Teggerdine wrote:These are my take on some proposed rules changes and new units for Bretonnia, I know there are previous threads but I didn't want to be guilty of thread necromancy. I hope you will find them balanced.
Ok, here are some critiques and additions.
General Rules Changes
Lance Formation grants Devastating Charge
agreed
Grail vow should add +1 to Lady's blessing ward save vs magic.
New Banner Idea- Knight units who declare a charge may choose not to make any compulsory moves if they failed the charge distance roll. ~50 points
I would change that to allowing a unit to reroll any dice for charge range and dangerous terrain while charging and disallows stand and shoot reactions. This would be worthy as a BSB banner fitting in with the new doctrine of fewer more powerful race specific magic items.
Bastard sword - A bastard sword is halfway between a greatsword and a hand weapon, it can be used for +1S when wielded two handed. essentially this counts as a halberd that can also be a hand weapon when paired with a shield. In the main rules this is only flavour as all halberd armed troops with shields also have a hand weapon for free, but does make for an interesting base to magic weapons. So, any magic hand weapon in the standard rulebook can be upgraded to a bastard sword for +5pts per 20pts of the weapons value or part thereof, up to a total value of 75pts. Any effected magic weapon thus gaining what can most easily be described as a 'halberd mode'.
Normally only foot knights would carry bastard swords, but heroes are heroes.
The Champion of any knight unit may take a virtue ex. Cavalier, Gallant, etc.
Sorry no, as virtues get progressively more expensive to prevent spamming of them.
Changes to Heroes
New Hero
Troubadour
Infantry (Character) 30 points
M4 WS4 BS3 S3 T3 W2 I3 A1 LD8
Equipment: Hand Weapon, Heavy Armor, Shield
May take the following:
Morning Star +3points
Lance +7 points
Great Weapon +6 points
May be mounted on a barded Bretonnian Warhorse +16
Upgrade Vow to one of the following:
Questing Vow +10 points
Grail Vow +20 points
May take a Virtue worth up to +25 points
Special Rules: Knight's Vow
Inspirational: Troubadours are master tale tellers knowing all of the epic poems. There singing helps the army march and emboldens every knights spirit. Any unit joined by a Troubadour counts as having a musician. A slain Troubadour grants double victory points.
Bardic Song: Choose one bardic song the troubadour will sing at the beginning of each magic phase. Each bardic song is an innate bound spell(power level 3). All Bardic songs are augment spells. Troubadours
do not channel Power and
do not Dispel as a Wizard would.
1) The unit re rolls all rolls of 1 to hit, until the start of the Troubadour's next magic phase.
2) The Troubadour can increase the Initiative of every model in a unit he has joined by 1 (excluding mounts), until the start of the Troubadour's next magic phase.
3) The unit the Troubadour has joined counts as having +1 rank, until the start of the Troubadour's next magic phase.
A troubadour shouldn't be a knight, except possibly a special character troubadour. So they should have ordinary warhorse, and light armour and a hand weapon, but would be no cheaper. Troubadours being free spirited persons have no vows.
The musician benefit should have be a 12" bubble like a BSB as most units will have musicians anyway, it's a side bonus. It might be stackable with a musicians bonuses in the same way as a BSB, so a drawn combat is won by +2 and +2 is added to a rally attempt if another musician is in range. Multiple troubadours are possible, but they don't stack or overlap with each other in any way, this is refered to the as the cacophany rule
The songs should be less magical and not bound spells. Sigmarite prayers are 'cleric spells', bardic songs are a mundane ability that cant be dispelled.
If you want a bound spell one could be added as a magic item only a troubadour can take in the form of a musical instrument.
Heroic music in literature had effects that boosted morale or improved cadence in music.
A troubadour can play any tune at the appropriate time, provided he only plays one tune per game turn.
1. Jaunty Jig - The troubadour plays a foot tapping tune all the faster to march to. Play when the troubadour or his unit declares a march move. Troubadour and any unit he is with adds up to D3" to their march speed, and automatically passes any leadership test to do so.
2. Inspiring Tune - This music emboldens the most frail hearts with songs to remind them of heroes of old. Play when a fear test is to be taken. Unit laughs off all Fear tests, but and treats terror as fear, lasts until the next player turn.
3. Jongleur's Jibe - Riotous songs taunt and vex the hated foe causing them to lose their discipline and make rash attacks. Play at beginning of opponents turn or shooting phase. A single target enemy model or unit within 12" must pass a psychology test on its own unmodified leadership or must attempt to charge, or shoot, the Jongleur's unit in the current phase.
Cacophany - Multiple barding playing different tunes work against each other. No model or unit can benefit from more than one troubadour in a game turn.
Changes In Core
Knights Errant
Gain Vanguard
Men-at-arms
May Exchange Pole Arm for a Pike +3 points/model.
I dont like this. Pike are late medieval weapons, or ancient. Too advanced for Bretonnians, Empire should have pike if anyone but don't, pikemen are popular in Tilea (Dogs of War) which has rennaissance tech broadly similar to the Empire.
Pike
Melee
Str=User Requires Two Hands, Fight in Extra Ranks (2)
Enemy models charging a unit armed with Pikes to the front
that elects to hold as its charge reaction are always subjected to the Always Strikes Last special rule in the first round of close combat.
Models armed with pikes receive a +1 Strength bonus in the Close Combat phase of the turn they are charged by anything except infantry, swarms, and unique units.
All of these special rules cannot be used against enemy units fighting to the flank or rear of models armed with pikes.
Peasant Bowman
Update Defensive Stakes
Braziers for +1 point/model
May Include a Fryer for +20 points
Fryer
Friar
Infantry (Character)
M4 WS2 BS2 S3 T3 W1 I3 A1 LD6
Equip: Prayer Icon
Special Rules: The Peasant's Duty
Prayer Icon: A unit with a Prayer Icon may reveal it at any point in the battle to receive the Lady's Blessing.
I really like this, however there is an existing friar model to use so it wont be a surprise, best if Friars simply add the blessing of the lady to the peasants he accompanies.Also as aun unarmoured character he is no good for restoring lost blessing, so its best if he just bestows it openly.
Added to Core choices
Foot knights @12pts each.
As knights of the realm but with heavy armour, shield and hand weapon.
unit can take bastard swords +2pts (essentially same as halberds)
Changes In Special
Questing Knights
Heedless Charge: On the charge Questing Knights strike at their normal initiative when wielding Great Weapons.
Good call, nice and flavourful.
0-1 Grail Reliquae with Battle Pilgrims
Replace unit Strength 6 and Stubborn with Frenzy
Grail Reliquae and 6 Battle Pilgrims cost 94 points
Additional Battle Pilgrims are +7 points
Unlimited number of pilgrims.
Mounted Yeomen
points/model 13
May take Scouts for +1 point/model
Squires
The heavy infantry of Bretonnia, these men are commoners and nobles of low birth selected by Lords as servants and knights in training. All noble born boys spend time as a knight's squire before becoming knights themselves. Rarely a local peasant boy or man-at-arms showing great courage and character may be selected to serve a knight as his squire. After years of loyal service a squire of peasant stock may be awarded a peerage and land by the king. This is the only means by which a peasant may rise to nobility in Bretonnia.
Peasants are normally not elevated at all, it was something normally reserved for peasants who performed heroic deeds. Also squires as you refer them are the same as Knights Errant.
Special Infantry points/model 8
M4 WS3 BS3 S3 T3 W1 I3 A1 LD7
M4 WS3 BS3 S3 T3 W1 I3 A2 LD7
Unit Size: 5+
Equipment: Bow, Heavy Armor, Hand Weapon, Shield
Special Rules
The Peasant's Duty, Skirmishers
The entire unit may take Morning Stars +1point/model
The entire unit may be equipped with Spears for free
Upgrade one Squire to Musician +10 points
Upgrade one Squire to Standard Bearer for +15 points
Upgrade one Squire to Champion for +10 points
Added to Special
Ballista - standard bolt throwers as per the main rulebook. Crewed by BS3 WS2 peasants. Probably worth about 45pts each.
Standard 0-3 limit for special choices applies, Bretonnia are not an artillery army.
Changes in Rare
Sisterhood of the The Lady
I dont like this option much, the sisterhood would be considered non combatant and would be kept away from combat.. In the background the Brets have a Jeanne-D'arc figure complete with the patriarchal viewpoint. Any female warrior group would consist of lady knights not nuns on donkeys. The effigy itself is promising and could be an alternative to a grail reliquae and fitting in the same combat unit.
Infantry 35 points/model
Sister M4 WS1 BS1 S2 T3 W1 I2 A1 LD6
Mother M4 WS1 BS1 S2 T3 W2 I2 A1 LD7
Donkey M6 WS2
BS- S3 T3 W1 I3 A1 LD5
Unit Size: 3 - 6
Equipment: None
One sister ma be upgraded to Mother for +20 points
A unit of sisters may be mounted on donkeys for +6 points/model
A unit of sisters may ride in a War-cart for +60 points
if riding a war-cart the unit may take an Effigy of the Lady for +35 points
Special Rule: The Peasant's Duty
Discipline: A unit of Sisters lead by a Mother gains the Stubborn special rule.
Blessing of the Lady- Sisters of the Lady automatically receive the Lady's Blessing whether or not the army preys. They have a 5+ ward save regardless of the strength of
the attack.
Congregation
A unit of sisters may Channel Power and Dispel dice as a Wizard would. Roll a
D6 for every sister in the unit on a roll of 6 add an extra die to the power pool.
Prayers
A unit of sisters as a group is capable of creating magical effects through their prayer and worship of The Lady. When casting a prayer the unit of sisters may draw line of sight from any model in the unit. Choose one prayer the unit of sisters will cast at the beginning of each magic phase. Each prayer is an innate bound spell(power level 3). All prayers are augment spells.
1) Purify- All Hex spells affecting friendly units within 12" are automatically dispelled.
2) Lead in Prayer- Choose a target friendly unit, within 12", that does not have the Blessing of The Lady. The unit may not have already lost the Blessing of the Lady during the battle. The chosen unit gains the Blessing of The Lady. Remains in Play, cannot be dispelled.
3) Vigor-Target unit within 12" gains Regeneration (6+) until the start of the sisters next magic phase.
War-cart
Chariot (Armour Save 5+)
War-cart M-
WS-
BS- S3 T3 W6 I- A-
LD-
Donkey M6 WS2
BS- S3 T- W- I3 A1 LD5
Sister M- WS1 BS1 S2 T- W- I2 A1 LD7
Crew:Sister
Drawn by: Two Donkeys
Effigy of the Lady
All Bretonnian units with 12" gain the Frenzy special rule.
Grail Knights 44 points/model
gain Killing Blow
on the charge only.
Penitent Knights
Cavalry 60 points/model
Knight M4 WS4 BS3 S4 T3 W1 I4 A1 LD8
Horse M8 WS3 BS0 S3 T3 W1 I3 A1 LD5
UNIT SIZE: 3-6
EQUIPMENT: Hand Weapon, Shield, Lance
Special Rules: Ethereal, Fear, Immune to Psychology, Ambushers, Unstable
What are you trying to represent here?
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