Old West Mini-Wargame: Showdown at High Noon - A Wargame in a Matchbox Epilogue

Old West Mini-Wargame: Showdown at High Noon according to my scenario and interpreted by ChatGPT

Last year I attended the 'Wargame in a Wee Matchbox Challenge' with paper miniatures from Junior General and rules made by ChatGPT; Old West Mini-Wargame: Showdown at High Noon.

The rules was really simple, fast playing and easy, and I had to keep everything small to make it fit in a matchbox (which it eventually did). -Since the Challenge I've played the game several times with my oldest son. The game feels perhaps a little too simple, as gamers usually ends up behind cover exchanging fire with the opponents until one of them runs out of health. I wanted to see if it would help to this feeling and make the game more interesting if a little more was added to it than what would fit in a matchbox. So I decided to try out the very same simple rules and scenario with larger terrain and miniatures in 3D as I wanted to use my 54mm -ish Cowboys in a game.  I'm curious to see if a more '3D-game' gives another impression or 'deluxe version' of this simple game.

I had almost everything I needed to convert my 2D-game in the matchbox into a fully 3D one, except for a female hostage to rescue. I found one 28mm scale at Thingeverse and 3D-printed her to match the size of my 54mm -ish cowboys. I guess she can double up and I can use her as a civilian or a missionary in my Congo Crisis games too. 

Scenario: It's loosely based on the scene from 'A Fistfull of Dollars' when 'Joe' frees 'Marisol'; 3 outlaws are holding a woman hostage in the house, and our 'Hero' is there to free her.

Forces: Are dictated by the rules; 3 outlaws with health of 2 and hits on 5+ Vs. 'The Man with No Name' with a health of 4 and hits on a 4+ and activates first each turn.

The Rules:

The Game

The original set up for the game (as in the 'Matchbox Challenge), and my fully 3D set up for this game (which will not fit in any matchbox):

Our 'Hero' approaches the house where the 'Bad Guys' are holding a woman captive: 

The Bad Guys spot him at a distance and it doesn't look like he's gonna take them by surprise:

As soon as a couple of the outlaws leaves the building, they get into our Hero's gun sight:

But at this distance and moving targets the Hero misses, and the Bad Guys manage to get into cover and return fire:

And very soon the firefight develops into a locked position where all combatants are in cover exchanging fire in a very dueling like battle. The Bad Guys are good shooters and our Hero takes a couple of hits. This situation does not look good for him at this stage:

I think our Hero performs best under pressure because when it start to look real bad for him, he gets a couple of critical hits on one of his gunmen:

And one of them are out of the fight:

Then the nameless Hero focus his fire on the other gunman behind cover:

And finally takes him out too:

The Villain did not like this development in the gunfight, as he now has to go out and fight him himself:

Just as the Villain leves the building he doesn't manage to even open fire before the nameless Hero opens fire... 

...and at very long range accurately hits the Villain beside the female hostage, and impacts a critical hit on him with a single shot:

After 15 minutes and 10 turns it look like the nameless Hero saved the day:

Conclusion

So was this game any different than the Matchbox-version of it? - Not really, it's still the very same simple rules that makes battle develop more into static duels where the only modifier is it the fighters are Heroes' and have cover or not. The only difference with this game was that I was able to make even nicer images for the battle report.

And with this game and battle report its perhaps time to finally conclude my entry to the "2024 Wargame in a Wee Matchbox Challenge". It's been an interesting challenge and I would like to credit Alan at The Duchy of Tradgardland for the initiative to the challenge and the entries as follow. Well done everybody!!

• Man of TIN blog
• Grid based wargaming
• Wargame Hermit: Solo Wargaming
• Deathzap
• Projects and Procrastination

I guess some of us has 'leftover matches' after emptying our boxes to join the 'Matchbox Challenge'. At the Model exhibition in Neumünster earlier this year I found this example what you can use your matches for. -At least if you have 3700 of them and 640 hours to spare...

- Perhaps an idea for a 'Challenge' in 2025??

One-Hour Skirmish Wargames

When searching the internet for (free) fast and easy to play wargame rules to use with regular army men and toy soldiers, I see that other wargamers often recommend One-Hour Skirmish Wargames by John Lambshead. These recommendations has made me curious about the rules, but the rules are not free so I have not considered to review them in this blog earlier as I haven't bought  them as I've been trying to keep it to a ,mostly free, 'budget wargaming'-theme. Until now that is. When I saw Alan at The Duchy of Tradgardland wrote about 'simple rules, small area, minimal force and maximum fun' followed by a couple of blogger-post on the One-Hour Skirmish Wargames, my curiosity for the One-Hour Skirmish Wargames was revitalized. When following the links in one of Alan's bloggerposts I found another video on YouTube on "How to Play: One-Hour Skirmish Wargame". I also found parts of the rule-book on 'Google Books' and enough to read the core rules. It seemed like this perhaps would provide enough information to be able to play 'One-Hour Skirmish Wargames' the budget way after all. The different scenarios and campaigns were not included in the Google-book though, but I'll use my own scenario anyway.

One-Hour Skirmish Wargames suggests a sqaud-sized unit or about 12 miniatures on both sides and are truly a 'minimal force'-wargame. To have something to compare it with, I chose to use the same units and scenario I recently did when playing the Chain Reaction 2023.

The scenario

One-Hour Skirmish Wargames is designed to be a fast play wargame based on smaller units, typically squad vs. squad rather than several, larger units. So again I've placed this skirmish to the United Nations largest mission in both scale and operational scope during the Congo Crisis 1960-65, when UN troops 'peacekeeping' was more offensive 'peace enforcement' with force.

Situation:
To secure the main supply route (MSR) between the UN-bases in Kamina and Albertville, The United Nations temporary deploy several traffic control  posts (TCP) at critical points along the MSR a head of the convoys and other priority transports, to avoid and handle 'disruptions'. This service are conducted by the Military Police, and each TCP are usually manned by a single Military Police patrol with a few members.

Place:
A head of several planned supply convoys from Kamina to Albertville at the 7th of May 1961, several TCPs are established by UN Military Police along the route. One of these Military Police patrols are securing the junction between Manono and Kitotolo located in the self proclaimed state of Katanga.

Forces:

• UN:
• 1 MP Patrol/ Traffic Control Post of:
• 1st. Sgt. Hicks with SMG (Leadership of 3 and special capability Lucky)
• Sgt. Wayne with pistol (Leadership of 1)
• Cpl. Dreyer with M1 Garand
• Cpl. Cord with SMG

• Katangese
• A small squad of 5 members:
• Cpl. "Crazy Gali" (Leadership of 2 and special ability of a Briuiser of 2)
• 3 members armed with rifles and 1 private with a SMG.

Mission:

• Katangese: To interrupt the UN presence and possible capture some of that UN equipment or weapons. I think they'd really like that Jeep too.
• UN: To hold and secure the junction so the UN convoy don't get lost on the wrong way and ends up in areas controlled by Katangese forces.

AAR

Time:    45 minutes

Turns:   10 Phases and 4 turns

Result:  UN victory

When arriving to the junction Sgt. Wayne suggests that they take a closer look at the courtyard across the junction, as if it's safe it can eventually be used as a hold-and-turn area for those UN convoys passing later if it's needed to hold some of the convoys back, place to do maintenance on them or if needed turn them:

1. Sgt Hicks agrees. They have plenty of time before the first convoy are expected, they decides to have a closer look at the courtyard. The buildings looks empty.

The MPs are not aware of the small Katangan Gendarmerie unit which recently arrived the courtyard from the other side, behind a building...

The Katangan patrol under command of  Cpl. "Crazy Gali" immediately starts securing the buildings. The soldier with the submachine gun enters the roof on the closest building to provide cover for the rest. 2 other soldiers starts to move to a well in the midle of the courtyard to seek cover behind it and provide cover for the rest of their team.

1. Sgt. Hicks immediately spots the Katangese soldiers running over the courtyard and that one is entering a building. He orders his men to seek cover at once. 

The Katangan soldiers by the well gets into a better position and cover the advance of another rifleman to secure the second building. They have spotted the UN MPs on the other side of the road plunged into cover, so they opens fire. 

At first the Katangan fire is not very effective, but as one Katangan Gendarm reaches and enter the first floor in the second house he gets a clear shot to Sgt. Wayne and kills him. This makes MP Cpl. Cord run for a better cover and position for his SMG. The Katangan Gendarmerie controls all the buildings now.

On the other side of the junction 1. Sgt. Hicks takes out the Gendarm with the SMG on the rooftop, then he and Cpl. Dreyer rushes forwards towards better cover.

...to bad Cpl. Dreyer doesn't make it as he gets hit by a Katangan bullet. This makes 1. Sgt. Hicks furious and in cover of the building he advances towards Dreyer's killers and open fire...

...and killing one of them. They exhanges fire for a short while, but Cpl. Crazy Gali, lurking behind the corner does not take any risks to enter the line of fire.

...Instead Cpl. Crazy Gali sneaks around the house to outflank 1. Sgt. Hicks and shoot him from behind...

...and misses (!).  1.Sgt. Hicks immediately turns around and open fire with his SMG, and permanently finish Cpl. Crazy Gali off.

Cpl. Cord hits and manage to 'down' the shooter in the other building and the UN MPs really has the initiative now...

... and manage to take down and capture one of the fleeing Gendarms...

Cpl. Cord enters the second building to see if he can capture the downed Gendarm upstairs too, but it seems like he manage to escape before Cord enters.

The Katangan unit broke; one of the Gendarms was running away while the last one was captured as a Prisoner Of War by The UN Military Police. Even if the Military Police patrol lost 2 members in the fight they will be able to hold and secure the junction so the UN convoy coming this way don't get lost. Now they even have a 'hold and turn' area for them if necessary. 

Pros

• This wargame is fast and very easy to play.
• It's quick to learn these rules. 
• You can play this wargame with virtually any miniatures you have at hand.

Cons

• There is no rules for modern special weapons like sniper rifles, flamethrowers or RPGs in the 'Core Rules'. I don't know if such weapons are included on the periodic rules though. 
• Due to restricted number of actions/activation points from the playing cards used in this game, it will work better for smaller units than larger ones. For instance a full rifle-squad of 8 members won't be able to move and shoot (like in many other traditionally wargames) during their phase even if they pulled a 'King' out of the deck. You can however divide a squad into fireteams and have several smaller units on each side.

Conclusion

In this wargame activation, battle, savings and morale are all resolved with a couple of decks of regular playing cards, one each side, instead of dice. I've never played wargames this way before, and even if I prefer dice I like the fast phase and the more chaotic and randomized outcome of pulling cards from a deck.

It looks like a leader with value of 3 armed with an automatic weapon will get a lot of shots on short distances due to he can pull more resolution cards from the deck when shooting (an automatic weapon).

Even if I found a way to play parts of One-Hour Skirmish Wargames by John Lambshead the 'budget way', the core rules I found only represents part of the OHSW, and I will highly recommend you to buy the book (!)

The core rules I found would works great as an introduction and a teaser to the game. But to fully enjoy these rules with all the different scenarios, periodic rules, playing skirmishes as part of larger campaigns, under different weather conditions and being able to calculate you army's motivation or add a vehicle to your skirmishes you're going to need the actual rule-book it self.

Since these rules only requires some few miniatures each side, I think they will be a good starting point if you want to try out new periods and eras. I also think my game would become more interesting just by adding a few more miniatures on each side.

This introduction and play test convinced me, and I'm really considering buying these rules (!) And to quote Alan at The Duchy of Tradgardland once again how I regards these rules: "Simple rules, small area, minimal forces and maximum fun". 

-That's all you need in wargaming. Thank you for reading. 

Edit 16.01.2025: Since this blogger-post was posted, Google Books have changed the visible pages of One-Hour Skirmish Wargames rulebook, so not all pages in the Core Rules are longer there and it is not complete anymore. I think the Information left in Google Books and the YouTube video are still enough to play a introduction game of One-Hour Skirmish Wargames. Strangely enough the Core Rules seems to be complete in Google Books if you open the link in this blogger-post on a mobile device but not on a computer.
Update 25.01.2025: It's come to my knowledge that what version of a book and pages you see i Google-Books depends on your web-browser and your device your browsing from. 

Wargame in a Wee Matchbox Challenge (Part 3) - The Finale

After I accepted the 'Wargame in a Wee Matchbox Challenge' and a WIP update, it's almost mid December already and about time to finally conclude my contribution to the 'Wargame in a Wee Matchbox Challenge' initiated by Alan at The Duchy of Tradgardland and Mark at Man of Tin blog. I'm curious how my proposal to this challenge will be regarded by the 'Umpires'.

In my previous blogpost on this matchbox challenge I decided to use paper miniatures from the Junior General Website as they are both free and ready painted and I could easily fit some of them in a Matchbox, and still have room for a 'Battle mat' and some terrain. Since my Little Wars inspired 'Napoleonic Cannon Game' didn't fit the Matchbox, I decided to follow my interests for Western movies, Old West gaming and my initial test with the Airfix 1:72 scale Cowboys and to go for an 'Old West' approach for this wargame (but with paper miniatures instead). Besides, I've been thinking for a while to make a very portable 'Old West' wargame which would be easy to bring along when visiting my oldest son where he studies (as he likes Westerns too). Coincidentally at this point I read that Mark at Man of Tin blog was working on some similar theme and solution (which also included using ChatGPT and suggesting miniatures from the Junior General as well). It looks like we had about the same take to this challenge now.

One of the challenges was to have space for several dice in the Matchbox alongside with everything else needed for this game. I found som smaller dice, actually beads, in a craft store and despite being light they rolled OK. 

Keeping it to an 'Old West' theme though, I decided to go fancy with the dice. Inspired by Mark's thoughts on the Howzat Dice (which was new to me) I decided to 3D-print a .45 Cal bullet dice. I'll use the mini dice for healht-stats instead.

I was looking around for some short, easy to play and free wargame rules for a few miniatures that could fit on or in a Wee Matchbox, but didn't actually find any short or easy enough. So I asked the ChatGPT to suggests some kind of Old West 'Mini Wargame' - rules for a 'balanced' game with uneven numbers on each side, for instance 1 vs 3. The rules needed to be short enough to easily fit inside or around a matchbox, and therefore pretty uncomplicated. The ChatGPT suggested these rules:

I'm not sure what the ChatGPT meant by the optional rules as they seems to lack context. Except for that, they looks very simple and playable but I needed to test-play them for some few games to see if they were playable, as that's not always the case when using AI-generated rules. ChatGPT claims that the game was balanced, but after about 14 games or so I think the Bounty Hunter will need another 'Hero point', so I increased his health to 4. I also skipped the incomplete optional rules and added another thing to the winning conditions, to better place a scenario for the game and the shootout (loosely based on a scene from the 'Fistfull of Dollars' though). So, this is my final version of the rules: 

I printed them on self-adhesive paper, and wrapped and sticked them around the Matchbox:

So now I'd got paper miniatures, a battle mat, some terrain, a building (the matchbox drawer), dice for both shooting and health stats, a 6"ruler and finally the rules... -Will it all fit my Wee Matchbox?

Luckily and coincidentally the .45 cal bullet dice, printed to the size of a real one, just fit in the widh of the matchbox. It was a thigh fit, but I managed to squeeze all the other objects in to the matchbox as well...

...And just barley I was able to close the matchbox.

Looks like it is possible to fit a Wargame in a Wee Matchbox after all:

My Wargame in a Wee Matchbox in Action (an AAR)

Even if I managed to squeeze all the elements of a wargame in to this matchbox, that's not the same as there is an actual playable wargame. So I'll add a short battle report to give you an idea. 
I put on some Dollar Triologi Themes for background ambiance. 

Scenario: It's loosely based on the scene from 'A Fistfull of Dollars' when 'Joe' frees 'Marisol'; 3 outlaws are holding a woman hostage in the house, and our 'Hero' is there to free her.

Forces: Are dictated by the rules; 3 outlaws with health of 2 and hits on 5+ vs The Man with No Name with a health of 4 and hits on a 4+.

The Game:

The Bounty Hunter approaches the house where he knows the outlaws and their hostage is:

His presence is noticed by the outlaws, and they decide that 2 of them are going outside to gun him down:

The Bounty Hunter notices activity by the house and runs for cover behind a cactus:

The 2 outlaws coming outside to fight the Bounty Hunter runs for cover; One of them behind some cattle they have stolen, and the other behind some barrels:

The Bounty Hunter opens fire on the outlaws, and the outlaws are returning the fire:

They are exchanging fire for some turns, and even got some hits on each other...

...until the Bounty Hunter manage to hit and kill the gunfighter seeking cover behind the cattle. 

Now the last one of them keeps shooting at the Bounty Hunter...

...Who return fire and manage to hit and kill the shooter behind the barrels. Now the way is open to the house, the hostage and the last outlaw.

The last outlaw now his on his own...

...and orders his hostage outside. His plan is to take the hostage and flee with their horses.

When coming out of the house and into the sight, the Bounty Hunters opens fire before the last outlaw manage to get to their horse...

...and get a precise and fatal hit on the last gunfighter (!). The showdown was a success for our hero as he managed to free the woman. Then they most likely rode into the sunset.

Time: 10 minutes

Turns: 12

Result: This was a victory for 'The Man with No Name'.

Table of Contents 

If anyone considers to have a go and make one on their own, you can save some time finding the bits and pieces on the links below: 

• Any Matchbox
• Old West Mini-Wargame: Showdown at High Noon rules (Should fit around the Matchbox if printed as is)
• .45 cal. Bullet dice (but any dice will do)
• Some kind of tokens for health stats
• Desert Battle-mats #1 and #2
• Gunslingers
• Cowboys
• Civilians
• Arabic House Accessories
• British Military Camp

Conclusion

The working cannon I 3D-printed, and did not use in the challenge due to it's size, has oddly enough the same caliber as my 'bullet dice'. -So I'll guess for other games than this challenge, I can use the cannon to fire roll the 'dice'.

This has been a fun and really interesting challenge, and I've had a good time while working on it alongside my other projects (some of them was postponed to 2025). Thank you for the initiative to this challenge Alan and Mark! 

I think it was really interesting to see that several other wargamers accepted and joined this challenge as well, and I'm looking forward to see their contributions. 

It looks like I finally got around to make that 'Old West Mini Game' I've been thinking to make for a while, to bring along next time I visit my oldest son in Ålesund.

I guess these rules can be used for other very basic and easy to play wargames with only ranged combat as well. If you like them, feel free to use them for your own games or tweak them to suit your game.

Perhaps another challenge in 2025?