The Inside Scoop on Gaming

As was evident from my previous review of the core Deadlands rules, I have mixed feelings about the system. It tries too hard to be everything at once, at the expense of being a well-rounded simulation applicable to any flavor of Old West role-playing. It is, however, the best Old West system available at the moment, so I choose to use it despite the flaws.

I have bought few of the Deadlands supplements, for two reasons. The first being that I have edited out many of the core elements of the "official" Weird West, and have no need of a Smith and Robards catalog in a world where mad scientists do not exist, for example. The second reason being I found the ham-handed advertising techniques of Pinnacle off-putting, and I have promised myself that I will not give into such tactics. Each supplement refers freely to previously published books, and this frequently leaves the hapless reader wondering how many other expenditures must be made to complete the picture.

Sadly, Back East: The North continues this trend, referencing events detailed in other sourcebooks, which leaves the potential Marshal high and dry. An example would be the persistent references throughout BE: The North of the British invasion of Detroit, which is mentioned in passing at least a half-dozen times. This event was presumably described in the Tales of Terror book, but if your scenarios are to include Detroit in any detail, then another trip to the hobby store will be in order. Why not just include a brief summary of what actually happened in Detroit rather than soundbites designed to entice players into spending more money? This is akin to buying a a new car, only to find that the stereo is simply an elaborate decal and the actual unit costs more money. I would have normally overlooked this in a single sourcebook, but this is the fourth Deadlands book I have purchased and each is filled with these ads disguised as text.

Continuing with the shortcomings of the book, the editing is atrocious. In the mad rush to maintain their "release-a-month" schedule, I guess Pinnacle has decided to do away with second drafts and proof-reading. There were totally incoherent sentences approxiamtely every 10 pages. Not an inversion of letters or a missed comma, but missing words coupled with inappropriate words in such bizarre combinations as to rival Burroughs' cut-up novels. Here is an example from page 56: "Epitaph reposters like myself enough visits from them as it is." Unlike many sentences in BE, the above line is free of any errors, copied directly from the book.

Finally, regardless of whether mad scientists or hucksters are clever or foolish character archetypes, there are elements of this book which are too precious for their own good. Humor has it's place, although I would argue that a horror Western game is not the place for it, but some of the in-jokes in BE: The North make Henny Youngman look like a fresh, hip comedian. The bar in Boston called Huzzah's which is owned my Samuel MacLone (macGroan!) is an example of the sort of lame joke which makes Revenge of the Nerds III look like Voltaire.

So is there anything about this book that I do like?

Yes.

The source material, while filled with typos and groan-inducing jokes, provides some interesting twists on the Freemasons, ethnic immigrants, Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall, and makes mention of the Molly Maguires. There are plenty of references to real history mixed with fiction which will provide easy richness to any campaign. There are three new archetypes, if that's your sort of thing, new fighting maneuvers to allow Marshals to introduce prize fighting into the campaign, and there are extrapolations of existing rules, such as Trade: Forgery. There is also a new Knack introduced.

The settings detailed are filled with espionage and politics. Any difficulties encountered by characters will be all the more serious and deadly since guns will not always be at hand. This sourcebook could allow a resourceful Marshal ro run an entire campaign Back East, with alienists and pugilists pitted against the scheming of the Masons, the thugs in Five Points, or insidious cults. Tinhorns in the Weird West will have a lot of background to draw from herein.

I would recommend this to any Marshal who wants to send his characters to the East, or for those who want their Easterners to be better rounded, and doesn't mind doing a little work. You need an iron constitution to endure some of the lame humor, and hopefully you are used to separting the wheat from the chaff, but there is enough left here after you do the editing to make it worthwhile.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Deadlands Back East: The North
Author: Rick Dakan & Jack Emmert Category: game Company/Publisher: Pinnacle Entertainment Group Line: Deadlands Cost: $20.00 Page count: 128 ISBN: 1-889546-53-4 SKU: 1025 Capsule Review by Roger Taylor on 08/22/99. Genre tags: Horror Old_West	As was evident from my previous review of the core Deadlands rules, I have mixed feelings about the system. It tries too hard to be everything at once, at the expense of being a well-rounded simulation applicable to any flavor of Old West role-playing. It is, however, the best Old West system available at the moment, so I choose to use it despite the flaws. I have bought few of the Deadlands supplements, for two reasons. The first being that I have edited out many of the core elements of the "official" Weird West, and have no need of a Smith and Robards catalog in a world where mad scientists do not exist, for example. The second reason being I found the ham-handed advertising techniques of Pinnacle off-putting, and I have promised myself that I will not give into such tactics. Each supplement refers freely to previously published books, and this frequently leaves the hapless reader wondering how many other expenditures must be made to complete the picture. Sadly, Back East: The North continues this trend, referencing events detailed in other sourcebooks, which leaves the potential Marshal high and dry. An example would be the persistent references throughout BE: The North of the British invasion of Detroit, which is mentioned in passing at least a half-dozen times. This event was presumably described in the Tales of Terror book, but if your scenarios are to include Detroit in any detail, then another trip to the hobby store will be in order. Why not just include a brief summary of what actually happened in Detroit rather than soundbites designed to entice players into spending more money? This is akin to buying a a new car, only to find that the stereo is simply an elaborate decal and the actual unit costs more money. I would have normally overlooked this in a single sourcebook, but this is the fourth Deadlands book I have purchased and each is filled with these ads disguised as text. Continuing with the shortcomings of the book, the editing is atrocious. In the mad rush to maintain their "release-a-month" schedule, I guess Pinnacle has decided to do away with second drafts and proof-reading. There were totally incoherent sentences approxiamtely every 10 pages. Not an inversion of letters or a missed comma, but missing words coupled with inappropriate words in such bizarre combinations as to rival Burroughs' cut-up novels. Here is an example from page 56: "Epitaph reposters like myself enough visits from them as it is." Unlike many sentences in BE, the above line is free of any errors, copied directly from the book. Finally, regardless of whether mad scientists or hucksters are clever or foolish character archetypes, there are elements of this book which are too precious for their own good. Humor has it's place, although I would argue that a horror Western game is not the place for it, but some of the in-jokes in BE: The North make Henny Youngman look like a fresh, hip comedian. The bar in Boston called Huzzah's which is owned my Samuel MacLone (macGroan!) is an example of the sort of lame joke which makes Revenge of the Nerds III look like Voltaire. So is there anything about this book that I do like? Yes. The source material, while filled with typos and groan-inducing jokes, provides some interesting twists on the Freemasons, ethnic immigrants, Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall, and makes mention of the Molly Maguires. There are plenty of references to real history mixed with fiction which will provide easy richness to any campaign. There are three new archetypes, if that's your sort of thing, new fighting maneuvers to allow Marshals to introduce prize fighting into the campaign, and there are extrapolations of existing rules, such as Trade: Forgery. There is also a new Knack introduced. The settings detailed are filled with espionage and politics. Any difficulties encountered by characters will be all the more serious and deadly since guns will not always be at hand. This sourcebook could allow a resourceful Marshal ro run an entire campaign Back East, with alienists and pugilists pitted against the scheming of the Masons, the thugs in Five Points, or insidious cults. Tinhorns in the Weird West will have a lot of background to draw from herein. I would recommend this to any Marshal who wants to send his characters to the East, or for those who want their Easterners to be better rounded, and doesn't mind doing a little work. You need an iron constitution to endure some of the lame humor, and hopefully you are used to separting the wheat from the chaff, but there is enough left here after you do the editing to make it worthwhile. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Deadlands Back East: The North