Kitbashing Turcopoles-WGA Light Horses

 

pic Icon of a Saint equipped as a Turcopole St Catherine’s Monastery, Sinai, late 13th century

One marvellous thing about the modern hobby is the advent of plastic multipart kits, these little beauties open a wide world of kit bashing possibilities. This is particularly true at the moment with so many manufacturers putting out such a wide range of figures from all eras and theatres of war. The recent increase in interest in the Medieval period has led to an eruption of plastic figures all excellent grist to the mill of any kit basher.

After kit bashing Turcopoles on foot  for my Templar Retinue see previous post https://wilgut.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-brotherhood-of-poor-knights-of.html I wanted to create the same figures but in their more natural role as Light Cavalry,   Mounted Characters in Ruckus terms

Variety is the spice of life or so it is said and it is certainly true of skirmish games where each figure represents an individual person, having them each distinctly different helps not only to recognise them on the table but adds a certain narrative quality. Every figure tells a story…

Having already kit bashed these figures I was able to replicate them as their mounted versions by simply using the rider legs from the GB Arab Light Cavalry set however, I wanted to make them a little different from the mounted archers I had already made by using different steeds. 

I chose to use WGA Light Horses. This is a lovely little kit with many possibilities. I think its better than the previous General Accoutrements “Horses” set in that these steeds have a narrower girth… the previous set are very wide and only the most straddle legged hombre can sit upon them without considerable surgery!

 Nice clean plastic with minimal cast lines or excess plastic and sharp mouldings, a treat to work with

Beautifully sculpted flowing manes and tails. The reins setup is a bit fiddly at first, but you soon get used to it, I found it easiest to dry fit first, then stick the “plate” of the rein bit to the neck of the horse, allow this to dry before fixing to the body.

You may have to try them all out to find which head goes with which set of reins...or at least I had to!

I wanted to make the horses look a bit more “of the time” and so extended the saddle blanket with green stuff and added a horsetail decoration to the harness. The horsetail came from a Victrix Islamic Cavalry standard 

For this one I added the “disc of crescents” from the standard to the front harness and the horse tails to the side harnesses 

This horse was painted as a dappled grey bay 

   Based with sand painted with Citadel Zandri Dust and Ushabti Bone

Tufts are Gamers Grass

  I like this horse the best, it’s a lovely posture and stance although I think I could have done a better paint job, the shading is a little too dark…

I cocked up the shield a little too! The writing is much clearer on the foot version 

This horse is done with the Wargames Foundry Buff triad

I think for this figure, the dropped loose reins are perfect 

A brown horse! This was painted with the Citadel Mournfang range 

 I like the effect of the disc and horse tails

 

The tricky bit! Replicating what I did with the shield! A nightmare as I could not remember what colours I had used!

A fair match, I think…

…until you compare the shields…WOoops!

I did a better job with this shield

I had to kit bash a figure to represent this Footsore figure, I think I got it close enough

I think they look grand! Now I am thinking that I may have to create some more... exactly the same but wielding lances for when they are “Arm’d for Combat”

They also make me want to create some more to be horse archers in my Ayyubid Retinue

Assassins and Templars-What is it? What is it all about? Where can you get it?

 

Assassins and Templars -what’s it all about?

Assassins and Templars is a Ruckus game depicting the furious and deadly conflict between these two rival fanatical orders in Palestine in the twelfth century. I have always enjoyed reading about the Crusades, the history is fascinating, the disparity in the forces involved both in terms of numbers and fighting systems, the intricate and everchanging politics as different European and Islamic forces appear in the region each with their own motives and histories, the Religious fervour that profoundly pervades all in involved. These factors combined with finite resources, and few safe havens allows for a myriad of scenario possibilities.

And then there are the two fanatical military orders of warrior monks, the Shia Nizaris, otherwise known as the Assassins and the Templars, divided by their Religion however remarkably similar in their devotion to training, improving their skill at arms, their horsemanship and their devotion to God.

My interest in the Crusades probably stems from reading the Graham Shelby novels “the Knights of Dark Renown” and “The Kings of Vain Intent” as a teenager. These are excellent books that stick pretty closely to the history and provide a good understanding of the politics. I have always thought a good game could be created dealing with the political situation alone. European powers in a foreign land with long histories of rivalry dealing with a common enemy and always constrained by lack of resources, being outnumbered and a Popes edict that prevents them from raising a hand against each other. Shelby neatly conveys these aspects of the conflict.

Despite enjoying the history of the Crusades I had no plans to take Ruckus there, I have never gamed it and had no figures or terrain. My intent has always been to progress and develop Ruckus through European history to the early Pike and Shot period terminating with Pirates, surely the ultimate setting for Ruckus! With this in mind I have written the rules for eighteen Retinues and thirty scenarios and have been working towards the BIG Book of Ruckus.

And then Wargames Illustrated threw me a curve ball…Assassins and Templars.

 Wi introduced me to Steve Tibble, professor of history and expert on both the Assassins and Templars. Steve has written several books on both Orders and his “the Crusader Armies” is a must buy for any gamer with an interest in the period.

 Steve and I got on famously and established an immediate rapport he is a very likeable and friendly man and of course an excellent resource for someone writing a game about his favourite subject. The opportunity to write a game about it proved irresistible.

I wrote the initial A and T rules in one day. It took two weeks to refine them and three months of playtesting to ensure they work and construct scenarios.

Although both games share the same rules A and T differs from Ruckus in many ways

A and T is a standalone game, complete with Mounted Combat rules designed to be a separate entity from Ruckus, you do not need a copy of Ruckus to play A and T.

It’s a much earlier period, it is set in the period between the first and second Crusade, the Kingdom of Jerusalem period and because it is an earlier period armour is lighter, weapons tend to be one handed, shields are more common

It focuses on one theatre of war...the Levant which has a distinctly different landscape and weather, it is hot and dry, very few rivers, no streams and hardly any forested areas. These conditions are covered by the “This Accursed Hell Hole” rules which are published in the same magazine in an article entitled Fighting in Outremer

The game focuses on one aspect of that one theatre of war, the Templars and the Assassins so there are two distinctly different Retinues with very different attributes.

Both Retinues contain Fanatics who never test their will to fight, they will never surrender, they will never run away. They know that to be captured means death, these guys hated each other, and this was war to the knife. 

Gripping Beast plastics make a great Nizari Retinue

The Assassins are lightly armoured, highly skilled and very dangerous.

They have a special skill Hujum, that allows them to get a free attack on their opponent ...if they don’t Mishap!

They have an ability to avoid strikes in melee

They have poisoned blades which doubles their chance of inflicting a wound from a successful hit

They pay no penalty for changing from missile to melee weapons

They are skilled horse men

this Templar Retinue consists of a mix of Footsore and WGA

The Templars are also decked out with a plentiful array of skills, but they are more similar to Ruckus Retinues, and I used existing Ruckus Rules to create them

They were very good fighters. Their lives were dedicated to two things, the worship of God and increasing their skill at arms

This is reflected in their skills, they are hard to hurt- they shrug off injuries, ignoring the effect of wounds, although they are not immortal- they still die of course!

These fanatical warrior Monks are born in the saddle riders with Powerful Charge and Equestrian skills which reflect the real Templars renowned ability- the Charge. One thing that is probably not so well known about them is unlike their European equivalents their charges were well controlled. They did not get carried away in pursuit of defeated foes. They were very disciplined fighters.  

The rules have had a few changes and adjustments from the original set and feature a new rule which is the Prowess Test. Now instead of rolling beneath a Characters Prowess to use a Perk or above an Opponent’s Prowess to Forfeit their Activation, Characters take a Prowess test. Roll a d6 add the Character’s Prowess and score 7 or more to pass. This method has several advantages, it’s easy to remember, it means that rolling high is always good and it can be adjusted with other factors for occasions when the test might be easier or harder to pass 

Wi editor Dan Faulconbridge did an excellent job of somehow fitting the Mounted Character rules into the game and generally resolving a few issues as well as taking some brilliant pictures.

Unlike Ruckus A and T has no Skills development, instead Characters come ready formed and fully developed. Players are welcome to try and mix and match the two games but beware, these Retinues are already very strong, any additional Skills will skew the game considerably, make it more complex and will slow game play

Buy Wi 455 and you get Assassins and Templars for free! If you don’t want to own the magazine you can buy the rules separately for the bargain price of £5.99 but you will miss out on a magazine which is packed with A and T goodies including a scenario and the “Oh this Damned Hell Hole” rules

  A and T cards are available too at £8

Matthew Bickley has sculpted some figures specifically for the game they are available from Wi, North Star and Gripping Beast and they are

GiM 83 - Walter de Mesnil (one eye) on the right

GiM 84 - Roger de Lacy (drawing sword) on the left

GiM 85 - Abu’l-Fath (running) second from right

GiM 86 - Alwan ibn Harar (cloak) second from left

GB are selling two ‘Ready Made Retinues’

 

The Templars set from Gripping Beast consists of all metal figures including six mounted figures and retails at £55

the  Gripping Beast Assassin set features metal and plastic figures, goes for £35 and contains five mounted figures.

Both sets include the (relevant) GiM figures.

Wargames Illustrated 455 is an Assassin and Templars Special and contains

- Steve’s introduction to the history of Assassins and Templars .

- A short interview with Steve about his book

- My guide to how I painted my A&T figures

- An article on A&T 'Battlefield Essentials' by Dan i.e. what figures are available, and where to buy scenery.

- The Ambassador Scenario (which includes the ‘Accursed Hell Hole’ rules)

 

There will also be a digital, pdf, version of the game available on the Wi site to Prime members. There will be extra scenarios available from the site and regular A and T updates/additional material.

Right...now it’s back to the keyboard and on with the BIG book!

wargamesillustrated

https://www.grippingbeast.co.uk/Assassins_Templars--category--1223.html

https://www.northstarfigures.com/list.php?man=125&page=1

https://footsoreminiatures.co.uk/? 

BIG Ruckus IV

 

Bristol Independent Wargaming an excellent venue for a tourney!

A splendid day was had by all at the latest BIG Ruckus, which was notable for its cosmopolitan air.  We had players from all over the place, Telford, Tewkesbury, Poole, Swindon, Bath even that there London (I didn’t ask which bit), I think it’s fantastic that folk are prepared to travel to play my game. I felt flattered and a teeny bit humbled.

The Retinues were also well travelled. As well as the usual WotR standard Ruckus bands we had two Spanish Retinues, Irish, Robin Hood and his Merry Men, Fighting Monks, the Big Bad Barons Men and even Blackadder and company.

Unfortunately, two players couldn’t make it, I hope you are both feeling better now, which meant that I had to take a place myself, which meant that I had a great day of fun, but was unable to circulate answering questions and taking pics. Fortunately, Ruckus players are quite able to look after themselves and there were very few questions for me to answer, in fact, if I had just been in the TO role I would have soon become bored! I did forget to take pics of the various Retinues though…d’oh! and the obligatory group photo...

The BIG Bad Baron and Henchmen

I fielded the Big Bad Barons Retinue and had a great day of Ruckus!  My first fight was against the Irish of Thomas Johnston, an excellent game, a real nail biter, which I lost quite decisively in the end. Thomas is a Ruckus newbie, but he has a firm grasp of the game play and took an early lead in the tourney…the Irish are my favourite Retinue and he used them very well.

The Baron became an early target for pesky Kerns who took it in turns to run up, hurl a  javelin or charge into melee. The Baron took an early Wound from this behaviour but took out three Kerns who charged him...

...he then dealt a killer blow to the Chief of Kerns

However in the centre field Tom's Captain, Stanley was taking out my squires...

...one at a time...

...before winning the final duel 

The Irish are an excellent attacking Retinue and Tom played to their strengths, a well deserved victor

The first game of the day is always Ruckus staple "Get Orf Moi Laaand!" but the two games after lunch, a very fine BIG lunch, can be one of several different scenarios

 Urban Brawl, an encounter game where the Retinues meet with all kinds of adventures in the buildings

  A more rural version of the same

The nearer board was the setting for "Fog of War" a devilish game of being lost and seperated...everyone expressed their displeasure at this scenario which makes me think its a keeper

"Take the Bridge" a deadly meeting engagement with one goal

 "A River runs through it" a game of ambushes and Outlaws

pic Flasheart is ambushed by a drunk Man at Arms in the Smithy in Urban Brawl

Next, I played the very affable Pete O’Loughlin who brought Blackadder to the table. Pete had sent me his idea for this Retinue a month or two ago and we agreed a set of rules for them, they are very flavourful and have positive and negative traits to reflect the roles of the various characters on screen. I particularly like the idea of Baldrick carrying an arrow with his name on it in the belief that if he owns the arrow with his name on it, he can’t be shot by it! This was a very close game that we had to call a draw in the end as we were the only two still playing and I had to admin the other games results.

My final game of the day was against the ever cheerful Chris Foster and his band of Merry Men which I won somehow! This was fun game of ambushes by Peasants and featured the glorious sight of Robin Hood running away from an enraged mob of the Poor that he is supposed to help!

Another Ambush!

I scored very highly in my first game, thanks to the Baron, and so after three games found myself in the lead and the potentially embarrassing position of winning my own Tourney. Luckily, I was pipped at the post, and the eventual winners beat me by a clear three points. Note to self…if this circumstance should arise again, play as a place holder and do not score your own results…

Marcus Lane and Richard Fox tied for first place, Richard gallantly decide that Marcus should take the main prize as Marcus had beaten Richard in their game, both players of course, recieved prizes.

In what was a close fought contest, Lloyd Lewis won the prize for the best painted Retinue for his gorgeous Spanish Retinue, I wish I had a pic to post

Peter O’Loughlin quite rightly won a prize for the most unusual Retinue

Lloyd Lewis bore away the “Most Supportive Player” award.

Best of all I made some new friends and had fun with old mates, all had a great day, and I personally cannot wait for the next one!

BIG Ruckus V will be held at Bristol Independent Gaming on Sunday 23rd November 2025