Quote:
Originally Posted by Enpeze
Why? If you play a pulp western game, there should be hungry wolves, snakes and bears behind every second corner. No need to hide them.
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Depends on how puply you want to make it. Plus there is the fact that most wild animals are no real threat. In an RPG you can only have the hero run out of ammo, drop his gun down a crevass, and such a handful of times before the players have had enough.
I'm also more into running animals and foes a bit more realstically. That is, I don't run them as kamakzi squads. So after a player shoots a coyote or two the rest should probably scatter.
But I'd also say that running a western game, the weapons would be just as important. Quite a few stories about someone having a seven shooter. Plus around the 1850s the differences between differnt designs were much more radical than is the case today.
For instance, today most military pistols are 9mm self loads, with some .45 self loads. In general the round fired determines most of the characteristics of the weapon that fires it. So, since most military pistols are chambered for similar ammo, and with the same expectations, so most details are similar.
Go back to the Old West and such was not the case. Most of the major innovations in the field were under patent. Military Pistols ranged from single shot muzzle loaders, to cap & ball revolvers, to pinfire revolvers, to paper catriges revolvers, to metallic cartridge revolvers. Plus a few more, all availaibe at the same time.
Parts were not interchangable, either. Many revolvers were sold with a spare cylinder so the weapon could be "reloaded" by changing the cylinder in a battle.
Relaoding most weapons was a slow, time consuming process.
Now run one of those "band of injuns attack the settlers" type western stories and see how the characterstics of the firearms would make a big difference.
Prior to the 1870s or so the settlers are going to have a hard time keeping enough weapons loaded to fend off those "injuns".
If it is 1875 or so, and the settlers have Winchester rifles, and a colt "peacemaker" or better yet a Smith & Wesson American reloading will be a breeze and the fight more one sided.
In fact, if you look at the expansion into the west, you will see that it was technology that tamed the Old West. Between the railroads, telegraph, and firearms, order was established.
Custer probably wound have won at Little Bighorn if he had waited for his gatling guns.