Stiu is graciously running a small campaign for James, Andrews, Luke and me. Here’s the posse I’m using in the campaign, but don’t get too attached to them. Game 1 was a bloody affair!

The Lingos

Padraig “Moe” O’Malley (Left)

Gunslinger (Colt .45); Bounty Hunter – Stealthy
Moe, as his friends call him, is charming, funny and ruthless when required. He emigrated from Ireland when he was 12 years old and he still has family in New York City. He still retains much of the accent from his original home and is taken to cursing ‘as Gaeilge’ when things go awry! Moe is generally lucky, so he rarely needs to curse.

“Curly” Little Voice (Middle)

Gunslinger (Colt .45); Bounty Hunter – Stealthy
Little Voice is Shoshone and that is about all is known about him. He speaks very little English, but people rarely try to talk to him as he has a menacing air. The only people he seems to tolerate are his compadres. Neither Padraig, nor Lorentz are quite sure how he fell in with them, but they are often grateful of his wilderness and tracking skills. 

Lorentz “Larry” Leibovitz (Right)

Gunslinger (Winchester, Colt .45); Ex-Lawman – Deadeye
Larry is a second generation German emigrant. He is bilingual, but rarely speaks the language of his parents. They were killed by bandits when he was 15 years old whilst moving to set up a new home in the Nebraska territories. He spent time as a Lawman in Desperation, but had to move on when prosperity brought the Pinkertons and their heavy-handed approach to town.

Game 1 – Ghost Town

The Thompson brothers are the closest thing to lawmen in this godforsaken place. I say closest as it’s not exactly clear where the authority they claim comes from. They wear badges and Hogan likes to be called Sheriff, but truth be told they’re worse than most of the ‘bad guys’. Shakedowns and rustling are mere misdemeanours to them. They get up to much worse than those…

Me and Swift Mickey Nicholls got to talkin’. We reckoned Stodge City would be better off without ‘lawmen’ like them. We set to doin’ somethin’ about it…

Hogan, with his brothers Shaw and Alex, sauntered into the abandoned ghost town just on the edge of the Buther Mountains, about 10 miles outside Stodge City. A small gold rush had seen the town spring up, but it only lasted a few short years. It had many names in that time, but none stuck. Now it was a place for the Thompson brothers to hide their ill gotten gains.

Moe looked on from behind a derelict wagon. He knew something was up… why were they walking? He singled to Larry, who moved up behind the bones of an old store, his Winchester in one hand. Curly was hot on his heals, their movement screened from the approaching brothers. Larry covered the back door of the store and Curly entered. A few moments later Curly’s .45 sounded and one of the Thompsons, Alex he thought it was, was clipped, a shot to the leg causing to stumble. Moe wasn’t surprised Curly shot first, the Shoshone was a hot head and Moe suspected there was a history with the lawmen. More shots rang from back up the muddy street, probably Nicholls’ boys.

Things kicked off quickly as the other brother ran towards the store, shotguns in hand. Hogan, the eldest, kicked in the rickety door, but a Winchester sounded before he could fire, winging him and causing him to jump aside. Shaw as right behind him and unloaded both barrels into the small building. Larry fell out the back door, blood streaming from the side of his face. He hit the ground hard, his rifle landing in the dirt beside him. Curly staggered out the back door a moment later, having to step over the fallen Lingo. He appeared unhurt, but was dazed by the blast.

Moe got moving, the sight of his compadres in danger spurring him on. He ran to the back door, ready to exact revenge. Just as he reached the building the barrel of a shotgun emerged… he fired, but it went wide. The shotgun didn’t miss and a second Lingo was down. Curly had seen enough fighting in his life to know when a fight was over. Larry and Moe weren’t going to be getting back up and he knew better than to stick around. He would have to take revenge another time.

I guess that leave’s Curly as the leader of a one man posse! Wow – shotguns up close are vicious… who knew! Curly will have to try to add some recruits to the posse for the next outing. What a Cowboy! offers a cinematic experience and is a whole lot of fun. I’m looking forward to seeing it evolve and to picking up the rules when they are released.

Until next time,

Owen