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The classic collectible card game Deadlands: Doomtown returns as an Expandable Card Game in Doomtown: Reloaded. Featuring four factions fighting for control of Gomorra, California. Doomtown: Reloaded allows you to build your own deck from a fixed set of cards in the box. Play your dudes to control deeds in the town, and use actions, hexes, and more to thwart your opponents.
Shootouts are resolved via a poker mechanism as every card has a suit and value. Preparing for the hands you want to draw is as much a part of deck building as choosing the actions and dudes you'll want to play. Your deck is built around an Outfit, one of the four main groups attempting to control Gomorra, California, and these outfits are:
The Law Dogs: The Sheriff and his deputies, tasked with enforcing law and order in an extremely chaotic town.
The Sloane Gang: The main cause of a lot of the chaos, the Sloane Gang takes what they want, no matter who it costs.
The Morgan Cattle Company: Progress and investment, Morgan Cattle has moved into the surrounding ranch lands and uses its deep pockets to influence the town.
The Fourth Ring: It's that circus that's been here for months, but I swear it just arrived...
The base set of Doomtown: Reloaded will be followed by Saddlebag expansions, in-store OP events, and the Badge Series of tournaments.
- Strong theme and cinematic feel
- Mixed real-time-like tension with strategic planning
- Niche appeal due to theme
- Not a traditional deck-builder; can be confusing
- cinematic, shootout-driven western fantasy
- Weird West with magic, advanced tech, and miracles
- highly cinematic, pulp-adventure flavor
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Deck-building with modular board and shifting crew — Use cards to equip your posse and manage actions on a dynamic town board.
- Multi-use cards — Cards double as actions and as poker-like hand strengths during shootouts.
- Multi-use cards and poker-like resolution — Cards double as actions and as poker-like hand strengths during shootouts.
- Simultaneous action selection and bluffing — Players push for the best shots and best actions with hidden elements.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- for me this game is the culmination of all of UV rosenberg's prior games
- it's a big game it takes a while to set it all up but it is so worth it
- the theme is just so amazing
- it's not abstract at all you walk into a bar your character has a gun they confront some other character they have a shootout
- this is such a special design
- no board game that has made me laugh as much as this game
References (from this video)
- Most thematic and cinematic card game the author has played
- Unique anti-cheating and bluffing dynamic in shootouts
- Complex rules and family of Doomtown may be intimidating for newcomers
- noir/cowboy action with magical elements
- Wild West with a supernatural, magical-dramatic twist
- cinematic, highly thematic
- Doomtown: Reloaded
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- collectible/expandable card game — Players build decks and play out a living-card-game-style narrative with poker-based shootouts.
- poker-based shootouts — Hand-based duels use standard poker mechanics to resolve conflicts, with anti-cheating cards to counter deceit.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- there's definitely nothing else like this in board gaming
- I like to call this game The Pinnacle of the take that card game
- this is the most thematic and cinematic card game I've ever played
- the added tension is just terrific
- it's almost like every game is a completely new experience
References (from this video)
- deep, multi-layered deck strategy
- theming with Western duel systems and poker feel
- collectible/LCG model requires ongoing investment
- can be fiddly for new players
- Kickback town-building and outlaw showdowns
- Weird West with gunslingers and magic in a gritty town
- Scenario-driven, cinematic duels and politics
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Deck building — Construct a personal deck from a large card pool for duels and actions.
- deck-building — Construct a personal deck from a large card pool for duels and actions.
- Poker-style duels — Resolve shootouts via poker hand mechanics using action cards.
- Position control of locations — Move characters and control town locations to gain influence.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a perfect fit for this list that's Cosmic Encounter
- I had to have a card game
- this is a collectible SL living card game so you're going to be building your own deck
- this is the absolute definition of a minute to teach a lifetime to master
- it's Star Wars in a box