Monday, February 28, 2011

Boot Hill First Printing + Vintage Miniatures

A few weeks ago I made a lucky score on eBay. For $36 I got three 1970s Tactical Studies Rules books: Chainmail, D&D Blackmoor, and Boot Hill. They are all well-loved copies with writing in them which is something I prefer.

The most rare and remarkable of the three books is Boot Hill, which is a first printing from 1975. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that this is the third roleplaying game ever published, behind Dungeons & Dragons and Empire of the Petal Throne. This little brown book is pretty hard to find, especially with the tear-out reference sheets still intact. I have to admit that I've never been terribly interested in Boot Hill or any other historical games because wizards and weird science are my thing. This game looks like a lot of fun though, and I could see myself running a few weird west shoot outs in the near future.

I also picked up some early 1980s Boot Hill minis off eBay for $1. Cool!

Here are pictures of the artifacts...

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE


Unlike most of the other little TSR books from the period, Boot Hill includes numerous ready-to-go maps, scenarios, and NPCs.:

Rare double-page tear-out reference sheet:

TSR Boot Hill minis c. 1983:



15 comments:

  1. Yes, as far as I know, Boot Hill was TSR's third rpg after D&D and EPT.

    Congratulations on a great deal - I'm envious!

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  2. Your eBay-fu is strong! Very nice!

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  3. Great price!
    Boot hill - good game with really disgusting artwork :D

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  4. Super awesome score, cyc!
    Love the minis too!

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  5. Some say it's not an RPG but a tactical mini board game.

    Board game, bad art, Blume, these cares are forgotten once you land your first haymaker in a saloon!

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  6. drool! nice score man. thanks for sharing some pics too.

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  7. > Some say it's not an RPG but a tactical mini board game.

    Kinda like D&D then? :)

    > Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that this is the third roleplaying game ever published, behind Dungeons & Dragons and Empire of the Petal Throne.

    Up for debate, that, since the term didn't exist back then as discussed elsewhere.

    > This little brown book is pretty hard to find, especially with the tear-out reference sheets still intact.

    Yep; would normally be closer $75-90 by itself were it not for having been "well loved". (Perish the thought that people might actually /play/ the game!)

    Darned good "67% off" price on the minis. Out of interest, I'm guessing those are closer to 25mm scale than 30mm scale?

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  8. Sweet! Let's see that 70's metal Gamma World in the Wild West RPG write-up on my desk in the morning! ;)

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  9. This is one of those games I'd like to play, but don't ever see it happening. My wife and I have hardly enough time to squeeze in some D&D sessions or play a board game once in awhile as it is. Plus, there's the interest factor in terms of getting other gamers to give it a try.

    That being said, I am planning on introducing a Weird West area into my megadungeon, and plan on mining Boot Hill for ideas and possibly rules to cover firearms and such.

    I know its amateur hobbyist art, but I like the drawings in Boot Hill quite a bit.

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  10. So, was the Chainmail printing an early one too? :D

    Allan.

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  11. So, was the Chainmail printing an early one too?

    Not really - it was a beat up 3rd edition, 2nd printing.

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  12. That /is/ an early printing.

    If it had been a yellow cover, you wouldn't have won the Boot Hill, since even a rough (possibly mouldy) copy goes for the best part of $250 ( http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260737357619 )

    You probably lucked out about as much as was possible given that Chainmail /didn't/ catch the eye and people just turned their noses up at the "much loved" condition. :)

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  13. people just turned their noses up at the "much loved" condition.

    I think book collectors' obsession with mint condition material is totally ridiculous. Books that have been used and annotated by previous owners are infinitely more interesting and informative than untouched copies.

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  14. I think book collectors' obsession with mint condition material is totally ridiculous. Books that have been used and annotated by previous owners are infinitely more interesting and informative than untouched copies.

    It's as equally ridiculous as BTB arguments, battles over editions and settings, and all the rest of it: everyone has an opinion, and something that they hold dear that other folks consider a waste of time. (And not all collectors focus on condition, either, of course :D ).

    Allan.

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