House Rules

[jemmus]

This thread is for discussing how we're all going to play this game.
The first rule is no spittin on the floor in indoor spaces. Find a spitoon. If you're too drunk and can't do that or you find it objectionable to share a spitoon with another customer, go outside. There's plenty of dirt for tobacco chaw juice in the street for that.

[jemmus]

Costs of Living

Stabling a horse - Generally 35 cents per night.

Telegrams - 55 cents and up, depending on the length of the message and the distance. Example: This message from Temple, TX to Houston: GRAIN PRICES IN TEMPLE 60% OF AVERAGE CATTLE 140% AVERAGE NEED INSTRUCTIONS A fairly short message, going around 220 miles, and needing eight station-to-station relays. $2.50.

Blanket/bedroll - 75 cents

Beans, tin can - 10 cents

[jemmus]

Scouting - It's situational. If the terrain, cover, and distance allow the scout to approach and observe while mounted, he just rolls on his Scouting skill. Example: A U.S. Army cavalry troop in camped of the floor of a canyon. The scout is above on the rim of the canyon, and there's a low mesquite tree he and his horse can conceal under/behind. Roll only on Scouting skills.

If the terrain, cover, and distance leave the scout and his mount exposed to sight during the necessary approach, the scout has to take into account a couple of other things if he wants to scout while mounted. Basically, his Scouting skill will have to be averaged with some things about his particular horse's abilities/traits.
1) Average the horse's Coordination + Intelligence scores.
2) Then, average the character's Scouting skill score with the horse's score from 1) above. Per the general guidelines of the rules, you can round up.
3) Roll under that average for a success.
4) But wait, there's more. All characters have the Riding skill. The minimum it can be is 5. That would 0 plus the +5 modifier for such a low roll. (Well, that assumes that the character spent one of his valuable skill assignment options rolling for Riding skill. In which case, the worst of 2d6 roll would be a 2. With a +5, for 7. Otherwise, 0 +5 for Riding 5). If a character can roll under or equal to his Riding skill score, that adds +2 to all of the above.

Stealth movement from horseback - A good horse might be able to pull it off? But common sense says most horses on four legs probably won't.

In other words:
-Scouting while on horseback is situational. It depends on the terrain, the cover, the distance, and the objective. GM will provide info to the scout as it comes up.
-Scouts can't depend on horses to also be good spies. They have minds concerns of their own, after all.

[jemmus]

Firing through Walls
This applies to thin plank wooden walls, which are common. It doesn't apply to adobe walls, which are more common in West Texas, New Mexico Territory and Arizona Territory. And it also doesn't apply to "dog run" cabins with log walls.

A character can file through a simple plank wall with these modifiers:
a) -2 to hit (Target Obscured); and
b) -2d4 to hit (deflection due to wood knot hard spots, nails, standing wall posts, picture frames, etc.)

Note that I initially said -2d3 for b) in another thread. Thinking it through, I don't think that takes the unknown randomness of materials into account.

[jemmus]

Changing Declared Actions
As we know, the losing side of during the Initiative phase have to declare their actions for the turn. House rule: During the turn, characters can change to a less aggressive or less active action. Examples--
-Jed's side loses the Initiative roll. He says that he will shoot this turn. But Clem from the other side does a successful fast draw and gets the drop on him. Jed raises his hands and say "Don't shoot." (A permissible change to a less aggressive action).
-Robber Harry's side lost in Initiative and he declared that he would move, and how fast. He's wounded and intends to run for his horse, when movement happens last in the turn. Deputy Archie's and Deputy Bob's shots hit him, further wounding him. Instead of running, he drops his gun and says, "Don't shoot, I give up." (A permissible less active action).

This should provide more decision-making and creative RP/storytelling options. So that every armed conflict situation doesn't have to turn into a do-or-die firefight to the death.

[jemmus]

Using Stature
For a character to make use of his Stature attribute, he has to somehow make everyone know who he is. This is before there was radio, TV or internet. But there were a surprising number of photographs around, and about every settled town had a newspaper. Bored frontier people eagerly read daily newspapers, wrote letters to friends and family reporting local events, and traded talk about current events over cards, in church, or around the campfire. Reporters scoured the West for stories for eager readers Back East, and editors embellished them to try to develop famous or infamous ongoing characters for readers to follow. Headline: "James Gang Rob Missouri Central RR $110,000 in coins, bank notes, and promissory notes stolen." Exciting ongoing stories sold papers, and selling papers sold advertising space. (Sears & Roebuck and I think J.C. Penny were already big advertisers in 1873).

In any event, a name and story seen in print, heard at the card table, in the dance hall, after the sermon, or in the quilting circle were things one passed on. And in the retelling, didn't forget. Here's how PCs can make use of their Stature attribute.
-You need a in your character sheet to explain an event or events about why people know your name. It can't have been for an event after your char started this game in little local San Marcos, Texas, around 35 miles SW of Austin (more than a 12-hour ride), in June of1873.
-In scenes, to use Stature you have to let NPCs know who you are. They likely won't know you by face. Unless they happen to have seen you in person, or your photo in a newspaper.
-If they've seen you by face and start whispering to other locals... And you don't recognize the whisperer's face... ?

Stature can be a very powerful changer of encounters and situations. Kind of like Charisma of old AD&D 1e and majorly encounter-altering spells of D&D 5e. Stature in BH can can have wondrous influence on thing as well. As might skill in Law as well.



-Use of Stature

[Grognardsw]

I give out business cards

[jemmus]

The Have Gun Will Travel series is the greatest, So much good writing and storytelling. Gene Rodenberry and such.

[jemmus]

Train Fare
Generally:
Coach - 4 cents/mile
First Class - 6 cents/mile
Livestock (including horses) - 2 cents/mile

[jemmus]

Starting Cash
New PCs get 6D6 extra dollars.

[jemmus]

Horse Races
Check out Table 33: Strategic Mounted Movement (miles/hour ) on p. 93 of the rules. Horses run from 10 to 16 miles in the first hour, depending on their Strength attribute. The horse higher in Strength (which determines its position on the scale of Poor (6-10) to Excellent (21-28) will always travel more miles per hour than one with the poorer Attribute score.

But... there's also the horseman's Riding skill. So:
a) Character's can try a Riding skill roll to increase their horse's speed. A success moves the horses mph to the next higher category for 5 miles. (For Excellent horses, it moves it from 16 to 18 for 5 miles). After the 5 miles, the horse reverts to its normal speed.
b) There's a risk of blowing an overdriven horse out and ruining its health. A roll of 5 over the character's Riding skill will do that. If that happens, the horse permanently drops to the next lower level of quality. The character can stop and rest the horse, at no risk can call a Luck roll to try to prevent that. The character must state a plausible reason for why the horse's health wasn't damaged. Per the rules, no character can use the same reason twice.
c) An immediately next successful Riding roll moves the horse to the next higher category for the next 5 miles. The same rules about failed rolls applies. But roll of 2 or higher over the rider's Riding skill causes the permanent decrease in the horse's quality. The same Luck roll rules apply.
d) A roll of 20 on a Riding roll is a Crit Fail. b) (above) immediately applies.

Losers of horse races face various other consequences, of course. For example: losing large or small sums of money on a bet(s); failing to overtake an adversar(ies); being overtaken by an adversar(ies), getting back to a stranded family with canteens full of water, failing to deliver a deadline-sensitive message (a love letter, etc.) on time.

Riding skill rolls can also be used to assess the quality of the opponent's(s') mount(s)-- view of it (them) and time to view permitting. This probably only applies to outlaws', Comanches', Apaches', Tonkawas', stray cowboys', etc. steeds. The PCs have had plenty of time to to observe and appraise each others' sweaty horses and see them in practical action on the road and in camp.

[jemmus]

OOC Shooting Contest Procedures
Target: small target = -2 to hit. Bullseye: very small target (bullseye) = -4 to hit. Targets are at Short range. +0 to hit. You just roll your shot normally on a 1d20, and if it hits at -2 or -4 to the skill check, GM will check and track what kind of hit it was. It would be of great assistance and very charitable (and also speed things up) if you'd post your Coordination and Skill with the weapon in your posts.
Scoring – Miss - 0 points. Hit first - 1 point. Bulleyes hit - 3 points.

Rifle & Pistol
Roll 1d20 five times, with your skill level in the weapon added. I'll assume that all shots are Careful shots, because you have no reason to be in a hurry and do a less careful Steady, Hipshot, or Fanned Shot.

Fast draw
This one might take a little while to resolve in-game, because the shots will be posted one by one, because there are some tactics involved in choosing the type of shot (quick but wild Hipshot, slow but accurate Careful shot, etc.)

Contestants will randomly be paired against each other. Your objective is to hit the target on your side of the wheel before your opponent hits theirs. If you do, your target will rotate away from you, then back toward you when the opponent's shot hits. We can assume that all contestants are using Fast Draw Revolvers (very fast speed). They'd be foolish to enter this public competition and risk financial loss-- and worse-- injury to pride and Reputation. Each pair of contestants will fire three shots, one at a time, each time resetting the targets and drawing and firing again. Pistols can be cocked while in the holster--and it might be advisable to do so. At the hazard of the possible unfortunate results of a misfire.

Procedure
1) Include in your post: Whether drawing with gun cocked; your Initiative roll (1d6); and your Fast Draw check roll. If you win Initiative, the NPC has to post their result before you do. If not, you post first.
2) After both posts and the results up, post the type of shot (Careful, etc.) and the to hit check. Holster your firearm.
3) Repeat 1. two more times.
4) Winner goes against the winner of another bracket until there's a clear winner.
Scoring – Miss - 0 points. Hit second - 1 point. Bullseye hit second - 2 points. Hit first - 3 points. Bulleyes hit first- 5 points.

Table 3: Chance to Hit
Type of Shot Chance to Hit (add skill level in the weapon before dividing)
Careful Coordination
Steady Coordination/2, rounded up
Hipshot Coordination/4, rounded down
Fanfiring 1, or Pistol skill

Table &: Shootout Actions (Lower number counts happen first. In a tie, the char with higher Coordination goes first).
Action & Count
Fanned shot 1
Hip hot 2
Steady shot 3
Careful shot 6
Fast draw, successful 0
Fast draw, unsuccessful 2 (and try again or do a normal draw)
Normal draw 3
Fire a cocked gun 1 less than normal

We'll run the Pistol and Rifle and Fast Draw events simultaneously in separate threads, to save RL game time.

[jemmus]

I'm going to say that resting up, cleaning up, having a good meal with a refreshing beverage, and sleeping under a roof, after some days of action and roughing it in tents or under the sky is worth XP. The number can range from 5 to 50 or more, depending on the amount of type of previous privations and the duration, and the quality and expense of the current accommodations. As an example, a miner who's been in the mountains wilderness for half a year, under a tent, only game for food, and worst of all, no mail and only other panners for company.... And makes it to San Francisco, goes to nice saloon and has a cocktail, plays some hands of cards and shoots some pool, goes to a dance hall and has a dance with pretty dance hall gal.... That could be an easy 50 XP+. (For reference, it's 50 XP for surviving a gunfight and 40 for bringing a criminal to justice).

(You might note the exchange of dollars spent for R&R (rest and recreation) for XP. This is intentional and intended. But the wary will also note that recreation in the frontier states and territories isn't always the same as rest. Unless we're talking about permanent rest and peace.)

Y'all wash up sometimes, would ya?

[jemmus]

Tracking
The rules say when using the Tracking skill, a check is required every two miles (p. 19). They also say that men on foot move two miles per hour on clear terrain (p.93). So from that, it seems that a Tracking roll involves one hour. Logically it could take even longer, because the tracker is observing the ground, rather than just walking along the shortest route. But let's say one hour per roll.

(So from this, it seems that trackers work most quickly in groups. If one fails a roll, others might succeed and keep the group going forward. We saw this with the Tonkawa trackers tracking the horse rustlers to their hideout house).

[jemmus]

Horses' Comparative Speeds
Using the information on different qualities of horses' speeds on page 93, and internet information on RL horses' mph speeds, I calculated rates per 10-second Combat Turn. (A fast horse can run around 40 mph with a rider, by the way. Thoroughbreds can hit 50 mph. The average domestic horse hits around 30 mph).

Excellent
117 yards per 6-second Combat Turn

Good
106 yards per 6-second Combat Turn

Fair
88 yards per 6-second Combat Turn

Poor
73 yards per 6-second Combat Turn
So an Excellent horse gains on or outstrips a Good one 11 yards per Combat Turn. For a Fair one, 29 yards per Combat Turn.

[jemmus]

Rest and recreation for XP
The frontier is a very capitalistic and opportunistic place. People are after money, toward getting to enjoy some of the finer things in life. Such as good meals and drink, clean sheets and warm comforters, professional entertainment. And a chance to socialize and catch up on the latest news and local gossip. And to gamble. Always, any time, anywhere on the frontier, gambling. And then there's the tradition of resting from one's work one day a week. For most, on Sunday.

So, PCs can earn up to 15 XP per day resting, cleaning up, getting good meals, reading the paper or a book, going to church, enjoying a show, and otherwise enjoying some downtime. The more relaxing and pampering of himself the character does, and the money the spent, the more the XP. The most XP will be earned the first day, with pretty steeply declining awards of XP each day thereafter. Around half on a second day, for example.

And generally the character needs to have be out and active for a week to get the full benefit from resting. But there are exceptions. If the PC left the hotel yesterday, spent the day crossing a desert, having a gunfight with bandido, getting his horse shot out from under him, and managed to walk back to the hotel today... he might get full XP.

[jemmus]

To keep it simple, The PCs have these options for the Austin Saturday night.
a) Relax in the Drover Hotel and enjoy drinks, cigars, etc. Any cards playing would likely be quite casual and for whiling away the time and for conversation among the hotel's guests. (Gambling, p. 14, p. 89. Basic d20 rolls for success, though rolls for cheating are allowed. Nobody considers cheating dishonorable. It's skill of adrointness and expertise at the table.
b) Attend either or both of the Gay Lady's revues, at 7:00 or 9:30 tonight. Or both.
c) Go to another saloon in Austin for a sip. viewtopic.php?p=663772#p663772[/ooc]
d) Do something else.

The greater the risk in the nightlife of Austin, the more the possibility of learning some rumor of what's been happening out around Burnet or Fredericksburg. But the more the riders rest, relax, clean up, the greater the XP. Treating friends for meals, drinks, etc. are expenditures of dollars. But not transfers of XP.

Said more simply: PCs can treat each other, and keep their XPs. It's just the dollars that are spent.

[Grognardsw]

But the more the riders rest, relax, clean up, the greater the XP.

I’m having trouble wrapping my head around greater XP for resting, as opposed to XP for RPing socializing and rumors / investigating in town. The rules mention rewarding XP for role playing, a common reward in games for those that add flavor or plot development through role playing.

[jemmus]

The ideas behind this are:
BH's rules mechanics could encourage PCs to stay constantly busy, around the clock and day after day, earning money or using work skills to earn XP. I want to award PCs for Rping and not doing that.
-Old West people tended to lead pretty monotonous and sometimes pretty isolated lives. When they were in a big town, they tended to live it up. I'd like to kind of incorporate that into the game setting. Also, interacting with NPCs in towns and cities could lead to some interesting, player-driven action. Historically, most conflicts leading to violence happened in cities and towns. And in TV Westerns too!
-I want the PCs to behave like 19th century regular humans, rather than fantasy RPG superheros.

An alternative could be to have PCs attributes temporarily decline after too little rest and/or recreation. But that's cumbersome to track in PBP. And because of the slow pace of PBP and leveling up, I'd prefer to award XP than penalize PCs with performance hits.

[jemmus]

Roughing It
Characters need 7 hours of sleep per day and three meals/one day of rations per day. If not, they need a Survival skill success at +4 (in this situation in south central Texas in June) to avoid losing 1 point of Strength, Coordination, and Observation (p. 18). Points are restored after 7 hours of sleep in a situation not requiring a Survival check.