RULES FOR PLAYING GAMES AND CAMPAIGNS OF THE WILD WEST ON A MAN-TO-MAN SCALE By Brian Blume & Gary Gygax Edited by Mike Carr © 1975, 1979 Tactical Studies Rules, TSR Games Second Edition, First Printing, April 1979 TSR GAMES POB 756 LAKE GENEVA, WI 53147 1TABLE OF CONTENTS (Chart and Tables of importance ar listed inboiace) INTRODUCTION THE GAME GAME MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT TIME & GAME SCALE Campaign Plas BASIC RULES SETTING UP GAME CHARACTERS. DETERMINATION OF INDIVIDUAL ABILITIES ‘Speed Table (Gm Accuracy Taming Accuracy Table Boner Table Experience Table. Tail Moin Suva! Modification EQUIPPING THE CHARACTER Price Chart DASE NUMBERS (FIRST SHOT & “10 iT) Fir Shot Determination Hit Determination ‘TURN SEQUENCE Game Turn Sequence Outline MOVEMENT Combat WEAPONS ‘Weapons Char OBSERVATION a SIGHTING TARGET SELECTION FIRST SHOT DETERMINATION First Shot Determination Char, HIT DETERMINATION it Determination Cl WOUNDS, ‘Shotgun’ Scatter Gan ie Table Wound Chart BRAWLS, ie Blow inte sling Chars Punching Table, Grappling Table) Example of: Brant ADVANCED RULES SIMULTANEOUS MOVEMENT TURN SEQUENCE ADVANCED MOVEMENT Hidden Movement, ADVANCED COMBAT ie During Movement. Fireat Mounted Targes Arched Arrows MINOR CHARACTER MORALE Minos Characins, Cerainy 2 2 2 2 2 B 5 5 a 5 OPTIONAL RULES ALTERNATE FIRST SHOT DETERMINATION. SHARPSHOOTING STUNNING. ning Cha INTOXICATION PROFESSIONAL GAMBLERS DYNAMITE ‘njry From Dynamite Exporon MISFIRES Mitre Table . STRAY BULLETS. GATLING GUNS CAMPAIGNS CAMPAIGN GAME SUGGESTIONS “Tre Reterse The Campaign Scenarios The Mae Campaign Time Monee On The Canpaiga Map Roles & Objectives POssEs. TRACKING “Tracking Chat AGING & PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS HEALING WOUNDS. THE COST OF LIVING Cost OF Lising Table MISCELLANEOUS CHARACTERS Miselaneous Characters Chart ‘THE FASTEST GUNS THAT EVER LIVED ‘astet Gune That Ever Lined Chart APPENDICES APPENDIX A: THE CODE OF THE OLD WEST APPENDIX 8. THE GUNFIGHT AT THE OK. CORRAL TRAINING GAME) ‘The Character Example Of Pay APPENDIX C. THE BATILE OF COFFEVVILLE ‘The Characters — The Dalton Gang APPENDIX’ D. CAMPAIGN SCENARIO 1 — PROMISE CITY. 1876 Fletonal Np-Pliyer Characiers Cha APPENDIX E- CAMPAIGN SCENARIO. il — PROMISE CITY & EL DORADO COUNTY. 189) APPENDIX F DESIGNING YOUR OWN SCENARIOS APPENDIX G: LOOT APPENDIX Hi COMBINING BOOT HILL WiTH (OTHER GAME SYSTEMS. APPENDIX. I" STANDARD BUILDING INTERIORS APPENDIX J: REFERENCE SHEETS® APPENDIX K: BOOT HILL CHARACTER RECORD SHEET * These pages at the rear ofthe booklet ate perforated for esy renova a a a te ie ie we 4 a 1" i. ™ 8 FS a au 2 xINTRODUCTION THE GAME BOOT HILL is designed to function at game in two maps — as a et of rule for an-to-tan gunfightng acto, and as an outline guide fr seting Sp quasi hstoricel or fetnal role-playing eampalgns for am ongoing series cP Sotnuing vente Although in the fat context sone BOOT HILL wil provide many hours of exciting ston tis nthe later way that the game Fay reveals alts enjoyable potbiis — a player characters pursue heir individual goal and interact with each tbe in «continuing game station. ‘With good mix of interesting players anda competent gamemaster/relree ‘here wil ertaily Beno lack of action — as sheep ranchers and cate ‘tute, ambitious enirosd mea push thelr ghts of way onward, lnwmen Sorue cullaws and ruler, unserspolovs businessmen expand thet Holdings, bose Indians threaten, and much more ‘Players il ind that, once learned, the mechanics of ply for BOOT HILL willbe easly handed. This means that abetop games ca be payed with 4 Thinimumof trouble and preparation, either witha rele or without. The larger campaign games wil requir a gamemase. This individual i ota pager hams rather functions at a moderator of all he game Tels trom devising the deta of the setting nd cempaign station {nd the player characters part within, to moderating and overseeing all fame action (nt only that which ito occur om the tabletop, but also the Scengerable pursuits and intgues which go on "behind the scenes"). A gd referee sust posts imagination, creat, abd a seas of fat pay [No'more than an average knowledge of the “Old West” i need since the fume is desined to be flexible and can be setup as dsted with the [Mormation and suggestion given inthis booklet. Ifthe game eet up and ‘Conducted in way which wil be chllenging 24 enjoyable the payers s ‘Silas interesting tothe referee, the wl ew succes “This okie i divided int teveral section to allow the complexity and et dened by the players. The BASIC RULES describe the mechanics of Siting up game characters and how comb s handled. The ADVANCED RULES tnd OPTIONAL RULES give further dtl and additional rules for more in-depth pay including actions which may be ouside of normal funfghts and barrom brawis. The section on CAMPAIGNS gives further uidelines for contnuing game scenario, at well as Ustng of suitable Fistral and fictional characters for possible clusion in campaign ame. Final two histone situations which can be refougi are Hsted the SCENARIOS section, and one ("Gunfight atthe OK Corral" sdsignd as 2 raining game for new players GAME MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT ‘BOOT HILL ins boned version includes this booklet, pao prcense ie,» set of gulighter counters, and 2 game map which shows & fetooal stem fown on one side eutabl for afrence swell as abietop play) and fm the ‘oer side fictional geographical area “somewhere in the Southwest crea 170-185. Lite other equipment & needed to play except for pencils and paper (players may find graph paper and/or hexagon paper sel tn ome {hstances) although serous players may wish Ye employ 2m einiatures {br game characters and HO sele (146) model balding: for tabletop ply Using sch miniatures and buildings especialy when appropriately painted) Sil adda oew dimension of "avo and vival impacto gates of BOOT HILL Ola West-sple buildings are available at most hobby stores, and a Special line of "Wentern Cunlighter” miniatures i produced by Grenaer Modes, tn, which seal suited for we with BOOT BILL. HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED Paying BOOT HILL i quite simple, Since it oe plaing game, player patcpating takes on the percea ofan individual character and peeot he actons In some cates, enchmen or astocates wl also be under his direction, Im any even, the player takes the role of is characte forthe five that that ingiigul i involved in the game station (death, for Instance, ora long ji term would remove that character from the game) er would make la the if sch a game is be played out on the tabletop, or the day-to-day activites if ta campaign ‘lsaton), and te combined action ofthe eae cast of players asa Whole (plat acuons by son player characters) make up ah ever-changing gine Situation which 's much ike the unfolding story ofa novel or move srpt — fncpt that no one Knows extly what might reat ot Bow the tory might Uliotely torn out! This wapredictablly and open-ended matere ie what makes any roleplaying ame enjoyable, ad theoten fas and furious action SPOOT HILL gent an exctement al ts own. Players sould strive to take on the role of thei game characte and fly immesetherselves inthe ‘rey enya fantasy aspect ofthe game fey dsm Chey will enjoy even Presairanged senariog can be used for individual games (eo such scenarios THE GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL and THE BATTLE OF COFFEYVILLE, are included as appendices inthis boklet) — and these games can be ised or contracted is any may dese, Sting up a bank robbery scenario, for estance, would be easy ~ spting tp the players as outlaws, cuzens, shen. depety, bank personnel ec [frangig the location of buldingsinvlved osing the town map provides ‘ne, daen especialy for the” scenaro), and handling any panuit ‘sscounty by using hex map (ebich couidwellbe the letonl area map Sithin the. gum. The abies and raungy of indidual players ae ‘etermined by dc rong inthe manner dereribed in following section Ge SETTING UP GAME CHARACTERS), snd once this done, the starting Tocation of ach character i ote, and play begins. tis suggested tha he int few gases played be unrelated games of this pe which (while {yt wil basally sere a sing sions. “Once payee besome familar with the yams rules and mechanics. they sling thatthe most enjoyable games ae those that are tied tetera Dart ofa larger campaign (eee CAMPAIGNS), tn such situaton Past ‘rents are reflected a closely at posible in successive games, and each ‘layer fas a stake inthe future aswel a2 place sn the Status quo. Since Players arin fferent postions with diferent obeces (ar well as ox oth Fides of te law, there wl be enough copict and contention to provide for Pest of intresting ston (rich wil inchide the inevitable guatghis and hootouts which can be played ar tabletop games). Some pica! player Character sols (ependiag upon the size of the campaie) would be businessnen (banker, saloon Keeper, Sewspaper owner. tc), oula¥s, Tawmen her, depuiy, Texas tanger, ef), ranchers (cileman oF sheep fancer, Indian ches gambler, bounty buaten, hired guns dies, and "Aampsiga could be run wth a few as4 players anda referee, lthough a releree sot sey aecrsary in stale games since players asa group ca Gecide any questionable stations abd together can put a check ot any a: ton which tend to disrupt the smooth flow’ of » game (shooting ansthing tich moves, for asance quickly brings the wrath ofthe oter players and {hela doen upon the heed of he offender ‘referee is abvays preferable in any se campaign, and is 2 must for larger undertakings (which cold easy encompass as many a5 20 eiffereat ‘layer In differen roles). When referee moerates the action. thee i Secrecy aspect which the pliers cam work to advantage and which can iiely a0 tothe intrest the campaign Tho, te fleet can relate in {ermation individually to each player depending upon the actions and ‘poston of hs own character, and each character wil have his Gun ouook ‘ithe gume situation, since there wil often be developments "behind the Scener which wil not be common Kaowlege to all. Likewise tre plans ‘be mae and related tothe referee without the other payers knowing of shat eanspres Th «campaign situation, each payer character wil have his ova identity ‘and able (hee are determined by dice rling, with sight advantage 0 ‘ow player character tobe above the norm). I this characte sleds he player wil hae fo ake on another person inthe campaign ometimes sa ing "trom scratch" agai in sss character, or i & positon which completely unrelated tothe former) Note, however. that in large game, a Player could concevably fake on the role of two eiflerent characters if ‘teh aranged and monitored by the referee In such an instance, te Cro ‘oles would have fo be completly Independent and not subject. confit ot ‘owible cooperation, For ietance, a payer could have one fleas «Major ncher who's seeking a expand his Holdings and another character who is [Sh ovll specilng in stagecoach robberies Obviously hese two charac {ers would have ite cause cooperate or confit with eachother 0 such liv erangerent would provide tro characters forthe campaign ossing {he refers was agreeable) ater thaa oly one “Campaigns can be as small or as expansive as desired, centering on a ingle tows or a lager geographical tren. Preparaion can be minimal or a5 remsve as devised While its ponsile to srture rig scenario, lee form play il usual prove more interesting and challenging Its easy tet, pa town, giveafew background elas, an allow the participants feria Uhereetier, Inno time ata lavmen wll are troublemaker, gualghs wil lake place, and Wells Fargo wl love et soother puyol to masked outlaws, ‘Tis game n't named BOOT HILL without reason! a y "Hfexy fle