The Wild West Show and Crazy Europeans in a town called Obsession

Surreal goings-on in the town called Obsession. The talk in Rogan's Bar was all about strangers in the town, questioning many of the local traders. Some said they were scouts from an unknown outlaw gang. Others heard rumours they were from Wild Bill Hickok's Wild West Show. Indeed the MacDoogle brothers were staunchly sticking to their story about 'Europeans' slinking about the outskirts of the town. But the brothers were usually jaked anyway.

And so another game of In Her Majesty's Name was held in the Battleshed. My gaming buddy, Arabianknight was keen to get his 'Dr Who Unit Expeditionary Force' in action! Yes, I had to re-read that title twice before it sunk in! I recommend heading over to the Wee Blokes for the complete picture.

We have plans to run a IHMN campaign after our current SoBH campaign has come to a conclusion. Whereas the former is firmly set in the more traditional 'fantasy' world, IHMN, being a 'Steampunk Skirmish' game, allows for even more outrageously imaginative 'companies' to be dreamt up. Something Arabianknight is enthusing about as it'll give him even more opportunity to get some of his fine collection of thematic miniatures on the table.  

Anyway, back to Obsession. As this was a casual re-visit to IHMN and I admit I hadn't had time to prepare a dedicated 'company', so opted to simply use a slightly adjusted version (no 'Steam horses') of the 'The Wild West Show' listed in Osprey's main rulebook. Seemed the natural choice as I have all those nice Dead Man's Hand miniatures. They have to earn their keep!

We used the two 'building' sections from my DMH town, Obsession, and the scenario had my Wild West Show company - having come about secret intelligence during their travels  overseas -  searching buildings in the town rumoured to contain a deactivated automaton curiously known as a 'Cyberman'. Of course, they had competition. An eccentric group of Europeans, led by 'The Dr.' with his mesmerising assistant, Amy Legs. Or was it Any Pond? They also had a curious robotic canine with them and a section of British soldiers.

Inevitably the two groups of adventurers clashed, with Old Jeremiah, the Mountain Man from The Wild West Show opening proceedings with his hunting rifle, the British troops returning fire with their Military Rifles. An urban shooting match ensued, with both companies using the buildings to their advantage. It was The Dr. and his assistant that discovered the 'Cyberman' , covered and chained in the back of the strangely empty Sheriff's office. But the Wild West crew were closing in, with Outlaw Eddie and his explosive grenades primed to quickly put end to the crazy Europeans. But he was cruelly gunned down by one of the British soldiers firing from the unfinished building across the street. 

Not far away, Wild Bill Dooley narrowly avoided being bayoneted by a charging Brit, and drew his pistols, simultaneously firing at the soldier and the robotic canine. He missed both.

The Doggyatron then used exotic 'Arc Fire' from its metal snout on Wild Bill, but it was ineffective. A brutal melee was also playing across the street, with Sioux Ironjaw and Ben Dooley mobbing a frantically defensive Brit with a Bayonet.  

It was The Dr. and his leggy assistant that won they day, stealing away with exotic material from the Cyberman to a strange blue thunder-box, that the Wild West company all agreed was definitely not there earlier in the day...