A Fistful of Lead

While looking at rule sets to use with my 'Back of Beyond' armies I came across Wiley Games Fistful of Lead series.

These rules have been around for ages but hadn't regisetered with me before, or I had forgotten about them if they had.  Originally a set for Wild West games they have a neat set of core mechanics that can be easily adapted to any period and Wiley Games have been publishing expansions and period tailored sets for a while.  This link to a Werewolve v Legionaries game on YouTube should illustrate the scope. The most recent format is a set of core rules with expansions, although they are still in a transition to this approach with some older sets, and some newer more diverse sets, being stand-alone. The books are all available in PDF for pretty low prices though, so you can dip your toe in for a minimal investment.

A4 hard copies are available in the UK from Oshiro.  I got mine on a super fast turn around, so have no complaints with the service there.

The set we tried first was not actually the core rules but the Bigger Battles expansion.  This is a stand alone game that takes the core rules mechanics and applies them in modified form to units instead of individuals.  Players typically control five or six units with multiple players possible, up to the limit of cards. The turn is card-diven with players having a hand of cards dealt and playing them in sequence and choosing a unit to activate.  Some cards give special bonuses and aces are wild.  Units can vary in size and stats, with the dice used (d10 usually but d8 for green troops and d12 for veterans) and a list of traits to give flavour.

I won't go into details as there is plenty of play description here but they gave us a fast and furious game.  Bigger units and more players slowed things down as is to be expected but the rules coped.  The approach is very much providing a toolkit and rules can easily be mixed from one set to another.  They will not be to everyone's taste and take an admittedly 'hollywood' approach but we had lots of fun.

We now have plans for more games of both Russian Civil War and other more esoteric projects.