Wild West Rules

[Heisler]

I have been working on my wild west town of Calamity for a long time. I have managed to acquire a number of different rules for Wild West miniatures during the course of working through the build. I recently did a review of the different rule sets that I have managed to accumulate over the last couple of years. I thought some of you might be interested in seeing some of the myriad of rules that are out there for the wild west.

 

These posts aren't reviews in the sense of whether I like the rules or not but more of a breakdown on how the game works and its basic mechanics.

 

http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.com/2016/06/wild-west-rules.html

 

http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.com/2016/06/wild-west-rules-boot-hill-tsr.html

 

http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.com/2016/06/wild-west-rules-dead-mans-hand-great.html

 

http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.com/2016/06/wild-west-rules-desperado-knuckleduster.html

 

http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.com/2016/06/wild-west-rules-fistful-of-lead.html

 

http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.com/2016/06/wild-west-rules-legends-of-old-west.html

 

http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.com/2016/06/wild-west-rules-rules-with-no-name.html

 

http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.com/2016/06/wild-west-rules-shoot-n-skedaddle.html

 

http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.com/2016/06/wild-west-rules-gutshot-hawgleg.html

 

http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.com/2016/06/wild-west-rules-compilation.html

 

I tried not to be biased towards any specific set of rules because I know that people are not necessarily looking for the same thing that I am in a set of rules. For example if I was going to run a campaign more in line with an RPG, I would probably use Gutshot it just provides that extra level of detail that would really make a western RPG really pop. For more general shoot 'em up fun I would personally lean towards Shoot N' Skedaddle or Fistful of Lead; Reloaded.

There is a western RPG out there called Aces and Eights by Kenzer Co and I do own it but I didn't include it here as it really is a true RPG Western game and I find that I have difficulty working my way through it. I also left out Deadlands for much the same reason although I'm a huge fan of the original system and still own most of the books for it.

 

 

 

 

[Dr.Bedlam]

I found Aces and Eights to be awfully rules crunchy. I have a soft spot for Boot Hill, because it was my first. I rather like Gutshot for tactical and for convention style scenarios.

[sethohman]

Any thoughts on Blackwater Gulch or Six Gun Sound?  I have a pile of wild west minis, and I am liking how Blackwater Gulch looks.  Have yet to get a game in :(

 

And BG has a derringer pocket revolver, volcanic pistol, Remington army revolver, cooper navy revolver, smith&wesson frontier revolver, and a colt 45 peacemaker.  Not sure of single vs double action on those (to be honest, no clue myself, I don't look for that level of detail in a game normally) but it is pretty specific which weapon it is.

[KruleBear]

Thanks for sharing Heisler.

. I have a soft spot for Boot Hill, because it was my first.

I have that same soft spot. I was actually able to use it as a gateway drug to get more people involved in gaming back in the day.

[Heisler]

Any thoughts on Blackwater Gulch or Six Gun Sound?  I have a pile of wild west minis, and I am liking how Blackwater Gulch looks.  Have yet to get a game in :(

 

And BG has a derringer pocket revolver, volcanic pistol, Remington army revolver, cooper navy revolver, smith&wesson frontier revolver, and a colt 45 peacemaker.  Not sure of single vs double action on those (to be honest, no clue myself, I don't look for that level of detail in a game normally) but it is pretty specific which weapon it is.

 

I just acquired Six Gun Sound and I'm still working my way through it now. I need to to digest it a bit and get some minis and dice out and see how it plays. Its a bit rules crunchy as I read through it the first time, but Gutshot was that way too and its actually a pretty straight forward game.

[seej]

What about Reaper's Cowboys & Gunslingers? It's a lot of fun for quick convention play.

[Heisler]

What about Reaper's Cowboys & Gunslingers? It's a lot of fun for quick convention play.

 

I don't own a copy so I can't comment on it.

[ttuckerman]

There is also Dead Man's Hand for a quick shoot em up. 

 

BTW I like Aces & Eights.  In fact I GM'd it at Cons for many years.  Also if you look at the Character creation spreadsheet you will find my name as one of the creators.

 

Desperado was our favorite miniature rules, but lately we have gone to Dead Man's Hand. 

[Heisler]

There is also Dead Man's Hand for a quick shoot em up. 

 

BTW I like Aces & Eights.  In fact I GM'd it at Cons for many years.  Also if you look at the Character creation spreadsheet you will find my name as one of the creators.

 

Desperado was our favorite miniature rules, but lately we have gone to Dead Man's Hand. 

 

Dead Man's Hand is already in my list!

[Highlander]

The Rules With No Name:  A Fistful of Dice.

 

Much fun.

[Mehman]

I have bookmarked this to read later. I don't need anything to interrupt my GURPS Fantasy kick right now ! It's so close to solo-play-ready that I'm salivating.

[Heisler]

But Deadman's hand has released a new supplement for the Undead!

[Darsc Zacal]

14 hours ago, Heisler said:

But Deadman's hand has released a new supplement for the Undead!

I saw that. Still haven't picked up the main rule set though.

[ttuckerman]

Just saw the news of a Kickstarter for Tombstone, a skirmish game with resin miniatures.

[Darsc Zacal]

4 hours ago, ttuckerman said:

Just saw the news of a Kickstarter for Tombstone, a skirmish game with resin miniatures.

That's from Black Scorpion. I collected their western and pirate minis back when they were made of metal and they were my preferred minis from those two genres.

Haven't bought anything from them since they made the switch to resin though. I've heard mixed things.