Phase One: Aim, or, Shoot Unaimed Shot, or Perform Move Action
Phase Two: Shoot Aimed Shot (if aimed in Phase 1), or, Shoot Unaimed Shot,
Phase Three: Resolve Hand to hand combat

Phase One you may either AIM at a target, (NPC's - non player-controlled figures - aim at closest target), or you may FIRE AN UNAIMED SHOT (at any target, NPC's at closest), or you may PERFORM A MOVE ACTION: e.g. MOVE; LOAD GUN(1 bullet per turn); MOUNT or DISMOUNT from horse or wagon; THROW AN OBJECT, PICK UP an adjacent object(use common sense, don't pick up the horse, but you might want to pick up a rifle), or DUCK UNDER COVER, in which case you are then considered to be hunkered down safely behind such cover and are invulnerable to fire until you move away or LOOK UP FROM COVER which is another move action. When ducked under cover you may not fire or aim a gun, but you may reload one. You may pick an object up, but you may not throw an object.

You may not DUCK UNDER COVER unless you already have some cover to duck under. For example, if your character is behind a large rock, he receives some benefit of cover verses incoming fire, but he is considered to be somewhat exposed unless he ducks behind the rock. Once he has ducked down, he will be protected until he looks up or moves away from that protection. DUCK UNDER COVER includes moving up to maximum allowable distance to get to the cover. Again, use common sense, fence posts and such can not be used for the DUCK UNDER COVER rule, but do offer other cover benefits. Barrels and water troughs can be ducked behind.

Guns may be drawn or holstered or discarded automatically, without needing a move action to do so. It takes one hand to control a moving horse, one to fire a pistol, two hands to fire a rifle or shotgun, and usually one hand to carry an object; so make sure a character has enough hands available to perform an action before doing it.

Actions within the first phase are resolved simultaneously except that move actions are performed after shots are resolved. This allows for an unaimed shot to hit a target before that target moves out of sight or ducks down.

Phase 2 the second phase of the sequence of play allows only one action as well: Either, FIRE AN AIMED SHOT, (assuming that the player aimed at a target in the first phase.), or FIRE AN UNAIMED SHOT. Note that the player specifies his target secretly before the turn begins. NPC's aim at and fire at the closest target. A player is allowed however, (and NPC's are required) to fire an unaimed shot at the closest target during this phase providing that he chose to fire an unaimed shot in this phase before the turn began. All shots are fired, even when targets no longer exist.

Phase 3 The third phase of the sequence of play concerns hand to hand combat between adjacent figures.

MOVEMENT

Dismounted 4"
Mounted 8"

Obstacle Movement across an obstacle (fence, closed door) halts when adjacent to the obstacle and may continue freely the next turn. Exterior doors are usually considered closed while interior doors are considered open and do not restrict movement. A figure adjacent to a door may make that door open in most cases for purposes of movement and fire. A figure at an exterior door does have cover from fire coming from the other side of the doorway.

Windows Movement through a window, 1st turn move adjacent to it, 2nd turn move through it but stay adjacent to it, 3rd turn move freely away from it.

Reckless movement To try crashing through a window, or door, or when mounted and trying to jump a fence, start a 1/2 move away from obstacle (2" on foot or 4" if mounted). Move directly to obstacle and draw a card, a red draw means success and you may continue movement, but a black card means failure and you stop adjacent to the obstacle, a Joker means disaster and your gun (if any) goes through the window or door but you don't, or you are thrown across the fence but your horse stays on the other side.

Facing Facing of a figure is determined as follows: A figure is facing towards the figure he is aiming or shooting at or in the direction he last moved to. Turning a figure's facing does not affect the amount of distance he may move that turn.

GUNFIRE RESOLUTION

The drawing of guns is considered automatic and is not involved in the game. Non player controlled characters use the best weapon they have available. There are four possible ranges for each of the three possible types of firearms. Table 2 provides weapon types and their ranges. Draw one card for AIMED shots; draw 2 cards for UNAIMED shots and use the worst card for the firer. Jokers always miss (As well they should - ED).

Weapon	Range
	Point Blank	Short	Medium	Long
Pistol/Bow	3"	6"	10"	15"
Rifle	3"	8"	15"	30"
Shotgun	5"	5"	10"	N/A

To Hit:

Range	Hit on:
Point Blank	RED card or SPADE
Short	RED card
Medium	HEARTS
Long Range	HEARTS*

*Shots fired at long range draw yet another card and must count the worst drawn card as the result.

Saves Figures behind some cover but still exposed to fire (corner of a building, a window. etc.) count face cards (not aces) as having hit their cover instead, and this save is considered when determining the worst possible drawn card on unaimed and long shots.

Damage If a hit has been determined, then compare the "hit" card to Table 3 to find damage to the target.

Bows In these rules, bows are considered exactly as though pistols except that they are "unloaded" after each use and must be aimed.

THROWING AN OBJECT

An object may be thrown up to 6" distant, and when such an object is used to attack an opponent, it will hit on a heart draw (1 card is drawn).

Edged weapons do damage as per a pistol, other type weapons (chair, rock, bottle, etc.) attack as though a pistol, but only count damage if a kill results, which is considered a knock-out for the duration of the game. Chairs and bottles break on impact, but spears, knives, tomahawks, and rocks that miss or hit are considered to then be at the feet of the target -and can be picked up.

WOUNDS

Damage	Pistol	Rifle	Shotgun (Short/Long)
Moderate Wound	2-5	2-4	2-3/2-6
Severe Wound	6-J	5-10	4-9/7-Q
Kill	Q-A	J-A	10-A/K-A

Kill immediately (after that phase) eliminates the target.

Severe Wound Halves all foot movement from then on, and 50% of the time, knocks the target to the ground (Draw card, down on RED), which ends that turn for the figure and throws him from a horse or wagon. A severely wounded figure may not aim a gun, but is only allowed to fire unaimed shots, only one such shot per turn and that shot must be fired in Phase Two (excepting close combat where another shot is allowed). Such a figure has a 50% chance of failing to perform certain actions, such as mounting or reloading. Two severe wounds count as a KILL.

Moderate Wound Does not itself affect the figure, but two such wounds counts as a severe wound with no possibility though of the figure being knocked down or dismounted. Four moderate wounds count as a KILL.

All figures standing at end of game, and those knocked-out will survive any wounds. All figures downed by wounds are considered killed.

HAND TO HAND COMBAT

Adjacent figures each draw one card and then an additional card for each "advantage" that they possess in the close combat. Advantages are defined as :

• Attacking from rear 180 of target
• Mounted
• Having a loaded pistol or a sword
• Having any type weapon (rifle butt, club, bottle, etc.) and attacking an unarmed opponent.

Each figure then totals the face values of his cards (face cards are 10, aces are 11, jokers are 0) and compares them to that of his opponent. The figure with the highest number wins the round and proceeds to attack his opponent one time on the damage chart as for a pistol. A loaded pistol or edged weapon counts damage just as for a pistol, but other weapons [including other firearms, which are considered used as clubs and are not fired] draw two cards and count the least, an unarmed attack counts only the kills, which, in that case are considered knock-outs, for the duration of the game. Chairs and bottles break after being used in an attack. A pistol used in hand to hand is considered to have been fired.

Multiple attackers A figure attacked by more than one opponent must beat all comers individually with his card total in order to attack one of them. Note that if losing, such a figure might find himself under more than one attack if more than one of his opponents gain higher totals than he did.

Draws In the case of a draw, figures still adjacent after hand to hand phase are locked in melee and may perform no actions the next turn, however, mounted figures may move or fire normally. If a figure draws both Jokers during this round he is considered to lose the round and have been dismounted, (if applicable) and disarmed by his opponent, and his opponent has the option of mounting the horse (again if applicable).

Note, that if a figure draws only one card here, and its a Joker, then all the terrible things listed above happen, even though he didn't draw both Jokers. This applies if two opposing figures each drawing one card both get a Joker, which would result then in both figures "losing" the round and both being attacked and disarmed by one another. But understand, that a figure having some sort of advantage and drawing more than one card must draw both jokers for disaster to happen.

HORSES

Even though it seldom happens in the movies, it is possible for horses to be gunned down in these rules. Mounted figures count horses as cover, as could dismounted figures next to a horse, but neither can 'duck behind cover of the horse. When a mounted figure is attacked but a King is drawn, the horse has been hit instead. The horse is downed and the rider ends his turn abruptly at that point. A horse with a figure adjacent to it and within 180 degrees of its front is considered to be in control of that horse. Horses are always mounted from the left side and must be so in the game. Horses unattended and untied might be guilty of moving around a little during a gun fight - each turn on a red card, a horse will move away, initially moving on a face card straight ahead and full speed, on any other card to the clock position of the drawn card and at half speed, count ace as one or eleven according to your desire at that point. No movement on black cards or jokers. Untended horses can not jump fences.

SOLITAIRE PLAY

The player controls only one figure - other figures are controlled by having their turn actions determined by card draws before each turn and consulting the chart in Table 4. The range of the figure's weapon is the primary determination of his actions (range being point blank, short, medium, long.)

Range to Nearest Target is:			Do This:
PB/Short	Medium	Long	Phase 1	Phase 2
2-6	2-7	2-6	AIM	SHOOT
7-J	-	-	SHOOT	SHOOT
-	8-10	7-10	COVER	none
Q-A	J-Q	-	MOVE TO	SHOOT
-	K-A	J-A	MOVE TO	none
Joker	Joker	Joker	No effect--draw again

Cover Move to nearest cover if not behind cover, or duck behind cover if behind cover, or, if already ducking behind cover then stay there. If ducked behind cover, then AIM/SHOOT and SHOOT/SHOOT becomes LOOK UP FROM COVER/SHOOT (an unaimed shot).

Move To Move directly towards nearest enemy figure.

The chart doesn't cover every possibility. So here are some examples of how to get around the chart: If a figure is unable to perform an action called for, then he does nothing or his action may be modified.

For example, a severely wounded figure is not allowed to aim, so, if AIM/SHOOT is called for, he will not aim, but will fire an unaimed shot in phase two. A figure using a weapon which needs to be thrown will treat "AIM" as "THROW OBJECT" instead. (Note that a such an object has no range, so that a figure solely armed with such (a spear, for example), is either at long range where he can't actually use the weapon, or at short range where he can. "AIM" for him when he is out of range, could be interpreted as "MOVE TO" nearest enemy.) Also, a figure normally shouldn't be allowed to throw a weapon when doing so would leave the figure unarmed.

Figures holed up in some building who should not leave it will not do so. For example, if the sheriff is supposed to defend the jail against a large number of angry civilians intent on lynching some prisoner, then you probably shouldn't let him run out into the street and into the angry crowd on the first turn of the game. Figures with unloaded guns will attempt to move to good cover and completely reload their guns, unless at point blank range when they are free to attack.

Figures who begin a turn with no possible way to have seen, let alone shoot at an enemy, treat all results other than MOVE TO, as "don't do anything except reload your gun if needed." One other point - in some games figures may need to accomplish some objective in order to win the game (such as enter the bank, then mount and ride quickly out of town), in such a case, when drawing at the start of each turn for that figure's actions, consider a red drawn card as being "he will do the needed action", which will usually be a move action, (moving to the horse, then mounting, etc.). SHOOT/SHOOT or AIM/SHOOT might then become MOVE/SHOOT or simply MOVE. Also, mounted figures which clearly need to continue moving will do so.

These NPC rules are slightly interpretive, which presents no problem for a solitaire player, but, with more than one player involved, perhaps players should alternate from turn to turn in resolving determination of non player figure actions. Multi-player games should also have players play on the same side, at least that's more fun anyway.

MARKERS

I use markers beside each figure to note the actions he will do that turn and to note his wounds and rounds remaining in his gun. Small cotton tufts represent shots, (Two would mean shoot/shoot). Small red poker chips represent wounds, one being moderate, two severe, etc.) A small rectangular piece of card or paper which has a point cut into one side to act as an arrow, serve to mark targets aimed at or direction to be moved to. On one side I write AIM, on the other MOVE. Dice are handy reminders of rounds remaining in guns (a pistol has six, a shotgun has two, and a rifle varies, but say has 13 to begin with.) None of this is strictly necessary, but without it, written notes must be taken unless you have a super memory. Players should secretly make notes of their intentions before each turn, even if all players are on the same side. All figures should be marked (if using markers) before the turn begins.

OPTIONAL RULES

1. Some figures are considered MARKSMEN, these being figures with above average shooting abilities. Such figures may count a Joker drawn in resolving shots as though it were an ACE, which means that Marksmen count Jokers as kills instead of misses. Counting the worst possible card drawn still applies.

2. Some figures are considered gunfighters. Such figures resolve their shots before other figures in the same phase, and so, have the ability to kill or wound an opponent before he can respond. Gunfighters are also considered to be marksmen.

3. "A mountain of a man" is a huge and terrible figure. Such a figure ignores the first severe wound (or first two moderate wounds) it receives. In other words, it would take three severe wounds to kill that figure. Also, this figure draws an extra card in hand to hand fighting.

4. A novice is a character with little if any knowledge of firearms. This character resolves his shots last, after all other figures. Any shots he takes are shifted one column to the right, which means treating point blank range as short range, etc., and considering all true long range shots as misses.

5. Whenever a non-player controlled figure is severely wounded (including two moderate wounds), he tests for reaction by drawing a card. On a red card he will fight on. On a black card his primary goal will be to run away, and from then on, for lack of a better term, he is considered to be routing. See the list of priorities for routing below in optional rule #6 to determine what such a character will do.

6. Whenever at least one half of a side's number are either killed or severely wounded, they draw a card. On a red card, they will fight on for the rest of the game, but on a black card their primary goal will be to flee. In that case, all the figures on that side will be in rout. Player controlled figures never have to rout. Instead of drawing a card and consulting the actions table, when NPC figures are routing their actions are determined in the following manner:

If figure is on foot, a "bad guy" ending a turn within 6" of a "good guy", will surrender. Note that neither side has to be good or bad, but the scenario should specify this. Otherwise, he moves to any horse within 6" and mounts, as long as such a move would not place the figure within a closer range to an enemy, figure may then fire an unaimed shot at nearest enemy within medium range. (MOVE/ SHOOT)

Else, he moves directly away from all enemy figures via safest route, and may fire unaimed shot at nearest enemy within at least medium range. (MOVE/SHOOT) If the figure is mounted he moves directly away from enemy figures along clearest path, shoot unaimed shot at closest enemy within medium range. (MOVE/SHOOT)

7. Leadership: One figure per side may be a leader, but it is not necessary for a side to have a leader. A leader influences friendly figures within 6" of him, only in terms of movement. Leaders determine their actions first. Figures controlled by players are not influenced by leaders. Other figures are influenced as follows: If a figure's action determination draw is a club, then that figure will conform to the leader's movements. So, if the leader moved for cover, then another figure drawing a club will ignore the action table's result, and it too will move to cover. If the leader had instead moved toward the nearest enemy, the influenced figure would do likewise.

Simply stated, a leader influences movement only. If the leader had stood and fired a shot, he would have no influence that turn, even on others drawing a club. Leaders have one other special ability in that they will not test to rout if having received a severe wound, but they would still rout if their entire side, due to losses has come under the effects of rule #6 above. If a leader, as per rule #5 or #6, surrenders, then all within 6" of him will also surrender.

8. A side-kick is a figure who is a close follower of a leader. Such a figure will never move further than 3" away from a leader, and, if somehow does become further away, will move directly back to the leader figure at the first opportunity. A side-kick will always conform with the movements of a leader. So, if the leader moves forward, so will the side-kick, and if the leader moves to cover, so will the side-kick. He will not rout unless his leader does. Once a leader is killed, the side-kick reverts back to a normal figure. Note that a figure could be assigned more than one characteristic; for example, a leader could also be a gunfighter.

SAMPLE GUNFIGHT

Let us suppose that a miniature gunslinger that I will control has just exchanged a few words with a really nasty little gunman by the name of Lead Fingered Pete, and that the two of them have decided to step outside of the Lucky Shoe Saloon to settle their disagreement. The two figures are 6" apart (short range for the pistols they will be using), and are in the street with the only possible cover for either of them being the saloon, which is about 4" away from them.

Turn One being at short range, I decide to fire two, quick, snap shots at Pete. (One unaimed shot in Phase One, and another unaimed shot in Phase Two, "Shoot/Shoot") Pete, being a rules controlled figure draws a card to decide his actions and Table 4 is consulted. The card is a four, which directs that Pete will aim at me in Phase One, and then fire an aimed shot in Phase Two. (Aim/Shoot)

The actions within a phase are simultaneous, so while Pete aims his gun, I fire an unaimed shot. I draw two cards and will count the worst one since my shot is unaimed. At short range any red card hits. I first draw a two of hearts (a hit), but secondly I draw a seven of clubs (a miss), so I count the shot as a miss.

For Phase Two, I fire my second shot (unaimed), while Pete will simultaneously respond with an aimed shot at me. I decide to draw for Pete first, [being an aimed shot at short range, only one card is drawn] and breathe a sigh of relief when the card is black, and therefore a miss. My unaimed shot draws two cards, the first a five of hearts and the second a Jack of diamonds. Both are hits, but I must count the least damaging result when consulting Table 3. The Jack would have meant a severe wound, but I must count the five, which results in only a moderate wound.

Turn Two I decide to move to the cover of the side of the saloon. [Cover/-]. Pete draws a four which dictates that he will again aim and then fire an aimed shot. (Aim/shoot). In Phase One, my character moves to cover to the corner of the saloon, while Pete aims. In Phase Two, my character does nothing, while Pete fires an aimed shot at a figure now protected by cover, which means an automatic miss. (If he had only fired a shot in Phase One instead of aiming, he would have had a chance to hit me as I moved to the saloon.)

Turn Three my character decides to Look Up From Cover and then fire an unaimed shot. (Up/Shoot). This will mean that I will still have some benefit of cover from the corner, but can be shot. Pete draws an eight which dictates that he will aim and then shoot. (Note that we are now at medium range due to my figure's movement.)

Phase One - I look around the corner just in time for my opponent to take aim.

Phase Two - At medium range, Pete's aimed shot will only hit if a heart is drawn. Pete draws a King of hearts. A heart is a hit, but since I have cover, I count hitting face cards as missing instead. Pete's bullet hits the building and narrowly misses me. My unaimed shot draws a club, and I needn't draw another since I have already missed.

Turn Four I aim and shoot. Lead Fingered Pete draws an ace. He will move directly toward me and then fire a shot. (Move To/ Shoot)

Phase One - I take careful aim as Pete rushes forward. At the end of the phase the figures are now 3" apart, point blank range.

Phase Two - According to the actions determined at the beginning of the turn, I will fire an aimed shot, while Pete will respond with an unaimed shot. It doesn't matter which shot is checked first, since both are considered fired at the same time. I check mine first, and draw one card. At point blank range I will hit on any red card and also on a spade. I, of course, draw a club, which is a miss. (A club is always a miss.) Pete, with his unaimed shot, must draw two cards and count the worst. He draws an Ace of Diamonds (it is beginning to look bad for me) and then draws the Ace of Spades. Both are hits, and both would result in a kill. So, my character crumples to the ground, while Lead Fingered Pete holsters his pistol and saunters calmly back into the Lucky Shoe Saloon.

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