Ranches and Rides (4th in Swiss @ York UK Sheriff 11/09/16)

published Sep 11, 2016 | | |
Card draw simulator
Odds: 0% – 0% – 0% – 0% more
Derived from
None. Self-made deck here.
Inspiration for
None yet

DoomDog 972

Three wins, one loss and one loss at time saw me net enough points to land in fourth place at the end of the swiss rounds at the 18-player York Sheriff event. Not bad for a deck I'd literally put together the night before while lying in bed.

As the host I was only playing because there were an odd number of players and I didn't want a situation with people who'd travelled quite far to play to be sitting out with a bye, so I dropped from the top four cut once the swiss rounds were over.

Max was in my starting posse but each game saw him swapped out with Rico. I had Jarrett and Buckin’ Billy as starting options, and I ended up going with Billy in most games as with a Pinto he’d have the option to join a posse or draw a card (and boot an opponent). Combined with his bonus influence this made him a good dude to use with the Morgan home ability.

Report time!

Game 1 Vs Graham’s Oddities Graham started moving his abominations into the town square. With my opening hand I felt I had a decent chance in an early shootout, so Buckin’ Billy got a horse then hit Pagliaccio with a Run ‘Em Down. The shootout went my way and cost Graham a couple of abominations but he still had the Tattooed Man, Karl Odett and another I can’t remember. Some more dudes and deeds hit play and I got a Doomsday Supply on my home. A couple of days later Graham sent in Karl and The Tattooed Man on a Signing Over the Stores job. I opposed the job, with the Doomsday Supply grabbing Billy a LeMat Revolver from the top of my discard pile. I drew a legal four-of-a-kind to Graham’s cheatin’ four-of-a-kind. With the LeMat in play Graham decided to ace The Tattooed Man with No Turning Back to save Karl, but unfortunately for him I was holding a Coachwhip which got rid of Odett too. With his only influence coming from Eve Henry and me being able to secure at least three control points by the end of the day it was victory for Morgan.

Game 2 Vs Robert’s Des Row Hucksters Robert won last year’s Huddersfield Sheriff with a similar deck to this (and went to win this one), so I was expecting a tough game. Rico showed me he had an opening hand full of deeds, which was a relief as that meant his deck would take a few days to get going. I let “Aces” Radcliffe run the Des Row job unopposed and we both played a few deeds. I moved to take control of the deed furthest from his home, as Angelica was still able to join adjacent shootouts. Next turn Robert sent “Aces” to run the job again and I opposed. Buckin’ Billy’s ability got me another card making “Aces” a draw, so Angelica joined the fight. I lost the shootout and Henry Moran took the bullet. Dr. Foxwood entered play and walked through the town square to claim Robert’s Carter’s Bounties. Jake Smiley moved into town and with “Aces” and Angelica out of the picture I pounced with a Run ‘Em Down. The shootout went my way leaving Robert low on influence. Despite having a pile of ghost rock, the only dudes in his hand were expensive seven-costers so he couldn’t reinforce and I was able to secure enough control points in the chess that followed.

Game 3 Vs Kirsty’s Showboatin’ Shamans Kirsty’s shamans largely stayed at home loading up on Attires and Spirits, while I got myself set up with a few deeds and horses while desperately diggng for a Run ‘Em Down to start a fight with Buckin’ Billy and Circle M Ranch. The game went on and it continued to elude me whilst Kirsty started building up control points via Showboating and thinning her deck by equipping goods and spells and playing Buried Treasure. With about ten minutes remaining I finally got the Run’ Em Down and went after Black Elk as he had the most control points. Kirsty sent all her backup in to the fight and Black Elk successfully escaped thanks to Crafty Hare. Buckin Billy booted Sarah Meoquanee and got me another Run ‘Em Down. I won the fight but didn’t get rid of any important dudes. My next play saw my dudes attempt another Run ‘Em Down on Black Elk who was out of escape options and short on backup, but I didn’t draw a good shootout hand and Kirsty’s degenerated deck gave her a four (or five)-of-a-kind and Black Elk escaped again. Time was sneaking up on us so I concentrated on getting dudes and deeds in to play and emptying my hand quickly but the timer went just as we were starting the next day. Kirsty edged the tiebreaker by one control point.

Game 4 Vs George’s Morgan Stables This proved to be a game of misplays. In an attempt to get rid of a joker from my hand I moved to George’s Joker’s Smile and forgot that Ridden Down doesn’t work on dudes with horses so ended up being called out before I could use the deed. I completely blanked all the La Quemas and Pintos on the board and accepted with Billy on his own, who subsequently got mobbed as the cavalry rode in to the fight and he was aced in short order. With my shooter gone George moved his dudes into the town square in preparation for a Run ‘Em Down next turn, but he didn’t draw one. I sent Maggie Harris to find a horse and George opposed the job. He went with a cheatin’ five-of-a-kind as he couldn’t make a legal hand without using a Joker and he was confident my draw dudes wouldn’t best his studs even with the help of This’ll Hurt in the Mornin’. He’d forgotten about my Quickdraw Handgun until it was too late, and I swapped his hand for my legal pair. With all his studs gone, my remaining influence was able to manoeuvre and claim enough control points for the win.

Game 5 Vs Mark’s Fourth Ring Condition Control I had Buckin’ Billy in my opening hand so Rico swapped Max Baine out for Dr. Brian Foxwood as I felt I’d need the influence as I knew Mark favoured Blood Curses. A first turn Hunter Protections saw me decide to attempt a control rush strategy, building up control points on my dudes then making use of horse tricks to help secure the deeds he started playing. While this worked for the first few days I couldn’t find the horses or Run ‘Em Down’s to take the plan to its second stage and the combined forces of Leon, Blood Curse, Phantasm, Paralysis Mark and Lost to the Plague limited my movement options. Mark continued to play deeds and between those and a timely Blood Curse on Rico there was nothing I could do to stop the relentless clowns.

4 comments
Sep 12, 2016 Harlath

A strong deck with a prudent amount of Cheatin' punishment, as there were 5 Den of Thieves players out of 18! Doomsday Supply even lets you fetch Cheatin' punishment. Think the deck's author has beaten me in our last three tournament matches, and another of the Edinburgh players in Birmingham too. He is truly the hammer of the scots.

Ran a fun, well-attended tournament and generously donated extra prizes and dropped out despite making the top 4.

I'd maybe consider a fourth Run' Em down? Not sure if you find they sometimes clog your hand, but could have helped against the Fourth Ring condition fest that made the final?

Sep 12, 2016 DoomDog

Another Run 'Em Down or a Kidnappin' could have been useful. Both games I lost I really could have done with some way to start a fight early on but didn't see my Run 'Em Downs until too late against Kirsty and not at all against Mark.

I also completely forgot Calling The Cavalry existed when putting this together.

Sep 14, 2016 Harlath

Forgetting about calling the cavalry is an understandable result of being on the play test team! Would you add it off value or flip to 6s? I play a similar deck on 6s, but it gives a slightly inferior steed - Roan.

Thanks for the update with the fuller report, as you note, 4th Run 'Em Down! would have helped against clown control.

You deserve credit for my being one ghost rock short of a dude with influence in our game. You wisely sat on a deed to deny one income having scouted my hand with the blasted Rico. The little things can swing a game!

Sep 14, 2016 DoomDog

Maybe swap out It's Not What You Know... for Calling The Cavalry so there's a slim chance of a straight flush?

I'd definitely run sixes as a value in an Eagle Wardens horse deck. With Morgan I'd probably swap out the fives, ignore Roan and have Winchesters in place of Pearl-Handled Revolvers. "Lucky" Sky Borne and Margaret Hagerty would allow for more gadgets if I wanted to go that route.