Current Most Popular Old West Rules???

[DS615]

Scenarios not tied to any game system would be ideal for me.

[thebinmann]

Still Deadlands/Savage Worlds for me - cards, dice, poker chips and a bit of weird!

[mellis1644]

Love fist full of lead and they are always up there for me, but I'm surprised Dracula's America has not been mentioned.

[Manchu]

Dunno about popularity but my go-to is Legends of the Old West.

[Evilcartoonist]

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!

[Flinty]

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.

[BaronVonJ]

but I always seem to use the FFoL hit location chart...

Fistful of Lead doesn't have a hit location chart.

[Arundel]

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...

[Andrew_McGuire]

Fistful of Lead doesn't have a hit location chart.

No wonder I couldn't find it...

[Nightpaw]

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.

[Flinty]

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.

 

[Tommy20]

Another vote for Gunfighter's Ball.

[NurgleHH]

Vote for FFoL and Dead Mans Hand. Years ago Old West from Wargames Historical, but it became a little bit boring after several games.

[Hu Rhu]

Having played a game at the weekend, I vote FFOL.

[warlord frod]

I like "Rules with no name" I have been using them for years and think they work well.