ross_lionheart:
I’m going to be playing a 2250 game against the forces of Bretonnia. I’ve never played Bretonnias before but I beleive that they use more knights than foot troops and dont really rely on artillary…
Ive seen my opponenents list and he uses alot of knights, a magical banner that prevents shooting as well as knights riding horses with wings?
I’m just wondering if anyone can advice a army list that will be able to combat a army full of knights with a plus one armour save and the ability to out manouvour me.
I dont think the blunderbusses in this case will be able to casuse much damage, instead I think its best that I opt to use two units of 25 Strong CD Warriors and perhaps one unit of Black Orcs and a unit of 20 Big Uns?
Xander:
Two Earthshakers. I can’t stress that enough. Slow up those knights, and blast them with Bolt Throwers. Make sure to protect your crews from Pegasus Knights.
You arn’t striking first (or at all, most likely) against Knights. This means you’ll want to maximize toughness and armour hoping to reduce your casualties as much as possible, just so you can survive the first round of combat without fleeing… Then, get some Hobgobbos to outnumber and flank the Knights.
I think you are right, BBs aren’t going to do much here. Go for solid 25 US units, and position yourself to make flank charges. I might even suggest a BSB to help prevent that first round of combat break test you may be making a lot.
Good luck!
AGPO:
BOLT THROWERS, SIX OF 'EM FOR 180PTS! Bretonians hate them as much as a Dwarf hates being sober. They ignore armour saves, meaning that his brets only get their ‘blessing of the lady’ ward save. If you pack your army with themthen that negates any non-shooty kit he may have. Also since the bretonians use the lance formation (deploy three wide, any model on the outside file gets to attack if they charge) they generally have more ranks than most cavalry and thus suffer even more from bolt throwers.
I agree with everything Xander said. Make sure you use your earthshakers to stop him hitting your lines too fast, giving you more turns shooting with your bolt throwers. With luck on its side, each bolt thrower can take out a third of a unit of knights. Also, don’t forget that if the Bretonian player takes the blessing, you automatically get choice of first turn, so use the extra shooting!!
If you want to be really mean, take a Taurus or Lammasu in your army and land it right behind his knights when they first start towards your lines (make sure its NOT where you plan to target your earthshaker and use the Terror test it inflicts to try and break some units. If a unit flees it loses the blessing and thus its only protection against your bolt throwers. If you take a lord on a Taurus then use him to counter Pegasus knights.
Wolf riders are also useful as Bretonians really suck if they don’t get the charge, and have long flanks to protect for their knights. Also remember they get rank bonus for each three knights in any rank when in lance formation, but that means killing one is normally enough to cost them a rank.
Big units are your best hope in CC. Hobbos w. light armour, HW&S are preferable to Big’uns, as they are much cheaper and have the same save. Since what you waqnt is to stop the lances then flank them, a unit which can take lots of initial casualties and keep its full rank and numbers bonus is a real plus. I’d take units of 30-40, just keep your general and BSB nearby to make sure they hold. A banner of slavery wouldn’t go amiss either (remember you can give this to a unit of warriors) Other than that blorcs w. shields and warriors w. GWs are the only other units i’d take, for their flexibility
Whew! tirade over :cheers
AGPO:
Oh, I forgot two other things, if any knight turns down a challenge then ALL knightly units in that combat lose the blessing. Also the blessing is only available to knights and damsels. Their peasants have low leadership but can use the leadership of any knights within 6". These guys are horrible when they charge with or just after the knights, but if you can seperate them out then they die easily:hashut
Perturabo:
The only heavy shooting they have is the Trebuchet. I’ve never faced Bretonnians, but you might want to neutralise it with fast cavalry if he takes one.
I expect flank and rear charges hurt Bretonnians, so you should be careful with your deployment, and as above, take large cheap holding units, and back them up with heavier hitters.
hal:
The trebuchet is usually not a popular choice as most of the night units will be in combat on turn two. So I wouldn’t really worry about their Trebuchet.
Against Brets, it’s all about deployment IMO. Don’t have your guys bunched together to make for easy targets and make sure your warmachines are laid out well so that there is no overrunning from one into another.
qwe50:
you are in trouble m8 brets are one of the best armyes and there are really not much CD can do about it.
The “normal way” against brets is to thret to “counter charge them” shoot ranks of there units and hope the damm pegasus knights die of somthing. they are a CC army and have to get in CC and they have to charge, unfornunatly they are very good at it.
Problem is that CD just dont have anything to counter charge with.
Things you need to know / and advice
- the “blessing” 6+ward against S4 5+ ward against S5+
- newer attpt a challige they have so many good items/virtues that works in challiges
- lances with hero / lord hit really hard and conbined chages with 2 lances just kill everything
(use the black gem against his lord / hero when they charge)
- pegasus knights are really good
a big unit warriors with warbanner and a e.g. sorcerer with black gem supportet by Ld 10 and a BSB can take a charge
AGPO:
:hashut Keep the faith qwe50!! :hashut
Pegasus knights are good but are killable use magic missiles to take them out and make them your priority. Keep your units together and just make damn sure you go in with a starting CR of 5 and a decent save. Units of US 25 min are essential, as are hitting those knights in the flanks. Lastly… :hashut ARTILLERY ARTILLERY ALWAYS ARTILLERY :hashut Knights die when hit by giant spears, shells and rockets. They die when hit by DoW cannons, they die they flee, and they lose that sodding blessing. A good cannon ball or blt thrower caqn kill a third of a unit in one shot. Kill the posy knights and remember, big hats may look silly, but brightly coloured clothes and enormous mascots stuck on your helmet spell target in any language (including Sweedish)
HASHUT!!