Gwaster

Gwasters are the unique unit of Brittany. They resemble the old Hun tarkans, but now can throw their torches, thus increasing their overall devestating ability, versus units as well as buildings. The Gwaster can be upgraded to the Kigner and carries an attack bonus versus pikemen as well as its already outstanding anti-building abilities.

Unit Statistics[]

Vital[]

Type: Light Cavalry

Available to: Brittany

Trained at: Castle

Century: 15th

Costs: 60 food, 65 florins (1.5 pop)

Combat[]

HP: 50

Attack: 9

Armor/Pierce Armor: 1/0

Range: -

Special: +35 vs. Castles, +28 vs. walls and gates, +20 vs. towers, +8 vs. all other buildings, +3 vs. spearmen.

Upgrades[]

Upgrades to: Kigner

Upgrade Century: 15th

Upgrade Costs: 1000 Food, 500 Florin

Attack: Forging, Iron Casting, Blast Furnace

Armour: Scale Barding Armour. Mail Barding Armour, Plate Barding Armour

Attack, armour, speed: Petite Ordonnance

Armour, hit points: English Alliance (Breton Policy Decision)

Hit Points: Bloodlines

Speed: Husbandry

Training time: Indenture

Commentary/Strategy[]

Brittany's UU, the Gwaster, is a light cavalry unit with a surprising strength: buildings. A few of these can take down any building in seconds, and they excel against buildings built with stone (Castles, Town Halls, walls, towers, and Guild Halls). Although the Gwaster is weaker in overall combat than its counterpart, the Hun Tarkan, they do have an anti-pike bonus, which helps just a little bit against those pesky spear troops.

The Gwaster is ideal for a rush on the enemy's ecomomy as well as a fast and devastating counter to tower rushes and massed Guild Halls. An army of Gwasters in the 13th and 14th centuries (the mid-game for most players) may be cost-intensive but is hardly stoppable as soon as the Breton player has detected a weakness in the enemy's defence. A player should, though, avoid narrows to maintain mobility and keep his units on the move to avoid archer fire.

The Gwaster benefits from a policy decision, English Alliance, which gives them +1 pierce armor and +20 hit points making a charge more effective. Although the light Gwasters are slower than regular Light Cavalry, with 1.4 tiles per second they are still a tad faster than standard cavalry - not much, but it allows them to run away from heavier cavalry and lead them into their defences.

The Gwaster is a potentially very powerful unit, but by no means the only strong cavalry unit Brittany has to offer. As thus, these should make a good portion of your army, but don't forget about Hobelars or whichever merc you've unlocked.

Historical Background[]

The Bretons were excellent raiders and plunderers (breton: gwaster). Many enterprising Bretons formed or joined raiding parties spreading all over France, plundering innocents and claiming ransoms for free passage and protection.