A Fistful of Balls - Across the Rio Grande

After a cracking game of Gunfighter's Ball, over the May Day weekend, I was enthused enough to finally begin my solo campaign. The campaign will use A Fistful of Lead - Reloaded, as the scenario generator, but the games will be played out with Gunfighter's Ball.

Scenarios are generated by a card draw and the first one was to be 'Across the Rio Grande'. As the O'Finnigan gang escaped with the Wells Fargo strongbox, in our Brushwood Gulch game, I decided that they had fled across the border and the Pinkertons were in pursuit. Unfortunately, for them, they are about to be bushwacked by Indio and his gang of bandidos.

This is a survival scenario, so no campaign points will be generated; the idea is to just not get killed!

The Rio Grande

The Rival Gangs

First card and Pinkerton Edmund Reid approaches the ford.

As this is a solo game, I used a system similar to Mr. Babbage from TMWWBK, to decide when and where the bandidos would appear.

Jesus pops up on the ridge above the ford. It's a long shot for a pistol, Jesus has moved and Reid counts some cover. Only 5% chance of a hit but Jesus fires off a single round anyway......

Jesus rolls 01 - a hit! Reid shot in the right hand.

Fred Aberline rushes forward to cover the ford - but a rifle armed Indio emerges from the bushes.

With the crack of 3 rifle rounds, Aberline is down, suspected dead. 

Blind Pea enters the field on the left

Taco pops up from behind a rock. Unfortunately, Pea is wearing his custom spectacles and doesn't miss. Taco is mortally wounded and down to his last wound chip.

End of turn one and Taco must test for bleeding out. Don't roll a one - oh dear!

Turn two ands it's Pea again. The boy doesn't miss and Indio drops shot through the heart.

Next out is Reid. Switching his gun to his left hand he takes a snapshot at Jesus -and hits! A mortal wound for Jesus. The Pinkertons might pull this off after all.

Juan decides to join the fight, firing from the rocks. It's a tricky shot. Only a 15% chance....... 

It's a hit!! Reid hit in the left hand.

Wounded in both hands and incapable of holding a weapon, Reid high tails it, leaving Pea to his fate. Can Pea make his escape?

Juan fires again and hits Pea in the pocket book!

Mission abandoned and Pea also legs it.

Juan and 3 dead bandidos hold the ridge. As for Rafael - he never turned up!

A bloody little affair. The game lasted two turns through the deck and 20 shots were fired (11 by the bandidos and 9 by the outnumbered Pinkertons).

So Pea and his men fail to cross the Rio Grande, leaving the O'Finnigan to make his escape with the trail going cold.

After game rolls determined that Pea and Reid both made a full recovery with a 'Just winged me' result.

The unfortunate Aberline rolled 'call the sawbones' and must miss the next game, returning with one less wound chip.

The Pinks will have their revenge.............