Bang! is a wild west-themed card game

Card game

A card game is any game using playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, be they traditional or game-specific. Countless card games exist, including families of related games...

 similar to a spaghetti western

Spaghetti Western

Spaghetti Western, also known as Italo-Western, is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western films that emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's unique and much copied film-making style and international box-office success, so named by American critics because most were produced and...

 designed by Emiliano Sciarra

Emiliano Sciarra

Emiliano Sciarra is a game designer of board games, card games and videogames.He is the author of Bang!, a Wild West themed card game published by daVinci Editrice.- Biography:...

 and released by Italian publisher daVinci Editrice

Da Vinci Games

Da Vinci Games are an Italian games publishing company. They collaborated with Mayfair Games until August 2008 and with them released the Origins award winning Bang!Other Da Vinci games include Gonzaga....

 in 2002. In 2004, Bang! won the Origins Award

Origins Award

The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...

 for Best Traditional Card Game of 2003 and Best Graphic Design of a Card Game or Expansion.

The game is known worldwide as Bang!, except in France where it was previously known as Wanted!.

Overview

The game is played by four to seven players (three to eight players with variants and expansions). Each player takes one of the following roles:

• Sheriff
  Sheriff
  A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
  
   (x1)
• Deputy Sheriff (x1 or x2)
• Outlaw
  Outlaw
  In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
  
   (x2 or x3)
• Renegade
  Turncoat
  A turncoat is a person who shifts allegiance from one loyalty or ideal to another, betraying or deserting an original cause by switching to the opposing side or party...
  
   (x1, x2 with expansions)

Each player also receives a unique character card with special abilities and a certain amount of 'bullets' (i.e. life-points).

The objective of the game is different for every role:

• the Outlaws must kill the Sheriff;
• the Sheriff and his Deputies must kill the Outlaws and the Renegade(s);
• each Renegade's objective is to be the last character in play. The Renegade(s) must kill all the characters with the sheriff being the last one dead.

Set Up

Each player is dealt randomly a Character card and a Role card: there is always a Sheriff, two Outlaws and a Renegade, while the other Roles depend on the number of players (for example, with 7 players there will be 1 Sheriff, 2 Deputies, 3 Outlaws and 1 Renegade). The Role cards are given face down to each player. The Sheriff shows his card. With the expansion, it is possible to play with only three players using a Deputy, an Outlaw and a Renegade.

Gameplay

The game is played in turns, in clockwise order. The Sheriff begins. Each player's turn is divided into three phases.

1. Draw two cards

• The active player draws the top two cards from the draw pile. He or she must do this at the beginning of his or her turn. As soon as the draw pile is empty, shuffle the discard pile to create a new playing deck. Some characters have abilities that vary the number of cards drawn per turn.

2. Play any number of cards.

• Now the player may play to help himself or hurt the other players, trying to eliminate them. He is not forced to play cards during this phase. Any number of cards may be played; there are only two limitations.

• Only one BANG! card may be played per turn (unless there is an effect that allows them to play more than one).

• No player can ever have two identical cards face up in front of him.

Each player can only have one weapon at a time. If you want to play a new weapon card when you already have one, you must discard the one you already have. This is explicitly noted in page 3 of the rules.

When a card is played just follow the symbols on it. Cards can be played only during your turn (with the exception of Beer, Bang! and Missed!).

Normally a card has an effect which is immediately resolved, and then the card is discarded. However, blue bordered cards, like weapons and horses, etc., have long lasting effects, and are kept on the table face up in front of you. In the Dodge City expansion, green bordered cards are played face up and cannot be used until the following round, then are discarded.

The effects of these cards (in play) lasts until they are discarded or removed somehow (e.g. Cat Balou or Panic) or a special event occurs (e.g. in the case of Jail or Dynamite.)

3. Discard excess cards.

Once the second phase is over (you do not want to or cannot play any more cards), then you must discard from your hand any cards exceeding your hand size limit. The hand size limit of a player (at the end of his turn) is equal to the number of bullets currently shown on the card that lies under his character card. Then it is the next player's turn, in clockwise order

Card effects

To shoot at another character, a player must play a card bearing a "Bang!" icon to a player within shooting range.

• This means that if the shooter does not have any weapons, he can only shoot players at distance 1; if he has a weapon that can fire to distance 3, he can target any player at distance 3 or less.

If the targeted player has a "Missed" card, he can play it to avoid getting shot; otherwise he loses one bullet (life point).

When a character loses his last bullet, he is "dead."

A Beer card can be used to restore a bullet. A player cannot use Beer cards to exceed his character's number of bullets. A player can only restore his own bullets via a Beer card, and he can only play it during his turn. A Whiskey card performs the same function as Beer cards, except that it restores two bullets (may not exceed the character's number of bullets) and requires the player to discard one card from his hand.

• Exception: if a player loses his last bullet, he can immediately play one or more Beer cards until he remains at 1 bullet.

A player may usually play only one "Bang!" card during his turn, but other cards can be played without restriction during the turn.

• For example, some cards allow to steal cards from an opponent's hand, force an opponent to discard a card, jail a character, change the relative range to other players, or change the range at which the player can shoot. Most of the cards are self-explaining, bearing little symbols that describe the card's effect when combined; the rest carry a symbol that suggests that the player consult the game manual (this is not true starting from the 3rd Edition, where these cards have a written text explaining their effect).

Some cards require a "draw!": this means that you have to reveal the first card of the deck and check the card suit and value shown on the lower left corner. For example, you may escape from the Jail only if you successfully "draw!" a Heart card.

Penalties and Rewards

If the Sheriff eliminates a Deputy, the Sheriff must discard all the cards he has in hand and in play.

Any player eliminating an Outlaw (even if the eliminating player is himself an Outlaw!) must draw a reward of 3 cards from the deck.

Determining the winner

Once the Sheriff is killed, the game is over. If the only player left is a Renegade, the Renegade wins. However, if two or more players are still alive or the only remaining player is an Outlaw, all the Outlaws win, dead or alive.

On the other hand, if all Outlaws and Renegades are dead before the Sheriff dies, the Sheriff and all the Deputies win, dead or alive.

Strategy

The game is an interesting application of Game theory

Game theory

Game theory is a mathematical method for analyzing calculated circumstances, such as in games, where a person’s success is based upon the choices of others...

. As only the Sheriff is known, it is hard to know who has what role. Generally, a person's role is implied if he tries to shoot, or otherwise harm, the Sheriff. Others' role can be implied if they try to harm those who harmed the Sheriff. The advantage of keeping one's role hidden from enemies must be weighted against the need to accomplish one's goal.

Since the Renegade loses if the Sheriff dies when there are still others in the game he must defend the Sheriff to some extent. On the other hand his ultimate goal is killing the Sheriff. This leads to a "two faced" nature of the Renegade, trying to weaken each side (Outlaws and Deputies) while keeping the Sheriff alive until the end. This also makes it harder to ascertain who is an Outlaw, who is a Deputy, and who is a Renegade, as their actions may be similar.

Character Strategy Guides

In-depth Character Guides are available for the original BANG!, Dodge City, and Bullet game characters at the BANG! Blog. Written by Martin Pulido, these Character Guides include:

1. Basic Character Information: Name, Inspiration, Life Points, Ability
2. Ability Explanation: Activation, Cards enhanced/weakened when played by this character, Cards enhanced/weakened when played against this character, discussion of quirks/questions regarding certain abilities
3. Counters: Characters this character counters well, Characters who counter this character well
4. Roles: Which roles are ideal or good for this character
5. 2-Player Value: How well this character fares when only 2 players are left alive
6. General Strategy: How to play well as this character, card-counting suggestions
7. General Strategy Against: How to play well against this character

Official tournament score

An official scoring system can be found on daVinci web site, the official web site of the Italian editors of Bang!. The scoring rules are as follows:

• If the Sheriff wins:

the Sheriff wins $1500 for every Outlaw;

the Deputies win $1000 for every Outlaw if they survived, and $700 if they died;

the Renegade wins $400 for every player if he died last, leaving the Sheriff alive alone.

• If the Outlaws win:

the Renegade, if he is still alive at the end of the game, wins $300 for each player in the game;

the Outlaws, if they are alive, win $1000 for each Outlaw in the game, dead or alive; otherwise they win $800 for each Outlaw in the game.

• If the Renegade wins:

the Sheriff wins $100 for each player in the game

the Renegade wins $1500 for each player in the game

• Extra Penalty:

if a deputy kills a Sheriff, he loses $5000

In official tournaments, such as the one held yearly in Las Vegas

Las Vegas metropolitan area

The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...

, Nevada

Nevada

Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...

, players who have died can be revived if another player uses a Winchester

Winchester rifle

In common usage, Winchester rifle usually means any of the lever-action rifles manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, though the company has also manufactured many rifles of other action types...

 in conjunction with a scope

Scope

The word scope may refer to many different devices or viewing instruments, constructed for many different purposes. It may refer to a telescopic sight, an optical device commonly used on firearms. Other uses of scope or Scopes may refer to:...

 and a Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...

. The last card drawn during the Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...

 must be a spade in order to complete the procedure. This rule was first introduced in 2007 by Barrett Watson, and has remained in play to this date.

Character Descriptions

As the game constantly maintains an ironic point of view on the western clichés, some of the characters of Bang! are named after famous people.
There are 16 different characters in the basic set:

• Bart Cassidy = Butch Cassidy
  Butch Cassidy
  Robert LeRoy Parker , better known as Butch Cassidy, was a notorious American train robber, bank robber, and leader of the Wild Bunch Gang in the American Old West...
  
   - Each time he loses a life point, he immediately draws a card from the deck. (4 life points)
• Black Jack = Tom Ketchum
  Tom Ketchum
  Thomas Everard Ketchum , known as Black Jack, was a cowboy who later turned to a life of crime. He was hanged in 1901 for attempted train robbery.-First train robberies and murders:...
  
   (known as Black Jack) - During phase 1 of his turn, he must show the second card he draws: if it's a Heart or Diamond, he draws one additional card that turn (without revealing it). (4 life points)
• Calamity Janet = Calamity Jane
  Calamity Jane
  Martha Jane Cannary Burke , better known as Calamity Jane, was an American frontierswoman, and professional scout best known for her claim of being an acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok, but also for having gained fame fighting Native Americans...
  
   - She can use "Bang!" cards as "Missed!" cards and vice versa. If she plays a Missed! card as a "Bang!", she cannot play another "Bang!" card that turn (unless she has a Volcanic in play). (4 life points)
• El Gringo = gringo
  Gringo
  Gringo is a slang Spanish and Portuguese word used in Spanish-speaking and Portuguese-speaking countries in Latin America, to denote foreigners, often from the United States. The term can be applied to someone who is actually a foreigner, or it can denote a strong association or assimilation into...
  
   (slang Spanish word) - Each time he loses a life point due to a card played by another player, he draws a random card from the hands of that player (one card for each life). If the player has no more cards, he does not draw. (3 life points)
• Jesse Jones = Jesse James - During phase 1 of his turn, he may choose to draw the first card from the deck, or randomly from the hand of any other player. Then he draws the second card from the deck. (4 life points)
• Jourdonnais = "Frenchy" Jourdonnais, the riverboat captain in The Big Sky novel and movie (Fictional person) - He is considered to have Barrel in play at all times; he can "draw! when he is the target of a BANG!, and on a Heart he is missed. If he has another real Barrel card in play he can count both of them, giving him two chances to cancel the BANG! before playing a Missed! (4 life points)
• Kit Carlson = Kit Carson
  Kit Carson
  Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson was an American frontiersman and Indian fighter. Carson left home in rural present-day Missouri at age 16 and became a Mountain man and trapper in the West. Carson explored the west to California, and north through the Rocky Mountains. He lived among and married...
  
   - During the phase 1 of his turn, he looks at the top three cards of the deck: he chooses 2 to draw, and puts the other one back on the top of the deck, face down.( 4 life points)
• Lucky Duke = Lucky Luke
  Lucky Luke
  Lucky Luke is a Belgian comics series created by Belgian cartoonist, Maurice De Bevere better known as Morris, the original artist, and was for one period written by René Goscinny...
  
   (Fictional person) - Each time he is required to "Draw!", he flips the top two cards from the deck, and chooses the result he prefers. Discard both cards afterward. (4 life points)
• Paul Regret = Paul Revere
  Paul Revere
  Paul Revere was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride...
  
   - He is considered to have a Mustang in play at all times; all other players must add 1 to the distance to him. If he has another real Mustang in play, he can count both of them, increasing all distance to him by a total of 2. (3 life points)
• Pedro Ramirez = Tuco Ramirez
  Tuco Ramirez
  Tuco Ramírez is one of the three eponymous characters from Sergio Leone's spaghetti western The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. In the film, Tuco is identified as the ugly through in-film texts...
  
   - the Ugly in the film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
  The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
  The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach in the title roles. The screenplay was written by Age & Scarpelli, Luciano Vincenzoni and Leone, based on a story by Vincenzoni and Leone...
  
  (Fictional person) - During phase 1 of his turn, he may choose to draw the first card from the top of the discard pile or from the deck. Then he draws the second card from the deck. (4 life points)
• Rose Doolan = She is considered to have an Scope (Appaloosa in older versions) in play at all times; she sees the other players at a distance decreased by 1. If she has another real Scope in play, she can count both of them, reducing her distance to all other players by a total of 2. (4 life points)
• Sid Ketchum = Tom Ketchum
  Tom Ketchum
  Thomas Everard Ketchum , known as Black Jack, was a cowboy who later turned to a life of crime. He was hanged in 1901 for attempted train robbery.-First train robberies and murders:...
  
   - At any time, he may discard 2 cards from his hand to regain one life point. If he is willing and able, he can use this ability more than once at a time. (4 life points)
• Slab the Killer = Angel Eyes, the Bad in the film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
  The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
  The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach in the title roles. The screenplay was written by Age & Scarpelli, Luciano Vincenzoni and Leone, based on a story by Vincenzoni and Leone...
  
  (Fictional person) - Players trying to cancel his BANG! cards need to play 2 Missed!. The Barrel effect, if successfully used, only counts as one Missed! (4 life points)
• Suzy Lafayette = As soon as she has no cards in her hand, she draws a card from the draw pile. (4 life points)
• Vulture Sam = Whenever a character is eliminated from the game, Sam takes all the cards that player had in his hand and in play, and adds them to his hand. (4 life points)
• Willy the Kid = Billy the Kid
  Billy the Kid
  William H. Bonney William H. Bonney William H. Bonney (born William Henry McCarty, Jr. est. November 23, 1859 – c. July 14, 1881, better known as Billy the Kid but also known as Henry Antrim, was a 19th-century American gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War and became a frontier...
  
   - He can play any number of "Bang!" cards. (4 life points)

High Noon

Released in 2003. A set of thirteen scenario cards that are given to the Sheriff, and revealed at the start of each of his turns - the card's scenario is effective until the next scenario card has been revealed. The name is inspired by the Western, High Noon

High Noon

High Noon is a 1952 American Western film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. The film tells in real time the story of a town marshal forced to face a gang of killers by himself...

.
The Scenario cards have these effects:

• Blessing: the suit of all cards is Hearts.
• Curse: the suit of all cards is Spades.
• Ghost Town: during their turn, killed characters return in play as ghosts, with 3 cards. They cannot be killed but they leave the game immediately after their turn.
• Gold Rush: the game proceeds counterclockwise even if card effects proceed clockwise as usual.
• Hangover: all characters lose their special abilities.
• Shootout: each player can play a second Bang! card.
• The Daltons: when this card enters play, each player with at least one blue card discards one blue card at his choice.
• The Doctor: when this card enters play, the player(s) with the fewest current life points regain 1 life point.
• The Reverend: players cannot play any Beer cards.
• The Sermon: players cannot use Bang! cards.
• The Train: each player draws an additional card at the beginning of his turn.
• Thirst: each player draws one card fewer than normal at the beginning of his turn.
• High Noon: each player loses 1 life point at the start of his turn. This must be always the last card, and stays in play until the game ends.

Dodge City

Released in 2004. A set of fifteen new characters and 40 new play cards. There is also a set of 8 "role" cards (7 duplicates) allowing up to 8 people to play. The name is inspired by the Western, Dodge City

Dodge City (1939 film)

Dodge City is a 1939 American Western film starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland and Bruce Cabot. Directed by Hungarian-turned-Hollywood filmmaker Michael Curtiz and based on a story by Robert Buckner, it was filmed in early Technicolor...

.
The new characters are:

• Apache Kid = The Apache Kid (Haskay-bay-nay-ntayl) - Cards of Diamond played by other players do not affect him. (3 life points)
• Belle Star = Belle Starr
  Belle Starr
  Myra Maybelle Shirley Reed Starr , better known as Belle Starr, was a notorious American outlaw.-Early life:...
  
   - During her turn, cards in play in front of other players have no effect. (4 life points)
• Bill Noface = He draws 1 card, plus 1 card for each wound he has. (4 life points)
• Chuck Wengam = During his turn, he may choose to lose 1 life point to draw 2 cards. (4 life points)
• Doc Holyday = Doc Holliday
  Doc Holliday
  John Henry "Doc" Holliday was an American gambler, gunfighter and dentist of the American Old West, who is usually remembered for his friendship with Wyatt Earp and his involvement in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral...
  
   - Once during his turn, he may discard 2 cards from the hand to shoot a Bang!. (4 life points)
• Elena Fuente = She may use any card as Missed!. (3 life points)
• Greg Digger = Each time another player is eliminated, he regains 2 life points. (4 life points)
• Herb Hunter = Each time another player is eliminated, he draws 2 extra cards. (4 life points)
• Jose Delgado = Twice in his turn, he may discard a blue card from the hand to draw 2 cards. In the first edition of the expansion, he could use his ability as long as he had blue cards in hand. (4 life points)
• Molly Stark = Each time she uses a card from her hand out of turn, she draws a card. (4 life points)
• Pat Brennan = Pat Brennan from The Tall T
  The Tall T
  The Tall T is a 1957 western film directed by Budd Boetticher. It stars Randolph Scott, Richard Boone, Maureen O'Sullivan and Henry Silva. The film was adapted by Burt Kennedy from an Elmore Leonard short story, "The Captives."...
  
  (Fictional person) - Instead of drawing normally, he may draw only one card in play in front of any one player. (4 life points)
• Pixie Pete = He draws 3 cards instead of 2. In the first edition of the expansion, Pixie Pete draws 4 cards. (3 life points)
• Sean Mallory = John H. (Sean) Mallory - He may hold in his hand up to 10 cards. In the first edition of the expansion, he had no limit at all to the cards in his hand. (3 life points)
• Tequila Joe = Each time he plays a Beer, he regains 2 life points instead of 1 (4 life points).
• Vera Custer = For a whole round, she gains the same ability of another character in play of her choice. (3 life points)

Dodge City features also a new symbol, meaning "discard another card from your hand in order to play this card", and a new card type, the green-bordered cards: they are played like blue cards, cannot be used until the next opponent's turn (in case of a Missed! effect) or the owner's next turn (in all other cases) and are discarded immediately after they are used.

A Fistful Of Cards

Released in 2005. A set of fifteen new scenario cards, designed by players around the world selected by the original author, which can be mixed with the High Noon expansion. The name is inspired by the Western, A Fistful of Dollars

A Fistful of Dollars

A Fistful of Dollars is a 1964 Italian Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood alongside Gian Maria Volonté, Marianne Koch, Wolfgang Lukschy, Sieghardt Rupp, José Calvo, Antonio Prieto, and Joseph Egger. Released in Italy in 1964 then in the United States in...

.
The cards include:

• Abandoned Mine: players draw from the discard pile and discard on the top of the deck.
• Ambush: the distance between players is 1.
• Blood Brothers: each player may choose to donate one of his life points to another player at the beginning of his turn.
• Dead Man: the first eliminated player returns in play with 2 life points and 2 cards.
• Hard Liquor: each player may forfeit his drawing phase to regain 1 life point.
• Lasso: cards in play in front of all players have no effect.
• Law of the West: players must show and play (if possible) the second card they draw in their turn.
• Ranch: once at the end of his turn, each player may discard any number of cards from his hand to draw an equal number of cards from the deck.
• Ricochet: players may fire Bang! against blue cards in play: those cards are discarded unless the player controlling them plays a Missed!.
• Russian Roulette: when this card enters in play, starting from the Sheriff each player discards a Missed! or loses 2 life points (thus ending the effect).
• Sniper: players may discard 2 Bang! cards to target an opponent: this counts as a Bang! but 2 Missed! cards are required to cancel this effect.
• Peyote: players try to guess the suit of the card they draw and keep drawing until they are wrong.
• The Judge: players cannot play cards in front of themselves (i.e. Green or Blue cards).
• Vendetta: players "draw!" at the end of their turn: on a Heart, they play an additional turn.
• A Fistful of Cards: at the beginning of his turn, each player is the target of as many Bang! as the number of cards in his hand.

Face Off

Released in 2005 and co-produced by daVinci Games and Arima. More a spin-off than an expansion, Face Off is a board game

Board game

A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...

 for two players designed to be played with a deck of Bang! cards.

Wild West Show

Bang! Wild West Show! is an expansion released in August 2010 with characters that revolve not around historical figures but rather around actors iconic to the western movie genre. The expansion also includes cards and rules not seen in previous expansions.

The 8 new characters are:

• Flint Westwood (Clint Eastwood
  Clint Eastwood
  Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
  
  ) = During his turn, he may trade one card from hand with 2 cards at random from the hand of another player. (4 life points)
• Big Spencer (Bud Spencer
  Bud Spencer
  Bud Spencer is an Italian actor, filmmaker and former swimmer . He is known for past roles in spaghetti westerns together with his long time filmpartner Terence Hill...
  
  ) = He starts with 5 cards. He cannot play Missed! cards.(9 life points)
• Lee Van Kliff (Lee Van Cleef
  Lee Van Cleef
  Lee Van Cleef was an American film actor who appeared mostly in Western and action pictures. His sharp features and piercing eyes led to his being cast as a villain in scores of films such as High Noon, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and The Good The Bad and the Ugly.-Early life:Van Cleef was...
  
  ) = During his turn, he may discard one BANG! card to repeat the effect of a brown-bordered card he just played.(4 life points)
• Youl Grinner (Yul Brynner
  Yul Brynner
  Yul Brynner was a Russian-born actor of stage and film. He was best known for his portrayal of Mongkut, king of Siam, in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film version; he also played the role more than 4,500 times on...
  
  ) = Before drawing, players with more hand cards than him must give him one card of their choice.(4 life points)
• John Pain (John Wayne
  John Wayne
  Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
  
  ) = If he has less than 6 cards in hand, each time any player "draws!", John adds the card just drawn to his hand.(4 life points)
• Greygory Deck (Gregory Peck
  Gregory Peck
  Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
  
  )= At the start of his turn, he may draw 2 characters at random. He has all the abilities of the drawn characters. (4 life points)
• Gary Looter (Gary Cooper
  Gary Cooper
  Frank James Cooper, known professionally as Gary Cooper, was an American film actor. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made...
  
  ) = He draws all excess cards discarded by other players at the end of their turn.(5 life points)
• Teren Kill (Terence Hill
  Terence Hill
  Terence Hill is an Italian actor. He is best known for starring in multiple action and western films together with his longtime filmpartner Bud Spencer.-Biography:...
  
  ) = Each time he would be eliminated, he "draws!": if it is not Spades, Teren stays at 1 life point, and draws 1 card.(3 life points)

The 10 new special cards are:

• Bone Orchard = At the beginnings of their turns, all eliminated players return permanently to game with 1 life point. Shuffle role cards and the returning player takes one random role card.
• Darling Valentine = Players discard all hand cards and then draw as many they had before their phase 1 (followed by their draw).
• Dorothy Rage = During each player's turn they may force any player to play one hand card. The player calls out the name of a card. If the target player does not have the card named, he must show his hand cards. If he has the card, he has to play that card like it was his turn, but the caller chooses the target (if necessary).
• Gag = All players play without talking. Only gestures and sounds are allowed. Whoever breaks this rule lose 1 life point.
• Helena Zontoro = when Helena comes into play, "draw!": on heart or diamonds, shuffle all roles except the Sheriff and deal them out at random.
• Lady Rose Of Texas = Each player can swap place with player on his right. If he does, player on right move to place and skip his next turn.
• Miss Susanna = All players have to play at least 3 card per his turn. If not, they lose 1 life point.
• Sacagaway = All players play with their hands revealed.
• Showdown = All cards may be played as if they were Bang! cards, and all Bang! cards may be played as if they were Missed! cards.
• Wild West Show = The goal of each player becomes "Be the last one in play". Roles still apply as normal (Sheriff may not go to jail, killing an Outlaw brings the usual 3-card reward, etc.), but killing the sheriff does not end the game.

Valley of Shadows

This expansion consists of almost 20 cards, mostly playing cards and several new character cards. It will be released in September 2011 in Czech and Slovak Republic (no English translation available). It is not currently known whether it will be released in other locations. It will be released by the Czech editor ALBI check ALBI webpage.

5 new characters:

1. Limonade Jim - Eachtime any player plays BEER card, he may discard card to refill 1 life point.
2. Henry Block - Eachtime another player discards or draw card from Henry's hand or in front him, that player is target of BANG.
3. Evelyn the Bang - She may decide to not draw first card in his phase 1 to BANG any player at distance 1.
4. Colorado Bill - Eachtime any player miss Colorado's BANG, Colorado "draws" card: If it s SPADE card, last MISS is ignored and missed player lose 1 life point.
5. Mick Defender - Eachtime he is solo target non BANG of card or card's effect, he may discard MISS card to avoid it.(Jail, Cancan, Duel, ...).

5 new blue border cards:

1. shootgun - range 1, weapon - Eachtimes player is hit by BANG card from player which SHOOTGUN, that player discard 1 card of his choice from hand.
2. lemat - range 1, weapon - Any card (except MISSED! cards) can be played as BANG! card in your turn.
3. rattlesnake - Play in front any player. At beginning that player's turn, he "draws": On Spades, he loses 1 life point.
4. bounty - Play in front any player. Player that hit player with Bounty with BANG! card, draw 1 card from deck.
5. ghost - Play in front any eliminated player. That player return to game without his ability, can not grain or lose any life point. He play as normal player as long he has card GHOST in front himself.

10 new brown border cards:

1. Escape - If you solo target of card, you may discard this card to avoid that card or its effect.
2. Last beer - Can be use in game 2 last players.
3. Poker - All others players discard card. If none discard Ace card, you can draw 2 cards from discarded cards.
4. Wild Band - Others player may discard BANG! card or 2 cards from hand of his choice.
5. Saved! - Play only out of your turn. Prevent any player to lose 1 life point. In case saving before elimination, you draw 2 card from hand saved player.
6. BackFire - Count as MISSED!. Player who target you with BANG is now target as BANG.
7. Tornado - Each player pass 2 card of his choice to left player. All act at once.
8. Tomahawk - BANG at distance 2.
9. Fanning
10. Double Hit

Gold Rush

BANG! Gold Rush introduces some innovative gameplay mechanics:
- Thanks to the shadow-gunslinger game variant, player are never really out of the game. During his turn, the shadow-gunslinger temporarily re-enters the game and he can play as if he was still alive. With BANG! Gold Rush, the outcome of the match can even be determined by an eliminated player.
- Players can collect gold nuggets to buy equipment. The purchase of an "equipment" card allows you to selectively enhance your character and develop new strategies.
The box contains:

• 8 new characters
  • Don Bell
  • Dutch Will
  • Jacky Murieta
  • Josh McCloud
  • Madam Yto
  • Pretty Luzena
  • Raddie Snake
  • Simuon Picos

• 24 equipment cards
• 30 gold nuggets
• 1 “shadow-Renagade” card

It’s Gold Rush time! A cascade of gold nuggets will be the reward for the quickest gunslinger! Now you can gain new and extraordinary equipment to help you during a gunfight. But watch out for the ghastly shadow-gunslingers… they have only one single aim: to blow you away! Can you gallop your way to the richest creek?

The American Release is scheduled for early January, 2012.

El Dorado

In addition, there are also unofficial expansions, like El Dorado, designed by Jidan, available here. The first unofficial expansion for BANG!, El Dorado is an expansion that provides event cards such as in Wild West Show that can be impacted by the cards a player plays and discards. In February 2011, El Dorado was retranslated into English and modified by Martin Pulido over at The BANG! Blog. Pictures of this new English edition are available below. It is available for download.

Death Mesa

Death Mesa is an unofficial expansion to BANG! developed by Martin Pulido over at The BANG! Blog. You can order a printing of Death Mesa online. However, the cardsheets for Death Mesa are also available for free online, and can be downloaded as 1 large zip file or a series of 9 PDFs.

Death Mesa is designed to improve the element of player elimination in BANG! by having eliminated players remain in and influence the game as ghosts. BANG! is an excellent western-themed card game. However, many BANG! fans have lamented the element of player elimination. After all, it can be pretty boring waiting around 15–45 minutes for a game to end. Death Mesa creates a solution to this problem by having eliminated players remain in the game as ghosts, which are able to impact the game's outcome, help their team mates, and even succeed in their roles. Ghosts have no life points, no distance constraints, cannot die, and also draw from a specialized deck of cards called the Dead Men's Deck. Cards from this deck allow the ghosts to possess the living, bequeath items from their will, inspire or weaken others, reveal information on cards in player's hands, warn of impending doom, and so forth. Ghosts however, can spoil each other's plans. With a strong thematic background, Death Mesa should add to the fun of BANG! and draw new fans to it who could not stand the player elimination. For more information on Death Mesa, visit the BANG! Blog.

Robbers' Roost

Robbers' Roost is an unofficial BANG! expansion under development by Martin Pulido over at The BANG! Blog. The alpha version of Robbers' Roost was made available free to the public on April 26, 2011. The expansion can be downloaded as a series of 12 PDFs. Robbers' Roost is a comparable expansion to Dodge City. Besides adding 16 new characters, it also adds 56 new playing cards to BANG!, with many of them being new "orange cards," which are played differently than the others.

Orange cards can never be played on your turn. Instead, they are played at or during events on other players’ turns, as specified on each orange card. Most orange cards are designed to enhance teamplay (Deputies with the Sheriff, Outlaws amongst each other, and the Renegade with whatever group he chooses), as they only occasionally help you directly. They are also designed to speed up the game, and make you more involved in the game when it is not your turn. Thus, orange cards allow players to do actions like these: back up another player when he shoots at someone, push a player out of harm's way when he is shot at (or dive and take a hit for him), confiscate a card in play in front of a player for a round, give a card from your hand to another player, shoot at a player when he shoots at someone else, add/remove distance modifiers to another player for a round, taunt another player which forces him to shoot at you if he can, and so forth.

Orange cards are placed face down in front of you whenever they are acquired. You may look at them whenever you wish, but they are not for the eyes of other players. When you use orange cards at the appropriate events, flip the card over and do as it specifies. There is a “grace period” when orange cards are played. As long as they are played in a timely manner, they count. If orange cards are laid quickly in succession of one another, treat them as simultaneous. Thus, if 1 orange card is contrary to another, they are nullified. However, if the orange cards are the same, temporality dictates the order and validity of the cards.

Orange cards may be directly discarded. However, they cannot be directly stolen. When a player attempts to steal an orange card, the orange cards are brought into your hand, shuffled, and then a card is randomly stolen from your hand instead. Afterwards, place down your remaining orange cards.

While the orange cards function in the above specified way at the beginning of the game, some of them change when the game reduces to 2 players or your team is eliminated. Orange cards that are designed to solely help team mates provide an option to function as different cards in these situations. Their optional function is specified in the bottom right hand corner of the card. They are placed face down like usual, but these optional functions can only be used on your turn. Altered play is activated for the following: for an Outlaw when he is the last of his team remaining; for a Sheriff when there are no Deputies or Renegades remaining; for Renegades, Sheriffs, and Outlaws when there are only 2 players remaining. Finally, the addition of orange cards also affects card limits. Every player is allowed 1 extra card to their limit, as long as that 1 card is orange. After this card, all orange cards contribute to your limit.

Robber's Roost also adds a large variety of new character cards that will continue to provide a balance between defensive, offensive, and neutral abilities. Some of the characters will have some really unique abilities that are unlike any BANG! characters from before. Some examples of Robbers' Roost characters are provided below. For more information on Robbers' Roost, visit the BANG! Blog.

Bang! The Bullet!

In 2007, a deluxe version of Bang!, called Bang! The Bullet!, was released. http://www.bang.cz/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=1277#1277

This set included three of the official expansions, High Noon, Dodge City, and A Fistful of Cards, along with several extras:

• A Sheriff's Badge
• Three special character cards:
  • Uncle Will - Once during his turn, he may play any card from hand as a General Store. This card is a reference to Will Niebling, former CEO of Mayfair Games
    Mayfair Games
    Mayfair Games is a publisher of board, card, and roleplaying games. They also license German-style board games and publish them in English throughout the world...
    
     (which published the game in the USA until 2008).
  • Johnny Kisch - Each time he puts a card into play, all other cards in play with the same name are discarded. This card is a reference to Jo Nikisch, CEO of Abacus Spiele, the German publisher of the game.
  • Claus "The Saint" - He draws one more card than the number of players, keeps 2 for himself, then gives 1 to each player. This card was a bonus, "unglued" card originally included in the online daVinci newsletter. The author considers this card to be quite unbalanced and not suited for serious play
• Two additional High Noon cards:
  • New Identity - At the beginning of their turn each player looks at the character he is using to keep track of his life points. He may switch to the new identity for the rest of the game, starting with 2 life points.
  • Handcuffs - After drawing his cards in phase 1, the player whose turn it is names a suit: he can only play cards of that suit during his turn.
• Two blank cards - one for a character and one for a normal card.

The game included in the Bullet follows the 3rd edition rules of the basic game and the 2nd edition rules of Dodge City.

Bang! The Video Game

On October 29, 2009, Palzoun entertainment (which acquired the official license from DaVinci Games) officially announced the development of Bang! The Card Game into a video game. The game will be developed in partnership with SpinVector.

During the Lucca Comics&Games 2010 Palzoun has announced that BANG! The Official Videogame would have been available on Christmas 2010 on different platforms, including iPhone, iPad, Samsung Wave (BADA), PC and Atom Netbook (APPUP). The iPhone App has been published on the iTunes App Store on December 18, 2010. A console version was also expected to arrive in March 2011 but has been delayed.

With a future update, Bang! The Video Game will be the first video game ever to support the "MULTICROSS-PLATFORM", an online infrastructure which will permit the players to play against each other regardless of the platform possessed.

A live action trailer of the game was released on November 2, 2010.

External links

• BANG! the Official Video Game
• dV Games (formerly daVinci Editrice) official website
• FAQ, Editions, Designer's notes and other info at the author's personal website
• BANG!cz {en,cz} : Eldorado, MartinCity, BANG! Card Generator, Forum, Downloads and more
• The BANG! Blog: Death Mesa, Robbers' Roost, character strategy guides, card explanations, variants, modding, and more