Man o' War Bretonnian fluff hangover...

[Eternus]

Don't get me wrong, I like the Bretonnian fleet, but having recently re-read the rulebook, and being familiar with WFB Bretonnia, the fluff for the fleet just doesn't seem to me to reflect the current background for Bretonnia. I mean, who is meant to be crewing these ships? The Knights who disdain ranged weapons, or the weakling peasants who are devoid of much in the way of skill or traning? The fluff for the fleet says that the Bretonnians are the most highly skilled of all human sailors, but this just doesn't fit anymore in my opinion...

...should I just be ignoring this glaring fluff discrepancy?

[xensyria]

I see your point, the fluff was radically different then (a decrepit society riddled with corruption and disease etc.), but I'd argue that their ships aren't crewed by Knights or Peasants, but by well trained Sailors! :P

The current rulebook completely ignores the Navy (which it doesn't deny exists anymore, as they'd still need to defend their seas) and it isn't doesn't clash with current fluff to think that theirs may be better sailors than the Empire, who concentrate more on pressganged oarsmen and lots of cannons. All it takes is one great Admiral and they'll have much higher training standards than their armies do (you can't just make up how to sail as you go along!).

To me it doesn't clash, it's just not addressed anymore.

[Jedi152]

The army book shows a very black and white view of Bretonnia. The roleplay book states that Bretonnian cities are quite cosmopolitan, and there are merchants, sailors etc that are technically peasants but are modern, intelligent and rich.

[Memnos]

If I were a peasant in Bretonnia, I'd be a sailor, for sure.

Other than the odd Duke riding a Hippogryph or Pegasus, you are almost entirely free of the whole Knightdom. While you won't get paid much(And most will be taken from you in taxes), the loot from bringing civilization, or going on crusades, will make your family very rich back home. Yes, you face scurvy, storms and sea monsters. If you can brave the terrors of the sea on a successful attack on a wealthy nation(Such as the Lizardmen, Araby or... Heck. Let me loot the Dark Elves), you come home laden with whatever you can carry.


Die of the plague, ignoble and forgotten, or join the Marines and loot your way to fame and glory?

[Hubman]

The current WFB Bretonnia is way too black and white for it to even work: a society that operates like that is bound to die out in generations if you ask me. I like Bretonnia, but the last army book background nauseated me. That is not the army and society I once fell for.

Gamewise you should probably just ignore it: eventually a new WFB book will be published and perhaps the 5th Edition Bretonnia will be restored...or it could get even worse of course. Regardless, since you are not in a position to do anything about it, you might as well ignore the whole thing until at some point in the future the Bretonnian backgrounds of both game systems link up again. And if it doesn't, keep ignoring!

Kind regards,

Hubman