Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Old West => Topic started by: Featherstone on July 31, 2018, 01:13:33 AM
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I’m a writer with a love for gaming and a penchant for graphic design projects — result: I’m contemplating designing a scenario book with ten to fifteen missions based on the lives of maybe ten or so historical Old West gunslingers. I’ve cut my teeth on publishing with this CONGO Tomb-raiding scenario book (https://www.wargamevault.com/m/product/246757?) and already have enough longstanding interest in the Old West... but I’m at a loss:
What’s the most popular rules system for Old West gaming *currently*?
I’ve played “Legends of the Old West” and it was alright, but that’s OoP, and I’d want to build the scenarios on at least one major market system, if not to be bi-compatible with runners-up. Thoughts? Would anyone be interested in such a booklet? Little pop-bios of the gunslingers and a few of their famous capers in ready-to-go scenario format...
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'Fistful of Lead' is my go to set for Wild West lead slinging. Having a fistful of playing cards to activate your little Heroes brings proper meaning to 'dead man's hand!'
I would be more than interested in a scenario booklet.
:-*
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We very much like 'Dead Man's Hand'. The cards are very thematic, and the play is fast and cinematic, and offers plenty of decisions for the players.
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Got to agree with both the above - "Fistful of Lead" and "Dead Man's Hand" are both regular games for me.
RMZ
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I too would be interested in a scenario booklet. We use a homemade set written by a fellow club member. I have LotOW and have played it , but it did,nt excite me . I prefer fast and furious , down and dirty rules for this period.
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Fistful of lead for me, but if its a fairly general, none rule specific scenario book I would still be interested.
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Fistful of Lead for me also a great rules set. Scenarios are always useful to have, so I guess a book with plenty of these would be welcome.
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Rules with No Name
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I'm always interested in scenario books, though in my opinion most historical gunfights don't make particularly interesting games (often they involved little more than one fellow getting shot in the back). Far better to base an upcoming book on Westerns. Take a look at the scenario book for Fistful of Lead; all the scenarios are purely fictional, but they are simply great, covering a whole range of subjects, from gunslingers, banditos, Indians, prospectors...it's a lot of fun!
Good luck with your project!
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While mostly people seem to focus on the bad guys of the Old West (Hollywood's predominant influence, no doubt), if you're going to travel the road of the real history then the stories of how the law men got their man (or men - or even woman [women]) is a much more fascinating story. It is amazing to me the lengths gone to in order to track down and capture (or kill) the criminal element. Lawmen were a persistent lot then as now. Not sure how exciting a game some of these might be since it could take days, weeks, months, or even years, there are plenty of incidents of dramatic shootouts (or what ifs) at the moment of capture (or death) that would be a good basis for a game.
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I still really like the old tried and true Desperado, though I did just get the PDF for Gunfighters Ball by Knuckleduster and it looks really good.
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Fistful of Lead comes with 16+ scenarios and a scenario book (A Fistful More) with 20 more. Plus we put a 99¢ Mostly Monthly scenario, mostly monthly.
You might want to talk to the authors (like me) before you start something, especially if you are going to sell them as compatible with X game.
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I've moved from Dead Man's Hand to Gunfighter's Ball recently. Something about that game that really hits all of my checkmarks. Plus, every time I play I end up in tears from laughter. I've done all of my games using the Greenhorn Edition of GFB, it's a perfectly playable free version of the game. The PDF of the new full rules are really great. And I can't wait to get my hands on the Pistoleer deck and Black deck for the game, to enhance it.
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Dead Man’s Hand is our local fav.
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The two most popular would definitely be Dead Man's Hand, and Baron's Fistful of Lead, just as far as sheer numbers from what I see on forums, Facebook groups, etc.
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Scenarios not tied to any game system would be ideal for me.
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Still Deadlands/Savage Worlds for me - cards, dice, poker chips and a bit of weird!
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Love fist full of lead and they are always up there for me, but I'm surprised Dracula's America has not been mentioned.
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Dunno about popularity but my go-to is Legends of the Old West.
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Not the most current, but Gutshot still holds a place in my heart.
Rules that manage to be detailed yet simple to play. Great fun!
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I use a mash up of Gutshot and Six Gun Sound, card activation and the THW mechanics result in a solo system that gives me a good game. I also dabbled with Tombstone & Tumbleweeds, but I always seem to use the FFoL hit location chart...
Heard that Dracula's America was worth a look, but not seen a review of the mechanics as yet.
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but I always seem to use the FFoL hit location chart...
??? Fistful of Lead doesn't have a hit location chart.
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On the subject of rules (and hit locations), the old Boot Hill rpg rules are well worth a look. Despite dating from the early days of our hobby they remain one of the best skirmish sets out there. They also have one of the most elegant solutions to cover and its benefits I've ever seen: when a character is hit you roll on a relatively detailed percentage chart for the hit location - if that hit location is hidden from sight by cover then the shot misses. Simple and intuitive. It always surprises me more sets haven't used the same system.
If of interest, it's worth noting Boot Hill is available quite cheaply these days on RPGNow...
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??? Fistful of Lead doesn't have a hit location chart.
No wonder I couldn't find it...
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I use a mash up of Gutshot and Six Gun Sound, card activation and the THW mechanics result in a solo system that gives me a good game. I also dabbled with Tombstone & Tumbleweeds, but I always seem to use the FFoL hit location chart...
Heard that Dracula's America was worth a look, but not seen a review of the mechanics as yet.
Dracula's America is covered in the Gothic Horror section of the forum. But you can leave out the supernatural parts and play straight old west skirmish games. The rules are easy to learn and a lot of fun. The models have just one stat (grit) and come as heroes (grit 1d10), veterans (grit 1d8) or novices (grit 1d6). You have to roll 5 to be successful. It's a pool system so modifiers give you additional dice to roll.
I have played 3 games up to now and I really like the game. Great old west feeling, beats Dead Man's Hand (i.m.o.). We really love the campaign mode, but you need to have the expansion "Hunting Grounds" to make the campaigns really funny. Between the games, you can get outlawed, pimp your hideout with upgrades, go bounty hunting, recruit mercs or sell your own fighters as mercs to other players.
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Fistful of Lead doesn't have a hit location chart.
Sorry, I should have said the hiit location/effect chart from the Rules With No Name
I blame rules paraphrasing film titles; somehow yours have infiltrated my subconcious to an alarmingly deep level....
Thanks for the DA mechanics explanation Nightpaw - agree that a campaign element nealry always adds a bit of depth, interest and unexpected amusement.
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Another vote for Gunfighter's Ball.
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Vote for FFoL and Dead Mans Hand. Years ago Old West from Wargames Historical, but it became a little bit boring after several games.
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Having played a game at the weekend, I vote FFOL.
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I like "Rules with no name" I have been using them for years and think they work well.
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Fistful of Lead (and now, Reloaded) for ten years or more now. Easy-to-learn, quick to teach. For us, it's the right blend of humor, strategy and luck that makes a good game. We've done three scenarios in one day with six players, five figures/player. On the plus side (for me, anyway), the lack of bookkeeping and charts cluttering up the game table is wonderful.