Decision at Deadman's Gulch

Family affairs are taking up a lot of my time here in England, but I also had the chance to catch up with old friends. One of them is Ash Dyer, with whom I've had many a wargame with over the years. We met at The Games Table in Norwich, owned by the affable Keiran Meenaghan, and played out a short game in Ash's Western town of Deadman's Gulch using a set of Western skirmish rules produced by Newbury Rules back in 1980. Table were provided by Keiran, scenery and figures by Ash.

The bullet-riddled sign shows all is not well in town.

A few folks moving on Main Street

Tumbleweed rolls along.

Town undertaker Dedrick Bodey leaves the doctor's consulting room. Below, saloon piano player Charlie Bowles leaves another kind of establishment.

Both head for Main Street. Word is their deadly enemies Frank Garber and Sam 'Snake' Foley are in town somewhere.

And there they are across the street. Up on the hotel balcony Snake Foley saw Charlie coming down the alley and makes ready to give him a warm welcome.

Bodey spots Garber, but Bowles gets first shot off with his rifle - and misses.

Garber doesn't miss Bodey. A pistol shot cracks out and Bowles measures his length on Main Street.

Infuritated by his friend's death Bowles opened up again on Garber and put him down for the count. Cool as a cucumber, Bowles stood and took his shot in spite of the lead from Garber and Foley flying around him. Although Foley laid down on the balcony Bowles' final shot wounded Foley in the left forearm, making him drop his rifle into the street below. Thinking Foley done for, Bowles strolled casually across the street, intending to make an end of his enemy. He didn't reckon on Foley regaining his wits so soon - or for him having a shotgun. The last thing Bowles saw when he glanced up were the huge open barrels of the weapon, followed by a flash of light...

The end of the affair. Just another day in Deadman's Gulch, population 54.