Welcome to my blog, the story of my continuing journey into the World of Zombie Wargames.

Monday 12 October 2020

TRWNN - my take

Once more, I'll be attempting a post using the new blogger format - what a rigmarole, just to get a post!
For those that don't understand the abbreviation in the title it stands for "The Rules With No Name" and I'll be taking a look at these rules and comparing them to: a) Firstly what I'd expect from a set of "western gunfight" rules. b) Comparing them to what I've been used to since about 1970 (Old West gunfight skirmish rules) .
The photographs throughout this post are random, merely showing what I've been discovering and cleaning in an attempt to have something to post about and maybe a game or two somewhere down the line (as well as having a self-indulgent, nostalgic, trip down memory lane).
As one would expect from any set of western rules, shooting and movement rules in TRWNN take pride of place with melee rules becoming "optional". I'm used to having all the rules, not basic, advance or "optional" rules.
Characters are classed either as Citizens (yuck), Gunmen, Shootists or Legends. So four categories, from worst to best. "Citizen" is not a label I like, even "Civilian" would have been better or maybe "Greenhorn". Similarly, "Legend" is not a term I've come across, save in modern writing. Gunman, gunfighter, shootist and "pistoleer" are all better suited imho. Nevertheless, they're all better terms than the "Novice", "Average" and "Veteran" terms that I'm used to. Without delving into the 'skills' that can be added to characters, generally all characters of a class are identical in shooting, fighting, etc. - not something I'm used to. I can't have a 'citizen' with huge fighting skills, taking on a weedy 'Legend' and similarly with shooting situations. Fast draw situations are well covered (if you like Hollywood), but to my knowledge, only one definite fast-draw situation occurred, with the possibility of a couple of others.
The inclusion of “Nerve” (read morale) is a welcome addition, completely missing from my games in the 70’s, but doesn’t go far enough imo. I’d like to have seen a little less chance of fighting to the last man and a little more “running away scared”. One thing, I really don’t like is that no-one has to take a ‘nerve’ to melee with another character, strange as fighting seems to be a lot deadlier than most shooting. My characters never had morale tests, but were played according to their eight characteristics, which were in addition to their melee, handgun and shoulder arm factors (on a scale of 1 to 10) and the addition skill of fast, medium and slow draws. Other skills were also present and used when needed, whether they were horsemanship, throwing (knives, hatchets etc.), swimming etc. These are fairly well covered in TRWNN, with the addition of hated characters and ‘evil’ characters – we had many Happy, Vicious characters in comparison.
Character progression is covered, so campaigns can have some meaning with wounding enemies the criteria needed to advance. My characters advanced by taking part in fights (being shot at or shooting at others), but needed many fights to advance to the next level. The one major thing missing from TRWNN is “Doctorin”, but I have found some rules covering this online, so no problem there”
The biggest bugbear I have with TRWNN is their use of cards to initiate movement (of random variable distances), shooting and other actions. Having to prepare a minimum of six action cards and a character card for every involved figure is slightly restrictive to the number of figures that can be involved and a lot more effort needed to prepare for a game.
Overall, TRWNN are a good, simple set of rules with a lot of possibilities for fun games, but I am already looking how I can incorporate my old way of playing with these relatively new rules. That's it then for another week, once more it has been complete torture getting thiost done Thanks for visiting, commetns etc. always welcome.

22 comments:

  1. Interesting review Joe. I think you are right and should take the bits you like and build them into your own rules! Great to see all those Timpo (and other) Cowboys etc.

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    1. Thanks MJT, I'll be amending and adding very little,as the rules are very good, but I will be tryingto meld them with my own current western -set-up as it would be a shame not to carry on the story.

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  2. Sorry to hear Blogger is still causing you trouble Joe, and I do hope you persevere as your insight would be sorely missed.
    Enjoyed seeing all the pictures of what you've been finding and resurrecting.
    Interesting review of the rules, and I think you've got the right idea, make the rules work for you, if that means using a mix of the old and the new, no problem, or even scrapping parts and making your own, at the end of the day it should fun for you to play

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    1. Thanks Dave for the very kind comment re blogger; I now got a bit of a better understanding of the system and will be using 'word' before copying and pasteing it into blogger, then adding photos. After an hour or so struggling I found this was the easiest way for me to put a blog together, I do miss the photo captions option though.
      I;ve now cleaned all the ACW and revolution figures, a lot of Britains swoppets plus a few 'Detail' figures, plus all the Timpo cavalry figures too.
      Looing at the prices of Timpo figures on Ebay, I've realised just how much my collection could be worth - in horses alone!
      I'll weave my old system into the TRWNN rules in due time.

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  3. You've served up a double helping here Joe - once I'd ogled over the first photo I just had to work my way through all of them, before going back and actually reading your review. Marvelous stuff!
    I don't think there's a single set of commercial rules that I use "as written", so I can only support your decision to mix and match the bits that you like and that work to create the game you want.

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    1. Thansk WA, I still haven't shown all the stuff I've taken pics of either, so more to come !
      Strangely enough, I didn't need to alter the OLD West skirmish rules at all, as they had everything I wanted in a set of rules, but they're very dated now (1970's) and gave very long games. Other than thes (and Johnny Reb III), I think I've ammended every other set of rules I've ever had roo ! Gone are the days when I wrore my own ( and sold a few of them too), but I'm still willing to tinker. As an example many OLd West pistols (six shooters) were muzzle loaders, well before the 'Peacemaker' came about in 1873, but I doubt a lot of gamers won't play without them!

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  4. Rules can be the bug bearer of many a gamer & have been for me for I'd guess for the last year or so, but I won't get into that other then to say I know where you're coming from.

    On the photo's, it's always a treat to see what you've dug up in that Aladdin's cave of yours :)

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    1. Thanks Frank, I really like reading rules, testin ghte statistics etc. (which I know is not everyone's cup of tea). I couldgo on for a long time about what I like and dislike in rules (but won't), however newer rules are a lot easier to learn than older ones and generally quicker and simpler.
      I always thought all gamers have an 'Aladdin's cave' of figures, buildings,scenery, books etc. and I still haven;t shownmyfour 7YW armies and a few other armies either!

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  5. The rules sound interesting. I'm sure you'll be able to bring them into line with your old set. Dave Docherty's got a great set if Cowboy rules. I'm sure he's got a separate blog about them too?

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    1. Thanks Ray, I do read Dave's blog and seem to remember a recent western game, though I can;t rember what rules he uses.
      Other than the cards (which seems to be a 'thing' in skirmish rules these days), a game can be played very quickly.

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  6. Here's a link to his blog.
    http://blazingdice.blogspot.com/?m=1

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  7. I've played quite a few games of TRWNN in the past and I agree with the gist of your comments. The rules are useful and comprehensive, but not perfect. We have made some house rules on occasion to address these; it's quite amenable to that.

    In particular, one of my bugbears is that hit severity is completely random; even the best aimed shot has the same chance of causing a kill or a mere graze as the wildest of potshots. My house rule for this: for an *aimed* shot, each success rolled beyond the first can be used to re-roll the hit's damage & location.

    Also, as a simplification for large fights we often replace the 'nerve' tests with a simple rule: models will be out the fight (run away, passed out, grovel in the dirt or similar) after a number of hits of *any* severity equal to their level. So even a graze will cause a citizen to flee, whilst a hard-nosed legend will succumb after the fourth hit (assuming that none of the earlier ones were fatal anyway).

    I've pondered getting "Dead Man's Hand" some time and having a look. Those rules seem to be very popular.

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    1. Thanks C6 (nice to see you back too btw), I think I've read every one of your posts using TRWNN and your deft use of Damage Cards,. I though then "what about aimed shots ?". In my old rules aiming just made it easier to hit (+30% iirc) and there was no picking where you hit, something I always thought was worth looking into.
      It does seem that characters fight to the death even though they seem to recover from their wonds very rapidly and it's far too easy to carry on with a serious wound.
      Dave Docherty (Sp?) has obviously ammended TRWNN heavily though I can't get a download of what he's done. - See Ray's comment above.
      As you stated , the rulesare easily ammended and Do uses "Greenhorn" instead of Citizen, so he's possibly thinking along the same lines as me.
      The other rules I considered were "Desperado, DMH and Fistful of Lead, the latter being very similar to TRWNN from what I've read.

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  8. Nice nostalgic pile of pictures, along the line of oh I had that! I know my nephews are using dead man's hand and really enjoying it and I am gradually coming to terms with blogger, kicking and screaming all the way!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks Iain, yes it's all been a bit self-indulgent on my part and I think all older gamers had these figures as children. I believe Michael Awdry has alarge collection of figures too !
      The new blogger is slowly getting easier to use but is still a pain and I still doubt I can write a game up that would be coherent and look decent.

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  9. What a collection and the game seems very fun.I love these pictures that you publish and they give me both a lot of memories and inspiration.Thankyou for posting Joe

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    1. Thanks Ptr, I'm sure we all have or had toys like these at one time. These bring back many memories for me.

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  10. Are the rules you used to use the ones by Skirmish Wargames - The Old West part 1 1816 to 1900 published in 1977, they are the ones I used for years. I did buy Once upon a time in the west mainly by Ian Beck but only used them a couple of times. I loved the section on weapons but my goodness the rules were slow for me to use.

    I've heard a lot of good things about a Fist Full of Lead but they seem to think much of the enjoyment comes from the card activation system and how you use it to your advantage but it's probably not solo gaming friendly without a bit of tinkering. Never used them though so it's not a first hand recommendation.

    The buildings all look worthy of refurbishment.

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  11. Hi Vagabond, yes the rules were the Old West Skirmish rules by Ian, mike and Steve. The latter (Steve Curtis), I used to correspond with (snail mail in those days) and sent him a 54mm "Big Train Set" too, though not the Timpo one!
    The original rules, from about 1970, had a three step move, that was replaced with the expanded rules printed in 1977 as you say.
    I have started the refurbishment, on a single building, but will have to have a re-think on how to do it. Three tubes of Superglue have made little to no impact on the overall building repair.
    I think I've got thenew blogger sussed though, MS word first, cut and paste to blogger and then add photos - it does take a little longer to make a post, but well worth it.Typing on the new blogger direct was far too slow for me.

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