Bretonnia tech tree (Total War: Warhammer)

The Bretonnia tech tree consists of technologies that unlock new advantages throughout the game. Research takes place constantly, but the rate at which discoveries occur can be increased by using heroes to spy or building additional research buildings at your settlements.
Category: Bretonnia 
==Tech tree==
==Technologies==
Tech 	Prerequisite	Cost	Effects	Description
Safer Woods Decree“The King decrees that from this day forth, the forests of Bretonnia be made safe from the Beastmen’s Ruinous bane.” 	 	 	 	As the sacred woodland of Athel Loren is outside Bretonnia’s official boundaries, there are no Wood Elves living within its forests. Unfortunately, this means that Beastmen, the hideous Children of Chaos, infest the glades and copses with their fell rituals and darker appetites. Ever since the Great Battles of Bretonnian history, when the dreaded brayherds swept across the land in a stampede of destruction, joining with the foul, rampaging Greenskins to compound the misery of the local people. Some say that they may even exist in far greater numbers than previously thought, but no one is really prepared to venture into the woods to find out!
Ruinous Powers DecreeThe King decrees that the scourge of Chaos be stopped at all costs and the land delivered to safety. 	 	 	 	In Bretonnia from time to time, and with increasing regularity as the forces of Chaos strengthen their nefarious hold on the mortal world, formerly loyal and courageous Dukes are tempted by promises of power and favour from the Ruinous Powers. No one, not even the brave and true Grail Knights, is immune from the outstretched tentacles of eternal madness to which such dark pacts give purchase. Yet the Lady of the Lake, through her servants the Fay Enchantress and courageous King Louen Leoncoeur, is ever-vigilant – ready to act in defence of Bretonnia wherever and whenever the Chaos Gods’ creeping, insidious influence is detected.
Green Tide Decree“The King decrees that the Greenskin blight be utterly annihilated wherever, whenever, and however possible!" 	 	 	 	Greenskins are central to the Bretonnian story, having been defeated by the Grail Companions in large numbers during the Great Battles. However, many years have passed since they have dared to raid in large groups away from their mountain strongholds, and some now fear they are gathering strength to move against Bretonnia once again. Attacks on border villages by small Warbands are not uncommon these days, with the farming and mining communities on the fringes especially vulnerable in Winter when cut off from the rest of Bretonnia. When the snow melts in Spring, at least one village has been reduced to rubble, its population dead or missing, and the stench of dung piles – the calling card of these foul, green interlopers – thick in the air.
Grey Mountain WatchToo long have the Greenskins pillaged Bretonnian lands. 	 	 	 	Greenskins are central to the Bretonnian story, having been defeated by the Grail Companions in large numbers during the Great Battles. However, many years have passed since they have dared to raid in large groups away from their mountain strongholds, and some now fear they are gathering strength to move against Bretonnia once again. Attacks on border villages by small Warbands are not uncommon these days, with the farming and mining communities on the fringes especially vulnerable in Winter when cut off from the rest of Bretonnia. When the snow melts in Spring, at least one village has been reduced to rubble, its population dead or missing, and the stench of dung piles – the calling card of these foul, green interlopers – thick in the air.
Winter Woes Decree“The King decrees that Bretonnians must double their efforts to defend the Kingdom against the barbaric forces of the North.”	 	 	 	The Northmen – the barbarian tribes allied to the Gods of Chaos – are ancient enemies of Bretonnia. During the Tenth Great Battle, Gilles le Breton and his Grail Companions came to the relief of the great port-city of L’Anguille, which was under attack from forces led by the formidable warrior-Lord Svengar of the Skaelings. The Companion Lord Marcus duelled with the giant Norscan warrior, defeating him and triggering a full-scale retreat of the Norse attackers, who hurriedly turned their ships around and sailed away northwards once more. A devastating victory was won that day, but nevertheless the ports of Bretonnia cast their eyes out to the ocean in constant vigilance even now.
The North GuardAcross the Sea of Claws lies an ancient threat; pay it the utmost attention, lest it grows too near. 	 	 	 	The Northmen – the barbarian tribes allied to the Gods of Chaos – are ancient enemies of Bretonnia. During the Tenth Great Battle, Gilles le Breton and his Grail Companions came to the relief of the great port-city of L’Anguille, which was under attack from forces led by the formidable warrior-Lord Svengar of the Skaelings. The Companion Lord Marcus duelled with the giant Norscan warrior, defeating him and triggering a full-scale retreat of the Norse attackers, who hurriedly turned their ships around and sailed away northwards once more. A devastating victory was won that day, but nevertheless the ports of Bretonnia cast their eyes out to the ocean in constant vigilance even now.
Death's Grip DecreeThe King decrees that the threat of Unliving incursions be foremost in the collective mind of the Kingdom. 	 	 	 	Being a superstitious lot, Bretonnians are not ones to take the threat of incursions by the Undead lightly. The idea of the dead walking is particularly abhorrent to them and a constant source of fear. Their history, especially that of the Great Battles, contains several tales of the Companions facing off against Necromancers and their reanimated hordes. More recently, Bretonnia seems to suffer more frequently from unnatural things defying nature and rising from their tombs at the bidding of Dark Magicians and Vampire Counts. This is especially true upriver from the cursed land of Mousillon, where waterlogged Undead crawl their way upstream, occasionally jumping out of the water and attacking unlucky passers-by!
Forests' Edge DecreeThe King decrees that the malevolent forces of Athel Loren must be kept at bay. 	 	 	 	It is never wise to go against the Fey Folk of the forest, for they have long memories and their vengeance – for even the most trivial of slights – is total. In times past, men have exploited the forests, harvesting the trees for their selfish ends and have felt the Wood Elves’ wrath in return. As a result, the Bretonnians mostly stay away from Elven lands these days, so as not to tempt fate. For their part, the Elves do not consider the lives of ‘mayflies’ to be worth their time, so generally keep themselves to themselves where possible. There have, however, been instances of co-operation between the two races – for the good of the trees, of course. The Fourth Great Battle saw a horde of filthy, ravening Greenskins putting the forest to the flame and so the noble, courageous Grail Companions came to their aid, stopping the disgusting green tide dead in its tracks.
Economic InvestmentBanish uncertainty: invest in the Kingdom's future. 	 	 	 	Bretonnian society looks down on progress, for such things may lead to ‘undesirable’ changes to the balance of power. This makes for a haphazard economy which does not stockpile goods when it would perhaps be sensible to do so. Generally, trade is what keeps the Kingdom going, with nobles dealing with the merchant class when necessary in order to obtain the goods they need and trading wine and textiles in return. Of course, the village communities who do all of the actual production work do not benefit from this – diffusion of wealth being an alien concept in such a staunchly feudal society. Those landowners whose local industries may be suffering simply drive their peasants harder until the profits made are high enough to keep them in the manner to which they are accustomed – as is their noble birthright of course.
Improved Agricultural ToolsNo longer can a bad workman blame his tools… 	 	 	 	The tools and agricultural techniques used by Bretonnian peasants are considered by many to be rather backwards compared to those used by the other nations of men. Occasionally, cost-effective solutions developed by their counterparts in the Empire are adopted, while others less so. The main problem is that good tools are hard to find in Bretonnia and hence, are much more expensive. This means that less affluent Bretonnian nobles will not often see good reason to provide their peasant workers with better equipment if it can be avoided - to them, there is simply no reason to make a peasant’s job easier at a greater cost to themselves.
Wider PloughsThe wider the plough, the higher the yield, in less time. 	 	 	 	Ploughs are important to any agriculturally-focused economy, such as Bretonnia. Along with the pitchfork, they are a staple tool of the peasants who toil the fields, making the work slightly less back-breaking than would otherwise be the case, but not enough to make their miserable lives easier by any real degree. Increasing plough sizes does mean they spend less hours actually ploughing, freeing them up to do some other form of crippling manual labour for their noble masters.
Irrigation DitchesIrrigation ensures that the fields are watered and the people fed, no matter the season. 	 	 	 	The ability of the Knightly class to effectively defend Bretonnia from harm rests with the peasants, who work the land to provide their nobles with the sustenance needed to fight wars in their name. The sheer amount of arable land in the region means that the waterways feeding the crops must work efficiently, lest the yields produced not be high enough. By the digging irrigation ditches, water can be directed to man-made watering holes around the foothills, where the pastoral farmers graze their animals, and to the rolling fields where maize and other crops are grown for their masters’ tables. The peasants themselves, however, rarely benefit from the abundance of high quality meat and fresh vegetables produced, and must content themselves with the gruel and scraps that are the lot of their pathetic, near-worthless lives.
Water PumpsThe less we depend on the elements, the greater our control over our food supplies. 	 	 	 	Although water pumping technology could be used to bring fresh water to the Bretonnian peasants, instead of the stagnant well water they are forced to drink, that is not considered important by the nobles whose land they work. As far as they are concerned, increasing produce yields is far more important than the needs of their workers, and so they are forbidden from using them for their own purposes. When more crops are grown than are needed to sustain the population, the excess can be used to trade with merchants for those essential luxuries – wine, for instance. Any other considerations, such as the welfare of the peasant population, are irrelevant.
Improved ConstructionImprove the process and the results look after themselves. 	 	 	 	As prolific builders of castles, improved stone masonry techniques and construction methods appeal to even the aggressively-feudalist Bretonnians. Unlike other areas of technological advancement, Bretonnian nobles are very keen on anything that speeds the process of building and maintaining the castles and strongholds from which their lands are defended from invaders. As a result, many improved construction methods have come along quickly and naturally out of necessity. It is important to remember, however, that the nobles’ preferred solution – in any situation – is always to throw more peasants at a problem until it goes away!
Bigger BobbinsBigger bobbins are better bobbins. It is known. 	 	 	 	Weaving cloth by hand is no easy task, as any clothiers will tell you. Unlike their neighbours in the technologically-burgeoning Empire, Bretonnians must do without the new-fangled machinery that saves labour and increases production. Such things might give the peasantry ideas, and are therefore eschewed by the Kingdom’s noble, ruling class. Large-scale fabric production is a necessary evil, however, and so the work must be undertaken by hand or with the simplest, hand-driven looms. One effective way of keeping output high enough to meet demand is to increase the size of the spools used; anything further advanced might just trigger an industrial revolution – something no Bretonnian ruler wants to see!
Improved Loom TechnologyThe fruit of such a loom is industry in abundance. 	 	 	 	Although the majority of Bretonnian weavers use simple wooden hand-looms, the pressures of increased production quotas have caused many breakages and repairs. Although loathed to do so, nobles have taken advantage of the importation of raw materials into Bretonnia – metals from Dwarf traders, for instance – to reinforce existing equipment or build new, more robust machinery from metal that will not break so easily.
Weaving ApprenticeshipsTime spent schooling the workers pays dividends later. 	 	 	 	In Bretonnia, the life of anyone outside the ruling class is tough. In keeping with natural order, the nobles take the vast majority of goods produced – and the profits therein – from the peasants who live on their land and do all the physical work. Although their skills are never recognised, weavers and other cloth workers are essential to Bretonnian industry, as the fruits of their labour directly bring income into the Kingdom via trade with the travelling merchants that constantly move through the land. Naturally, the nobles do not approve of any activities that take peasants away from their toil, but even they have to admit that passing on knowledge to the next generation is useful – so there is someone to take over when a peasant craftsman eventually drops, exhausted, for the final time.
SeamstressesFor some, appearances are everything - regardless of the truth of the matter. 	 	 	 	Clothiers and seamstresses play an important role in Bretonnia, operating in a society which cares much about its image. For Bretonnians, chivalric virtues are not only expounded through their actions, but also through their appearance. Knights will often wear battle-damaged cloaks as a constant reminder of past glories, and some non-combatant nobles mimic this trend by having slits artificially cut into their own. Unsurprisingly, attempts to fake battle damage are frowned upon – so seamstresses are employed to adorn such cloaks with fabrics provided by the local clothier, making it clear that the battle damage is decorative.
AlmshousesThe poor must be cared for, just enough to ensure productivity. 	 	 	 	Almshouses in Bretonnia are not happy places, but serve an important function for the peasant-class, who endlessly toil for the nobility in exchange for their ‘protection’ from evil in its various guises. Naturally, peasants only know servitude, leaving the Knights to carry out the heroic deeds so revered in Bretonnian society. Such loyalty is not reciprocated, however, for if peasants become afflicted by disease or injury to the extent that they can no longer toil the fields or work the looms, they are simply replaced by others in better physical condition. Almshouses provide a modicum of refuge to those wretched individuals who find themselves in such unfortunate predicaments. Such places are not a soft-option though – residents lives remaining hard, they are still expected to work long hours at menial tasks, with barely enough food provided and absolutely no sympathy, cures or palliative care offered.
Town CensusKnow your population, know the size of your army. 	 	 	 	The structure of Bretonnian society is not concerned with the peasants – the vast, faceless rabble who do all the actual work, suffer and die without ever finding solace for their woes or redress for their concerns. For that reason, it’s very hard for a noble to truly know how many live and work his lands. Some landowners have thousands in order to work their sizeable estates, others just a few hundred to operate the looms which produce the cloth he trades in order to prop up his already-considerable wealth. It makes sense then, for each to survey his workers and send details of their numbers to the capital so the King knows how many can be levied to fight in his armies in the event of war.
Subsidised ToolsFor what is a peasant without his pitchfork? 	 	 	 	In the context of Bretonnia, it is misleading to think of the pitchfork as a symbol of peasant rebellion, since such uprisings are so rare within its Dukedoms. The low-born are far more likely to use a pitchfork to defend their noble’s land than turn it against the noble himself. It also means that when war inevitably comes, he doesn’t have to spend valuable resources on weapons that he could otherwise spend on arming his Knights. Therefore, the high-born know that to give a Bretonnian peasant a pitchfork is to hand him a useful tool with which to work the fields and forearm him for the battles ahead.
Charity“Rejoice, peasants! For a generous Knight of Bretonnia provides for you!” 	 	 	 	Naturally, in a feudal society such as Bretonnia, peasant handouts are extremely rare, so when they do occur, they have a profound effect. Knights typically never share their riches with the low-born, be it battle-loot or the profits of his peasants ceaseless labour. Bretonnian peasants are, to a man, pitifully-poor individuals, who serve their betters past the point of total exhaustion while paying taxes almost as high as their paltry wages. Even if they are fortunate enough to become Men-at-Arms and take to the battlefield alongside Knights of the Realm, they must still pay for their own rations and bring their own equipment.
Improved Trade VesselsA seaworthy fleet keeps the economy afloat. 	 	 	 	The sea merchants who operate off Bretonnia’s shores constantly need tougher, more manoeuvrable ships. The rapidly changing currents off the coast, extreme gales that blow in from the Great Ocean to the west, pirates, and – not to forget – the sea-monsters who infest its waters are notoriously dangerous to navigate. Even the most experienced sailors find it difficult to avoid a shipwreck if they find themselves in an unfamiliar waters. These difficulties can sometimes hamper trade, since a lot of goods flowing in and out of Bretonnian ports use the congested, land-hugging ship-routes.
Harbourmaster BribesBribing the harbourmaster pays dividends on import duties. 	 	 	 	Bretonnia wears a fair mask over the not-uncommon presence of corruption. The harbourmasters who control access to all its lucrative trade ports make a decent living, but not always entirely by honest means. Often, following receipt of certain payments, they are able to direct ‘approved’ smugglers to safe moorings around Bretonnia’s perilous coast in order to avoid the tolls and duties levied at its major ports – knowledge they are often more than willing to share for the right price.
The Chivalric CodeEvery Bretonnian Lord knows that honour and chivalry come before everything. 	 	 	 	Bretonnia is renowned as a land with a code of conduct that must be followed by all those with noble blood. The code is not just about a Knight’s behaviour – although that is also important – but also about the choices he makes during his exploits. Living for the moment, a Knight should always choose the most honourable course of action. To them, what matters is what they do now, not what they may or may not do in the future. It is often as simple as seeking battle as a way of securing personal honour and pride.
Heraldry of ArtoisArtois, where the unified Dukedoms swore fealty to the Uniter. 	 	 	 	The forested realm of Artois has notable significance in Bretonnia’s history – it was the location of the first Gathering of the Companions, where the fourteen newly-united Dukedoms were first legitimised. Emblazoned on the Heraldry of Artois is the head of the monstrous boar Morthanok, symbol of Lord Folgar, the first Duke of Artois. A renowned hunter and lancer, Folgar's skills made him an invaluable Companion Knight who fought in several Great Battles alongside Gilles le Breton. Morthanok’s image is a reminder of the inaugural feast of the Companions, for which Folgar hunted down and slew the dangerous beast.
Heraldry of BastonneBastonne, birthplace of the Uniter and the source of his bloodline. 	 	 	 	Prior to the Lady appearing before the Uniter and his fellow Grail Knights, the young Gilles rode out to cleanse his homeland Bastonne of the foul beasts wreaking havoc there. After slaying one such beast – the ancient Dragon Smearghus – he not only adopted its image on his Heraldry, but also wore its skin as part of his armour during all his Great Battles. To this day, the beast’s image and its pelt are revered in Bastonne, with the armour still kept and worn by the Duke ceremoniously as well as in warfare.
Heraldry of BordeleauxManann is more than a mere deity; he is a source of livelihood for many Bordelen citizens. 	 	 	 	Bordeleaux is a land peacefully split over religious matters. Those residing on the coastlines assert that the Lady’s domain ends where the water turns salt – where the domain of Manann begins. The tempestuous Sea God’s tri-forked symbol is a reminder of the bond he forged with the bloodline of the Bordelen Dukes, during the Tenth Great Battle, against the sea-raiders from the North. Lord Marcus, the first Duke of Bordeleaux, was said to have fought alongside Manann himself that day, ending the battle by challenging and defeating the giant warrior in command of the Norscans that day.
Heraldry of BretonniaKing Leoncoeur leads Bretonnia; his symbol, the Shield of Couronne. 	 	 	 	King Leoncoeur's homeland of Couronne currently flies the Heraldry of Bretonnia. The heritage of Couronne’s Dukedom has ties to the original Grail Companions of Gilles the Uniter – their first Duke was the heroic Carleond, saviour of the city and older brother of the most devoted Companion of them all, Thierulf of Lyonesse. As children, the two brothers were said to have miraculously slain a great lion together, which is why the Heraldries of Lyonesse and Couronne – and hence, the Heraldry of Bretonnia – display a lion’s image.
Heraldry of CarcassonneThe sons of Carcassonne bear the symbol of the sword, the insignia of their warrior-culture. 	 	 	 	It was Duke Lambard of Carcassonne, one of the famed Companions of Gilles the Uniter, who first adopted the image of the sword for his nation’s Heraldry. Although Carcassonne was one of few Bretonnian provinces that did not see a Great Battle on its lands, Lambard rode out to fight victoriously in nine of them. The blade symbolises Carcassonne’s warrior-culture, attested by their centuries-old tradition of gifting every newborn son a freshly-forged sword, which they are made to touch as soon as they enter the world. It is then ornamentally placed above their cots until it can be wielded.
Heraldry of LyonesseLyonesse, the homeland of the most devoted of all the Grail Companions. 	 	 	 	The Heraldry of Lyonesse was originally adopted by Thierulf, the most devoted of Gilles le Breton’s Grail Companions. In the years before the Great Battles, Thierulf of Lyonesse married Gilles’ sister and became his brother-in-law’s most trusted friend. He would later be one of the two Companions blessed by the Lady alongside Gilles himself, going on to fight victoriously in all twelve of the Great Battles with him. Lyonesse's Lion-symbol represents Thierhulf’s courageous nature in battle, and also the beast that he and his brother are said to have miraculously slain as children.
Heraldry of ParravonAmong the cliffs, peaks, and mountain ranges, the pegasi soar. 	 	 	 	Adorning the family standard of the Dukes of Parravon is the pegasus rampant, the ultimate symbol of wealth for any Knight fortunate enough to acquire one. This Heraldry was adopted by Lord Agilgar, first Duke of Parravon and one of the famed Companions of Gilles the Uniter. It is said to be a likeness of his winged steed Glorfinial, lord and sire of all Royal pegasi, whom he befriended. It was atop his friend Glorfinial that Agilgar was carried into the Fifth Great Battle – the liberation of Parravon – paving his way to Companionhood by his actions that day.
The Unification of BretonniaOne people, one land – all shall know its glory and grandeur. 	 	 	 	When the fourteen standards of Bretonnia come together, it is one of the most majestic displays of unity in the Old World. Gilles le Breton could not have achieved the unification of the Kingdom without the divine Blessing of the Lady and the other Companions, the first Dukes of Bretonnia. When the greatest Knights across the fourteen Dukedoms come together to fight as one, as they did on the day of the final Great Battle, it is truly a sight to behold. It is an inspiring show of solidarity, earning respect of both men and Dwarfs alike.
Category:Technology trees