Topic: Farewell Chateau Montreford

[Fafnir]

BEcause if Peasants pay 90% taxes what is to stop a rich and ambitious Imperial from coming over to Bretonnia and throwing gold to the masses? Mercenaries and Foreign powers would have destroyed Bretonnia by this point.

This is a moot point, since 90% taxation isn't possible in the real world, along with flying horses and magic. That's why Warhammer is fantasy; Games Workshop has exaggerated certain aspects of real-world history (poverty, corruption, religious fanaticism etc) to convey the general feel of the area/character/concept and put it in line with the general "darkness" or "desperation" or "lowliness" of the Warhammer World. And quite brilliantly too I might add, with some exeptions. (*caugh* stormofchaos *caugh*).

What chivalry is or isn't (or was or wasn't) in the real world is equally moot, since Bretonnia is what Games Workshop says Bretonnia is, and Bretonnia is a land of powerful warlike feudal nobility (with cool armour and neat lances) ruling over a vast peasant population that it keeps in absolute, destitute poverty. That's what's cool about Bretonnia!

[rufus sparkfire]

I prefer the old WFRP Bretonnia. The peasants were just as oppressed, but the nobles were dissolute and ineffectual. Revolution was in the air!

None of this holy grail nonsense.

[Fafnir]

I prefer the old WFRP Bretonnia. The peasants were just as oppressed, but the nobles were dissolute and ineffectual. Revolution was in the air!

I might have prefered that as well, if it weren't so clearly inspired by "l'ancient regime" France and as such so far ahead of its time.

[Guvnor]

But then the french revolution created a regime that was just as bad, if not worse.

The english 'revolution' (civil war) created a state that actually worked, and then even though the royalty returned, they were very careful not to go too far. Thats what the brettonians should do.

I'd say the peasants are in a bad way in brettonia, and you don't exactly put your souls on the line- you wear lots of armour and they have none for a start.

Mercenaries and foreign powers could not have destroyed brettonia as the peasants are in so much fear of the knights that they won't grab the gold without a noble say-so.

[Carlo Chaimo]

But then the french revolution created a regime that was just as bad, if not worse.

The english 'revolution' (civil war) created a state that actually worked, and then even though the royalty returned, they were very careful not to go too far. Thats what the brettonians should do.

The Bretonnian peasants should become Presybterians and Fifth Monarchists? And then invite the Stuarts back? That just doesn't sound very fluffy, and in any case I don't think that there are even any Stuarts in the Warhammer world. There certainly arn't any equivalents to William of Orange or the Latitudinarians, in fact the whole "Whig history" just falls apart.

So I guess I am with Rufus on this one. I started playing Bretonnia back when we still had crossbows, and Bretonnian knights were obese, drunk and lazy. I miss those days, but I am generally happy with 6th edition fluff.

I'd say the peasants are in a bad way in brettonia, and you don't exactly put your souls on the line- you wear lots of armour and they have none for a start.

The peasants are in great shape... they have a 4+ save in combat, buck-teeth, and plenty of snails on their sprues. My only regret is that I am required to take knights at all, if I could I would take one to represent a drunken whore-mongering churl, and have the rest of my army be all peasants.

[Guvnor]

I could imagine that- ultra strict ladyofthelaker (must be a bad religion with a name like that) peasants chucking out the knights and thn inviting some to return as figureheads when they realise they aren't very good at ruling.

[Racticas]

I could imagine that- ultra strict ladyofthelaker (must be a bad religion with a name like that) peasants chucking out the knights and thn inviting some to return as figureheads when they realise they aren't very good at ruling.

Sure, only all their friends are dead and now they can't wear their Bourgeoise pants.  "Big victory" for the knights who now get to live empty lives.  And they have to surround themselves with the acoutrements of the peasantry they despised in order to avoid following their loved ones to the guillotine...

[Guvnor]

You mean the 'loved ones' they had arranged political marriages with?

I wouldn't be surprised if they joined the crowd to save their own hide.

[NerrothLTA]

Well, there is a merchant class in Bretonnia (they are detailed in WFRP2's guide to the Kingdom, Knights of the Grail) - one which is steadily pushing for greater influence, not least in the city of L'Anguille.


If you want a more rounded view of the Kingdom, you'd more likely find it in KOTG (as Sigmar's Heirs is handy for fans of the Empire!)


Gary