Dracula's America: Shadows of the West
Dracula's America: Shadows of the West Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
The rules are split into three sections:
- The first section lays out the core rules that will allow you and one or more opponents to play a quick and easy game lasting around an hour.
- The second adds more advanced rules for Dynamite, Innocent Bystanders, Unusual Terrain and for introducing Unexpected Events to your games.
- The final section includes everything else you need to know to play a game, from setting up the playing area to deploying your models, to the scenarios themselves. It includes complications known as Agendas that ensure no two games need be the same.
Campaigns
The Campaign system allows you to follow the story of your chosen Posse throughout their infamous career. After each game, your Posse will suffer injuries or advance their skills and abilities with Experience, and earn money that allows you to buy new weapons and gear, recruit fresh blood or unique Hired Guns, and have encounters between games.
Dracula's America
This book also allows you to bring a supernatural twist to your games, with additional rules for supernatural encounters and events, supernatural creatures and new equipment for dealing with them, Arcane Powers, and the six Factions.
What You Will Need to Play
In addition to these rules and at least one opponent, you will need:
- A flat gaming area (the "table") between two foot by two foot and four foot by four foot, with three foot by three foot being the standard size.
- One "Posse" of models per player. These rules were designed and playtested with 28-32mm scale models on 25mm diameter round bases, and each Posse will usually consist of between six and ten models. All the players should be using the same scale of model.
- Model terrain.
- A handful of six-, eight- and ten-sided Dice (referred to as D6, D8 and D10). About six of each type should be plenty. Several Dice or a single Die is written with a capital "D".
- A single deck of ordinary playing cards per player.
- A retractable tape measure or other measuring instrument showing inches ("). A laser pointer may help determine what models can "see".
- A few special tokens and markers to help keep track of various in-game effects, such as when a weapon is Jammed or when a model is Done or on Lookout (circular bases 20mm in diameter).
- If playing a Campaign game, a Posse Roster Sheet for each Posse. Each space on the Roster Sheet allows you to record the overall ability, Skills, Injuries and equipment of each model in your Posse, as well as track their current Experience.
- The Reference Sheets for the game, condensed and abbreviated versions of the rules to use during play.
The Core Rules
Some Common Concepts
Contact
Two elements (models, terrain and so on) are deemed to be "in Contact" when they are physically touching. This includes the model's bases. Two opposing models in Contact are also said to be "engaged" in a Fight with each other.
Dice
Shadows of the West uses three different kinds of Dice: six-sided, eight-sided and ten-sided, referred to as D6, D8 and D10. Many D10s show a "0" instead of a "10"; this is treated as a score of ten.
When you are asked to "re-roll" one or more Dice, the second result must usually be accepted even if it is worse than the initial score. You can normally only re-roll any single Die once.
Where opposing players might wish to force a re-roll of the same Die, the currently Active player decides who gets the re-roll.
If asked to roll a D3, D4 or D5, simply roll a D6 (for a D3), D8 (for a D4) or D10 (for a D5) and halve the result, rounded up to the nearest whole number.
Line of Sight (LOS)
Models are always assumed to be facing in the direction they are looking, and have a 180-degree field of view to their front — imagine a horizontal line bisecting the centre-point of the model's base to help determine this.
When required to check LOS, stoop over the table for a look behind the model's head — if you can see any part of the target's head or body (limbs, hats, weapons and other accoutrements are not included) then your model can "see" it.
If you determine that you can see an enemy model, then they can also see you. Likewise, if you can't see them, they cannot see you from their current position either.
Measuring
By default, players may always pre-measure any distance during a game before deciding what to do.
If you and all your opponents agree, you may opt to disallow pre-measuring before the game begins — so for example, if you decide to shoot at an enemy you will automatically miss if your target is found to be out of range.
When checking the distance between two elements, always measure from closest point to closest point. When dealing with models, always measure from the edge of their bases.
Roll-Offs
If asked to make a "Roll-Off" by the rules, each player involved rolls a D10 with the highest scorer winning the Roll-Off. Events then usually occur in descending order of scores (highest to lowest). If two or more players are tied, they re-roll until one of them scores highest.
Grit
Instead of a long profile of statistics, Shadows of the West folds toughness, accuracy and bravery into a single characteristic used for many things: Grit. There are three "Ranks" of Grit, each linked to a specific type of Die (or "Grit Die"):
- Novices are the lowest rank of model, representing unskilled henchmen or creatures. Their Die-type is D6.
- Veterans are the average rank of model, representing seasoned hands and competent fighters. Their Die-type is D8.
- Heroes are the highest rank of model — living legends of the Old West. Their Die-type is D10.
Tests
During a game, there are many different circumstances where you will be asked to make a Test. The procedure is the same no matter what the situation:
-
Determine Base Number of Dice. When a model is instructed to make a "Test", you take a certain number of Dice of the type appropriate to their Rank to start with. This is most often either 1 or 3 Dice. So a Novice instructed to make a 3 Dice Shooting Test would start with three D6.
-
Apply Dice Modifiers. Apply any appropriate Dice Modifiers. Note that these alter the number of Dice you get to roll, rather than the scores on the Dice. A -1 Die Modifier means you roll one fewer Die, and a +1 Die Modifier means you roll one extra Die. Dice Tests made outside of a game are never Modified. You can never be reduced to 0 Dice for any Test — you always get at least one Die, regardless of Modifiers.
-
Roll the Dice. Once you have determined your final number of Dice, roll them all together and read each one separately:
- Each Die showing a score of 5 or better is a Success.
- Each Die showing a score of 4 or less is a Failure.
- If a Die shows the maximum possible score (for example, a 6 on a D6), then you may re-roll one of the other Dice if you wish, following the rules for re-rolls given previously.
For example: I roll two D8s and score a 3 and an 8. The 8 allows me to re-roll the 3, and I score a 5. I have therefore scored two Successes, one for the 8 and one for the 5.
-
Determine Outcome. The total number of Successes you scored will determine the outcome of the Test.
Anatomy of a Game
A game of Shadows of the West is divided into eight Game Turns. Each Game Turn is further split into four Phases which are resolved in the order given below. Each full Game Turn represents just a few seconds of "real time".
1: Draw Phase
Each player creates their Hand for the Turn by drawing a number of cards from the top of their Deck equal to half the number of models they currently have on the table (rounded up), plus an extra card if their Posse's Boss is amongst them. As you play cards, they are placed face up in your Discard Pile that is kept to one side of the table.
2: Action Phase
Each player chooses and plays a card from their Hand to determine the order of Activations. Once each player has had an Activation, the process is repeated until no cards remain in any player's Hand or all models on the table are marked as Done; the Phase ends at this point.
If only one player has models eligible to Activate, they will simply make consecutive Activations with these models until they are finished and the Phase ends.
3: NPC Phase
All models not directly controlled by a player will each get an Activation in this Phase.
4: Recovery Phase
All Done Tokens are removed from your models. Your Downed models then get a chance to Recover. Finally, your Posse may be required to make a Bottle Check if it has suffered enough punishment.
Activations
During the Action Phase, the following sequence is resolved:
1: Play a Card From Your Hand
If able to do so, each player chooses a card from their Hand and plays it, facedown, in front of them. Once all players have played a card, the cards are flipped over and the order of Activation is determined.
2: Determine Order of Activations
Each player who played a card will get to make an Activation. The exact order of this is determined by the revealed cards. When it is your turn to Activate, your Posse becomes Active and you may Activate one or more of your eligible models, so long as they do not already have Done Tokens.
- Players make Activations from the highest value card to the lowest. For this purpose, Aces are the highest value card followed by Kings, Queens, Jacks, then numerical cards (values 10 down to 2) and finally Jokers.
- Black cards resolve before red cards. Black cards (Spades and Clubs) are always resolved before red cards (Hearts and Diamonds). Therefore, a player who played a 2 of Clubs will get their Activations before one who played an Ace of Hearts, for example.
- Cards of same value. If two or more players reveal conflicting cards of identical value (for example, Ace of Spades and Ace of Clubs), then these players Roll-Off. Their Activations are then resolved in descending order.
- Identical cards. If the exact same card is revealed by two or more players, an Event occurs immediately (see Unexpected Events) and then these players Roll-Off to establish who Activates first.
3: Make Activations
When it is your Activation, you may Activate any of your models that do not already have Done Tokens. You then have three options:
- Firstly, if all your remaining models have Done Tokens, then you must Pass the Activation. In this case, your card goes straight into the Discard Pile.
- Or, you may make a Solo Activation. This allows you to make two Actions with a single model in any combination of Move, Shoot, Fight or Lookout Actions, as applicable. Each Weapon can only be fired once per Activation, but if the model has two or more Weapons it can Shoot each as a separate Action. Each Action must be made separately. For example, the model could Move then Shoot, Shoot then Move, Move twice (making two discrete 4" Move Actions, not one 8" Move), or Shoot twice. The model then receives a Done Token to show it has been Activated this Turn.
- Or, you may make a Dual Activation. This allows you to choose any two models and make one Action with each of them. Each model can make different Actions, and the order these are resolved in is up to the player; however, you must finish one model's Actions before moving on to the next one. Once the Activation is complete, both models receive Done Tokens.
4: Discard and Repeat
Once you have had your Activation, your card goes face up on your Discard Pile. Once all cards have been resolved, start the process again at step 1 until all players have no cards in their Hand or all models on the table are marked as Done. At this point, any cards remaining in the players' Hands are discarded and the Action Phase ends. To be clear: you always start a new Game Turn with no cards in your Hand.
Example of the Activation Process
Andy, Tony, Tom and John are playing a game. Each Posse comprises six models at the start of the Turn. Each player therefore draws three cards, and as all their Bosses are also in play, they each get an extra card for a total of four cards each. Each player chooses their first card — these are then revealed. Andy has played the 10 of Spades, Tony the Jack of Hearts, Tom the 10 of Spades and John the 6 of Clubs.
Firstly, Andy and Tom both play the 10 of Spades — this triggers an Event. After the Event has been resolved, Andy and Tom must Roll-Off. Andy wins this. Now, all black cards are resolved in descending order — in this case, Andy takes an Activation, followed by Tom and then John. Tony then resolves his red card. Note that John made his Activation before Tony even though his card technically had a lower value. This is because all black cards are resolved before red ones.
Running Out of Cards
Your Deck is not re-shuffled after each Turn — previously played cards remain in your Discard Pile and are unavailable until you Refresh your Deck. If you find yourself unable to draw enough cards at the start of a new Turn, you must Refresh your Deck — draw what cards you can, then thoroughly shuffle your Discard Pile to create a new Deck; and then continue drawing further cards into your Hand as necessary.
Lone Gun
If you have a Hand comprising only one card at the start of a Turn, you may decide exactly when to play it (following all normal rules for doing so) during the Phase. In effect, you can "pass" the opportunity to play this card until you wish to do so.
Actions
When a model is Activated, it makes one or more of the following Actions: Move, Shoot, Fight or Lookout. A model does not have to perform an Action if you don't want it to.
Move
A model that Activates for a Move Action can travel up to 4" across open ground. While moving, a model can change direction as often as it likes and can pass freely through doors and windows (that it could feasibly squeeze through) as it goes, except where noted below, so long as no part of the model's base travels further than its maximum allowed movement.
Remember that a model is always assumed to be looking in the direction it is facing at the end of a Move. If you just want a model to pivot on the spot this still counts as a Move.
A model travelling through an area of rough ground such as thick undergrowth, shallow water and so on counts each inch actually travelled as 2". So travelling 1" in rough ground uses up 2" of movement.
Other Models
Friendly models do not block movement, but you cannot end a Move on top of them.
You cannot voluntarily Move closer than 1" to an enemy model unless you intend to Contact (engage) them.
If an enemy model is in Contact with a linear obstacle of less than 2" height, such as a low wall or fence, you are classed as being in Contact with them as long as your own model is in Contact with the obstacle and within 1" of them. Each model is considered Fortified (see Fight) by the other in this case.
Charging Enemy Models
If you engage an enemy that your model could see at the start of its Move, you are said to have Charged them. Your model immediately makes a free Fight Action as part of its Move against the nominated enemy (see Fight).
Disengaging From Contact
You may also leave Contact with an enemy model as part of a Move. This is referred to as a "Disengage". Make a 1 Die Disengage Test for the Disengaging model — if successful, the model Disengages. If failed, the model will still Disengage, but must first make a 5+ Save for each enemy it was in Contact with (representing them getting an opportunistic blow in as the Disengaging model turns its back). Assuming the Disengaging model is still able to do so, it then completes its Disengage.
You cannot Disengage into Contact with an enemy model under any circumstances.
Climbing and Leaping
Vertical movement (up or down) of 2" or more is measured and deducted from your movement. If you don't have enough movement to reach the other side in one Action, you must halt at the near side instead. Any obstacle less than 2" high is ignored when moving.
A model may climb terrain that is higher than its total movement as long as it begins the Action in Contact with the structure; the model is then placed at the top or bottom of the structure as applicable and its Activation ends immediately (even if it still had Actions remaining).
A model can drop straight down off an elevated position at no cost in movement instead of climbing if it wishes; however, if the drop is greater than 2", it counts as falling.
A model can also leap a gap of up to 4" wide as part of its Move, so long as it has enough movement to reach the other side. If not, it will fall straight down at the point its Move ends.
And Falling
A model that falls must make a 5+ Save. For every additional full 2" fallen, this Save becomes one worse. For example, a model falls 4". The player must make a Save of 6+. If a model falls 5", it would still make a 6+ Save.
If the Save is passed, then the model is unharmed — we assume they rolled as they hit the floor, or landed on something that conveniently broke their fall.
Falling onto another model may do some damage. The unfortunate model being used as an impromptu landing pad must immediately make a 5+ Save, and the falling model is then placed within 1" of them before making its own Save.
Clearing a Jammed Weapon
A model with one or more Jammed Weapons may spend an entire Move Action to "clear" one (and only one) of them — remove the desired Jam Token from the model.
Shoot
A model that Activates for a Shoot Action follows the procedure below. If a Weapon (such as a Repeater Rifle) or Skill allows you to fire multiple times as a single Action, then each shot is always resolved separately, one at a time, following this procedure. You may even choose different Targets for each shot if you wish.
1: Declare Weapon and Target
Declare which Weapon they are firing (if carrying more than one) and nominate a single Target model — this must be the closest visible enemy model, unless a more distant enemy is an easier Target.
Models on 40mm diameter (or more) bases are so large that they can always be Targeted, even if they are not the closest visible enemy model to the Shooter.
You may try to override the above limitation by making a 1 Die Spotting Test for the Shooter — if you score a Success you may choose any visible enemy model as your Target. If you Fail, then the model loses its chance to Shoot entirely and its Action is wasted.
Models that are Downed or engaged in a Fight can be ignored when nominating a Target.
2: Check Range
You then measure the distance to the Target. Every Weapon has three Range "bands": Short, Medium and Long. The band your Target falls within determines how easy it is to hit them. If the Target is somehow exactly partway between two Range bands, then you must use the higher one.
If you are not allowing pre-measurement in your game, a model whose nominated Target is found to be outside Long Range of their chosen Weapon loses its chance to Shoot, and the Action is wasted.
3: Roll to Hit
With Range determined, make a 3 Dice Shooting Test for the Shooter. The following Dice Modifiers apply:
| Shoot Modifiers | |
|---|---|
| Target has Cover | -1 |
| Target at Long Range | -1 |
| Back-Shooter | +1 |
| Target at Short Range | +1 |
| Shooter Elevated | +1 |
If you score no Successes, the shot misses and the Action is over. If you missed and at least one Die also scored a 1, you must make a Jamming Check for that Weapon.
Otherwise, the shot has hit — count up the number of Successes scored and go to step 4.
4: Target Makes Save if Hit
The Target model must now make a Save on one Grit Die to try and escape harm. It is important to note that a "Save" is not a "Test" and so Dice Modifiers do not apply to them.
The score needed to Save depends on how many Successes the Shooter scored. Also note that certain other game effects can modify the score shown on your Grit Die, either positively or negatively. For example, a "-1 Save Modifier" means a score of 5 actually counts as a 4.
| Number of Successes | Save On |
|---|---|
| 1 | 5+ |
| 2 | 6+ |
| 3 | 7+ |
| 4 | 8+ |
| 5 | 9+ |
| 6+ | 10+ |
If you score equal to or higher than the appropriate number, you pass the Save and suffer no harm.
Note that even if the required score is impossible to achieve on your Die (for example a Save of 8+ on a D6) then a Save must still be made — for reasons that will soon become apparent.
If a Save is Failed, then the Target suffers Damage. See Damage.
Jamming Checks
When required to make a Jamming Check, roll the Weapon's Jam Die. On a Success nothing happens, but on a Failure the Weapon receives a Jammed Token, which must be cleared before it can be used again. If it has any other Weapons available it may of course still use those.
Fire Corridors
Certain indiscriminate Weapons — such as Sawn-Off Shotguns — do not use the above procedure when they fire.
Instead, nominate a Target using the normal rules and then imagine a straight line extending directly forwards the full Range of the Weapon from the centre of the Shooter's base and on through the centre of the Target's. Note that the line may continue on past the Target to catch models behind them, but will be blocked by solid terrain (such as the wall of a building) of 2" or more in height.
This is the fire corridor. Any visible model besides the Shooter — friend or foe — within 1" of the line is a potential victim. A model whose base lies under the line is Hit automatically. For every potential victim within 1" of the line the Shooter rolls one Grit Die, working from closest model to most distant. On a Success, that model is also Hit. All models that were Hit must make a 5+ Save.
Cover
To determine if a Target has Cover, trace an imaginary line — the "Line of Fire" — from the centre of the Shooter's base to the centre of the Target's. If this line crosses any amount of terrain (or models) of at least 1" high, then the Target can claim Cover. Obstructions in Contact with the Shooter do not block their Line of Fire.
Terrain such as woodland, ruined buildings and swampland is represented by an "area". This is best delineated by a rough oblong shape of card or felt with appropriate representative terrain elements (such as trees, piles of debris and so on) placed on top. While inside such "area terrain" a model is assumed to be making best use of the undergrowth, tall crops etc. If the Line of Fire passes through at least 1" of the area before reaching the centre of a model's base, then that model is assumed to have Cover.
Elevation
A Shooter is Elevated if it is physically standing at least 2" higher up than the Target model.
Back-Shooting
You gain the "Back-Shooter" bonus if you are not visible to your Target. In other words, the Shooter must be outside of the Target's 180-degree front field of view.
Shooting Into a Fight
You may choose a Target that is engaged in a Fight (that is, in Contact with one or more models, including your own) if you wish. You and the owner of the nominated Target must then Roll-Off, with the winner choosing which model involved in the Fight is actually threatened by the shot. This can be any model visible to the Shooter and in Contact with the original Target — so you can't use this rule to "snipe" an enemy around the corner of a building, for example.
Once the Target has been determined, the shooter proceeds with the Attack as normal (even if it is against their friend). This means they must check Range and so on, and may end up being unable to make their shot after all.
Note that fire corridor Weapons (such as Sawn-Off Shotguns) and explosions (such as those caused by Dynamite) ignore the above rules and will simply affect all models within their area of effect.
Designer's Note on Shooting
The number of Dice you roll to Shoot does not necessarily equate to the number of "shots" fired. Similarly, the number of Successes scored does not indicate the number of "hits" inflicted; rather, it's a measure of how accurate the Shooter was — so scoring three Successes with a single-shot Rifle represents a single (especially well-placed) bullet.
Weapons Summary
Basic Weapons Table
| Weapon | S | M | L | Jam | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pistol | 4" | 8" | 12" | D10 | Pistol |
| Carbine | 6" | 12" | 18" | D10 | Rifle |
| Shotgun | 4" | 8" | 12" | D10 | Shotgun. Extra +1 Die Shooting at up to 4", and extra -1 Die at 9-12" |
| Bow | 6" | 12" | 18" | D10 | Native Americans only. Targets gain a +1 Save Modifier at 7-12", and +2 at 13-18" |
Special Weapons Table
| Weapon | S | M | L | Jam | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Pistol | 4" | 8" | 12" | D8 | Pistol. Targets suffer -1 Save Modifier at up to 4" |
| Sixgun | 4" | 8" | 12" | D6 | Pistol. May Shoot twice as one Action |
| LeMat Pistol | 4" | 8" | 12" | D8 | Pistol. Once per game, may Shoot as a Sawn-Off Shotgun |
| Repeater Rifle | 6" | 12" | 18" | D6 | Rifle. May Shoot twice as one Action |
Fight
When a model is Activated for a Fight Action, follow this procedure:
1: Choose Defender
Nominate one enemy model in Contact with the Attacker as the "Defender". This is the model you are going to Fight. The Defender is then automatically turned to face their Attacker if necessary.
2: Roll to Strike and Determine Outcome
Both models now make a 3 Dice Fight Test. The following Die Modifiers will apply to one or both models:
| Fight Modifiers | |
|---|---|
| You are Charging | +1 |
| You are Attacking a Fortified Defender | -1 |
| Each unengaged enemy in Contact with you after the first | -1 per enemy Outnumbering you |
Both models then total up their Successes:
- If the Attacker scores more Successes, they win the Fight and strike the Defender.
- If the Defender scores more Successes, they win and strike the Attacker.
- If the totals are equal, the model with the single highest scoring Die wins by 1. Otherwise the Fight is a Draw and has no effect, the Action ends and the models remain engaged (in Contact) with each other.
3: Loser Makes a Save
The losing model (if there is one) is struck by their opponent and must make a Save exactly as for a Shooting attack, except that the score required is determined by the difference in total Successes. For example, if you lost the Fight by two Successes, you would Save on a 6+.
Outnumbered
Only enemy models not in Contact (engaged) with another opposing model count towards the -1 Die Modifier in a Fight. For example, an Outlaw is in Contact with three Lawmen, one of whom is also in Contact with an Apache. The Outlaw only suffers a -1 Die Modifier for the second Lawman not engaged by the Apache.
Fortified
A model in Contact with a linear obstacle such as a low wall or fence of less than 2" high and/or wide can be Attacked in a Fight, but is classed as Fortified to all Attackers on the other side of the obstacle.
A model that is higher up than their opponent — such as fighting from higher up a staircase or from horseback against a model on the ground — also counts as Fortified. You can only Fight a model at a different Elevation if the models are within 1" of each other, and both count as being in Contact for rules purposes.
Shove
When a model wins a Fight, then instead of striking the loser they may decide to give them a "shove" instead. The loser is pushed directly away from the winner 1" in a straight line for every Success they lost by, and will halt upon Contact with another model or solid terrain element. Mounted opponents are shoved off their horse, and the animal will automatically flee the table if this happens.
Note however that if the Target is on a larger base than the shoving model, then the maximum distance it can be shoved is 1".
For example, high up on the balcony of the saloon, my Deputy wins a Fight with an Outlaw by a margin of 2, and declares a Shove. The hapless Outlaw is pushed 2" directly away from my Deputy, which takes him over the edge of the balcony, whereupon he plummets down into the street below.
Damage
When a model Fails a Save, the amount by which the Save was Failed determines the Damage suffered by the model:
| Amount Failed By | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damage Result | Shaken | Downed | Removed as a Casualty |
This is why you must always make a Save roll, even if it is impossible to actually achieve the target number. For example, if required to make a 6+ Save and you rolled a 4, your model would be Shaken, as they Failed the Save roll by 2.
Shaken
A Shaken model may have suffered a flesh wound or simply had its nerves rattled. Whatever the reasons, it receives a suitable Token to show this. While Shaken, a model treats its Grit Die as one Rank lower, to a minimum of D6. Note that this penalty applies to all Tests and Saves, and lasts until either the end of the game or until the model somehow recovers from being Shaken or Downed. So a Veteran would roll a D6 instead of a D8, for example.
Further Damage results of Shaken cause the model to be immediately Downed.
Downed
A model that is Downed might be seriously wounded, playing possum or simply keeping its head down while the lead is flying. Whatever the reason, it is placed prone on its front, back or side (or given a suitable Downed Token).
Whilst Down, a model can do nothing when Activated for the rest of the Phase except make a Move Action to crawl up to 2", and can be ignored by all models. It does not block LOS or movement in any way.
It may not be Shot at but can be Fought — in this case no Fight Test is made and the Downed model is immediately removed as a Casualty, as their Attacker puts the boot in. However, you cannot choose a Downed model as the Defender in a Fight if there are any other enemies in Contact with your model who are not themselves Downed.
If Downed while within 1" of the edge of an elevated position, the model will automatically fall off (see Climbing and Leaping, And Falling).
Dragging a Downed Comrade
A model on foot may Move into Contact with a friendly Downed model and drag them along for the remainder of the Action, treating this remaining movement as being in rough ground (with no further penalty if already in such terrain). Use the rules given for Bystanders when dragging a comrade, except that you cannot use them as a human shield.
Lookout
Sometimes you may want your models to keep "Lookout" and effectively hold their Action in order to React to whatever your opponents do next.
By expending an entire Action, a model may go on Lookout. This will end that model's Activation immediately, regardless of whether it had any Actions remaining to it, but instead of a Done Token, the model is given a Lookout Token instead. Your models can of course use other Actions before going on Lookout — for example you could Move into position first and then go on Lookout.
This marker can be removed at the appropriate point during an enemy Activation in order to React. Once it Reacts, the Lookout Token is replaced by a Done Token.
A model can lose its Lookout marker before it gets to use it if it becomes Shaken, is Downed, if an enemy model Moves into Contact with it, or if it is Activated at any subsequent point. In these cases the Lookout Token is immediately replaced by a Done Token.
A model loses its Lookout Token at the start of its next Activation at no penalty. Until then it retains its Lookout Token. In this way it is possible for a model to be on Lookout from one Game Turn to the next.
Declaring Reactions
When an Active model — henceforth referred to as the "triggering model" — declares an Action (that is, before they start to resolve the Action), one Passive model that is on Lookout and that has LOS to it may declare a Reaction. In games involving three or more Posses, only one eligible model per Passive Posse may try to React in this way. Note also that it is not possible to React to a Reaction.
Resolving a Reaction
First, all Reacting models declare what they want to do.
If several opposing models all wish to React at the same time, each player involved makes a 1 Die Reaction Test on behalf of their own model. These models will then resolve their chosen Reactions in descending order of scores (from highest score to lowest), regardless of whether you score a Success or not. In case of a tie, the higher Ranked model wins; if still tied, those models roll again.
Reacting models may make either a single Shoot (targeted at the triggering model, with no Spotting Test required) or Move Action, using all the usual rules. In this way you can potentially open fire at an enemy before they can escape, Disengage from a Fight, dive for Cover, or just be quicker on the draw than your opponent.
A Reacting model may make a Move Reaction to bring itself into Contact with the triggering model; you cannot Move into Contact with any other enemy through use of a Reaction.
If using a Reaction to Disengage, you do so automatically with no Disengage Test required.
Once a model's Reaction is complete, that model receives a Done Token, if applicable, and the next model in sequence makes their Reaction if still able to do so.
Models are obliged to try to complete their declared Reaction to the best of their ability. If unable to complete their Reaction for some reason, a model will remain on Lookout.
Once all eligible Reactions are complete, the triggering model then completes their Action if still able to do so.
An Example of Reactions
My Deputy is about to Move off the table to secure some Loot, and my opponents Andy and Tony aren't too keen on this happening. Both have models eligible to React at this point, and both declare a Shoot Reaction with the single model of their choice. Both Reacting models now make their Reaction Tests. Tony scores a 6, while Andy's model gets a 1. Tony therefore resolves his Reaction first, and mercilessly fills my poor Deputy full of lead — Downed before he can escape. Tony's model then swaps its Lookout Token for a Done Token. Andy's model would now get to React. However, since Downed models are not viable Targets, he may not Shoot, so in this case Andy's model remains on Lookout. Finally, my poor Deputy gets to crawl 2" towards the table edge — so near, yet so far.
The NPC Phase
It is possible that your game may feature models that are not directly controlled by a player, and that do not belong to any Posse. These models are referred to as NPCs (Non-Player Creatures). Such models include Innocent Bystanders and Supernatural Creatures.
In this Phase, all these "rogue" models get to do something and count as Active, while the Posses are all deemed to be Passive (and so may declare Reactions against them if appropriate).
The first thing to do is perform a Roll-Off, with the highest-rolling player deciding the exact order in which the NPCs will act. There is however a strict sequence this player must obey:
- Innocent Bystanders and scenario-specific NPCs (where applicable) get to act first.
- Supernatural Creatures then get to act.
Exactly what the various NPCs can and cannot do is described in the relevant section of the rules (Innocent Bystanders; Supernatural Creatures).
The Recovery Phase
The Recovery Phase represents a split-second lull in the fighting. One at a time, each Posse resolves the following sequence — the order is unimportant, so long as each Posse gets to do so.
1: Remove Done Tokens
Every model that has a Done Token removes this now.
2: Make Recovery Tests
The player makes a 3 Dice Recovery Test for each Downed model in their Posse and counts the number of Successes they get. If there are any friendly non-Downed models in Contact with the model making this Test, they receive a +1 Die Modifier. Note that this is a flat +1, regardless of how many friends are in Contact. A Shaken model that is also Downed will suffer the Grit Penalty for being Shaken as normal.
- 0 Successes: The model succumbs to its wounds, falls unconscious or is otherwise unable to continue fighting — it becomes a Casualty and is removed from the game. Note that it is worth no Victory Points to any opponent in this case.
- 1-2 Successes: The model remains Downed.
- 3+ Successes: The model summons reserves of courage or regains consciousness and is able to rejoin the fight — it stands back up but is Shaken.
3: Bottle Checks
Each Posse checks whether it needs to make a Bottle Check at this point to see if it keeps fighting. Your Posse must make a Bottle Check if it is reduced to half the number of models it started the game with or fewer (rounded down). Models which are Downed do not count as "on the table" for these purposes.
For example, Stuart's Posse started the game with nine models. It is the Recovery Phase of Turn 5, and the Posse has lost two Casualties and currently has three Downed models. With only four models left on their feet, Stuart's Posse must start making Bottle Checks.
Your Boss must make the Bottle Check if able to do so — this is simply an unmodified 3 Dice Nerve Test — on behalf of the entire Posse. If the Boss is Downed or not on the table, then the model with the next highest Rank must make the Check, but on only 1 Die.
- If at least 1 Success is scored, the Posse stands and fights on.
- If no Successes are scored, then the entire Posse "Bottles Out" and all its remaining models are removed from play (including riderless horses). No Disengage Tests are required and any Loot, Bystanders, and so on that these models held are left behind within 1" of the model's last position, in any spot that was visible to the fleeing model at that point.
If all Posses Bottle Out in the same Turn, the game is a draw.
In a Campaign, models that are not Downed do not have to roll for Injuries if their Posse Bottles Out.
During a Campaign game, a player may also choose to voluntarily Fail a Bottle Check at this point if they wish, in order to preserve the lives of their models.
The Advanced Rules
Mounted Models
Mounted models have a 40mm diameter base. A model on horseback moves 6" but cannot climb or fit through small windows and doors — as determined by common sense.
Mounting and Dismounting
The rider may mount up while in Contact with their horse — or dismount into Contact with the horse — at the start of any Move Action. They are then free to continue moving at the appropriate rate. A model cannot both mount and dismount their horse during a single Action.
A model may alternatively voluntarily drop off an elevated position into the saddle of its horse at any point of its Move, if the animal is positioned correctly and is within 1" of the elevation. As long as the model lands safely, it can ride away as part of the same Action — simply deduct any movement it made up to that point from its remaining move.
While dismounted, a model's horse remains in place. If another model other than its owner moves into Contact with it, the horse immediately gallops away and is removed from play (but is available for the next game in a Campaign).
A dismounted model may lead its own horse as it Moves and if it is in Contact (bearing in mind that a horse cannot climb or fit through small gaps, and will halt at such obstructions) by simply placing the horse in Contact with the model after it finishes its Move.
Horses in Combat
In a Fight, enemy models must nominate a horse's rider as the Defender in a Fight — they cannot attack the horse itself.
A horse may, however, be the Target of any Shooting Attack instead of its rider — it counts as a Novice and immediately becomes a Casualty should it Fail any Save, but is worth no VP.
In a Campaign, the owner must then immediately roll a D6. On a 1 the horse is dead; otherwise it survives and is recovered after the game.
If a horse becomes a Casualty, any model riding it is placed in the spot it occupied and must then make a 5+ Save.
A rider that is Downed is forcibly dismounted in the spot this occurred, and their horse immediately flees the battlefield.
If a model becomes a Casualty, their horse immediately flees but suffers no other effects.
Dynamite
Some models may carry sticks of Dynamite.
Each stick can be thrown once per game as a Shoot Action, at a visible target point up to 8" away from the thrower. This does not have to be an enemy model, it could be a point on the ground or through a window, for example. Place a "TNT" marker on the chosen point if necessary.
Now make an unmodified 1 Die Shooting Test for the thrower. If you score a Success, the Dynamite explodes centred over the target point. If you do not, the number shown on the Die determines what happens:
- The Dynamite explodes centred over the thrower.
- The Dynamite moves D6" directly towards the thrower from the target point in a straight line and then explodes.
- The Dynamite moves D6" directly away from the thrower (start measuring from the target point) in a straight line and then explodes.
- The Dynamite was a dud and has no effect. It still counts as having been used.
Ka-Boom!
When the Dynamite explodes, all models (friend or foe) whose centre of base is fully within 3" of the target point must make a 7+ Save, and all other models partially within 3" of the target point must Succeed a 1 Die Reaction Test or make a 7+ Save.
A mounted model that is caught in the blast makes two Saves, on behalf of both horse and rider.
Good Shot!
A model on Lookout may make a special Reaction (following the usual rules), and try to Shoot the Dynamite in the thrower's hand. This is worked out as a normal Shooting Attack, with no Spotting Test required. However, there is a -1 Die Modifier for firing at such a small object. If successful, the Dynamite explodes centred on the thrower.
Setting Dynamite
Instead of throwing their Dynamite, an unengaged model on foot may "set" it down at any point during a Move Action. Place a TNT marker anywhere within 1" and visible to the model.
Any model may subsequently Shoot at this marker as if it were an enemy model and following all normal rules, except:
- There is an additional -1 Die Modifier for Shooting at such a small Target.
- No Spotting Roll is required.
If the shooter Hits successfully, the marker explodes exactly as described above, with the blast centred over the marker. Once the explosion is resolved, the marker is removed immediately.
Similarly, if a TNT marker is within the blast radius of exploding Dynamite or the fire corridor of a Sawn-Off Shotgun, it will explode automatically — it is possible to set off a chain-reaction in this way.
Innocent Bystanders
Before each game, roll D3+2. There are that many Bystanders on the table (between three and five). These are placed one at a time, with each player taking turns to place a Bystander. Each Bystander must be placed no further than 12" from the centre of the table, and no closer than 2" to another Bystander.
Bystander Behaviour
In each NPC Phase, every Bystander not being held by another model Moves 4" directly away from the closest visible model, ignoring other Bystanders.
If this is not possible for any reason, it instead Moves 4" in a random direction. To establish a random direction you can use a special spinner or a Die marked with arrows. Another way is to roll a D8 or D10 next to the model — the direction the upper, triangular face of the Die is pointing is the direction the model Moves.
Bystanders are slowed by rough ground but will never climb or leap — they will either Move around such obstructions, or halt as soon as they reach them.
Bystanders will leave the table and never return if their movement carries them off the edge.
Finally, Bystanders will halt 1" away from another model if their movement would take them into Contact.
Bystanders and Other Models
A model from any Posse may move into Contact with a Bystander during a Move. This Bystander is deemed to have been "grabbed" and held by the model until released. A model cannot do this if already holding a Bystander.
A mounted model, or one leading a horse, may grab a Bystander — it is assumed the Bystander is slung over the horse's back or sitting in front of the rider.
While grabbed, the Bystander is moved along with the holding model and can be placed in any position in Contact with the holding model after the Move. In this way, the Bystander can provide Cover for more unscrupulous individuals.
A model cannot climb or leap while holding a Bystander.
If an enemy model moves into Contact with the holding model, the Bystander is released 1" away. The same occurs if the holding model is Downed, or Bottles Out.
A model may voluntarily release a Bystander at any point of a Move Action.
Human Shields
If a model is Shot at while holding a Bystander and they Fail their Save (or would be allowed no Save), then they may instead remove the Bystander from play but count as passing the Save automatically.
Attacking Bystanders
A model may Shoot at a Bystander or Fight them, as if they were an enemy model. Where necessary, you should have the player to your left roll on the behalf of a Bystander.
Bystanders are considered Novices (Grit D6) and will not strike their opponent if they win a Fight, but will instead automatically Disengage in a random direction with no Disengage Test required.
Finally, a Bystander that Fails to Save automatically becomes a Casualty and is removed from play — it does not become Shaken or Downed — and is worth no Victory Points.
Unexpected Events
You may use these rules to add even more random happenings to your games. If two or more identical cards are revealed during the Action Phase, immediately roll a D6 on the Unexpected Events table below.
A maximum of one Event may occur per Game Turn, regardless of how many times identical cards get revealed. Innocent Bystanders and NPCs are ignored when determining which models are affected by an Event.
| D6 | Event | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 'Ornery Critter! | You never know what might be lurking under the nearest rock... Randomly select a model on the table that is not Downed or engaged — it must make an immediate 5+ Save. |
| 2 | Armed Civilians | The locals have finally had enough! Randomly select one area of terrain or building that has no models within it. Make an unmodified 2 Dice Shooting Test with Grit D6 against all visible models within 6" of the edge of this terrain. No Reactions are allowed against these Attacks. |
| 3 | Dust Storm | A blinding dust storm rolls in from the Prairie. Visibility drops to a maximum of 12" until the end of the Turn. |
| 4 | Bad Omen | Some days it just ain't worth gettin' outta bed... Randomly select one model on the table that is not Downed — until the end of this Turn, this model suffers an additional -1 Save Modifier. |
| 5 | Hero of the Hour | Time to show 'em who's boss! Randomly select one model on the table that is not Downed — it may immediately Activate for any one Action its owner wishes and that it could normally make (even if already marked as Done). |
| 6 | Lucky Find |
Unusual Terrain
You may also like to introduce the following rules for Unusual Terrain. If you decide to do so, you will first need to ensure that all players agree to their use and that everybody knows what each piece of terrain represents on the table before the game begins.
Explosive Terrain
This includes barrels or crates of gunpowder or TNT, grouped together on a 30-50mm base.
A model may specifically nominate such terrain as the Target of a Shoot Action, as if it were an enemy model. However, no Spotting Test is required, even if it is not the closest Target.
If you score a Hit, the player to your left makes an appropriate Save on a D8 on behalf of the terrain — if this is Failed, the terrain explodes exactly like a stick of Dynamite, and all models within 2" are caught in the blast.
If a TNT marker or other piece of exploding terrain is within the blast radius of the explosion, then it too will explode automatically — it is possible to set off a chain-reaction in this way.
Once the explosion is resolved, remove the Explosive Terrain piece(s) from play.
Cactus Patches
This is an area of rough ground, represented by several Cacti models in a roughly 5" diameter area.
In addition to the normal rules for rough ground and area terrain, any model that declares a Move Action whilst within a Cactus Patch must first make a 5+ Save.
Playing a Game
Building a Posse for One-Off Games
For one-off games, there are two different ways of creating your Posse — you should agree which method to use with your opponents before play, and all players must use the same method.
The Basic method allows you to quickly create a Posse and is ideal for friendly or demonstration games to teach new players the ropes. The Advanced method is for those who prefer a more "competitive" play-style, and for veteran players who are familiar with the full scope of the rules.
Basic Posse Creation
Decide Maximum Posse Size. You should first agree with your opponents the maximum number of models allowed per Posse — between six and ten will give a good-sized game.
Recruit Models. Take a blank Roster Sheet and fill out your Posse's pertinent details as you go.
Each player starts with one Hero — this model is your Posse's Boss. The rest of your models will be Novices.
You may trade in Novices for Veterans on a two-for-one basis. For example, in a six-model game I trade in four Novices for two Veterans; my Posse therefore consists of one Hero, two Veterans and one Novice.
If you are using the rules in the "Dracula's America" chapter, you may align your Posse with one of the Factions at this point — any unique model types allowed (such as the Crusaders of the Twilight Order) are free upgrades for any of your eligible existing models.
Arm and Equip Models. Models are armed only with the weapons actually depicted in their hands or in holsters — however, only one stick of Dynamite is allowed per Posse, and no more than two of your models may have the same Weapon — the exception being Pistols — your Posse can contain as many Pistols as you like. For example, no more than two models in your Posse may have a Rifle, and no more than two may have a Shotgun; however, all four models could also have a Pistol if they have one in a holster.
Advanced Posse Creation
Decide Dollar Limit. The first thing to do is agree with your opponents on the Dollar Limit you wish to use for the coming game. $100 is recommended, but you can always try more or less than this. Around $200 is about the uppermost Limit for a quick and balanced game.
The total cost of the models, Weapons, and so on in your Posse may not exceed the agreed-upon Limit — though you may of course spend less than this. Take a blank Roster Sheet and fill out your Posse's pertinent details as you go.
If you are using the rules in the "Dracula's America" chapter, you may align your Posse with one of the Factions at this point — any unique model types allowed (such as the Crusaders of the Twilight Order) are free upgrades for any of your eligible existing models. For example, Ian's Cowboys are affiliated to the Red Hand Coven; he purchases two Veterans and upgrades these models to Broodkin for free.
Recruit Models. Each player gets a single Hero Rank model for free — note that only the model is free, and you will still need to pay for any Weapons, Gear and so on. This model is your Posse's Boss.
You may then start spending $ on Recruiting additional Veteran and Novice models to your Posse — you must have a minimum of three models and a maximum of ten.
- Each Novice costs you $4
- Each Veteran costs you $10
You may also include Hired Guns (see the Hired Guns lists, including the Supernatural Hired Guns) by paying the appropriate Hire fee listed (ignore the Retainer). Each Hired Gun can only be included once per Posse. However, only a third of your models may be Hired Guns (that is, one in every three models).
Arm and Equip Models. Once you have the models you like, you can then start equipping them using the costs listed in the Buying and Selling section. Unless specifically noted, each model must be bought at least one Weapon.
Each model may be bought a maximum of three Weapons — these should ideally be depicted on the model. The other caveat is that no more than two of your models may have the same Weapon, with the exception being Pistols — your Posse can contain as many Pistols as you like.
You may also purchase Gear and horses at the cost listed. However, a model may be bought a maximum of three such items in total.
Add Skills. Finally, you may further customise your models by purchasing Skills for them from the Skills lists.
Each Skill costs $2 for a Novice, $4 for a Veteran and $6 for a Hero. The second Skill purchased for the same model costs an additional $2, the third Skill costs an additional $3, and so on.
For example, I pay $4 to buy a Veteran the Trick-Shooter Skill. I then decide to buy the same model the Hawkeye Skill — this costs me $6 ($4 + $2). I then decide to buy this model the Deadeye Skill, for a further $7 ($4 + $3). This extremely expensive model is now also a rather lethal marksman.
Choose a Scenario and Set Up the Table
You can either agree on which scenario to play, or roll a D8 on the table below to randomly choose one:
| D8 Roll | Scenario | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stake a Claim | The Posses vie for important territory. |
| 2 | A Fistful of Loot | The Posses compete for valuable Loot. |
| 3 | Shootout! | A meeting between rival Bosses in neutral territory becomes a fight to the death! |
| 4 | The Getaway | Can your Posse escape with their Loot? |
| 5 | Showdown | A standard face-off between rival Posses. |
| 6 | Bonanza! | The Posses race to find a vital item hidden somewhere in the local area. |
| 7 | Escalation | A chance meeting between rival Posses soon erupts into a pitched gunfight! |
| 8 |
Some scenarios require specific scenery or other unique features, so read each one carefully and ensure that you have the necessary elements to play. Otherwise, you are free to set up the table however you wish. Try to ensure a varied mix of terrain with different heights and types to create a tactically interesting game.
Once this is done, you may roll to see how many Bystanders there are on the table — these are then placed as described under Innocent Bystanders.
Each Posse must now Deploy onto the table — see Deployment.
Team Games
Certain scenarios may require two opposing Teams, rather than every Posse being out for themselves.
- Each player on a Team still has their own Deck of cards, and the Activation sequence is resolved as normal.
- Unless the scenario states otherwise, Teams must share a Deployment Zone wherever possible, and cannot Attack or be Attacked by members of the same Team. If using the optional Agendas rule, it is probably best if each Team has a single Agenda.
- Models on the same Team treat each other as "friendly" for all rules purposes.
- Each Posse on a Team will however still have their own Boss, and must make Bottle Checks separately from their Teammates.
Deployment
After setting out terrain, the players Roll-Off. In descending order (highest score to lowest), each player chooses their Deployment Zone and sets up their Posse within it. Each Deployment Zone must be directly opposite at least one other Deployment Zone wherever possible.
Deployment Zones
A Deployment Zone is an 8" x 8" square extending outward from the corner of the table where two edges meet.
Where you have between five and eight opposing Posses taking part, have four Posses choose corner Deployment Zones as normal. The remaining Posses have Deployment Zones extending 4" to either side of the centre point of each table edge and 8" into the table. You may need to "fudge" things a little in a mutually agreeable manner depending on the scenario you are playing.
It is recommended that where possible you ensure that Lines of Sight are blocked to varying degrees between Deployment Zones (especially on smaller-sized tables), as the game is much more interesting if the Posses have to manoeuvre a bit first in order to draw a bead on their opponents.
Once all players have chosen their Deployment Zone and placed their models, the game can begin.
Agendas
To add some spice to proceedings, you may decide to use the following optional rules for Agendas. After all Posses have Deployed, each player rolls a D6 on the table below to determine their own Agenda for the game. Note that some Agendas are easier to achieve than others, and this is deliberate.
| D6 Roll | Agenda | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vendetta | Your Boss holds a grudge against a Rival — choose one enemy Boss to be your Rival and declare this out loud. If your Boss causes their Rival to become a Casualty before the end of the game, you earn +2 VP. |
| 2 | Divided Loyalties | Your Boss has some kind of "understanding" with another Boss — choose one enemy Boss and declare who it is out loud. If the chosen model is still in play (even if Down) at the end of the game, you earn +2 VP. Note that you will not earn VP if the chosen model leaves the table for any reason. |
| 3 | The VIP | Your Posse gets a "VIP" model that follows all the rules for Bystanders, but starts the game being held by one of your eligible Deployed models and does not add a card to your Hand. If the VIP model is still on the table and is currently held by one of your models at the end of the game, you earn +2 VP. The VIP is worth no additional VP to your opponents if captured by them. |
| 4 | Blaze of Glory | You must secretly choose one of your own Deployed models and make a note of it. If this model is Downed or a Casualty by the end of the game, you can confirm this to earn +1 VP. |
| 5 | The Message | You must secretly choose one of your own Deployed models to be the Messenger, and make a note of it. If the Messenger is Downed or Bottles Out, the message is revealed and left behind as a Loot counter, following the rules given under Loot Counters. The Posse carrying the message at the end of the game earns +1 VP. |
Winning the Game and Special Scenario Rules
Victory Points (VP)
At the end of the game, the Posse with the most VP is the winner. Many scenarios and Agendas have unique ways of earning VP, but the following scoring method always applies unless noted otherwise.
Each enemy model (not NPC) becoming a Casualty as a direct result of your model's Attacks is worth a variable number of VP, depending on the victim's Rank:
- Novices are worth 1 VP
- Veterans are worth 2 VP
- Heroes are worth 3 VP
Each player should keep track of their current VP as the game progresses, either on their Roster or on a piece of scrap paper.
Sudden Death
A game will end automatically if there is only a single Posse standing at the start of any Turn (if all their enemies are Down, have become a Casualty or have Bottled Out). The remaining Posse is the winner, regardless of VP.
Loot Counters
Some scenarios require the Posses to either gather or hold onto Loot. This is represented by Loot counters roughly 20mm in diameter.
Any model can pick up a Loot counter for free simply by Moving over it, as long as the model is not Down. Each model can carry up to two counters at a time.
If a model is Downed or Bottles Out, it immediately drops any Loot it is carrying on the spot it occupied.
Leaving the Table
Some scenarios may require a model to leave play via a specific area of the table. A model may only voluntarily leave the table in those scenarios that specifically allow this. This is done simply by Moving off the table via the appropriate edge. A model that leaves the game cannot return, but does not count as a Casualty or as having Bottled Out.
Scenario 1: Stake a Claim
Set-Up. Before Deployment, mark three elements of terrain as the "Objectives". Use a marker of some kind to make it clear which these are. Each player takes it in turns to nominate one Objective — these elements must be within 12" of the centre of the table.
Winning. In addition to the usual scoring method, at the end of the game each Objective that has more of your models (Downed models do not count) than the enemy within 1" of it is claimed by your Posse and scores +3 VP. If an Objective has equal numbers of viable opposing models within 1" of it, it is contested and is worth 1 VP to each contesting Posse.
Scenario 2: A Fistful of Loot
Set-Up. Before Deployment, place 1D3 +3 Loot counters on the table. Each player takes it in turns to place one counter at a time — these cannot be within 4" of any Deployment Zone or within 2" of another counter.
Winning. In addition to the usual scoring method, at the end of the game each Loot counter held by your Posse is worth +2 VP.
Scenario 3: Shootout!
Set-Up. There should be no terrain within 6" of the centre of the table. After Rolling-Off to establish Deployment Zones, each player must Deploy their Boss and up to two other models of their choice at ground level and within 6" of the centre of the table, no closer than 2" to any enemy model. These models start the game with Done Tokens. The remaining models in each Posse are then Deployed using the normal rules.
Winning. In addition to the usual VP scoring method, at the end of the game each player earns an additional +1 VP for every enemy Boss their Posse specifically causes to become a Casualty during the game. This is in addition to the usual VP earned for a model of the appropriate Rank (so a Veteran Boss is worth 3 VP rather than 2).
Scenario 4: The Getaway
Set-Up. Set up as for a regular game. Half of your models that are on foot (your choice which ones), rounded up, are carrying Loot counters.
Special Rules. Models carrying Loot may freely Move off the table via an enemy Deployment Zone in this scenario.
Winning. The normal VP scoring method is not used in this scenario. Instead, at the end of the game, each Posse earns +2 VP for every Loot counter they got off the table via an enemy Deployment Zone, or +1 VP for each model carrying Loot and still on the table at the end of the game. Agendas will still earn you VP as normal.
Scenario 5: Showdown
Set up as for a regular game, using the standard VP scoring rules.
Scenario 6: Bonanza!
Set-Up. Before Deployment you must set up four terrain elements on the table, no further than 12" from the centre of the table. The Loot is hidden in one of these terrain elements, so it's a good idea to mark them out in some way.
Special Rules. The first time a model from any Posse enters one of these elements, roll a D6. On a 6 they find the Loot. This model is now given a Loot counter. If you roll a 1-5, the element did not hide the Loot and it cannot be searched again by any model. Remove its marker to show this. If the first three elements did not contain the Loot, the fourth one definitely does and the Loot will be automatically claimed by the first model to enter it.
Winning. In addition to the usual scoring method, at the end of the game the Posse carrying the Loot earns +4 VP.
Scenario 7: Escalation
Set-Up. The players Roll-Off, with the highest scorer Deploying half their Posse (rounding down, but must include their Boss) within a chosen Deployment Zone. The rest of their Posse is kept off-table. The other Posses then do the same, in descending order.
Special Rules. Once per Game Turn except for the first, when it is your turn to make an Activation, instead of Activating models normally, you may bring on any one or two of your remaining off-table models from your Deployment Zone following the usual Activation rules (so two models on a Dual Activation and one on a Solo Activation). Models arriving in this way must perform a single Move as their first Action, measured from the table edge.
Winning. This scenario uses the usual VP scoring method.
Campaigns
Playing a Campaign is the most rewarding way to experience Shadows of the West. Watching your Posse grow from a bunch of greenhorns to a grizzled and well-equipped band of Heroes (or struggle gallantly against the odds) creates memorable stories and characters.
Campaign Posses
Building a Campaign Posse
A Campaign Posse always starts out with one Veteran and five Novices.
The Veteran is your Posse's Boss. Should your Boss die later in the Campaign, your new Boss is always the next eligible model with the highest Grit in your Posse; where this is tied, you may choose who becomes the new Boss. The new Boss only assumes their new status between games, never during a game.
You now have $22 to equip your models with Weapons (not other Gear or horses at this point). These must be shown on the models and be from the Basic Weapons list (so no Buffalo Guns), and every model must have at least one Weapon.
Finally, no more than two models may be given the same Weapon, with the exception being Pistols — your Posse can contain as many Pistols as you like.
Fill in each model's details — their Grit, Weapons, and so on — on a blank Roster Sheet.
Any unspent cash goes in your "Stash". There is an appropriate space on your Roster Sheet to record this.
You should also give your Posse and each model in it a suitable name at this point.
Retiring Your Posse
You may voluntarily retire your Posse at the end of any game — you might do so because your Posse has suffered heavy losses, or too many Lasting Injuries to be effective. You may immediately create a completely new Posse at this point; however, it takes no part in the rest of the Campaign Phase in which it was created.
The Campaign Turn
A Campaign lasts a set number of Campaign Turns, agreed upon by all participants beforehand; around 6-12 Campaign Turns is about right.
At the end of the final Campaign Turn, whoever has the highest total Infamy rating is the winner.
How long a Campaign Turn should last in "real time" depends on how often you can get together to play, and also how much time you have to spare. One Campaign Turn per week is good for player-groups who have lots of other commitments; it is also possible to play multiple Campaign Turns in a single day.
Each Turn follows the sequence below, with each player ideally taking a turn to resolve everything in a Campaign Phase before everybody moves on to the next. It is also desirable for at least one other player to be present when resolving Phases 1-4 of the Campaign Turn.
- Challenge Phase
- Injury Phase
- Advancement Phase
- Income Phase
- Purchase Phase
- Infamy Phase
Important: though you do not necessarily have to wait for the other players in your group to complete a Campaign Turn, you should ensure that no one player plays through more than the agreed-upon number of Campaign Turns.
Challenge Phase
Starting with the Posse with lowest Infamy (Roll-Off if there is a tie), challenge one opponent of your choice to a game. You cannot challenge somebody who has already been challenged this Phase unless no other eligible opponent is available, in which case you may either play each opponent separately or play a multiplayer game as the players wish.
If there are three or more players, you can instead opt to play a single multiplayer game if all players agree.
Once your game has been completed, you can move on to the Injury Phase.
Injury Phase
If a model ends the game as a Casualty or Down, you must discover their fate in this Phase.
A model that ends a game Shaken will automatically recover, and suffers no further effects.
Casualties
If a model ends the game as a Casualty, it must roll a D10 for Injury on the table below.
Downed Models
If a model ends the game Down, roll one Grit Die on their behalf. A Success means that the model makes a full recovery and suffers no further effects, while a Failure means they have potentially sustained an Injury and must roll on the Injury table below.
| D10 Roll | Injury | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dead! | The model has died of their wounds, and is removed from your Posse's Roster. A dead model takes all Weapons, Gear and so on with them when they die. If your Boss dies, the next eligible model immediately takes over the Posse as described under Building a Campaign Posse. |
| 2 | Lasting Injury — Old Wound* | The model must roll one Grit Die before Deployment at the start of each game from now on. If the roll is Failed, the model begins that game already Shaken. |
| 3 | Lasting Injury — One-Eyed* | The model suffers a -1 Die Modifier on all Shooting Tests from now on. |
| 4 | Lasting Injury — Limp* | If on foot, the model can only make one Move Action per Activation from now on, regardless of how many Actions it has. |
| 5 | Lasting Injury — Weakened* | The model suffers a -1 Die Modifier on all Fight Tests from now on. |
| 6 | Laid-Up | The model may take no part in the remainder of this Campaign Phase (for example, they gain no EXP, cannot take part in Encounters, and so on), but will recover and be available at the start of the next one. |
* If a model ever suffers a duplicate Lasting Injury — for example, a second result of "One-Eyed" — they are automatically treated as "Dead".
Advancement Phase
Each time a model survives a game (that is, they took part and did not die), it has the chance of Advancing and improving its abilities.
Advance Rolls
For each eligible model, roll its Grit Die and add its current Experience (EXP) total, if any. So a Veteran model with 1 EXP will roll a D8 and add 1 to the score, for example.
If you score a total of 6 for a Novice, 8 for a Veteran or 10 for a Hero (or higher), that model has Advanced. You must now roll a D6 on the model's behalf on the Advance table below, to see what they have learned.
When a model successfully Advances, any unspent EXP it had at that point is lost. For example, a Novice with 2 EXP rolls a 5. It uses 1 EXP to increase this to a 6, allowing it to Advance. The remaining 1 EXP is lost by the model.
A model that does not Advance earns one point of EXP instead. Keep track of a model's current EXP total on your Roster Sheet.
| D6 Roll | Advance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Preferred Skill | Choose a Skill List and select any one Skill of your choice from it. |
| 2-5 | Random Skill | Choose a Skill List and roll a D6 to randomly generate a Skill from it. |
| 6 | Rank-Up | The model's Rank increases by 1. |
Rank-Up
A model rolling this result progresses to the next Rank of Grit, in the following order: Novice > Veteran > Hero.
A model that is already a Hero treats a "Rank-Up" result as a "Random Skill" result instead.
Random Skill
Choose one of the three Skill lists (Shooting, Fighting or Gumption) and roll a D6 to see which Skill the model learns. A model can only know each Skill once — if you ever roll up a duplicate Skill, the model may instead choose one remaining Skill from the same list.
A Note for Those Playing a Dracula's America Campaign
When you join a Faction, your Posse gains unique types of model such as the Broodkin of the Red Hand Coven. These models often start out with one or more of the Skills listed below — in these cases, as already stated, they cannot learn these Skills again. However, some unique models will automatically gain a Skill only during certain circumstances. For example, a Skinwalker that transforms into its Beast-Form gains the Fearsome Skill. In such cases, they may learn the same Skill again due to Advancing.
To continue our example, a Skinwalker who gains the Fearsome Skill due to Advancement gains its benefits while in Human Form. When it transforms into its Beast Form, it gains Fearsome again — however as the model already has the Fearsome Skill then there is no additional effect.
Preferred Skill
Choose one of the three Skill lists (Shooting, Fighting or Gumption) and pick any one Skill you like from that List. Remember that a model can only have one of each Skill.
Shooting Skills Table
| D6 Roll | Shooting Skill | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trigger-Happy | This model may Shoot the same Weapon twice in a single Activation, following all usual rules. This Skill cannot be used as part of a Reaction, and cannot be combined with the Gunslinger Skill. |
| 2 | Gunslinger | If armed with two Pistol-Class Weapons, this model may fire both as a single Shoot Action, against different Targets if you wish. Resolve each Attack separately, following all the usual rules. This Skill cannot be used as part of a Reaction. Sixguns may not fire twice, and LeMat Pistols cannot use their once-per-game ability when using this Skill. |
| 3 | Hawkeye | This model may re-roll a Failed Spotting Test, and ignores the usual rules for Shooting into a Fight — in this case, it may freely pick its Target. |
| 4 | Gunsmith | This model may re-roll any Failed Jamming Check. |
| 5 | Trick Shooter | When it Shoots with a Rifle-Class Weapon, this model ignores either the Long Range or the Cover Die Modifier. Declare which Modifier you are ignoring before making the shot. |
| 6 | Deadeye | This model gains an extra +1 Die Modifier on its Shooting Tests. |
Fighting Skills Table
| D6 Roll | Fighting Skill | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Close Work | This model may use an unjammed Pistol-Class Weapon during a Fight to gain a +1 Die Modifier. Using two Pistols grants a +2 Modifier, but cannot be combined with the bonus from a Derringer in this case. |
| 2 | Fearsome | Enemy models wishing to Fight this model (even if it is Down) must pass a 1 Die Nerve Test or suffer a -1 Die Modifier on its Fight Tests this Activation. Note that other Fearsome models ignore this Skill. |
| 3 | Bull-Rush | If this model Charges and wins the ensuing Fight, the Defender suffers a -1 Save Modifier. |
| 4 | 'Ornery | This model ignores the penalty for being in Contact with multiple enemies in a Fight. |
| 5 | Tough | This model always has a +1 Save Modifier. |
| 6 | Mean | This model gains an extra +1 Die Modifier on its Fight Tests. |
Gumption Skills Table
| D6 Roll | Gumption Skill | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bushwhacker | When this model is on Lookout and Reacts, after resolving their Reaction, roll one Grit Die on their behalf. If you score a Success, this model retains its Lookout marker and is not classed as Done. It can still only React once per triggering Action, however. |
| 2 | Nerves of Steel | This model may re-roll any one Die result on all its Nerve Tests, including Bottle Checks when applicable. |
| 3 | Hard to Kill | If this model is Downed at the start of the Recovery Phase, it automatically stands up Shaken. |
| 4 | Quickdraw | This model may re-roll a Reaction Test. |
| 5 | Lead-Belly | This model ignores the Grit Penalty whilst Shaken. |
| 6 | Slick | When Activated, this model may roll one Grit Die. On a Success, it can make an additional Action this Activation. |
Income Phase
In this Phase, you will earn Income from your Posse's downtime activities — law-abiding or otherwise. This is expressed in Dollars ($), which can be spent in the next Phase on various things.
You earn $4D6 if you drew or lost the game, or $5D6 if you won. Roll the Dice and add the scores together to find out how much Income you earn after upkeep and sundry expenses. These funds are stored in your Stash and can be used to buy additional Weapons and Gear, horses and/or new Recruits.
Encounters
When rolling for Income, any two, three or four of a kind on the dice means your Posse has had an Encounter. For example, if you rolled 3, 3, 4 and 5 you would earn $15 and the two 3s would indicate an Encounter — in this case, a Forgotten Cabin.
If you generate two or more different Encounters, you may choose which one (and only one) to resolve.
Look up the result below to see what has befallen your Posse — the results are applied immediately after working out your Income.
Two of a Kind Encounters Table
| Two of a Kind | Encounter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abandoned Ranch | The Posse comes across a derelict farm — there is no sign of any inhabitants... You can send one model to scavenge if you wish for $1D6. On a score of 1, you find a Lasso in addition to the money. |
| 2 | Refugees | The Posse encounters a bedraggled column of civilians in ragged clothes and carrying a few meagre possessions. You may either escort them to safety for $1D6 and a bottle of Whiskey, or attack them — roll a D6, and earn 1 Infamy on a score of 4+. |
| 3 | Forgotten Cabin | Deep in the backwoods, you stumble upon an old cabin. You may send one model to loot the cabin if you wish — roll a D6 to see what they find: 1: Nothing; 2-4: $1D6; 5-6: Shotgun. |
| 4 | Mad Preacher | A wild-eyed Priest staggers up the trail towards you, ranting incoherently and waving a fist at the sky! Roll a D6. On a 1-5 he rants and raves with no further effect. On a 6, he joins your Posse — exactly like a Preacher Hired Gun but with a Shotgun. |
| 5 | Old Moonshine Still | Deep in the backwoods you discover an old moonshine still — unopened bottles are strewn about the clearing. You find D3 bottles of Whiskey. On a natural roll of 6, you find a single bottle of Snake Oil instead. On a natural roll of 1, your Posse over-indulges and all your models that are Deployed at the start of your next game begin with a Done Token. |
Three of a Kind Encounters Table
| Three of a Kind | Encounter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isolated Ranch | As your Posse nears this small farmstead, the door opens and a young couple steps out to watch you approach. You may either attack the Ranch for 1 Infamy on a D6 score of 4+, or help out for a while for $1D8 and a Horse. |
| 2 | Lynch Mob | You come across a mob of angry townsfolk preparing to lynch a stranger... You may decide to ignore or intervene. If you intervene, make an Injury roll for D3 random models in your Posse (re-roll 'Dead') but gain a new Veteran armed with a Pistol. |
| 3 | Travelling Salesman | Out in the badlands, you see a garishly painted old wagon approaching in the distance... Choose two different Uncommon Items. These Items are available to buy in the following Purchase Phase, in addition to any your Boss finds by Searching. |
| 4 | Massacre | You stumble across the remains of a rival Posse, riddled with bullets. Roll a D6 to see what you find on the bodies: 1: Nothing; 2-3: $2D8; 4-5: Two Pistols and a Rifle; 6: Repeater Rifle and Shotgun. |
| 5 | Stampede! | You suddenly feel a rumbling in the ground, before a huge mass of panicked cattle thunders over a nearby ridge and straight for your Posse! Roll one Grit Die for D3 random models in your Posse — if you Succeed, the model is unharmed. If you Fail, make an Injury roll for that model. |
Four of a Kind Encounters Table
| Four of a Kind | Encounter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lawman Posse | A large group of grim-faced men surrounds you and demands that you give yourself up! You must pay $ equal to your current Infamy. If you cannot or will not pay, you must fight — make Injury rolls (re-roll 'Dead') for D3 random models in your Posse, but you manage to fight the Lawmen off and gain 1 EXP for your Boss. |
| 2 | Pilgrims | A group of sombrely dressed folk singing hymns crosses your Posse's path. Roll a D6. On a 1, you get a stern lecture but nothing else. On a 2+, a single model in your Posse with a Lasting Injury (your choice if it has more than one) may immediately remove its effects. |
| 3 | Escaped Prisoner | You pass a bedraggled man on the trail, and realise you've seen him before... on a Wanted poster in the nearby town! You can either turn him in or let him join you. If you turn him in, you earn $1D10 +5. If he joins you, gain a Novice with a Pistol. |
| 4 | Wagon Train | Crossing a dusty prairie, you encounter a winding column of covered wagons. As your Posse gets nearer, the lead driver hails you... You may either attack or ride along as guards. If you attack you earn 1 Infamy on a D6 roll of 4+, and $1D10. If you ride with them you earn $D8 and one other reward — roll a D6: 1: Repeater Rifle; 2: LeMat Pistol; 3: Boilerplate; 4: Sawn-Off Shotgun; 5: Telescopic Sight; 6: Horse. |
| 5 | Bushwhacked |
Purchase Phase
Recruitment
You may now Recruit new models for your Posse. The maximum number of models allowed in your Posse is 10.
You are never guaranteed a constant supply of good quality new recruits for your Posse. However, a successful and/or famous Posse is more likely to attract new members — roll one Grit Die on behalf of your Boss (so if they are a Veteran, you roll a D8, for example) on the table below, and add 1 to the result if you won the previous game:
| Die Result | Recruits Available |
|---|---|
| 1 | None |
| 2 | 1 Novice |
| 3 | 2 Novices |
| 4 | 3 Novices |
| 5 | 4 Novices |
| 6 | 1 Veteran |
| 7 | 2 Veterans |
| 8+ | 3 Veterans |
This is cumulative, so you may Recruit models from any result below the one you rolled up to the maximum number per Rank. So if your score was a 6 you could Recruit 1 Veteran and up to 4 Novices. If your score was a 10, you could recruit up to 3 Veterans and up to 4 Novices.
Hired Guns are treated as a model of the appropriate Rank for Recruitment purposes.
You may hire a Novice for $4, or a Veteran for $10.
Each new Recruit comes unarmed, and cannot be used in a game until they have at least one Weapon — you must therefore pay for their Weapons at the same time as you acquire your new Recruit, but these can be Basic or Special as you wish. If you hire a new Recruit but cannot afford to arm them, they may not be used in games until they have been armed — though they still count as part of your Posse.
Alternatively, you may freely swap Weapons and equipment between models in your Posse (except Hired Guns) as you wish during Recruitment.
You may also freely dismiss any number of models from your Posse at any point during Recruitment. If you do this then the model takes all their Weapons and equipment with them when they go.
Hired Guns
A Posse may hire only one of these individuals during each Purchase Phase. Each type of Hired Gun is on a 25mm diameter base, and can only be taken once per Posse.
A Hired Gun will increase a Posse's Infamy as normal, and counts towards its maximum number of models. However, they will never be a Posse's Boss — if your Posse ever comprises only Hired Gun models, you must start a brand new Posse.
During Recruitment, you must pay the listed Retainer for each Hired Gun in your Posse before doing anything else — if you cannot or will not pay, that Hired Gun leaves your Posse, taking all their current equipment with them.
Hired Guns will earn EXP, Advance and suffer Injuries like any other model unless stated otherwise.
Unless otherwise noted, they can be bought new Weapons and Gear if you wish.
| Hired Gun | To Hire | Retainer | Rank/Grit | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doc | $8 | $2 | Novice | Once per Campaign Turn, allows you to try to cure a single Lasting Injury currently suffered by a friendly model — this is attempted at the end of the Injury Phase. Roll one Grit Die on behalf of the Doc — a maximum score cancels that Injury, a score of 1 means the patient is dead; anything in between has no effect. Armed with a Pistol. If hired by a Native American Posse, the "Doc" may be a Medicine Man or healer. |
| Moonshiner | $12 | $3 | Novice | Once per game the Moonshiner may throw a burning bottle of 'shine following the rules for a stick of Dynamite. Armed with a Pistol, and adds one bottle of Whiskey to your Stash at the end of each game they survive on a D6 roll of 6. If this free Whiskey is not used up, the Moonshiner will not bring more Whiskey until the current bottle is finished. |
| Preacher | $6 | $2 | Novice | When you make a Bottle Check on behalf of your Posse, you may re-roll a single Die if your Preacher is on the table and not Down. Armed with a Pistol. If hired by a Native American Posse, this model may be a Shaman or wise-man. |
Buying and Selling
You may purchase additional Weapons for your models at the cost shown, so long as the Weapon is depicted on the model. Each model can carry up to three Weapons.
You may also buy up to three items of Gear for each model. Where possible or practical, these should also be shown on the model. At the very least, you should ensure that your opponents know exactly what each model is equipped with before the game starts, in the interests of fair play.
Finally, each model can have a single Horse, which takes up a Gear "slot".
Selling Items
If your Posse is really strapped for cash, you may sell on your unwanted Weapons, Gear and horses for half the listed price (rounded down to a minimum of 0) and add the amount to your Stash. For example, you may sell a Pistol for $1.
Searching for Uncommon Items
Certain Weapons and Gear are only available to your Posse in limited numbers. These are known as Uncommon Items and are marked out as such by a * on the Price list that follows.
You may declare that your Boss is Searching for Uncommon Items in the Purchase Phase — a Novice Boss rolls a D3 -1, a Veteran Boss rolls a D4 -1 and a Hero Boss rolls a D5 -1. If your Boss is currently "Laid-Up" due to Injury, they may not Search for Uncommon Items.
The result is the maximum number of Uncommon Items available to purchase (meaning that you don't get them for free). The exact Items available are at your discretion, as they are the ones your Boss is specifically Searching for; however, you cannot buy more than one of each Uncommon Item in each Campaign Turn.
For example, Aaron's Boss is at Veteran Rank, and he declares that he will Search for Uncommon Items. Aaron rolls a D4, and scores a final result of 3, which is reduced to 2. He can therefore purchase up to two Uncommon Items of his choice, and chooses a stick of Dynamite and a Bottle of Snake Oil.
Item Price List
| Basic Weapons | Cost | Horses and Gear | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pistol | $2 | Appaloosa Horse* | $15 |
| Shotgun | $5 | Horse | $10 |
| Carbine | $3 | Boilerplate* | $20 |
| Rifle | $5 | Dynamite* | $15 |
| Bow | $2 (Native Americans only) | Lasso | $3 |
| Special Weapons | Marked Cards* | $9 |
* Uncommon Item. Supernatural Gear is only used in a Dracula's America Campaign, but is included here for completeness.
Weapons Summary
(See the Basic Weapons Table and Special Weapons Table given under Shoot — the tables are repeated here in the book with identical contents.)
Weapon Classes
All Weapons (except Bows) have a Class — this is a rough grouping of similar types of firearm, and determines whether certain Skills and Gear can be used in conjunction with them. These Classes are Pistol, Shotgun and Rifle.
By way of an example, you can fit a Telescopic Sight to any Rifle-Class Weapon — this includes basic Rifles, Carbines, Repeater Rifles and Buffalo Guns.
Horses and Gear Summary
Appaloosa Horse. See the rules for Mounted Models — however, an Appaloosa has a Move rate of 8".
Horse. See the rules for Mounted Models.
Boilerplate. The wearer cancels one Success rolled by the Shooter each time it suffers a Shooting Attack, but its Move rate is reduced by 1" (even if Mounted). For example, the wearer suffers a Shooting Attack and the Shooter scores two Successes — because of the Boilerplate, one Success is cancelled out so only one Success is actually scored by the Shooter.
Derringer. This item can only be used once per game, in a Fight. The user gains a +1 Die Modifier for one Fight Test. A model may only use one Derringer per Fight Test, even if it has more than one such gun.
Dynamite. See the Dynamite rules. This is for one stick of Dynamite, and you may have any number in your Posse during a Campaign.
Lasso. As a Shoot Action, the user can throw the Lasso up to 6" at an enemy model — this Attack is not modified for Range (though other modifiers will apply). If the Target fails their Save they suffer no Damage, but are instead dragged 1" directly towards the Lasso thrower in a straight line for each Success the attacker scored. Note however that if the Target model is on a larger base than the user, then the maximum distance it can be dragged is 1". A model can be dragged off a horse or elevated position — and counts as falling where applicable.
Marked Cards. You may only have one of this item in your Posse. When rolling for Income, you may nominate a model to use the Cards and re-roll any single Die result. If the new roll is a 1, the nominated model is caught cheating and must roll for Injury immediately.
Snake Oil. This item is single-use. The user may apply this suspicious-looking tonic to a friendly model in Contact (including itself) and who is either Shaken or Down, using a full Move Action to do so. Roll a D6. The model immediately removes its Shaken marker (or stands up as if it was Down) on a roll of 4+. Regardless of Success, the item is used up and discarded.
Telescopic Sight. This must be attached to a specified Rifle-Class Weapon. The weapon's Long Range increases by 6". For example, a Carbine with a Telescopic Sight attached has a Long Range of 13-24" rather than 13-18". Only one Sight can be attached per weapon.
Vial of Nitro. A model can only carry one of this item. This item works exactly like a stick of Dynamite, and is one use only. The bearer cannot ride any kind of Horse. In addition, if the user ever fails a Save with a score of 1 or 2, the Nitro immediately explodes with the blast centred over them.
Whiskey. This item is single-use. The user may drink this item as part of any Move Action at the cost of 1" of movement. It then automatically passes all Nerve Tests it would have to make for the rest of this Turn (including Bottle Checks, if applicable), but suffers a -1 Die Modifier on all Shoot Tests. The effects of Whiskey end at the start of the following Game Turn.
Infamy Phase
Infamy is a measure of your Posse's success, and is calculated during this Phase as follows:
- Base Infamy = Number of models in your Posse + combined personal worth of models.
Each game you win also increases your Infamy by 1 — be sure to track this on your Roster Sheet. Finally, certain out-of-game Encounters can also increase your Posse's Infamy, depending on the choices you make.
For example, a Posse that has won three games and comprises six models — one Hero with the Fearsome Skill, two Veterans (one with the Gunslinger Skill) and three Novices — has an Infamy of 3 + 6 + 4 + 5 + 3 = 21.
Each model has a space on the Roster Sheet for you to record its personal worth in Infamy:
- Novices are worth 1 Infamy
- Veterans are worth 2 Infamy
- Heroes are worth 3 Infamy
- Each Skill a model has is worth +1 Infamy
For example, a Veteran with the Gunslinger and Fearsome Skills has an Infamy of 2 + 1 + 1 = 4.
At the end of the Campaign, the Posse with the highest total Infamy is deemed the winner.
Underdogs
If you play a game against a Posse with a higher Infamy, you are the Underdogs and will receive additional funding from your shadowy benefactors, and/or extra Experience. Note that you get this reward even if you lose the game — it's an incentive for taking on a more powerful opponent. See the table below.
As soon as the game is over, the bonus cash is immediately added to your Stash and the bonus EXP is distributed between your surviving models however you see fit — this is all done before moving on to the next Campaign Phase.
In a game involving three or more Posses, only the Posse with the lowest Infamy receives this bonus, which is worked out against the enemy Posse with the next lowest Infamy. If multiple Posses are tied for lowest Infamy, then nobody gets an Underdog bonus.
| Difference in Infamy | Underdog Bonus |
|---|---|
| 1 | None |
| 2-3 | $3 and 1 EXP |
| 4-5 | $5 and 2 EXP |
| 6-8 | $7 and 2 EXP |
| 9-11 | $9 and 3 EXP |
| 12-15 | $12 and 3 EXP |
| 16+ | $15 and 4 EXP |
Dracula's America
(The "Brief Timeline of Dracula's America" background chapter is omitted.)
Unusual Models
These abilities are not Skills, and so do not increase a model's personal Infamy.
Supernatural Models
These models follow all the usual rules as already given, but certain game effects may affect them differently. This will be noted where applicable.
Entities. These are a variant of Supernatural Creature, and are usually some kind of spirit-being summoned to the table via the use of certain Arcane Powers. Where an effect pertains to a Supernatural model, it also applies to an Entity — however, something that affects only Entities will not apply to other Supernatural Creatures.
Flying Models
These models may ignore all other models and terrain as they Move, and will never need to leap or suffer the effects of falling (they are simply placed at the bottom of the elevated position, having floated safely to the ground).
Flying models are assumed to start and end each Move Action on the ground, unless otherwise stated — this must be in a position where the model can physically stand.
They may ride a horse if allowed to do so, but will follow the rules for Mounted models instead of those for Flying.
A Flying model cannot use these bonuses while inside a building or other enclosed space.
Ethereal Models
These models work in a similar way to Flying models — they may pass "through" all other models and terrain as they Move, and will never need to leap or suffer the effects of falling (as with Flying models, they are simply placed at the bottom of the elevated position, having floated safely to the ground).
However, all such movement is assumed to be made along the ground like a regular model on foot — it cannot fly up to the roof of a three-storey building from the ground floor, for example. It may freely pass through the solid walls of the building though, unlike a Flying model.
Lastly, an Ethereal model cannot end a Move "inside" solid terrain or another model.
Arcane Powers
You can turn a single non-Hired Gun model in your Posse into an Arcanist by giving them a Grimoire item — the Grimoire is destroyed in the process, so does not take up a Gear slot.
Becoming an Arcanist adds 1 to a model's personal Infamy.
You can only have one Arcanist in your Posse at any one time — certain Factions have access to other models that are able to use certain Arcane Powers, and these can be taken in addition to your single allowed Arcanist. They otherwise follow all the Casting rules given below.
When it becomes an Arcanist, a model must choose three different Powers from the Arcane Power Summary. These Powers cannot be changed once chosen — however, if an Arcanist Advances then they may choose a new Power instead of rolling on the Advance table. An Arcanist can know a maximum of six different Powers.
Casting Powers
Once per Activation, a model may attempt to Cast a Power instead of making a Move or Shoot Action, if it is not in Contact with an enemy model. An Arcanist cannot Cast a Power as a Reaction.
Make a 3 Dice Casting Test for the model, and if you score Successes equal to or over the Power's listed Difficulty, the Power is Cast successfully. If you score no Successes and at least one Die is a 1, you Miscast and the Caster immediately becomes Shaken (or Downed if already Shaken).
A model can have only one of each Power in play at any one time — for example, a single Caster could not have two Transfix Powers in effect at once.
Unless stated otherwise, the effects of all Powers cease at the start of this Game Turn's Recovery Phase.
Should the Caster be Downed or become a Casualty, the effects of all Powers they have in play will end immediately. Any Summoned Entities they brought into play will, however, remain.
Concentrate
A Caster may declare a special Concentrate Action as the first Action of their Activation. If their second Action is to Cast, they gain a +1 Die Modifier to their Casting Test. Note this bonus only applies in the same Activation in which the Caster Concentrated.
Summoned Models
A Posse can only have one Summoned model in play per Summoner at any time, and may only have one of each type of Entity at a time (one Lesser and one Minor Entity, but not two Lesser Entities).
If the same Summoner brings a new model into play that would not otherwise be allowed, an existing Summoned model (of your choice) is immediately removed from the table.
Summoned models are part of the Summoner's Posse — though they do not count towards your total Posse size, do not add a card to your Hand, and can never be your Boss. If you only have Summoned models left on the table at any point, they are removed immediately.
A Summoned model is worth VPs to the model that caused it to become a Casualty, as normal.
All Summoned models disappear at the end of a game — they do not increase your Infamy and cannot Advance or suffer Injuries.
The most common type of Summoned models are Entities that use the following rules, and any Faction may Summon them. They can represent any kind of Supernatural Creature, such as spirits, imps or cherubs.
Common Summoned Models Table
| Entity | Base Size | Move | Grit | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lesser Entity | 25mm | 4" | D6 | Entity. Fearsome |
| Minor Entity | 25mm | 4" | D8 | Entity. Fearsome |
| Major Entity | 40mm | 4" | D10 | Entity. Fearsome |
Unique Summonings
Certain Factions may also Summon the unique Entities described below. However, if they do so, the Casting Test suffers a -1 Die Modifier to represent the increased difficulty of Summoning such a wilful creature.
These unique Summonings nevertheless count as either Lesser, Minor or Major Entities and follow all the general rules given above.
| Entity | Base Size | Move | Grit | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behemoth | 40mm | 4" | D10 | Major Entity. Flying, Fearsome. Has a breath attack which uses a 4" Fire Corridor. Can be Summoned by Crossroads Cult Arcanists only. |
| Hellhound | 25mm | 6" | D6 | Lesser Entity. Fearsome. Can be Summoned by Crossroads Cult Arcanists only. |
| Seraphim | 25mm | 6" | D10 | Major Entity. Flying. Gunslinger. Fearsome. Armed with two Blessed Pistols (Pistols with Silver Bullets that never Jam). Can be Summoned by Twilight Order Arcanists only. |
| Swamp Baka | 40mm | 4" | D8 | Major Entity. Fearsome. Hard to Kill. Lead-Belly. Tough. Ignores rough ground. May unleash writhing tendrils, using the rules for a Lasso. Can be Summoned by Congregation Arcanists only. |
Arcane Power Summary
Arcane Blast
Difficulty 2. A glaring beam of Arcane energy streaks from your outstretched palms. Make an unmodified 3 Dice Shooting Test against one visible Target model within 9". Roll four Dice if the Target is an Entity.
Banish
Difficulty 1. You concentrate, and send the foul creature before you back to its own dimension! Roll one Grit Die on behalf of the Caster — a visible Target enemy Entity model within 6" does the same. If the Caster rolls higher, the Target is immediately removed from play, otherwise there is no effect.
Bless
Difficulty 1. Calling upon your patron power, you ask a blessing for your ally. Place a "Bless" token on any one visible friendly model within 12". The Blessed model may re-roll all Failures it scores once in the very next Test or Save it has to make, after which the token is removed. A model can only have one Bless Token at a time.
Blessing a Cursed model (see below) removes that token, but otherwise has no effect. The reverse is also true.
Curse
Difficulty 1. Gesturing towards the enemy, you call down an ancient hex upon their heads! Place a "Curse" token on any one visible enemy model within 12". The Cursed model must re-roll all Successes it scores once in the very next Test or Save it has to make, after which the token is removed. A model can only suffer one Curse token at a time.
Dispel
Difficulty 2. With a wave of your hand, you unbind the Arcane threads of the enemy's Power... Remove any one Bless, Curse, or Warding Circle token/marker within 12" from play. Measure to the model affected by the token/marker. No LOS is required for this Power.
Faith Healing
Difficulty 3. Your hands glow brightly as you place them over your comrade's wound — which immediately stops bleeding and begins to seal up! Target a friendly Down/Shaken model in Contact with the Caster. It immediately recovers and stands up if Down, or if Shaken it removes this Token.
Immolate
Difficulty 3. With a mighty shout, a shockwave of Arcane energy blasts outwards from you in all directions! All other models (not the Caster themselves) whose centre of base lies within 3" of the Caster must make a 5+ Save. Any model within the 3" radius, but whose centre of base is not, may make a 1 Die Reaction Test. If Failed, they must make the Save as well.
Scry
Difficulty 1. Looking inwards, you concentrate and receive a fleeting glimpse into your enemy's intentions... Nominate one opposing player. You may look at this player's Hand of cards.
Summon
Difficulty 1-3. Uttering forgotten syllables, you summon a creature from another Plane of existence and bind it to your will! Choose a Difficulty before rolling to Cast. If successful, place the appropriate Entity within LOS and 3" of the Caster, and no closer than 1" to an enemy.
Difficulty 1 Summons a Lesser Entity, 2 Summons a Minor Entity, and 3 Summons a Major Entity.
Certain Factions may also Summon specific types of Entity — in which case a -1 Die Modifier will apply to the Casting Test.
Transfix
Difficulty 2. As the victim meets your burning gaze, they feel their mind drifting away... Target any one visible non-Entity enemy model within 6" that has not yet Activated. It must Succeed a 1 Die Nerve Test or immediately receive a Done Token.
Warding Circle
Difficulty 2. Tracing Arcane sigils in the air, you create a barrier that no unnatural creature may cross. Place a 50mm diameter Warding Circle marker centred under the Caster. No enemy Supernatural model may Move into Contact with the edge of the marker. If already within this area, their owner immediately moves them directly away the minimum distance necessary in a straight line until they are outside it, exactly as if they had been Shoved. This forced Move is not a Disengage, must stop once the model is 1" away from the marker, and cannot be used to Contact an enemy model.
The marker remains in play indefinitely, or until the Caster makes any other Action/Reaction, is Downed or becomes a Casualty.
The Factions
(Faction background fiction and in-character quotations are omitted; the rules for each Faction are transcribed below.)
The Twilight Order
Joining the Order grants your Posse access to various blessed weapons and ammunition with which to vanquish evil.
Faction Benefit: Crusaders of the Order. Two non-Hired Gun models in your Posse must become Crusaders of the Order when you join this Faction. These models each gain Nerves of Steel, a suit of armour (counting as Boilerplate), and start each game with all their Weapons fully loaded with Silver Bullets for free. Neither the Silver Bullets nor the armour may be given to other models, or sold on between games.
Should a Crusader ever be killed, you must have another eligible model in the Posse become a new Crusader to take their place between games for free — but you may never have more than two Crusaders in your Posse. They gain the benefits listed above in addition to their existing Weapons, Skills and so on.
The Red Hand Coven
Joining the Red Hand Coven makes your Posse the thralls of Dracula and his Shadow Union.
Faction Benefit: Broodkin. Two non-Hired Gun models in your Posse must become vampiric Broodkin (or, if a Boss, a Broodsire) when you join this Faction. This makes them Supernatural and Move 6", and also gives them Hard to Kill and the Transfix Arcane Power (though they are not Arcanists).
In addition, if a Shaken Broodkin spends an Action while in Contact with a Downed Bystander or Downed non-Supernatural model, they will Feed. Their victim is removed from play, and the Broodkin removes their Shaken marker.
Should a Broodkin ever be killed, you must have another eligible model in the Posse become a new Broodkin to take their place between games for free — but you may never have more than two Broodkin in your Posse. They gain the benefits listed above in addition to their existing Weapons, Skills, and so on.
The Skinwalker Tribes
Your Posse become shape-shifting guardians of Nature when you join this Faction. Only Native American Posses may join this Faction.
Faction Benefit: Skinwalkers. Two non-Hired Gun models must become Skinwalkers when you join this Faction. A Skinwalker is Supernatural, and may assume its Beast Form or return to Human Form by using an entire Move Action to do so. All Weapons and Gear they carry transform too, as part of the magic.
A Skinwalker must begin each game in Human Form.
A Skinwalker's Beast Form may be either Wolf or Bear — this is chosen when a model first becomes a Skinwalker, and cannot be changed from that point on.
In Beast Form, the model is replaced with a suitable monstrous model on a 40mm base. It gains Fearsome, plus the appropriate abilities listed below, but cannot use any Weapons or Gear, Cast Arcane Powers or ride a horse (which flees the table automatically if the Skinwalker transforms while riding).
If Downed, it reverts to Human Form immediately — a Downed Skinwalker cannot assume its Beast Form until it Recovers.
Shaken and other game markers carry over between Forms.
Should a Skinwalker ever be killed, you must have another eligible model in the Posse become a new Skinwalker to take their place between games for free — but you may never have more than two Skinwalkers in your Posse. They gain the benefits listed above in addition to their existing Weapons, Skills, and so on.
Wolf Form. Moves 6", and has an additional +2 Die Modifier in a Fight when on the Attack (it does not gain this benefit for being the Defender).
Bear Form. If this model wins a Fight, its opponent suffers a -1 Save Modifier. In addition, when Fighting an opponent on a smaller base, if the Skinwalker wins by two or more, it crushes the loser in a bear-hug! Should the victim fail its Save, it treats the Damage result as one worse — for example, a result of Shaken becomes Downed.
The Crossroads Cult
A Crossroads Cult Posse serves diabolical masters masquerading as wealthy rail barons back East, and can call upon unnatural Abyssal Entities in battle. Native American Posses can never join this Faction.
Faction Benefit: The Magister. When you join this Faction, your Boss is a Magister of the Cult and automatically becomes an Arcanist for free. One of their three chosen Powers must be Summon. Should your Magister die, their replacement automatically becomes the new Magister as described above, in addition to their existing Weapons, Skills, and so on.
Faction Benefit: The Harbinger of the Abyss. In addition, a single non-Hired Gun model in your Posse becomes a Harbinger of the Abyss — the true, diabolical power behind your Magister's throne. A Harbinger is Flying, Supernatural and automatically knows the Summon Arcane Power, but does not count as an Arcanist.
If they are not Downed and are within 6" of their Posse's Magister, then the Magister gets a +1 Die Modifier on all their Casting Tests.
A Harbinger can never be your Posse's Boss — if they are the only surviving model in your Posse after any game, you must start a new Posse immediately.
Should your Harbinger ever die, you must choose another eligible model to be your new Harbinger. They gain the benefits listed above in addition to their existing Weapons, Skills, and so on.
The Congregation
Joining the Congregation means your Posse has sworn to stop the Dark Confederacy, and fights — even beyond death — to protect the remnants of the Free South with the power of Vodou granted to them by the mysterious Loa spirits.
Faction Benefit: The Vessel. Before each game, one non-Supernatural, non-Hired Gun model of your choice in your Posse must be the Vessel for a Loa spirit before Deployment. The Vessel gains Flying, Supernatural, Tough, Fearsome and the Arcane Blast Arcane Power (though this does not make them an Arcanist).
Any applicable Skills and/or Arcane Powers the model has can still be used while it is possessed — however they will temporarily lose all their Weapons, Gear, and Horse until after the game, when the possessed model reverts to normal.
Faction Benefit: Zombi Warriors. Whenever a non-Supernatural, non-Hired Gun model in your Posse dies, you may choose to have them immediately return to unlife as a Zombi Warrior. You may have a maximum of two Zombis in your Posse at one time. If you wish to have a third model become a Zombi, you must choose an existing Zombi and remove them from your Roster.
A Zombi becomes Supernatural and gains Lead-Belly and Tough (if it didn't have these Skills already) and retains the Rank, Skills, Lasting Injuries, Arcane Powers, Weapons, and Gear it had immediately prior to dying. However it may no longer earn EXP or Advance.
In a one-off game, you may have up to two eligible models become Zombis when you choose your Posse — note who they are on your Roster.
The Dark Confederacy
Throwing your lot in with the Dark Confederacy gives your Posse power over death itself.
Faction Benefit: Master Necromancer. When you join this Faction, your Posse's Boss becomes a Master Necromancer and an Arcanist. They must take Faith Healing as one of their Powers. If your Necromancer dies, their replacement automatically becomes a Master Necromancer as described above, in addition to their existing Weapons, Skills, and so on.
Faction Benefit: Revenants. Before you Deploy your Posse each game, roll a D3+1. Your Posse is joined by this many Revenant models, under your direct control, for this game only. Revenants are part of your Posse, but do not contribute to its maximum number of models or the number of cards you draw each Turn.
| Model | Base Size | Move | Grit | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenant | 25mm | 4" | D6 | Fearsome. Hard to Kill. Armed with a Pistol. |
Revenants are always armed with a single Pistol and cannot be given any other Weapons, Gear, or Horses — if the models are shown carrying any other Weapons, it is assumed these count as a Pistol.
They can never go on Lookout, and are worth no VP to the enemy.
Finally, Revenants will automatically leave your Posse after each game and so never earn EXP, roll for Injuries or add to your Infamy rating.
When your Boss Activates, you may also choose to Activate all your Revenant models — though each Revenant can only ever make a single Action. This counts as part of the Boss' Activation, but does not use any of his/her own Actions.
Note that this is the only way you can Activate your Revenants, and can only be done once per Turn — regardless of how many Revenants you actually Activate, they all receive a Done Token whether they made an Action or not.
If your Boss ever becomes a Casualty in a game, then all Revenants will immediately revert to harmless corpses as the dark magic reanimating them dissipates — they are all removed from play at the same time.
Supernatural Events
Instead of using the Unexpected Events table, you may roll on the following table instead.
| D6 Roll | Event | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Armed Civilians | The locals have finally had enough! Randomly select one area of terrain or building that has no models within. Make an unmodified 2 Dice Shooting Test with Grit D6 against all visible models within 6" of the terrain. No Reactions are allowed against these attacks. |
| 2 | Unnatural Gloom | A sinister darkness falls over the area... Until the end of this Game Turn, visibility is reduced to 12" for all non-Supernatural models. |
| 3 | Haunted! | The Posses have disturbed... something... from its eternal rest — and it is not amused! Randomly select one area of terrain or building that has models in it. All non-Supernatural models in that terrain piece that are not Downed must Succeed on a 1 Die Nerve Test or immediately Move the minimum distance possible (using as many Actions as necessary) to leave the area — this forced Move must stop once the model is 1" away from the terrain, and cannot be used to Contact an enemy model. It does not count as an Action. |
| 4 | Let There Be Light | The battlefield is bathed in glaring sunshine or brilliant starlight. Until the end of this Game Turn, all Supernatural models suffer a -1 Die Modifier on all Tests. |
| 5 | Arcane Storm | Invisible to the mundane eye, a swirling vortex of Arcane energy descends overhead. Until the end of this Game Turn, all attempts to Cast Arcane Powers have a +1 Die Modifier. However, on a Miscast the Caster immediately becomes a Casualty. |
Supernatural Creatures
Use these rules to determine how a randomly encountered creature behaves on the battlefield. Where a Supernatural Creature behaves differently in some way, this will be noted in its entry in the Bestiary.
During the NPC Phase, every Creature not in Contact with an enemy model will make up to two Move Actions towards the closest visible enemy (counting as Charging, should they Contact them), or in a random direction (in the same way as a Bystander moves) if there are no potential victims in sight.
If their first Move takes them into Contact with an enemy model, they will use their second Action to Fight if possible. Note that a Charging Creature ends its Activation after making its free Fight — it does not Fight twice.
If already in Contact with an enemy model when Activated, it will simply perform a single Fight Action against them. If in Contact with multiple Targets, then randomly select which one the Creature will attack.
- Creatures consider all non-NPC models to be enemies, and vice-versa.
- When attacking or defending against a Creature, the player to the left of the opponent rolls on behalf of the Creature.
- Creatures can be Shaken and Downed as normal. Make Recovery rolls for each Downed Creature in the Recovery Phase, as you would for any other model.
- A Creature is worth no VP.
Zombie or Vampiric Outbreak!
In games where you are using the Innocent Bystander rules, you may instead decide to use Zombies or Vampire Fledglings if all players agree. Roll D5+3 to determine how many Zombies/Fledglings are to be placed on the table. See the Bestiary for the Zombie and Vampire Fledgling rules.
Of course, you could combine Zombies, Fledglings and Bystanders for a truly chaotic game.
Unwelcome Guests: A Bestiary
Whenever you roll an "Unwelcome Guest" result on the Supernatural Events table, you must roll a D10 on the table below to discover what kind of Creature has shown up. They will behave using the rules for NPCs, as outlined above, unless otherwise stated.
When it appears, place the Creature as close as possible to the centre of a randomly determined table edge.
All Unwelcome Guests are Supernatural.
| D10 Roll | Unwelcome Guest |
|---|---|
| 1 | Jackalope |
| 2 | Chupacabra |
| 3 | Vampire Fledgling |
| 4 | Hellhound |
| 5 | Sasquatch |
| 6 | Zombie |
| 7 | Lost Soul |
| 8 | Manitou |
| 9 | Pale Rider |
| 10 | Vampire Ancient |
| Creature | Base Size | Move | Grit | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackalope (a small, aggressive beast resembling a large jack-rabbit with sharp fangs and antlers) | 20mm | 6" | D6 | Bull-Rush. |
| Chupacabra (a scrawny, simian creature with scaly skin and a long tongue used to suck blood) | 20mm | 6" | D6 | Always moves towards closest visible Downed enemy — if the Chupacabra Contacts a Downed model, that model immediately becomes a Casualty. |
| Vampire Fledgling (feral creatures in the first throes of vampiric infection) | 25mm | 6" | D6 | Mean. |
| Hellhound | 25mm | 6" | D6 | Entity. Fearsome. |
| Sasquatch |
Supernatural Hired Guns
These new Hired Guns may only be hired in a Dracula's America Campaign, but otherwise follow all the normal rules for Hired Guns.
| Hired Gun | To Hire | Retainer | Rank/Grit | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpathian Guard | $18 | $4 | Veteran | Nerves of Steel and Tough while within LOS and 3" of your Posse's Boss. Armed with a Pistol and a huge, two-handed Woodsman's Axe (in a Fight, enemies struck by this suffer a -1 Save Modifier). This axe can never be sold on or used by any other model, and the Carpathian Guard can never use any other Weapons. Can only be Hired by Red Hand Coven Posses. |
| Maverick Arcanist | $16 | $4 | Novice | Arcanist — may be included in your Posse alongside the usual one allowed Arcanist. Knows only the Arcane Blast Power (representing ensorcelled playing cards) when Hired, but can learn others as normal. Armed with a Pistol. |
| Stitch-Doctor | $12 | $3 | Novice | Supernatural. Once per Campaign Turn, allows you to cancel a single Lasting Injury one of your models is currently suffering from during the Injury Phase. However, one other non-Hired Gun model in your Posse immediately suffers that Lasting Injury instead (harvested for parts). A Stitch-Doctor never rolls for Injuries. Armed with a Pistol. |
| Templar of the Order |
Supernatural Gear
In addition to the usual Gear allowed in a regular Campaign, your Posse can also find or buy (see the Item Price List) the following items:
Supernatural Gear Summary
Blessed Water. Can only be taken by a non-Supernatural model. It follows all the rules for Dynamite except it only affects Supernatural models. Other models simply get a bit of a soaking.
Grimoire. Can be given to any non-Hired Gun model, which becomes an Arcanist if your Posse does not already have one. The Grimoire is destroyed in the process as the new Arcanist absorbs all the eldritch power from its pages, reducing the book to dust. If an existing Arcanist is given a Grimoire, it benefits from a +1 Die Modifier when attempting to Cast a Power — this does not destroy the Grimoire. Further Grimoires have no effect. Furthermore, a model with access to an Arcane Power, but that is not a "true" Arcanist (such as a Broodkin with its Transfix Power), gains no benefit from a Grimoire.
Holy Symbol. Can only be taken by a non-Supernatural model. Even if they are not an Arcanist, the user may attempt to Cast either the Warding Circle or Banish Arcane Power following all normal rules, once per game. This item cannot cause a Miscast. If you fail to Cast the chosen Power, you may try again in the same game — but once Cast successfully the Symbol cannot be used until your next game.
Lucky Jackalope's Foot. This item is one use per game. You may re-roll a single Die on behalf of the user, abiding by the second result as usual.
Silver Bullets. You may load one weapon with Silver Bullets before a game, for each of these Items you possess — these last until the end of the game (whereupon the blessing expires) or until the weapon Jams (representing your supply of Silver Bullets running out — when you clear the Jam, the Weapon fires regular bullets for the rest of the game), at which point the Silver Bullets are removed from your Roster. Until then, Supernatural models Hit by this Weapon suffer an additional -1 Save Modifier.
Supernatural Encounters
When rolling for Income in a Dracula's America Campaign, use the following Encounters instead of the standard ones given earlier.
Two of a Kind Encounters Table (Supernatural)
| Two of a Kind | Encounter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abandoned Ranch | The Posse comes across a derelict farm. There is no sign of any inhabitants apart from the word 'Croatoan' scratched into the front door... You can send one model to scavenge, if you wish, for $1D6. On a score of 6, you find a Lasso in addition to the money. |
| 2 | Refugees | The Posse encounters a bedraggled column of haunted-looking civilians in ragged clothes and carrying a few meagre possessions. You may either escort them to safety for $1D6 and a bottle of Whiskey, or attack them and earn 1 Infamy on a D6 roll of 4+. |
| 3 | Forsaken Cabin | Deep in the backwoods, you stumble upon an old cabin with bloodstains all around. You feel as if the trees themselves are watching you hungrily... You may send one model to loot the cabin. Roll a D6 to see what they find: 1: The model is never seen again! 2: The model is temporarily unhinged by their experiences and must miss your Posse's next game. 3-4: $1D6. 5: Shotgun with 'Boomstick' etched on the stock. 6: Grimoire, bound in what looks like human skin. |
| 4 | Mad Preacher | A wild-eyed priest staggers up the trail towards you, ranting incoherently about 'the Elder Things' and waving a fist at the darkening sky! Roll a D6. On a 1-5, he rants and raves with no further effect. On a 6, he joins your Posse — exactly like a Preacher Hired Gun but with a Shotgun. |
| 5 | Sacred Burial Ground |
Three of a Kind Encounters Table (Supernatural)
| Three of a Kind | Encounter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isolated Ranch | Miraculously, this small farmstead seems untouched by the surrounding horrors of Dracula's America! You may either attack the Ranch for 1 Infamy on a D6 roll of 4+, or help out for a while, earning $1D8 and a Horse. |
| 2 | Lynch Mob | You come across a mob of angry townsfolk preparing to lynch a stranger. You may decide to ignore or intervene. If you intervene, make an Injury roll for D3 random models in your Posse (re-roll 'Dead') but gain a new Veteran armed with a Pistol. |
| 3 | Abandoned Church | The faithful who once worshipped here are long since fled — or worse... You may either raze the building for 1 Infamy on a D6 roll of 4+ (if Skinwalker Tribes, Red Hand Coven, Crossroads Cult or Dark Confederacy), or pray if any other Posse. If you pray, roll a D6 for each model. On a 5+, that model starts the next game with a Bless Token (see the Bless Arcane Power), which lasts until the end of the game or until negated by the Curse/Dispel Powers. |
| 4 | Massacre | Rounding a corner, you stumble across several bodies sprawled across the trail. Each seems to have died from multiple claw and bite wounds — whatever did this may still be on the prowl nearby... Roll a D6 to see what you find on the bodies: 1: Nothing. 2-3: $1D8. 4-5: Two Pistols and a Rifle. 6: Repeater Rifle and Shotgun. |
| 5 | Stampede! |
Four of a Kind Encounters Table (Supernatural)
| Four of a Kind | Encounter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Battlefield | An oppressive aura of sadness assails you as the Posse crosses this desolate wasteland, which is filled with crude grave markers from the Civil War. Only Dark Confederacy, Skinwalker Tribes, Congregation or Twilight Order Posses are affected by this Encounter. A Dark Confederacy Posse may command the dead to rise, and when rolling for Revenants (in the next game only) they automatically gain the maximum four Revenants rather than having to roll. Congregation, Skinwalker Tribes or Twilight Order Posses may try to sanctify the site — roll a D6, and on a 4+ the Posse's Boss earns 1 EXP. |
| 2 | Pilgrims | A group of somberly dressed folk singing mournful hymns crosses your Posse's path. Roll a D6. On a 1, you get a stern lecture but nothing else. On a 2, you get a Holy Symbol. On a 3, you get a Blessed Water. On a 4+, one model removes a single Lasting Injury they are currently suffering. |
| 3 | The Gallows Tree | You come across the ominous sight of a huge, gnarled tree with many bodies swinging amongst its twisted branches. Roll a D6 to see what you find: 1: Bottle of Snake Oil. 2-3: $1D8. 4: Lucky Jackalope's Foot. 5: Marked Cards. 6: Grimoire. |
| 4 | Wagon Train | Crossing a dusty prairie, you encounter a winding column of covered wagons. As your Posse gets nearer, the lead driver hails you... You may either attack or ride along as guards. If you attack, you earn 1 Infamy on a D6 roll of 4+, and $1D10. If you ride with them, you earn $1D10 and one other reward — roll a D6: 1: Repeater Rifle. 2: LeMat Pistol. 3: Boilerplate. 4: Sawn-Off Shotgun. 5: Telescopic Sight. 6: Horse. |