I have read that as many of as a third of the villages in the Holy Land were deserted, ruined or derelict. This was, apparently, due to war, forced migration and general bad management. I liked the idea of having a village that was somewhat out of the ordinary, so I built one. The exposed fallen roof sections are made from broom bristle painted in a plaster mix. The wood beam roof supports are disposable barbeque skewers. The rubble is chopped up balsa, sand and grit. The broken doors add to the deserted feel.
The intact village now comprises three structures, a gate and wall sections, and a well and trough. During the Crusades, and even to day in the Middle East (Afghanistan spring to mind), most villages would be built as compounds for defence against bandits and marauding tribal elements. This makes them ideal war games terrain.