‘Warhammer: The Old World’ How To Play Kingdom of Bretonnia
Today take a look at the basics of how to play Warhammer: The Old World’s Kingdom of Bretonnia- the masters of heavy cavalry!
The Kingdom of Bretonnia is one of the core armies in Warhammer the Old World. They are a storied human kingdom with a long and noble history. In the grey land of Warhammer they could well be considered one of the ‘good guys’ in the setting. For players who love heavy mounted troops, this is the army for you.
So below we will offer some tips on how to play The Kingdom of Bretonnia and get started with the army.
Who are the Bretonnians?
Bretonnians are a human faction living in the west of the Old World. The Kingdom of Bretonnia is one of the major realms in the setting and a major military power. It is a rich kingdom, famous for wine. The Kingdom is made up 14 Dukedoms and ruled by a king. The people worship the Lady of the Lake who is represented by the Fey Enchantress. The kingdom and it’s lore are heavily inspired by Arthurian Lore and medieval France and Briton.
It is a nation with a strict hierarchy driven by a chivalric code. On the top are the nobles and knights. Powerful warriors who can often been found questing. For them, the ultimate quest is that Grail Quest which earns them divine blessings. Crushed down on the bottom of Bretonnia’s society can be found the peasants. Weak and often malnourished they are a pitiful lot. Thought they have few rights or freedoms they will still take up what arms they have in defense of their lands.
Why Play Bretonnia?
Do you like cavalry? No really, do you like it? Well then Bretonnians are the faction for you. With no less than five options for heavy cavalry, they will scratch that itch. If the middle ages or King Arthur is something that gets you going then this is also the army for you. On the other hand if you like a real challenge and want to try to win with some of the worst (stat wise at least) infantry in the game, then this can also be an army for you.
Bretonnain Strengths
- Cavalry, cavalry, cavalry. This is a very fast, mobile and hard hitting army with a lot of mounted troops.
- Unique rules that tie into their lore make them a very durable army.
- A massive painting challenge/opportunity as each knight can have their own heraldry.
- Access to the best non-character unit in the game and some of the best fighting heroes around.
Bretonnian Weaknesses
- Limited shooting and magic options.
- Overall, it is lackluster, and there are few infantry units.
- Far fewer large monsters and units than other factions.
Signature Bretonnian Rules
- Blessings of the Lady– In exchange for giving up the first turn, you can give all your knights a ward save, which varies based on the enemy attack. However this bonus can be lost.
- Finest Warhorses – allows you to re-roll 1s on charge, flee or pursue moves
- The Lance Formation – A special formation for Bretonnian knights that often lets them get more attacks but with some trade-offs.
- Peasantry – Defines a class of units. No one cares when they run away or die, but they are harder to command.
Bretonnia – Armies of Infamy
- Bretonnian Exiles – an untraditional take on the army that gives them more flexibility (and guns) at the cost of Grail units.
- Errantry Crusade – even faster and more cavalry-focused than the normal army, but also more unpredictable.
Key Bretonnian Units
Here are some of the most important Bretonnian Units for you to know about:
Bretonnian Lords
The Duke, Baron and Paladin are a trio of combat focused characters. All three have a wide variety of upgrade options and can take magic items and Virtues. They also have several mount options, with the Royal Pegasus providing an unparalleled mix of mobility and killing power. These are some of the deadliest fighters in the game.
Handmaidens of the Lady
Handmaidens, Damsels and Prophetesses are the casters that Bretonnia gets. As wizards, they are pretty run-of-the-mill with access to some OK lores and a few unique spells. They don’t really match up to some of the magic-heavy factions casters, but they also give you some nice buffs. Units they have joined get magic resistance and magic attacks, and the wizard herself can hide in the back ranks. All of this makes them a solid support caster.
Peasant Bowmen
Just because they are cheap and seem underpowered doesn’t mean these bowmen are useless. They are one of the few ranged options Bretonnians get and cheap way to get some core units in your army. While they can be filed in large ranked blocks with upgrades they tend to be much more useful as cheap skirmishing units. Run this way, they are very flexible, and any Bretonnian player will have at least one story about them punching far above their weight.
Men-At-Arms
The other main peasant unit you might take in an army. While they won’t kill much, they are cheap, and no one cares if they run away. Speaking of that, they are surprisingly hard to make run away and often useful to tie down the enemy for a bit while your knights get into position.
Mounted Knights of the Realm
Knights of the Realm are really your bread-and-butter unit as a Bretonnian player. You can take them both mounted and on foot, but the mounted version is normally better and it is the classic option. You have to take a least one unit and will likely find yourself taking a couple as the core of your army. While their stats aren’t anything special (for heavy cav) they have a whole host of special rules, such as the blessing of the lady, that buff them up a lot.
Pegasus Knights
Simply put these are this is the best non-character unit in the game. Monstrous, skirmishing, flying cavalry. They go where they want and kill what they wish. They are mobile, deadly and can charge and fight in any direction.
Grail Knights
The pinnacle of the non-flying knights are the Grail Knights. These living saints hit like a truck carriage and are amazing in a fight. However, they are expensive and not all that hard to kill.
Sample Bretonnia Army
Faction: Kingdom of Bretonnia
– Grand Army
++ Characters++
Duke
– Shield
– General
– Royal Pegasus
– Ogre Blade
– Sirienne’s Locket
– Virtue of Knightly Temper
Damsel
– Hand weapon
– Level 2 Wizard
– On foot
– Battle Magic
++ Core Units++
12 Mounted Knights of the Realm
– First Knight (champion)
– Standard bearer
– Musician
10 Peasant Bowmen
– Skirmishers
10 Peasant Bowmen
– Skirmishers
23 Men-at-Arms
– Yeoman (champion)
– Standard bearer
– Musician
++ Special Units ++
3 Pegasus Knights
– First Knight (champion)
– Standard bearer [Banner of Châlons]
– Musician
++ Rare Units ++
6 Grail Knights [289 pts]
– Grail Guardian (champion) [Falcon-horn of Fredemund]
– Standard bearer
– Musician
Tips For Playing Bretonnia
The main strength in most Bretonnia lists is in their characters and cavalry. Both of these can be very deadly. You will likely want to pick which of the very heavy cavalry, Pegasus Knights or Grail Knights, you want to focus on. A unit of either with some characters in it will be able to deal with most things in the game.
For most armies Wizards, peasants and shooting units are going to be relegated to a support role. Their job is to buff the knights, whittle down the enemy for the Knights to finish off or hold the enemy in position for the knights to get off a good charge. It is the Knights, and in many cases, your very deadly characters, that will do the killing.
It’s also very important to keep your special rules in mind. The majority of the time you will not be going first. While this can be seen as a downside, knowing ahead of time who is going first can be turned into an advantage. You should also recall that the Blessing is optional and you could chose to forgo it in some situations. However, the additional savings granted by it are very powerful. Bretonnian Knights are deceptively hard to kill thanks to it, and the army is a lot more resilient than it appears at first glance.
~For The Lady!
