Bretonnia

[Ash]

Hello.

I'm new to Warmaster and tabletop gaming in general. But this game caught my eye a while ago and I decided to collect an army. I've always liked knights, so I chose Bretonnia to be my army. I've just ordered a three stands of Knights and three stands of Grail Knights, along with the Warmaster Rulebook.

Now, are the rules for Bretonnia included in the core rulebook, or do I have to purchase another book to get them?

I would also appreciate any help from people who plays or have played Bretonnia.

I would also like to know if Warmaster is a good game to begin with, seeing as how I have no experience with these kind of games before. Sure, I have known about Warhammer and Warhammer 40.000 for many years now, and read alot of the Black Library books. I've also collected a few miniatures from both games. But I've never actually played a game before. I hope it won't be too hard in the beginning. 

// Cheers, Niklas

[Guthwine]

Hi!

First of, Warmaster is as good as any game to get into the hobby. I did also started with WM and with Bretonia (though I collected Lotr minis before). The only thing is you will find more Warhammer WFB/40k players, so if you dont have a friend/group that will play in your area it can be hard to find some.

You will find all armies and everything else you need in the rule book, which is also available for free:
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?community=&catId=cat1290325&categoryId=1100013&aId=5300011

Bretonia is a mediocore army, I would say. You have good knights, standart cavalry/infantry and defensive spells.
There are 2 ways to play them, the first is to maximize your knights and play very offensive or the other one is to play with a little more infantry and use them as a bait to get your enemy in a good position for your knights to strike.
You should try some games with cardboard bases to find out what style fits you. I like to play with more infantry as I find "knights only" armies to look very strange on the board.

The special rule for bretonia that only knights count toward the breakpoint is a curse and a blessing at the same time. On one hand you can use your non noble units quite careless to hurt or slow down your enemy but on the other hand, the only thing that has some punch are those that you need to watch over. So you have to pick your battles more careful than others.

Thats a short summary, I hope it helps.

[jchaos79]

Hello Ash,

In my opinion warmaster is a good game to start with, is not very complicated (well, it has its rules) but is not going on new rules every year, so take your time and when you get the mechanics... well you get it forever .

Warmaster is completly different of other games and a real good ancient/fantsy battlefield simulator. It is true that the rulebook is online free, but I think it is worth to have the original.

You should check the armylist of bretonnia becasue there are a minimun units that every army should have, and in same cases a maximus number of unit allowed, so it is interesting look that before buying figures.

I have never play with Bretonian so I can not help you very much in the army topic, but people around here know a lot for sure.

Enjoy the rules, the painting and the wargame! 

[Ash]

The only thing is you will find more Warhammer WFB/40k players, so if you dont have a friend/group that will play in your area it can be hard to find some.

Yes, that could become a problem. I don't know anybody who play this game, but I think I can convince a few of my friends to try it out.

There are 2 ways to play them, the first is to maximize your knights and play very offensive or the other one is to play with a little more infantry and use them as a bait to get your enemy in a good position for your knights to strike. You should try some games with cardboard bases to find out what style fits you. I like to play with more infantry as I find "knights only" armies to look very strange on the board.

I agree, knights only would be strange. I'll definitely go with mixed infantry and cavalry.

Thats a short summary, I hope it helps.

It sure does. I appreciate your help. Thanks. 

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Warmaster is completly different of other games and a real good ancient/fantsy battlefield simulator. It is true that the rulebook is online free, but I think it is worth to have the original.

I agree, it never feels right until you have a actual copy of the book. PDF is not my thing. 

You should check the armylist of bretonnia becasue there are a minimun units that every army should have, and in same cases a maximus number of unit allowed, so it is interesting look that before buying figures.

I will do that. The miniatures I bought is not nearly enough to create a army from. So I'll take a look at the rules before going any further.

Enjoy the rules, the painting and the wargame! 

Thanks, I will. By the way, how tricky is the painting? I mean, the miniatures are pretty tiny. 

[spiritusXmachina]

Well, generally Warmaster in my opinion is far easier to paint than let's say Warhammer Fantasy. Just because of the simple fact that there is less surface and detail to paint.
Bretonnia though is a different matter. Every bretonnian knight should have his own heraldic which is some work to figure out and paint. But on the other hand that's one of the reasons it looks unique in the end.

Greetings,
Gerald

[jchaos79]

Ash said

Thanks, I will. By the way, how tricky is the painting? I mean, the miniatures are pretty tiny. 

Well Painting 10mm is very pleasant.

You can paint a unit with the same effort than an detail 28mm. If you paint quick without detail, it will look good in the gametable (much better than the same paint job in 28 or 15mm); if you decide to go on detail with highlights and shades it will look great in close up but in the table will look good (more or less) than the others. If your paint is superb there is no option, in the table will look amazing, but somtimes (in my opinion) it is not worth the effort.

What I usually do is paint with my mood, sometimes I am tired of the day so I paint quick without detail, but when my body ask me for paintjobs I spend lots of time painting a single unit. When playing it is not really seen the difference.

I think a good advise when painting warmaster is going on with bright pure colors, because as much the figure is colorfull as much pretty will be seen/remark in the battletable. So the hyperrealistic dark/brown colors (e.g. the color scheme of lord of the ring 28mm range shown in white dwarf) do not make the most of the figure. That's my advice from my own experience.

Another advice is trying to paint more detail on the leaders (generals and so on) because when playing people use to take their attention to that figures. For banners exists transfers with heraldic motives and this simplyfy the free-hand paintjob.

To finish, painting warmaster is more easier than you can imagine, especially games workshop figures because are superb sculpted, so they paint itself alone  (well I am trying to say that when the figures is good sculpted is easier to paint).

Sorry for my english and I hope you could understand what i am trying to say

go on the warmaster! it is good game