Raid on the Mission Station

For the second game in the What a Cowboy campaign the “Over the Hill Gang” were attacking the mission station with the objective of setting for to the General Store.

Six players with two characters each. Alan, Dave B and Paul took on “Broken Dice” David, “Uncle Albert” Julian and me.

The setting was the old Mission station outside the town of Deadbeat.

All quite at the mission

Suddenly the silence was broken by the sound of hooves as “The Over the Hills” gang ride into town.

Strangers ride into town

As the General Store is the target two people are stationed to guard the building but the locals are curious as to what someone is perched on the roof of the veranda rather than stay inside by the window🤔.

Locals are wondering why someone is on the roof

But for some reason roofs are proving popular as one of “Broken Dice’s” climbs onto the roof of another store.

Two can play at that game

The streets start to clear as the shooting commences.

Local exits the area

However other locals continue on their daily business ignoring the ruckus at the other end of town.

Others carry on as normal

By now the veranda roof is getting crowded as Dave B joined one of Alan’s characters up there.

It’s getting crowded

While Alan’s other character joined the “I’m on a roof” gang.

Roofs are proving popular

But his stay wasn’t long as he went down under a hail of lead.

But that one was dangerous

Now it was time for a surprise, Paul rolled an event and a group of henchmen appeared. Unfortunately for Paul they joined our side and started taking pot shots at him through the barn.

Surprise

To get out of the way his character rushed one of mine, firing as he came. Luckiliy, I managed to “dodge” and then returned fire. A roll of a 6 on the serious wound table meant there was no more “Injun”.

Trying to brealk the deadlock

“Uncle Albert” decided on the sneaky approach and his two gang members galloped across the street and tried to approach the store from the rear. But Dave B’s guard made short work of them with his shotgun.

Sneaking around the back

Enough damage had been done by the “Over the Hill” gang to make their opponents take a “take to the hills” test which they passed. I now tried the direct approach and rushed to the front of the General Store but someone appeared with a shotgun and I wasn’t there long 😒.

Direct approach

Now both sides needed to take tests due to losses the defenders passed and we didn’t so the “Over the Hill” gang took to the hills. Another good game and plenty of laughs along the way. A special mention to one of the defenders who spent the last couple of turns hiding behind the store sign refusing to come out, you know who you are.

Down Mexico Way

Well not really the setting was the Crippled Creek ranch in Texas for the first game using the new What a Cowboy rules from the Too Fat Lardies.  

Six players with two characters each. Alan, Dave A and Paul took on “Broken Dice” David, “Uncle Albert” Julian and Nigel (or the over the hill gang as I will refer to them), while I supplied the umpiring services.

The setting was a ranch outside the town of Deadbeat the scenario was Scenario 4 from the rules “Highway Robbery”.  The “Over the Hill Gang” were defending the ranch and had placed 4 objective markers, 3 dummies and one the actual target (in the main Ranch House). Nigel positioned his shootist on roof to survey the scene.

Crippled Creek Ranch

The game didn’t start well for Dave A and his greenhorn who was running for the safety of the barn but got picked off by the sniper on the roof of the ranch , while he managed to dodge the shot he was pinned in the open.

Early sniper fire

Lame Red Man had got to the first objective marker inside the building by climbing through the window. There were jeers from his opponents as this meant he avoided being shot at. However the search revealed that the objective was a dummy.

Lame Red Man objects at fining a dummy marker

“Shootist Sid” and “Legs Diamond” defending the ranch which contained the real objective. With “Legs” causing problems to the attackers with long range sniper shots. It was a shame that no one ended up shooting him as I wanted to see what would happen in the “fall test” as he rolled off the roof.

Objective guarded by two characters

Now it looks all quite but 2 characters are now hiding around the barn. “K.O. Tellaway” a brawler had bravely ridden up to behind the wagon and immediately come under fire from “Sam Bass” in cover opposite wounding him. To avoid further damage he scuttled bravely back behind the barn, but he now has only had 2 activation dice out of 6!

No one in sight as everyone is hiding in the barn

“Jim Albion” and the Buffalo Hunter had moved up to try and flank the defenders. However, “Sam Bass” and “Legs Diamond” were soon “raining lead” down on them. In a desperate attempt to get rid in “Sam” the Buffalo Hunter cam to a sticky end as he ran across the open ground. Jim took the better part of valour and ran to take cover behind the wagon and survived.

Trying to outflank the sniper

“K.O. Trellaway” has become stuck behind the barn as limited activation dice means he keeps failing to move. In the meantime Dave A’s greenhorn can just be seen sheltering in the barn, some would say hiding but that would be cruel.

Getting a bit stuck

On the other side of the combat “Jimmy Yellowstone” has now moved up behind the house occupied by “Lame Red Man” and climbs through the same window for shelter.

Jimmy Yellowstone sneaking up

With “Lame Red Man” and “Jimmy” sheltering in the building “Shootist Sid” ran across the road and tried to shoot them through the window. The return fire made him duck for cover, before he could recover both the Lame and Jimmy moved to the door and shot him while he couldn’t move and took him out of the game.

That hurt

In another brave or foolish move depending on your opinion “Lame” now raced across the road, leaped the fence and tried to take out “Slow Sam” but failed. At which point “Slow Sam” gave “Lame” both barrels of his shotgun. Hit 3 times “Lame” failed to dodge and was taken out of the game through wounds.

“Slow Sam” strikes

The demise of “Lame” meant that the attackers had lost sufficient men that they needed to take a “ride or die” teat which they failed and decided to ride. Therefore the “Over the Hill” gang had triumphed and now controlled Cripple Creek ranch.

A god game and much hilarity was caused by some of the dice rolls and the unexpected consequences, now it is on to the next game to see who will control Deadbeat.