SELWG 2023 - What a Cowboy!

So this year at SELWG, Robafett, Andrew and I ran a cowboy participation game using the TFL What a Cowboy set of rules. We had played a few games using these (including a variation with Star Wars figures) and decided to plan a large town based game.

Robafett already has a load of figures painted so spent a lot of time finishing off and painting some buildings for the town. I worked on the presentation aspect, such as character sheets, activation cards and general promo stuff.

On the day we managed to squeeze in three games, initially with four players as the escaping criminals and our chum Gary playing the Sheriff. Everyone else was technically an NPC. In the next two games we were able to press gang a couple more friends into running the other two deputies - at times we had nearly ten people playing criminals, the law, random henchmen groups and even a few 'have a go hero' types from the good citizens of the town!

By all accounts it went down really well - a couple of players even went an bought a copy of the rules after playing!

So, here are a few pictures from our (League of Gentlemen Cowboys) "Escape from Distraction" game at SELWG on Sunday. Thanks to everyone that popped by to have a chat and especially to those that joined us for a game! Over the course of the three gunfights we saw Sheriff Lynott go to boot hill in the second turn, one lad crushed by some angry cows and the leader of the "Crazy Gun" Gang (Hal Gorham) steal a horse and ride out of town trying to shoot his buddy "Longhorn" Bob on the way to save him from the noose! Great fun and thanks to everyone for getting into the spirit of it! 

Thanks to Robert Affection, Andrew Hunt, Gary Guy, Lance Bennett and Mr C. for the pics and Gordon Richards for the use of the character sheet he created and I modified for the game.

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Wild West - It's A Hanging Day.

A few pics from a recent Wild West game run by Robafett.

The setting is Dead Dog Gulch, a small backwater town somewhere in the depths of Inconsequence County.

A local ruffian going by the moniker of 'The Silver Kid' has finally been caught and is facing the gallows.

The Sheriff of The Gulch, Morgan, and his deputies, Tightson, Primcup, O'Ryan and Coburn are intent on having a hanging today and the local crowd has gathered. The Reverend Stickler reads scripture to the crowd as they wait.

Little know to the Law, two other groups have arrived in town over the last day. First, The Black Gun Gang, led by Jonas 'Black Gun' Quinn, with his surly mob, Bo 'Sonny' Stocks, Luke 'Red Beard Junior' Stocks, Henry 'Ratface' Harrison and Asumpta 'Princess' McCoy (nee Quinn) have turned out to make sure nobody tries to save 'The Silver Kid' from his well earned fate...he was the varmint responsible for gunning down 'Little' Joey Hamstringer. Most of the gang are waiting in the Strawberry Brothel but 'Princess' and 'Ratface' lurk outside near the gallows.

Also in town are a posse hired by 'The Silver Kids' pop (gawd knows what a b'std that fella is...) to get him the hell out of Gulch and back to the safety of the Ranch. Joshua Tremble, Lem Wenkleman, Sam O'Callahan, Bart McKendry and Bob 'The Kid' Jenkins make up this group of 'innocent' ranchers.

The scene is set...the Sheriff and his deputies bring out 'The Silver Kid' from the jail just down the street...meanwhile, the other interested parties start to move into position...

Well...as can be expected, absolute carnage ensued and a whole lot of poor civilian folk met their maker!

For a full write up, pop over to The Streets of Inconsequence where you can find lots of lovely photos.

All figures, buildings and terrain are from Robafett.

Rules used were his modified version of The Rules With No Name.

Wild West - Gang Fight at Duel End.

A few pics from our recent Wild West game hosted by Rob. Check out the full battle report at On the Streets of Inconsequence.

The Town of Duel End.

Duel End took its name from the two opposing Saloons at either end of Main. The Story goes that the Stepperton Brothers came to town to start a Saloon together but had a falling out over both the location and style of the content. The falling out was at first amenable with the brothers deciding simply to build their two Saloons and encourage the town to grow between them which it has even to the extent of taking its name from its duel ends. Stephen built the Rising Glory on The Risings and Jed The Tight End on Narrow Beach.

At first the town was a flourishing mining community and then it was believed that the railroad would come this way but instead it went two valleys over yonder and so the town went into a decline. With the decline the competition has become more aggressive and the two brothers feud more vehement, hiring in local gunmen as bodyguards and Jed even extorting a protection fee from the buildings closest and amongst some of the local claims.

It was about this time that George F Hope came into town. He'd been a deputy in Bledsoe and was looking to make a mark for himself, here he thought would be that place and so he went to work trying to bring a little peace and justice to the area even running as and being elected at Duel End's first Sheriff. He and a few deputies keep the centre of town fairly well policed and the local extortion racket has be quelled but the two brothers still make their presence felt outside of town where their bully boys can ride free and the sheriff has no real authority.

Mr & Mrs Dannals and young'un Toby.

A discussion opposite the Sheriffs office...

The Tight End Gang gather.

Deputies Pepper & Heinz outside the Jailhouse.

The Tight End Gang borrow a cart.

Deputy Holden calls out 'Methane' Franks.

The Tight End Gang and their novel 'tank'.

Deputy Duffy sneaks up on outlaw Rosie Thorn.

Hired gun Craw takes a gut shot and falls from the balcony.

Figures, terrain and buildings all owned and painted by Rob.

Wild West - Cherokee Braves.

The Cherokee Braves flag.

The 1st Cherokee Mounted Rifles was a Confederate States Army regiment which fought in the Indian Territory during the American Civil War. One of its commanders was Stand Watie.

Stand Watie.

Confederate officials commissioned Stand Watie a colonel in the Confederate States Army in July 1861 and authorized him to raise the First Regiment of Cherokee Mounted Volunteers. Cherokee Chief John Ross signed the Cherokee-Confederate treaty of alliance in October 1861 and raised the First Regiment of Cherokee Mounted Rifles, commanded by Col. John Drew. At this time Watie's regiment became the Second Regiment of Cherokee Mounted Rifles.

A group of dismounted Cherokee warriors led by Elias Adahy.

A portion of Drew's regiment deserted in late 1861. Following the Battle of Old Fort Wayne in October 1862, most of the remainder of Drew's men deserted. What remained of his troops was combined with Watie's regiment and reorganized as the First Regiment of Cherokee Mounted Rifles with Watie in command.

Major Thomas Pegg, Sgt. Jim "Yancy" Shaw and Corporal Ezekiel Carter. 

During the Civil War Watie's troops participated in twenty-seven major engagements and numerous smaller skirmishes. Although some of the engagements were set-piece battles, most of his activities utilized guerrilla tactics. Watie's men launched raids from south of the Canadian River throughout northern-held Indian Territory and into Kansas and Missouri, tying down thousands of Union troops. Poorly equipped and armed mostly with castoff rifles or captured weapons, the Cherokees were well suited to this type of warfare. Watie was promoted to brigadier general in May 1864.

Milos Proud and standard with his horse "Tama".

Watie's most spectacular victories included the capture of a Federal steamboat, the J. R. Williams, in June 1864 and the capture of a Union wagon train at the Second Battle of Cabin Creek in September 1864. His three most infamous actions were the burning of Rose Cottage, home of Chief John Ross, and the Cherokee Council House in October 1863, and the massacre of the First Kansas Colored Infantry and 2nd Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry at the Hay Meadow fight in September 1864.

The raiding party!

In February 1865 Watie was given command of the Indian Division of Indian Territory but was unable to launch any offensive operations. He released most of his troops following the collapse of Confederate resistance in the spring of 1865. After participating in the Camp Napoleon Council in May, Stand Watie officially surrendered on June 23, 1865, becoming the last Confederate general to lay down his arms.

1st Cherokee Mounted Rifles.

Painted by Grouchy.

Wild West - 7th Cavalry.

7th Cavalry Regiment, dismounted.

The 7th Cavalry Regiment is a United States Army Cavalry Regiment, whose lineage traces back to the mid-19th century. Its official nickname is "Garryowen," in honor of the Irish air Garryowen that was adopted as its march tune.

Following its activation the Seventh Cavalry Regiment patrolled the Western plains for raiding native Americans and to protect the westward movement of pioneers. From 1866 to 1881, the regiment marched a total of 181,692 miles (292,342 km) across Kansas, Montana, and the Dakota Territories.