Bretonnia Is Getting Slain

I haven't won a game with Bretonnia in ages.

Last night I played Russell and called it quits after my army was devastated and he only lost 100 points.
We figure he would have lost at most another 200.

Sure my rolls weren't that great, but still that is ridiculous, and these horrendous games happen all the time for Bret.


Infantry are too expensive, Knights are extremely prone to shooting, and magic destroys Bretonnia.

The new steadfast rules hurt Bretonnia because our 250 point units only have three ranks, and ranks thin quickly.

Trebuchet isn't redeeming. 1/6 chance it blows up, 50-50 chance it won't hit the unit.


I'm not sure how to win with Bret in eighth edition against any reasonable army. The enemy could take a horde for every unit of knights I take, and automatically win without the battle starting.


Knights vs Elf Spearmen(25) so, 75% of the spears hit, then 50% of those, so 18ish, then 9 wound, (armor piercing) and 3 knights die. Bretonnia attacks back with 6 knights (7 attacks), at best 4 hit and wound. Of the horses, maybe one wound. So maybe 5 spearmen die.

Combat resolution, tie, I killed 2 more but he has 2 more ranks. A tie when I charge, so I lose next round etc.




I think the problem is that every army has been getting things to make them stronger, such as highelves always attacking first, and dark elves getting armor piercing. If Dark Elves had neither armor piercing nor hatred it would make the fight more even.

I was playing goblins the other night and they get nets which reduce my strength by one, and they can purchase fanatics for 25 points which do either d6 or 2d6 strength 6 armor piercing attacks. So, the goblins cost 2 points less than my men at arms, they reduce my strength by 1, and have the chance to devastate me with their d6 strength 6 hits.

ya, its a matter of outdated and power creeping army books. Eventually Brettonia will get updated and be better, until then they will be only useful for "just for fun" games.

Hmm, have you tried looking for Bretonnia strategy fourms? They could probably help you with stratgy. I don't think you'll get a better warmachine however, we all have to deal with misfires.

Now take everything I say with a grain of salt as I don't play Bretonnian; but I think that if you can't beat a horde army in close combat you should try and break it. The Terrifying mask of EEE!, and the Wailing Banner has a chance to make the horde cut and run. Most Horde armies suffer from low leadership so the chances of breaking are fairly high. I can say from personal experience a domino effect of breaking units is the bane of horde armies. The Trebuchet can also help you thin out units. Horde armies don't like templates and no army likes stength 5 hits. Alos you still have a full stock of magic items for your army, outfit your heros with lots of attacks against hordes and strenght against elites. Lastly for magic, your wizards have magic resistance. Put them in a unit and the unit also gets magic resistance. Take the lore of beasts and you can buff your warriors. They're a bit pricy but I've found the best defence against magic is magic.

Yea I think what Calvin said is right - they need an update.

I like the idea of making them run with terror.

My new battle plan is on one flank to have a horde of peasants with a lord who has crown of command, bolstered with a unit of knights, with another 2 units of 10 peasants to defend the flank. On the other flank I'll use three units of 9 kor which should let me get at least 2 knights to charge a single unit and hopefully break it.

So Russ has a great dark elf army which plays a factor. Hydra, knights x9 with lord ( stubborn ld 10) and a u it of 25 black guard (stubborn) and a horde of spearmen, archers dark riders and a bolt thrower.

Back to my army, rather than put the peasant horde on the flank I hink I should put it more to the center, then place the four units of knights based on how my opponent sets up.

u can never stop the horde!