Sorry! I just saw "Cossack uprising" in your post and missed the subject title about tatars!
I thought the same way as you and bought Italeri's first Mongol set (i.e not their new second set) to get the light cavalry figures.
HÄT are soon to release a set of Huns that looks promising.

the hat set does look promising.i see mars released a set of these recently.but judging by their first set,im not so sure about them.