# starting a brettonia army



## maximus2467 (Jun 14, 2007)

hi guys, starting a brettonian army and was considering just going knight heavy, thing is i'm completely new to the fantasy side of GW having soley played 40k for the last few years, so i could really do with a few tips on whats good and whats not. i've already bought five pegasus knights painted three and converted another one to be my lord, i've bought a box of knights and started to paint them up but everytime i come up with a definitive list i rerad something else in the rule book that makes me change my mind. help!! :?:


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## jigplums (Dec 15, 2006)

well brettonians have some huge strengths, oviously they are very knight heavy, and also the fact there knights find it easy to get a rank bonus. The 7th editions rules pronounced this even more in the way that other armies must be 5 wide now. That means your knights can compete with infantry block quite nicely. The main thing to remember is to support your units with each other, as the main mistake people make is to let themselves be drawn out and have units charge off unsupported with no-one protecting there flanks. Also your skirmishing bowmen are well worth there points for a very cheap yet reasonably affective source of Missile fire.


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## Flam (Feb 7, 2007)

I don't have any helpful advice for ya, but I must say, there are few Warhammer armies more impressive to look at than a knight-saturated Bretonnian force. Win or lose, a large clump of knights is just darn intimidating.


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## Initiate (Mar 25, 2007)

i think a mass of ogres is more intimidating, or maybe giants, or greenskins if you will... Im sorry i cant be of help to you, ive failed miserably at WHFB and have not yet mustered enough courage to start again. Not to mention i need to get a new codex... but ill do those things later. And i must agree bretonnian knights do look IMPRESSIVE, not intimidating , but impressive.


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## ACoz (Oct 23, 2007)

I have to agree on the post about skirmishing bowmen.

Otherwise, bowmen in general are a good thing to have, and while the men-at-arms might not be the best foot infantry in the game, they can protect vital flanks (and your knights won't Panic if the foot-sloggers get butchered, either).

Always a good thing.


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

Where does it say in the rule book cavlary has to have a front rank of 5?


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## Hespithe (Dec 26, 2006)

It no longer specifies a minimum size for the front rank. What it does say is that a minimum of 5 models is necessary for the 2nd-4th rank bonus. This rule does not apply to Bretonnia, as their unique formation rules supersede the main rule.


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

are you sure it doesn't you need to have a unit strength of 5, not 5 models.


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## Hespithe (Dec 26, 2006)

Nope, you need 5 models. Otherwise, Ogres and Minos could get a rank bonus for only having 2 models in the rank. ((( I sooooo WISH! )))

Keep in mind that a US of 5 is required for a unit to negate rank bonuses when charging in a flank, and also for receiving the +1 CR bonus for flank charging and the +2 for rear charges. Also, 5 rank&file models are required in order for a character to qualify for the Look Out, Sir! rule.


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

What page in the rule book does it state this? 

Yeah it did, you had to have a unit strength of 5 to negate ranks during a flank charge but for ranks it used to be 4 models or unit strength of four or more. Knights are screwed otherwise since who wants a unit of 10 knights that cost tons.

I can't find where it says you need 5 models and not unit strength of 5.


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## Hespithe (Dec 26, 2006)

Dunno, off hand. Give it a quick perusal.


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## torealis (Dec 27, 2006)

Hespithe is right, you do need ranks of 5 to gain the bonus. dont know where it is in the rulebook.

on a bretonnian note, i am a bretonnian player and have a fairly successful 1000pt force:

Paladin on pegasus with birthsword of carcassone
Paladin on horse with Battle Standard and virtue of duty

8 KotR with banner, war banner, champion
6 KotR with banner, champion
6 KotR with banner, champion
20 men at arms with command
10 bowmen

its based around the massive unit of knights with a massive combat res, flanks supported by the smaller knight units and the lord helping out when he's needed. you could take out the peasants for some magic i guess, but they tend to help, distract the enemy.


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

Finally found the rule heh page 38


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## Pandawithissues... (Dec 2, 2007)

Main thing to remember about Brettonians: The commoners and the horses ALLWAYS kill more than the knights. Dont forget your horse attacks


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## Spector (Dec 30, 2007)

Some things you definately should look into for starting Bretonnia would be:

1 unit of Knights of the Realm - Mandatory, and just solid overall troops.

BSB - Mandatory again .

A Paladin or 2 - Really great Hero units. Will be hitting @ S6 on the charge for pretty damn cheap compared with other hero level units.

A mounted Damsel - good for getting dispel dice and MR 1 on a unit.

A unit of Knights Errant - With the Erranty Banner they will be hitting @ S6 on the charge. An excellent hammer unit.

Men-at-Arms - Dirt cheap tarpit unit that can double as an amazing flank guard.

Skirmishing Bowmen - Good source of missile fire to whittle down lightly armored units.

3 man unit of Pegasus Knights - the best flyers in the game, period. Amazing unit, they can hunt mages, kill warmachines, and be used for flank/rear charges. Never leave home without them.


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## Lord Sinkoran (Dec 23, 2006)

lots of knights of the relm, tebuchet, 2 paladins and one damles, small unit of pegasus knights


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## Spector (Dec 30, 2007)

Lord Sinkoran said:


> lots of knights of the relm, tebuchet, 2 paladins and one damles, small unit of pegasus knights


The danger with using Trebs in a knight heavy list is that if you have a bad scatter, you can easily end up killing a large amount of your own knights instead. Personally I would leave out the Treb except in peasant heavy lists.


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## Lord Sinkoran (Dec 23, 2006)

the template is small so there isn't that a big a chance of scattering onto your own guys


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## Spector (Dec 30, 2007)

Lord Sinkoran said:


> the template is small so there isn't that a big a chance of scattering onto your own guys


Heh, after playing Tomb Kings and using a Screaming Skull Catapult for a long time, you'd be surprised how many times you'll get an unlucky scatter and wipe out a decent portion of one of your regiments.

Yes, the template does appear to be small at first, but with a unlucky scatter, it could probably still manage to get 5-6 knights under it, which is enough to ruin anyone's day.


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## Green Knight (Feb 25, 2008)

Units of 9 Knights of the realm, and have at least one unit of knights of the Errant the reckless rule is handy to know how far the enemy is to get the charge. The charge is essentual to be victoryous. A Trebuchet is handy to hammer the enemy as you get in to position to charge. you could all ways use a unit of 12 Grail Knights to smash the enemy ranks with the banner of the lady nothing can stand in your way. As the banner make the enemy have no rank bonus.


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## Hornet (Feb 22, 2008)

Bretonia army eha. Errent knights with the errently banner, with a cheap paladin in the unit. This unit can beast most units i charges into. 

Peg knights are also a must have for your army, people are so scared of em, that they will try there upmost to kill them. And the best unit for hunting war machines.

Pesent bowmen are also a mainstay for my bret army, there just so dam use full, weather it's protecting your kinghts from incoming magic or shooting, or just blocking enemy charges, well worth 70pts for 10 of these guys.

And in 2000pts, 2 level one damsels with 2 dispel scrolls. Just to stop what ever magic they can.

Main problems that you should look out for are, unbreakable units, stubborn units. A part from that, you should be alright.


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## Green Knight (Feb 25, 2008)

In 2000 points have a lord built for the charge,and a paladin with a banner of the lady. Put the lord and paladin in the same unit the best choice is grail knights this unit will crush everything, and 3 damsels. This will enable you to be very good in magic as well as the charge.


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## Green Knight (Feb 25, 2008)

guess needs to be right with a tebuchet. Practise is the key.


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