I'm planning to run Aces & Eights this Saturday for an Unforgiven - based one/two shot game. Any advices in regard to the mechanics, so to speak? What traits should I suggest to my players, and how much Build Points would be good representation, for a group of old, retired outlaws in their late 40s/50s, getting together for One Last Job?

Crikey, it's been a while. I'd go straight up "normal" build rules, the system ramps up kind of fast, and it'll be easier for you to scale if you just stick with the baseline beginner characters (and you'll need every break you can get in this regard if you're not experienced with the game).

The traits don't much matter, just let 'em pick what they want, if something just isn't working have that player find a better than average gun after a few fights, that should be good enough for one-two-off game.

Quote from: Doom;644859Crikey, it's been a while. I'd go straight up "normal" build rules, the system ramps up kind of fast, and it'll be easier for you to scale if you just stick with the baseline beginner characters (and you'll need every break you can get in this regard if you're not experienced with the game).

The traits don't much matter, just let 'em pick what they want, if something just isn't working have that player find a better than average gun after a few fights, that should be good enough for one-two-off game.

Thanks - I assume since we all have good RPG experience, going Advanced wont' be much of a problem? I might just underline some skills that are more appropriate/worthy of taking. Then again, who knows if Joke  Telling won't be useful to persuade my expy of Little Bill .

If you don't have prior experience with A&8s, I would suggest you don't try to use everything all at once. Fortunately the system is easy to cherrypick.

RPGPundit

For Aces and Eights remember there is no gun skill, your skill with a gun in combat is based on how many gunfights you have lived through, so for Ned and Will - a lot.

I'll go with basic rules today, to test the combat system at the basics first. Might just give some skill percentages a'la BRP, or just stick to the "logic of the plan" approach. Will post how the game went!

Quote from: CRKrueger;645467For Aces and Eights remember there is no gun skill, your skill with a gun in combat is based on how many gunfights you have lived through, so for Ned and Will - a lot.

Yeah, I always thought that was one of the best parts of the system; and something that could be used in other RPGs.

RPGPundit

Quote from: CRKrueger;645467For Aces and Eights remember there is no gun skill, your skill with a gun in combat is based on how many gunfights you have lived through, so for Ned and Will - a lot.

Quote from: RPGPundit;645811Yeah, I always thought that was one of the best parts of the system; and something that could be used in other RPGs.

RPGPundit

I admit I quite love this idea, though I'd say it'd need to take prior professional training into consideration as well, outside of Wild West genre at least (after all, that's the point of boot camp or squiredom or private military training, to at least try to train some of that combat instinct into you).

After the first game:

The system definitely has the potential, and I had probably done it a bit of a disservice by using only the basic rules. One of the shootouts was a bit too lengthy, probably because only basic HP rules were used - the Severe Wounds Tresholds/Custom wounds system will speed this up a lot, I suspect, as well as make consequences graver for a shootout. The "counts" system will take some time to get used to, but I admit I quite like it, and not just because of a bit of fresh air after the dominant turn system.

For the game itself:

Remember that time when you make an adventure based on a film you think everyone saw, but no one did...? Yeah. Sufficient to say, Munny and Ned returned to their bloodthirsty ways in style, ruthlessly shooting at cowboys in canyon and torching a house the second bounty was in. Schofield Kid got his hands bad and bloody when he sat out 5 hours in the outhouse, then stabbed the first man to open the door with a knife - which took some time, in spirit of the worst "WHY WON'T YOU DIE" moments. Later, the trio returned to town to collect payment and repay Little Bill for earlier beating of Munny, which ended with Bill and most of his posse dying, and only the Kid remaining on the blooded sands, with thousand bucks in his pocket, and families of two dead companions to either take care of, or forget.

Next week we'll be rolling proper campaign characters this time - from what I understand, it's outlaw party (again).

Quote from: Rincewind1;645937I admit I quite love this idea, though I'd say it'd need to take prior professional training into consideration as well, outside of Wild West genre at least (after all, that's the point of boot camp or squiredom or private military training, to at least try to train some of that combat instinct into you).

I seem to recall that A&8s does do this to some extent, though? Like, that having practiced firing a gun enough times gives you a certain bonus, for example?

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPundit;646275I seem to recall that A&8s does do this to some extent, though? Like, that having practiced firing a gun enough times gives you a certain bonus, for example?

RPGPundit

There is something like this, yes (or rather the other way around for the most part - being unfamiliar with a weapon gives you penalties). I just think that for games set technologically before XIX century, you'd need to factor that melee weaponry training is a bit more complicated, that's all.

If you fire a type of gun 100 times, you are no longer unfamiliar with the gun type.
If you fire a specific gun 500 times, you can make it a Signature Weapon and get a bonus.

Of course with a blackpowder gun, you're gonna have to unfoul it, clean and oil it every 20 shots or so to keep your Signature Weapon from being a rusted ruin.

Quote from: Rincewind1;646356There is something like this, yes (or rather the other way around for the most part - being unfamiliar with a weapon gives you penalties). I just think that for games set technologically before XIX century, you'd need to factor that melee weaponry training is a bit more complicated, that's all.

I would just replace "firing a gun x times" with "x amount of training".