Second game of Ruthless in Babel

[Furt]

Thanks guys.

Lovely stuff Frank!
No t-shirts in Goulburn 

I bet - it's getting bitterly cold in Sydney even.

What a great looking town and game. It looks amazing. The tumbleweeds look awesome!! How did you make them? Also, how did you do all the signs? I have had my western stuff painted now for close to 10 years and never had a chance to use them yet. I only need to make the signs!!! 

The tumbleweeds are simply rubberized horsehair rolled into small balls.

The signs I make myself in photoshop. I did a whole bunch for Sarissa Precision which they have made available on their site for free. They may not suit exactly what you want but they may be some use.

https://sarissa-precision.com/collections/old-west-28mm/products/wild-west-free-pdf-sign-sheet-1

[Dubar]

Nice!!!
Hey folks, I'm a newbie, this is my 2nd post (introduced myself 1st post in the appropriate area).

Been playing Ruthless for several months now, actually rewrote the rules for my own use as I'm a lone gamer.  Got 2 dozen or so wild west figures to use and 6 or so buildings from Atomic Laser Cut Designs.  Also have a few dozen WW2 figures and currently use Bolt Action but may modify my wild west rules to use in that too.

I've been lurking on the wild west forum for a while and thought I would join in the fun.

Amazed at the quality of painting I see in these figures, good job!!!

[Furt]

Nice!!!
Hey folks, I'm a newbie, this is my 2nd post (introduced myself 1st post in the appropriate area).

Been playing Ruthless for several months now, actually rewrote the rules for my own use as I'm a lone gamer.  Got 2 dozen or so wild west figures to use and 6 or so buildings from Atomic Laser Cut Designs.  Also have a few dozen WW2 figures and currently use Bolt Action but may modify my wild west rules to use in that too.

I've been lurking on the wild west forum for a while and thought I would join in the fun.

Amazed at the quality of painting I see in these figures, good job!!!

Welcome to LAF Dubar. Ruthless is proving quite a solid set of simple rules. I too was wondering if it could be used for other genres.

[Metternich]

Have played several games of Ruthless with our wargames club members, and quite like the rules.  Noodled around with them a little, and came up with some Ruthless Chrome; feel free to adopt and adapt them if you like them:

RUTHLESS WESTERN WARGAME ADDITIONAL TRAITS AND WEAPONS
    Additional Character Traits:

"Across a Card Table" +1 Shooting at Short Range if using a handgun
 
"Quick Draw" Add +2 value to your Initiative card if opponent attempts a Snapshot when you are firing

"Dirty Fighter" In Fisticuffs playing a 2 card counts as a Low Blow if it is of same color (not just suit) as card played by opponent

"You Wouldn’t Hit A Lady!"  This male Character can't shoot at or have fisticuffs with a female until she attacks him or an ally, and even then his first shot at her will be at -1 (no penalty for subsequent engagement).

“Sharpshooter” If Character scored a shooting hit, on "Darn I Been Hit" table he may adjust the wound roll up or down one line as desired.

“Limited Ammunition.”  At start of scenario roll two 6-sided dice for this Character.  The combined score is how many rounds he has available for reloads for his weapon (which starts the game fully loaded).

Any Apache automatically counts as "Stealthy" if in Rough Terrain (even if not explicitly given the Trait)

Any Plains Indian automatically counts as “Expert Horseman” (even if not explicitly given the Trait).

     Additional Weapons:
"Buffalo Gun."  A particularly high-powered, single-shot rifle (e.g. Sharps Big 50).  Use same ranges and reloading as Sharps Carbine, but on "Darn I Been Hit" table a roll of 7 counts as a Chest wound. [Specialist weapon not apt to be used by a Greenhorn or average cowboy!] [Consider also  increasing Long Range by four more inches]

“Sleeve Gun.”  Sharps Derringer or Colt House Pistol.  Sharps has same range and reloading as Derringer but has 4 shots instead of 2.   Colt Derringer same  range as Ruthless (Remington) Derringer, but has only 1 shot instead of 2.

Remington Rolling Block Pistol.  Same Range as Revolver, but only 1 shot with same reloading as Sharps Carbine.

Sawed-off Shotgun. Short Range 6” (+2 to hit), Long Range 9” (-2).  Two shots; reloads like Shotgun.  Can’t be Aimed.  Any figure up to 1” from the target figure might also be hit (unless target is directly between firer and this other figure); roll to hit based on range and cover.  If a hit is scored on the target figure at Short Range, on "Darn I Been Hit" table a roll of 7 counts as a Chest wound. 

LeMat Pistol.   Pistol bullets same range as Revolver, but with 9 shots instead of 6.  Underslung Shotgun barrel has same range and characteristics as Sawed-off Shotgun, but only one shot.  Reloads in one Action either 3 pistol rounds or the shotgun barrel.  LeMat can’t be Aimed, and deduct 1 on value of cards related to Snapshot (including Initiative card) [This is due to weight and bulkiness of the LeMat; see gunfight in movie Forsaken].

Throwing Knife/Tomahawk/Lance.  Short Range 3”, Long Range 6.”

Cap-and-ball muzzleloading rifles and pistols.  Use same range statistics as their breechloading equivalents, but it takes 2 Actions to reload each individual shot.  Experienced gunfighters with such revolvers can carry one spare, preloaded cylinder and replace the empty cylinder in 1 Action, (see final gunfight in Pale Rider).

“Sharps Carbine” stats includes Trapdoor Springfield Rifle (breechloading Allin conversion of Civil War weapon), Remington Rolling Block Rifle, and similar single-shot breechloaders.

Colt Revolving Rifle and Spencer Carbine.  Same Range and Reloading as Repeating Rifle, but only six shots for the Colt and seven for the Spencer.  Cheaper alternatives (war surplus) to the Winchester.

[Cacique Caribe]

Q.  What was Boaz before he married the Moabite girl?
A.  Ruthless

Dan

[terrement]

The six factions were: Lawmen, Bounty Hunters, Pinkertons, the Durham Gang, Duke's Gang and Banditos. These were then roughly divided into sides, the "Good" guys (Lawmen, Bounty Hunters and Pinkertons) and the "Bad" guys (Durham Gang, Duke's Gang and Banditos). Alliances were pretty loose, especially amongst the "Bad" guys.

Each faction had their own goals and ways to achieve victory. Did everyone know what the goals and VPs for each other were?  I've seen games where things were generally known, but not specifically.  That allows some interesting situations to occur that might not otherwise.  Another is each player drawing a wild card (or more as you determine) that has a secret goal.  So things like "Help yourself to some new shooting irons in the General Store",  "Upgrade your rides by picking up two great horses from the Livery Stable",  "Shoot (fill in target or target type) in the butt" "pick up a parasol at  the dressmaker's shop"  "Drop in and kiss the schoolmarm" "Sit out a round or two with no shooting while the barber gives you a long overdue haircut and shave" and similar.  These may or may not be your cup of tea, but depending on your group they might be enjoyed.  Make up cards to suit your town and characters.  Can be non-lethal ones like these or make 'em as low down an dirty as you like.

This left the Lawmen to freely pursue Duke's Gang, who with hostages in tow and a good haul of loot were heading for their horses. Duke's Gang escaped out a Bank window and then into other buildings to avoid the hell, that was Main Street. A climatic battle took place in the graveyard which thwarted the gang's escape but also cost the Marshall his life.
Did they know that the "old lady in blue" in the graveyard was a ghost?

Some of the highlights (more like lowlights) were; a mounted Bandito running down the Bounty Hunter boss; the Marshall taking on Duke's Gang in fisticuffs (because he couldn't shoot at them until shot at);
I understand axe handles work much better than fists

[/center]

These are some of the cards that I made, including the faction "mission cards", character sheets and Bounty cards.

Nice cards!  Did you use a particular software/app, or have a template?  How did you doe the images?

Really like your town.

[sepoy1857]

Wow. Amazing. Looks like a fun game to play.

[Metternich]

Your cards are very nice indeed.

[sepoy1857]

Q.  What was Boaz before he married the Moabite girl?
A.  Ruthless

Dan

LOL

[Cacique Caribe]

That was a joke my wife came up with.  She can’t believe I shared it here.  LOL.

Dan

[Furt]

Have played several games of Ruthless with our wargames club members, and quite like the rules.  Noodled around with them a little, and came up with some Ruthless Chrome; feel free to adopt and adapt them if you like them.

Some really nice house rules there Metternich. Thanks for sharing.

Did everyone know what the goals and VPs for each other were?  I've seen games where things were generally known, but not specifically.  That allows some interesting situations to occur that might not otherwise.  Another is each player drawing a wild card (or more as you determine) that has a secret goal.  So things like "Help yourself to some new shooting irons in the General Store",  "Upgrade your rides by picking up two great horses from the Livery Stable",  "Shoot (fill in target or target type) in the butt" "pick up a parasol at  the dressmaker's shop"  "Drop in and kiss the schoolmarm" "Sit out a round or two with no shooting while the barber gives you a long overdue haircut and shave" and similar.  These may or may not be your cup of tea, but depending on your group they might be enjoyed.  Make up cards to suit your town and characters.  Can be non-lethal ones like these or make 'em as low down an dirty as you like.

Yes, so the goals and VPs were only vaguely known by the competing factions, but they all know the general idea of who is who and what is happening in town. We've had a 5 player game since and I left out the Bounty Hunter faction. I gave each player a secret Bounty card that if they managed to kill they gained 2 VPs. It worked really well and made for some interesting wtf moments as players went out of their way to hunt a character down.

Nice cards!  Did you use a particular software/app, or have a template?  How did you doe the images?

I made them all in Photoshop and the Bounty cards are just close-up images I took of my minis with a sepia tone.

Here are all the faction cards and bounty cards.

[Metternich]

Furt, thanks for posting the Faction cards and the Wanted posters - adds a lot of flavor to the game.