Morris' Wargaming Escapades

I wanted to test a ruleset from the classic magazine The Courier called Showdown (n. 71, 1996). These Old West skirmish rules were designed by Samuel D. Campbell and, in short, they are amazing. More on how they work after the battlerep.   Father Morrison and Miss Brodie, the schoolmaster, flank one of the most 'advanced' pupils, Tress Hollister. They have rushed to the entrance arms in hand. The school is next to the ruins of and old hacienda This evening they sense something ominous out there Three ne'er-do-wells are near the grounds. 'Graybeard', 'Whitebeard' and 'The Deserter' Do they intend to drag the girls back to the darkness of Saloons? In this game I just control Tress Hollister. The other figures, friends and foes, are managed by the rules solo system Miss Brodie, though severely wounded, kills Graybeard. No one messes with her protegees.  Tress is behind cover, but she is rushed by The Deserter He fires point blank and wounds her Father ...

  Divide the terrain (and thus the mechanical opponent army) in 3 sectors (usually this will be right, centre and left). Draw a card for each sector and place them outside the mat, next to the opponent baseline as a reminder and guideline for its actions.      SPADES: Defensive posture, reorganize (fallback even), do not help adjacent sectors. Mnemonic: spades are used to dig-in. HEARTS: Defensive posture and, if needed, help adjacent sectors by transferring units there*. Mnemonic: these comrades-in-arms have a heart of gold. DIAMONDS: Probing posture, measured attack. Help an adjacent sector with attack orders if the attack is already underway there or more favorable than an attack in this sector. Else attack in this sector (precede the attack with attritional actions). Mnemonic: diamonds cut, but with precision. CLUBS: All-out attack in this sector. Mnemonic: use a heavy club to batter the enemy.  Each mechanical opponent turn roll a die: if a 6 is rolled, ch...