What's Gutshot?

At its most basic level, Gutshot is a game where you put toy buildings on a table and move around little metal cowboys, pretending they are shooting at each other. It's a lot like playing "Cowboys and Indians" when you were a kid. Except now, of course, there are rules to govern how far figures move, how fast, what kind of guns they have, different kinds of horses, and all sortsa fun stuff like that. Rules are good. After all, it'd be pretty embarrassing if someone walked in on a group of grown men and women who were pointing their fingers at each other shouting, “Bang bang, you're dead!” “Am not!” “Are too!” The rules in this book will spare you from that fate, and open up for you a whole new world of Miniature Wargaming.

In more advanced (and fun!) terms, Gutshot is a fast-paced, easy-to-learn game that has you slappin' leather and blowin' away the bad guys in a matter of minutes. Using 25mm miniatures and some dice, this game is a simple system for running one-on-one and small-scale combat set in the American Wild West. By one-on-one, we mean that each miniature represents one person. There are no armies or mass combat here - everything stays up-close and personal.

Using 25mm miniatures and some dice, Gutshot is a fast-paced, easy-to-learn game that has you slappin’ leather and blowin’ away the bad guys in a matter of minutes. At its core is a simple system for running one-on-one and small-scale combat set in the American Wild West. It is a fun game that is easy to learn and play; it combines realism, pulp fiction, and a little bit of “Hollywood” thrown in for good measure. Gutshot is a game that captures the spirit and mystique of the American Wild West as portrayed in movies, television, pulp novels, and comic books. It’s the American Wild West of youth and fantasy, not a detailed recreation of history.

Gutshot has been in development since 1999. The first draft was written by Mike Murphy, who quickly brought his long-time friend, Mike Mitchell, into the fold. They soon brought friend Paul Mauer to help with development. The three have been hard at work crafting the game into a quality product that could be enjoyed by both novice and experienced miniatures gamers, and was officially released in Houston, Texas at OwlCon XXIV (the city's longest-running game convention) on Feb. 4, 2005. The Gutshot Core Rule Book is a 178-page soft-cover volume that contains all the rules, forms, and information you need to step into the boots of a Western gunfighter. For complete information, please see the product listing below.

What you need to play

The game itself consists of the Gutshot Core Rule Book that includes the information, guidance, and forms you need to let your imaginations run wild.

Here's a shopping list of some stuff you'll need:

• Gutshot Core Rule Book (yuh kin buy it from one of these Friendly Local Game Stores (FLGS), or ya kin order it from us, pilgrim)
• An Adventure (write yer own or download 'em
• Copies of the Character Sheets (photocopies or handwritten will do, you may also download them here)
• At least 2 dice (regular 6-sided dice will do)
• One 25mm miniature per Character (check out our FLGS list -- they've got some beauties fer sale!)
• Paper & pencils (scissors would also be helpful)
• A hat (spittoon, whiskey glass, or other suitable container)
• A table (or other flat playing surface large enough to set up the adventure)
• A flexible measuring tape or ruler
• Buildings and terrain (again, visit the FLGS list or check out the Whitewash City link over at the Corral)

Most importantly, you need some friends. Gutshot is designed for 3-8 players, but add as many as you can squeeze around the table. That's one of the great things about gaming in general -- it's a social hobby and once you get a bunch of people around, you can't wait to get Gutshot on a regular basis!

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please don't hesitate to contact us.