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Hello dakka, I'm big 40k player but have been getting a itching to start some Fantasy as well. After looking around I can't help but want to start human based army (looks like I'm the same with fantasy as I am with 40k, I like the idea of defending humanity against giant monsters) and while I love the look of the Brets. I can't help but feel the the Empire is the better army.

Bret knights are awesome and I like the idea of having a army made mostly of knights but I can do with empire as well, and empire has better ranged weapons and better foot soldier back.

What do you guys think? Brets or Empire? Which is better?

Im not an expert by any means but from what i hear the empire is probably gonna suit you better right now since the bret book is so old. The empire book is a little more up to date. Ive heard people say it takes alot of skill right now to use with the bret's so that means alot of practice if your gonna go that route. I will admit ive thought about starting a bret army myself though.

Empire is the stronger army book, very strong actually, but they are rumored to be pretty close to their next book. which could be bad for their competitivness as it will probably bring them into line with the other 8th ed books, which means their magic items are going to get gutted and overcosted with only one or 2 that are even usable. so they could get a nasty punch down to the middle of the pack.


As for which army you should start, pick the one you like the fluff of better. If you pick the one that is stronger, but you like the other's fluff better you will be silently kicking yourself for not going with the one you like better.

I agree with grey templar go with the one you like the fluff the most you can make almost any army "hard" but yer gonna enjoy it more if you like the race/army yer playing with. Thats why im going to go with a bretonnian army for my first. After reading the books by GW the knights werent so much "holier then you, as they were i was born into money so i can do whatever i want" which makes me like them considerably more.

Ha! This is the opposite response I get when I ask about starting what 40k army I want.

As for fluff I'm not big up on it as I am for 40k fluff but the look Breton knights are by far the better IMO

However I could use them for Empire knights anyway

The Empire has an easier learning curve and has access to all 3 phases of the game so you master those and branch of into another army like a pro. Though, if you like Bretonnia you should go for it because if you don't like the current model range of Empire, you would have any motivation to collect them. Right?

My first army was chosen based purely on how munch fun they were to paint (it was a unit of minotaurs that won me a doombull). Knights can be fun to paint, though i hate painting horses.
Both armies have access to each phase of the game, just one more then others. Empire has the chance of dominating the shooting phase, where as brets just...don't. They have trebuchets and arhcers while empire has black powder stuff.

As for combat, empire still kind of has the upperhand here. As fun as knights are, they don't break units as easily as they used to with the new edition, so if the unit doesn't break on it's first go, they just sit there.

From a gaming stand point, empire is the one to go with. Lots of options and a strong book (and rumors of a new one soon). From a painting perspective, brets will likely be the most fun. Nice models with hopefully new ones soon and maybe a new book to allow for new models. Lots of painting options with all the heraldry and not really needing a set army scheme.

Just sayin