OK Corral update

OK Corral update


The first of some filler building for the game are simple clapboard  types with raised boardwalks. The larger one is a General Dealer store and the smaller one is the Barber shop.

Close up of the General Dealer.

And the Barbers.

I think i will make a start on the OK Corral and the vacant lot behind  next and add the other feature buildings around that.  Its difficult to get accurate information on the look of these so will use the set from the Tombstone movie. The depiction of the actual gunfight is very similar to the description in the book. I will asume their research on the buildings is just as good!

I hope to have the figures representing the Earp gang finished by the end of the week and will do an update when they are ready.

That's all for now folks.

Gunfight at the OK Corral

Very little remains to be said about this iconic encounter in Tombstone, Arizona, on 26th October  1881. Or so i thought!

Having borrowed a book on the subject from a club member i have decided to reenact this on the nearest club date to the anniversary of the encounter. One of the first things i did on opening the book was to look at a map of the town. Typically it is laid out in the usual style of many American towns and cities in checkerboard fashion with the OK Corral located on Allen street. Now this street was clearly the centre of entertainment in Tombstone with a succession of restaurants, bars, hotels and other 'entertainment ' venues. Hell there's even a bowling alley!  A 19th century version of the Diamond strip here in Geordieland, the Big market's a bit 'old hat' these days!

Having only read about 40% of the book so far i have yet to find out why not much of the action takes place at the OK Corral! Morgan Earp was killed behind a couple of saloons in the next block along while Tom McLaury and Billy Clanton were killed on Fremont street which appears to be the real sight of the gunfight. Better get reading!

The plan

The Town
Well I'm going to need quite a few new buildings for this game as i will need to represent a couple of blocks of Tombstone. In order to get the OK Corral into the game i intend to do it Hollywood style and ignore the history!  In a  later post i will detail the buildings i have settled on and show a couple of pictures of some already constructed.

The figures

 We have enough club figures to make up the Clantons and McLaurys so that just leaves the Earps. As it happened Tom, the owner of the book fessed up to having partly painted figures of the Earps. He brought them round a couple of days later for me to finish off which means only Doc Holliday to source.

The Rules 

 We use Legends of the Old West for club games and these have the stats for several of the characters involved so we will use this set. As we haven't used character rules before the following game was a run through of using these.

The test game 
This was a simple game in which the Earps accompanied by Doc Holliday got wind that the Clanton gang were holed up in a small town several miles from Tombstone. They were wanted for questioning in connection with a stolen army mule so the lawmen set of to to apprehend the villains.

The Clantons are unaware of the Earps intention to arrest them and are spread out around town.

Now if anyone spots some dodgy figures in this game its because i picked up the wrong box! One of the Clantons is armed with a tankard instead of a six gun! Needless to say the rules lack the fighting qualities of such a weapon so we used the six gun stats instead.

The Earps win the Drop and make their way into town. 

The Clanton going about their business 

The Clantons are now aware that they are in a bi of a pickle when the presence of the Earps is revealed. 

The Earps find themselves in a target rich environment with Clantons all around.

The first one gets to eat dirt. 

Time to find another victim. 

Shots are exchanged but nobody gets it! 

The search continues. 

More shooting. 

Lets try the back door. 

One of the Clantons takes cover behind the waggon team but the Marshal missed both bandit and the horses.

The shootout continues without effect. 

Another victim of the lawmen  bites the dust.

The Clanton gang decide that enough is enough and figure its team to head for the hills.  

That easier said than done with the bloodthirsty lawmen determined to hunt down their quarry. 

Sixguns and tankards are notoriously ineffective even at close range!

An outlaw makes his way towards the stables attached to this house. 

The odds don't look good here. 

One of the Clantons is cornered in a building. 

A fight ensues. 

Another Clanton is cornered. 

Another outlaw vacates a building.

Safety is in sight and they head for the barn. 

An outlaw runs toward the barn saying goodbye to his lady friend as he goes.

The outlaws reach the barn. 

An Earp fires at an outlaw but misses this causes the outlaw to change direction and run into the open desert and escape.

He is shot dead before he can find a horse. 

The only horses to hand belong to the Undertakers team! 

 A second outlaw attempts to escape but is gunned down before he can get the chance.

The Marshall fails with his last chance to drop the desperate outlaw. 

This was a bad day for the Clantons. The Lawmen suffered no casualties but the Clanton gang are a few members short now. The Earps live to fight another day.

Quite a source for merriment this game so a good night despite the cock up with the figures.

Thanks for reading.

Mick



We had a Wild West game on Monday using the Legends of the Old West ruleset

The Scenario

A leader of a local gang of outlaws has been caught and is to be escorted to the to the Courtroom/Hotel for trial and naturally his posse arnt to fond of the idea.

The prison wagon waiting for the prisoner.

The Courtroom on the left.

The Earp brothers escort the prisoner to the wagon.

Virgil prepares to drive the wagon.

Suddenly a rifle shot is heard and a bullet whizzes past Virgils head.

He immediatley takes cover behind the wagon with Wyatt and the prisoner while Morgan who had gone ahead to check if the coast was clear turns to help his brothers.

The rifleman comes out of the building to get a better view.

Two outlaws come out of the building closest to Morgan.

But before they can fire he retreats out of view.

Wyatt and Virgil load up the prisoner.

 An outlaw bursts from the Land Agents building.

While one of his comprades takes position by the Undertakers. 

Morgan takes out one of the outlaws. 

The prison wagon prepares for the short trip to the courtroom. 

More bandits emerge. 

An outlaw is surprise to find the townsfolk emerging in his rear to assist the Earps! 

 Additional townsfolk ready to help.

As firing intensifies more outlaws break cover. 

The advance on the jail gathers pace with the locals in hot pursuit firing to no effect. 

One of them is not too keen to help. 

Good cover is afforded by the wagons. 

while the baddies gang up on a helpless citizen. 

Our helpless citizen has an outlaws 6 gun emptied into him! 

The victorious outlaw starts the process of reloading 

His buddy attempted the same but is left wanting in the Gunslinging department and frantically tries to reload. 

Unable to reload quickly enough an outlaw is attacked by two townfolk. 

He is beaten but manages to escape with his life for now. 

Townsfolk take cover behind the wagon. 

Fire is exchanged with the Earps through the bars of the jail. 

The outlaw runs for his life as he is pursued by four townspeople. 

As 2 outlaws attack the jail another 3 are taken in the rear by Morgan. 

Morgan takes fir from 2 outlaws and retreats into the Undertakers. 

leaving the outlaws free to attack the jail. 

 The outlaws continue to assault the jail exchangeing fire with the Earps inside. 

The townsfolk continue to pursue the outlaw who turns and attempts to reload. 

 Virgil manages to kill one of the outlaws outside the jail.

The outlaw manages to reload but is gunned down before he can get a shot off. 

 Positions at the end of the game the outlaws had the bank surrounded although the Earps were pretty secure inside and the townsfolk were coming to help so it is likely the outlaws would have lost this one had we had more time.

A very enjoyable game.

On Monday we will be having our Annual General Meeting but we are hoping to get a game of wings of war in afterwards.

Thanks For Reading

Carl