Simple NPC rules for The Rules with No Name I put NPC townsmen all over my games, based on the principle that that the primary inhabitants of the Wild West were NOT a pack of homicidal gunmen-instead, they were a pack of law-abiding citizens not unlike you or me (albeit maybe a little more heavily armed). Place the figures on the table in logical positions (the undertaker in front of the Funeral Parlor, the floozies in the Saloon, the bartender behind the bar, etc.). Leave them be undisturbed throughout the game unless the following conditions are met: The NPC figure was within 3" of gunfire. The NPC figure was within 5" of gunfire involving the town's law enforcement personnel (i.e., the Sheriff). The NPC figure touches bases with a figure being controlled by a player NOT on the side of Law and Order. The NPC figure witnesses a backshoot, or a bystander attacked, or other violation ofthe Code of the West. If one of these conditions is met, the NPC activates and rolls on the following table adding + 2 if the NPC witnesses a backshoot or bystander attack, +3 ifthe bystander attacked is female. The NPC then takes the appropriate action. 99% of NPCs are Citizens, so they will move and act accordingly. If after the action is complete and the NPC remains in sight ofthe character that triggered them then the NPC's card is added to in the Action Deck (a blank NPC card is added to the Action Deck, the player's name is hastily scribbled on it and the deck is shuffled immediately). Die Result Reaction 2 Hey, this looks interesting count me in! The player joins in the fight on the side of the Perpetrator. 3-8 I'm Outta Here! (Figure moves away from action in a straight line for 2D6 worth of movement) 9 Hey, you can't push me around like that! (Figure attempts to Melee Combat with improvised weapons) 10 Just building up muh courage. Player attempts to attack from the rear or side ofthe offending player. 11 Oh yeah? Take THAV! (Character takes a shot (if armed) or enters into Melee Combat. 12 Now I'm really riled up!! (Character fires or enters Melee Combat but is a Gunman vice Citizen) NPCs remain active for as long as they are within site ofthe character that triggered them (with the exception of the "2, 11 or 12" result, in which case the character is permanently active for the rest of the game). Once a character manages to hide from "the action" as it were, for an entire round, he or she regains their former bystander status and their card is removed from the Action Deck. Players who initiate combat will stay locked in that combat until it is resolved, but will not seek further glory-once the combat resolves (and in the unlikely event they are alive), they will attempt to deactivate by leaving the premises as fast as possible. Once a NPC deactivates, remove their card from the Action Deck the next time it is drawn. More Rules With No Name: Supplementary Material Maddening Crowds (NPCs) Rapid Fire Weapons, Stampede, Doctoring Shotgun Template Back to MWAN #96 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1997 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com