Age of Sigmar/Tactics/Warscrolls Compendium/Bretonnia

From 8th edition to Age of Sigmar, the generic knights of the round table got largely buffed changing from an arguably unplayable, uncompetitive faction into one of the best, capable of easily gaining a 1+ to hit, ranking in the top 3 for archery and possibly the best protective magic in the game.

However despite this massive improvement, Bretonnians are due to be subsumed into the free people so potential buyers should wait.

Bretonnia Summary

If you wish to play a hard hitting fast faction, reliant on charging first, chalice in hand (no you do need this), with surprisingly powerful peasantry supporting from range then bretonnia is for you. The same applies if you prefer an Arthurian force of Brittanic knights, with named characters even directly taken from the legends such as the Green Knight.

Old players sticking with Age of Sigmar will be glad to note that Bretonnians keep their previous charm despite losing their hallmark charging formation, making up for it with easier rules and small caveats which benefit units. None of the models have been changed yet so Bretonnia players can still use their beautiful forces.

Bretonnian Warscrolls

Forenote: The following section will be arranged with similar units and formations being grouped together for easier reading.

This is by no means a complete guide. Also due to the relatively recent release of Age of Sigmar and lack of Bretonnia players remaining, most of this is based on theory. Take everything with a pinch of salt.

Named characters

King Louen Leoncour: Your generic lord on a monster. While sporting a mediocre stat line and not being very tough with a 3+ save and a low 10 regenerating wounds, the King is quite fast and is capable of one-shoting most heroes. He also makes a good general as he grants all free people (useful for an Empire ally) immunity to battleshock tests which is immensely valuable and buffs the nobility. He compares well with similar units and even brings dispel capabilities.

Fay Enchantress: Don't mess with this woman. She can use magic twice per phase and on a 2+ auto casts one, unstoppably. She isn't a slouch in combat either with a death stare for laughs, and heals others. Finally she buffs Grail Knights and can boost nobility; the best source of the 1+ to hit. A good choice for a cavalry army.

The Green Knight: The bretonnian hard-to-kill combat hero. Apart from being undying, the Green Knight can appear on a 4+ up to 9" away from foes and takes a lot of fire power just to remove him from the board. JUST SO HE CAN COME BACK! All named diehard heroes are good but the Green Knight is possibly the best.

Cavalry (AKA Nobility)

Bretonnian Lord: A mounted General, designed to keep your guys from fleeing, while dishing out damage on the charge. Can come on a pegasus too and improves your charging. Should just kill monsters and heroes.

Paladin Standard Bearer: A good combat hero who buffs your charging and bravery, especially after slaying a hero or monster. Like a mini King and scores over other standard bearers for not having to plant his standard.

Damsel of the Lady: Can come on foot, horse or pegasus back. Can use magic once, heals and can grant an extra 6+ save to peasants and 5+ to the nobility. Great choice, keeping your cavalry alive.

Knights Errant: If you want rerolls to hit as well as numbers, take this. Slightly better than the average Knights of the Realm when boosted out by a Damesel but with less bravery.

Knights of the Realm: If you want attacks and bravery take this. The other average cavalry. Potentially better than the Knights Errant but its a matter of choice. On charge they do an average of 2,27 damages per model (same as Grail Knights, but without rend), so keep them charging.

Questing Knights: Elite mounted monster slayers improved from the previous Knights. Does what it says on the tin. Weaker vs. common troops (an average of 1,38 damages per model due to no charge bonus) but against monsters they are back to the average 2,27. Better skip...

Grail Knights: Powerful elite cavalry, who do best if you charge while you hold a cup saying "For the Lady" (Monty Python quotes may count).Can end up getting a 1+ to hit and are otherwise the best cavalry in your army. Do not come with champions. On charge they do an average of 2,27 damages per model (half of them at -1 rend), so keep them charging.

Pegasus Knights: Flying cavalry. They have less attacks for wounds (again, an average of 2,27 damages per model) but can attack twice in combat. Either you can keep them as warmachine hunters or make an army around them.

Footmen (AKA Peasantry)

Paladin: Your peasant hero. Eats big monsters for breakfast, can make a super swing, and gets tougher for not charging. Boosts peasantry further. Key with Damsels for a peasant army. He do an average of 3,5 damages at -1 rend and if you use his super swing when you hit (on a 3+) he do the exact same average of mortal wounds. Therefore, swing attack only against a save of 4+ or less.

Men-At-Arms: Basic peasant infantry. The more they are the harder they hit. Get benefits for standing still and from paladins. Importantly, it allows you to take a relic bearers which let's you dispel. Just below average surprisingly enough. Nope, at maximum buff (30 models) they do an average of 0,41 damage per model, quite below average. However the unit of 30 near a Paladin would inflict 12.5 wounds while a unit of 15 Sigmarine Liberators would inflict only 10 wounds.

Peasant Archers: One of the top 3 Archers in the game. Once per game they can alpha strike something, shooting 3x or 4x more arrows at 20 models, allowing 2 units to reliably wipe Nagash off the board. Also come with relic bearers as well as spikes and braziers helping them to ward off attackers and do more damage respectively. They do an average of 0,29 damages per model with their bows and an average of 0,16 wounds with their skinning knife. Their arrowstorm compensate for that (1,16 damages per model) but you have to use it as soon as possible. An excellent choice compared to the Men-At-Arms, the only downside is less save (6+ vs 5+ if they stand still, and they MUST). Get 25 of them, add a Paladin nearby, sit back with your 4+ to hit and to wound with the option to reroll woulds of 1 and a one use only 104 shots. (Remember, the leader makes 2 shots with the longbow, not 1.)

Mounted Yeomen: Peasant mounted Archers who get a free move. They just about work as low wound warmachine hunters but suck otherwise. Nope, if you manage to keep a paladin near them (pretty difficult actually, could be a good idea to have a Paladin Standard Bearer with them) they can do up to 1,1 damages per model per turn (0,83 without, same average than Men-At-Arms), wound per wound better than chaos knights. ALWAYS charge on the first turn with them, and then keep charging. Ah, also take 10, not 5 because you have to defeat the enemy unit on the first round, otherwise you will lose the save bonus.

Battle Pilgrims: Urm, elite peasants? Get buffs for keeping alive their special champion, the Grail reliquary but really aren't that great. With an average of 0,33 damages per model they are the weakest foot troops of the army, but at the same time the most resilient (44% save vs 33% of the second runners).

Field Trebuchet: Another good unit, probably the best on foot unit of the army. Has 5 weak crew men, can move quite rapidly for a warmachine and does great damage, firing unharmed two shots. Also auto hits units if it rolls prior beneath the amount of models. Followed with a 3+ to wound, can cause 2d6 wounds to a unit. Helps vs all units.

Formations

Defenders of the Realm: A nobility formation giving you 3 heroes, 3 basic knights and an elite unit Knight. Also helps with wounding and standing fast. A slightly better than average formation. (65 wounds minimum)

Peasant Militia: Surprise, surprise a peasant formation. Gives you a paladin, 2 units of men-at-arms, 2 peasant archers and a trebuchet or Battle Pilgrims. Helps with hitting and bravery as a result. While short on heroes it makes up for it with great shooting. (51 wounds minimum)

Don't think about any of this formations under 90/100 wounds: the advantages barely compensate the missing bonuses for having smaller units.

Army Building

The armies in this section are made without any named character. There is a limit to OP and bretonnians are well above it now!

Catch me if you can

This army use a very simple tactic and at 60 wound it's really balanced.

- 1 paladin

- 25 bowmen

- 10 mounted yeomen

- 1 field trebuchet

Put your paladin, your bowmen and your trebuchet as far as possible from your enemy. Deploy your mounted yeomen as close as possible to your enemy. Charge their warmachines/heroes/small wounds units with the cavalry while hitting hard with all the ranged attack. Once they are done with the yeomen let them go near your archers and shot an arrowstorm. Smile.

A variation of this concept could be substitute 5 bowmen for one Paladin Standard Bearer that will improve the Mounted Yeomen.

Hear my neigh!

Want some OP cavalry rage at 60 wounds?

- 1 bretonnian lord

- 1 damsel of the lady on pegasus

- 5 grail knights

- 14 knights of the realm

- 3 pegasus knights

One simple rule: charge! Oh and don't forget that you can always make a retreat move in order to charge again next turn.

Any variation on that list is purely cosmetic since, in the end, all the knights if well used are equally powerful. This is maybe the most balanced list (due to the flyer and the not-so-many grail knights).

External links

Rules are here [1]