Wild West Game Experiences

[Tallor]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

Oregon Trail often kills people off by mundane things like that doesn't it?

But that's because you don't have medicine for even common diseases. :P

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Tallor

But that's because you don't have medicine for even common diseases. :P

Wouldn't that be relevant in a California-mining setting? It is true that you are near settlements so whatever local cures are available are available. But that was a time when nobody could count on efficient medicine. Moreover what counted as state-of-the-art then wouldn't be reaching California in large enough batches to supply the influx of population.

[Polydamas]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

Oregon Trail often kills people off by mundane things like that doesn't it?

It does, but I seem to remember playing a family not just an individual, and a tolerance for "it takes two or three tries to get through and survive" like in Fighting Fantasy and Chose your Own Adventure and other gamebooks. That was traditional in early D&D (with a pool of wandering adventurers in town to replace the fallen), but I don't think it is what VariousRen wants.

Troupe-style play (where each player plays one soldier in each squad of the platoon, or a wizard, a guard, and a villager so any one character being killed, captured, crippled, or sent away for an extended period is no big deal) can work, but ditto.

[Polydamas]

Originally Posted by VariousRen

The game will only a two session adventure using pre-made characters, with the focus being on travel, tracking, and gun fighting. The set up is that a group of prospectors hired by a wealthy businessman have gone missing, and he suspects treachery. The players are sent to find the prospectors and discover if they've died from exposure, ambush, or have broken their contract to try and steal a claim for themselves early in the gold rush of 1849.

I'll be using a short list of weapons as the standard armament of the day.

The Allen Pepperbox (1d+1 pi, holds 6) is cheap and common, carried around as a self defense weapon. The Colt Number 5 (2d-1 pi, holds 5) is a more serious weapon, with detachable cylinders for faster reloads. Finally the Colt Dragoon (2d+1 pi+, holds 5) is the heaviest revolver people may have, and isn't commonly used.

The M1819 Flintlock rifle is the rifle of choice for those with cash (3d+1 pi+, reloads in 5 seconds), although older muzzle loaded flintlocks will be much more common.

Finally the Tower Blunderbuss (1dx13, 35 seconds to load) is the most common shotgun design around.

There will of course be knock off versions of all of the above (generally cheap quality, with lower malf scores, range, damage, and acc).

Protection comes in the form of Leather jackets and pants (DR 1), a full Buff Jacket (DR 2), and/or a metal vest (DR 5F). Wearing armour is generally a trade off between protection, weight and heat. A high dodge is critical, and encumbrance penalizes survival checks to resist fatigue loss.

Because this is a short running game, I'm comfortable with people being hurt or killed in the few combats that we run. There will probably be two combats, with the first serving as an introduction (players placed at an advantage), and the second ending off the story line. There will probably be one or two chances for violent conflict along the way that skillful negotiation can avoid.

Sounds like you have things under control. I think that some of the more detailed tracking and overland movement and overcoming physical obstacles rules are in Low Tech, although the Basic Set has plenty to work with.

I think that by 1849 most Anglos would have guns converted to percussion-lock, although Spaniards, Indians, and backwoodsmen might still use flintlocks. It was an easy change and avoided messing around with loose powder and having to keep a properly shaped and seated flint. The only changes are to Malf and maybe reloading time ... pretty sure there is a sidebar in HT with the rules.

[phayman53]

One idea you might consider is using the "Survivable Guns" rule from Pyramid 3/44 Alternate GURPS II. It reduces rifle/high-speed bullet damage while maintaining penetration. I think the results it gives seem fairly realistic given that people often survive and keep fihting after receiving non-vital wounds from rifles--hard to do with the high damage of basic GURPS.

[hal]

For what it is worth, I'd suggest that the original poster not use the optional rule that there is a 1 in 6 chance that a torso hit results in a vitals hit. In my last campaign set in the 1870's, one player character in an "Outlaw Jose Wales" style confrontation with 3 gun slingers took out two of the three opponents with out too much difficulty, but both he and the third guy were taken out via that 1 in 6 rule. Both required surgery from the town's only Doctor, and only because the player character was operated upon first did he survive. The NPC bled out on the table.

If anyone wants a copy of my GURPS Character Assistant data file for adventure guns, let me know via email, and I'll send it over.

[VariousRen]

Originally Posted by hal

For what it is worth, I'd suggest that the original poster not use the optional rule that there is a 1 in 6 chance that a torso hit results in a vitals hit. In my last campaign set in the 1870's, one player character in an "Outlaw Jose Wales" style confrontation with 3 gun slingers took out two of the three opponents with out too much difficulty, but both he and the third guy were taken out via that 1 in 6 rule. Both required surgery from the town's only Doctor, and only because the player character was operated upon first did he survive. The NPC bled out on the table.

If anyone wants a copy of my GURPS Character Assistant data file for adventure guns, let me know via email, and I'll send it over.

I'm planning on either requiring or encouraging shots to random hit locations, so the 1 in 6 to the vitals on a torso shot will normally be on top of a decent chance to get hit in the leg, arm, foot, ect. Currently I'm thinking non-aimed shots with an effective skill of 10 or less can't be aimed at a specific location and must roll on the chart randomly.

One of the PC's in the party will be playing a dedicated doctor character, so I'd like injury treatment (specifically surgery on a mortal wound!) to come up a few times. Random hits to the vitals has also been a long standing rule with the group of players I'm going to be running this game with first, so I think they'll expect it and plan accordingly. For a group newer to GURPS I think I'd agree and leave it out.

I'll have to look at Survivable Guns, was the basic idea to half damage and add a (2) armour divisor.

[phayman53]

Originally Posted by VariousRen

I'll have to look at Survivable Guns, was the basic idea to half damage and add a (2) armour divisor.

Yes, mainly for rifle velocity rounds though. There are also a few other rules and guidelines, but that is the main rule.