Dinosaur Cowboys – Tabletop Skirmish Game

Below is a big huge brainstorm of some new ideas or features for Dinosaur Cowboys. You can thank another playtest, plus I’ve started carrying a pad of paper to scribble my wild ideas down on, so I forget less. At least it gives me something to do besides try to make artwork for the v0.9 rulebook. Anyways I’m a big fan of variant rules because sometimes a cool feature doesn’t quite make it into the core rules, but I still LIKE that cool feature, so I aim to make those available as “official” house rules. The TODO below that list is mostly Traits to add, but a few neat ideas in there too (like maybe doing away with Level entirely and just going by IP/Dollars).

Possible Variant Rules
– Armor reduces damage instead of modifying RMC/MMC
– Use MMC for ranged weapons in melee, but still apply the In Melee penalty
– Dinosaur adds their Armor to any riders (makes getting across the field easier)
– Fumbles (unmodified rolls of 1) count as -1 Hit
– Variable Run speed (D6″) instead of 1/2 Movement
– 1 Improvement Point can be bought for $10
– Do not remove an entity at 0 HP, just place them face down (called Unconscious or Downed). They can be revived by someone using healing (Medpack, Whiskey Drop, IRP, etc.) on them.
– Alternative Leadership effects: grant additional Action Phase to one entity in 12″?
– Can buy and set traps (marked down with X-Y coordinates in inches) like spiked pits, etc.
– Some kind of “quick draw” with Six-Shooters that lets you roll off / duel an opponent within short range? Maybe autokill the loser?
– Gatling Gun that has D6 or D12 Attacks instead of a set number
– Additional +1 Miss Chance against targets that Ran
– Fire rules for Molotov cocktails (maybe a X” wide patch that lasts until the end of the turn?), get same attack if target enters or is pushed into it
– Dinosaur equipment upgrades (armor plates, extra saddle, etc.)
– Weapon upgrades (laser sight, etc.) that grant additional benefits to the gun? Arguably covered as +XA or +YD weapons, maybe just need +ZSR (short range) or those kind of extra mods? Maybe make a way to purchase these upgrades (percent of base price? [might make upgrading cheap guns too desirable], or just flat price per plus?)
– Non-Dinosaur beasts (Sabertooth cats, etc.)

Possible TODO
– Develop “The Saloon: Dinosaur Cowboys Posse Builder” webapp, including export to PDF form
– Weather effects (sandstorm, acid rain, etc.) and hazardous terrain (lava, quicksand, etc.)
– Add RMC default for Dinosaurs due to Roar attack (Beast type), since it’s ranged (Removed Roar attack so Dinosaurs stay pure melee)
– * Clarify Dismounting for multiple people on a single Dinosaur
– * Clarify no move at all on a failed Charge (that comes up short, as in you don’t still move the X” inches you rolled)
– * Maybe make Charge a 2″ or 3″ minimum, so basically can try to charge targets in 3-6″
– * Note about Fleeing off the board. Instead give the Fleeing person a Movement Phase, but Stunned in that Action Phase
– * Maybe note that more terrain and more powerful posses increase play time (on the 30-60 minutes game req at the start)
– * Change Kill system to be based on victory (like +5 XP on win), or maybe get Improvement points on a per-win or per-kill basis instead of per-level? Then Levels could be entirely removed and you just play Posses with matching IP/Dollars.
– * Trait “Climber” Passive trait that treats vertical climbs (cliffs, hills, etc.) as normal non-Difficult terrain?
– Trait “Sacrifice” Active trait that adds +damage but takes HP from self?
– * Trait “Rejuvenating Strike” Active trait that gives +HP if target is killed
– * Trait “Underdog Strike” Active trait that gives +damage if target has more HP than attacker
– Trait “Fresh Strike” Active trait that gives +damage if target is unhurt
– * Trait “Retreat” that gives +Movement to nearby ally
– * Trait “Clear Me” that removes harmful effects (Stopped, etc.)
– * Trait “Frightful Strike” that gives -Bravery penalty if a test is required from your attack
– * Trait “Burst Move” gives +Move but makes self Stopped or Slowed next turn
– * Trait “Cleave” hits adjacent melee target as well as main target
– * Trait “Stoneroot” make self Stopped but give +X Armor
– * Trait “Final Thrust” that does +damage if target is already half HP, otherwise it does less damage
– Trait “Grapple” makes self Slowed and target Stopped
– * Trait “Hamstring” apply Slow to target
– * Trait “Protector” transfer some HP to nearby ally (maybe 1:2 ratio?)
– Trait “Riposte” means next enemy melee attack causes them to take damage
– * Trait “Bull’s Strike” that Stops target and does extra damage if they’ve moved?
– * Make some Dinosaur fighting feats, like +X vs Dinosaur
– * Do traits specific to some weapons? Or maybe just to weapon categories? Like “Thrower” that increase Grenades range, etc.
– * Make some Traits that only work when mounted? Like further Lasso range, maybe higher move (“Spur Mount”), etc.?
– * Make some Traits apply weapon special effects, like “Stopped” for a “Knockdown Shot” or the like
– * Create a “Slowed” weapon special ability that forces target to move half (and can’t run) for their next Activation, could be a Bola or Whip attack
– * Make a note of falling damage (being pushed off a cliff, etc.). Flat 1 HP per 1″
– * Make Knockback as X” Knockback, where X is how far, similar to Explosion. So Shove would be 2″ Knockback and Shudder Lance would be 1D6″ Knockback and so on
– * Explain Minimum range somewhere (for example 4-14″ range on Lever Action rifle)
– * Different Lassos (more damage, further range, pull closer, etc.)
– * Dinosaurs have a Stampede / Trample attack? Further Charge range or damage maybe? Just a bunch of different special attacks similar to Brawl for humans, like Knockback, Trip, etc. Maybe Berserk which hurts self after attack but does more damage?
– * Variable Charge speed, maybe Move+D6″ in a straight line? Could add a fun element of uncertainty to Charging. Need to make sure there is a chance of reaching the enemy, otherwise a person could just Charge forward and gain additional free Movement.
– * Add Stopped, Stunned, and Slowed as tokens, maybe centralize their rules? (centralized enough as weapon special effects)
– Maybe make an “X” attack that means you roll to hit with 1D12 but it does no damage, perfect for Trip or Shove (instead of 1A-0D). (Want to maintain the same mechanism throughout)
– Clarify Dinosaur sizes in one spot, and what effect each size has (passenger count, travelling, etc.) (Kind of clear already)