TEXT: DHR1201SW
  
  1
  DHR1201SW
  Table of Contents
  F o r  W h o m  T h e  B u g l e  B l o W s
  Just like re-loadin’ a shootin’ iron, developin’ full-fledged scenarios
  for your Old West gamin’ experience can take some time.
  Don’t fret none — this quick loadin’ Buckshot will do the trick.
  Copyright © 2006, 2010 Dog House Rules LLC. Buckshots is a trademark of Dog House Rules LLC; 
  Christopher S. Warner, Bradley W. Hindman, Karl Keesler, Thomas L. Gregory, Geoff Spakes. 
  All rights reserved under international copyright conventions.
  Credits
  Authors: Christopher S. Warner
  Senior Editor: Thomas L. Gregory
  Associate Editor: Bradley W. Hindman, Karl Keesler, Mark Olson
  Cover Design, Layout and Graphic Design: Karl Keesler
  Cartography: Geoff Spakes
  Original Artwork: Richard A. Spake
  Proofreader: Dana Warner
  This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group
  at www.peginc.com. Savage Worlds and all associated logos and trademarks are copyrights of
  Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Used with permission. Pinnacle makes no representation or warranty
  as to the quality, viability, or suitability for purpose of this product.
  This game also references the Savage Worlds Explorer’s Edition available from
  Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. Used with permission.
  What Are Buckshots? .................................2
  Introduction ................................................4
  Adventure Synopsis ....................................4
  For the Judge ..............................................4
  Getting Started ............................................5
  Scenes .........................................................5
   
  Terrain/Location .................................... 5
   
  Prelude: A Preponderance of Evidence ... 5
   
  Scene 1: Smoke on the Horizon ............. 7
   
  Scene 2: Bugles in the Distance .......... 10
   
  Scene 3: Bugle Bushwack .................... 13
   
  Scene 4: Retreat or Taps ...................... 13
  Forks in the Road .................................... 13
  Personalities ............................................. 17
  Combat Sheets ......................................... 25
  Character Sheets...................................... 29
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  2
  should keep in mind when weaving this Buckshot into 
  an existing campaign or playing it right off the shelf.
  Adventure Synopsis: This section offers an overall 
  description of the likely progression for the adventure, 
  giving the Judge an idea of the intended flavor, plot and 
  likely storyline.
  For the Judge: Includes general information about 
  the timing and milieu for the adventure, and any 
  pertinent local area history or backstory needed to set 
  the stage for gameplay. 
  Getting Started: This section suggests ways for the 
  Judge to introduce the adventure. Whether the Judge 
  intends to load this Buckshot into an existing game 
  with ongoing characters, or quickly set up a stand-
  alone scenario for a one-shot affair with new characters, 
  this section offers a few ideas on how to get things 
  started in short order. In particular, Getting Started 
  might address any geographical requirements for the 
  adventure (e.g., the setting needs to be in a valley, the 
  foothills of a mountainous region, a region fraught with 
  drought, etc.), as well as recommendations for getting 
  the player characters involved in the Buckshot (whether 
  by hook or crook).
  What are Buckshots? 
  Even the most diligent of GMs can suddenly find 
  themselves needing to think up a new adventure at the 
  drop of a Stetson. But what happens when you’re short 
  of both time and energy? Well, the Dog House Gang 
  figgers it’s our beholden duty to ride to the rescue and 
  help out. And we reckon that these quick, easy-to-run 
  Buckshots adventures should give you the ability to get 
  out of the chute right quick-like, and keep things 
  interesting for those players clamoring for more Old 
  West gaming fun.
  Although the statistics provided are specifically for 
  Savage Worlds, GMs (we like to call ‘em “Judges”) 
  should find it as easy as falling off a horse to fit these 
  short adventures into any Old West campaign, changing 
  names, re-working statistics or re-locating the setting 
  as needed or desired. 
  For consistency, each Buckshot adventure contains 
  some or all of the same basic sections. A quick review 
  of the elements of a Buckshot is in order.
  Introduction: This brief text introduces the premise 
  of the adventure, identifying the key themes a Judge 
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  3
  NPCs and Statistics Blocks: Obviously, the folks 
  who interact with the heroes are crucial to making any 
  Buckshot playable. Vital antagonists are provided to 
  facilitate the adventure, but feel free to change the 
  names, adjust the stats or introduce new characters 
  whenever it strikes your fancy. 
  Sometimes a famous personality might be involved 
  in a Buckshot, but most often these folks are just 
  plumb made up. If a famous gunfighter, buffalo hunter 
  or gambler shows up, it’s darn likely that we will have 
  taken some “cinematic” liberties with these historical 
  figures if we figured they needed spicing up (or when 
  the real details proved elusive). Those based on the 
  available historical record, whether fact, fiction or 
  somewhere in-between, are noted with a “historical 
  person” icon as shown below.
  Gameplay Aids: To make it even easier for a Judge 
  to start using this adventure without spending a 
  lifetime in preparation, each Buckshot also comes with 
  extra information that will make it easier for the Judge 
  to handle gameplay. These special adventure tools 
  include combat-version statistic blocks, full character 
  sheets, and adventure specific reference information.
  Scenes: Each Buckshot adventure is divided into 
  different scenes composing the whole scenario. Here 
  the Judge will find an overall description and general 
  information about each scene along with more specific 
  elements, such as detailed maps of specific locales, 
  notes about the personalities involved and special 
  information about the scene the Judge might need to 
  make things happen. When appropriate, special text for 
  the Judge to read aloud (or adapt as needed) is 
  highlighted in special gray boxes, indicated by the 
  following icon:
  Every Buckshot comes with at least one map and an 
  overall description of the area’s terrain, foliage, 
  creatures, etc. Typically, this will include a wilderness 
  map complete with graphic presentation of topographic 
  features, relevant structures and scale measurements. 
  When appropriate, each scene will include one or 
  more detail level maps with descriptions. These 
  specialized locale maps will vary, depending on the 
  adventure, providing specific information crucial to the 
  success of the adventure. These may range from an 
  outdoor locale where a particular encounter occurs to 
  a town street where a gunfight breaks out or a building 
  where characters must spend significant time in order 
  to advance the adventure. 
  Each map will also include a number-by-number 
  key providing detailed description of important areas 
  for the adventure. For easy reference, each map will be 
  provided in a separate PDF file and the map key will be 
  set in a sidebar with the following icon: 
  The number-by-number key for such detail maps 
  will also include any necessary game mechanics (e.g., 
  building properties, furnishings, and special terrain 
  effects, etc.), as required. Building maps will include a 
  floor plan in standard 1 inch = 5 feet square scale. If 
  warranted, detail maps will also come with battle map 
  versions. 
  15mm Battle Maps – containing full scale 1/2” = 5’ 
  •	
  maps you can print and piece together for table-top 
  gaming sessions.
  25mm Battle Maps – containing full scale 1” = 5’ 
  •	
  maps you can print and piece together for table-top 
  gaming sessions.
  Forks in the Road: A few twists on the basic 
  scenario are offered to help Judges fire this Buckshot 
  in the right direction for any given campaign, or to 
  make it possible to extend the adventure beyond the 
  original scope. In addition to making it easier to work 
  this into an existing home-brewed campaign, we figure 
  these ideas will help to keep players from gaining the 
  proverbial keys to the kingdom—that is, those players 
  who purchase this supplement and read all the goodies 
  in order to have an ace up their sleeve. Not that we 
  believe that would ever happen, mind you.
  Take a Gander, 
  Pardner
  Feast your eyes on these and other Wild 
  West game materials available from Dhr
  
  
  Visit the Dog House Gang at 
  doghouserules.net
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  4
  For the Judge
  For best effect, For Whom the Bugle Blows requires a 
  good set-up and foreshadowing on the part of the 
  Judge. By the time the heroes hear the Comanche 
  bugle, the players need to be sufficiently worked up 
  about the danger of the Comanche. They should feel a 
  clear sense of relief at the thought of help now at hand, 
  maximizing the shock and surprise when they find out 
  it is actually the dreaded enemy they are encountering. 
  Introduction
  Nothing strikes fear into the heart of a cowpoke 
  quicker than learning the Comanche are on the 
  warpath . . . except the sudden realization of finding 
  oneself right in the middle of that warpath. The only 
  thing to do at such a heart-poundin’ moment is to 
  trust one’s shootin’ irons and hope for the cavalry to 
  arrive. The premise of For Whom the Bugle Blows is to 
  play on both of those emotions. First, the Judge should 
  make sure the players get worked up and worried 
  about getting caught by the Comanche, then just when 
  the players think help has arrived, things take a turn 
  for the worse.
  Adventure Synopsis
  Somewhere in the middle of the wild Texas plains, 
  an intrepid band of heroes is making its way towards 
  civilization. It has not been an uneventful journey. First, 
  the puzzling camp remains gave them pause, then the 
  scalped and mutilated bodies of those buffalo hunters 
  heightened everyone’s misgivings. The noises at night 
  and that burnt-out wagon just made things worse, but 
  when the heroes found the bodies of those two dead 
  Indian warriors, the signs became unmistakable. 
  The Comanche are loose on the plains and causing 
  trouble. The good news: the notes of a cavalry bugle 
  have been heard faintly in the distance—it would seem 
  the Bluecoats might be on Indians’ trail.
  So it comes as no surprise when the sounds of 
  gunfire draw the party’s attention to smoke on the 
  horizon. Coming over a ridge, the heroes arrive just in 
  time to chase off a small band of Comanche attacking a 
  lone wagon. Grateful for the rescue, Old Man Winters 
  and his granddaughters beg the party to help them to 
  safety.
  After a few days of playing cat-and-mouse with the 
  Indians, the sound of a well-played cavalry bugle is once 
  again carried in on the wind. At first, it seems to be a 
  ways off, but soon our heroes realize it’s coming from 
  just beyond a nearby ridge. Heck, with all of them pesky 
  Indians about, only fools or outlaws wouldn’t feel 
  compelled to move toward the bugle’s call and the 
  promise of safety.
  As it happens, the first thing the characters see is a 
  lone rider in a blue uniform on the ridge, bugle raised 
  to his lips. But from this distance, it’s hard to make out 
  any definitive details. When a small band of mounted 
  Indian warriors charges from the south, the heroes 
  move toward the Bugler, only to fall prey to an ambush 
  of Indians dressed in looted cavalry garb. Jumping from 
  the frying pan into the fire, the heroes find themselves 
  in a fix. There’s no tellin’ how the battle might go and 
  what adventures might follow, but the fight is on!
  If my Granpappy said it once, he said it a hundred times. “You can’t always believe 
  what you hear.” Maybe he was out on the Texas plains, hearing the Comanche,
  Kiowa and Apache mimicking U.S. Cavalry calls. For whom does the bugle blow?
  Could be for you, pardner.
  This brief adventure is designed for 4 to 8 characters of Veteran rank.
  A number of 19th century 
  accounts 
  demonstrate 
  that 
  Indian tribes took a likin’ to the 
  bugles they picked up through interaction 
  with the white man. 
  Plains warriors such as the Kiowa, 
  Comanche, Cheyenne and Apache learned 
  to play the bugle as well as the soldiers 
  they mimicked. For some, who acquired 
  bugles as gifts, their interest in the 
  cavalry tunes was tantamount to a tribute 
  to allies and worthy adversaries. For 
  others, who confiscated bugles, uniforms 
  and guns from defeated enemies, the 
  ability to impersonate the cavalry buglers 
  became a tactical ploy to launch raids or 
  fight back against oppressors on the 
  frontier.
  In Texas, tales of Kiowa and Comanche 
  raids and ambushes frequently note the 
  use of bugles to either confuse enemy 
  soldiers—by 
  blowing 
  counter 
  instructions—or simply lull settlers into a 
  false sense of comfort before attacking. 
  Some say the Kiowa chief Satanta collected 
  bugles, using them masterfully in his war 
  against the Texas settlements in the 
  1860s and early 1870s. Quanah Parker’s 
  Comanche parties reportedly joined the 
  Kiowa in some of these battles, coordinated 
  by the rousing sound of brass.
  We Ain’t Blowin’ hot Air
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  5
  In other words, pardner, don’t sit down at the gamin’ 
  table and start with “Okay, you hear a bugle blowin’ in 
  the distance”—that’s a sure fire way to raise a character’s 
  hackles, when the idea is for the bugle to take the 
  heroes off-guard just long enough for the Indians to 
  close in and attack.
  This adventure is designed for use with four to eight 
  characters of Veteran rank. Although the plot line and 
  story elements are appropriate for any Wild West 
  roleplaying game, the statistics provided are specifically 
  for use with the Savage Worlds game. While this 
  adventure is designed to fit into an ongoing campaign 
  with characters that have successful adventures under 
  their belts, there is nothing to preclude a Judge from 
  using it as a self-contained one-shot for an impromptu 
  evening of lead-slinging, arrows-a-flyin’ excitement.
  Getting Started
  Judges should begin this adventure with a few non-
  combat encounters to put the fear of the Comanche war 
  party into the hearts and minds of the heroes. Thus, the 
  Scenes section begins with a Prelude containing 
  introductory encounters leading into the real action.
  To facilitate this adventure, the heroes must be out 
  in the wilderness. The basic premise of For Whom the 
  Bugle Blows involves a group of tough hombres making 
  their way toward a frontier town. But it could just as 
  easily be a band of hired guns escorting a caravan or a 
  group of adventurers just plain ridin’ the range with no 
  particular destination in mind. 
  The Forks in the Road section offers alternative 
  starting points and means to get this adventure going. 
  How and why the characters start their trek into the 
  plains is in the purview of the Judge. But once they’re 
  out there, the Judge should make the most of the non-
  combat encounters described in the Prelude. Play these 
  with the idea of building as much suspense and 
  foreshadowing (real or false) as possible. Then move into 
  the four main scenes, where the player characters will 
  interact with the Judge characters and experience the 
  crux of the adventure—combat with the Comanche. 
  Before beginning the Prelude encounters, the Judge 
  should ask the players to make a series of die rolls that 
  will be used in the adventure scenes. These rolls are for 
  non-combat purposes, such as the Notice trait tests 
  detailed in the Scenes section. The pre-rolls will reduce 
  the “must be something important or we wouldn’t be 
  rolling” effect and allow the Judge to keep the roleplaying 
  in the Prelude running smoothly. A few written rolls for 
  each die type appropriate to each player are recommended, 
  although the Judge shouldn’t actually need that many. 
  The Judge should determine whether to allow players to 
  apply bennies to these rolls.
  Scenes
  For Whom the Bugle Blows consists of a Prelude to 
  help the Judge to set the tone for the adventure and 
  four essential scenes which the characters will 
  experience in full. 
  Terrain/Location
  For Whom the Bugle Blows is set in the hilly region 
  of North Central Texas, with Fort Griffin a probable 
  destination, origination or home-base for the heroes. 
  The Kiowa and Comanche roamed the area, often 
  finding themselves at odds with settlers and travelers 
  in Texas and Oklahoma. Thus, this region provides an 
  ideal setting for the events in this adventure. 
  Nevertheless, the Judge may choose another location, 
  as long as it is similar in geography, guarantees the 
  presence of appropriate Indian tribes and is somewhere 
  near civilization.
  In this Buckshot, two maps are provided: the area 
  of the main encounter (which encompasses Scenes 
  2-4) and a local map for the action in Scene 1. For the 
  Prelude, maps aren’t crucial—the Judge should simply 
  keep in mind the heroes are out on the plains, traveling 
  through the rolling hills of North Central Texas or 
  another similar locale.
  Prelude – A Preponderance of Evidence
  Four encounters compose the Prelude. None of 
  these are intended to include combat, but they are 
  essential for getting the player characters involved in 
  the storyline. As noted earlier, the Judge should play 
  up the elements of suspense and foreboding when 
  leading the characters through the Prelude. The idea is 
  to get them wondering about what’s happening on the 
  plains and get them to thinking about the Comanche 
  and the Cavalry.
  1. Camp Remains
  This should be enough to prompt the players to 
  investigate a little more thoroughly. Reward any 
  attempt to discern more about the camp—the idea is 
  to get the characters wondering. Apply the results from 
  a pre-roll as a Notice trait test (see Table 1) imparting 
  all of the information up to the result of the roll.
  Boredom seems to rule the days and 
  nights as you follow a well-worn trail 
  through the plains. Today, the blistering 
  Texas sun gives you a hankerin’ for a shady 
  spot to rest a spell, water your horses or just 
  gnaw on a piece of jerky. When the sun starts 
  its descent toward the horizon, you see a small 
  grove of oaks at the edge of a hill. Looks like a 
  good place to take a breather, even though you 
  figger there’s enough daylight to travel a few 
  more hours.
  Drawing near, you see that others before you 
  had the same idea. In fact, it looks like the last 
  ones left in a bit of a hurry. You find a beat-up 
  cook-pot hanging over a small firepit, an axe left 
  in a hunk of wood and two tin plates upside 
  down in the dirt. 
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  6
  give a Judge an opportunity to cast a heavy feel to this 
  encounter. Eventually, it’s important for the heroes to 
  check this out and it shouldn’t be hard to get them 
  close enough for the rest.
  Further examination can’t reveal much more, but if 
  the heroes insist, the Judge can offer a few more 
  tidbits. The arrow design resembles that of the 
  Comanche 
  (successful 
  Knowledge 
  or 
  Common 
  Knowledge roll), a number of spent shell casings litter 
  the ground (successful Notice roll), the caliber of the 
  ammunition is that used in a Sharps rifle (successful 
  Knowledge or Common Knowledge roll), and the looting 
  of certain pieces of clothing and other items fits the 
  way of the Comanche (successful Knowledge or 
  Common Knowledge roll).
  3. Burnt-out Wagon
  After the heroes have made camp one night, read 
  the following passage.
  Allow the characters to take any actions they desire 
  for the rest of the night. Nothing is actually happening 
  anywhere near the heroes’ camp (not yet), but they 
  don’t need to know that. When they settle in again for 
  the rest of the night, continue with the next section. 
  2. Dead Buffalo Hunters
  The Judge should let this sink in a little before 
  reading the rest. As noted earlier, try to draw out the 
  suspense whenever it works—perhaps the vultures are 
  spooked before the characters approach, which could 
  mean somebody or something else is around. Or 
  perhaps the heroes’ trepidation or cautiousness will 
  Table 1: Search of Camp Remains
   
  Notice 
  Information Gleaned
   
  Roll
   
  Result
   
  Failure 
  The tin plates and the cook pot still
   
  by more have a few ants crawling around them, 
   
  than-2 
  although it looks like they’ve already 
   
   
  cleaned away any remnants of a meal.
   
  Failure 
  The axe is nearly brand new.
   
  by 1 - 2
   
  Success Numerous foot and hoof prints are 
   
   
  found in and around the area. In the 
   
   
  camp grove, the prints seem chaotic, 
   
   
  going every which-a-way. Closer to the 
   
   
  trail, there are signs of a rapid galloping.
   
  Success At the edge of the grove is a small 
   
   
  ammo box, with seven shotgun shells 
   
   
  scattered around it. The box is 
   
   
  partially torn, as if someone ripped it 
   
   
  in his or her hurry to get it open.
   
  Raise 
  Your search turns up a handful of 
   
   
  arrows, a few of them broken and one 
   
   
  embedded in a tree trunk.
   
  Two or 
  While not immediately obvious, your 
   
  More 
  search reveals drops of dried blood in 
   
  Raises 
  a line extending from the ammo box, 
   
   
  stretching for a good 20 yards.
  Upon closer inspection, it’s durned 
  obvious. The something else turns out 
  to be what remains of three human 
  corpses. By the look of it, three buffalo hunters 
  and one trusty steed met their fates here. It 
  couldn’t have been more than a day or two—the 
  vultures were having themselves a nice meal 
  until you busted up the party. For now, they 
  continue to circle overhead. 
  Three things strike you: all three corpses 
  have been scalped; their bodies are peppered 
  with arrows; and they’re all stripped to the 
  waist. Even their hats are gone. 
  From the look of things, all three of these 
  men had mounts: they still wear spurs, chaps, 
  and other riding gear. Other than their boots 
  and leggings, there’s nothing worth salvaging 
  here, assuming a cowpoke had any interest in 
  thieving from the dead.
  As you continue your travels you 
  notice an unmistakable sight in the 
  sky: the lazy, deliberate circling of 
  buzzards. Further along the trail, you soon spy 
  the gruesome reason for their gathering. Several 
  of the ugly critters are perched atop the remains 
  of a dead horse, with more landing upon 
  something else lying about a hundred yards off 
  the beaten path.
  From time to time during the night, far 
  off noises disturb your sleep. Not just 
  the hoot owl or the occasional wolf, 
  but something else. Straining to discern as 
  much as possible, your best guess is that it 
  sounds like yelling or singing or carousing or...
  well, it’s just too far away to know for sure.
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  7
  4. Dead Comanche
  Again, the Judge should let this sink in a little, 
  allowing the player characters a chance to act on their 
  own or to continue formulating their suspicions. It’s 
  important they get close enough to identify the outlines 
  as the bodies of dead Comanche, or at least dead 
  Indians.
  Ed Note: Heh, heh, I know that in our group, the 
  players would blow the hell out of these bodies long 
  before they got close enough to identify them.
  A successful Knowledge or Common Knowledge 
  trait test will identify the bodies as Comanche. The 
  Judge should allow the players to speculate as much 
  as they want. Now that they have seen the Comanche 
  and the dead hunters, the heroes should have plenty 
  to think about. Feel free to throw in a few more clues 
  if necessary, and, by all means, play up anything that 
  heightens the fear and suspense, especially if their 
  speculation provides any openings.
  From here, the Judge can introduce the first scene 
  of the action part of the adventure whenever he or she 
  is ready.
  Scene 1 – Smoke on the Horizon or 
  Heroes to the Rescue
  Having witnessed the signs of Comanche activity in 
  the Prelude, the heroes now enter the thick of the 
  adventure.
  Allow the characters to go about their normal 
  morning routine and set off for another day’s travel. 
  Then read the next section. 
  One way or other, the party will figure out it’s a 
  burnt-out and abandoned wagon. If they approach it, 
  or if they try to go around and avoid it, read the 
  following:
  At first, the heroes might assume this happened 
  recently. But if they get close enough, it becomes clear 
  the wagon has been here for a while, certainly not 
  months or years, but at least a few days—maybe even 
  a couple of weeks. Again, the idea is to continue to 
  build suspense and keep the characters speculating 
  about what’s going on around them, so that the 
  eventual call of the bugle seems like a relief.
  Near daybreak, you hear what sounds 
  like the calls of a far away cavalry 
  bugle, along with a number of horses 
  pounding the plains. But like the noises that 
  woke you earlier, these sounds seem to be miles 
  away—and probably moving farther away.
  As the sun dips behind the hills ahead 
  of you, your thoughts turn toward 
  finding a good spot to camp. But this 
  stretch of the trail is fairly wide open, so you 
  push ahead a little farther, getting the most out 
  of the remaining daylight. 
  That’s when you notice the unmistakable 
  outline of somebody lying in a nearby gully. 
  Following the trail again this morning, 
  you stop instinctively when you see 
  something blocking the way up yonder. 
  You could easily go around it, but once you 
  take a serious gander, you notice it’s a wagon—a 
  sizeable one at that. 
  As you move, you can see that this 
  once-impressive wagon is almost 
  completely burnt-out and leaning to 
  one side. It’s a wonder it remains standing at 
  all—two of the wheels are half-crumbled ashes 
  and most of the wood is charred and 
  blackened.
  When you reach the gully, you 
  realize it’s two dead bodies. They are 
  unmistakably Indian. And, indeed, 
  they are quite dead. They have only their 
  clothing.
  From a distance, you hear the sounds 
  of battle; gunshots and shouting 
  compete with blood-curdling war cries. 
  While intense, it sounds like a relatively small 
  affair. Soon, you see a plume of black smoke 
  rising above a rocky hill. 
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  8
  A successful Notice roll will identify the sounds of 
  at least one woman’s voice rising in terror.
  Whether the heroes charge up the hill or approach 
  cautiously, the result is the same. They see the 
  Comanche attacking what turns out to be the remnants 
  of a small band of settlers. Several settlers and hired 
  guns are already dead, and most of the Comanche are 
  now rounding up the settlers’ horses during a temporary 
  lull in the battle.
  The Judge should make it clear that the heroes 
  have arrived at an opportune moment. The Comanche 
  are few in number and are unaware of the heroes—and 
  it’s evident that the remaining settlers include at least 
  one young woman with a shotgun, trying to fend off the 
  attackers. 
  Any attempt to intercede in the battle should be 
  enough to drive off the Comanche—after all, the 
  Indians already have the spoils of the battle and would 
  have either killed the remaining settlers or taken them 
  hostage (as potential slaves). The riders should consist 
  of six to eight Comanche extras . . . easy enough to 
  Upon cresting the hill, you see a single 
  horse-drawn wagon under attack by a 
  small band of Comanche riders. 
  The map labeled “Scene 1” 
  shows the area where the heroes 
  encounter a small Comanche 
  war party attacking a group of settlers. 
  Unlike the map for Scenes 2-4, this area 
  is slightly off the beaten path, as the 
  settlers left the trail in an attempt to 
  reach a better defensive position in the 
  gully. The terrain here is representative 
  of the rolling hills of North Central Texas, 
  with this open area nestled between a 
  few hills and dotted with trees and 
  shrubs.
  1) Wagon Under Attack
  Old 
  Man 
  Winters 
  and 
  his 
  granddaughters are braced against their 
  wagon at this position, trying to fend off 
  the Comanche riders, who are circling 
  this area and rounding up horses. 
  2) Heroes Point of Entry
  This is the rocky hill where the heroes 
  enter the encounter and witness the end 
  of the Comanche attack against the 
  settlers. The hill is about 100 feet from 
  the wagon and provides a good view of 
  the plain below.
  Area map & Key for 
  scene 1
  It’s likely that the players will have 
  more questions for Winters and his 
  granddaughters. Here are a few facts to 
  help flesh out the roleplaying. 
  The party originally had 12 members, 
  including the three survivors. Seven of 
  those twelve were kinfolk of Winters, 
  including his daughter, Wilma, and her 
  husband, Ralph Trautman. Interestingly, 
  Lorelei resembles her father, while 
  Johanna favors her mother. Another of 
  Winters’ grandchildren, a rugged feller 
  named Horst, came along, too. A little 
  older than Lorelei, he had some experience 
  on cattle drives and knew how to drive a 
  wagon.
  Ralph’s youngest brother, Herman, 
  and his new wife, Deirdre, traveled with 
  the party, hoping to build a life in 
  Arizona. Neither of them ever set foot out 
  of Missouri before the trip, although 
  Herman worked as a ranch hand for a 
  year in Joplin. They sold most of their 
  belongings to raise cash for the journey.
  Rounding out the group were four 
  young men looking for adventure on the 
  frontier: two hired guns and two of 
  Horst’s friends. The gunmen (Alan Sharpe 
  and Jim Greene) had experience on the 
  trail and took a token fee to accompany 
  the group, as they already intended to 
  head toward Arizona. Horst’s friends 
  (Jacob Meyer and Will Shran) just plain 
  tagged along. Jacob is the cowpoke that 
  took off looking for the cavalry.
  The Trautman Party
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  9
  Lorelei is wounded—an arrow ripped through her left 
  shoulder as she defended her younger sister during 
  the battle—but she’ll survive after being tended to by 
  Winters (showing a skill that quickly indicates he could 
  be of some value to have around). 
  If the player characters don’t ask about the Cavalry, 
  make sure Old Man Winters tells them he’s “as sure as 
  the cock-of-the-walk the cavalry is nearby, tryin’ to 
  hunt down these savages.” If they ask why he’s so 
  sure, he tells them he’s heard them and “I seen some 
  drive off, or dispatch if the heroes choose to pursue 
  them when they flee. The statistics provided in the NPC 
  section for the Comanche rider allies are quite 
  appropriate and should prove useful.
  Once the heroes have dealt with the Comanche, 
  they learn the identity of the survivors. Out of the 
  original group of a dozen settlers, only Old Man 
  Winters and his two teenage granddaughters (Lorelei 
  and Johanna) remain. The rest lie dead on the ground 
  around the wagon. Amongst the dead are two women. 
  Area map for scene 1
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  10
  after Scene 1, or after a few days on the trail, at the 
  Judge’s discretion. It’s probably best for a little time to 
  pass, so the characters can interact with Winters and 
  the young ladies. The Judge can also determine 
  whether this encounter occurs while the heroes are 
  traveling, or when camped (see Forks in the Road).
  For those cowpokes able to recognize specific 
  cavalry bugle calls (successful Knowledge roll, +2 for 
  any character with former cavalry service), they 
  understand it as a change in formation, often used in 
  soldiers back in that last town where we stopped for 
  supplies.” And to top it off, Winters says one of the 
  hired guns traveling with the settlers rode off to fetch 
  the Bluecoats when the Indians attacked.
  Now if the heroes are really heroes they should feel 
  duty-bound to escort this family of settlers to safety. 
  And although they were able to drive off the Comanche 
  this time, it stands to reason the heroes should 
  welcome the arrival of the cavalry—if for no other 
  reason than to relieve them of the care takin’ of this 
  trio.
  While the characters may be in a hurry to high-tail 
  it to safety, Old Man Winters and the girls will insist on 
  taking the time to give the dead a proper burial, adding 
  a few more sad graves to the lone prairie. 
  Scene 2 – Bugles in the Distance
  Essentially the set-up for the ambush, this scene 
  introduces the Lone Bugler, launches the Comanche 
  raid and attempts to convince the heroes that help 
  from the cavalry has finally arrived. It can occur soon 
  A bugle call echoes throughout the 
  nearby hills. Before long, another call 
  sounds—closer this time—and the 
  crisp, precision notes could raise the spirits of 
  a dying man. Old Man Winters waves his hat 
  and exclaims “I knew them Bluecoats would 
  find us sooner or later.”
  Area map & Key for scenes 2-4
  The map “labeled Scenes 2-4” provides a 
  rolling hilly region representative of North 
  Central Texas. Scrub plants, oak trees and 
  streambeds fill this section of the plains, with 
  numerous passable routes. The map indicates 
  where scenes 2-4 occur, but also serves as a general 
  view of the terrain for this whole adventure. It 
  includes a well-worn trail routinely followed by 
  travelers from one frontier town to the next—but the 
  Judge may elect to ignore the trail and assume the 
  entire map consists of rolling plains of Wild West 
  wilderness. In any case, an area providing good 
  cover for an ambush is crucial for this adventure.
  1) Lone Bugler’s Position
  This is where the Lone Bugler appears in Scene 
  2. He will crest the hill at this point and stop, 
  continuing his bugle commands. 
  2) Riders’ Entry Position
  The riders make their entrance from this 
  southern point on the map, to launch the initial 
  attack before the Bugler blows the charge command. 
  They begin about 150 feet south of this position. 
  Note that these riders will have the foot soldiers’ 
  mounts in tow. The Judge will set the number of 
  riders. 
  The 
  Dog 
  House 
  Gang 
  provides 
  recommendations in Scene 3 and in the Forks in the 
  Road section.
  3) Foot Warriors’ Position
  The foot warriors will approach and take cover in 
  this areas, waiting for the Lone Bugler to issue the 
  attack command. As with the riders, the number at 
  each location will be set by the Judge. While it might 
  seem odd for Comanche to be on foot, this is only a 
  temporary situation. They have dismounted in order 
  to position themselves for the ambush and they fully 
  intend to mount up after they join the attack. If the 
  Judge chooses a different tribe, foot warriors may be 
  quite logical—they wouldn’t need to mount up at 
  all.
  4) Hero Party’s Position
  Ideally, the scenario should begin with the 
  heroes in this area. Depending on their actions 
  when hearing the bugle this could change, but 
  initially, this is where the party should start.
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  11
  The Judge should pause at this time, allowing brief 
  conversation and character reaction. But things start 
  drills. The ringing brass sound draws ever closer, while 
  the Indian warriors are moving on foot and horseback 
  to their positions. The bugling distraction should 
  provide the Comanche with enough cover to take their 
  positions as planned and the sound of the Indians’ 
  horses would be consistent with approaching cavalry. 
  Meanwhile, the characters would have time for an 
  action before the Bugler appears. 
  Area map for scenes 2-4
  Finally, a Lone Bugler appears on the 
  northwest 
  ridge, 
  mounted, 
  approximately 150 feet from the party. 
  He stops and continues his stirring bugle call. 
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  12
  themselves to a round of rifle fire, the Judge might 
  allow only a portion of the warriors to fire, in order to 
  avoid slaughtering the heroes (perhaps forcing them to 
  use up some of their bennies in the process). See the 
  Forks in the Road section for alternative possibilities 
  and results. 
  Whatever the results (e.g. the characters move 
  toward the cavalry, try to flee the area or directly 
  engage the riders) the battle ensues and Scene 3 
  begins.
  happening fast now and the next section should be 
  read in short order.
  At this point, the set-up for the Comanche attack is 
  underway. With the initial distance of the Indian riders, 
  the heroes have a little time to react. They might 
  request more information about the Bugler or the 
  oncoming mounted Indians. The Judge should use the 
  pre-rolls as a Notice trait test for this purpose, applying 
  results to Table 2 or Table 3, as appropriate. The 
  Judge should apply a -2 distance modifiers for either 
  trait test; remember that the riders are approaching at 
  a gallop and the distance will narrow rapidly, so the full 
  distance will likely be less than 300 feet, but still far 
  enough to make a roll difficult. The combat starts with 
  one full round to take actions while  the Bugler holds 
  and the riders are closing in. As such, the player 
  characters might choose to ready their weapons or take 
  some other action—in any event only one round of 
  action per character is allowed.
  Assuming the party welcomes the arrival of the 
  cavalry, the most logical action would be to move 
  toward the Lone Bugler, getting away from the 
  approaching riders and closer to the promised safety of 
  the cavalry. This choice will make the transition to 
  Scene 3 easy to accomplish, but could prove deadly if 
  a number of the foot warriors behind the Bugler fire in 
  unison. Such an outcome isn’t likely, unless the players 
  have missed all the clues. If the heroes’ party does 
  indeed move toward the Bugler (or the Judge decides 
  that Winters or the Trautman girls do so), when they 
  are about to crest the ridge he will again blow his bugle, 
  this time issuing a new command: CHARGE! 
  If the characters announce actions that would 
  change this scene significantly, the Judge might need 
  to alter the text above to better fit the circumstances. 
  Also, if the players do crest the hill and subject 
  Table 2: Notice Roll on the
  Lone Bugler
   
  Notice 
  Information Gleaned
   
  Roll
   
  Result
   
  Failure 
  It looks like the mounted bugler is 
   
   
  wearing blue clothing.
   
  Success The mounted bugler’s clothing looks 
   
   
  like a Union cavalry uniform.
   
  Raise 
  It looks like the mounted bugler wears 
   
   
  a Union cavalry uniform, including a 
   
   
  garrison issue cap and coat.
   
  Two 
  The mounted bugler appears to be 
   
  Raises 
  wearing a Union Cavalry uniform, with 
   
   
  a garrison issue cap and coat, but the 
   
   
  clothing is somewhat ragged and some
   
   
  of his gear appears non-standard, 
   
   
  such as his riding boots.
   
  Three 
  The mounted bugler appears to be 
   
  Raises 
  wearing a Union Cavalry uniform, with 
   
   
  a garrison issue cap and coat, but the 
   
   
  clothing is somewhat ragged and some
   
   
  of his gear appears non-standard, such 
   
   
  as his riding boots. Also, it looks like he 
   
   
  has war paint on his coat and face.
  Table 3: Spot Check on the
  Mounted War Party
   
  Notice 
  Information Gleaned
   
  Roll
   
  Result
   
  Failure 
  There’s no question about it—this is 
   
   
  an Indian war party.
   
  Success It looks like there are at least ‘x’ riders. 
   
   
  (The Judge should provide a number 
   
   
  based on the  scale of the adventure.
   
   
  The Dog House Gang’s general 
   
   
  recommendation is one mounted 
   
   
  Warrior per PC/friendly NPC.)
   
  Raise 
  The riders have extra mounts in 
   
   
  tow—just about as many as they are 
   
   
  currently riding.
   
  Two 
  Some of the riders appear to have blue 
   
  Raises 
  clothing.
  Moments after the Bugler appears on 
  the ridge, the thunder of horses is 
  heard from the south, accompanied by 
  a chorus of war cries. Ahead of a cloud of dust 
  rising from the plains, you see what appears to 
  be the rush of a mounted Indian war party, now 
  some 300 feet away.
  Glancing quickly back to the Bugler, you see 
  a large, red, white and blue flag flapping in the 
  breeze just behind him.
  You’re about to crest the ridge just 
  as the Bugler blows a new command. 
  When you reach the top, a horrifying 
  sight awaits: positioned behind the bugler is a 
  line of Indians, their carbines leveled directly at 
  you. They fire.
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  13
  surviving heroes decide to flee, the Judge may decide 
  to shift to a chase, making the players sweat out a few 
  rounds of Comanche gunfire before escaping, or simply 
  letting the heroes’ party off without slaughtering them 
  all. Rather than killing all of the heroes, the Comanche 
  might be satisfied with killing one or two, then making 
  off with supplies (especially horses) or taking a hostage 
  suitable for slavery. Again, this is at the Judge’s 
  discretion. 
  Forks in the Road
  For the most part, this is a self-contained adventure, 
  but it could take several forms, depending on the size 
  of the heroes’ party and the time the Judge has to 
  coordinate a battle. This section provides a few 
  alternate ways to begin the adventure, as well as ways 
  to define the scope of the ambush. Additionally, the 
  Judge may desire to expand upon the adventure, so a 
  few ideas for follow-up encounters and storylines are 
  offered.
  Other Foes:
  While the Dog House Gang has chosen the 
  Comanche for this Buckshot’s character statistics, 
  there’s no reason these stats, with slight alterations, 
  couldn’t be used to represent a different Indian war 
  party. The Sioux, Cheyenne, Apache and Arapaho were 
  also known to use bugles in their raids and battles, so 
  the exact tribe is up to the Judge.
  Other Locations/Terrain: 
  Although the default location of this encounter is 
  North Central Texas, it could also occur in lands where 
  any of the following tribes lives: Kiowa, Comanche, 
  Apache, Cheyenne, Arapaho, or Sioux. As long as the 
  area has hills and a ridge to provide for the set up of 
  the ambush (hearing the bugle in the distance, seeing 
  the Lone Bugler appear and seeing the approaching 
  riders) and the heroes are located farther down in a 
  valley or pass, the Judge doesn’t have to worry about 
  the precise details of the terrain or territory.
  Scaling the Adventure:
  The battle in Scene 1 is meant to be a short 
  precursor conflict. It isn’t intended as a difficult fight 
  for the heroes. Therefore, we suggest that the raiding 
  party be composed of 1 Ordinary Rider for each PC.
  On the other hand, the battle in Scenes 2 – 4 is 
  designed to be a tough contest. Depending on the 
  ranks of the heroes and their numbers, the Judge may 
  need to scale the number and composition of the 
  attacking Comanche warriors.
  As written the adventure is designed for four to 
  eight characters of Veteran rank. The scenario can be 
  easily adjusted for a different number of player 
  characters, for characters of different ranks or both. 
  The simple method is to either add or subtract 
  Scene 3 – Bugle Bushwhack
  The Comanche launch their attacks from their 
  initial positions noted on the Area map and developed 
  in Scene 2. The Judge should decide how many 
  warriors attack from each position depending on the 
  size of the heroes’ party and the scope of the adventure. 
  (See the Forks in the Road section for ideas on scale, 
  although, as partially noted in Table 4, the Dog House 
  Gang’s general recommendation is to begin with at 
  least one mounted Warrior and one unmounted 
  Warrior per PC/friendly NPC.)
  The foot warriors carry both bows and carbines. 
  They will probably fire the carbines initially, then 
  switch to bow and arrow if ranged attacks remain 
  possible, rather than trying to reload their guns. If 
  engaging hand-to-hand, they will fight with knives. 
  They will pursue any fleeing members of the hero 
  party, as the situation warrants. Once their mounted 
  companions arrive, the foot soldiers will do their best 
  to reach one of the rider-less horses in tow, mounting 
  and firing their bows from horseback during the 
  remainder of the combat.
  Meanwhile, the riders will continue their charge 
  from the south, some of them shooting arrows as they 
  close. Comanche typically prefer bow and arrow to 
  rifles and the ordinary riders don’t carry rifles. Once 
  they get close enough, these riders will either attempt 
  to charge and attack with their lances or circle and 
  continue shooting arrows, depending on how the battle 
  develops. 
  The Bugler will only engage in combat if necessary, 
  preferring to move and reposition himself to better 
  monitor the combat, taking ranged shots as 
  opportunities arise. He will blow a retreat if necessary, 
  as described in Scene 4.
  In addition to the Lone Bugler, there is a lead 
  warrior on horseback (Blood on His Lance) and at least 
  one powerful warrior initially on foot (Two Crows). At 
  the start, they will blend in with their companions, but 
  as the battle develops, their leadership roles should 
  become evident.
  Once the Comanche launch these initial attack 
  plans, it’s a good old-fashioned battle, with the actions 
  of the heroes and the Judge’s decisions for the Indians 
  determining the specifics.
  Scene 4 – Retreat or Taps
  If the battle sours for the Indians, the Bugler will 
  sound a retreat and the warriors will flee. Their retreat 
  will be fairly organized, with any remaining foot 
  warriors trying to jump on horseback with fleeing 
  riders or grabbing one of the additional mounts. A few 
  riders may linger, trying to provide cover for their 
  departing friends, or trying to round up any extra 
  horses (theirs or the heroes).
  The heroes may decide to pursue some of the 
  fleeing Indians—the Judge should handle this as the 
  situation unfolds.
  If the battle goes well for the Comanche and the 
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  14
  company of an Army regiment, state militia, or 
  other official traveling party. When the bugle blows, 
  it should be easy to convince the characters the 
  approaching horse thunder is a cavalry detachment 
  coming with news or simply joining the party. Bring 
  on the Lone Bugler and then launch a large attack 
  from dozens of warriors. Again, if desired, the 
  Judge may elect to focus on specific parts of the 
  battle, conducting individual combat rolls where 
  heroes are involved, and making other adjudications 
  en masse. 
  Git Ready, It’s the Law-a-Comin’!
  Depending on how easy it is for the Judge to ease 
  into the battle scenes, the player characters might not 
  relax when they hear the bugle call. They might be a 
  band of outlaws that would take no comfort from the 
  sound of a cavalry bugle—regardless of whether they 
  feared the Comanche. Or they might just be naturally 
  suspicious cowpokes, who cock their hammers and 
  take aim at anyone crossing their path. Thus, these 
  ideas should help the Judge deal with such a 
  scenario.
  Outlaws:
  •	
   If the player characters are a band of 
  hard-nosed outlaws, they may well react differently 
  to the sound of a cavalry unit assembling nearby. 
  They will probably prepare themselves for the 
  worst—from readying for combat to taking off at top 
  speed. 
    
  If the heroes are ready for combat, the Indians 
  will lose the element of surprise but they will still be 
  able to launch the attack. If the characters decide 
  to flee, the Judge should have the Indians give 
  chase. This will make for an interesting scenario, as 
  the lightly equipped Indian riders should be able to 
  Comanche warriors. The Dog House Gang makes 
  suggestions for the composition of the war party in 
  Table 4: Suggested Composition of the Comanche War 
  Party.
  Battle Royal
  For Judges and players with more time on their 
  hands, a large war party against a sizable caravan 
  could be a hoot. In such a scenario, Scene 1 could be 
  abandoned as the characters would already be part of 
  a large company and the Judge wouldn’t need the 
  impetus of caring for a group of survivors from a 
  previous Comanche attack. Of course, there’s no 
  reason why Scene 1 couldn’t be included—it just 
  wouldn’t be required. Here are some recommendations 
  for such an approach.
  The Caravan:
  •	
   Arrange for the characters to be 
  hired to guard a caravan across the Texas plains. 
  Add a few Judge characters to help round out a 
  decent size force. Assemble a large war party of 
  Indians, with dozens of warriors positioned at each 
  of the recommended spots. Divide the battle into 
  sections, with a group of riders or foot warriors 
  attacking a specific vehicle in the caravan, as 
  guarded by particular heroes. 
    
  To make things a little easier, the Judge could 
  forego carrying out melee or ranged combat around 
  vehicles not involving player characters, or conduct 
  combat rolls for groups instead of individuals (such 
  as rolling once each round for each group of Indians 
  and once for each group of defenders around a 
  caravan vehicle, each round, applying an average 
  damage calculation to each individual in the target 
  group when a hit is scored).
  The Army:
  •	
   Arrange for the characters to be in the 
  Table 4: Suggested Composition of the Comanche War Party
  Number of Hero Wildcards
  4 or less
  5 or more
  Average Hero
  Leaders: Lone Bugler, Two Crows
  Comanche Riders (Extras): 1 per hero
  Comanche Footmen (Extras): 1 per hero
  Leaders: Lone Bugler, Blood on His Lance, 
    Two Crows
  Comanche Riders (Extras): 1 per hero
  Comanche Footmen (Extras): 1 per hero
  Leaders: Lone Bugler, Blood on His Lance, 
    Two Crows
  Comanche Riders (Extras): 2 per hero
  Comanche Footmen (Extras): 2 per hero
  Leaders: Lone Bugler, Blood on His Lance, 
    Two Crows
  Comanche Riders (Extras): 4 per hero
  Comanche Footmen (Extras): 4 per hero
  Leaders: Lone Bugler, Two Crows
  Comanche Riders (Extras): 3 + 1 per hero
  Comanche Footmen (Extras): 3 + 1 per hero
  Leaders: Lone Bugler, Blood on His Lance, 
    Two Crows
  Comanche Riders (Extras): 3 + 1 per hero
  Comanche Footmen (Extras): 3 + 1 per hero
  Leaders: Lone Bugler, Blood on His Lance, 
    Two Crows
  Comanche Riders (Extras): 3 + 2 per hero
  Comanche Footmen (Extras): 3 + 2 per hero
  Leaders: Lone Bugler, Blood on His Lance, 
    Two Crows
  Comanche Riders (Extras): 3 + 4 per hero
  Comanche Footmen (Extras): 3 + 4 per hero  
  20 – 39
  40 – 59
  60 - 70
  80 or 
  more
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  15
  Hyper-alert or well-prepared:
  •	
   If one of the cowpokes 
  has the advantageous combination of Alertness and 
  a decent Notice die type—and/or the heroes’ party 
  has previously stated any precautions during their 
  travel or at the campground, or someone carries 
  binoculars and gets a good view of the Bugler—the 
  Judge may determine a successful Notice roll or 
  some specific action reveals more about the true 
  nature of the attack. 
    
  Perhaps the characters will have time to move 
  up the ridge and spy the Indians before the Lone 
  Bugler reaches the ridge, seeing the foot warriors 
  assembling. Or the Judge could allow the characters 
  to see through the Bugler’s disguise when he crests 
  the hill. Again, this shouldn’t ruin the attack, but it 
  would certainly negate the Indians’ surprise and 
  possibly turn the encounter into a chase or a wider 
  ranging battle (or groups of small battles), if the 
  combat occurs outside of the intended location.
  The Chase
  Perhaps the Indians prove no match for this band 
  of heroes and despite the surprise gained from the 
  bugle diversion and ambush, the Lone Bugler blows a 
  hasty retreat after an initial skirmish. Now the scenario 
  becomes a chase across the plains, with the heroes 
  hunting down the fleeing warriors.
  close in enough to take shots from rifles or bows—
  and possibly even to close ranks enough for 
  horseback melee combat with the fleeing party. 
  Naturally suspicious:
  •	
   It’s possible the player 
  cowpokes are just plain suspicious ‘bout everything 
  and they aren’t taken off guard by the bugle’s call. 
  Maybe they send an advanced scout to check out 
  the source of the Bugle calls as soon as they hear 
  them. In this case, an opposed roll is needed (Notice 
  vs. Stealth), with success by the heroes revealing 
  that the foot warriors are taking their positions 
  before the Bugler crests the ridge. Or maybe the 
  characters stop what they’re doing at the first 
  sound of brass and take up arms ready for an 
  attack, even if they don’t take any other 
  precautions.
    
  Assuming such circumstances, the Judge 
  should provide the scantiest details possible in 
  order to preserve the original intent of this Buckshot. 
  After a successful Notice test, offer information 
  such as the observation of other movement around 
  the hills (people on foot) and provide the approximate 
  locations. Or, allow the characters a round or two 
  to re-position themselves for an impending battle, 
  without revealing the nature of the attack. This 
  takes away from the surprise of the Indian attack, 
  rewarding the characters for their correct suspicions, 
  but won’t negate the set-up for the attack. 
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  16
  leader of the caravan, stagecoach passenger, or just 
  a cowpoke along for the ride), that person could 
  object to the killing of the warrior for some reason.
  Enemies for Life
  If the Judge wishes to extend this adventure, he or 
  she may choose to make this the first encounter in a 
  series of conflicts with the attacking tribe. More 
  warriors may seek out the heroes, trying to exact 
  vengeance (assuming the heroes win the first battle or 
  end up taking some of the Comanche horses if the 
  Comanche are indeed selected by the Judge). They 
  might follow them for some time, or try a quick strike 
  soon after the first battle. Or, the heroes may decide to 
  seek out the rest of the tribe to get their own revenge. 
  Such follow-up adventures could occur immediately 
  after this one, or pop-up at some later time (preferably 
  when the player characters want it the least!). Of 
  course, this idea could also be combined with the 
  possibilities presented in The Hostage.
  To make it more interesting, or provide an impetus 
  for the characters to give chase, perhaps one of the 
  warriors carries off a Trautman girl, or a young child 
  from the caravan (assuming “The Caravan” option 
  from above has been selected), or steals something of 
  value from the camp or manages to take a hero’s horse 
  during the battle. 
  As noted earlier, it could be the heroes who flee, 
  with the Comanche in pursuit. A harried ride with 
  gunfire at their backs could make good fun, with 
  obstacles for the horses to jump, attempts to fire—or 
  reload—from horseback at high speed, or the need to 
  wrestle with a Comanche warrior leaping from his 
  horse onto a hero’s mount.
  The Hostage
  Somehow the heroes capture one of the raiding 
  warriors. Whether he is alive and kicking or barely 
  alive will depend on how the battle goes and how the 
  Judge wants to handle such a scenario. Depending on 
  the Judge’s desires and the player characters’ leanings, 
  a variety of follow-up scenarios may occur. For 
  example: 
  If the warrior is barely alive, the heroes may have a 
  •	
  dilemma on their hands. Should they give him first 
  aid and try to keep him alive? Or should they just 
  finish him off right then and there? There could be 
  disagreement among the player characters, which 
  could make for some interesting roleplaying in 
  itself.
  If they choose to keep him alive, what do they do 
  •	
  with him? They might decide to take him to the 
  nearest authorities, or parade him through a 
  nearby town to boost their reputation. Or maybe 
  the heroes plan to use him as a hostage as they try 
  to track down other warriors who escaped (a durn 
  fool idea, probably, but it could happen). 
  It is highly probable the remainder of the Comanche 
  •	
  war party will return for their captured tribesman. 
  This could make the heroes a target for another 
  attack. If the heroes decide to take their captive to 
  a nearby town or army fort, that location could be 
  in danger of attack as well.
  If the heroes keep the warrior alive, giving first aid 
  •	
  or medical treatment—or if the warrior is in good 
  condition in any case—he might escape. This could 
  provide for an interesting follow-up. Perhaps the 
  warrior escapes at night and steals a character’s 
  favorite horse before fleeing. Or he steals something 
  of value, prompting the heroes to track him down. 
  Or maybe he escapes while in town and wreaks 
  havoc on the locals, landing the heroes in hot water 
  for bringing him into town.
  If one or more of the player cowpokes decide to kill 
  •	
  the warrior, this scenario probably ends. Unless 
  there was disagreement among the characters, 
  which could lead to tension or further internal 
  conflicts. In that vein, if the Judge is playing a 
  character that is traveling with the heroes (e.g. 
  To enhance the flavor of a western 
  game, the NPCs in this adventure carry a 
  variety of weapons not listed specifically 
  in SWEX. These are intended to spice 
  things up with a little extra detail—all 
  the statistics presented for these firearms 
  and hand weapons match those for 
  existing, similar weapons as listed in 
  SWEX.  
  Additionally, in the Combat Blocks 
  for the NPCs, the Dog House Gang has 
  noted the number of loaded rounds that 
  any firearm holds. Because re-loading a 
  weapon was a real factor in any gun 
  battle in the old west, we recommend 
  that the Judge require time to re-load 
  once a weapon has spent all its 
  ammunition. To keep the Savaged fast 
  and furious feel, we suggest a single 
  round to fully re-load any weapon.
  Type 
  Description
  Cyl.  
  Cylinder (revolver)
  Int.  
  Internal Chamber 
  Mzl. 
  Muzzleloader
  Weapon Fluff & Crunch
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  17
  Personalities
  All suggested Comanche war party members are 
  described here, as well as Old Man Winters and his 
  granddaughters. 
  Old Man Winters
  Theodore Winters looks like he might be 100 years 
  old. Truth is, he just celebrated his 56th birthday. His 
  grizzled beard, skeletal physique and leathery skin 
  make him appear much older than he is. His hunched-
  over gait and tobacco-tinged voice add to the effect. 
  Winters’ parents immigrated through New York when 
  he was only four years old; he has only a faint German 
  accent, having grown up in the States.
  Old Man Winters has experienced his share of the 
  frontier, having traveled from the Midwest states to 
  Canada to California and back again, over some 35 
  years. He married young and had children, but often 
  left them and his wife (may she rest in peace) back 
  home during his adventures. He’s served with a 
  number of expeditions, usually as a cook, guide or 
  quartermaster. 
  He’s been in plenty of scrapes over the years, but 
  he seems to live a charmed life, having been seriously 
  injured only once (while recovering stolen goods in 
  what became the Wyoming territory, a story he likes to 
  tell over and over). On this current excursion, he was 
  helping his daughter’s family relocate from Missouri to 
  Arizona. The Comanche put an end to that, killing 
  everyone except him and his two granddaughters.
   
  Theodore (Old Man) Winters
   
  (Seasoned)
   
  Sex: Male
   
  Age: 56
   
  Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany
   
  Heritage: German 
   
  Weight: 145 lbs
   
  Height: 5’ 8”
   
  Hair: Gray 
   
  Eyes: Blue-Gray
   
  Rank: Seasoned
   
  XP: NA
   
  Wild Card: No (Extra)
   
  Pace: 6” (+1d6” running) 
   
  Parry: 5
   
  Toughness: 6
   
  Charisma: 0
   
  Load Limit: 30 lbs
   
  Load: 19 lbs
   
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, 
   
    Strength d6, Vigor d8
   
  Attacks: Fists d6 (d6)
   
    Winchester ‘73 (int) d6 (2d8; ROF 1;
   
      Range 24/48/96)
   
    Knife d6 (d4+d6)
   
    Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d6; ROF 1;
   
      Range 3/6/12)
   
  Skills: Fighting: d6
   
    Guts: d8
   
    Healing: d6
   
    Knowledge (Tactics): d4
   
    Notice: d6 (-2 to hear)
   
    Repair: d4
   
    Riding: d6
   
    Shooting: d6
   
    Streetwise: d4
   
    Survival: d6
   
    Tracking: d6
   
  Hindrances: Hard of Hearing (Minor)
   
  Edges: Combat Reflexes, Fast Healer
   
  Languages: English, German
   
  Gear: Knife, Winchester ‘73, .44 center-fire ammo 
   
    (40), cowboy boots, trousers, beat-up cowboy
   
    hat, plain suit coat, vest, whiskey flask, canteen, 
   
    bedroll, pouch of jerky, first aid kit
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  18
  Lorelei Trautman
  A feisty young woman, Lorelei inherited her maternal 
  grandfather’s thirst—and aptitude—for life on the 
  frontier. She is supposed to wed a young man in Yuma, 
  Arizona, as arranged by her parents. But she loathes 
  the idea, as he makes a living as a tailor and that 
  sounds like a perfectly dreary existence to Lorelei. 
  While she’s no starlet, Lorelei’s demeanor often strikes 
  a chord with frontier men. She’s rugged and 
  independent, but never hides her feminine side. 
  Although rarely reckless, she’s bold and isn’t afraid to 
  show a man her feelings when she’s truly interested—
  or to give him walking papers when she wants nothing 
  to do with him. In other words, just the sort of 
  challenge that certain men find irresistible.
   
  Lorelei Trautman
   
  (Novice)
   
  Sex: Female
   
  Age: 17
   
  Birthplace: Independence, Missouri
   
  Heritage: American 
   
  Weight: 125 lbs
   
  Height: 5’ 5”
   
  Hair: Light brown (long) 
   
  Eyes: Brown
   
  Rank: Novice
   
  XP: NA
   
  Wild Card: No (Extra)
   
  Pace: 6” (+1d6” running) 
   
  Parry: 4
   
  Toughness: 6
   
  Charisma: 0
   
  Load Limit: 40 lbs
   
  Load: 15 lbs
   
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, 
   
    Strength d6, Vigor d8
   
  Attacks: Fists d4 (d6)
   
    Remington-Whitmore M1873 (int) d6 (1-3d6;
   
      ROF 1; Range 12/24/48)
   
    Knife d4 (d4+d6)
   
    Knife, Thrown d4 (d4+d6; ROF 1; Range 3/6/12)
   
  Skills: Fighting: d4
   
    Guts: d6
   
    Knowledge (History): d6
   
    Notice: d6
   
    Persuasion d6
   
    Riding d6
   
    Shooting: d6
   
    Stealth: d4
   
    Throwing: d4
   
  Hindrances: None
   
  Edges: None
   
  Languages: English, French
   
  Gear: Knife, Remington-Whitmore M1873,
   
    10-gauge buckshot ammo (30), women’s skirt, 
   
    women’s plain shirt, women’s boots, sombrero, 
   
    silver locket and chain, haversack
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  Johanna Trautman
  Unlike her sister, Johanna finds life on the trail 
  intolerable. Her mother pampered her when attempts 
  to do the same with Lorelei failed; her preferred 
  environment is more of the tea party variety. In polite 
  company, Johanna shines like the sun on the first day 
  of 
  spring. 
  The 
  combination 
  of 
  her 
  engaging 
  conversational skills and natural beauty make her 
  seem older than she is. In fact, many folks who don’t 
  know better assume that Lorelei and Johanna are only 
  a year or so apart. Johanna has had many suitors, but 
  none that have met her exacting standards, not to 
  mention her mother’s. The attack by the Comanche 
  has left the young girl in a shambles. 
  19
   
  Johanna Trautman
   
  (Novice)
   
  Sex: Female
   
  Age: 13
   
  Birthplace: Jefferson City, Missouri
   
  Heritage: American 
   
  Weight: 110 lbs
   
  Height: 5’ 4”
   
  Hair: Brown
   
  Eyes: Blue
   
  Rank: Novice
   
  XP: NA
   
  Wild Card: No (Extra)
   
  Pace: 6” (+1d6” running) 
   
  Parry: 4
   
  Toughness: 5
   
  Charisma: 2
   
  Load Limit: 30 lbs
   
  Load: 8 lbs
   
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, 
   
    Strength d4, Vigor d6
   
  Attacks: Fists d4 (d4)
   
    Colt New Model Navy (int) d4-2 (2d6+1; ROF 1; 
   
      Range 12/24/48)
   
  Skills: Fighting: d4
   
    Guts: d4
   
    Knowledge (Arts): d8
   
    Knowledge (History): d6
   
    Knowledge (Journalism): d6
   
    Notice: d8
   
    Persuasion: d4
   
  Hindrances: None
   
  Edges: Attractive
   
  Languages: English, French
   
  Gear: Colt New Model Navy, .36 percussion ammo 
   
    (12), fancy women’s dress, women’s shoes, 
   
    feathered lady’s hat, parasol, mirror/brush/
   
    comb set, satin gloves, leather purse
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  20
  Lone Bugler
  As noted earlier, the Lone Bugler wears most of the 
  garrison issue uniform of a Union Cavalryman as a 
  sign of his status in his band and his victories in 
  battle. At the age of 15, his father gave him a looted 
  cavalry bugle from a raid. After hearing the calls of 
  cavalry regiments that crossed through Comanche 
  territory, the Lone Bugler began following them—
  alone—for days on end, memorizing notes and trying 
  to emulate what he heard.
  Despite his tireless efforts, the Lone Bugler couldn’t 
  master the subtleties of the cavalry calls. That changed 
  when his father’s band allied themselves with the 
  Kiowa. More experienced Kiowa buglers, having learned 
  the commands directly from renegade ex-cavalrymen, 
  were able to tutor the Lone Bugler until he became 
  proficient with the instrument. His ability to mimic 
  cavalry calls and his resilience has made him a coveted 
  member of war parties on the plains.
   
  Lone Buglar
   
  (Seasoned)
   
  Sex: Male
   
  Age: 21
   
  Birthplace: Comancheria
   
  Heritage: Comanche
   
  Weight: 140 lbs
   
  Height: 5’ 7”
   
  Hair: Black 
   
  Eyes: Brown
   
  Rank: Seasoned
   
  XP: 30
   
  Wild Card: Yes
   
  Pace: 6” (+1d6” running) 
   
  Parry: 5
   
  Toughness: 5
   
  Charisma: 0
   
  Load Limit: 30 lbs
   
  Load: 17 lbs
   
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, 
   
    Strength d6, Vigor d6
   
  Attacks: Fists d6 (d6)
   
    Spencer Carbine (int) d8 (2d8; ROF 1;
   
      Range 20/40/80)
   
    Bow d8 (2d6; ROF 1; Range 12/24/28)
   
    Knife d6 (d4+d6)
   
    Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d6; ROF 1;
   
      Range 3/6/12)
   
  Skills: Fighting: d6
   
    Guts: d4
   
    Intimidate: d4
   
    Knowledge (Tactics): d4
   
    Notice: d6
   
    Riding: d8
   
    Shooting: d8
   
    Stealth: d6
   
    Survival: d6
   
  Hindrances: None
   
  Edges: Alertness, Command, Danger Sense
   
  Languages: Comanche
   
  Gear: Spencer Carbine, .52 rim-fire ammo (11 
   
    rounds: 7 loaded, 4 in extra magazine), knife (2), 
   
    bow, quiver with 11 arrows, U.S. Cavalry jacket, 
   
    U.S. Cavalry trousers, U.S. Cavalry hat, 
   
    Comanche riding boots, buckskin vest, U.S. 
   
    Cavalry bugle, horse
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  21
  Blood on His Lance
  A fearsome and fearless Comanche Rider, Blood on 
  His Lance has led numerous raids against settlers, 
  travelers and soldiers. Many of his enemies have 
  underestimated his prowess because of his small 
  stature (which is actually average for a Comanche). 
  Blood on His Lance possesses formidable strength in 
  addition to superb balance and agility, making him a 
  dangerous opponent. He prefers to wear a cavalry 
  jacket with his horned war bonnet—the jacket he 
  wears has a medal and war paint and is slightly too 
  large for him. 
  Blood on His Lance attacks relentlessly in battle, 
  preferring to charge with his lance whenever possible, 
  but he will also use his trick-riding skills to move 
  about during a fight, shooting either his bow or his 
  Spencer (depending on the circumstances of the 
  battle). He earned his name as a young warrior, when 
  he refused to clean his lance after a successful raid on 
  a new settlement, saying the Great Spirit had told him 
  to leave it there as a warning to the white invaders.
   
  Blood on His Lance
   
  (Veteran)
   
  Sex: Male
   
  Age: 30
   
  Birthplace: Comancheria
   
  Heritage: Comanche
   
  Weight: 145 lbs
   
  Height: 5’ 6”
   
  Hair: Black 
   
  Eyes: Brown
   
  Rank: Veteran
   
  XP: 50
   
  Wild Card: Yes
   
  Pace: 6” (+1d6” running) 
   
  Parry: 6
   
  Toughness: 6
   
  Charisma: 0
   
  Load Limit: 30 lbs
   
  Load: 22 lbs
   
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, 
   
    Strength d6, Vigor d8
   
  Attacks: Fists d8 (d6)
   
    Spencer Carbine (int) d8 (2d8; ROF 1;
   
      Range 20/40/80)
   
    Bow d8 (2d6; ROF 1; Range 12/24/28)
   
    Comanche Lance d8 (d8+d6)
   
    Comanche Lance, mounted & charging d8
   
      (2d8+d6)
   
    Knife d8 (d4+d6)
   
    Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d6; ROF 1;
   
      Range 3/6/12)
   
  Skills: Climbing: d4
   
    Fighting: d8
   
    Guts: d6
   
    Intimidate: d4
   
    Knowledge (Tactics): d6
   
    Notice: d6
   
    Riding: d8
   
    Shooting: d8
   
    Stealth: d6
   
    Survival: d6
   
  Hindrances: Code of Honor
   
  Edges: Acrobat, Comanche Riding, Command,
   
    Dodge, First Strike, Marksman, Steady Hands
   
  Languages: Comanche, English, Spanish
   
  Gear: Spencer Carbine, .52 rim-fire ammo (21 
   
    rounds: 7 loaded, 14 in two extra magazines), 
   
    Comanche Lance, knife, bow, quiver with 14 
   
    arrows, U.S. Cavalry jacket, buckskin breeches, 
   
    Comanche riding boots, buckskin shirt, war 
   
    bonnet, horse
  Combat Edge: Comanche Riding
  Requirements: Seasoned, Riding d8, 
  Dodge
  No one can outdo this hero in the 
  saddle. A character with Comanche Riding knows 
  how to do tricks in the saddle, and protect 
  himself during battle while mounted. Those who 
  attack a rider with this edge must subtract 2 
  from their shooting or throwing rolls. 
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  Two Crows
  Larger than most Comanche men, Two Crows has 
  exceptional strength of body and will. He has recently 
  asserted himself as one of the more powerful warriors 
  in this tribal band. He and Blood on His Lance have 
  had some disagreements recently about where to travel 
  and when to attack. So far, Two Crows hasn’t directly 
  challenged his leader’s authority, but he has considered 
  it. 
  Two Crows wears a blue tunic made of stolen cloth 
  and a reinforced cavalryman’s cap (lined with buffalo 
  scalp). He will use whatever weapon he thinks is best 
  suited for any given battle. He was given his name just 
  two years ago, when he claimed to have been led to a 
  small herd of buffalo by two crows talking to him in a 
  vision quest. 
  22
   
  Two Crows
   
  (Seasoned)
   
  Sex: Male
   
  Age: 24
   
  Birthplace: Comancheria
   
  Heritage: Comanche
   
  Weight: 165 lbs
   
  Height: 5’ 10”
   
  Hair: Black 
   
  Eyes: Brown
   
  Rank: Seasoned
   
  XP: 33
   
  Wild Card: Yes
   
  Pace: 6” (+1d6” running) 
   
  Parry: 6
   
  Toughness: 6
   
  Charisma: 0
   
  Load Limit: 64 lbs
   
  Load: 21 lbs
   
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, 
   
    Strength d8, Vigor d6
   
  Attacks: Fists d8 (d8)
   
    Spencer Carbine (int) d8 (2d8; ROF 1;
   
      Range 20/40/80)
   
    Bow d8 (2d6; ROF 1; Range 12/24/28)
   
    Comanche Lance d8 (d8+d8)
   
    Comanche Lance, mounted & charging d8
   
      (2d8+d8)
   
    Knife d8 (d4+d8)
   
    Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d8; ROF 1;
   
      Range 3/6/12)
   
  Skills: Climbing: d4
   
    Fighting: d8
   
    Guts: d6
   
    Intimidate: d6
   
    Notice: d4
   
    Riding: d6
   
    Shooting: d8
   
    Stealth: d6
   
    Survival: d4
   
  Hindrances: Arrogant
   
  Edges: Brawny, Dodge, Nerves of Steel
   
  Languages: Comanche
   
  Gear: Sharps Carbine, .44 percussion ammo (8), 
   
    Comanche lance, bow, quiver with 10 arrows), 
   
    knife, buckskin breeches, cloth shirt, reinforced 
   
    U.S. Cavalry cap, Comanche riding boots, horse
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  23
  Comanche Rider
  The Judge should determine how many of these 
  riders are part of the Indian war party, based on the 
  Dog House Gang recommendations for scaling the 
  battle. If there are few of these warriors, they will all 
  wear some piece of cavalry garb—a hat, trousers or 
  tunic here, a jacket there. If there are many such 
  riders, only a few will wear such items. These warriors 
  are loyal to Blood on His Lance and will obey his orders 
  and those issued by the Lone Bugler.
  Comanche Foot Warrior
  As with the riders, the Judge should determine how 
  many of these ordinary foot warriors are part of the 
  Indian war party. For the Comanche, these are truly 
  riders as well, and most if not all will mount up when 
  possible—the distinction here is that these warriors 
  begin on foot. Some of them will wear cavalry garb, as 
  well. These warriors are also loyal to Blood on His 
  Lance and will obey his orders and those issued by the 
  Lone Bugler.
   
  Comanche Foot Warrior (Extra)
   
  (Novice)
   
  Sex: Male
   
  Age: 16 – 20
   
  Birthplace: Comancheria
   
  Heritage: Comanche
   
  Weight: 140 lbs. (average)
   
  Height: 5’ 6” (average)
   
  Hair: Black 
   
  Eyes: Brown
   
  Rank: Novice
   
  XP: NA
   
  Wild Card: No (Extra)
   
  Pace: 6” (+1d6” running) 
   
  Parry: 5
   
  Toughness: 5
   
  Charisma: 0
   
  Load Limit: 30 lbs
   
  Load: 14 lbs
   
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, 
   
    Strength d6, Vigor d6
   
  Attacks: Fists d6 (d6)
   
    Sharps Carbine (int) d6 (2d8; ROF 1;
   
      Range 20/40/80)
   
    Bow d6 (2d6; ROF 1; Range 12/24/28)
   
    Knife d6 (d4+d6)
   
    Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d6; ROF 1;
   
      Range 3/6/12)
   
  Skills: Fighting: d6
   
    Guts: d6
   
    Intimidate: d4
   
    Notice: d4
   
    Riding: d6
   
    Shooting: d6
   
    Stealth: d6
   
  Hindrances: None
   
  Edges: None
   
  Languages: Comanche
   
  Gear: Sharps Carbine, .44 percussion ammo (5), 
   
    bow, quiver with 10 arrows), knife, buckskin 
   
    breeches, buckskin shirt or U.S. Cavalry tunic
   
    or jacket, U.S. Cavalry cap or war bonnet, 
   
    Comanche riding boots, horse
   
  Comanche Rider (Extra)
   
  (Novice)
   
  Sex: Male
   
  Age: 16 – 20
   
  Birthplace: Comancheria
   
  Heritage: Comanche
   
  Weight: 140 lbs. (average)
   
  Height: 5’ 6” (average)
   
  Hair: Black 
   
  Eyes: Brown
   
  Rank: Novice
   
  XP: NA
   
  Wild Card: No (Extra)
   
  Pace: 6” (+1d6” running) 
   
  Parry: 5
   
  Toughness: 5
   
  Charisma: 0
   
  Load Limit: 30 lbs
   
  Load: 12 lbs
   
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, 
   
    Strength d6, Vigor d6
   
  Attacks: Fists d6 (d6)
   
    Comanche Lance d6 (d8+d6)
   
    Comanche Lance, mounted & charging d6
   
      (2d8+d6)
   
    Bow d6 (2d6; ROF 1; Range 12/24/28)
   
    Knife d6 (d4+d6)
   
    Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d6; ROF 1;
   
      Range 3/6/12)
   
  Skills: Fighting: d6
   
    Guts: d6
   
    Intimidate: d6
   
    Notice: d4
   
    Riding: d6
   
    Shooting: d6
   
    Stealth: d4
   
  Hindrances: None
   
  Edges: None
   
  Languages: Comanche
   
  Gear: Comanche lance, bow, quiver with 10
   
    arrows, knife, buckskin breeches, buckskin shirt
   
    or U.S. Cavalry tunic or jacket, U.S. Cavalry cap
   
    or war bonnet, Comanche riding boots, horse
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  24
  Comanche lance
  The Comanche pride themselves on the 
  use of the traditional lance. They are 
  indeed 
  formidable 
  opponents 
  when 
  barreling towards someone on horseback, lance 
  readied for a devastating attack. This weapon can 
  reach lengths up to 14 feet and is the primary 
  weapon used for hunting buffalo, rather than the 
  bow and arrow.
  The Comanche lance can be used in un-mounted 
  combat, and has an extended reach that can be 
  used to attack opponents 2” away, but not adjacent 
  foes. Although the weapon is large, due to its 
  design a mounted combatant can wield a Comanche 
  lance in one hand. In addition, when used to attack 
  from a charging mount, a Comanche lance deals 
  double damage.
  Comanche Lance (Archaic Weapon)
   
  Weapon 
  Damage 
  Charge 
  Range 
  Reach 
  Weight
   
  Comanche Lance (Archaic Weapon) 
  d8 
  AP 2 
  — 
  2 
  8 lbs.
  References
  “Unusual Bugle Players: False notes forged defeat for the unwary on the Plains” Wayne R. Austerman, Wild West 
  Magazine, August 2004
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  25
  COMBAT SHEETS
  Old Man Winters
  Seasoned • EXTRA
  Hard of Hearing (Minor)
  Hindrances:
  Fighting: d6, Guts: d8, Healing: d6, Knowledge (Tactics): d4, 
  Notice: d6, Repair: d4, Riding: d6, Shooting d6, Streetwise: 
  d4, Survival: d6, Tracking: d6
  SKILLS:
  Combat Reflexes, Fast Healer
  EDGES: 
  Agility 
  d6
  Smarts 
  d6
  Spirit 
  d8
  Strength 
  d6
  Vigor 
  d8
  Parry 
  5
  Toughness 6
  Pace 
  6
  Charisma 
  0
  Bennies 
  0
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Fists d6 (d6)
  Winchester ‘73 d6 (2d8; ROF 1;
    Range 24/48/96) Ammo: 17 int.
    q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q
  Knife d6 (d4+d6)
  Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d6; ROF 1;
    Range 3/6/12)
  Attacks:
  Lorelei Trautman
  NOVICE • EXTRA
  None
  Hindrances:
  Fighting: d4, Guts: d6, Knowledge (History): d6, Notice: d6, 
  Persuasion: d6, Riding: d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d4, 
  Throwing: d4
  SKILLS:
  None
  EDGES: 
  Agility 
  d6
  Smarts 
  d6
  Spirit 
  d6
  Strength 
  d6
  Vigor 
  d8
  Parry 
  4
  Toughness 6
  Pace 
  6
  Charisma 
  0
  Bennies 
  0
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Fists d4 (d6)
  Remington-Whitmore M1873 d6 (1-3d6; ROF 1; 
    Range 12/24/48) Ammo: 2 int. q q
  Knife d4 (d4+d6)
  Knife, Thrown d4 (d4+d6; ROF 1; Range 3/6/12)
  Attacks:
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  26
  COMBAT SHEETS
  Johanna Trautman
  NOVICE • EXTRA
  None
  Hindrances:
  Fighting: d4, Guts: d4, Knowledge (Art): d8, Knowledge 
  (History): d6, Knowledge (Journalism): d6, Notice: d8, 
  Persuasion: d4
  SKILLS:
  Attractive
  EDGES: 
  Agility 
  d6
  Smarts 
  d8
  Spirit 
  d6
  Strength 
  d4
  Vigor 
  d6
  Parry 
  4
  Toughness 5
  Pace 
  6
  Charisma 
  2
  Bennies 
  0
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Fists d4 (d4)
  Colt New Model Navy d4-2 (2d6+1;
    ROF 1; Range 12/24/48)
    Ammo: 6 int. q q q q q q
  Attacks:
  Lone Bugler
  Seasoned • Wildcard
  None
  Hindrances:
  Fighting: d6, Guts: d4, Intimidate: d4, Knowledge (Tactics): 
  d4, Notice: d6, Riding: d8, Shooting: d8, Stealth: d6, 
  Survival: d6
  SKILLS:
  Alertness, Command, Danger Sense
  EDGES: 
  Agility 
  d8
  Smarts 
  d6
  Spirit 
  d6
  Strength 
  d6
  Vigor 
  d6
  Parry 
  5
  Toughness 5
  Pace 
  6
  Charisma 
  0
  Bennies 
  2
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Fists d6 (d6)
  Spencer Carbine (int) d8 (2d8; ROF 1; 
    Range 20/40/80) Ammo: 7 int. +1 chamber
    q q q q q q q q
  Bow d8 (2d6; ROF 1; Range 12/24/28)
  Knife d6 (d4+d6)
  Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d6; ROF 1;
    Range 3/6/12)
  Attacks:
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  27
  COMBAT SHEETS
  Blood on His Lance
  Veteran • Wildcard
  Code of Honor
  Hindrances:
  Climbing: d4, Fighting: d8, Guts: d6, Intimidate: d4, 
  Knowledge (Tactics): d6, Notice: d6, Riding: d8, Shooting: 
  d8, Stealth: d6, Survival: d6
  SKILLS:
  Acrobat, Comanche Riding, Command, Dodge, First Strike, 
  Marksman, Steady Hands
  EDGES: 
  Agility 
  d8
  Smarts 
  d6
  Spirit 
  d6
  Strength 
  d6
  Vigor 
  d8
  Parry 
  6
  Toughness 6
  Pace 
  6
  Charisma 
  0
  Bennies 
  2
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Fists d8 (d6)
  Spencer Carbine (int) d8 (2d8; ROF 1;
    Range 20/40/80)
    Ammo: 7 int. +1 chamber q q q q q q q q
  Bow d8 (2d6; ROF 1; Range 12/24/28)
  Comanche Lance d8 (d8+d6)
  Comanche Lance, mounted & charging d8 
    (2d8+d6)
  Knife d8 (d4+d6)
  Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d6; ROF 1;
    Range 3/6/12)
  Attacks:
  Two Crows
  Seasoned • Wildcard
  Arrogant
  Hindrances:
  Climbing: d4, Fighting: d8, Guts: d6, Intimidate: d6, Notice: 
  d4, Riding: d6, Shooting: d8, Stealth: d6, Survival: d4
  SKILLS:
  Brawny, Dodge, Nerves of Steel
  EDGES: 
  Agility 
  d8
  Smarts 
  d4
  Spirit 
  d6
  Strength 
  d8
  Vigor 
  d6
  Parry 
  6
  Toughness 6
  Pace 
  6
  Charisma 
  0
  Bennies 
  2
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Fists d8 (d8)
  Sharps Carbine (int) d8 (2d8; ROF 1;
    Range 20/40/80) Ammo: 1 int. q
  Bow d8 (2d6; ROF 1; Range 12/24/28)
  Comanche Lance d8 (d8+d8)
  Comanche Lance, mounted & charging d8 
    (2d8+d8)
  Knife d8 (d4+d8)
  Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d8; ROF 1;
     Range 3/6/12)
  Attacks:
  
  Buckshots: For Whom the Bugle BloWs
  28
  COMBAT SHEETS
  Comanche Rider
  NOVICE • EXTRA
  None
  Hindrances:
  Fighting: d6, Guts: d6, Intimidate: d6, Notice: d4, Riding: 
  d6, Shooting: d6, Stealth: d4
  SKILLS:
  None
  EDGES: 
  Agility 
  d6
  Smarts 
  d6
  Spirit 
  d6
  Strength 
  d6
  Vigor 
  d6
  Parry 
  5
  Toughness 5
  Pace 
  6
  Charisma 
  0
  Bennies 
  0
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Fists d6 (d6)
  Bow d6 (2d6; ROF 1; Range 12/24/28)
  Comanche Lance d6 (d8+d8)
  Comanche Lance, mounted & charging d6 
    (2d8+d8)
  Knife d6 (d4+d6)
  Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d6; ROF 1; 
    Range 3/6/12)
  Attacks:
  Comanche Foot Warrior
  NOVICE • EXTRA
  None
  Hindrances:
  Fighting: d6, Guts: d6, Intimidate: d4, Notice: d4, Riding: 
  d6, Shooting: d6, Stealth: d6
  SKILLS:
  None
  EDGES: 
  Agility 
  d6
  Smarts 
  d6
  Spirit 
  d6
  Strength 
  d6
  Vigor 
  d6
  Parry 
  5
  Toughness 5
  Pace 
  6
  Charisma 
  0
  Bennies 
  0
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Fists d6 (d6)
  Sharps Carbine (int) d6 (2d8; ROF 1;
    Range 20/40/80) Ammo: 1 int. q
  Bow d6 (2d6; ROF 1; Range 12/24/28)
  Knife d6 (d4+d6)
  Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d6; ROF 1;
    Range 3/6/12)
  Attacks:
  
  Theodore (Old Man) Winters
  SEASONED
  Sex: Male 
  Age: 56
  Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany 
  Heritage: German 
  Weight: 145 lbs 
  Height: 5’ 8”
  Hair: Gray 
  Eyes: Blue-Gray
  XP: NA 
  Languages: English, 
  Load Limit: 30 lbs 
    German
  Load: 19 lbs 
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Agility 
  d6
  Smarts 
  d6
  Spirit 
  d8
  Strength d6
  Vigor 
  d8
  Parry 
  5
  Toughness 6
  Pace 
  6
  Run 
  +1d6
  Charisma 
  0
  SKILLS:
  Fighting: d6
  Guts: d8
  Healing: d6
  Knowledge (Tactics): d4
  Notice: d6 (-2 to hear)
  Repair: d4
  Riding: d6
  Shooting: d6
  Streetwise: d4
  Survival: d6
  Tracking: d6
  ATTACKS:
  Fists d6 (d6)
  Winchester ‘73 (int) d6 (2d8; ROF 1;
  Range 24/48/96)
  Knife d6 (d4+d6)
  Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d6; ROF 1; Range 3/6/12)
  Hindrances:
  Hard of Hearing (Minor)
  EDGES:
  Combat Reflexes, Fast Healer
  GEAR:
  Knife, Winchester ‘73, .44 center-fire ammo (40), cowboy 
  boots, trousers, beat-up cowboy hat, plain suit coat, vest, 
  whiskey flask, canteen, bedroll, pouch of jerky, first aid kit
  NOTES:
  5
  10
  15
  20
  25
  WOUNDS
  FATIGUE!
  -1 -2 -3    INC!    -2 -1
  
  Lorelei Trautman
  Novice
  Sex: Female 
  Age: 17
  Birthplace: Independence,Missouri Heritage: American 
  Weight: 125 lbs 
  Height: 5’ 5”
  Hair: Light brown (long)   
  Eyes: Brown
  XP: 0 
  Languages: English, 
  Load Limit: 30 lbs 
    French
  Load: 20 lbs 
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Agility 
  d6
  Smarts 
  d6
  Spirit 
  d6
  Strength d6
  Vigor 
  d8
  Parry 
  4
  Toughness 6
  Pace 
  6
  Run 
  +1d6
  Charisma 
  0
  SKILLS:
  Fighting: d4
  Guts: d6
  Knowledge (History): d6
  Notice: d6
  Persuasion d6
  Riding d6
  Shooting: d6
  Stealth: d4
  Throwing: d4
  ATTACKS:
  Fists d4 (d6)
  Remington-Whitmore M1873 (int) d6 (1-3d6; ROF 1;
    Range 12/24/48)
  Knife d4 (d4+d6)
  Knife, Thrown d4 (d4+d6; ROF 1; Range 3/6/12)
  Hindrances:
  None
  EDGES:
  None
  GEAR:
  Knife, Remington-Whitmore M1873, 10-gauge buckshot 
  ammo (30), women’s skirt, women’s plain shirt, women’s 
  boots, sombrero, silver locket and chain, haversack
  NOTES:
  5
  10
  15
  20
  25
  WOUNDS
  FATIGUE!
  -1 -2 -3    INC!    -2 -1
  
  Johanna Trautman
  Novice
  Sex: Female 
  Age: 13
  Birthplace: Jefferson City, Missouri Heritage: American 
  Weight: 110 lbs 
  Height: 5’ 4”
  Hair: Brown 
  Eyes: Blue
  XP: 0 
  Languages: English, 
  Load Limit: 30 lbs 
    French
  Load: 8 lbs
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Agility 
  d6
  Smarts 
  d8
  Spirit 
  d6
  Strength d4
  Vigor 
  d6
  Parry 
  4
  Toughness 5
  Pace 
  6
  Run 
  +1d6
  Charisma 
  2
  SKILLS:
  Fighting: d4
  Guts: d4
  Knowledge (Arts): d8
  Knowledge (History): d6
  Knowledge (Journalism): d6
  Notice: d8
  Persuasion: d4
  ATTACKS:
  Fists d4 (d4)
  Colt New Model Navy (int) d4-2 (2d6+1; ROF 1;
    Range 12/24/48)
  Hindrances:
  None
  EDGES:
  Attractive
  GEAR:
  Colt New Model Navy, .36 percussion ammo (12), fancy 
  women’s dress, women’s shoes, feathered lady’s hat, 
  parasol, mirror/brush/comb set, satin gloves, leather 
  purse
  NOTES:
  5
  10
  15
  20
  25
  WOUNDS
  FATIGUE!
  -1 -2 -3    INC!    -2 -1
  
  Lone Buglar
  Seasoned
  Sex: Male 
  Age: 21
  Birthplace: Comancheria 
  Heritage: Comanche 
  Weight: 140 lbs 
  Height: 5’ 7”
  Hair: Black  
  Eyes: Brown
  XP: 30 
  Languages: Comanche 
  Load Limit: 30 lbs 
  Load: 17 lbs
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Agility 
  d8
  Smarts 
  d6
  Spirit 
  d6
  Strength d6
  Vigor 
  d6
  Parry 
  5
  Toughness 5
  Pace 
  6
  Run 
  +1d6
  Charisma 
  0
  SKILLS:
  Fighting: d6
  Guts: d4
  Intimidate: d4
  Knowledge (Tactics): d4
  Notice: d6
  Riding: d8
  Shooting: d8
  Stealth: d6
  Survival: d6
  ATTACKS:
  Fists d6 (d6)
  Spencer Carbine (int) d8 (2d8; ROF 1; Range 20/40/80)
  Bow d8 (2d6; ROF 1; Range 12/24/28)
  Knife d6 (d4+d6)
  Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d6; ROF 1; Range 3/6/12)
  Hindrances:
  None
  EDGES:
  Alertness, Command, Danger Sense
  GEAR:
  Spencer Carbine, .52 rim-fire ammo (11 rounds: 7 loaded, 
  4 in extra magazine), knife (2), bow, quiver with 11 arrows, 
  U.S. Cavalry jacket, U.S. Cavalry trousers, U.S. Cavalry 
  hat, Comanche riding boots, buckskin vest, U.S. Cavalry 
  bugle, horse
  NOTES:
  5
  10
  15
  20
  25
  WOUNDS
  FATIGUE!
  -1 -2 -3    INC!    -2 -1
  
  Blood on His Lance
  Veteran
  Sex: Male 
  Age: 30
  Birthplace: Comancheria 
  Heritage: Comanche 
  Weight: 145 lbs 
  Height: 5’ 6”
  Hair: Black  
  Eyes: Brown
  XP: 50 
  Languages: Comanche, 
  Load Limit: 30 lbs 
    English, Spanish
  Load: 22 lbs
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Agility 
  d8
  Smarts 
  d6
  Spirit 
  d6
  Strength d6
  Vigor 
  d8
  Parry 
  6
  Toughness 6
  Pace 
  6
  Run 
  +1d6
  Charisma 
  0
  SKILLS:
  Climbing: d4
  Fighting: d8
  Guts: d6
  Intimidate: d4
  Knowledge (Tactics): d6
  Notice: d6
  Riding: d8
  Shooting: d8
  Stealth: d6
  Survival: d6
  ATTACKS:
  Fists d8 (d6)
  Spencer Carbine (int) d8 (2d8; ROF 1; Range 20/40/80)
  Bow d8 (2d6; ROF 1; Range 12/24/28)
  Comanche Lance d8 (d8+d6)
  Comanche Lance, mounted & charging d8 (2d8+d6)
  Knife d8 (d4+d6)
  Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d6; ROF 1; Range 3/6/12)
  Hindrances:
  Code of Honor
  EDGES:
  Acrobat, Comanche Riding, Command, Dodge, First Strike, 
  Marksman, Steady Hands
  GEAR:
  Spencer Carbine, .52 rim-fire ammo (21 rounds: 7 loaded, 
  14 in two extra magazines), Comanche Lance, knife, bow, 
  quiver with 14 arrows, U.S. Cavalry jacket, buckskin 
  breeches, Comanche riding boots, buckskin shirt, war 
  bonnet, horse
  NOTES:
  5
  10
  15
  20
  25
  WOUNDS
  FATIGUE!
  -1 -2 -3    INC!    -2 -1
  
  Two Crows
  Seasoned
  Sex: Male 
  Age: 24
  Birthplace: Comancheria 
  Heritage: Comanche 
  Weight: 165 lbs 
  Height: 5’ 10”
  Hair: Black  
  Eyes: Brown
  XP: 33 
  Languages: Comanche 
  Load Limit: 64 lbs 
  Load: 21 lbs
  ATTRIBUTES:
  Agility 
  d8
  Smarts 
  d4
  Spirit 
  d6
  Strength d8
  Vigor 
  d6
  Parry 
  6
  Toughness 6
  Pace 
  6
  Run 
  +1d6
  Charisma 
  0
  SKILLS:
  Climbing: d4
  Fighting: d8
  Guts: d6
  Intimidate: d6
  Notice: d4
  Riding: d6
  Shooting: d8
  Stealth: d6
  Survival: d4
  ATTACKS:
  Fists d8 (d8)
  Spencer Carbine (int) d8 (2d8; ROF 1; Range 20/40/80)
  Bow d8 (2d6; ROF 1; Range 12/24/28)
  Comanche Lance d8 (d8+d8)
  Comanche Lance, mounted & charging d8 (2d8+d8)
  Knife d8 (d4+d8)
  Knife, Thrown d4-2 (d4+d8; ROF 1; Range 3/6/12)
  Hindrances:
  Arrogant
  EDGES:
  Brawny, Dodge, Nerves of Steel
  GEAR:
  Sharps Carbine, .44 percussion ammo (8), Comanche 
  lance, bow, quiver with 10 arrows), knife, buckskin 
  breeches, cloth shirt, reinforced U.S. Cavalry cap, 
  Comanche riding boots, horse
  NOTES:
  5
  10
  15
  20
  25
  WOUNDS
  FATIGUE!
  -1 -2 -3    INC!    -2 -1
  
  For Whom the Bugle Blows
  Escarpment
  Low Stone Wall
  Cliff
  Palisade
  Contour Lines
  Fence
  Ditch/Gully
  Gate
  Rough/Broken Terrain
  Bog or Swamp
  Water Well
  Stone Surface
  Gallows
  Wood Surface
  Earth/Mud Surface
  Water Depth Contours
  Water (up to 15')
  Water (over 15')
  Grassy Surface
  Sandy Surface
  Gravel Surface
  Submerged Rocks
  Field/Cropland
  Submerged Sand/Ford
  Vegetable Plot
  Mixed Trees
  Hedge
  Coniferous Trees
  Meadow
  Embankment
  Water Mill
  Building/Structure
  Bushes/Scrub
  Boulders/Rocks
  Water Flow
  20
  10
  (ARROWS POINT DOWN)
  (ARROWS POINT DOWN)
  10
  20
  1) Wagon Under Attack
  2) Heroes' Point of Entry
  Copyright 2004, Dog House Rules LLC
  Scene 1
  Fortified Structure
  Location Index
  Scale in Feet
  0
  10
  20
  30
  1
  2
  
  For Whom the Bugle Blows
  Escarpment
  Low Stone Wall
  Cliff
  Palisade
  Contour Lines
  Fence
  Ditch
  Gate
  Rough/Broken Terrain
  Bog or Swamp
  Water Well
  Stone Surface
  Gallows
  Wood Surface
  Earth/Mud Surface
  Water Depth Contours
  Water (up to 15')
  Water (over 15')
  Grassy Surface
  Sandy Surface
  Gravel Surface
  Submerged Rocks
  Field/Cropland
  Submerged Sand/Ford
  Vegetable Plot
  Mixed Trees
  Hedge
  Coniferous Trees
  Meadow
  Embankment
  Water Mill
  Building/Structure
  Bushes/Scrub
  Boulders/Rocks
  Water Flow
  20
  10
  (ARROWS POINT DOWN)
  (ARROWS POINT DOWN)
  10
  20
  Scale in Feet
  1) Lone Bugler's Position
  2) Riders' Entry Position
  3) Foot Warriors' Position
  4) Hero Party's Position
  Copyright 2004, Dog House Rules LLC
  Scenes 2 - 4
  Fortified Structure
  Location Index
  0
  10
  20
  30
  4
  1
  3
  2
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Savage Worlds System (SWADE) [multi]/Old West/Savage Worlds - Buckshots - For Whom the Bugle Blows.pdf