"I’m looking for Billy Clayton!"

Law Dogs is the latest supplement for Pinnacle Entertainment’s excellent Deadlands the Weird West Roleplaying Game. Taking the basic premise of the old west law man that was introduced in the main rules and expanding it greatly, Law Dogs follows the usual format for a Deadlands supplement, being broken down into different sections for both Posse (players),No Mans Land (players can look if the GM lets them) and Marshal (GM) and once again packed with some really excellent artwork that captures the mood completely.

Law Dogs as said above is the Law man/woman supplement, but perhaps a lot more! Full backgrounds are given for the Texas Rangers and the Pinkertons, how both organisations work, a day in a the life of one of their agents and what rewards one could expect to gain from joining. These details are covered in the Posse section of the book, but that only scratches the surface as the real meat and potatoes of the meal is in the Marshals section, where you can find all the real truths about the Law and how it works. But the fun doesn't just stop there. Detailed are the lives and times of the US Marshals, Sheriffs, and even Bounty Hunters, as well as the punishments for the crimes that the should give to lawbreakers. Once again new player Archetypes are introduced with these being the Bandito, Desperado, US Marshal and the long awaited Hex Slinger! Hex Slingers are gunmen with a difference! They not only are fast on the draw and crack shots, but can also use Hexes (the magic system in Deadlands) allowing the supernatural to give them an extra edge over other gunmen. The ‘No Mans Land’ section contains a whole passel full of new Hexes and relics for your campaigns, most of which are just for the Hex Slinger.I can imagine a lot of players wishing to play a Hex Slinger.

There are over 100 weapons detailed in the Law Dogs supplement, ranging from pistols to Gatling weapons and beyond, and also details and stats for some of the best known law man and law breakers that actually lived in the wild west, such as Belle Star and Doc Holliday.

The last section of the Marshals book is given over once again to a ready to play adventure, ‘ On top of old Skull Hill, All covered in blood’. This is not only a fun read but plays really well and like a lot of the adventures in Deadlands supplements can be finished in the space of one or two gaming sessions or expanded to last for weeks of play. I wont go into the details as I don't wish to spoil it for anyone, but needless to say its one of the more fun adventures to play and we loved it.

Its the small things that make Pinnacles Deadlands products so good, sure they have excellent artwork and are highly playable, but attention to historical detail and the strange twists that the designers take on it is my own personal favourite. The mentions of the mysterious Fort 51 deep in the Nevada desert, and the mysterious agents of the Pinkertons, known only as ‘Ghosts’. These agents show up when cases of the Supernatural are reported, dressed all in black clothing and carrying the latest in Gatling weapons, the Ghosts show no mercy in their pursuit of these strange creatures. As with most of the Pinkertons, the Ghosts use code when communicating with each other to avoid spies finding out valuable information, and it is interesting to note that all the Ghosts have no family, and are known only by the first initial of their name, (so much like Men In Black it hurts!)

The artwork is as usual excellent throughout, but it is perhaps as a tool for the GM that this book really comes into its own light. Combat rules for gunfights are expanded and simplified and these new rules now take precedence over the previous ones in the main rulebook, and too be honest are a heck of a lot better. The Law and Order section of the book gives details of crimes and the punishments that should be metered out for them by the law men/women, ranging from simple fines or a night in the cells (being found drunk in public for example) too life in prison, or even death by hanging. The west was a strange and dangerous place to live and a lot of ex army men and ex lawmen made their names as Bounty Hunters, bringing wanted criminals in for a substantial reward. Of course no wild west game would be complete without these men and women and the Law Dogs supplement contains bounties on some of the most famous desperados who ever roamed the west, from the ‘James’ gang (with Jesse weighing in at a staggering $10.000) and John Wesley Hardin, plus many, many more!

With even more Edges and Hindrances for your players to choose from, this book has to be one of the best in the Deadlands range so far. Check it out and I am sure you wont be sorry.