What the heck is a Game Master? A game master, or GM, acts as the game's referee as well as controlling the people and enemies the players come across. The GM also creates the adventure and the world the players inhabit. Essentially the GM is god, but don't let it get to your head. For the purpose of Western USR the GM will be referred to as the “Saloon Keeper” (SK).

Wits, Ego, Hits, Speed, and Age. Starting character age is randomly rolled according to the following formula: 16+(2D8). Action – This attribute determines how wellversed in combat the character is as well as how quick and dexterous they are. Wits – This attribute determines how intelligent and perceptive the character is. It is also used when a character attempts to study and learn. Ego – This attribute determines the character's mental stamina and force of will. A high Ego means the character is a good leader and able to charm the pants off most people. Ego is also used when resisting poison and disease. Hits – This determines how much punishment a character can take before she dies or is knocked unconscious. Hits are reduced when a character is hurt and can return to its initial score when the character heals. Your Hits score is derived by rolling your Action and Wits dice, the total being the final Hits attribute score. Speed – This determines how fast a character is with guns, knives, and other ranged weapons. When characters are shooting at each other who shoots first means the difference between life and death.

Your Speed score is derived by rolling your Creating your Character Since this setting is specific to the western Action and Ego dice, the total being the final hemisphere, specifically the western United Speed attribute score. States anytime during the years of about 1860 through 1920, characters will play human adventurers. Though there are no particular restrictions on a character not being human, any deviation from a regular, albeit skilled, human needs to be approved by the Saloon Keeper. New Player Characters (PC's) need to record the following character attributes down on a piece of paper. They are as follows; Action,

After you've jotted each of these attributes and rolled your character's starting age, you're going to need to assign one of the three starting “attribute” die to Action, Wits, and Ego as you wish. The three starting attribute dice to be assigned are a D6, D8 and D10.

Example: Glenn decides that his character ‘Jake Flat’ is going to be more brawn than brain, so assigns his attributes as follows: Starting Age: 30 (rolled randomly per formula) Action: D10 Wits: D6 Ego: D8 Hits: 8 (from rolling his Action and Wits die and totaling) Speed: 5 (from rolling his Action and Ego die and totaling)

Character Background USR suggests each starting character have a background story. I've decided to use random rolls on background tables for new player characters. The player should take the result rolled and sketch out a simple statement describing the PC's recent background story. Remember, the players should be creating a reason they all find themselves currently

adventuring together. The tables are broken out by gender to reflect the chauvinistic attitudes of the time, but there is no reason why the Saloon Keeper need make his players adhere to it. MALE CHARACTERS

01-06 07-11 12-16 17-19 20-23 24-27 28-30 31-33 34 35-38 39-44 45-47 48-49 50 51-52 53-54 55-59 60 61 62 63-65 66-67 68-69 70 71-74 75-77 78 79-80 81-83 84-85 86 87 88 89-91 92-95 96-00

Gunman Gambler Rancher Bartender Lawyer Bounty Hunter Deputy Marshal Detective Miner Wells Fargo Agent Cowboy Stage Driver Homesteader Merchant Gunsmith Blacksmith Drifter Secret Service Agent Clerk Sheep Rancher Foreigner Teacher Preacher Scout Cavalryman Cavalry Officer Banker Craftsman Doctor Dentist Photographer Author Artist Deputy Sheriff Reporter Indian

FEMALE CHARACTERS

01-05 06-08 09-13 14 15-16 17 18-23 24-30 31-38 39-43 44-47 48-52 53-58 59-62 63-64 65-72 73-81 82-88 89-90 91-00

Gambler Rancher Bartender Lawyer Detective Secret Service Agent Clerk Foreigner Teacher Doctor Dentist Photographer Artist Author Reporter Secretary Saloon Girl Indian Nun Widow

A specialism is tied to an attribute and gives a +2 bonus to that attribute's die roll when the specialism is used. With Jake, his 'Knife Fighting' specialism is tied to Action, so he gains a +2 when rolling for Action (d10) when engaging in close combat with hand weapons. Specialisms are written on character sheets with their attribute bonus identified, such as Knife Fighting +2A. Examples of Specialisms: Action: Cattle Roping, Fast Draw, Riding, Bronco Busting, Whittling, Musician, Gun Fighting. Wits: Outdoor Survival, Law, Engineering, Deduction, Observant, Disguise. Ego: Leadership, Bartering, Intimidate, Charm, Resilient.

Character Example; Jake Flat, Artist Action: Wits: Ego: Hits: Speed: Specialisms A character may choose three specialisms. Specialisms show specific skills and knowledge the character has acquired before his adventures. There is no set skill list because to cover every conceivable skill for your average Western USR campaign world would take a hell of a long time, so try and think of something yourself and run it by your Saloon Keeper to make sure it's appropriate. For example; Glen could choose 'Knife Fighting' as one of his specialisms for his new character Jake Flat.

D10 D6 D8 08 05

30 years old Specialisms Knife Fighting +2A Wilderness Survival +2W

Fast Talk +2E

Background Story: Jake Flat is known for his carved wooden wildlife decoys used by mountain men and hunters. His authentic coloring have made them collectible in some circles. Equipment: Poor Horse, Bowie Knife, Canteen, Bedroll, Cowboy Hat, Good Trail Boots, Rope, Flint & Steel, Dried Jerky, three cans of beans. $30 dollars

Equipment & Supplies Out on the range PC's need to be a self sufficient bunch and careful attention should be paid to the equipment characters take out into the wild. Unless the SK says otherwise, each new PC gets $150.00 starting cash to buy a horse, weapons, ammunition, and anything else they feel they need. The following lists shows typical prices for various goods which can be found in any sizable western frontier town. Footwear Boots, Lumberman Boots, Sheepskin Boots, Western

$ 2 4 3

Hats Cavalry Darby Fedora Fur Ranch Stetson Sombrero

Food Stuff Chewing Tobacco Cigars x6 Coffee tin 1lb Dried Beef 1/2lb $ Horse Feed 1 day 1.50 Candy Stick 98c Smoking Tobacco 2.25 Sugar 1lb 1.50 Tea 1lb 1 Trail Rations , day 3.90 Whiskey, cheap 1 Whiskey, good

$ 25c 15c 1 10c 50c 5c 30c 30c 1 50c 1.50 9

Musical Item Accordion Banjo Bugle Cymbals Guitar Harmonica Piano Piccolo Snare Drum Tambourine Trombone Violin

$ 12 16 2.50 7.25 14 50c 160 1.50 6.25 2.50 7 3.50

Clothing Chaps Coat, Cashmere Coat, Heavy Coat, Leather Gloves Jacket, Leather Long Johns Necktie, Bootlace Necktie, Silk Poncho Scarf Shirt, Flannel Shirt, Muslin Shirt, Silk Suit, Coruroy Suit, Wool Trousers, Hemp Trousers, Leather Trousers, Linen Waistcoat, Cotton

$ 6 5 7 9.50 1.50 2.50 1 10c 80c 70c 15c 87c 75c 1.50 10.50 12 2 3.50 3 80c

Drugs Ague Pills Catarrh Snuff Cod Liver Oil Dyspepsia Powder Fig Laxative Laudanum 1oz Nerve & Brain Pills

$ 50c 20c 50c 40c 30c 10c 88c

General Items Back Pack Bible Blanket Candles, 12 Compass Ear Trumpet Flint & Steel Lantern Magnifying Glass Matches Oil, 1 liter Pack of Cards Pocket Watch Pouch Rope per yard Sleeping Roll Spectacles Telescope

$ 1 2.60 1 10c 4 2.75 6 1.50 4 50c 20c 20c 24 20c 10c 70c 55c 5.60

Travel Items Bicycle Horse, Good Horse, Poor Mule Room & Board, High Room & Board, Low Saddle & Tack Saddle Bags Spurs Stagecoach Tent, 1 man Tent, 2 man Tent, 4 man Wagon, 2 wheel buggy Wagon, Covered Wagon, Farm Water Canteen

$ 40 300 100 60 2 50c 20 5 1.50 400 5.50 13.50 32 10 40 35 50c

Weapon Items 1 foot Dynamite fuse Bullets (24) Holster, Pistol Holster, Rifle Lead Shot, powder Rifle Care Kit Shotgun Ammo Telescope Sight

$ 2c 2 1.50 70c 1 2 1.50 60

Fire Arms/Weapons List & Prices Firearm

Cost

Damage Shots

Range

Hunting Knife Derringer Cap & Ball Revolver § Single Action Revolver Double Action Revolver Fast Draw Revolver Long Barrel Revolver Shotgun Scattergun Repeating Rifle Repeating Carbine Buffalo Rifle Gatling Gun Bowie Knife Cavalry Sabre Club Hatchet Spear Tomahawk Short Bow Lariat Dynamite, 1 stick Bottle/Chair/Shovel Wood Axe

1.00 8.00 20.00 30.00 30.00 40.00 35.00 30.00 40.00 40.00 48.00 30.00 1500.00 4.00 8.00 1.00 4.00 2.00 3.00 2.00 4.00 3.00

+1 +1D2 1 or 2 +1D3 1 +1D4 5 or 6 +1D4 5 or 6 +1D4 5 or 6 +1D4 6 +1D4* 1 or 2 +1D6* 1 or 2 +1D6 6 or 9 +1D6 6 or 9 +1D6 1 +1D6** 800 +1 +2 +1 +1 +2 +1 +2 *** +2D6* +1 +2

10' 15' 20' 30' 30' 30' 50' 30' 15' 150' 100' 150' 125' 10'

1/+1 1/+1 1/0 3/+2 3/+1 3/+3 2/0 2/-1 2/-1 3/-1 3/-1 1/-3 -3 1/+1

10' 20' 10' 60' 30' 15'

0 0 0 0 0 0

* ** *** §

5.00

ROF/Weapon Speed

Damage Bonus reduced to +1D2 past listed range. +2 to hit at less than half listed range. Damage Bonus reduced to +1D4 past listed range. May attack all targets in field of fire. No damage, but target is restrained. Takes a successful Contested Attribute roll against Action to break free. Takes 3 combat turns to reload. Any shot from twice listed range (14+ Difficulty) or greater has damage reduced by half.

consciousness so the SK once again establishes a Medium Action Roll. Jake rolls a Here we look at how the game is played, from 3 – and is unsuccessful! He passes out from driving cattle in a rain storm to blazing away pain and fever. Who knows who are what will with your six guns. find Jake as he clings to life by his dying campfire! Non-Contested Attribute Tests

Playing the Game

Sometimes the player won't be in direct Difficulty Table competition with anyone else. Perhaps they're trying to climb a mountain or repair a broken wagon axle. Here they must roll their relevant 2+ Easy (e.g. Jumping a low wall, food) attribute dice against a target number set by bartering for the difficulty table. To succeed the character 4+ Medium (e.g. Riding a horse, must roll the target number or greater. For example; Jake is caught in a bear trap. He will have to force open the steel trap before he can try and staunch the bleeding and see how his leg is doing. His player tells the SK that Jake will try and pry apart the trap with his bare hands. The GM asks for a Medium Difficulty Action roll. The player rolls a 5, which is a success. Jake gets his leg out from the game trap and now sees to salvaging his torn leg. Later, a fever sets in from the wound getting infecgted, Jake finishes the last of his whiskey and tries to drain the puss. This is a Hard task to accomplish as Jake is going in and out of

rock climbing)

7+ Hard (e.g. Picking a lock, leading an army) 10+ Very Hard (e.g. Deciphering a chemistry book, paddling a canoe over a waterfall) 14+ Impossible (e.g. Intimidating a Grizzly Bear, downing a bottle of Tequila without puking)

For example; Jake Flat wishes to leap from his run away stagecoach onto an opponent’s horse riding by. The SK is totally justified applying a threshold of success above and beyond just getting a higher roll then the other guy.

Punching & Shooting

Using Specialisms: Characters can use their specialisms in order to improve their chances of success if the specialism is relevant to the attempted action. For example, the lost Indian scout wants to find his way to the hidden spring before he dies of thirst. He has the specialism Desert Lore so the SK awards the PC a +2 on his Wits roll on this 7+ Hard Difficult endeavor. Don’t forget, Characters may create specialisms to improve their chances on any given task. Creating useful skills during play is a great use of experience points which the SK may hand out from time to time. Contested Attribute Tests There will come a time in every game when a player is put in direct conflict with someone or something. This could be a game of chance, lying to the judge, or skulking unseen by snoring railroad workers; whatever it is there's a really simple way of working out who comes out on top. When someone is actively competing against someone else the player makes an attribute test. Both the player and the SK (or another player if it involves another character) rolls a die corresponding to the relevant attribute. If the player was locked in an arm wrestle with a Danish lumberjack, both would roll their Action attributes. The highest roll wins the contest. On a tie the test is re-rolled until there is a clear winner. The Saloon Keeper may set a threshold for success on top of the contested attribute test, thereby creating a situation where no clear winner is established.

Combat is handled in the same way as contested and non-contested attribute tests but with a little extra added on. All close and ranged combat rolls use the Action attribute die. Close Combat If the attacker rolls higher than the defender then the attacker has scored a hit and the defender's Hits score is reduced by the difference between the winning and losing rolls. If the defender rolls higher than the attack has missed, been blocked, etc. When Hits reach 0 the character is dead. Alternatively the ME may rule that the character is merely unconscious, especially if the attack was from a bare handed attack or other form of blunt force trauma. Hits may be regained through healing, but may never go above the initial score.

Ranged Combat This type of attack is a non-contested combat roll with a difficulty level set by the distance of the attack. The individual weapon will need a listed “Full Range” and should be noted for quick, in game reference. Attacks made at half listed range up to the listed range are a Difficulty 7+ Hard roll. Less than half the listed range and it is a 4+ Medium roll. Over the listed range and the shooter is looking at a 10+ Very Hard try. +2 Easy is reserved for point blank range shots.

This rule book lists generic terms for a range of common firearms found during the time period, but SK's and PC's are encouraged to add to the weapons list with their own creations. Many of your own game books should have weapon statistics which you can adapt while the actual details of a PC's handgun is always good flavor.

If a hit is scored the defender's Hits score is reduced by the difference between the attack roll and the difficulty rating, plus the damage roll for the weapon. For example; your .30-06 bolt action rifle has a listed range of 110 yards. Jake is being shot at from 48 yards away so the opium fogged sheriff is making a shot at less than half the rifle's listed range. This makes it a 4+ or better on the Action roll for a successful hit. The sheriff hits with a modified roll of 8. Jake Flat takes four points of damage plus an additional 1D6+2 damage roll for the weapon. There is a good chance Jake Flat will How Combat Flows be dead on the ground in a pool of his own It's up to you how you want combat to play blood! out. You can play it fast and loose approximating distance and position through the games Range Difficulty Table narrative, or you can use detailed maps and miniatures tracking exact distances, fields of fire, etc.

2+

Immediate

(Attack is within close combat range)

4+

Medium

(Attack is at less than half listed range)

7+

Hard

(Attack at half to full listed range)

10+ Very Hard (Attack is beyond full range)

14+ Impossible (Attack is beyond twice full range, good luck!)

At minimum one should consider 5 second turns with an Action throw for Speed to establish the order in which the combatants act. At the start of combat all participants make a Speed Roll to establish initiative, the order in which the combatants will act. This is a combination of the character's Action die plus their Speed score. A weapons individual speed score is also added to the total. Turn order goes from highest to lowest, of course. When it is a character's turn to act they can take one of the following actions; a) Attack, b) Move, c) Non-combat Action, or d) Disengage from Combat. At any time during the combat turn a character can; a) Parry or Dodge, b) Fight Defensively, or c) Speak.

Attack

made during the combat round, they have Your character can make an attack in his or successfully disengaged from combat and may her turn, in addition to moving up to fifteen move their full movement rate away from the battle. If any of these rolls fail the character is feet, SK permitting. still engaged in combat. Parry A Parry attempt is a defensive action in response to a Close Combat attack. Any additional attacks made against the character in the same combat turn are considered unopposed and have a Target Difficulty number of 4+ Medium. Dodge

If the attack is a close combat action and is being actively defended against, than it is a Contested Attribute roll with all relevant modifiers being applied to both the attacker and the defender. If the close combat attack is not being defended against than the attack is considered unopposed and has a Target Difficulty number of 4+ Medium to hit. Ranged attacks are always considered a Noncontested Combat Roll with a difficulty level set by the distance.

As with a parry, a dodge does not need to be announced ahead of time but are attempted in reaction to a successful attack. Any additional attacks made against the character in the same combat turn are considered unopposed and have a Target Difficulty number of 4+ Medium. Fight Defensively Using this option, your character forfeits any attack during the combat turn to get an extra dodge or parry attempt as well as move up to 15 feet. Speak

Speaking is considered a free action and there is no penalty for conversation or shouted When unengaged a character can move commands during the combat turn. around approximately 80 to 90 feet if they perform no other actions than Parry or Dodge. Otherwise the character is limited to the 15 foot restriction as mentioned above. Move

Non-Combat Action An unengaged character can use a specialism or do some other action such as drawing a weapon or opening a door. Use common sense as to what actions can reasonably be performed in this amount of time and within the degree of movement allowed. Disengage An engaged character can choose to leave the engagement by declaring at the start of the turn they are disengaging. Generally, they do not take any attack actions, limited only to dodges, parries, and movement actions. If the character is successful in all dodges or parries

Combat Example: Jake Flat and Buck Ferguson are playing cards with Pete Thistle, “Stumbles” McGowen, and Earl Whitlock in the railroad companies man camp when Jake is sure Earl is cheating. Calling him out on it, the heavy drinking Earl takes offense and stands up with his unsteady hand on his holstered pistol. Jake is a knife wielding tough guy, but Earl is fingering a double action revolver on his side. With only seconds to decide what to do he declares that he will flip over the card table at Earl while at the same time lunging for the angry drunk's gun hand. Seeing as Buck has got a front row seat to this flare up, the SK asks him what he wants to do. Buck decides he will have his partner's back. He says he will draw his revolver from his belt and shoot Earl from right where he sits. The SK decides what Pete and Stumbles reactions will be and now everyone rolls a Speed Score to decide Initiative. Jake rolls a 5 on his D10 Action die (Ad10). Added to his Speed 5 he has a Speed Score of 10 for this Combat Turn. Buck, with a Speed of 9 rolls a 7 on his Ad8. His single action revolver gives him a +2 for Weapon Speed for a Speed Score of 18! The unruly Earl attempts to defend himself against the pair's attack and rolls Ad8 for 5. His Speed is 7 and his revolver also gives him

a +2 for a Speed Score of 14. Buck is able to act first and smoothly pulls out his revolver from his belt and squeezes off a shot at Earl's belly. The range makes it a 4+ difficulty Action roll. He has a Gun Fighting (+2A) specialism and rolls an Ad8 for 8 plus 2 for an total Attack Roll of 10, a hit. The shot does a total of 13 points of Damage (6+1D8 damage bonus roll of 7)! Poor Earl didn't even see it coming as he gets his chest blown apart. He dies on the ground while the other two card players look on with stunned amazement. They then start to argue on how everyone is supposed to count their money since Jake flipped the damn table. Just as well, Buck could have declared, with his speed advantage this combat turn, that he quickly pulls out his pistol, cocks it, and tells Earl to “Cool it.” before Earl has a chance to draw. This could be considered a great way to for the SK to use Blazing Away (see “Blazing Away” below). Buck's first shot was him trying to talk Earl out of getting killed. If he wasn't buying it Buck could make a snap shot with the -2 Blazing Away modifier. Will bloodshed be avoided? A simple reaction roll by the SK, with any applicable modifiers deemed appropriate figured in, will determine whether or not Earl cools it or foolishly tries to draw on someone who has now got the drop on him.

Blazing Away

the target has been hit in a location protected Some ranged weapons have the ability to fire by cover or not. more than once in a combat turn. Blazing Myself, I prefer using the first option because Away in this fashion gives the shooter two I like to keep combat fast. I feel the first chances to hit while suffering a -2 penalty on option makes the SK's task of deciding a cover each shot. If the shooter is attacking a modifier quick and easy, and there is no need different target with the second attack apply for a long list of possible modifiers. an additional -2 penalty to the second shot. This doesn't mean there won't be a need for a No more than two targets can be shot at with a Hit Location Chart when a random body ranged weapon attack no matter the weapons location is required. Just grab your favorite listed rate of fire (ROF). No matter the from your existing game books. weapons listed ROF only two attacks total can be made a combat turn even though the total The Effects of Damage & Healing rounds of ammo listed are expended. The exception to this is the Gatling Gun. The As long as a character's Hits are greater than 1 Gatling Gun, and any other “machine gun”, they are conscious and able to act. At 1 Hits has the ability to make attacks against all the character is still conscious, but incapacitated. At 0 to -3 Hits the character is targets in its field of fire. unconscious and seriously injured. -4 and For example; Buck Ferguson blazes away at a below the character is dead. Wounds and bushwhacker. His revolver has a ROF 3. He serious injuries heal at a rate of 1 point per will make two attribute tests at a -2 penalty week of rest. This assumes any type of decent and expend 3 rounds of ammo. medical care. What About Cover? The use of cover is essential when it comes to withstanding ranged fire. There are two ways this game can easily go with ruling on cover. The first is to apply a negative modifier to the shooters attribute test.; -2 for light cover, -4 for medium cover, -6 for hard cover, etc. The other is with Hit Locations and deciding if

Non life threatening damage which may be sustained in physical fights may be healed with an hours of rest. At minimum a character can heal 1 Hits point per hour from such things as brawling damage, getting kicked by a horse, etc. It is ultimately the SK's decision how many Hits a character regains from a well deserved beating.