Staaaaaaampeeeeeedddddeeeeee! by Walter O'Hara (Burke, VA. USA)

Cattle, and to a lesser extent horses, were a notoriously skittish bunch. It didn't take much to set off a general panic. So, in the interests of re-enacting some of the finest dramatic moments in Westerns, these stampeding' rules are presented here.

Prerequisites:

A herd is defined as more than four animal figures on the table. Less than that, and you don't have the destruction that all that lovely beef on the hoof is capable of.

Procedure:

This is a referee call sort of activity. Measure the distance between a source of gunshots and the nearest animal in a herd (more than four animals) If that distance is 12 inches or greater, don't bother to check. If that distance is 6 to 12 inches, roll on table 1. If that distance is less than 6 inches, roll on table 2. Note that if DYNAMITE goes off, an automatic stampede occurs.

Table 1: "We're not so Skittish" - Roll 1 D6 Die Roll Results 1 Staaaampede! 2-6 No Result

Table 2: "We ARE Skittish" - Roll 1 D6 Die Roll Results 1-3 Staaaampede! 4-6 No Result

Note: Modify these tables at the discretion of the referee. Horses were generally more used to loud unsettling noises, for instance, and wouldn't spook as easily as this table indicates. The tables above are oriented towards the classic "Longhorn Cattle" style stampede.

What happens when a Stampede result occurs:

Pull out a direction dice (see dynamite) or use a regular six sider with the following table: 1 = North 2 = South 3 = West 4 = East 5 = North and roll again; 6 = South and roll again (e.g., 5,4 is NE, 5,3 is NW. NN is North, SS is South, NS is either N or S (flip a coin)). In any event, determine a direction somehow. Next, determine a "lead animal" to place in the front of the herd. This is the animal that the herd will follow during the stampede. If the animals are in the open, the entire herd rolls 3 movement dice as if they were walking fast. If more shots go off, their movement dice for the next turn goes up to 4 dice. The herd moves in the direction indicated, knocking anything or everything in front of them down. Note: A Stampede Card enters into the FATE DECK whenever a stampede result occurs, the deck is reshuffled, and the herd moves (aligned on the lead animal) when that card is drawn.

What to do if a Stampede comes your way and you're on foot:

Roll for escape result if you are within one inch (1") of the edge of the herd. A 1 or 2 on a 1d6 means the figure dodges out of the herd. If you fail this roll, all is not lost, though things will get harder for you. If the user is AGILE, he escapes on a 1 through 3.

If you are stuck in the stampede, you can attempt to dodge it while inside the herd. (you must check every turn). If you roll a 1 on a 1d6, (1 or 2 if user is AGILE) you stay on your feet and don't get trampled. If you lose this roll, well, things are going to go bad for you.

When you fail the die roll: You are in bad shape. The casting stays in place, in a KNOCKED DOWN state, while the stampede moves over the casting. Every turn the stampede is over the figure, roll 1d6 to figure damage: 1-2, roll 1 time on the Fighting table, vs. TRAMPLE; 3-4, roll 2 times on the Fighting table, vs. TRAMPLE; 5, roll 3 times on the Fighting table, vs. TRAMPLE; 6, roll 4 times on the Fighting table, vs. TRAMPLE.

You MAY survive, you never know.

What to do if a Stampede comes your way and you're on horseback:

Check for loss of control of your horse.

Check to move your horse out of the stampede. 1st, roll movement dice (only 3 in this instance). 2nd, roll to move out of the stampeded (1 or a 2 on a 1d6). If you fail, your horse will get caught up in the stampede and move with it. You MUST check for control every turn thereafter.

If you lose control, go to #2 above in the "On Foot" rules.

What stampedes do to the surrounding neighbourhood:

A stampede WILL get through a wooden fence once it starts moving--though it will take 1 turn to do so.

A stampede generally will NOT go through a mortared stone fence, though I give them a 2 in 6 chance if the fence is made of piled up stones with no mortar.

Stampedes ignore (move around) buildings unless caught in a dead end. Check for building damage as if the building was undergoing FIRE damage. This applies to wooden buildings only, not stone or adobe.

Small loose objects (pumps, troughs, etc.) will be knocked down, shattered, etc.)

Wagons will overturn on a 1-3 on a 1d6 for every turn the stampede is next to them.

Stagecoaches will not overturn, they are too heavy.

How to stop a stampede:

If on horseback, ride to the front of the stampede (check for loss of control each turn). If you fail, go to "what to do if you are on foot in a stampede" section.

Fire pistols/rifles to check for turning. A 1 or a 2 on a 1d6 TURNS the stampede.

To try to stop the stampede, you must successfully SHOOT and KNOCK DOWN the lead animal.

If on foot, you may attempt this by running and yelling, waving your hat and firing your pistol. Only 1 on a 1d6 will TURN the stampede, though. The procedure for stopping is the same.

Driving Cattle

Okay, you say, how do I move them doggies down the trail (translation: How do I make herd animals go where I want them to go, when I want them to do it)? This is accomplished through DRIVING THE BEASTS. In game terms, there are certain prerequisites that need to be met to drive cattle:

Herd Driving Prerequisites

The herd animals must be defined as a "herd" in game terms (see above; a collection of 4 or more herd beasts)

The drivers (i.e. cowboys) must be on horseback, therefore subject to Horse Riding rules.

A lead animal must be designated that is the first animal in the herd.

The herd must not be in a state of stampede.

There must be at least one driver located within 3" of the lead animal.

A Cattle Drive Card, a Herd Card, and individual driver cards must be created for the Action Deck.

Additionally, the herd must be initially thought of as a single entity called a Drive. A drive consists of herd beasts, drivers (i.e., cowboys), and possibly some supporting cast like a Chuck Wagon, etc. A drive moves on a single action card using the TRWNN rule mechanic called GROUP MOVEMENT. A special Cattle Drive card is added to the Action Deck, and all the components of the Drive will act with a single purpose when that card is drawn. The individual cards for the drivers and the herd are taken out of the deck. After the first turn of action, this grouping is no longer mandatory, and the drivers may voluntarily elect to break off from group action (either individually, adding their cards to the Action Deck, or en masse). If a situation occurs where ALL drivers are no longer subject to group movement, either voluntarily or because a stampede has occurred, then a HERD card goes into the Action Deck (or stampede if appropriate). The (now leaderless) herd will continue moving in the general direction they are going in, unless they meet a significant obstacle that will impede forward progress, at a movement rate of TWO DICE A TURN. As you probably already have figured out, it can get dicey if the drivers get separated from the front of their herd, and this could happen easily if their individual cards are shuffled into the deck.

Regaining control of the Herd

To REGAIN control of a herd after the Group Movement has been broken, at least two mounted figures must move in front of the herd, and take one action turn firing their pistols off, waving their hats, and doing those assorted tasks that cowboys do. Then they will roll a check on a single 1d6. If they roll a six, they haven't regained control (and the separate action cards remain in the Action deck). If they roll 1-5, they regain control (and the group movement card goes back into the deck, while the individual cards are taken out).

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