Guide to Total War: Warhammer – Norsca

“Let's hunt down the monsters you fear the most.
We chase the nightmares that haunt your cowardly dreams.
We fought the monsters,
and we became them. "

Wulfrik l'Errante

Norsca

Norsca is a Norsman faction originating from the peninsula of the same name north of the Empire. Composed of tribes of followers of the Chaos gods often at war with each other, the Norsemen armies frequently make raids along the coast of the Sea of ​​Claws and into the Kislevite regions. The extremely harsh climate of the region and the chaotic influence caused mutations in both humans and creatures that managed to survive in this place, giving birth to some of the most feared monsters of the Old World.
The style of this faction is therefore very aggressive: the economy is strongly oriented towards raids and raids, having little evolved infrastructures, and the armies often include huge monstrous units.

Strategy in the Campaign

Campaign Special Rules:

• Hunting Missions:
  New and decidedly immersive mechanics, Monster Hunt represents one of the most important traditions of the heroes of Norsca. Through an expandable catalog through certain technologies, it is possible to accept missions to hunt some terrible creatures.
  Each mission consists of a dynamic similar to that of any assignment, and ends with a battle with a fairly small army but made up of the legendary creature in question (an enhanced version of the relative canonical unit) and a company of it.
  As a reward for such missions you get a unique and very powerful legendary item made from this monster. Some may also become recruitable through regiments of fame.
• Loyalty to the Gods - Monuments & Lords Skills:
  The Norsca faction has a characteristic score based on devotion to the four main deities of Chaos. Whenever a settlement is conquered, it can be razed to the ground to build a monument to one of the four deities of the Chaotic Pantheon. Each new monument will increase loyalty to the chosen deity by 6 points, and decrease the same loyalty to any other god by 2 points.
  Every 25 points of loyalty to the same deity will unlock a special bonus for the campaign. Upon reaching 100 points, the last bonus will be unlocked and the acquisition of loyalty will be frozen for the rest of the campaign.
  This is the list of gods and the bonuses they offer:

Even non-legendary lords can show their individual devotion by spending skill points in a particular skill branch dedicated to one of these gods, gaining skills consistent with that entity's domination. Each branch automatically excludes the others.

• Coastal camps:
  Each coastal settlement on the map can be colonized by Norsca, to create an encampment, that is, a small settlement with a total of three slots, in which it is possible to build buildings useful for recruiting or supporting the invasion of the hinterland.
• Special Faction Rules:
  Absence of Corruption:
  Recruiting more armies does not result in a percentage increase in upkeep cost, as is the case with the corruption of the Empire or the dispersion of Vampire Counts magic.
  Energetic negotiations:
  Norsca can join other Norsemen factions into its forces simply by defeating their faction leader in battle. After defeating him, the faction will accept any diplomatic settlement that includes annexation, including the sale of any money that that tribe eventually owns. It is therefore not necessary to invest resources to maintain a good relationship with your neighbors, and it is sufficient to make a surprise attack on the army led by the lord at the head of the faction you want to incorporate.
  -You can see which lords are in charge of each faction in the diplomacy panel: they are in fact visible when you select each faction-
  Defense is for the weak:
  The raiders of Norsca understand that gathering in populous settlements can bring some benefits, but they do not have the knowledge of "defense". Each settlement of that faction, regardless of its development level, will not have walls. Defense buildings will only increase the quality and quantity of garrison troops.
  Poor Administration:
  Even controlling an entire province it is not possible for Norsca to issue any provincial decree.
  Capital Occupation:
  Although normally Norsca can only occupy Norsman and coastal settlements, it can also build its own complete settlement in each of the faction capitals Empire (Altdorf), Bretonnia (Couronne), Vampire Counts (Drakenhof Castle), Nani (Karaz-a-Karak ), Orchi (Rupe Nera) and Tilea (Miragliano).
  For each of these conquered cities, it will be possible to research a technology capable of offering huge bonuses peculiar to the tradition of the faction that the capital has occupied. Other capitals, such as Kislev, can still be colonized but do not unlock technological research.

Special Unit Abilities:

• Anger:
  Many of the Norsca raiders have a unique ability that recharges when they fight in close combat. The longer these units have fought in the same battle, the more the skill will offer bonuses, starting from an increase in discipline, up to also increasing physical resistance and then subsequently the melee attack.

• Freezing Walrus:
  Some units, mostly monsters of the cold north, have an ability that slows the movement of enemies when they are attacked.

Army Mode:

• Marching
• Ambush
• Assault: Unlike the other factions, this mode does not involve a cost in terms of movement points. This means that once you have completed the entire shift granted by normal mode, you can begin the assault on the region you are in.
• Raid (encampment): As with the Greenskins, the camp also provides income from looting equal to those that would be obtained with the assault.

Recruitment Mode:

• Local
• Global (when in a Settlement or Camp Mode)
• Regiments of Renown

Settlement conquest mode:

• Occupies (Regions in Norsca, faction capitals or coastal settlements only)
• Raid
• Radi al soil (He necessarily builds one of the sacred monuments of his choice)

Start: Unify Norsca

The campaign begins under the command of a marauding squad in freezing Norsca. In a relatively short time you should be able to take over the western side of the peninsula, defeating the leaders of the other tribes as soon as possible. Once a faction has been annexed to yours (remember to ask for as much gold as you can) dismiss their armies after transferring the highest quality units to the command of your legendary lord, to proceed with the annexation of the next population without having to wait to build. advanced military buildings. Some Norsemen armies may start the campaign with very advanced monstrous units, which would become yours if you manage to annex that faction without killing them. Invest in cheap buildings to stave off bankruptcy and try not to spark riots where you can't quell them, so you can be free and quick in this first expansion.

On your eastern border is an unoccupied mountain province controlled by Kraka Drak, who will declare war on you as soon as it is ready. Dwarf armies are heavily armored, so an open battle against your raiders is to be avoided at all costs. You will have to play cunning and wear out one army after another with ambushes, then destroy their smaller settlements and deliver the coup de grace to their capital thus definitively averting the threat.

From the south, however, Nordland may send some armies to raze your coastal settlements. It can be useful to strengthen the defenses of some of your border towns by building garrisons, in order to avoid losing entire provinces before reaching the enemy army with your own forces and stop the invasion.

The last faction to beware of is Kislev, on your southeastern border. Pay attention to its movements and do not be caught off guard by an attack on several fronts, which could make you lose what little certain income you have built for yourself.

The invasion of the continent

Once you have consolidated your possessions in Norsca, you can devote yourself to raiding and pillaging the continent. Not being able to maintain many quality armies, there is no need to declare war on all the human factions you encounter. Destroy one at a time after looting its settlements. Choose the deity to vow to and build monoliths in her name on the still hot ashes of your enemies.
Don't be afraid to see that your income is negative if you have managed to set aside a significant amount of loot. Just keep in mind that you have to be constant in looting, and finding yourself going through too many turns without a hit could lead to bankruptcy.

Unlike the Chaos Warriors, Norsca can trade; given your propensity to destroy the imperial civilization you could trade resources with the Vampire Counts, both those led by Mannfred and those of Vlad. If you choose to ally with them, if need be, they may have your back as you retreat to regroup.
In the conditions of victory you have the total annihilation of Bretonnia and the Empire. Facing one opponent at a time you shouldn't have any particular difficulties, and you will be free enough to approach this design in the way you think is best.

The arrival of the Challengers

When you have reached the maximum degree of fidelity to your god, the other chaos deities will demonstrate their jealousy of you by sending their champions against you. Two armies of Warriors of Chaos will swoop down on the northern border of Norsca and head towards your armies to confront you, without attacking any other faction and without damaging your settlements. So deal with them as soon as possible and don't let them surprise you exhausted by some battle on the continent.
With these first champions defeated, a third and final challenger will step forward via an assignment mission. You can then meet him when you feel ready.

-Winning this battle represents a victory condition. Your campaign could then end here, if you have already completed the other conditions-

The summoning of the Eternal Chosen

When you have faced the last challenger, you will be summoned by the Eternal Chosen Archaon, who has had enough proof of your worth. A dilemma will subject you to a very important choice: you can in fact decide to side with the lord of Chaos in his imminent invasion of the Old World or refuse his authority and declare yourself Chosen Eternal.
In the first case, you will sign a military alliance with the Archaon faction, and you will automatically declare war along with it to some factions still in play; as long as the Warriors of Chaos are alive, you will have bonuses to discipline, troop replenishment speed, law and order, and Chaos corruption. If, however, you resist the Chosen One, Archaon will declare war on you as soon as he lands from the Desolation of Chaos. When the Chaos faction is destroyed, you will receive a perpetual 75% discount on troop upkeep, in addition to a bonus to Chaos corruption and unit experience upon recruiting.
-With or without the alliance with the Warriors of Chaos, you will be able to complete all victory conditions-

Battle Tactics

Strengths:

• Some of the most effective monstrous units in the game
• Fairly durable infantry units
• Possibility of fighting with the advantage of quantity without totally compromising quality

Weaknesses:

• No heavily armored infantry units
• Very ineffective shooting options
• No melee cavalry options
• No artillery units in the standard unit pool (only one artillery unit can be recruited via Regiment of Fame by voting for the Hound)

Use the Norsca

Every self-respecting Norsca army makes its monsters its strength. A maximum tier army can even contain several War Mammoths, to be deployed in the front row against the close enemy ranks. Units of champions can escort such enormities to distract enemies and have them deploy in some static position, while the large animals and trolls surround them and charge them on their sides. On the wings of your deployment, you can instead place Wolffels, units on average fast and useful for frightening cavalry and shooting units, so as not to be encircled in turn.
A minor tier army, on the other hand, recommended only in case you want to face an equivalent army of marauders - as soon as the campaign has started - or plunder an unguarded village, can paradoxically see shooting units useful, otherwise ineffective; particularly, Marauder Hunters can make a real difference in the very early stages of the game.

Facing the Norsca

Facing Norsca can be very frustrating at times. As for the campaign, this faction can hire several lords without incurring a percentage increase in upkeep costs. This can result in a pounding rain of attacks, even low-level ones, in all of your territories, before your generals can return from the front to drive these marauders. By then you may have lost a few settlements with economic structures and suffered several raids.
For the encounter on the battlefield, however, it is good to be equipped with forces with bonuses against large units, to be sent against the mammoths, against the giants, against the wyrms and against any other terrible thing that can crawl from the depths of Norsca to make you of evil. The lack of heavy missile units and the absence of artillery forces marauders to march as fast as possible towards close combat. Consequently, you have the opportunity to be ready in an advantageous position, and you must not waste it.

Best Units

• Marauders Hunters

The only missile infantry available in the faction. The variant with javelins offers an interesting bonus against large units, which takes the damage of bullets to a very dangerous level, very useful for monster hunting missions. The basic version, of a higher tier than the first, forgoes this bonus and further reduces the range in favor of penetrating damage.
Both units deal good damage, but the extremely short range does not allow them to be deployed safely and forces shooters to venture into the front rows, which exposes them to the risk of being engaged in a disadvantageous melee.

• Marauders Champions

The only non-monstrous infantry unit with armor available for Norsca. It has nice specs and is basically very durable, thanks to its high melee defense and "Rage" ability. It holds the enemy line well allowing monsters to damage enemy soldiers. A version with large weapons is also available, which in exchange for penetrating damage gives up a lot of defense and a small shield, losing a lot of stability; this variant should be used with caution and only against enemies with thick armor.

• Norsca ice wolves

Much more powerful than regular Chaos hounds, these wolves are gifted with the Frozen Bite ability and cause fear. They can therefore keep even light cavalry occupied and make defenseless missile units flee more easily than their counterparts from other chaotic factions.

• Norsca Ice Troll

Another "glacial" variant of a unit present in other factions. These trolls, in addition to the Freezing Grip, see their weapon strength greatly increased compared to the standard variant, as well as to a lesser extent also the charge bonus, attack and melee defense. Single (negligible) malus, they have developed a fire weakness that their southern equivalents do not know.

•   Pellelupo

Bipedal werewolves corrupted by Chaos to become fast, powerful creatures with abilities of regeneration, fury and resistance to physical damage. Great for occupying the wings of the Norsemen army and outflanking slower enemy infantry. The armored variant switches a few points of speed for a much thicker armor, which is absolutely necessary so as not to take excessive damage from enemy fire and let the regeneration do its job.

• Mammoth

Those who have played previous titles in the Total War series will appreciate the return of the elephants as disruptive units to be deployed in battle. This creature, emblem of Norsca, enjoys a mammoth amount of health, and an incredibly effective attack pattern. In addition to its gravity in melee, it features a variant with a stage on the saddle from which marauders shoot arrows with bonuses against the infantry, and, again, a further variant with an altar of Chaos capable of significantly enhancing discipline. of surrounding units, to make them irreducible for a period of time and to grant them fire damage.

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