CONTENTS PAGE

WHAT DO YOU NEED?..............................A Note on TerrainPre-Measuring

CARDS......................................................The HandInitiative Cards.....................................The Discard Pile

PLAYING THE GAME.................................ActionsAction SummaryMovingAim......................................................ShootReload, Unjam or Change WeaponRecoverEnd of the Turn

SHOOTING................................................Weapons’ Table.....................................Shooting ResultShooting at Closest TargetLine of Sight (LOS)Under Fire MarkersCover...................................................Shooting from Higher GroundFalling

INTERRUPTIONS.......................................Duck BackQuick Shot

NERVE TESTS...........................................Big Nerve Test

HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING........................Breaking Off

THE CARDS..............................................Half DecksFull DecksTwo of the Same Gang

COMMON CARDS..............................................GANG SPECIFIC CARDS....................................JOkERS...........................................................THE GANG........................................................

Model ProfilesTHE LAW..........................................................OUTLAWS.........................................................COWbOYS........................................................DESPERADOS...................................................THE SCENES....................................................

Good Guys and Bad GuysArranging the SetDrunk and Complacent.................................SurprisedRunning out of CardsHorses

THE GOOD, THE LEAD AND THE UGLYOpening Scene – The Stranger.........................Second Scene – This Town Ain’t Big Enough....Final Scene – We Will Be Waitin’…...................

THE QUICk AND THE LEADOpening Scene – The Duel...............................Second Scene – There Will Be Blood.................Final Scene – Gunfight.....................................

FOR A FEW MODELS MOREOpening Scene – Hang ‘Em High......................Second Scene – Get Me Out!............................Final Scene - Fast Train to Justice...................

A FISTFUL OF MODELSOpening Scene – Ambush................................Second Scene – Heist.......................................Final Scene - Showdown..................................

EPLIOGUE........................................................MARkERS........................................................CREDITS..........................................................

3

4

5

6

7

89

10

11

12

13

14

15182223

2425262728

29

303132

333435

363738

394041424344

“But if you don’t mind doing a little killing you will have no troublefinding someone eager to pay you.”

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INTERRUPTIONS

DUCk bACkIf a model has not yet been activated and an opponent declares it will shoot at him, it may duck back moving up to 10cm toward cover and/or away from the shooter. Only one duck back may be declared against a single opposing model; if the opponent is shooting at two of your models, only one is allowed to duck back.

Even if this move gets him totally out of sight, the shooter is entitled to a single shot; it is assumed thatthey manage to get the shot away before their target gets completely out of sight. The figure “Ducking Back” counts as moving once so a -1 to hit penalty will apply. If he gets to substantial cover, a further -1 penalty will apply, but the range is determined to be the point at which the model was before moving.

This counts as the model’s activation for the turn, and is referred to as “burning your activation”. Remove the model’s initiative card and return it to the discard pile.

1/ Only one quick shot may be taken per enemy activation.2/ A quick shot may be taken even when the opposing model is not firing at the quick shooter.3/ If the target is shooting, the quick shooter fires first if the target is at long range.4/ If the quick shooter is at close or point blank range, shooting is rolled for simultaneously.5/ If the target is moving, the quick shot is taken at any point the quick shooter chooses.

To hit modifiers are applied to the quick shot (see shooting modifiers page 8) for range, target moving, etc, as normal. Modifiers for the total declared movement of the target are applied, so if the target declares 3 moves, the quick shooter applies the normal -3 to hit for target moving (in addition to other modifiers). Of course, the quick shooter may actually shoot at the start of the target’s move, but the modifiers may be because of the speed that the target moves at.

Due to different range bands for different weapons, there may be cases when close range for one model (e.g. up to 20cm for a pistol) is different to that of another (e.g. up to 50cm for a rifle).

QUICk SHOTIf a model has not yet been activated it may burn its activation to quick shoot against a model that is activated. There are some rules to govern quick shooting:

“If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen! Sometimes when the lead is pouring down it makes sense to get out of the way, now this ain’t running away, this is just the right thing to do.... IT AIN’T RUNNING AWAY!!!”

“It may happen that some stinking low life gets around behind you and has the drop on you. In these cases when it seems like you’re going to face a hailstorm of lead, taking the initiative could be the answer. With a gun in your hand and the law on your side take your shot and let the dice fall as they may.”

“To hell with them fellas. Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms.”

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♦5

♦5

Play on an opposing

model after it declares its

actions for the turn. Its

turn ends after its first

move action; it loses any

further actions.

Stumble

5 - Now you know that he’s hiding inside the bank, you’ve just to wait him out and as soon as he makes a move you can cut him down. Here he comes, like Butch and Sundance he’s charging out all guns blazing. What’s this, he’s fallen, now Butch and Sundance didn’t do that, grovelling in the dirt he’s dropped his gun. Only one thing for it really, best put him out of his misery.

This is another card which is almost more effective when kept to trump an opponent. There’s nothing quite as heartbreaking as watching your leader stride out of cover to finish somebody off and to then have him stumble and his turn come to an end in the middle of the street. On the other hand, watching the other fella’s dude trying to jump from one roof to another and then playing the card to watch him come crashing down to the earth below is just about as funny as life gets.

♠6

♠6

Play on one of your own models when it is activated as long as it declares at least one move action. Following the model’s actions, it may immediately take a bonus move action.

“You can’t kill what you can’t catch.”

6 - The adrenaline is flowing through you now, this is when you’re at your best. Everybody else seems to move so slowly, you dance through the carnage, firing as you go, each shot leaves a man in the dirt and still you have time to duck out of sight, ready for your next victim to show himself.

Movement in Dead Man’s Hand can be key, anything that allows you to move again after you have performed any other actions is great. Use it to get yourself back into cover or even out of sight. A great bonus with this card is that it counts as movement for opponent shooting modifiers at you but doesn’t count as movement for your shooting modifiers.

♣7

♣7

Play on an opposing

model when the

opposing player declares

it will duck back. The

duck back is cancelled

but the model does not

burn its activation.

The Quick and the Dead

7 - This guy is so dumb, he couldn’t track an elephant in snow. As soon as he tries to move or draw down on you, he’s dead. If only the fool knew how much trouble he was in he’d probably just lay down and die.

When things get up close and ugly, the smart money will sometimes choose to get out of the way rather than trust his chances to fate. Use this card to put an end to that straight away.

Now greenhorn, if you’d be kind enough just to stand there while I shoot you, there’s a good man....

“The cards alone won’t win the game for you, if you don’t have a plan then all the cards in the world just ain’t going to help. The cards are like oil for the machine which is your plan; without the oil your machine will grind to a halt, but on it’s own it’s just slippery, stinky stuff, good for nothing other than making a mess.”

“Even a filthy beggar like that has got a protecting angel.”

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The roster for Desperados is detailed below and at least half of the gang must be armed with a pistol astheir sole ranged weapon. Desperado special rules are detailed below; one of these abilities may be used per game turn in scenes that include the Boss in the cast. “Life Ain’t Worth Spit” is used all of the time. “A Hog Killin’ Time” and “Crazy as a Loon” may not be used in the same turn; only one is permitted to be played in a single turn.

DESPERADOS

Model Weapons Hits Nerve Shoot HtH Rep1 Boss Pistol 5 2+ +1 +1 60-1 Killer Two Pistols 4 3+ +2 0 5

2+ Bandits pistol, rifle or repeater; up to 1 may have a shotgun 4 3+ 0 0 2

0-4 Low Lifes Pistol; up to half may have rifles 3 5+ -1 -1 1

LIFE AIN’T WORTH SPITDesperados may shoot into hand to hand fights. To shoot into hand to hand, simply declare actions and roll the dice as normal. Randomise which model is hit with each successful shot by drawing a card from the deck. An even card (2, 4, 6, 8, or 10) indicates a friendly model is hit, any other card indicates an opposing model is hit. Desperados also ignore the nerve test required when the Outlaw “Hostage” card is played.

“There’s plenty of crazy, good for nothin’ lowlifes and ruffians that do all their business at the end of a hand cannon. Most of ‘em’s are destined for a permanent stay at the bone orchard, specially if the law has somethin’ to say about the matter. Some gangs of Desperados terrorise whole communities of good, God-fearing folk, fully heeled and raisin’ hell all liquored up with neck oil. These fellas are just plain dangerous and love nuthin’ more than pulling out the shootin’ irons for a row. Mark my words, they ain’t afraid of dyin’.”

A HOG kILLIN' TIMEMay be used once per turn at the end of a pistol-armed model’s actions, as long as the model is not benefitting from substantial cover. The player may declare that the model is taking a further shoot action. Apply all of the necessary modifiers to the shot (if it is a fourth shot then no additional modifier applies), resolve the action and then place an under fire marker on the shooter.

CRAzY AS A LOONOnce per game, as a desperate measure, the player may activate this ability. It is declared at the start of a turn, before any models are activated. The ability ignores the need for his models to take nerve tests for the whole turn. Use a marker to denote nerve tests that have been “dodged” in this manner. At the end of the turn, all of these “dodged” tests count as failed and hit markers are applied. Naturally, this may result in a lot of folks dropping dead at the end of the turn.

"And I looked, and behold a pale horse. And his name that sat on him was Death.”

DESPERADOS

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A FISTFUL OF MODELSFINAL SCENE : SHOWDOWN

THE CASTBoth sides are equally matched. We recommend 21 Reputation per side.

THE STORY SO FARChaos threatens to run out of control unless a few brave men stand up to the law breakers. If played as a continuing story, whichever side won scene 2 gets to draw an extra card for their hand.

THE SETSame as Opening Scene.

DIRECTIONSThe player with the most models places the excess number, plus one, on the gaming area first (e.g. if player A has 8 and the player B has 6, player A places three models down).If both have the same number of fighters, draw a card or roll a die; highest places one first.Models are then placed one at a time. All must be in the open, on ground level, and facing off against the opposing gang.

Gang members must be placed within 10cm of another friendly model.One gang member from each side may start the scene on high ground and/or cover and may be more than 10cm away from comrades.Opposing models may not be placed within 30cm of each other.

ACTION!Each side uses their full deck of 23 cards.Shuffle your cards, cut the deck and deal out your hand.Both sides get five cards for their hand.

THE ENDThe scene ends when one side is wiped out or fails a Big Nerve test.If both sides are wiped out or fail their test at the same time, the result is a draw.

“If God didn't want them sheared, he would not have made them sheep.”