I cant help noticing that things have gone a bit quiet on the western front. So I thouht that i would throw a topic into the ring for discussion.
Assuming that we will be staging a Steamwestern Shootout at the Asylum. What would be the best way to organize it?
These are my thoughts, and I am presenting them for discussion, and to encourage alternative ideas.
1 FORMAT.
Whilst this is being done for our own amusement, we are also trying to put on an entertainment for those in attendance. So it would be a good idea to create some form of story or rational for this combat.
It may well be worth borrowing some of the conventions of reenactment in order to put on this show as these have been tried and tested.
(a) Circle of treachery.
This is a common convention in reenactment shows, all combatants stand in a circle, and on the command "Treachery" all the participants fight each other until there is only one man left standing. Usually, alliances are formed between combatants to give them an advantage, until one of the team decides to betray the others, and (usually,) stab them in the back.
(b) Simple Battle.
Basically the participants form into two teams, line up, and fight each other, usually until one side has eliminated the other.
In the context of the western shootout, this could be Lawmen V Bandits, Cowboys V Indians, and so on.
(c) capture the flag.
One team has an artifact that it has to defend, the other team has to try and capture it. This could for example, be bandits trying to capture a strongbox being guarded by lawmen.
These are the main conventions used in reenactments, and are set out in their simplest form. they can of course be modified or embellished. Or we could try something different.
2. SCRIPT and STORY
In the context of reenactment, the "script" is usually a frail outline of what is supposed to happen, and the order in which it is supposed to occur, that seldom makes it past the first minute of the event.
The temptation is to create some massively over complicated blow by blow structure for the whole show, but these invariably go horribly wrong very quickly.
The best enactment scripts keep things as simple as possible with a clear, well organized sequence of events.
In this context, the "Script" should not be confused with the Story. This is the reason that the events are unfolding. Again, the story should be strong, but not overcomplicated.
"The sonofabitch shot my brother, now hes gonna pay" could be enough.
When devising the story for this event, there are two things that should be taken into consideration. It is Steampunk, and it is Western. So it should embrace the conventions, and dare I say it, the Cliches, of the Western Movies, and it should have some Science fiction element.
3. RULES
If we are having a nerf gun shootout, it thing that we should establish some sort of standard for everyone to conform to.
For example is it one hit and you are dead, or do you have a set number of lives?
I would suggest, that any hit to a limb, disables that appendage, and the first hit to the body counts as a wound, and any subsequent hit to the body is a kill.
This introduces the possibility of a a "Medic" If each team has a medic, if a player is wounded, thy must make their way to the medic before they are hit a second time, in order to have the wound healed. This would give non-combatants something to do, it also introduces the strategic possibility of a team trying to eliminate their opponents medic(s).
4. PERFORMANCE
There are two elements to this.
(a)Characters. Players taking on key roles in the story. This would involve playing out parts that move the story along.
(b)Hamming it up. if you are shot in the arm, React. Grab the injured limb. Yell. etc.
I think that I have covered most of the bases. Whilst I have opinions on most of the above, for this first post, I am trying to be as neutral as possible, so that you all have an opportunity to express your own thoughts.
