545:"a game that is well suited to portraying small battles based on the Old West." However, Freeman found that the game was ill-suited to larger battles, noting that "the playing time increases exponentially with the number of individual figures involved." He concluded by giving the game an Overall Evaluation of "Good", saying, "A real campaign would severely test the judgement and resources of the referee and spirit of the players, but because the milieu is so familiar, 'dropping in
524:. Beddow was not impressed by the campaign map, which was "by TSR standards, extremely shabby and unprofessional", with large blank areas that "with their generally lazy attitude towards the map, TSR asks you to fill in numerous details, claiming this 'creates flexibility.'" However, he found the large scale map of a generic Western town to be "quite commendable". Overall, Beddow concluded that
514:, and gave it an above average score of 8 out of 10. He found few substantive rule changes from the first edition, other than the addition of several appendices to the rulebook that included biographies of notable American gunfighters, suggested scenarios, and a method for transferring characters to and from other TSR roleplaying systems such as
561:
gave this game a qualified recommendation, pointing out "As a tactical simulation of
Western gunfights, it's unsurpassed. As a role-playing game, there's not really enough here to put together a meaningful campaign." Swan concluded by giving the game a rating of 3 out of 4, saying,
141:
was marketed to take advantage of
America's love of the western genre. The game did feature some new game mechanics, such as the use of percentile dice, but its focus on gunfighting rather than role-playing, as well as the lethal nature of its combat system, limited its appeal.
29:
587:
is a game that punches far above its weight class. It's yet another reminder that there is no better combination than slim rules and imagination when it comes to RPGs. That was true thirty years ago, when I last played
283:; they remained just as likely to die in their hundredth combat as they had been in their first. As a result, most characters had a very short life span, and players generally had little chance to identify with their
579:, James Maliszewski said "Far from being disappointed, I was frankly amazed at how enjoyable the game was and found myself itching to continue playing, even after we'd set things aright in Brimstone. Like original
528:
is such an "Easy yet effective game to play" because of "the knowledge of, and feeling for, the Wild West which is within all of us. It is fantasy and yet one still has one's feet on the ground."
268:
combat game, but even in the third edition, most of the rules concerned combat resolution, with relatively little information about settings and few rules for social interaction.
159:
327:
907:
878:
973:
968:
566:
works best as a board game, where players rough out a city map on a tabletop or floor, then use miniature figures to stage showdowns."
271:
Combat could be short and deadly, with death often coming from the first gunshot. This lethality did not change over time since, unlike
849:
553:
496:
issue 71 features the Boot Hill module "The Taming of
Brimstone" by Donald Mumma which was the winner of a module design contest.
227:, described the game as "the company's second role-playing game; it was set in the Old West and focused mostly on gun-fighting."
697:
738:
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264:
focused on gunfighting rather than role-playing. The first edition and second editions were specifically marketed as a
898:
473:
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443:
429:
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346:
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rules, making the difference between the "good guys" and "bad guys" a matter of moral interpretation or choice.
299:
533:
238:
used game mechanics that were advanced for the time. Most games still used traditional six-sided dice, but
178:
started development of the rules for a
Western genre miniatures combat system and role-playing game called
205:
However, Kaye unexpectedly died of a heart attack in
January 1975. Blume and Gygax subsequently published
826:
538:
298:, there was no large catalogue of non-human monsters, only human opponents. In addition, there were no
215:
125:
963:
481:
265:
978:
254:
Although the western was a popular
American motif, the game did not have the same mass appeal as
146:
was issued in three editions over 15 years, but it never reached the same level of popularity as
793:
638:
506:
420:
379:
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109:(although Kaye unexpectedly died before the game was published), and first published in 1975.
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119:
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for character abilities and skill resolution. However, several factors limited its appeal.
8:
520:
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was published in three editions, none captured the public imagination in the same way as
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later that year in memory of their friend. It was TSR's third role-playing game, after
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characters did not advance in levels to develop better defenses or advantages over
194:, was dressed and armed as a cowboy after being magically transported from Gygax's
657:
90:
76:
798:
731:
Of Dice and Men: The Story of
Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It
726:
247:
243:
220:
957:
39:
175:
98:
44:
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Kuntz: "Don was a great fan of the
Western and an avid supporter of the
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102:
48:
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558:
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134:
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58:
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remained a very small and limited member of TSR's stable of games.
195:
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927:- Demian's Gamebook Web Page, mostly on the solitaire module,
287:
over the long term, as they could with a player character in
791:
Beddow, Dominic (December 1979 – January 1980). "Open Box".
28:
904:
KrakĂłw RPGs has a complete bibliography with cover photos.
326:
186:—he was a fan of the Western genre, and even his fantasy
510:, Dominic Beddow reviewed the second (boxed) edition of
547:
for an occasional battle/scenario is a possibility."
117:'s third role-playing game, appearing not long after
480:
TSR also released a three-figure pack of gunslinger
943:
Art of the Genre: Boot Hill's
Ballots & Bullets
833:. New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 249–250.
865:"Those Thrilling Days of Yesteryear – Black Gate"
955:
338:1st edition, printed in 1975, 34 pages, no ISBN.
912:- Review from the Museum of Roleplaying Games.
764:"Ride, Cowboy, Ride - The Forgotten Boot Hill"
182:. Kaye in particular was an avid supporter of
198:campaign to an alternate universe set in the
150:and other fantasy-themed role-playing games.
174:in late 1973, they and new business partner
853:. New York: St. Martin’s Press. p. 41.
790:
758:
756:
754:
752:
750:
349:. Reprinted with a different cover in 1984.
879:"Game:Boot Hill Wild West Module Mad Mesa"
412:. Written to be playable solitaire, as a
850:The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games
747:
680:"Interview with Gary Gygax, part 2 of 3"
626:
624:
554:The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games
504:In the December–January 1979 edition of
325:
157:
825:
956:
690:
242:was one of the first games to use two
974:Role-playing games introduced in 1975
969:Historical Western role-playing games
936:The Stuff of Legends - TSR: Boot Hill
725:
677:
621:
843:
837:
786:
784:
671:
595:
719:
660:. Pied Piper Publishing. 2004-10-18
153:
13:
819:
14:
990:
892:
781:
608:is held in the collection of the
27:
871:
857:
321:
258:s Tolkienesque fantasy setting.
805:
645:
610:Strong National Museum of Play
352:3rd edition, printed in 1990,
341:2nd edition, printed in 1979,
1:
831:The Complete Book of Wargames
615:
569:In a retrospective review of
534:The Complete Book of Wargames
416:, or as a multiplayer module.
367:was supported by a referee's
166:Soon after TSR was formed by
658:"Robilar Remembers: Murlynd"
499:
306:For these reasons, although
129:, and taking its name from "
7:
678:Lynch, Scott (2001-05-17).
641:: TSR, Inc.: 1 Summer 1975.
33:Second edition cover, 1979.
10:
995:
216:Empire of the Petal Throne
126:Empire of the Petal Throne
16:Old West role-playing game
883:Google Arts & Culture
230:
72:
64:
54:
38:
26:
921:- Review from GameGrene.
733:. Scribner. p. 99.
592:, and it's true today."
424:(BH2), printed in 1982,
396:(BH1), printed in 1981,
918:The Forgotten Boot Hill
909:Boot Hill, 2nd Edition
639:Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
581:Dungeons & Dragons
516:Dungeons & Dragons
421:Lost Conquistador Mine
365:Boot Hill, 2nd Edition
334:
211:Dungeons & Dragons
163:
120:Dungeons & Dragons
916:Ride, Cowboy, Ride -
902:- TSR's Wild West RPG
770:. Disobey. 2000-12-29
329:
281:non-player characters
161:
137:term for "cemetery".
702:Wizards of the Coast
698:"The History of TSR"
634:The Strategic Review
162:First edition cover.
612:(object 110.1979).
521:Metamorphosis Alpha
436:Ballots and Bullets
23:
335:
164:
21:
740:978-1-4516-4052-6
596:Other recognition
551:In his 1990 book
531:In the 1980 book
451:Burned Bush Wells
382:and Mini-Module,
373:adventure modules
371:and five 32 page
95:role-playing game
82:
81:
986:
964:Gary Gygax games
887:
886:
875:
869:
868:
861:
855:
854:
841:
835:
834:
823:
817:
816:
813:"TSR: Boot Hill"
809:
803:
802:
788:
779:
778:
776:
775:
760:
745:
744:
723:
717:
716:
714:
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704:. Archived from
694:
688:
687:
675:
669:
668:
666:
665:
649:
643:
642:
628:
537:, game designer
380:Referee's Screen
285:player character
154:Creative origins
31:
24:
20:
994:
993:
989:
988:
987:
985:
984:
983:
979:TSR, Inc. games
954:
953:
939:, Pope, Thomas.
895:
890:
877:
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863:
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838:
824:
820:
811:
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806:
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741:
727:Ewalt, David M.
724:
720:
711:
709:
696:
695:
691:
676:
672:
663:
661:
656:
650:
646:
631:"In Memorium".
630:
629:
622:
618:
598:
502:
493:Dragon Magazine
324:
248:percentile dice
233:
225:Of Dice and Men
156:
133:", the popular
47:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
992:
982:
981:
976:
971:
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952:
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940:
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893:External links
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799:Games Workshop
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600:A copy of the
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557:, game critic
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244:ten-sided dice
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223:, in his book
221:David M. Ewalt
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123:(D&D) and
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708:on 2008-09-24
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474:0-88038-105-1
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468:(BH5), 1984,
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460:0-394-53466-2
457:
454:(BH4), 1984,
453:
452:
448:
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444:0-394-53067-5
441:
438:(BH3), 1982,
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430:0-394-52594-9
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410:0-394-52705-4
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402:0-935696-71-7
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388:0-394-52590-6
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827:Freeman, Jon
821:
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792:
772:. Retrieved
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710:. Retrieved
706:the original
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662:. Retrieved
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404:, and 1982,
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322:Publications
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275:characters,
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97:designed by
85:
84:
83:
18:
794:White Dwarf
539:Jon Freeman
507:White Dwarf
190:character,
176:Brian Blume
99:Brian Blume
65:Publication
45:Brian Blume
958:Categories
948:Black Gate
845:Swan, Rick
774:2012-10-26
712:2005-08-20
664:2009-09-16
616:References
576:Black Gate
482:miniatures
466:Range War!
266:miniatures
168:Gary Gygax
103:Gary Gygax
55:Publishers
49:Gary Gygax
925:Boot Hill
900:Boot Hill
768:Gamegrene
653:Boot Hill
602:Boot Hill
590:Boot Hill
585:Boot Hill
571:Boot Hill
564:Boot Hill
559:Rick Swan
543:Boot Hill
526:Boot Hill
512:Boot Hill
500:Reception
486:Boot Hill
316:Boot Hill
308:Boot Hill
300:alignment
277:Boot Hill
262:Boot Hill
240:Boot Hill
236:Boot Hill
207:Boot Hill
200:Wild West
184:Boot Hill
180:Boot Hill
144:Boot Hill
139:Boot Hill
135:Wild West
131:Boot Hill
111:Boot Hill
86:Boot Hill
59:TSR, Inc.
40:Designers
22:Boot Hill
929:Mad Mesa
847:(1990).
829:(1980).
729:(2013).
655:rules."
606:Mad Mesa
414:gamebook
394:Mad Mesa
331:Mad Mesa
256:D&D'
196:Greyhawk
172:Don Kaye
107:Don Kaye
93:-themed
604:module
541:called
312:D&D
296:D&D
294:Unlike
289:D&D
273:D&D
192:Murlynd
188:D&D
148:D&D
91:western
77:Western
797:(16).
737:
684:RPGnet
637:(#2).
472:
458:
442:
428:
408:
400:
386:
369:screen
356:
345:
333:cover.
231:System
105:, and
73:Genres
801:: 14.
89:is a
735:ISBN
518:and
484:for
470:ISBN
456:ISBN
440:ISBN
426:ISBN
406:ISBN
398:ISBN
384:ISBN
354:ISBN
343:ISBN
213:and
170:and
113:was
68:1975
945:at
573:in
246:as
115:TSR
960::
881:.
783:^
766:.
749:^
700:.
682:.
623:^
583:,
488:.
375::
314:;
219:.
202:.
101:,
931:.
885:.
867:.
815:.
777:.
743:.
715:.
686:.
667:.
562:"
476:.
462:.
446:.
432:.
390:.
360:.
291:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
