USEME: 15mm the Wild West

USE ME means 'Ultra Simple Engine for Miniature Engagements' and this system delivers just that. Tactically challenging, easy to learn and for any age of wargamer. Games last from five minutes to an hour. Play in your lunch break or in the evening when the idea of a really complex system with a long set up time really does not appeal. Pick up any of your miniatures and get playing in minutes. USE ME is just that...its for you! Welcome Partner! We go to the Old West in this the eight title in the USE ME series and the first as a joint work between Gavin Syme and Kurt Benson (who are working not only on another USE ME title but also on a title for Alternative Armies 28mm science fiction MOTH game set in the Ion Age). The pair have created a USE ME title that allows you to skirmish with gun fighters, bank robbers, native americans, towns folk, stage coaches and much more. Fast play rules based on the D6 USE ME engine that would suit 15mm scale miniatures (though it will work with smaller or larger scales with ease). From a few personalities in small scenario to a large skirmish with dozens on each side. The USE ME game system. You will need some miniatures, some terrain and a few six sided dice (D6's) to play the game. This is not much and indeed most of the time everything in play needs only 1D6 roll to make a decision. In the game all miniatures and vehicles are de-marked into of CHARACTERS (from Infantry to Vehicles and everything else) and these into TYPES which allow you to create anything you want from this period with a few tables of TYPES with points costs attached. The Turn Sequence of the game follows a simple path of firstly the Initiative Phase where all players roll 1D6 and the highest roll wins the initiative for the turn (important later on!). Then the main part of the turn, the In Play Phase where all characters in the game are activated not by the side upon which they fight but by their Elan Rating. This means better troops move and fight before poorer quality troops and vehicles and within each Elan banding from 6 to 1 activation begins with the initiative holding player. When activated each character can choose TWO actions, these include move, ranged fire, melee, hunker down, special action, unique action. The character may choose two different actions OR the same one twice with a modifier; very flexible. Ranged fire and melee are based on opposed single D6 rolls with modifiers for troop type and weapon ratings. This super fast system results in targets being Killed, Struck or Winged by attacks. Killed removes them from play while the other two results negatively effect their further performance in the game. The hunker down action allows characters to take cover against attack while special actions cover those things detailed in the USE ME Advanced Rules and unique actions are created when needed for a scenario. The USE ME advanced rules. After the rules engine for the game come the advanced rules which puts you fully into the Old West. Fourteen character profiles that specialise your character for play including Saw Bones, Gatling Man, US Army, Gunslinger amongst others. There are several special character types for the Wild West including Cavalry, Goods Wagons, Stage Coach and Gatling Gun which you can add to your scenarios. Using these advanced mechanics you can expand your gaming and put items into your play that are scenario changers. Townsfolk in the Old West. The rules contain this special section which allows you to put regular old townfolk into play and then have them act on their own during the game responding to the danger that the characters in play present. You can put one side in charge of protecting the townfolk and make the other bandits or kidnappers. Endless possibilities. Native Americans. The rules contain a bolt on set of pages which give you rules for fielding Native Americans in your Old West games. Included in the character types are the special rules that govern the war 'red indians' waged war in the nineteenth century meaning scalping and taking captives as well as other honour based behaviours such as the 'Coup Game'. Example Wild West Characters. A short section gives example profiles for Gunslingers, Townsfolk, Native Americans, Settlers, US Army and so on to save you time and serve as inspiration for your scenarios. Legends of the Old West and Typical Terrains. Taking research done during the creation of this title the rules contain over fifty entries from history giving you inspiration for your scenarios from real events and people. This is folllowed by a section giving typical terrains for Wild West scenarios such as Plains, Indian Villages, Western Towns and so on telling you what is normally found in each. Wild West Scenario Seeds and Historical Forces. Combining accounts of the forces that fought and died in the Old West with some typical notions of scenarios such as Raids, Ambushes, Feuds Showdowns and more you can create games based on actual events and name those who might well have been there. This is followed by historical firearms which suggests ways to take actual guns such as Remingtons or Colts and transfer them into USE ME profiles from the rules. After the USE ME game finishes. Most of the time you will want to play a quick game, cause some carnage and send a lot of little metal men to their dooms. But it need not be the end if you want to carry on. USE ME has mechanics in it for updating your Force Roster (with your troops on it from the game just finished) to see what happened to those characters who were Struck or Winged in play to see if they recover in time for the next encounter. This makes rolling those dice nail biting and really important for the next scenario. Plus you can make a second lot of rolls for any characters Killed in play to see if a slim chance of them rejoining your forces for the next game. Solo Play in USE ME. This booklet contains a solo play system which means that when no human opponent is present or if you want a practise you are able to do this alone and at a time of your choosing. The solo play addition allows forces to be fielded and statures chosen to determine their behaviours against your actions in game. USE ME is a pocket rule system that does not pretend to be anything else. Its fast, its fun and its affordable. With many rule systems these days taking themselves far too seriously and with some being priced at an amount that makes purchasing them a long term goal for most of us USE ME gives you what it promises and in a format that will make you smile.