This scenario is based on the one we ran at the HMGS East Fall In and Northern Virginia Gamers (NOVAG) NOVAGCON conventions last fall. The rules we use are a highly modified version of Bryan Ansell's "The Rules with No Name" abbreviated as TRWNN. However, the basic information should be useable with most Western Gunfight rules sets. The intent of this article is to set the background, provide the various factions in the game, and list the various player and non-player characters. A separate article will discuss the rules modifications we made.
To set the stage we gave each player a copy "The Cow Town Gazette". This newspaper contained articles, advertisements and a gossip column that provided the necessary background information. We also made cards with the objectives of each faction or character.
Background
Cow Town, Texas is a small and sleepy border town at the end of the Cactus Railway. Although the undertaker might disagree, the town is noted for sagebrush and prime Longhorn steers. Occasionally the quiet of Cow Town is disturbed by the lawless who seek to prey on its hapless (well maybe not so hapless) citizens. Recently the notorious Mexican Bandito, El Guano, visited the fair town to raise a little revenue for his gang of ner do wells. After an exchange of gunfire with the then drunkardly Sheriff Dawson and several deputies and citizens, El Guano found himself recovering from numerous head wounds in the town jail. After a failed rescue attempt by surviving gang members, El Guano met Judge Jim "Hang Em" Beam and was invited to a special necktie party. As guest of honor, El Guano will really swing. The hanging is to take place at High Noon today.
Fate (and the Gamesmasters) has conspired to make for a very lively day in Cow Town. Oscar Meyer, Beef Baron from Chicago, is in town purchasing the local steak on the hoof for the mid West dinner tables. Rumors that rustlers and renegade redskins want to purloin the sirloin as the herds come to market abound. Settlers claim that the Hole in the Door Gang has been seen in the vicinity. The Army payroll for Fort Apache is in the local bank vault waiting for Army escort to the fort. Reports from south of the border talk of unrest and new liberator for the peasants. Strangers Such as gambler Gentleman Jim French and the bounty hunter Low Plains Drifter have wandered into town looking for whiskey and who knows what else. Crazy ole Hoot Hansen has been working that worn Out silver mine for a long time now. Despite all these forebodings, the Citizens of Cow Town are festive and have gathered in the streets. After all there's going to be a hanging!
Cow Town has only one main street with a few buildings along the roads leading out of town. To the north the town is dominated by a small hillock which contains the town cemetery. The railroad station and stockyards are on the southeast (down wind) side of town. The Cow Town Hotel anchors one end of Main Street that ends in the livery stable. The map shows the complete Cow Town Layout.
The Factions
In general each player controls a faction of three to five characters. This provides flexibility because by splitting factions among two players more people can participate. If there are fewer players than factions, some factions can be dropped as long as the bad guys don't seriously Outnumber the forces of good. The table provides the relevant statistics (level, weapons, skills) for each character, including the more important Bystanders (NPCs).
The Good
The Lawmen. Sheriff Dawson and his deputies make up the Cow Town law enforcement. Their objectives are to see that El Guano hangs and to preserve the peace (doubtful). Sheriff Dawson is a recovered drunk. Surviving a dynamite blast changes a man. His faithful but aging deputy, Deputy Billy and the noted rifleperson C. Connors assist him.
The Ranger. A contingent of Texas Rangers is passing through Cow Town. They are oil the trail of cattle rustlers and a second group of gunrunners. Lead by Captain Bill Walker the Rangers are an imposing group whose objective are to find the rustlers and whoever has been smuggling trouble across the border from Mexico. Walker and Ranger Red Dooley are accompanied by Ranger Clay Moore (with his silver revolvers, Moore prefers to work alone) and the faithful Indian Scout, Kimo, who wields a mean tomahawk in melee.
The Cavalry. Elements of F Troop have stopped in Cow Town. They are en route to Mesa Grande to capture the Indian Renegades and return them to the reservation. F Troop is made up of Captain Cook, Sgt. O'Brian, Cpl. Agarn and Troopers Leonardo, Simpson and Rossi. Sgt. O'Brian has a vendetta against Reb Legg who deserted from the Sergeant's unit during the Great Southern Rebellion.
The Judge. Judge Jim Beam and his two bailiffs, O'Toole and O'Roarke are still in Cow Town to make sure thatjustice is served or at least that El Guano hangs. The Judge's party are bystanders but could be used as a faction if needed. They will react to attempts to rescue El Guano.
The Bad:
El Guano's Banditos. The primary goal of these Mexican ruffians is to rescue El Guano from the noose and get him safely out of town. They are commanded by El Guano's younger brother, El Guanito, who fancies himself as a great leader and dresses the part. The rest of the banditos are the Sorefeetz Brothers,
Hector and Diego, and the mucho loco Booma Grande, who is noted for carrying many sticks of dynamite on his person. If the gang rescues and arms El Guano, he becomes all active character. El Guano and his men would dearly like to see the Judge dead for daring to bring El Guano to justice.
The Hole in the Door Gang. Botch Casually and the Somdunce Kid are coming to town to make a forceful withdrawal from the bank. Based on a tip from the wooden legged deserter Reb "Peg" Legg, they know the bank has more funds than normal. William "Flatnose" Carver makes up the fourth member of this outlaw band and is the gang's safecracker. There is no love lost between Reb Legg and Sgt. O'Brian.
The Claverty Brothers. The Brothers gang is into beef, especially those cows from other people's herds. Ike Claverty leads the band while trying to keep his fiery kid brother, Billy out of trouble. Billy has a score to settle with Gentleman Jim French over a misguided affair of the heart. Micah Claverty provides the running iron and steel nerves to get the gang out of bad situations.
The Revolutionaries. This band of merry Mexican revolutionaries, guided by the notorious Senor Wenceslas, has snuck across the border with the intent to create an incident and gain support for their cause. With a goal to "Keel the Gringos", Felix Navidad, Jose "El Nino" Jimenez, and "El Tubbo" can't wait to start shooting. Of course they won't look the other way if they would stumble on some funds to help finance the Revolution.
The Ugly:
The Indians. Buffalo Guts leads this war party of hungry young braves. The squaws will sing many songs of their deeds if they manage to return home with a few head of beef to salt away for the long winter. The rest of the War party includes Running Dog, Stalking Cat and Crazy Hyena. Not understanding the strange ways of the White Man, the Indians do not have to follow the Code of the West.
The Prussians (?). In a most bizarre chain of events a group of Prussian Advisors has made their way to Cow Town. On a mission from the Vaterland, Hauptman Spengler, Feldwebel Lothar and Privates Bismark and Sarnsa are disguised as French advisors to the upstart revolutionary emperor Maximillion and seek to create an incident between France and the United States over Mexico. Then when the French aren't looking it's "Nach Paris" or "Springtime for Bismarck". Filling the streets of Cow Town with dead Americans and a convenient body of a Frenchman would surely spark a storm of international ill will.
The Drifters. Down on his luck, Gentleman Jim French is in Cow Town looking for a poker game or a criminal to catch. Jim won't oppose the law but if he finds some loose change he'll pick it up. Jim holds no grudges over winning the affections of a saloon girl in Waco, but won't hesitate to defend his honor either. Famed bounty hunter, Low Plains Drifter is in town to see if any prospects show up for the hanging. Besides a lighting fast draw, Low Plains is noted for carry other things beneath his serape such as dynamite. Low Plains has Hatred for Botch Casually since Botch bushwhacked him an few months ago. Grizzly Johnson is a mountain man and buffalo hunter passing through on his way to the mountains of New Mexico. Normally peaceful, Grizzly doesn't miss when fie takes aim with his Sharps Buffalo Gun. Hoot Hanson, the perennial prospector, and his addled partner Johan Sutter are returning to town after several weeks working the El Catera silver mine. Unknown to most everybody, the mine wasn't as played out as thought, and Hoot has a mule train of silver in tow.
Terrain and Miniatures
Cow town sits on a cloth mat spraypainted in various shades of brown and green to represent the sun burnt Texas landscape and the dusty streets of town. The core set of buildings is from the ERTL 1/64 scale Cow Town and Farm sets. With several plastic buildings, including the hotel, blacksmith shop, sheriffs office and two sheds, the Cow Town set is an excellent way to get started. ERTL makes numerous other sets that are a good way to build up a herd of cows for the stampede. The railroad area is inexpensive HO model railroad structure, which are a tad small but being on the edge of town don't detract from the atmosphere. The rest of the town is a mix of TCS and scratchbuilt structures. The miniatures used are a mix of Foundry, Old Glory, Dixon, and Pass of the North with Foundry lead folk making up the majority.
For those readers with younger children, a very visual alternative is the Lego and Megablock Western sets. Dave's son has a whole town built up and has swapped people parts to custom build characters for TRWNN. Lawmen, bandits cavalry and indians are available.
The Game
This recap is from the Friday night game session at HMGS East's Fall In Convention. We didn't keep the list of players so the story will be told through the eyes of the miniatures. Cow Town was laid out per the map with the following starting positions: The Indians were north of Boot Hill, the Claverty Brothers and most of the Drifters were in the saloon, the Cavalry were by the stagecoach shed, the Lawmen and Judge's party were at the Sheriffs Office, El Guanito started west of the bath house, the Hole in the Door gang started east of the railroad tracks, the Texas Rangers were corning into town west of the undertakers, and the Prussians and Revolutionaries started south of the livery stable complex.
The Rules with No Name is a card sequence game with a card for each player character, several wild cards which provide an extra turn and special cards, such as cattle drive, stampede, inserted as needed. The deck is shuffled and turned over. Each character performs an action when his card comes up.
Buffalo Guts and his braves opened the game with a fusillade of shots, which wounded and drove off the two Barb B Que ranch cowboys from the herd. Unfortunately for the red men, after all them days on the trail those cows were a mite skittish and stampeded right Lip the Boot Hill where the Indians stood. Wishing his name was Running Deer, Stalking Cat failed to get out of the way and was trampled under the thundering hooves. Buffalo Guts began to chant his welcome to the Great Spirit when a lucky shot from Crazy Hyena dropped the lead steer sending the herd into a confused clump.
While Sheriff Dawson and his deputies led El Guano to the scaffold, the Hole in the Door Gang crept across the railroad tracks. Collectively forgetting the waiting bank, Botch and company opened up on the Lawmen. A hot firefight ensued around the gallows. "Flatnose" Carver added to the heat when he pitched his stick of TNT at the Sheriff. The dynamite blast knocked down the Lawmen and collapsed the wall of the jail. Miraculously, Sheriff Dawson survived the blast and the manacled El Guano escaped injury without a scratch.
Unaware of the gold inside, El Guanito's men enter the main street passing by the bank and the bathhouse. At that moment Low Plains and Gentleman Jim exited the saloon. Gentleman Jim smelling trouble from the unwashed banditos calls out the Sorefeetz Brothers. Diego rushes towards Jim and when the distance closes to close range, both men go for their six guns. Despite much practice snatching lizards barehanded, Diego looses the fast draw and goes down to French's well placed shots. Screaming in anger, Hector empties his gun at Gentleman Jim failing to achieve any hits. Meanwhile, at the other end of town, the "Frenchmen" sneak into the blacksmith shop and the Revolutionaries move through the corral into the street. Always on the alert, the Texas Rangers sight the Mexicans and a gunfight begins. After the smoke clears, Red Dooley and one Mexican are down. At this point Hauptman Spengler challenges Bill Walker to a duel. Walker, only speaking Texan, doesn't understand the challenge and ignores the blacksmith shop until bullets start flying out the doors and windows.
The Cavalrymen hearing all the shots split up and move into town, one group to Main Street and the other behind the Sheriffs Office. The Clavertys not wanting to let all that beef go, start moving towards where the herd is milling about. While Running Dog attempts to "head em Lip and move em out", Buffalo Guts and Crazy Hyena decide that the scalps of the two befuddled cowboys would be a coup. At the Saloon, Hector runs across the street towards the gallows furiously trying to reload. As Gentleman Jim turns to plug the last Sorefeetz, Booma Grande opens fire with his pistole and Jim drops like a stone. Low Plains Drifter, not to be shown up by Gentleman Jim, challenges El Guanito. Fearing the challenge but afraid to turn coward before his gang, El Guanito goes for his guns. But, with the speed of lightning Low Plains draws first and knocks El Guanito to the dirt. Low Plains then runs over to remove them fancy engraved revolvers before El Guanito call recover.
Under the gallows, bullets are still flying with the noble lawmen going down like duck pins. Then Fate or a Higher Authority steps in. Using the new Bystander Activation Rules, the area around the gallows and jail is clearing rapidly of townsmen, all except for the itinerant preacher, Reverend "Hellfire" Logan. Helffire in his fire and brimstone voice calls on the Hole in the Door Gang to repent from their evil ways and surrender. Upon hearing the derisive laughter of the Gang, Hellfire calls on the Justice of the Almighty and opens up with his scattergun. When the brimstone fades, the Hole in the Door Gang is headed for Purgatory except for Reb "Peg" Leg who remains standing, unscathed and unrepentant.
Down by the corral the action is heating up. The Revolutionaries and "French" are engaged in a fire fight with the Rangers. To add to the confusion, one Frenchman sets the back wall of the blacksmith shop on fire. Soon most guns are jammed or out of ammo. Red Dooley and "El Nino" are down and Clay Moore is severely wounded. Then the Revolutionaries make their fatal mistake. Seeing that Kimo, the Faithful Indian Scout, has emptied his six-gun, "El Tubbo" and Felix Navidad charge forward to get up close and personal with Kimo. Alas, the brave but foolhardy Mexicans forgot that Kimo is an expert in close combat with his trusty tomahawk. In a few rounds of brawling the two Revolutionaries are incapacitated (not decapitated) and Kimo is pondering his next move.
In center stage the drama reaches its climax, as in an incredible exhibition of luck, "Peg" Legg draws a fistful of action cards then commences the run of his life. First, he gains his revenge by using his scattergun to blow Hellfire Logan into the hereafter. Then he runs across the main street of Cow Town. Despite having only one leg, Reb is moving faster than most men. He enters the bank and with an empty gun convinces the banker to make him a significant withdrawal. Now, back across the street as the bystanders and gunmen alike stand dumbfounded at Reb's speed. Finally Reb's Run stops just scant inches from the railroad tracks and a safe escape. Despite his moment of high drama, it's a Greek Tragedy for Reb. Stopped short of freedom, Reb comes under fire from a squad of Cavalrymen who have moved behind the burning sheriffs office. Trooper Rossi draws a bead, fires and Reb goes down, mortally wounded. His life of crime and killing sprees is ended.
With game time running out and no clear winners, it is the time for action. While Running Dog gathers the burgers on the hoof, Buffalo Guts and Crazy Hyena seek to collect some scalps from the Claverty Brothers who are more than a little upset that their steaks are being rustled from the rustlers. Unfortunately, Ike buys the farm and deprived of their big gun and big brother, Micah and Billy ineffectively trade shots with the Injuns. The Braves, halting the efforts of the Claverties, watch with joy as Running Dog gets them doggies off the table. There will be much to eat and many songs of bravery in the tepees this winter.
On Main Street, the Army is back in the game. Captain Cook and his squad quickly convince El Booma Grande to surrender ending the threat of El Guano's boys to effect his rescue. Always in the mood for a challenge, Trooper Leonardo spies a "Frenchman" in the open doorway of the blacksmith shop firing on the Bill Walker. Using his deadeye skill, the trooper fires a single shot, scoring a bullseye on Private Samsa. Seeing their comrade fall and deciding the burning smithy is getting very warm, it's Auf Wiedersen for the Prussians who retreat out of town, placing second in the game.
Remember Hoot Hansen bringing in the mule train of silver'? Well, in the final act of the game, Hoot decides he doesn't like the looks of the Senior Wenceslas who is peering around the barn corner at the Texas Rangers. Using his shotgun, Hoot fires at the Mexican dropping him with several severe wounds. The morale of this part of the story is to never turn your back on the character played by an eight year old.
All in all, eleven men and boys enjoyed a rousing game of the "Reel" West. In less than four hours, the Rules with No name provided the right mixture of mayhem, murder and mischief. A good time was had by all.
| Name | Rank | Weapons | Skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Good | |||
| The Lawmen | |||
| Sheriff Dawson | Shootist Rifle | Pistol | Hard as Nails, Nerves of Steel |
| Deputy Billy | Gunman | Shotgun, Pistol | Lucky |
| Charles Connor | Shootist | Rifle | Marksman (2) |
| Texas Rangers | |||
| Captain Bill Walker | Shootist | Shotgun, Pistol | Bossman |
| Red Dooley | Gunman | Rifle, Pistol | Marksman |
| Clay Moore | Shootist | 2 Pistols, Mask | Ambidextrous |
| Kimo, Faithful Indian Scout | Gunman | Pistol, Tomahawk | Knifeman (3) |
| The Cavalry (4) | |||
| Captain Cook | Shootist | Pistol, Saber | Bossman |
| Sgt. O'Brian | Shootist | Rifle (5), Pistol, Saber | Strong |
| Cpl. Agarn | Gunman | Rifle, Pistol | Quick Shot |
| Trooper Leonardo | Shootist | Rifle, Pistol | Dead Eye |
| Trooper Simpson | Gunman | Rifle, Pistol | Vengeful |
| Trooper Rossi | Shootist | Rifle, Pistol | Tough |
| The Bad | |||
| The Banditos | |||
| El Guano | Shootist | None (6) | Deranged, Vengeful |
| El Guanito | Gunman | 2 Pistols | Ambidextrous |
| Diego Sorefeetz | Shootist | Rifle, Pistol | Dead Eye |
| Hector Sorefeetz | Shootist | Rifle, Pistol | True Grit |
| Booma Grande (El Loco) | Gunman | Pistol, 3 Dynamite | Swift |
| The Hole in the Door Gang | |||
| Botch Casually | Shootist | Rifle, Pistol | Lucky |
| The Sumdunce Kid | Shootist | 2 Pistols | Quick Shot |
| William "Flatnose" Carver | Shootist | Rifle, Dynamite | Charmed |
| Reb "Peg" Legg | Gunman | Scattergun | Clumsy (7) |
| The Claverty Brothers | |||
| Ike Claverty | Shootist | Shotgun, Pistol | Nerves of Steel |
| Billy Claverty | Gunman | 2 Pistols | Quick Shot |
| Micah Claverty | Shootist | Rifle, Pistol | Tough |
| The Ugly | |||
| The Indians (8) | |||
| Buffalo Guts | Shootist | Rifle, Pistol | Quick Shot |
| Stalking Cat | Gunman | Shotgun | Strong |
| Running Dog | Shootist | Rifle, Lance | Vengeful |
| Crazy Hyena | Shootist | Rifle | Tough |
| The Revolutionaries | |||
| Senor Wenceslas | Shootist | Shotgun, Pistol | Bossman |
| Jose "El Nino" Jimenez | Shootist | Pistol | Quick Shot |
| Felix Navidad | Shootist | Rifle, Pistol | Marksman |
| "El Tubbo" | Gunman | 2 Pistols | Strong |
| The Prussians (9) | |||
| Hauptman Spengler | Shootist | Pistol | Bossman |
| Feldwebel Lothar | Shootist | Pistol, Dynamite | Ambidextrous |
| Pvt. Bismark | Shootist | Rifle | Tough |
| Pvt Samsa | Gunman | Rifle | Dead Eye |
| The Drifters | |||
| Low Plains Drifter | Shootist | Pistol, Dynamite | Fast Draw |
| "Gentleman Jim" French | Shootist | Pistol, Sword Cane | Swordsman |
| Hoot Hansen | Gunman | Shotgun | Strong |
| Johan Sutter | Gunman | Rifle, Pistol | Quick Shot |
| Bystanders (NPCs) | |||
| Grizzly Johnson | Shootist | Rifle (10) | Marksman |
| Judge Jim Beam | Gunman | Pistol | Vengeful |
| Constable O'Toole | Gunman | Pistol, Billy club | Tough |
| Constable O'Roarke | Gunman | Shotgun | Strong |
| Kwai Chung Kang | Gunman | Shotgun, Sword | Swordsman |
| Preacher Hellfire Logan | Citizen | Scattergun | - |
Notes:
(1) Rank is given for each Character. To ease play during convention, we made all the Characters Shootist.
(2) Connors can use his special ringed lever Winchester in fast draw situations. This rifle also gives him 3 die add for Blazing Away.
(3) The Knifeman skill applies to Kimo's use of the tomahawk.
(4) The Cavalry men are listed as one unit. We divided them into two groups of three so two people could play them.
(5) Historically, the Cavalry used breechloading rifles. To simplify the game you can consider them armed with repeating rifles.
(6) If El Guano is freed by his gang, he becomes a Character and will fight if given a gun or other weapon.
(7) Reb moves at half speed. Total his dice for movement and half, rounding up.
(8) To simplify the game, the Indians were given gunfighter skills instead of Indian skills.
(9) The Gamesmaster and Prussian Player may want to substitute French Sounding names during the game.
(10) Grizzly Johnson carries a Sharps Breechloading Buffalo Gun. This rifle cannot be used to Blaze Away, but adds +1 to the effect die for hit results.
A. Church
B. Boot Hill
C. Shed
D. Blacksmith and Livery Stable Barn
E. Undertakers
F. Doctor's Office
G. Bank
H. Bath House
1. Shed
J. Cow Town Saloon and Hotel
K. Telegraph Office
L. Ruins of Adobe Jail
M. Scaffold (Gallows)
N. Sheriffs Office
0. Stockyard Cattle Pens
P. Railroad Station and platform
Q. Water Tower
R. Stagecoach Shed
S. Windmill
T. Cactus Railway track
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© Copyright 1997 Hal Thinglum
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