Deadlands D20 Marshal needs help! (Long)

[Grifter86]

Howdy ya'll,

I'm a tinhorn Marshal, so you folks are gonna hafta bear with me.

The gaming posse got together yesterday and resolved to create characters for a game of Deadlands d20, seeing as only half of the posse showed up, and the party didn't want to go into Rappan Athuk only three strong.

So they created a gunslinger for the hack n' slash type, a scout for the other hack n' slash type, and a mad scientist for the feller that generally plays rogues.

They were having a blast equipping their characters, with the gunslinger taking up two Colt Frontier six guns; a winchester '76; and a revolving shotgun, the scout picking up a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun; two double action six-guns; and a rifle, the mad scientist picked up a steam wagon for his starting weird gizmo; two Sharps big .50 rifles as guns for the steam wagon; and, of course, two six guns. Maybe some quicksand up ahead will lighten the load... Please advise here

Things broke up before they had to deal w/ encumbrance, but they all seemed to be within limits w/their gun belts and all. Plus I thought it within the spirit of the rules that the mad scientist be allowed to modify the steam wagon w/an enclosure, around it w/a forward gunport that could be raised to see through. I reduced the vehicle's speed to 50ft (from 70ft) given the added weight, though I feel I should do so more. I'm also lowering the reliability, given the added stress on the steam engine.

The opening scenario is going to be a bank robbery in Missouri, in which I plan to capture the group and have the USA commission them, as criminals, to unseat a Confederate sympathizer living like a king off of rural Kansas that the USA refuses to move against directly for fear that it could trigger a massive CSA offensive in the area.

I'm using Missouri because the quarries and forests in the state give me an excuse to equip the locals with dynamite. I think the mad scientist will seek to use his steam wagon like a tank and just wade into town. The locals will use roof tops to fire their guns from, perhaps escaping the arc of fire of the steam wagon, and who the hell would want to stand level to the damn thing?

The steam wagon will probably be seen from way off from the plume of smoke, and the locals will know that it's not train from the way it's coming at them. A scouting party might be sent ahead to find out what the tank is up to. The locals will wait for a response and get some dynamite together; I think they'll assume that a mad science gizmo is on the way and ready the heavy stuff.

I think they'll prepare some dynamite under the dirt road in front of the bank, several other pieces of property that are valuable and the entrances to the town with a man ready with a plunger nearby.

When the steam wagon rolls over it... BOOM!

Of course, the players could try to use a little finesse, but, what are the odds of that?

I just want to know your feedback. Is the plan too outrageous? Does it assume that the townsfolk are more sophisticated than they should be?

Thanks for your time.

 

[Grifter86]

C'mon!

BUMP!!

I just want some feedback on my plan.
I knew it was a mistake listing this as long...

 

[ErichDragon]

I have never played Deadlands before. I ran a Champions Western Hero campaign however. Your plan sounds fine to me, although taking out the mad scientists main piece of equipment in the first scenario might rankle him a bit. If your players aren't the whinny complaining type it will probably be a really fun scenario.

 

[Yuan-Ti]

It sounds fine. Maybe, when the USA commissions the crooks against the CSA, they can give the Mad Scientist something to replace his gizmo. Or repair his gizmo...

 

[Piratecat]

The opening scenario is going to be a bank robbery in Missouri, in which I plan to capture the group and have the USA commission them, as criminals, to unseat a Confederate sympathizer living like a king off of rural Kansas that the USA refuses to move against directly for fear that it could trigger a massive CSA offensive in the area.

Howdy! I was with you up to this point, but I think you're setting yourself up for trouble. Better ask yourself: what if they don't want to unseat the Confed sympathizer? What if they resent being shanghaied? Lots of potential player resentment in this set up, I worry, unless your players are quite patient.

But it sounds like a fun game!!

 

[Piratecat]

Stupid timeouts.

 

[Grifter86]

Railroading the PC's

I realize it may sound like I'm railroading the PC's, but this is just a plan I'm making in case they try a direct attack.

I their real sneaky, clever, and/or daring they could get away with it.

But if they try to use the tank as a getaway they could end up bogged down on the hills of Missouri.

I'm trying to use a flowchart concept, but I'm going to outline the townsfolk's reaction to a direct assault most thoroughly, as the PC's are rather confident about the power of their "tank."

If the PC's don't like being shanghaied they could make a run for it after the Union lets 'em loose... which will effectively make them fugitives.

The one thing that bugs me is the PC's being walking arsenals. Do you think this is all right or should I try to do something about it?

 

[Piratecat]

I moved this to the correct forum.

I wouldn't worry about the arsenal. I doubt that'll be a major problem. In Deadlands, bad guys drop after a few shots; how often do you run out of ammo, or even need that many weapons?

 

[Mark Plemmons]

Howdy!

I ran Deadlands (original, NOT d20) for a couple years. Here are my immediate thoughts:

First, I think the posse shouldn't have a steam engine if they're newbies and just starting off, but that's personal opinion.

I'm not really sure about the reactions of the townspeople. They seem too well-prepared. How familiar is the town with steam tech? Do they get assaulted a lot?

If they're just a little town off the beaten path, they'll probably send a couple men out to investigate, but they won't have an attack plan.

Also, unless it's a city or big town, there's probably only two to three lawmen at most. Odds are most of the locals will run and hide, rather than stand and fight. It really depends on the details of the town and what types of people are in it.

Why are the PCs robbing a bank? Was this their plan or yours?

Mark

 

[Grifter86]

Hey Mark, thanks for coming out.

According to Deadlands d20 a mad scientist PC gets one starting gizmo, be it a gatling pistol, a bullet proof vest, a flamethrower, a jetpack, or a steam wagon.

I'm probably only going to have three law men, plus one grizzled homesteader who scouted until things got weird. I figure the grizzled ex-scout will move on the party alone and wait for them to pass just to find out what they are, PC's in the steamwagon probably won't notice him given the sound of the engine and the armor plates surrounding him.

A fast horse can easily outdistance the PC's armored steam wagon,and the scout will move away on a side tail, out of sight of the PC's and tell the lawmen what he saw. The lawmen will arrange themselves around town minutes before the PC's come in, firing from the roof tops.

Meanwhile the grizzled ex-scout will have dynamite ready....

This is my plan assuming the PC's try a direct assault w/the steam wagon.