TURN THREE:
Turn three started with an almost immediate arrival of the wagon and escort. I had decided before hand that until the fight started, the wagon and escort would move at normal speed toward the Sheriff's office and simply unload the powder. Any friendly characters within 6" of the Sheriff's office could assist.
Outlaws draw Objective A and the wagon arrives…
The Ranger and Trail Boss arrive with the wagon of powder.
Immediately following the arrival of the wagon, the Pony Express Rider (Lawmen) activated twice in a row. Both times I rolled a 6, allowing me to move the character. I moved to an Outlaw Townsperson on horseback and interrogated him. With a Guts value of D6 I expected him to break and the shooting to start. He rolled a 5 and held his cool. The second activation I rolled a 6 again! I moved the Rider toward another shady Townsperson sitting on a rooftop nearby. Surely this lowly grunt would panic and break…nope. He also rolled a successful Guts test.
An Outlaw Townsperson steals a horse and heads toward the newly arrived wagon of goods.
The Pony Express Rider interrogates the Townsperson…and he keeps his cool.
The Pony Express Rider quizzes another shady fellow hanging out on the rooftop. Again nothing seems out of place…
A character can only interrogate each enemy character once, so the Pony Express Rider bought their stories and didn't raise the alarm! Around town the sentries continued to mill about. Outlaws hid behind almost every window/door, waiting as the wagon slowly trundled past. Inside the Sheriff's office the Townsperson who'd thrown in his lot with the Outlaws locked and barred the two main doors inside the cells.
The doors are locked and barred inside the Sheriff's office.
Outlaws wait as the wagon rolls by…
Moments later the Lawmen's Indian Scout walked inside to open the doors for the incoming supplies. He saw the hooded Townsperson and immediately drew his carbine and fired (missing). The gunshot sounded through the streets and the game was afoot! (I had rolled a 6 for the Indian Scout allowing me to move him as I wished, and he was on the boardwalk of the Sheriff's office. Once I moved him inside it was obvious a crime was occurring so I allowed him to shoot!)
The Indian Scout finds the ne'er-do-well Townsperson and opens fire!
When the shooting started, the blood flowed. The Texas Ranger spurred on his wagon, firing his lever action at the Crazy who was hiding nearby. The Crazy, uninjured, returned fire, unloading his Mare's leg into the Ranger, killing him immediately. The Crazy leapt out running toward the wagon in hopes of commandeering it. Nearby the buffalo gun boomed as a Lawmen fired at a distant Townsperson on a roof (injuring him). Glass shattered as an Outlaw Hired gun opened fire on a Lawmen Townsperson in the street below. Inside the Sheriff's office the Indian Scout finally struck the Townsperson inside, injuring him. The street started to fill with gunsmoke.
The Crazy shoots the Texas Ranger dead and runs for the wagon!
The shady fellow on the roof aims his rifle at the Pony Express Rider but is struck by a buffalo gun from half the board away…
When the shooting starts, no one is safe. The Lawmen Townsperson takes a bullet in the back.
TURN FOUR:
Turn four turned Main Street a deep and ruddy red. As the Outlaw Crazy ran for the wagon he was shot in the back by the Trail Boss who had arrived. Wounded the Crazy hopped into the wagon and took off down Main Street (using a Special Card to activate an additional time, running the wagon team at full gallop!). The Trail Boss received a double barrel load of buckshot in his back and fell from his horse, dead. The Outlaw Hired Gun hopped on his horse and prepared to follow the wagon out of town.
Elsewhere in town a wounded Lawmen Townsperson was gunned down by an Outlaw Hired Gun in his window perch. Objective B was drawn by the Outlaws and their two raiders arrived on Main Street, hurtling toward the stolen wagon to aid in its escape. The hapless Pony Express Rider tried in vain to stop the fleeing wagon, his gunfire missing wildly.
The raiders arrive as the shooting starts.
The entire Sheriff's office shook and windows blew out as the wounded Townsperson, trapped by his own hand…lit the fuse on a stick of dynamite and hurled it at the Indian Scout. It bounced off the cell door, and exploded – killing both of them.
The Sherriff's office explodes, killing everyone inside! In the street behind, mayhem erupts.
The prospector ran as quick as he could, chasing the fleeing Outlaws. The Lawmen's Hired Gun leapt onto horseback, hoping to give chase. Then fate intervened. As the Outlaw galloped at full speed toward the exit point, a single bullet struck him dead in the driver's seat. The wagon ground to a halt…
The Crazy is struck by an errant bullet and falls dead behind the reigns of the wagon.
The town is racked by gunfire as the wagon heads down Main Street until the Crazy is shot dead.
Out of nowhere the Business Tycoon started firing (hopelessly) his carbine at the approaching raiders. Moments later two slugs punched through his chest and he slumped over dead. Boots emerged from the alleyway behind him, guns smoking. Boots ran for the wagon. If his cronies couldn't be trusted to get the job done – he damn well would.
Boots slays the unsuspecting Business Tycoon.
Clutching a wound in his thigh the Pony Express Rider galloped after the wagon. He lit his sole stick of dynamite and hurled it at the wagon. The stick bounced off the wagon wheel and landed right as Boots emerged onto the streets. There was a furious boom and a huge blast of dust and debris. Moments later, Boots emerged unscathed.
The wounded Pony Express Rider hurls his dynamite!
Despite exploding at the feet of Boots…he emerges uninjured from the smoke!
Boots heads for the wagon.
TURN FIVE:
As Boots mounted the wagon a huge snap split the air near his head. A buffalo gun round missed him by inches as the Lawmen gave chase down the street. Even the Prospector shot and wounded a fleeing Outlaw on horseback. Main Street had erupted in gunfire, smoke and horses, wide-eyed and foaming at the mouth. Boots grabbed the reigns of the wagon, now only a short gallop from fleeing town.
Boots takes the reigns as the last Lawmen try helplessly to stop the Outlaws.
The last Lawmen are gunned down, or injured and turn to flee.
Behind Boots the final Lawmen Hired Gun fell to massed fire as the Outlaws gathered on Main Street. The Prospector and Pony Express Rider decided to flee the scene. Bodies were strewn throughout the streets – few of them Outlaws.
The Outlaws gallop and run down Main Street, bloodied but victorious…and now with enough powder to blow up a dozen rail road tracks, and continue to prey on bank cars.
RESULT:
This was a phenomenal win for the Outlaws. Timing was nearly perfect and by the arrival of the wagon, too many Outlaws were in good positions. The Lawmen were so scattered that the shooting took its toll very early. Managing to grab the wagon fully loaded, the Outlaws gained a huge advantage – no time was wasted hauling powder kegs out of the Sheriff's office into the wagon etc. Overall a really fun game.