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Using 'Gutshot' rules and a simple town layout the worthy few gathered on Tuesday to playout a gunfight. A number of pre-rolled characters were already provided, which included the usual set of villains, gamblers, rangers and townfolk, covering a wide range of ability (Target numbers from 5 to 11) and specialities. First the scenario. Trevor and Kevin were to be the no good, rootin’ tootin’ varmint black-hatted baddies, temporarily holed up in the town of Quornwood. Mike J, Dave M, Gary and Andy were the do-goody posse determined to bring the villains in alive to make them dead by hanging. The baddies had had the run of the town for long enough. With double their number the townsfolk were feeling confident.

Each player selected 2 characters at random - the 4 baddies were given a few minutes to select hiding places in the town. The 8 white hats gathered to discuss tactics but that basically meant sitting back down and entering the board where we liked with our pair of characters (I think I missed the bit where we considered a co-ordinated strategic plan).

A non-descript back-water town on the railroad with one good hostelry, a gallows, livery stable and a few shops/dwellings.

The Baddies settled down in the saloon to take out all comers. Gringo and Villa took the upstairs window commanding the street approaches. Big and Little took the downstairs concentrating on the back door.

The Tweney twins headed north, past the hanging post and stables and approached the saloon from the west. Not dodging all the bullets they made it to the downstairs with perforations to clothing and pride, Att’s hard to hit assisting.

Lewis and Knuckles also ran the gauntlet of the street. Lewis died at the door despite his partner’s best efforts at distracting the fanning guns of Big Fenny by tripping through the window.

Furlen, armed with a rifle, took up position behind a lone cactus in the middle of the street, firing up at the first floor windows ineffectively but taking no damage. Quiet made a run for the shop fronts.

To the east of the town Calamity Jane and Dirk Dirk made their approach along the back of the shops, bumping into Small Chang, who had left the saloon via the back door. The shoot out was a confused affair. Small resorted to punching Calamity in the face when his gun jammed... after the smoke cleared Small was dead on the floor, next to the tooth spat out by Calamity.

With the Goodies approaching the windows and doors from all sides, Big Fenny retreated upstairs and took to the balcony, pointing his guns at the top of the stairs. Villas and Gringo similarly prepared to pepper any varmint brave enough to rush the stairs.

Calamity, Dirk, Knuckles, Att and Neen now began the argument of who should go up the stairs first. Much elbowing and cajoling later it was decided that Knuckles would try it, his run up the staircase was accompanied by much gunfire. With no response to the query “Are you all right, Knuckles?”, a general rush was considered the next best thing. Furlon and Quiet made it to the front of the Saloon in time to witness their allies rush out of sight up the stairs, hear the torrent of gun fire and then the avalanche of bodies rolling back down. Knuckles and Calamity lay deaded. No one is sure what happened to Att and Neen Tweney. Some say they also died on the stairs. Others say they were later seen making for the stables.

Meanwhile, with Villa and Gringo facing the interior and the stairwell, Furlon had given Quiet a boost up the drainpipe to take them from behind from the safety of the first floor balcony. A surprise attack with big bonuses - how could he fail with a basic TN of 6? Failing a climb check - that’s how. Quiet dropped one storey back to earth, swearing muchly at sustaining 9 pain points.

Dirk counted his blessings on surviving the initial salvoes at the top of the stairs but could not count his surviving allies. His only option was to rush for Fenny on the balcony. Diving for him he successfully negotiated the window opening, but failed to grab hold of his target. Sailing harmlessly over Fenny’s head, Dirk now failed to check himself at the balcony, continuing his flight over the top and falling the one storey back to the street on the western side of the saloon (sustaining 8 pain for the trouble). Fenny showed no mercy, lent over the balcony and finished off the prostrate Dirk.

By now it was clear that the Goodies’ average TN of 9 was no match for the Baddies’ average TN of less than 7. The sound of the Baddies reloading their guns was muffled by the patter of Furlon and Quiet’s scampering feet.