High Noon Saloon Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• The Saloon Deck
• The Board
  • Reach
  • Space in Cover
  • Attack and Defense Bonuses
  • Some Covers also provide special benefits
• "Them's Fightin' Words!": Setup Round
• On Your Turn
• Scavengin' Phase
• Weapon Phase
  • Equip Weapons
  • Move Weapons between your Fist and Holster
  • Play Reload Cards
• Jump Phase
• Fightin' Phase
  • Declare your Attack
  • Gun Attacks
  • Melee Attacks
  • Play Attack Enhancements
  • Choose a Target
  • Blocking
  • Resolving an Attack
• Hunkerin' Down Phase
• Weapon Phase #2
• Ending Your Turn
• Additional Rules
  • Maximum Grit
  • Character Pawns and Restricted Movement
  • Dropping Weapons
  • Split Attacks
  • Counterattacks
  • Quick Draw
  • Character Cards
• Team Play
  • Team Play Setup
  • Shared Grit
  • Team Cards
  • Attacking and Blocking
  • Enhancing Teammate Attacks
  • Split Attacks: Only One Attack Per Team
  • Passing Cards
  • Crosstalk

Components

• 98-card Saloon Deck (including 18 Team Cards)
• 8 Character Cards
• 18-card Load Deck
• 6 Player Mats
• 6 Rules Summary Cards
• Map of the Saloon
• 8 Character Pawns
• 6 Grit Markers
• 14 Bullet Markers
• 3 "+10 Grit" Markers

Setup

Each player gets a player mat, a Grit Marker, and two Bullet Markers. Place your Grit Marker on the 20 on your player mat. (If you'd like a longer game, start at 30 Grit instead.)

Each player chooses a character card. Put your character card text-side-down on the character spot on your player mat. (The side with text is used in advanced play, see the Character Cards section on page 12 for more details.) Then take the pawn that matches the image on your character card.

Place the Map of the Saloon in the middle of the play area.

Shuffle the Load Deck and place it face down.

Remove the Team cards from the Saloon Deck and place them in the box -- they are not used in the regular game (see Team Play on page 13).

Shuffle the Saloon Deck and deal each player seven cards. Place the remainder of the Saloon Deck face down.

Leave space for discards next to each deck (discard cards face up).

The Saloon Deck

The Saloon Deck consists of four card types:

• Weapon Cards - Weapon cards are used to make Attacks. They come in two types: Melee and Gun.
• Attack Enhancement Cards - Attack Enhancement cards are used when making an Attack to improve that Attack.
• Block Cards - If you are the target of an Attack, you may respond with one Block card.
• Reload Cards - Reload cards are used to add bullets to Guns.
• Team Cards - Team cards are used when playing with teams. Otherwise, they are removed from the deck.

The Board

Each area on the board represents a different location in the saloon. Some provide Cover where you can hunker down while the guns are a-blazin', while others provide you with bonuses to your Attacks or other special abilities.

Covers on the board are outlined in yellow.

Reach

Some of the yellow lines have "teeth" on them. The teeth determine whether a Cover is "in reach" of another. If there are yellow teeth pointing from your Cover to another, you can reach that Cover.

Note that reach is not always symmetric! For example, players On the Stairs may reach players on the Upstairs Balcony, but the reverse is not true.

Reach determines whether a Melee Attack is legal (see Melee Attacks on page 8). Reach has no effect on Gun Attacks or movement.

Space in Cover

Each Cover has one or more circles in it. When you move to a new Cover, place your pawn on one of the open circles in that Cover. If there are no open circles in a Cover, you may not move there.

Attack and Defense Bonuses

Covers provide attack and defense bonuses against players in other Covers. These bonuses are represented by Bursts and Shields, respectively.

Bursts add damage to Attacks equal to the number indicated in the burst icon. Attacks from the Back Room are reduced by 2 damage (down to a minimum of 0).

Shields reduce damage from Attacks made against you by the amount indicated. This defense bonus counts in addition to the effects of a Block card.

If you attack a player who is in the same Cover as you, the Cover's attack and defense bonuses are ignored.

Some Covers also provide special benefits

• (Red cross, 2) If you end your turn alone Behind the Bar and have not made an Attack this turn, regain 2 Grit.

• (Two bullets) If you end your turn alone Behind the Player Piano, add 2 bullets to one of your equipped Guns.

• (+2 arrow) If you move from the Upstairs Balcony to No Cover during your Jump Phase (see Jump Phase on page 7), add 2 damage to the first Melee Attack you make during your turn.

(Board diagram: Player space = the circles in a Cover; Reach "teeth" = the yellow teeth on Cover outlines; Defense bonus = Shield icon; Attack bonus = Burst icon. The Covers are Back Room, Behind the Bar, Behind an Upended Table, Behind the Player Piano, Upstairs Balcony, On the Stairs, and No Cover.)

"Them's Fightin' Words!": Setup Round

Choose a player to go first. Play proceeds clockwise. Before play begins, each player, in turn order, takes a setup turn. During this turn, you may equip Weapons from your hand to your Fist and/or Holster, then you must place your pawn on an open spot on the board.

If you play a Gun, reveal and discard the top card of the Load Deck. This is how many bullets are in that Gun. Use a Bullet Marker to track this. If this would give the Gun more bullets than it can hold, place the Bullet Marker on the highest number on the track.

After each player has played their setup turn, normal play begins.

Note: When these rules refer to your "hand", that indicates the cards you are holding in your hand. When they refer to your "Fist", they mean the Fist space on your player mat.

On Your Turn

Your turn is broken down into six phases. Each phase must be completed before moving on to the next. The phases are briefly described here, with more detail later on.

1. Scavengin' Phase - At the beginning of your turn, you may discard any or all of the cards in your hand. Then draw from the Saloon Deck until you are holding seven cards.
2. Weapon Phase - During this phase, you may equip Weapons, move Weapons between your Fist and your Holster, and play Reload Cards.
3. Jump Phase - During this phase, you may move to No Cover.
4. Fightin' Phase - During this phase, you may make one Attack.
5. Hunkerin' Down Phase - During this phase, you may move from your current Cover to another open space on the board.
6. Weapon Phase #2 - During this phase, you may do any of the things that you could do in your first Weapon Phase.

Scavengin' Phase

At the beginning of your turn, you may discard any or all of the cards in your hand. Then draw from the Saloon Deck until you are holding seven cards. (Cards on your player mat do not count toward your hand size.) You may not take any other actions until you have finished drawing cards.

If you draw the last card in the Saloon Deck, shuffle the discarded Saloon Deck cards and use this as the new Saloon Deck.

If you are holding seven or more cards you may opt to keep all of them and draw no new cards.

Weapon Phase

During this phase, you may take any of the following actions in any order:

Equip Weapons

To equip a Weapon, play it from your hand to your player mat (into either your Fist or Holster). When equipping a Weapon, you may discard an already-equipped Weapon to make room. You may not have more than two Weapons equipped at any time (one in your Fist and one in your Holster).

When you equip a Gun, reveal and discard the top card of the Load Deck. This is how many bullets are in that Gun. Use a Bullet Marker to track this. If this would give the Gun more bullets than it can hold, place the Bullet Marker on the highest number on the track.

If at any time you reveal the last card in the Load Deck, shuffle the discarded Load Deck cards and use this as the new Load Deck.

Fist - Any Weapon may be placed in your Fist. You may only make an Attack with a Weapon or use a Weapon's effects if it is in your Fist.

Holster - A Weapon may only be placed in your Holster if it has a Holster icon on the bottom right corner of the card. You may not make an Attack with a Weapon or use a Weapon's effects if it is in your Holster. The main purpose of the Holster is to let you hold a backup Weapon which you can Quick Draw when you need it (see Quick Draw on page 12 for more details).

Move Weapons between your Fist and Holster

You may move a Weapon from your Fist to your Holster, from your Holster to your Fist, or you may swap the Weapons in your Fist and Holster. Remember that Weapons may only be placed in your Holster if they have a Holster icon on the bottom right corner of the card.

Play Reload Cards

To play a Reload card, discard it from your hand and add the indicated number of bullets to one of your equipped Guns. If this would give the Gun more bullets than it can hold, place the Bullet Marker on the highest number on the track.

Weapon Phase actions may be repeated as many times as you wish, in any order.

For example, in a single Weapon Phase you could move a Weapon from your Fist to your Holster, then equip a new Weapon in your Fist, then play a Reload card, then move the Weapon in your Fist to your Holster (discarding the Weapon already in your Holster), then equip a new Weapon in your Fist, then play another Reload card.

Jump Phase

During this phase, you may move to No Cover. If you move during your Jump Phase, you will have Restricted Movement during your Hunkerin' Down Phase (see Hunkerin' Down Phase on page 10).

Remember, if you jump down from the Upstairs Balcony during your Jump Phase, add 2 damage to the first Melee Attack you make during your turn.

Fightin' Phase

During this phase, you may make one Attack. To make an Attack, declare your Attack, then play any number of Attack Enhancement cards, then choose a player to be the target of your Attack.

Declare your Attack

When you declare your Attack, first state whether you are making a Gun or Melee Attack.

Gun Attacks

You may only make a Gun Attack if the Weapon in your Fist is a Gun. Gun Attacks may target any player on the board, regardless of their Cover.

Bullet Options - All Guns and some Gun Attack Enhancements indicate that you may spend bullets to achieve an effect. For example, the Repeatin' Rifle has the options shown below:

• 1 bullet : 1 damage
• 2 bullets : 3 damage
• 3 bullets : 4 damage

This means that you may spend one bullet to do one damage or two bullets to do three damage or three bullets to do four damage. When a card has multiple Attack effects like this, choose one of the effects. You may not use the effect multiple times. You must have sufficient bullets to use the effect you choose.

Spending Bullets - When you spend bullets, move the Gun's Bullet Marker down by the number of bullets spent.

If a Gun has no bullets, you may not use it to make a Gun Attack (although you may still use it to make a Melee Attack).

Melee Attacks

You may always make a Melee Attack regardless of the type of Weapon in your Fist. If you don't have a Weapon in your Fist, your Weapon is your Fist. Your Fist has a base damage of 2. Other Melee Weapons have base damage indicated in the upper left corner of the card.

If the Weapon in your Fist is a Gun and you are choosing to make a Melee Attack with it rather than a Gun Attack, use the melee damage indicated at the bottom of the card.

You may only make a Melee Attack against another player if you are both in the same Cover, or if their Cover is in reach of yours.

For example, if you are On the Stairs, you could make a Melee Attack against a player in No Cover or on the Upstairs Balcony. Only a player in No Cover can make a Melee Attack against you, since On the Stairs is not in reach of the Upstairs Balcony.

Play Attack Enhancements

Most Attack Enhancements are specific to either Melee Attacks or Gun Attacks. You may only use Attack Enhancements of the same type as your Attack.

Remember, Guns can be used to make Melee Attacks. This affects the type of Attack Enhancements that can be used. For example, if you use the Peacemaker for a Gun Attack, you can use Fancy Shootin', but not Strong. If you use it for a Melee Attack, you can use Strong, but not Fancy Shootin'.

A General Attack Enhancement may be used to improve any Attack.

Attack Enhancement cards must be played as you declare your Attack (specifically, you may not wait to see if your target blocks).

You may play any number of Attack Enhancement cards on an Attack as long as no two have the same name.

Choose a Target

After playing Attack Enhancements, choose a player to be the target of your Attack. Remember, Gun Attacks may target any player on the board, but you may only make a Melee Attack against another player if you are both in the same Cover, or if their Cover is in reach of yours.

Blocking

The targeted player may play one Block card in response to an Attack. The Block must match the type of the Attack (Gun or Melee). Most Blocks give defense by reducing the damage of the Attack by the amount indicated on the Block card.

Resolving an Attack

To calculate the damage of an Attack, add the Weapon damage + Attack Enhancement damage + any bonus damage from the attacking player's Cover. Then subtract any defense the defending player receives from Block cards and Cover. The defending player reduces their Grit by that amount.

• Base Weapon Damage + Attack Enhancements + Bonus Damage from Cover - Block Card Defense - Cover Defense = Grit Lost

Remember to ignore Cover effects if the attacking player and the defending player are in the same Cover!

If your Grit passes below one, you are beaten to a bloody pulp, shot full of holes, or both, and are out of the game.

Hunkerin' Down Phase

During this Phase, you may move from your current Cover to any other open space on the board (your new Cover need not be adjacent to your old one). If you wish to move, but you have Restricted Movement (because you moved during your Jump Phase, or because you played a card effect that gave you Restricted Movement), you may only move to an orange space.

Weapon Phase #2

After your Hunkerin' Down Phase, you have another Weapon Phase. In this Phase, you may do anything that you could do in your first Weapon Phase.

Ending Your Turn

If you choose to use the special Cover effect for Behind the Bar or Behind the Player Piano, do so now.

When you are finished, the player to your left takes their turn.

Additional Rules

Maximum Grit

Some cards allow you to regain Grit. Your Grit may never go above its starting value.

Character Pawns and Restricted Movement

Character pawns have two sides. One side has an orange border, which is used to track Restricted Movement. Begin the game with the orange side down. If a card effect or game rule gives you Restricted Movement, flip your pawn so that the orange border is showing. After your Hunkerin' Down Phase, flip your pawn back.

Dropping Weapons

Some cards have an effect that requires you to drop your Weapon. You drop a Weapon by moving it from your Fist to the discard pile. You may not use a drop effect on a Weapon in your Holster or in your hand.

Split Attacks

Some card effects allow you to attack two or more targets at the same time. A split Attack like this is resolved as though you made the full Attack against each target individually. Damage is not divided -- the entire Attack, including any special effects, is duplicated.

A Block card played by one target does not affect the Attack for the other targets.

Only One Attack Per Player - You may not split an Attack and target the same player more than once. A Split Attack must target different players.

Counterattacks

Some cards allow you to make a Counterattack. You do this by making an Attack against the player who just attacked you. You must be able to legally attack that player in order to make a Counterattack against them. So, for example, if you are making a Melee Counterattack, you must be in a Cover from which you could normally make a Melee Attack against your target.

Before playing Counterattacks, you must first resolve all active Attacks, including dropping Weapons (if appropriate) and losing Grit.

If you want to Counterattack against an Attack which was split, all Attacks resulting from the split must be resolved before any Counterattack is played. If multiple players may play Counterattacks in response to the same Attack, each of those players plays and fully resolves his Counterattack in turn order, starting from the player whose turn it is. (Later players may then decline to Counterattack.)

If one card effect says that you may make a Counterattack, but another card effect says that an Attack can't be Counterattacked, the "can't" effect wins.

No-Man-Standing Ending - If a card effect allows you to make a Counterattack, you may do so even if you are knocked below one Grit. However, you will be out of the game as soon as your Counterattack resolves. A no-man-standing ending is possible. If your Counterattack takes out the last player then the game is a tie!

Quick Draw

At any time, you may Quick Draw the Weapon in your Holster by discarding the Weapon in your Fist (if you have one) and moving the Weapon in your Holster to your Fist. You may do this whenever you like, including during an Attack, or between an Attack and a subsequent Counterattack.

You may not Quick Draw if your Holster is empty.

If you Quick Draw after you have declared an Attack, but before the damage for that Attack has resolved, your Attack deals no damage.

If a card effect would require you to drop the Weapon in your Fist, you may Quick Draw first, but the effect will still require you to drop your newly-drawn Weapon when it resolves.

Character Cards

Character cards have two sides. For normal play, place the character cards so the text is face down. In this mode, character cards help you keep track of which pawn belongs to whom.

For more advanced play, play with the text side up. Each player then has the unique abilities listed on their character card.

Team Play

You must have an even number of players (4 or 6) to play a team game. Depending on the number of players, you can have two teams of two, two teams of three, or three teams of two.

Except where noted below, all normal rules for High Noon Saloon are in effect when playing with teams.

Team Play Setup

Shuffle the Team cards into the Saloon Deck.

Players should seat themselves so that they alternate with players on other teams (2 vs 2: A B A B around the table; 2 vs 2 vs 2: A B C A B C; 3 vs 3: A B A B A B).

Each player gets a player mat and two Bullet Markers to keep track of their Weapons. One player on each team gets a Grit Marker, which is placed on 30. In addition, that player also takes a +10 Grit token (for a total of 40 team Grit). At any time, a team may trade in their +10 Grit token to move their Grit Marker up by 10.

Shared Grit

When playing with teams, players do not individually keep track of their Grit on their player mat. Instead, one player per team keeps track of Grit for their entire team.

Whenever any player takes damage, their team's Grit is reduced.

If a team's Grit is reduced below one, everyone on that team is out of the game. The last team with Grit remaining wins.

Team Cards

Team cards may be played anytime the condition on the card is met.

Attacking and Blocking

When you make an Attack, choose one player on another team to be the target of the Attack. The targeted player is the only one whose Cover is considered for defense and who may play a Block card against the Attack.

Enhancing Teammate Attacks

After you declare an Attack and play Attack Enhancements, each of your teammates, in turn order, may add one Attack Enhancement to your Attack. It must be of the correct type and may not have the same name as an Attack Enhancement already played on the Attack. If an Attack Enhancement has more than one possible effect, the player making the Attack chooses the effect.

Split Attacks: Only One Attack Per Team

You may not split an Attack and choose to target two or more players on the same team. If an Attack is split, it must target players on different teams.

Passing Cards

At the end of your turn, you may choose to pass one card, face down, to a teammate, who must add it to his or her hand.

There is no limit to the number of cards a player can hold. Remember, if you start your turn with seven or more cards, you may opt to keep all of your cards and not draw any new ones.

Crosstalk

You may not show your hand to your teammates, but you and your teammates can discuss your hands. This can help you to get a better idea of which card to pass to a teammate at the end of your turn. ("Do you need blocks or attacks?") Remember: the other teams can hear you!