorial - Old West Buildings

Old West Buildings

Being lazy when I started my Old West Collection I looked around for 28mm buildings. I was frustrated in my quest to find suitable (i.e. inexpensive) buildings, so my greater personality trait overrode my laziness (frugality, although other have a less kind description).

So I decided I would DIY some, I started off making some Major General Tremorden Reddering inspired foam board buildings.

I started off thus:

Not entirely satisfied (big foot print, small interiors due to foam board thickness) I moved on to:

Popsicle (a.k.a. craft) sticks, since they are easily found and quiet cheap, the buildings are quite sturdy and look OK. 

It is difficult to place the doors and especially the windows at the proper heights, might be easier with wooden coffee stir sticks.

I then had the idea of putting new siding on the buildings I made out of Popsicle sticks. I got some Bristol (art?) board from the corner store and cut out the doors and windows, lightly scoring the side that would be the exterior to look like planks or siding, I had to make some of the holes for the windows larger, so I could get a more proper look. I then glued the new exterior onto the Popsicle stick buildings, paint, and voila!. I looked upon it and it was much better.

The same building as in the previous picture but with new siding

So I decided to see if I could make them easier, now I get a single piece of Bristol (art?) board, draw all four sides of the building plus a gluing tab (so you can glue it), then position and cut out the windows and doors, score the outside to simulate planking, cut Popsicle sticks (I use a little saw that came in an knock-off Xacto knife set) set and glue them on the inside, at the corners, along the tops and bottoms of each side, leaving gaps for the doors and around the edges of the doors and windows.

Outside of Orr's Hotel

Interior of Orr's Hotel with Popsicle stick bracing, just needs some more around the windows, the doors are in place. Also shows what happens to a good table if you don't use a cutting mat.

Base, paint and add details like window frames, posters signs, et al. The stairs were made separately and added after construction. I don't detail the inside of my buildings, but if I did I would add an interior of Bristol (art?) Board to which I would add printed interiors.

Doors: I first started off making hinges, similar to what I saw on Gisby's door page but mine looked quite ugly and far too much work, then I went out and tried to find small hinges, like for a jewelry boxes or doll houses, but they are difficult to find and if you can find some, they ain't cheap! Now I glue a piece of Bristol (Art) board on one side behind the door opening 

Window and/or door Frames: I originally made made my frames out of matchsticks, I then tried printed card stock but I think Balsa or basswood strips are going to be better.  

Roofs: Probably because I have seen too many Westerns and I like to put figures on my roofs, most of my buildings have slightly sloped tar papered roofs (use black construction paper), But when I make peaked roofs, I first make the building then I make the roof. Because no matter how carefully I measure, the front and back peaks are almost always slightly off.  Get a piece of thick Corrugated cardboard cut it to the length of your gables (plus 1/2" each side for overhangs) then score it in the middle cutting almost all the way through, then cover up all the exposed corrugations with masking tape, add shingles and paint. 

Shingles I used to take strips of Bristol (art) board or breakfast cereal box cardboard the length of your roof + 1/2" and about 1/2" to 3/4" wide, then cut almost all the way though about every 3/8" to 1/2" glue the first strip along the bottom and work to the peak offsetting the next strip so that each the joining of two side by side "shingles" is in the middle-ish of the one above it. If your not careful your shingle strips are in a slight downward arc the longer the strip the more pronounced the arc is. Now I make individual shingles, it takes a lot longer to make and install but the extra time is worth it.

Roof section with shingle strips, i also shortened some of the shingles to increase variety

Reminiscing Old West

Old West

The Old West was my first (and still only) foray into 28mm miniature gaming, I started it as an impulse buy at a con. I was at Hotlead (or was it MIGScon) 13 or so years ago (is Hotlead even that old) and saw some Warpaint (Old Glory) figs for $10 a bag, so I picked up one bag of lawmen and another of outlaws, made a few buildings, then started looking for rules.

I suppose like many, I started with  "The Rules with no Name" since they were free, then 'Desperado 1, 'Desperado 2' and finally 'Desperado 3' (which despite their names are almost identical, just the price changed), then I found a set I really liked, Six Gun Sound, but my players weren't too keen on them, a newer version of them is now out 'Six Gun Sound: Blaze of Glory' which I also have, but they are much more complicated that original Six Gun Sound. The more I changed rules the less I seemed to play Old West.

I have a hankerin' to revisit the Old West again and think I'll reboot my Old West Franchise with 'The Rules with no Name'. With that in mind I downloaded the new version and see they have fixed some of the problems I had with the old version, mainly Back shooting, you could not do it, so one of the players always turned his back on his opponents so they couldn't shoot at him, (what can I say, I was really lawful), that player has moved away and I am less constrained by the letter of rules (or I am more chaotic) and more open to the intent of the rule.

Here are pictures of some Games I've run over the years:

This was the first game I ever ran using The Rules with no name.

Six Gun Sound

Another game of Six Gun Sound

Cowboys versus Zombies using Chain Reaction 2