Never Mind the Billhooks: Here’s the Ruckus, better known as Ruckus, is a Medieval skirmish game of narrative-heavy tabletop battles. It is inspired and influenced by Andy Callan’s ruleset, Never Mind the Billhooks (Billhooks), but while there are key similarities it is not a direct expansion to Andy’s Game.

Ruckus allows players to step into the shoes of a Captain and take charge of a small retinue of warriors, leading them through gritty, granular, tactically challenging, story-driven, and fun-laden skirmish encounters.

The Ruckus ruleset is as suited to quick pick-up games as it is to lengthy campaign clashes, and it features systems that ensure that no two games are the same. Character generation and advancement, along with scenario-driven gameplay, bring a treasure trove of gaming opportunities. The game prioritises having fun over simulating warfare or seeking period accuracy, but, should that be your cup of tea, you’ll find it easy to apply historical realism to your games, too.

This freebie version of Ruckus is set in the Wars of the Roses, just as the first free realise of Billhooks was. This was a time of misrule, lawlessness, and divers alarums! A time of rebels and outlaws, border conflicts and raids, and the escalation of old family feuds. There are many scores to settle, and, with Ruckus, your gaming group can be at the centre of the action!

Mike Peters,
2024