Today we tried out the skirmish Western game, Gutshot! We played two games and it was rather fun, along with some good jokes that left us rolling, the game played well and we had a great time. It is very Necromundish/RPG in scope but plays completely different.
Each model has 3 actions per turn; these cover moving, shooting, reloading, fighting, etc.... some actions can be combined and some require multiple actions to complete. The initiative of when you get each of your actions is completely random! We had names written on poker chips that we drew to activate models. Shooting is accomplished by reaching your Target Number or higher on 2D6 with modifiers for your/target moving, range (by weapon types), health of firer. Damage is also determined by weapon and effected by range (don't get shot by a twin barreled sawed off shotgun!). Each "class" of character (Outlaw, Deputy, Cowboy, etc...) have their own special skills and base Target Numbers.
There are other rules for NPC's/town folk and horses, etc... lots of stuff to flesh out a RPG style game if one wanted too. But we just stuck with good old Western shoot 'em up scenarios.
Our first game was a free for all, a scenario from the rulebook called "Last Man Standing" just a basic game to get players used to the system. Unfortunately Deputy ended up in a crossfire and was the first eliminated.
Scurvy Outlaw moves in watching my Deputy and Sheriff shooting it out with rifles from rooftops.
The Sheriff I was exchanging fire with:
Their moving in on me!
My Deputy is hiding inside that doorway where the Outlaw just ran up to and started blazing away with his six shooter, seriously injuring my Deputy.
Trying to escape and evade from being cornered:
The Outlaw chases me down and finishes me off
The remaining 2 Outlaws and Sheriff play cat and mouse shooting at one another:
The Sheriff finally takes out one Outlaw, and the other was soon to follow:
Our second game we played teams 2 on 2 with 2 characters each; the scenario was a bank robbery. The outlaws started out in the bank at one end of the board and had to escape with the loot off the opposite table edge (played on a 6' table length wise). The lawmen deployed one man each in the Sheriff's Office (near the escape edge) and the other two were randomly deployed in the other buildings. The characters were again randomly determined:
Lawmen:
Sheriff with pistol and rifle.
Deputy with pistol and rifle
Sheriff with sawed off double barrel shotgun and pistol.
Deputy with rifle and pistol.
Outlaws:
Outlaw with pistol and rifle.
Outlaw with pistol and rifle.
Gambler with pistol and rifle. (mine)
Greenhorn with sawed off double barrel shotgun and pistol. (mine)
Most of the outlaw chips were drawn early and it almost looked like we would scamper away with the loot, but then the lawmen dropped their donuts and grabbed their shooting irons:
My Greenhorn stuck in a corner with the law moving in.
Sheriff runs around the corner and blast away with his shotgun, missing me! I return the favor with a retaliation shot (you get a free shot back at anyone who shoots at you if you have a weapon ready) and miss because I have a Greenhorn who sucks!
Dang! Now there are two Sheriffs! But I still survive thanks to my skills that provide a -1 to hit me and one that allows me to ignore one hit in the game.
During this encounter my Gambler and the other Outlaw are shooting at the lawmen with rifles.
Another Outlaw sneaks up on a Deputy and takes him out:
Unfortunately for him there was another Deputy around the corner who takes the Outlaw out with an aimed rifle shot:
We end up in a moving gun fight as we exchange shots, reload, and make a break for the exit!
But not before another Outlaw takes out the last Sheriff:
The end of the game found a lone Deputy facing off against my Gambler who killed the Deputy in a moving rifle duel while my Greenhorn maneuvered to close in with his deadly shotgun. An Outlaw victory with 3/4 of their team surviving.
A lot of fun and we definitely intend to play this game some more!
