[HoE] Lethargic combat

["R. Michael Dukes" <jedi@gatem02.netusa1.net>]

Hi all!  I've been playing Deadlands since it first came out and am
preparing to begin Hell on Earth, but there is something that's been
bugging me since the very beginning... slow combat.
  See, everything goes very well until combat starts and then things
seem to take forever and it bogs the entire game down.  Perhaps I've
been spoiled by the fast and furious combat systems of STARWARS and
INDIANA JONES... who knows.  I've pinpointed numerous little things
which contribute to this slow exchange: 1-My posse has an annoying
tendancy to roll one die at a time rather than all at once(No more)
2-The huckster likes to take his sweet time with his hexes and
continually has to look up the effects in the book(Gonna remedy it) 3-We
have five people playing and it takes a while for all their actions to
be played especially if I'm running numerous bad guys(Working on it)
  
I'm thinking of lowering the max number of cards to three rather than
five and possibly eliminating stun checks.  That should help some. 
Anybody have a similar problem or any advice?  I seriously considered
stopping the game because I was growing so frustrated.  Help me see the
error of my ways!! :)

			Thanks all,

                     Mike Dukes