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Miniatures Adventure => Medieval Adventures => Topic started by: Dukewilliam on July 02, 2025, 08:25:07 PM

Title: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Dukewilliam on July 02, 2025, 08:25:07 PM
Men,

As the title says, looking for the small skirmish rules until I have enough guys painted to play the big skirmish rules.

Any extras lying around? Any sites you can direct me to?

Any help appreciated; will gladly pay shipping and any reasonable request if anyone has a magazine copy just sitting there.

Thanks,
Steve

Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: anevilgiraffe on July 03, 2025, 10:48:19 AM
I got mine directly from Wargames Illustrated...

https://www.wargamesillustrated.net/store-category/never-mind-the-billhooks/
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Wilgut Spleens on July 03, 2025, 07:51:54 PM
Hello,

For all things Ruckus, including a hard copy of the rules, go to Wargames Illustrated https://www.wargamesillustrated.net/games/heres-the-ruckus/

There is some extra free content on the FB page which is the best place to find out what is happening in the busy Ruckus community https://www.facebook.com/groups/herestheruckus

or if you don't do Facebook, you will find most additional content here https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/429176/never-mind-the-billhooks-heres-the-ruckus

I hope that helps, you can always DM me here if you have any queries-Mike
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Legiox217 on July 04, 2025, 01:37:42 AM
If I remember correctly, Wargames Illustrated would not ship it to the States, and I got physical copy from Northstar along with the tokens and such.
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Dukewilliam on July 05, 2025, 04:27:26 PM
No, they do not ship to the US.

I found it through North Star but shipping is more than double the cost of the book.

Hopefully, someone will find their freebie and be willing to part with it, if not, no biggie, I can always use One Hour Skirmish rules.

Thanks,
Steve
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Wilgut Spleens on July 05, 2025, 07:12:48 PM
You can get it as a pdf from the website
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Legiox217 on July 05, 2025, 09:15:08 PM
No, they do not ship to the US.

I found it through North Star but shipping is more than double the cost of the book.



Yeah, it is pretty rough. "On Military Matters" has it in the states for $15 USD which isn't completely outrageous considering the travel time and availability if shipping wasn't charged, but its about $10 to ship, making the North Star option actually cheaper (about $25 vs $22 from North Star for me personally Stateside).

If you ever shop at Northstar, I would advise waiting until you are ready to place an order and tack that on, as it is very cheap when not accounting for the shipping costs purely solely for that item. I'll let you know if I can think of another solution for you..
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Dukewilliam on July 07, 2025, 04:00:40 AM
I just learned the issue of WI that contained the rules set was just this June! I'd assumed when I posted my OP that the rules were several years old. (I just watched a YouTube video about them.) That's why I though there might be old copies lying around. I guess I jumped the gun!

Steve
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Legiox217 on July 07, 2025, 09:08:13 AM
I just learned the issue of WI that contained the rules set was just this June! I'd assumed when I posted my OP that the rules were several years old. (I just watched a YouTube video about them.) That's why I though there might be old copies lying around. I guess I jumped the gun!

Steve

I thought it was around longer than that too. From a blog I am reading, he is saying the rules were included with the May 2024 copy of WI #247. You may have been on to something, keep an eye out for an old copy of that  lol
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: NurgleHH on July 07, 2025, 10:52:31 AM
You can get it as a pdf from the website
Where? I can't find it.
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: anevilgiraffe on July 07, 2025, 12:42:38 PM
I thought it was around longer than that too. From a blog I am reading, he is saying the rules were included with the May 2024 copy of WI #247. You may have been on to something, keep an eye out for an old copy of that  lol

issue 437 in May 2024, according to the blurb for issue 438 https://www.wargamesillustrated.net/product/wi438-june-2024/

Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Legiox217 on July 07, 2025, 06:56:57 PM
issue 437 in May 2024, according to the blurb for issue 438 https://www.wargamesillustrated.net/product/wi438-june-2024/

Cheers, must have been a typo, 437 it is. May be loose copies from that laying around, or possibly an unopened one somewhere..
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Cat on July 07, 2025, 07:03:35 PM
Puzzlement, I saw something recently... [internetting, internetting]... ah offered free along with a direct webstore order of WI450, June 2025.
 
But WI don't ship direct to US.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/billhooks/posts/2064709244357615/
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Wilgut Spleens on July 10, 2025, 01:30:58 PM
Where? I can't find it.
https://www.wargamesillustrated.net/games/heres-the-ruckus/  you have to be a Prime member to access the pdf
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Wilgut Spleens on July 10, 2025, 01:33:02 PM
These are the issues of Wargames Illustrated that carry the Ruckus main rules and the various supplements.The game was originally published in May 2024 and given away with Issue 437

Wi437 - Main rules
Wi438 - Campaign rules
Wi441 - Mounted rules
Wi443 - Mercenaries and Specailist Retainers
Wi446- Peasants
Wi 450- Robin Hood

 There are a few more supplements such as the Irish Retinue and several scenarios available as Files inthe Ruckus FB group.
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Legiox217 on July 11, 2025, 02:10:36 AM
These are the issues of Wargames Illustrated that carry the Ruckus main rules and the various supplements.The game was originally published in May 2024 and given away with Issue 437

Wi437 - Main rules
Wi438 - Campaign rules
Wi441 - Mounted rules
Wi443 - Mercenaries and Specailist Retainers
Wi446- Peasants
Wi 450- Robin Hood

 There are a few more supplements such as the Irish Retinue and several scenarios available as Files inthe Ruckus FB group.


Very interesting how much is missing from the rules that are sold, such as the glaringly absent campaign. I understand these were post-release naturally, but I wonder if it will get the "Deluxe" Treatment when the dust settles...? Its a very neat looking game, having only flipped through it, but as a fan of smaller sized games, any ruleset that requires 50 or less figures per side piques my interest :) This one hovering around the single digit figure count makes it seem a no-brainer to try out for anyone with the time and a handful of figs ;) Oh, and a copy of the rules... :( Although with how scattered they are, I'd bank on a compilation at some point (unless the interest or production slot just isn't there)
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Wilgut Spleens on July 11, 2025, 01:05:10 PM

Actually, nothing is missing from the “rules as sold”, it is a complete game set in the Wars of the Roses and can be played as it is with no extras required. The challenge with producing the rules as free give away with Wargames Illustrated was that they had to be restricted to 32 pages as that is the largest document that can be attached to the magazine. This resulted in some creative editing and use of space and even then some details have to be accessed from the website. There was always going to have to be a compromise, and I think we made the best of it.

The idea behind publishing in this way was that folk who subscribe to the magazine would get a free set of rules that new supplements would be added to with subsequent issues, which is exactly what has happened. Regular players who subscribe to the magazine are delighted with the format.

The future will see the publication of the BIG book of Ruckus which should weigh in at 180-200 pp and may well be a compilation of the present material with revised Campaign rules as this is the easiest and cheapest option. However, all the printed material will only come to 70 or so pp and there is an awful lot of Ruckus that has not yet made it into print, the HYW supplement, the many various Retinues- the Irish, Spanish, German, Swiss, Hussites, the movie style Retinues, the Reivers, the Pirates, the Crusades. So, what will actually be produced is still very much up for debate.

One things for sure, Ruckus is not going away…
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Legiox217 on July 11, 2025, 07:48:50 PM
Hey Wilgut - Wow! Amazing clarification and summary to get me up to speed. Apologies if my post had come off as rude due to ignorance on the entire subject, and my wishful thinking towards Ruckus evolving into some sort of "Big Book" so to speak, like Billhooks Deluxe! I am glad my suspicions were correct ;) Great news all around. I have my copy from Northstar along with NMtBD and tokens etc, so know the game is worth keeping an eye on.

The WI trickling out model is very neat indeed, even brilliant, it seems quite an engaging system to keep folks looking forward to more content for a game that they received for free. I imagine in the UK, where most serious wargamers have a subscription, this is quite a treat and something that keeps the community and small groups of friends going with the system, keeping the period interest and providing more excuses to get the figures out! I must be subconsciously jealous of this setup and blocked it from entering my mind  lol  ;D

Just knowing it is sticking around and only going to get better, with more content, is definitely a motivator to take a more serious look at the more fun and personal-sized painting batches :) I will continue to keep LARPing as a wargamer across the pond here with my magazine scraps  lol I may even be able to convince a non-period buddy to have a go at it.

Guess I need to grab a couple dozen Front Rank HYW now, just when I thought their entire WotR range had covered the bases ;)
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Wilgut Spleens on July 12, 2025, 07:01:44 AM
Yes, the Front Rank figures are perfect for skirmish games, characterful sculpts with animated poses!

Don’t worry I didn’t think you were being rude, and my intention is just to clarify the situation.  There is actually a new Ruckus project that we are working on now that I am not a liberty to say too much about, but I can tell you that it will be out before the end of this year and will be another 32 page stand alone game of Ruckus set in a different theatre. This is essentially a rewrite /release of the original game.

One of the challenges with working with Wi is that they are a surprisingly small company with limited resources and they always have to prioritise the magazine. This makes it difficult to set out a timetable and projects like Ruckus and Billhooks get worked on after the next issue is ready for press, so for a few frantic days at the end of each month we are all busy editing taking pics and discussing lay outs etc. My role is the easiest, I just have to write it!
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Legiox217 on July 20, 2025, 04:53:19 AM
I appreciate all the challenges involved in keeping the game going in such a manner, and its certainly an especially exciting on-going treat for all those involved! I'm sure a bunch of groups have rallied around these rules for some small personal encounters. It seems like this will likely be one of the few games I look to in the future for small scale skirmish - and I seriously hope to see a "Deluxe" edition compiled in however many years time. I can't find anything else that comes too close for my purposes. The size of the battles and scope of the overall game is something I take interest in. If the game can be scaled up just a bit, maybe to 20-30 figures, I think it would cover almost all my needs, as NMtBH and Lion Rampant for example are both great looking games, but a bit outside my painting limits for a both-sides collector. Of course this a specific personal requirement I have set on myself  and the long-term goal would be to achieve the figure counts required :D I've got my eye on Écorcheurs as well which seems like it may fit neatly into the gap (figure count wise) between those two games and this one.
Exciting stuff, keep up the great writing ;)
Title: Re: NMtB Ruckus? Where can I find it?
Post by: Wilgut Spleens on July 23, 2025, 06:26:55 AM
Thank you , if you go to the FB group you will see that the latest "freebie" is the Robin Hood Supplement which features Retinues of 30 or so Characters. This lends a different aspect to the game but it works perfectly well