CRITTERS

Guns versus Fang and Claw

By Richard Hamblen

Early versions of GUNSLINGER included battles between gunfighters and wild animals that were left out of the final game as being inappropriate in a game about gunfight duels. (I tried to do away with horses as well, but I couldn’t get away with it.) This is unfortunate because the Buffalo, Longhorn, Grizzly Bear, rattlesnake and Puma figure prominently in the history and legends of the West. This variant provides the counters and rules to bring these “critters” back into the game as player-controlled characters.

1. This issue’s insert contains two-hex counters representing Buffalo, Longhorns and Grizzly Bears, and one-hex counters for Pumas and rattle snakes. The horse counters in the game can also be used to represent wild horses or “Mustangs”.

2. A player who controls a critter plays and does actions each turn just as if he were controlling a human character. Critters can do only the AD VANCE, BACK UP, TURN, SPIN AROUND, GET UP/DOWN, STRENGTH and attack and defense actions; they can play other actions, but they do nothing when the actions are executed. Pumas are the only critters that can RUN and horses and Pumas are the only critters that can LEAP/DROP. Each critter gets one B! and one B9 bonus card. Exception: Rattlesnakes get the B4 and B6 bonus cards and do not get the 11, 12, B1 or B9 bonus cards. They also cannot use STRENGTH.

3. A two-hex critter moves like a horse as explained in Optional Rule 3 in the rulebook, except it uses foot actions to move instead of COCK/AIM/ SHOOT and it has a maximum speed (the number of times it must “gallop” each segment) of two. A critter’s speed automatically decreases by one at the end of each turn. Exceptions: Pumas have a maximum speed of one, and rattlesnakes have a maximum speed of zero.

3.1 Actions are done before galloping each segment. When a two-hex critter does ADVANCE it can either change its speed by one (up or down) or advance as pictured on page 18 of the rulebook. When it does SPIN AROUND it must “sidle” as pictured on page 18, and when it does TURN or BACK UP it must turn or back up as pictured. Unlike horses, critters can back up and sidle when their speed is above zero, they do not draw delay cards for doing foot actions and they do not draw fatigue cards for reaching maximum speed. The player must state exactly how he is moving when he reveals the action.

3.2 Critters can get DOWN only when they DROP, STAGGER or are killed. Each critter can use its GET UP/DOWN action only to get up after it has fallen involuntarily.

3.3 Each time any part of a critter moves onto an obstacle or crosses a bank, slope or fence, the critter’s speed decreases by one and the critter draws one delay card. A critter cannot enter hexes containing buildings, tree trunks or critters; if it tries to its speed is set to zero and it draws two delay cards. These penalties occur at the end of the segment (so a critter can draw four cards for galloping into the same wall twice in the same segment). DOWN critters (except rattlesnakes) are treated as obstacles.

3.4 When a horse does LEAP/DROP it jumps as explained in Optional Rule 3.26; as it gallops that segment, it passes over lower obstacles without penalty. The critter does draw a fatigue card for jumping. Special: A jumping critter moves one extra hex straight ahead (so a horse can jump three hexes, and a Puma can jump two).

3.5 Pumas and rattlers are controlled like two-hex critters but move and turn like one-hex human counters. Rattlers do not have a B1 card—they can not RUN, LEAP/DROP or GET UP/DOWN and they cannot gallop (for reasons that should be obvious). Pumas can RUN and LEAP/DROP (to jump), and their maximum speed is one. Special: When a leaping Puma enters an upright human’s hex, the Puma stops in that hex.

4. To fight, critters play attacks, draw result cards and consult the STRIKING TABLE to find the damage they inflict. All attacks have an aim time of 5, but the type of critter defines the row of the STRIKING TABLE that is used.

4.1 Bears, Buffalo, Longhorns and Pumas attack with JAB, SWING and BELT (think of them as “CLAW”, “BITE”, “GORE”, etc.) plus STRENGTH, and defend with DUCK, BLOCK and GUARD. Bears and Pumas use the AXE row of the STRIKING TABLE; Bears add 2 to all penalties and Pumas add 1. Longhorns, Buffalo and horses use the PF (Pitchfork) row; Longhorns add 2 to all penalties, Buffalo add 1 and horses subtract I.

4.2 Rattlesnakes attack with JAB, HOOK and CHOP (without STRENGTH) and defend with DUCK, SIDESTEP and COVERUP; they use the “C41” row of the IMPACT TABLE when they hit.

4.3 Each time part of a two-hex critter enters a human’s hex the critter gets the penalty indicated in Optional Rule 3.24. If the human is upright, he gets STUN 2 and STAGGERS; and if he is DOWN, he gets STUN 6 and SERIOUS 1. When a one-hex critter enters a human’s hex both the human and critter draw two delay cards normally. Exceptions: If a leaping Puma lands in a human’s hex, the Puma is treated as a two-hex critter. If a leaping Puma passes through a hex containing a DOWN human, neither the human nor the Puma get a penalty.

5. All critters start with 40 endurance.

5.1 When firing at a two-hex critter, divide the range by 3 to reflect the size of the target. A two-hex critter has Move Target Status when its speed is 1, Run Status if its speed is more. One-hex critters define Target Status the same way humans do. Rattlesnakes always have Down Target Status.

5.2 Subtract 3 from all combat penalties inflicted on a Buffalo, subtract 2 from all combat penalties inflicted on a Longhorn, Bear or horse, and sub tract I from all combat penalties inflicted on a Puma. Add 1 to all combat penalties inflicted on a rattlesnake. If a hit is reduced so the critter draws no result cards at all, cancel any DROP or STAGGER penalties associated with that hit.

6. SUGGESTED SHOWDOWNS: Critters should always start with a speed of zero.

Bears or Pumas: Use two critters as side A in showdowns 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 22 or 24, or as side B in showdwon 5. Note: Use the Darkness Optional Rule when Pumas are used.

Buffalo, Longhorns, horses: Use about eight critters, divided into two equal herds. Play one set of actions for each herd: all of the animals in that herd do that set of actions simultaneously. Critters that run into blocking terrain just stop until an action occurs they can do. Put RUN markers on each critter to show its speed, and put each critter’s delay next to it on the board. The herds can be redivided every five turns. Use side A in showdown 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, or 22, or as side C in showdown 24.

Rattlesnakes: Add to any showdown that includes rock piles. Whenever a character moves next to or onto a rock pile he draws one Result card for each rock pile he is next to or on. If he draws a MALFUNCTION a rattlesnake appears in that rock pile. The rattlesnake is controlled by the next enemy after the victim in the order of play (after the seventh character the order loops back to the first character).

The Avalon Hill General, September-October 1982, Volume 19, Number 3