BURN, BABY, BURN (WHAT A COWBOY! GAME 4)

Having recovered from wounds received in their last encounter, the Digbeth gang are still in action. Grizzly Johnson has tracked them down to another of the town's outlying areas, where the gang are known to be re-equipping. (The game should have been 'the School House', but as I didn't have a suitable building, I changed it to storehouse.) The scenario was the 'Scorched Earth' scenario, whereby the attacker attempts to burn down a nominated building. Hearing that the Digbeth Kid is receiving provisions from Arkwright's Trading Post, Grizzly's gang mean to burn the store to the ground and send a message to anyone aiding the Kid.

With the Digbeth Kid and Doc Butterfield both being armed with rifles it was always going to be difficult approaching the Trading Post. Between them, Doc and the Kid covered all the approaches, leaving Scarface Knutt to guard the store.

Doc Butterworth pins down Jebidiah Springsteen in the cactus patch.
Seemingly oblivious to the innocent Rancher in the line of fire.

Grizzly Johnson stealthily approaches the store from behind the 
funeral parlour. The game is given away somewhat by the frightened
carpenter who flees down the street.

The Kid seizes the opportunity to bushwhack Grizzly and pumps
several bullets towards the helpless trapper's back......and misses .

Meanwhile Armitage Shanks uses a Desperado card to sprint across
the open space towards the Moustacherie. 

And with a perfect run of Action Dice Shanks makes it to the rear of the barber shop and
let's loose at Doc Butterworth......who dodges behind the horse trough.

Doc spins around and returns fire and it is now Shanks that is forced to seek cover.

Unfortunately, he hasn't noticed Scarface who now has a perfect shot and fills Shanks
full of lead. Shanks flees behind the Moustacherie, but down to a single remaining
Action Dice he's, for all intents and purposes, out of the game.

Back at the funeral parlour, a close range gun fight is
playing out and Grizzly is getting the worst of it.

However, all is about to change with an epic series of actions from Jebidiah Springsteen.
From his position behind the coffins Springsteen takes out Doc Butterworth, sprints around
the corner and wounds the Kid as well. 

It's also the turn end, so the Kid must take a 'Ride or Die' test - which he fails. Grizzly's boys have failed to burn down Arkwright's store but, nevertheless, it's their fourth win in a row.

In the post game events, it is discovered that Doc Butterworth has died from his wounds. Hoss Blocker has finally been avenged!

Grizzly Johnson has progressed to Gunslinger  and Jebidiah Springsteen has made it all the way to Legend.

With only 2 games left, it's not looking good for the Kid.

SOUND OF THE SUBURBS (WHAT A COWBOY! GAME THREE)

 After the shootout at the Old Spanish Mission, the Digbeth Kid has been pursued to the suburbs of Lardville, but, once again, Grizzly Johnson has tracked him down.

This area of Lardville is still under construction and the Kid had vain hopes of hiding amongst the building workers.

Once again, it was to be the 'Vendetta' scenario, with Grizzly Johnson and Doc Butterworth being the targets of cold vengeance.

The suburbs under construction

Realising they were being pursued, the Digbeth gang took up positions amongst the buildings.

Rolling a veritable cornucopia of '1s', Doc Butterworth sprints up to the corner
of the general store and adopts a good fire position, in the cover of the building.

With the Kid's gang all deployed and ready (a bad run of cards that) Grizzly's boys cautiously enter the suburbs.

Armitage Shanks carefully approaches the building site.

The Digbeth Kid gets Grizzly Johnson in his sights

Scarface Knutt gets the drop on Armitage Shanks................

.........but is forced to Dodge, into cover, in the ensuing gun fight

Jebidiah Springsteen, late for the show (where are those '1s' when you need them?),
skirts the rear of the general store, completely unnoticed by the Digbeth gang.

The Kid takes pot shots at Grizzly, who seeks cover amongst the chickens.
What is it with this boy and poultry? I think he's some sort of chicken botherer.

Springsteen outflanks Doc Butterworth............

.........and guns him down mercilessly.

Scarface plays a Desperado card to escape but is pursued by Grizzly and Shanks.

Armitage Shanks guns down Scarface.

With all his gang out of action, the Digbeth Kid 'Rides for the Hills'.

Another great game, and another win for the Grizzly Johnson gang. All the gang have increased in reputation and skills but Jebidiah Springsteen has rocketed to the level of gunslinger.

Half way through the campaign and its not looking  good for the Kid. I suspect that he will need to hire some Henchmen for the next encounter.

THE OLD SPANISH MISSION (WHAT A COWBOY! GAME TWO)

 After their failed attempt at Bushwhacking, the Digbeth gang have fled to the Old Spanish Mission, south of Lardville.

However, Grizzly's gang are hot on their heels, having used their tracking skills to pursue them. This time their out for vengeance, seeking to avenge the death of Hoss Blocker.

This game it was to be the Vendetta scenario. Each side picked an opposing gang member to be the subject of the vendetta. For Grizzly Johnson's gang, the choice was obvious; Doc Butterworth, the killer of Hoss. For his part, the Digbeth picked the opposing gang leader, Grizzly Johnson, as their target.

The Old Spanish Mission

As they were down a gang member, Grizzly recruited a Lardville Townsman, on their journey south. Sanitary engineer Armitage Shanks joined the gang as a Greenhorn.

Approaching the mission, there was no sign of the Digbeth gang, so Grizzly's boys began to search the area. Grizzly headed straight for the church, Jebidiah went right and Shanks took the extreme left.

Jebidiah takes cover behind a wagon, whereas Grizzly tries to steal some chickens!

The Digbeth gang were soon alerted; with Jim P Knutt scouting ahead, whilst Doc Butterworth was distracted by the funeral proceedings. Th Kid was no where to be seen (having failed to roll any Move dice).

Doc Butterworth gate-crashes the funeral

Knutt spots Grizzly Johnson, in the open.

But Doc Butterworth gets the first shot in, although the
wily Mountain Man throws himself to the ground and avoids damage.

With Johnson down, Knutt moves to get the jump on Springsteen.
This Gun for Hire is too quick though and drops Knutt.

Whilst Knutt cowers, Springsteen sneaks up in his rear..........
and guns him down mercilessly. 

With Knutt out of the game, Springsteen hunts down Doc Butterworth.

Meanwhile, the Kid has spent most of the game pinned down
in the cactus patch, by the new boy, Armitage Shanks

The turn ends and the Digbeth gang must take a Ride or Die test. They fail and ride off into the sunset.......swearing vengeance.

The scene just as the Digbeth gang break and Ride for the Hills.

After the second game, the Digbeth gang have lost twice and Grizzly's boys taken control of the Mission.

Most characters have gained new skills; except Knutt who has a serious wound and is now known as Scarface. The Kid has underperformed in both games, whilst Doc Butterworth has got over his jumpy trait and advanced to Shootist. With more Reputation Points than the Kid, Doc may well be looking to take over the gang!

As for Grizzly's gang, Jebidiah Springsteen is heading for Gunslinger status. New boy Armitage Shanks performed well and  moved straight to Shootist. He also revealed that he is Ambidextrous; needless to say the gang have paid for a second pistol for him.

Another great game and nice to see how the campaign progresses and creates its own narrative.

SHOOT OUT AT CANYON WEST (WHAT A COWBOY!)

A solo test game of 'What a Cowboy!' For ease of play I used the Lardville map, from the rulebook.

I decided on gangs of three - a Shootist and a Greenhorn each, dicing for the quality of the third gang member.

First off was the Digbeth kid (a Gun for Hire), Jim P Knutt (Greenhorn, Townsman) and Doc Butterworth (Greenhorn, Townsman). I paid for the Kid to have a Winchester but opted not to spend anything on the Greenhorns.

The Digbeth Kid, Jim P Knutt and Doc Butterworth.

For the opposing gang I rolled a Trapper (Shootist), a Gun for Hire (Shootist) and a Cowhand (Greenhorn).

I dubbed these Grizzly Johnson, Jebediah Springsteen (This gun's for hire, Even if we're just dancin' in the dark), and Hoss Blocker.

I paid for a Winchester for Springsteen and Furs for Grizzly - felt obliged as he's a Trapper.

Grizzly Johnson, Jebediah Springsteen and Hoss Blocker.

I rolled for the scenario and got 'High Noon'. A straight forward fight then - good for a first game, I guess. Dicing for location I came up with 'the Desert'. Lucky I brought those furs then!!!

Canyon West - the scene for a spot of bushwhacking.

The Digbeth gang were to be the attackers. Hence, I figured the Kid fancied a crack at bushwhacking and recruited a couple of ne'er-do-wells from the town to help out. Obviously, they're after Grizzly's cargo of beaver pelts - beaver in the desert, who knew?

The Digbeth gang take up position on the canyon sides, Doc Butterworth taking the right.

The Kid takes the left, covering the canyon with his Winchester. He appears
to still have a label from a previous game - obviously an alias!

Hoss Blocker turned out to be the man of the match, pinning two of the Digbeth gang from 

his position among the cacti. Jim Knutt was actually down to 1 Action Dice and never recovered all game.

Grizzly and Springsteen hold the far end of the canyon.

Grizzly outflanks the Kid's position and empties his gun in repeated shots.
Numerous potential hits countered by successful Dodges. Boy that kid's slippery.

After his stupendous performance, unfortunately, Hoss is shot dead by Doc Butterworth.

Although, the death of Hoss evened the fight somewhat, the Kid's gang were still in a tricky position. Luckily, the turn end arrived and the gang were able to concede defeat and 'Ride for the Hills'

What a great game, and it plays well solo. It might well be my favourite cowboy game, and that's against some stiff opposition. Can't wait to take this down the club!

BLOOD AND SAND

 Another 'proof of principle' game, using 'Blood and Steel' with my 20mm 'The Men Who Would be Kings' Sudan collection. After the last game, I figured it was easiest to count bases instead of figures, which roughly equates to one 28mm figure represented by two 20mm figures. This, of course means that I need some more figures - I wonder if Newline are having a summer sale?

For the purposes of this game we used empty mdf bases to make up the numbers.

End of turn one and it turns out that we both have the 'Vanguard' mission.
Pea Pasha is having trouble finding a way through all those Mahdists.

While Pea Pasha probes the flank, the Egyptian Gendarmerie hold the centre.

The Mahdist centre comes on in traditional style and head straight for the donga!

What's that coming over the hill.............is it a camel?

Camels make a thrust for the flank - newly painted Bashi Bazouks could be in trouble!

Gendarmerie form a firing line, whilst Mahdists mass menacingly.

Bashi Bazouks take a hammering. Unflocked bases - serves them right.

Turn 4 and I roll a 'Calamity'. Time to 'Bite the Bullet'

That's better. A 'Fortune' on the re-roll but I've used my last 'Bullet'.

Miraculously, the Bashis are still holding on but the Mahdists swarm from the donga.

The Mahdists sense victory as the charge through the village.

End of turn 5 and I have 3 Attrition points. It's time for a Resolve test
and I have no Bullets left to back me up. I pass the test but concede
anyway. There's no way I can win this one - even a draw seems remote.

A cracking game, most enjoyable. I looks like I have my summer project sorted.