Previously, we looked at how Wargames Atlantic plastics could be used to represent warriors from each of the Seven Kingdoms. This time, I want to take that idea further and focus on Byland.
Or rather, what is left of it.
The Broken Warhost of Byland is an idea I keep coming back to while working on the Warhost lore. It has everything I enjoy in a project like this: a strong visual theme, plenty of room for kitbashing, and the chance to build a force that should feel quite different on the tabletop.
The ideas for the Broken Warhost are mine, but Steve Beckett is once again doing the hard work at the bench. He has been snipping, gluing, converting, and painting the Wargames Atlantic plastics to a fantastic standard, taking my notes and turning them into miniatures that already feel like they belong in Byland.
This is not a proud, uniform army.
It is a warhost made from survivors.
When the Gate fell for a second time and Byland burned, the kingdom’s armies were broken. The survivors were scattered across the frontier, while the land they had once guarded became the bloodiest front line in the Circle.
What remains is a hard-bitten mix of riders, fyrd, archers, camp followers, shepherds, foreign sellswords, and grim officials still trying to keep the Kingdom of Byland alive in more than name.
They are not fighting because victory feels close.
They are fighting because the alternative is letting Byland disappear.
The Feel of the Warhost
On the tabletop, I want the Broken Warhost to feel both desperate and dangerous.
The riders are the hard edge of the force. They are the last of Byland’s scouts and outriders, now turned into elite hunters. They know the tracks, river crossings, ruined farms, and broken roads better than anyone.
They can strike quickly, hit a weak point, and pull back before the enemy can pin them down. But they are not just light troops. When they have to, they can hold their own in a straight fight.
Around them are the Broken Fyrd. Farmers, smiths, herdsmen, and local fighters who once answered their lord’s shield call. Now they fight because there is no one else left.
Some are armoured. Some are not. Some still carry proper weapons, while others have taken whatever they could find.
Then there are the camp followers, the shepherds clutching slings, and others who have simply been dragged into the fighting. They are not trained warriors, and they should not look like them.
For me, these are the people who give the force its humanity. They have homes, families, and everything else to lose. They are not soldiers marching towards some glorious last stand. They are ordinary people trying to survive and stop what is left of their kingdom from being taken from them.
The foreign sellswords bring something different again. I like the idea that not everyone fighting for Byland is actually from Byland. Some have come for coin. Some because of old loyalties. Others know that if the Orcs are not stopped here, the rest of the Circle will suffer for it.
The Banners
The banners are one of the most important parts of the project.
The old banners of Byland are still being carried. Torn, smoke-stained, and patched, but never laid down. They still show the old white gate of Byland and, to the survivors, they have become something close to sacred.
“So long as one banner stands, Byland endures.”
That line sums up the whole force for me.
For the miniatures, I want one mounted banner for the Veteran Riders and one on foot for the Fyrd. I am hoping we can use the banners from the Barons’ War Command frame, although they may need some extra work to give them the right presence.
If that does not work, Steve is more than capable of making the centrepieces we need.
These banners cannot look like decoration. They need to look like relics. The sort of thing people would fight and die to keep standing.
The Reckoner
Another key part of the Warhost will be a Byland Reckoner, sculpted by Paul Hicks. I plan to use his new sculpt armed with a two-handed axe.
He gives the force a strong centrepiece.
The Reckoner represents law, judgement, and order in a land where all three have almost collapsed. His role is to witness what is happening in the Bylands and make sure it is not lost, forgotten, or quietly written out of the record.
His guard will also carry two-handed axes and shields. They are elite warriors tasked with keeping him alive. Their shields will carry Byland heraldry and a gold circle to show their role and status within the Warhost.
I really like the contrast this creates. Much of the force is ragged and worn down by what has happened. The Reckoner and his guard are different. They represent what is left of Byland’s authority, still trying to hold its ground while everything around it falls apart.
Building the Miniatures
This is where the Wargames Atlantic plastic sets really come into their own.
The test miniatures Steve has already built show how much character you can get by mixing parts between the different frames. That is exactly what this project needs.
The Veteran Rider uses parts from the Barons’ War Mounted Serjeants, Dark Age Cavalry, Light Horse, Peasant Levy, and Foot Knights frames.
That combination gives him the right look. He is clearly a proper mounted warrior, but his equipment has been repaired, replaced, and added to over time.
The Broken Fyrd are even more varied. Some use Barons’ War Foot Serjeant bodies with Peasant Levy arms and Dark Age heads. Others use Goth Warrior parts, cloaks, daggers, shields, and whatever else fits.
They should not look like a single uniform unit. The variety is the point.
The Camp Followers and Shepherds use the same approach. Goth Warrior bodies mixed with Barons’ War Peasant Levy arms, pouches, knives, and Dark Age heads give them the rough, practical look I want. They should look like ordinary people who have been forced to fight.
The Serevarra Sellswords are slightly different. Using Barons’ War Foot Serjeant and Foot Knight parts, together with a Dark Age Irish cloak and a Dark Age Army Builder head, makes them look better equipped and more professional.
They should stand apart from the Bylanders without looking as though they belong to a completely different army.
Rules and Next Steps
The rules for the Warhost will start with the Human list from the sourcebook.
From there, we will add new warrior types and custom rules for Byland, then playtest them to see whether the force feels right on the table.
I want the Broken Warhost to feel urgent and fragile, but incredibly stubborn. Its leaders are people who refuse to give in. Its warriors have been beaten, scattered, and pushed back, but they are still fighting.
The next steps are straightforward. Finish the conversions. Paint the key units. Finalise the custom rules for Byland. Then get the force onto the table and adjust anything that does not work in play.
The Broken Warhost of Byland gives us the chance to build a force that comes directly from the setting, has its own character, and should be great fun to put together and play.
It is battered, stubborn, and still standing.
And as long as one banner remains above the ruins, Byland is not finished.
Look out for more updates soon.
