This post is in response to IRO’s latest CoffinWood post and is just to provide an example of a Wild West town that works for me. We normally use Dead Man’s Hand rules modified slightly or our own rules for Queensland Frontier wars ( see my posts Sydney Wars and Queensland Frontier Wars)

I have a 4′ X 3′ mdf. board with a town grid mapped out on it.

Each of the nine rectangles suit those mdf. place mats available in Spotlight or similar craft shops.

On each of these place mats I have based various buildings complete with fences etc.

I have used only three building kits as long before I put them together I was able to buy heaps of the plastic Renedra Barn and Church and the Perry’s farmhouse/general store from a toy shop that was liquidating. I am still using stuff I got from them ten years ago!

This is the church converted into a school.

I have over a dozen different buildings that I can mix and match depending on the scenario. This is a shot of the table with just the buildings laid out.

I then add water towers, loos, and lots of scatter terrain to limit line of sight and to provide lots of cover.

I just love this washing line with tissue paper sheets soaked in Supa-glue.

You cannot have a wild west town without a church and cemetery. Of course the bad guys are buried in unnamed graves out on Boothill!

Looking down a street showing cover and line of sight issues.

The stores covered with a tarpaulin is just a suitably sized block of polystyrene covered in tissue paper this time soaked in PVA glue so it doesn’t melt the polystyrene (I have made lots of these).

Hardware store with loo and goods just delivered on the street.

Hitching rails, water troughs and anything else you want to add. I also have a stagecoach wagons, a train station and rail, goldmine, and trees that I have not added to this layout.

The roofs can be removed to place figures. We have found that on top of the water tower is a great position for a guy (or gal) with a rifle. I remember one of those classic Western TV scenes occurring where the rifleman was shot and sent tumbling to the ground by one of the Earp brothers.

Now as I said this works for me and may not for others. I have, however, found that skirmish games require lots of terrain to make players think and to avoid long range shoot outs that generally only provide a few turn game. Hope this provides some ideas for you out their.

The Dead Man’s Hand website has downloads of shop signs and other interesting “stuff”.