I've had a think about the idea of doing the Anglo-Scots border reivers under HOTT and come up with the following lists covering a raiding party and a pursuing "hot trod":

1x Rider General (The Warden and his men)
8x Riders (Border horse)
1x Beasts (Slewe dogges)
2x Warband (Plumps of watchmen)

Stronghold: a castle, bastle or pele tower.

The Warden could be either a Scot or and Englishmen and actually a march warden or one of the lesser officers such as the Keeper of Annandale. His element will include some of his men one of whom carries a lump of burning turf on his spearhead to signify that a "hot trod" is taking place.

The other riders are borderers called out to join the trod. They are probably reivers themselves at other times.

Slewe dogges are hounds used for tracking the evading reiver party.

The "plumps" of watchmen are paid lookouts. They could be Blades if armed with Jeddart staves (a kind of glaive-like weapon originally made in Jedburgh). Spears are another alternative as are Hordes especially if they represent Border townsmen summoned to join the trod - they were supposed to do this or risk being declared in league with the reivers.

A bastle or bastell house is a two storey fortified farmhouse accessed by a removeable ladder to its only door. A pele (various spellings) is a higher tower often with an outer wall or barmkin.

1x Rider General (Border heidman)
8x Riders (Reivers)
1x Shooters (dismounted reivers with latches or firearms)
1x Lurkers (ambushing latches or muskets)
1x Sneakers (dismounted reiver party with ladders)

Stronghold: herd of lifted cattle, sheep and/or swine.

The heidman is the head of a reiver family. They often had wonderful nicknames - Nebless Clem and Jok Pot the Bastard are particular favourites.

Latches are light crossbows.

The party with ladders represents the sort of group who sprang Kinmont Willie from Carlisle Castle but might equally be used to penetrate a bastle from the roof.

So, there you have it. No Hero Generals here unless you have a thoroughly romantic view of the period. They are almost historical lists but somehow HotT seems the most appropriate way of doing the Reivers.

A campaign involving the Border reivers can be found here.

The following sites offer more information:

http://fightingspirit3.homestead.com/REIVERSPART1.html
http://www.nwlink.com/~scotlass/border.htm

Back to The Stronghold