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Tombstones N’ Tumbleweeds Review
Name: Tombstones n’ Tumbleweeds
Author: Chris Brackett
Company: Game Werks (www.game-werks.com)
Availability: Download from (www.rpgnow.com)
Format: Black-and-white PDF
Cost: $8.95 USD
Game Type: 25mm Wild West miniatures combat
Scale: Skirmish (1 model = 1 Character)
Turn Sequence: Uses a standard deck of cards. Each character and/or event is assigned a card value. When that card is drawn it is that character’s turn or that event occurs.
Game Length: A 500 build point per side shootout between two players should last about 2 hours.
Forums: There is currently only the zombie-apocalypse Yahoo group. A TnT Yahoo group is planned for.
Extras: Full Color Templates in PDF format (1” Blast, 2” Blast, 3” Blast and Scattergun triangle)
One day soon the Quick-play Rules, Character Sheets and Tokens will be available online. The PC they were stored on took the trip to Boot Hill. They will be available when the disk can be transferred to a new computer.
GENERAL
Tombstones n’ Tumbleweeds (TnT) is the first game to be produced by the newly formed (2004) Game Werks company. “Zombie Apocalypse” and “New World Disorder: Urban Combat in a Dark Future” are their other releases.
The rulebook itself is 58 pages and includes a Table of Contents, an Index and a template sheet in full color (see Extras above). The rules are well laid out with few typos. To get you into the “feel” of the “old west” there is a lot of “western dialect” used (shootin’, fightin’, doctorin’, etc). Each game is called a “Shootout”. A one-off game is called a “Throwdown” and is basically a last-man-standing affair.
LAYOUT
Section 1 is “The Basics” for good reason. It describes what you need to play (miniatures, 6-sided dice, ruler, etc). It also defines how the dice are used. Most die rolls use a single die modified by the character’s ability and any environmental factors. TnT uses the “Rule of One” where a natural one is an automatic failure and the “Rule of Six” where sixes are re-rolled and the result added to the previous roll (the “Rule of One” does not apply for these re-rolls). As long as you roll a six you continue re-rolling the die.
Section 2 describes the Abilities that each character has. These are AP (action points), Fightin’ (hand-to-hand combat), Shootin’ (ranged combat), Muscle (stamina/health), Savvy (power of observation), Reflexes (agility and coordination) and Guts (courage).
Three basic character types are defined each with a preferred skill set: Gunslinger (Shootin’), Scout (Fightin’) and Dude (Tinkerin’). As a character gains experience (XP) he also gains Character Points (CP) that can be traded in for increases in abilities (to a max of 5 per ability). Guts cannot be bought; they can only be increase as the character increase in level (Character Title). Additional skills can be purchased at a cost of 1 CP if in his preferred skill set or 2 CP is not.
There are five levels (Character Titles) based on XP: Legend (300+), Boss (180+), Hombre (60+), Greenhorn (20+), Tenderfoot (0).
There is also the optional Character Trait. You roll 2d6 and consult a table that lists some traits that can help or hinder your Character.
Section 3 shows you how to go about “Buildin’ Yer Gang”. The scenarios listed in Section 12 give Build Point (BP) limits to be used in building your gang. The BP cost a character is its experience level. If building a brand new character with the Title of Boss he would cost 180 BP. You then need to buy equipment for you character. The amount that character has to spend equals 1d6 x $10. USD Some items are common and so readily available while other are of various rarity whose availability is determined by a die roll.
Section 4 defines the various types of move actions available such as mosey (a 1d6” move), leap, crawl, drop down, get up, drop/pick-up/trade an item, spot, reload, etc.. Part of the action’s definition is the AP cost.
Section 5 defines the shooting actions and their AP costs. A quick shot only costs 1 AP but gives you a -1 modifier to hit your target. Taking a deliberate shot costs 2 AP but has no modifier. Aiming a shot costs you 3 AP but gives you a +1 to-hit modifier. TnT gives you a HOLD action (Holdin’ Yer Fire) that uses all of you APs but allows you a quick shot at any time (before or after any die rolls) during another player’s turn.
There are 4 range modifiers as well as modifiers for your moving, your target having moved, shooting while wounded, various types of cover, etc..
Gunslingers, even if they have already moved this turn, can attempt a “Quick Draw” (out draw an opponent) if a Shootin’ action has been declared against them by making an opposed Reflex Test.
Section 7 defines hand-to-hand (Lockin’ Horns) actions and their AP costs. You’re allowed to try to shoot your opponent while in melee combat with him (getting a -2 to-hit modifier). You can even declare some attacks as non-lethal.
Section 8 explains how to determine the damage done by a successful attack and describes the effects. Damage is determined by rolling 1d6 adding the damage (dmg) done by a weapon and subtracting the muscle (Mu) of the target. Damage ranges from none through various levels of wounding up to dead (Pushin’ up Daisies). Wounds also result in morale (guts) effects and can involve the character being knocked down (or knocked out).
Every character, regardless of Title (level) has 5 wounds: Healthy, Lame, Crippled, Maimed, Dead.
Non-Lethal attacks can cause no more than 1 wound per attack.
Other was go “Getting’ Hurt” include Fallin’, Burnin’, Poisonin’ and Hangin’. A Hangin’ character takes 1 wound each time a Joker is drawn. He can be rescued by a Capture action or by have the rope severed by gunfire (with a -4 Shootin’ modifier). A roll of 1 results in the bullet hitting the hangee!
Section 9 covers the minimal moral rules. Whenever a character is “menaced” by a template weapon or another character 2 or more levels higher he must make a Guts test.
A player can quit the game anytime all his characters are 6” or more from an enemy. If this isn’t true and he still decides to quit and of his characters within 6” of an enemy is captured instead.
Once a gang has lost more than halt its members it makes a Guts test (based on the leader’s Guts). If it fails the gang runs away (Skin Out) and any members within 6” of an enemy is captured.
Section 10 contains a list describing various guns and melee weapons. There is also extensive sections on dynamite (including the “Rio Bravo” method of detonation) and gatling guns.
Section 11 covers the rules for running a campaign including: looting, collecting rewards, gaining experience, recuperatin’ from wounds and the “ransomin’ n’ sellin’” of prisoners.
Section 12 is a catch-all section covering the riding of horses, fires, hired guns and the presence of townsfolk (including “Kidnappin’ Womenfolk”).
The last page consists of the templates for the various weapons. There is a 1”, 2” and 3” round blast template and one 8.5” triangular scattergun template.
Summary
I have playing around with the game for about a month in a very simple fashion trying to familiarize myself with the system. I find it a very simple, easily understood system that is about one level above GW’s “Legends of the Old West” in complexity.
While some players may find the lack of pre-defined characters a minus the character generation rules are easy to follow. You can quickly build a gang with varied abilities/handicaps giving it a flavor lacking in LotOW.
At $9.00 USD USD for a book that is packed cover-to-cover with rules and no fluff I consider it a GREAT buy.
goes to sea with the Terrain Mat.
