"Largest Old West Game ever?" Topic

Not by scale but my number of figures. What is the largest Old West (as in America, 19th century) game you've ever seen, played in, heard of? Photos would be great but not required.

Seems most have a few dozen figures and usually much less. But sometimes they get bigger – but how much bigger?

This should qualify.
link

I saw one at Historicon on a table 20" or longer. But really those just end up being a dozen small games close to each other most of the time….

First, you need to define what you mean by "Old West." Are you including military actions?

Richard's large pictorial is a beauty but it is not a game, just a display that was only set up for photos. And, yes, to include military actions (but not ACW out west – post ACW). So, actual games that people played.

I've played in Desperado games where everyone had 5 figures and there were, at the start, I beleive 17 players.

And in a Deadlands (does that count?) with 11 players and everyone had 12 figs for their force-so that would be 132.

Played in a Pete Panzeri Cavalry and Indians game at Gencon one year. It had a crap ton of figures.

> I saw one at Historicon on a table 20" or longer. But really those just end up being a dozen small games close to each other most of the time….

The one at Hcon most assuredly since it is split up into different "scenes", the town scene, the mine scene, the Indian Encampment scene, etc. with very nicely done transition pieces from one to the other. I get a kick out of seeing that when I go.

Dynaman, the Historicon game, sounds like a series of vignette games, is that a reasonable thought? Also, any one got photos of such a game to share? Thanks.

I have 15 pics of that huge game at Historicon 09. Give me an email address if you want them.

I usually run Cowboy games with 6 to 8 players each with from 4 to 6 characters plus another 50 or so kibbitzing townsfolk and a few dozen head of livestock for typically about 100+ minis on a 6x12 board. Of course, inevitably someone let's out the horses or cattle for a stampede down main street.

I have run The rules with No name games with 23 players on a 20 foot table. Each player ran 2-4 figures each. I had two towns on the table, a railroad, a river, the Warwagon and a lot more. Yeah, I have pics and I believe some video.

Thanks,

John

John L. and C. Perry, please to share here for all to see.

working on it….

I keep checking, hoping for those photos. I know, I know, patience is often rewarded. Doesn't keep me from hoping – and checking.

I ran a Gutshot game with 20 characters and about as many NPCs. So… 40-42 figs in all? I was really hopping the whole time, and used the Gutshot Mob Rules to handle the flock of NPCs. Even still, it was a lot of work and -- to be honest -- too much time between turns for some of the players.

I generally don't like games that big because they begin to wander into military action style gameplay, rather than the smaller scale that seems to suit what I would consider to be a "classic western."

I liked the link to the Little Big Horn game above (and I once was General Custer in a game with about 300 figures spread out over four ping pong tables of terrain). But I don't really think of that as a "Western" game. It's a military, cavalry game. The tactics and interactions are more at a group level than an individual level. Even in games where you play posses that are controlled as a single group, there is still an implicit emphasis on the individual: To me, that's what makes a game a "Western" as opposed to a "military" game.

Well, let's see if this works:

link

Give it a try!

Thank you, Cmde Perry. Now we await John Leahy's photos.

I spy a Lemax gazebo in one image. I temporize back and forth on whether to go with one giant game or have the vignette style games that the above link's photos seem to show. Is that a Mexican town along the Gulf Coast or something along a river?

No idea. But I can show you this:
From the PEL (and program):
F-275 – Celluloid Heroes of the West
Fri. 2 PM, 4 hrs, 12 players
GM: Maurice Holmes and Wednesday Gamers
Wild West 25mm, Rules: High Noon
"We take you now to those thrilling days of yesteryear!" Join us in
this exciting adventure where the TV Gunfighters are pitted against
the Gunfighters of the Movies. Put the characters in your hands and
find out once and for all who the greatest gunfighter of all time is.
Easy to learn and fast playing action with no waiting for your card to
come up. Huge 200 square foot layout

Now you know as much as I do.

John Leahy- where are your photos and videos? An audience awaits!

Hey just saw this thread again. Sorry, I have been finishing up the details on buying our new home. We close on Friday so I have been busy packing like crazy. Sorry, I just won't be doing much else for the next few weeks. but I will post them in a new thread once I can. I'll also make a notice here.

Thanks,

John

Understand, John. Moving is a major hassle. Do hope it ends up with you having a pleasant gaming space and that it otherwise goes well. Look forward to your thread in the not too distant future.