... in which I discuss Bretonnian Tactica: The Trebuchet

Knights can't do all the fighting, right? I mean, that's why they take peasants into battle with them. Well, mostly they take them as mobile meat shields, but sometimes the low-born can get lucky and kill and enemy or two.

Now, the noble knights of Bretonnia would never stoop to using something as dishonorable as missile weapons, but that doesn't mean that the peasants can't!

The knights of Bretonnia are a really up in your face army, closing the gap and putting the hurt on someone up close and personal. Not all battles can be won this way though. Sometimes you need ballistic support. So, what can we do?

We can throw massive rocks at them.

Trebuchets aren't just for throwing pumpkins. Load up a good size rock in one of these bad boys, and let it loose to cause some havoc on the ranks of enemy troops.

The Bretonnian Field Trebuchet can not move once it is deployed, however, it's massive range makes up for this. The range on a trebuchet is 12"-60". At close range the trebuchet is really vulnerable, so make sure to have adequate defense hanging around. The trebuchet can pivot on the spot, so firing arc is never a problem.

Unlike other stone throwers, the Brettonian Trebuchet is S 5(10). Meaning, once you roll the scatter and artillery dice, wherever that 3" template lands is going to be in a world of hurt. All models under the template suffer a S5 hit, and the unfortunate one under the hole in the template suffers D6 S10 hits (special rule of stone throwers + S from Brettonian Army book). This makes the trebuchet devastatingly effective against both rank and file troops as well as monsters.

Personally, my Brettonian army has been very light on range support. I recently picked up a trebuchet, and I am working diligently on an army list to support it. More on that when I develop the list and get ready to play test it.

Until then,

Watch out for flying rocks!

Or pumpkins.... either or.