Re: First Post was RE: [DL] The Munchkin Twins

[Allan Seyberth <darious@darious.com>]

At 12:32 PM 4/5/2002 -0800, you wrote:
 >>Thanks.
 >>I used to run HOE, and I'm preparing to run my first weird west game.
 >>I didn't realise that there weren't speedloaders for all weapons (just
 >>didn't occur to me). I don't know what some of the weapons on the >shootin'
 >irons list look like, let alone how they work. Could any one >tell me
 >which guns (from the Shootin' Irons list in the dl players >handbook)
 >are likely to have speed loaders/replacement cylinders?
 >
 >Okay ... reality vs fantasy again here.
 >In the real west of 1877 three were ONLY two speed loaders out there
 >and they were VERY rare ... the idea of speedloaders in DeadLands has
 >"altered" the history to make speedloaders much much more common.

 From the AR:
Weapons: Speed load cylinders

Q) Can any gun use a speed load cylinder, or does it have to be built 
especially for that? If the latter, which guns can use them? - David Tabb

A) Well, first of all, the cylinder has to be built specifically for the 
make of gun, but not the individual gun (i.e., a S&W can't use a Colt 
cylinder). And yes, only certain guns could use them. If the gun has a 
swing-out cylinder as opposed to a one-bullet-at-a-time thumb-notch, it 
can't use the a speed load cylinder.

Now, the trick part is "which guns have them." Unfortunately, I can't 
answer that question honestly. My first instinct is to say "SA revolvers 
can, DA revolvers can't" because that's generally how it works today 
(generally). However, there are exceptions--the Colt Frontier (aka 
Peacemeker) is one. In SA or DA form, the pistol retained the thumb-notch 
and removable cylinder (at least at that time). Also, I don't believe the 
S&W Schofield could use them, even though it was an SA revolver--whose 
breech even broke open to allow quicker loading! I'm sure somebody on the 
list knows more of the specifics than I do--Steve Long is a real whiz at 
this sort of thing, BTW. (Steve?) [John Goff, DL listserv, 3/6/00]

A) Well, I think you summarized things about as well as I could have, John 
(perhaps better :) ). This is one of those aggravating details that authors 
of gun books, who just can't seem to understand my needs as a gamer, 
neglect to mention. Shame on them!

I don't think the S&W breechloaders could switch out cylinders, but 
honestly I'm not sure. Otherwise the "SA can do it, DA can't unless you're 
aware of a specific exception" rule works well enough for most games. 
[Steve Long, DL Listserv, 3/6/00]

C) Also, yer standard Peacemaker won't take too kindly to speed-load cylinders.

A) Point of order Speed-load cylinders aren't the same as speed-loaders. A 
speed-load cylinder is actually just a pre-loaded cylinder that the 
character slaps into the revolver--so a Peacemaker _will_ take one. Also, 
it's arguable on the how quickly a gun can be reloaded. Fitting times to 
Action Cards is probably a bad way to figure it, as we've been 
intentionally fuzzy about how long a round really is.

Finally, Deadlands isn't meant to be a dead-on simulation of real-life. I 
mean, come on--we've got guys zipping their consciousnesses off to another 
dimension to play a games with demons to cast spells. I think we can cut 
gunslingers a little slack. -) Of course, if you want to limit it in your 
game that's fine by us. We just laid the framework; the Marshal does most 
of the work anyway. ;-) [John Goff, DL Listserv, 10/04/00]


-------------------
Allan Seyberth
darious@darious.com

He waits until his wife and kids are in the ground and he goes after the 
rest of the mob. He kills their kids, he kills their wives, he kills their 
parents and their parents' friends.  He burns down the houses they live in 
and the stores they work in, he kills people that owe them money.

And like that he was gone. Underground. No one has ever seen him again.
                 -About Kayser Soze, The Usual Suspects