THE PLOT WITH NO NAME

The Barnes Wargames Group presents The The Plot with No Name

The Plot with No Name ­ Steve Flack, Barnes Wargames Collective, London

As most of our Wild West games seem to be straightforward 'Good Vs. Bad' shoot-em-ups, this scenario was designed to bring about an element of uncertainty as to who was wearing the white hats and who the black ones. The game allowed for 5 players, and an umpire was essential to control the ensuing chaos.

Set in the town of Furnace, New Mexico, each player controlled a group of one to four figures. Standard RWNN rules were used, with the addition of Walt O'Hara's NPC Movement, Hiding and Detection, and Weapons (Buffalo gun/scope) Rules. The town was generously populated with a lot of townsfolk to provide obstruction, or collateral damage when the shooting really started. The balconies and frontages of the Golden Nugget, Red Dog and Flack's Hotel all had a number of saloon bar girls on them to complicate the identification of Fanny La Farge (see character lists).

At the start of the game, the only player figures visible on the street were the Sheriff with Mick Clancy at the Courthouse door, one of his Deputies outside the provisions store, the La Farge sisters in the cemetery and Fanny La Farge on the balcony of Flack's Hotel, albeit unrecognised at this stage

Each player was given a character list (see later) and some sort of agenda for his group. Various agendas interacted with some or other groups. To ensure that the interactions worked, before the players were given their list they were told not to discuss their agenda with any other player, and their figure had to be in contact with another players figure before they could exchange information. The Texas Ranger player was specifically told he couldn't shout a warning to the Sheriff from the Livery for fear of the Clancy Brothers triggering a gunfight on the crowded street.

As was hoped, the interactions provided some unexpected results (as far as the players were concerned, including:

One Ranger ran from the barn towards the Sheriff and Mick Clancy and was promptly drilled by one of the deputies from the Sheriff's office, prompting the other Rangers to stay in the barn for most of the game

The Sheriff actually made it back to his office and locked Mick Clancy up

Hannie La Farge spent a good deal of time looking for Clint once she found he was in town, but together with Annie and Savannah tracked down Fanny and got her out of the hotel (killing a Clancy and a Ranger in the process

Clint backshot a Clancy from the balcony but was promptly despatched by a Deputy

An injudicious use of a shotgun which missed the target at point blank range, but managed to hit 6 townsfolk instead.

Of particular note were the exploits of Josiah Woodwedge who, as they say, had a really bad hair day. Having given up trying to identify Fanny with his sharpshooter scope from the Golden Nugget, he ventured onto the street and finally identified her from in front of the provisions store. He took aim with his trusty buffalo gun and seriously wounded the frontage of the hotel, but little else. This act however triggered the female store owner under the NPC rules, who promptly set about Josiah (clubbed rifle) with a mop (treated as clubbed rifle for melee purposes). We were then treated to the spectacle of a legend losing three straight rounds of melee to a female citizen figure. Josiah suffered severe wounds to the head before managing to crawl away into the newspaper office. After this, facing the La Farge sisters would probably have been a piece of cake for him, had it occurred.

The Character Lists

The Law
Wes Sheriff Shootist Pistol
Brett Deputy Gunman Pistol
Frank Deputy Gunman Sawn-off shotgun, pistol
Brady Deputy Gunman 2 Pistols

Last night the sheriff and his deputies were called out to a drunken fight in the Golden Nugget and arrested a cowboy, one Mick Riley. Although Riley was known to be with three other cowboys, they escaped in the general melee.

The Sheriff threw Riley into jail to sleep off the drink, and has this morning marched him across the street to the Courthouse where Riley was sentenced to 7 days for drunken behaviour. The Sheriff is now taking him back to jail to serve his time.

Now sober, Riley seems a peaceable type, and has cheerfully accepted his fate. There has been no sign of Riley's erstwhile friends this morning.

As is usual, one of the Deputies is patrolling the streets of Furnace (Frank can be put anywhere by the controlling player), while the other two are in the Sheriff's Office awaiting his return from the Courthouse. They have however noticed three people come from the livery who are making their way towards the Sheriff.

The Texas Rangers : Starting Position: Livery stable
Emmet Ranger Shootist Rifle, pistol
Ike Ranger Gunman Rifle, Pistol
Will Ranger Gunman Pistol


The Rangers caught up with a wanted bank robber, Clancy La Farge, in Tombstone a week ago; La Farge decided to fight it out and came off second best. While they were there, the town Marshall mentioned that the notorious Riley Brothers, wanted for robbery, murder, more robbery and cattle rustling, had passed through 2 days earlier and were headed for Little Rock. (The Marshall did not stop them because the Marshall is not stupid!).

Having followed the trail to Little Rock, they learned that the Rileys were on their way to Furnace.

Riding into Furnace early in the morning, the Rangers have just parked their horses in the livery when they see the Sheriff leave the Courthouse with Mick Riley in tow. There is no sign of the other Riley brothers. The fact the Sheriff is alone indicates that he does not know who Riley is or of the reputation of him and his brothers, or the other Rileys are dead (unlikely). It also means that the Sheriff is probably about to find out the hard way.

Assuming that the other Rileys are waiting to jump the Sheriff, the Rangers decide not to shout to the Sheriff in case it triggers a gunfight amongst innocent civilians before they can get close enough to provide support. They therefore start running toward the Sheriff

The Riley Brothers : Starting Position: The Red Dog
Mick Shootist Unarmed
Luke Gunman Pistol
Jake Gunman Rifle, pistol
Homer Citizen Shotgun


The Riley brothers rode into town yesterday afternoon to relax after a hard few months of robbing, rustling, killing and cattle-worrying. All have a sizeable reward out on them. They promptly got drunk in the Golden Nugget and started a fight, during which the youngest Riley, Mick, was arrested by the Sheriff and his deputies. Luke, Jake and Homer managed to sneak out the back during the chaos. Although not the sharpest tools in the box, the fact that nobody immediately started shouting "My God! It's the notorious Riley Brothers, known killers, rustlers, etc", suggests to them that their fame hasn't gone before them.

This being the case, it would have been simple for Mick to serve his sentence and then they all quietly leave, apart from one thing ­ Homer swears that he saw the feared bounty hunter Josiah Woodwedge upstairs in the Golden Nugget. That can only mean one thing. Woodwedge is known to be a deadly shot with a penchant for fancy weapons.

Luke, Jake and Homer are now in the Red Dog trying to decide what to do ­ either to take out Josiah Woodwedge or to free Mick and leg it, trusting that Josiah isn't watching and that they will lucky enough to reach the livery stable.

The La Farge Sisters : Starting position: Cemetery. Fanny starts at umpires discretion
Hannie Legend Pistol
Annie Gunman Shotgun, pistol
Fanny Citizen Pistol
Savannah Gunman Rifle

Not exactly a shining example of Southern Belles, the La Farge sisters have all had their share of wrong-doing and heartbreak. For instance, Hannie was once engaged to a handsome drifter called Clint, who had his evil way with her on numerous (38 to be precise) occasions and then ran off and left her. This has left her somewhat scarred mentally as well as physically (he always left his spurs on). Fanny, the half-sister, got into a scrape (or rather, they had to scrape her man-friend's brains off her bedroom wall and bury the evidence in the hog pen) and ran away from home. They haven't seen her for three years and would be hard pressed to recognise her now. The others do know that she is working as a 'hostess' in one of Furnace's more elite establishments.

To add to the sister's grief, they have learnt that their Pa got killed in Tombstone by Texas Rangers. As none of the girls have led a blameless life, they deduce the Rangers may well be after them. They hear that the Rangers have headed for Little Rock, so plan to take their Pa's body to Furnace and bury it there, find their sister Fanny and head for Mexico.

Hannie, Annie and Savannah have buried Pa and set out to find Fanny. But just as they do so, they see three men running down the street from the livery in a Texas Ranger-ish sort of way

Fanny's story (Given to the La Farge player once Fanny is activated)

Due to being run over by a stampede when she was a child, Fanny became somewhat deranged. Owing to an unfortunate incident involving a boyfriend and a six-shooter three years ago, she left home, changed her appearance and has spent the last 3 years making a living as a saloon girl and lady of negotiable affection. Sadly, in the latter pursuit she has developed an unfortunate liking for a form of coitus interruptus which involves a Navy Colt and a lot of squishy brain matter. She has moved from town to town and has amassed a very sizeable reward for her apprehension ­ still breathing has not been declared a mandatory requisite of her arrest. One person who managed to survive a night with her was a lowlife known as Jake Riley, and she never likes to leave loose ends

Fanny will remain inactive until triggered by one of the following events:

1. She is triggered by the Townsfolk/gunfire rule, although she won't run away. On a 9-10 she will also use her pistol.

2. The appearance of her erstwhile beau Jake Riley. This will override (1) above.

3. Recognition by her sisters.

4. Recognition of her sisters, brought about by the fact they are shooting everything in sight.

5. Any other event considered to be a direct threat to her by the umpire.

Once activated she comes under control of the La Farge player.

Bounty Hunter : Starting position: Golden Nugget room on top floor overlooking street (player chooses where)
Josiah Woodwedge Legend Buffalo Gun & scope/pistol


Since his release from the 10th Cavalry, Josiah has made a very reasonable living as a bounty hunter, a career he is very good at. Years of pacifying Plains Indians have done away with any scruples he may have had about female targets ­ hence his presence in Furnace.

He knows that Fanny La Farge, currently rated as worth $1,000 on the old reward-ometer, is working in Furnace. He only has a vague likeness of her, but he knows she is not in the Golden Nugget because he checked it out last night, just before a punch-up started in the bar. This leaves only two other places: the Red Dog or Flack's Hotel. So, he can either try and spot her from the Golden Nugget using his sharpshooter scope, or he can take a walk down main street and try and spot her close up.

Special Rules:

Buffalo Gun equipped with sharpshooter scope: ­ treat ranges as a rifle, takes two actions to load. A 5 or 6 will hit.

Sharpshooter scope can be used as a telescope, adding 1 to all detection throws. Adds +2 dice to hit roll, + or ­ 1 on location roll at players discretion.

Bounty Hunter : Starting Position: Flack's Hotel, front room, top floor
Clint Lee Legend Pistol

Clint is having a few days off, staying in the front room of Flack's Hotel on the first floor, and enjoying the company of the ladies. While not after anyone in particular, he always carries a sheaf of wanted posters just in case the opportunity comes up. It is likely that he would recognise anyone from a wanted poster if he saw them.

Clint is fairly easygoing, adopting a 'live and let live' attitude, unless you are a bandit, another bounty hunter or are cruel to your horse.

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Last Updated Feb 1, 2003 by Tim Peterson