"Cue Harmonica music"
"Cue tumbleweed"
""Stuntman fall off roof"
Cliff very kndly agreed to take me through a game or three of 'Dead Man's Hand - Redux', which allowed me to get out a batch of 28mm Wils West figures that I probably haven't used since the days of Warhammer: Legends of The Old West which we played in 2004 onwards! Think I might even have sold mine. But I still have a gang of Lawmen, and a squad of US Infantry too. Cliff only has the basic rules (otherwise my Commanche might well have come out), so Lawmen it was!
The game splits into three 'Scenes', basically scenarios. One player is the good guy (I am the law), the other the baddie, and many old movies get quoted!
Scenario 1:
The bad guys take afront at the new guy in town and call him out in the street:
In this case, my Marshal (yes, many were black, especially in the Post-Civil War era, it was a well-paid position) faces off against three of Cliff's toughs.
Despite wounding one, a lucky shot from a thug floors the Marshal, and that scenario was over pretty quickly! Cliff gets rewarded with a bonus special effect card going forwards for the next two scenarios.
Scenario 2: Cliffs big boss is doing some shopping in the General Store, when my posse of lawmen decide to clear the streets. The Marshal and a deputy are discussing previous events in the hotel, but the Sheriff has gathered some reliable towns folk, deputised them, broke out the Remington repeating rifles to help him clear the streets of outlaw types.
The Marshal, slightly patched up, rushes to see what all the noise is. He soon guns down two of Cliff's gang at point blank range
A helpful local with shotgun waits for Cliff's boss, who is in no hurry to finish picking a present for his Mrs.
Well, that was a risk, Cliff's hired guns tore through my boys, but thier grit was firm. To win, Cliff needed to down three of my gang before I silenced two of his. The action was fast, but my Sherrif deals with the thugs ruthlessly, just as Cliff's boss emerges. The thugs are downed. A close victory for the Lawmen.
Scenario 3:
A good, old-fashioned, steeet shootout. Cliff's gang are split in two, with the left hand portion activating at the end of turn one.
My Sheriff, and the Marshal approach from one end of the street, and Deputy Dawg has taken a rooftop vantage point with his repeating rifle. A sizeable chunk of my gang is forced into reserve, coming in behind the outlaws on a later turn.
My first action was for Deputy Dawg to take a shot at Cliff's boss, sniping from the roof, and it took him out!
As he fell, Cliff's boss snapped off a shot at Deputy Dawg, knocking him back, nearly off the roof (queue
Wilheim Scream)
The entire weight of Cliff's gang then spent their lead finishing off poor Deputy Dawg.
Cards show activation order, as the two gangs scattered, and let the lead fly.
Sandwiched between my posse, the Outlaws fought hard, taking down both concerned citizens and the Marshal, but their toll of losses was rising.
The Sheriff cut loose, gunning down three in quick succession. Despite the losses, which causes a grit test on the posse, Cliff's gang are eliminated. Victory to the law.
Did I enjoy these tules? Definitely
Even with the basic rules, it was a good game.
Can you pick up the basics easily? Yes, but the cards effects give it lots of fun nuances such as jamming opponents guns or a character not dieing when shot.
Would I play again? Absolutely!
They were quick, scenarios were fun. The narrative ran smoothly through, the sense of a building final encounter is brilliant, all very cinematic. Brilliant.
. Plus, Cliff is a gentleman amd always a hoot to play against.
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