Desperate Desperados - ATC Game Review

Our final game for Saturday night was a Wild West game using the third edition Desperados rules.  The game was put on by Homer Bradford and was a blast.  Lissa and I played the Pinkerton agents who were tasked to retrieve a key to a stolen safe from some Mexican banditos.  The infamous Dirt brothers gang were on the other side of town with the same thing on their mind.

Figure 1: Game setup

My two guys separated, Buckskin Bill with the rifle going to a nearby rooftop, with Dick Harvey moving towards the entrance.  My approach was covered by one of the Banditos, Rosa.  As Dick leaned out to take a shot at her she shot the pistol out of his hand.  He went back and borrowed another six-shooter from another Pinkerton and again tried to ease around the corner only to have Rosa yet again shoot the pistol from his hand.  Dick proceeded to make a run for the lower windows, diving inside as Buckskin Bill gutshot poor Rosa.

Figure 2: Dick preparing to approach the Bandito stronghold

Figure 3: Buckskin Bill looking for a good sniper post

Figure 4: Rosa, the Amazing Mexican sniper!

Figure 5: Character sheet showing poor Dick weaponless

Once safely inside, Dick espied an armed Bandito inside and rushed in to grapple with him and take his weapon.  Once Dick managed to pull himself out of his bath he again charged the Bandito to exactly the same effect - back in the drink!

Figure 6: The interior of the bandito stronghold from above

Figure 7: The Bandito calmly tosses Dick across the courtyard and into the fountain

Figure 8: Meanwhile, one of Lissa's agents dispatches a bandito

Figure 9: While the other removes one of the Dirt Brothers from the fray

Figure 10: Midgame overview

Once Dick again found his feet and dried off a bit he discovered that he had assistance with the Bandito.  Another agent had the bandito in a hold.  Dick, who was a bit peeved at being thrown into the wash twice, ran over and placed a well aimed booted into the bandito's cahoonies.  The blow rendered him unconscious.

Figure 11: Dick and another agent stand over the fallen bandito

Figure 12: Taco Bob rides away with the key as Pinkertons and Dirt Brothers give chase

This was a great game and the Desperado system ran very well for a convention game.  I still intend to use Gutshot for our games but Desperado is also a solid, fun system.  After the game I was awarded the player award in large part for the comic relief that my loss of weapons and repeated drenchings brought to the game.  The award was a pewter pin in the shape of the number '140'.  GM Bradford and his local gaming group had 140 of the pins made up and are giving them to folks at cons.  If I ever play in another game ran by their group and am wearing the pin I get a free reroll at one time in the game.