A Desperate Street-Fight

 

As might be expected, our foray into Dead Man’s Hand began with ‘The Good, The Lead and The Ugly,’ a series of three games that chronicle the arrival of the Jackson Gang in Iron Creek. The once-peaceful town proved entirely unprepared for the violent entrance of Jackson’s desperados and the three games played in a quick and bloody fashion that seemed entirely fitting.

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Main Street. Iron Creek.

In the first scene, ‘The Stranger,’ Deputy Carter was confronted by three of Jackson’s gang, his first shots sending Garrett 'The Killer' Cady running for cover before Theo Toland drew his rifle and brought him down with a single shot (rolling a 20). And that was that. We did wonder if the bad guys were allowed a rifle in this scene – if we replay it I think we’d stick to pistols.

Rogan's Bar. Iron Creek.

The second scene ‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough’ saw the arrival of Jackson himself along with three of his men (armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol), facing off against Sheriff McCallister, U.S. Marshal Kincade, and their three deputies (armed identically to the desparados). Jackson spent much of the game drinking whiskey in just his boots, while the rest of his gang set to the business of killing. The game played out well, and we ended up with one query which was whether a cards that specify a range (in this case 'Long arm of the law' which can be played on a model withing 20cm) must be discarded if they’re declared and then found to be out of range. In the end we decided they were, it seemed more fun.

The final scene ‘We Will Be Waitin’’ saw the same cast return to Mainstreet. This time the Desperados outnumbered the lawmen, with three of the good guys waiting off-set ready to come to sweep in and save the day in a suitably cinematic style. At least that was the plan. As it was they didn't come on until the third turn, by which time it was too late for them to help their fellow lawmen who had made a bold, some might say foolhardy, decision to rush the desparados despite their lack of numbers. At the end of the day the lawmen were gunned down and run out of town...

Jackson (right) and his gang take hold of Iron Creek.

So, after a great first three games the Jackson Gang has managed to establish a firm grip on Iron Creek, making short work of the lawmen and bringing terror to the streets. Eagle-eyed readers will have realised the reason for this - while Jackson's gang is painted, the forces of the law remain bare resin, a situation that must be remedied if they're to stand a chance of bringing order back to the town...

The Jackson Gang - Dead Man's Hand Desperados

“We are rough men and used to rough ways” - Bob Younger

L-R: Harley Clemens, Theo Toland, Denis Redford, Jim 'Pretty Boy' Jackson, Garrett 'The Killer' Cady, Jeb L. Caroles, Felton Massey.

Here's the first gang I've painted up for Dead Man's Hand: The Jackson Gang. I'm using them as Desperados, though I guess they could also be used as Outlaws. They're all from Black Scorpion Miniatures' Tombstone range (the 'Outlaws' and 'Tombstone 2' packs). I'm a huge fan of the Adam Clarke's Black Scorpion sculpts, they're the perfect blend of the realistic and the cinematic. To me this lot look like they're straight out of Clint Eastwood's Pale Rider.

They're 32mm scale but they don't look too out of place alongside the 4Ground buildings and fit inside without problems (thought they'd have to duck to get through the doors). I've deviated slightly from the Pale Rider 'uniform' dusters to help distinguish between the Boss ('Pretty Boy' Jackson) and the Killer (Garrett Cady). All of them, bar Jackson, named courtesy of Mithril and Mage's Old West name generator.

Overall I'm pleased with the way they've come out, though I'm keen to find a decent method of painting faded denim and in retrospect I think it'd have been better to add some variety to the colours of their shirts and trousers. Here are a few close-ups to finish.

Denis Redford

Garrett 'The Killer' Cady

Theo Toland

“The gold-digger in the ravines of the mountains is as much a gambler as his fellow in the saloons of San Francisco. What difference does it make, whether you shake dirt or shake dice?”
Henry David Thoreau, “Life without Principle” (1854)

While Thoreau disliked both gold diggers and gamblers, both are welcome in Iron Creek where fortunes are won and lost, along with lives, on games of dice. I  happen to rather like dice myself, and was delighted when this parcel from Q Workshop arrived.

What's inside? These beauties, that's what...

They're designed for use with Deadlands and look (and feel) great, just what's needed for Dead Man's Hand. This set of four D20s and two D10s came to £12.30 including postage from Poland and they got here in just eight days. They even included a bonus D6 and a free bookmark!

Both dice measure approximately 20mm which is a nice unobtrusive size but with all the fancy graphics the numbers themselves are pretty small. Once we've had a chance to roll them in anger we'll have a better sense of whether or not this is an issue but for now I'm delighted with the look and quality.

Let's end the post with a massive D20...

Louis L'Amour - Hondo

‘There was a curious affinity between man and dog. Both were untamed, both were creatures born and bred to fight, honed and tempered fine by hot winds and long desert stretches, untrusting, dangerous, yet good companions in a hard land.’ Louis L'Amour, Hondo

To get my head into the world of Dead Man's Hand I picked up Louis L'Amour's short novel the world of Dead Man's Hand I picked up Louis L'Amour's short novel Hondo. Highly-enjoyable light reading, this dime store novel is a book that all fans of the Old West are probably going to want to read at some point. A writer working in the 1950s and 60s, L'Amour's books are very much of their time and if you read the book with a sense of its history in mind it doesn't disappoint.

If you want a classic Western this is it. Hondo is the quintessential Wild West hero, an army despatch rider during a time of war with the Apaches. He's totally at home on the Frontier, rugged, self-sufficient, and respectful of the land and its native population (up to a point). Hondo, ever the individualist, lives by his own moral code and survives by his own strengths.Without giving any of the plot away, the book is packed with gunfights and gambling, honour and betrayal, and some great descriptions of the land that go a long way to making this book a deserved classic. Above all it's a love story, though perhaps that's just me being soft...

Here's a curious book-film fact. John Farrow's 1953 film Hondo, staring John Wayne and Geraldine Page, was based on L'Amour's short story “The Gift of Cochise” while the book itself is a novelisation of the film.

Finally, a gaming idea... “The Hondo three-way”

Reading Hondo has suggested several ideas for future scenarios, the first of which is for a three-player game that sees Hondo and his dog Sam take on two desperados (Lane and Phalinger), just as they are ambushed by three Mescalero Apaches. It's a pivotal scene in the book about which I'll say nothing more for now but hopefully it'll make for a fun game once we've got the figures sorted (I've just been eying up Black Scorpion's range of Apaches and trying to figure out who makes the best Hondo!)
PW