This Bastle with Stairs from Battle Honours 3D is a standout terrain piece, shown here painted by Howard. He uses soft, layered dry brushing to bring out the printed stone texture, with muted greys on the roof tiles and refined wood tones on doors and window frames. The result feels both realistic and easy to read on the tabletop.
Historical Background & Scenario Ideas
Bastle houses (short for bastille, meaning fortress) were fortified farmhouses found throughout the Anglo-Scottish borders from the late 1500s into the 17th century. Built by relatively prosperous farming families, they were a response to the endemic raiding and lawlessness that plagued the Border Marches.
These were not castles, but practical homes with defensive features:
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Thick stone walls to resist fire and attack
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Minimal windows to reduce vulnerability
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External stone staircases leading to the living quarters above
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Ground floors used for livestock, often without interior access
They were most common in Northumberland, Cumbria, and parts of Dumfries and Galloway, and many still stand today.
Gaming Scenarios Using the Bastle
The Bastle with Stairs is ideal for a range of skirmish and scenario-based games. Here are a few examples across different periods:
1. Border Reivers – 16th Century
System: Pikeman’s Lament, Lion Rampant, homebrew
Scenario: A reiver family defends their cattle and kin from a rival night raid. The bastle is the focal point, offering elevated shooting positions and a last line of defence.
2. English Civil War – 1640s
System: Pikeman’s Lament, Baroque
Scenario: Parliamentarian foragers attempt to seize grain stored in a Royalist sympathiser’s bastle house. The stairs act as a chokepoint. Any damage to the door buys time for reinforcements.
3. Napoleonic Peninsula – 1808–1814
System: Sharp Practice, Silver Bayonet
Scenario: A guerrilla unit uses the bastle as a safehouse. French Voltigeurs surround the area at dawn. The roof is removed mid-game to represent a final assault on the top floor.
4. Fantasy or Medieval
System: Saga, Rangers of Shadow Deep
Scenario: A remote watchhouse used by a minor lord is attacked by brigands. A local militia must hold out until dawn. Narrow windows give defenders an edge.
These types of buildings offer strong narrative potential. They work best in objective-based skirmishes, defence missions, or delaying actions, where the staircase and roof offer practical gaming elements, not just scenery.
Model Highlights
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Removable roof for interior access and elevated firing positions
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Resin print for models below 13.5 mm, FDM for 15 mm and above
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Clean stone texture ideal for weathering techniques like washes and dry brush
Howard’s Painting Style
Howard focuses on clean contrast and subtle realism. He emphasizes the stone’s relief with pale base tones and darker washes, lightly dry brushed to preserve detail. Roof tiling shows gentle colour variation, and the wood is kept natural and matte, giving the model presence without over-painting.
Related Terrain from Battle Honours 3D
Here are real products that pair well with the Bastle:
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Medieval Farmhouse – another solid rural building with multi-level volume
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Medieval Inn – larger structure, ideal for small village layouts
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Medieval Watermill – adds variety and a scenic focal point in rural scenes
Use these together to build cohesive medieval or border village scenes. They share scale accuracy and print quality, making them ideal for mixing on the gaming board.
Summary
The Bastle with Stairs is a flexible terrain piece that combines strong architectural detail with game play utility. Howard’s painting showcases the potential of clean, tonal contrast and subtle weathering without overworking the model. Pair it with other Medieval Houses, an Inn, or a Watermill to enrich a rural layout or campaign base.
