RE: [DL] Too easy!

[David <samnmax@swbell.net>]

><snippage>
>
>The thing that's bothered me is how the black hats, who acted mostly
>sanely, got in trouble so easily. I think I may stage 'part two' of that
>confrontation in a similar way. They did act intelligently, and the
>player's didn't. Here's what went down:
>
>After tracking the bad guys to the farm house they were holed up in, they
>decided they had found the right place when a rifle bullet nearly took the
>face of their gunfighter (bought off with a couple of chips)

	Well one thing you can do is make your bad guys plan and 
execute ambushes effectively.  A single sniper firing at a long range 
is good idea if he is the only one actually in the farm house. Have 
all the rest elsewhere if possible and attack from cover against an 
open posse while they move up concentrating on the house.
	If the Bad Guys don't have time to plan, then wait till the 
PC's are nearly on top of them and then attack with everything 
against the most obvious target. Usually one PC will have nominated 
himself for the throne of pain and make him sit in it. And if 
possible have the bad guys fade to another defendable position after 
the first murderous hail of bullets.
	And if you want to really throw PC's off, Make a single 
attack like this and do not follow up. Wait. Have the bad guys go to 
cover and wait for a round or so as the PC's react. Then have the bag 
guys move and open up from another position on the new nominee for 
the pain spot. Woo.
  A bad guy that fights to survive, not to defeat, is a lot bigger a 
pain in the butt in the long run. :)

>
>Question: Can you use multiple chips on a single wound?

Sure, but only in ascending order. If you use a white you have to 
next use a red and then a blue.

>
>They then decided the situation was unfriendly and acted accordinglt. they
>traded rifle shots with the sharpshooter as the gunfighter and the martial
>artist walked towards the house... They had about 80 feet to cover. During
>this time, they bought off some more attacks, and finally, as they got
>close, they managed to hit the sharpshooter in the arms.

Use your own chips to increase damage. This will make them buy off 
damage which returns chips to you if they use reds.  Also, try having 
the Sharpshooter pop up, shoot and then use a held card to duck 
immediately after firing.  Can't hit what you can't see.

>
>Note to self: i need to re-read most of the combat chapter. Especially how
>to handle cover, etc.

Cover is your friend. A rifle fired through a slit  a few inches high 
would only allow the shooter to be hit if he takes a round in the 
noggin.  Any others would have to punch through the wall first making 
them much less effective. Although Bullard Express's have been known 
to make wonderful suppression weapons when light wooden walls are 
involved. Woo. Lookit all them holes.

>
>THey got a justifiably great damage roll. (Hey, Rifles hurt, a lot) but
>were now at a range that the gang's leader started adding in pistol hits.
>Unfortunately he's ridiclously inaccurate, so the gang's crazy gunman
>charges through the door, with both pistols blazing. This was almost the
>most useful attack.

Make it both sawed-off shotguns blazing and I guarantee you'll see 
some chips a flyin'. :)

>
>They managed to take him down, however, and my three measley chips did
>nothing to save him. I actually spent some: I'm correcting my habit of
>hoarding chips, which does nothing, since I've assumed the GM can't keep
>chips between sessions.

I agree with the post mentioning John Goff. Never waste chips on 
Minor NPC's. Make them hit harder and faster, major bad guys are 
different of course, but I personally give them there own chips just 
like players.

>
>They also took out the leader, usign their Blessed as a medic to keep him
>alive (I was glad they did this... besides making sure they were still
>alive to cause trouble later, the blessed healing anyone was very in
>character.
>
>The next time they encounter part of this gang, they'll have to deal with
>an even more fortified position. I'mt hinking of having them recruit a few
>more gunfighters and setting up an even better location to lead them to...

Go for a two sided ambush, have the big fortified spot be the draw 
and then have concealed bad guys firing from the sides.  Don't waste 
cards on Vamoosin' mooks since they are gonna be whacked anyway. :) 
But make good use of cover. Have your bad guys shoot and move and not 
stay pinned to a certain position.

Now of course you do want the PC's to win eventually or the games no 
fun, but make them work for it. And there is no law saying they won't 
use these tactics against Bad guy with tremendous results. My posse 
designed and managed to actually pull off a few spectacular ambushes. 
:)
>
>
>
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-- 
--
"Woof woof.. thats my other dog imitation."
David Heth
Ashley Smith