Campaign - tips | Norsca TW: Warhammer Guide
Last update: 23 August 2017
Playing as Norsca you have two factions to choose from, each sporting a different starting point, which causes the beginning to look a bit different for each of the legendary lords. In both cases, though, you'll begin in Norsca, and spend some time there before you can venture south to kill and plunder. This chapter will include advice concerning Wulfrik's campaign - he's got a better starting position, which makes him a better choice for first-time player so they can familiarize themselves with the Norsca faction.
First turns
As you begin the game, you'll be informed of the unique mechanics of the Norsca faction. You'll begin with a small army and a settlement - Icedrake Fjord, and the only thing between you and the lands of the Empire is the gulf. Your first enemy, however, is the Skaeling clan.
Begin you first turn with upgrading Sparring Fields to Raider' Camp - while the second level of this structure provides you no particular benefits, the third level will enable you to recruit Marauder Champions. Now, open the technology panel (8 key), where you'll see that in this faction research is divided between three tech trees. Begin with researching Sea Marauder's Tools, which will increase the discipline of your units. For now refrain from attacking your enemy, and focus on training two units of Marauder Spearmen and one unit of Marauders.
In your second turn, you can attack the settlement east of you - Longship Graveyard. As your units cannot reach it this turn, you can end it for now.
At the beginning of third turn, attack Longship Graveyard. Your army will have an overwelming advantage, but you can lead the battle personally to familiarize yourself with the basic Norsca units. After you take the settlement, pick the occupy option. After the battle, your general will gain a skill point, use it to buy the Route Marcher skill, which will increase the range of movement of your army on the map. For now, you can't build anything in the conquered settlement, so the only thing you have left to do in this turn is to recruit new units. Once again, train two units of Marauder Spearmen and one unit of Marauders. End your turn.
Begin your fourth turn with upgrading the main structure in Longship Graveyard and picking a new technology - Corpulent Sails will increase the range of your army even further. Leave the settlement you've conquered and move towards the mountain range, north-east of Doomkeep. Don't forget to recruit more units. You can now recruit Marauder Berserkers in addition the previous two units.
In the fifth turn, move towards the Doomkeep, but stop on the border and recruit new units. As you already have a decent amount of Spearmen, you can settle for three units of common Marauders.
In the sixth turn, your army will be almost full. Change the army mode to march and move towards the next settlement. End your turn.
Begin your seventh turn with building Loot Pile in Longship Graveyard - this will develop your province, allowing you to expand your capital and gain acess to better units. Now, change the army mode to normal and approach Doomkeep, although you can't attack it this turn.
During the enemy turn you'll probably be attacked by the army from Doomkeep. Both forces will be rather evenly matched, so you can either resolve the battle manually or let the computer do its work. Regardless of your decision, remember to save the game before you begin the battle. After a victory it would be best to take on the captives - this will replenish your army.
Your lord will gain another level, you can spend the skill point on Norse Resilience - it will increase the speed of replenishing for your army. For now, leave the settlement alone, and change the army stance to Encamp Stance - it will allow you to partially replenish your units before the assault. End your turn.
In the ninth turn, upgrade Loot Pile to Trophies of Battle in Longship Graveyard. When choosing a new technology to be researched, you can settle for War Tools - it will increase the discipline of your units. Switch the army back to normal mode, then attack and seize Doomkeep. If you let the computer resolve the battle automatically you'll probably win, although for the price of some units. Upgrade the newly-conquered settlement. For now, don't recruit any new units - use the moment of peace and increased income to gather some financial reserves.
In the tenth turn, your lord will gain another skill point, which you can spend on the Dominating Presence skill - it will increase the discipline of units near the lord.
Spend the next few turns in Doomkeep - the province is too unstable and will probably rebel against you if your army leaves. In the eleventh turn expand your capital in Icedrake Fjord and build Guard Shack in Doomkeep - it will increase your garrison in the settlement. Choose another technology to research - Bladeworker's Hammer.
In the fourteenth turn, upgrade the Shieling in Doomkeep to Corral. In your next turn, upgrade the Guard Shack to Watchtower. In the sixteenth turn, build a Ruinous Altar in the capital - it will increase happiness.
Wait for a few turn until happines in the province reaches a safe level, so you can move your army without risking a rebellion. Replenish your units and attack one of the neighboring Norsca clans - good chances are they will attack you first though, so watch out for enemy armies crossing your border. When choosing your target, pick the clan that is currently the strongest - this will take care a potential competitor. In my campaigns the Hellspire Tribe was usually the one to come out on top.
Don't capture the conquered settlements. At this stage it is much more viable to simply loot them and burn to the ground. Any attempt to capture and hold them will cause you more trouble than advantages. Make sure to raid the provinces in the west - Vanaheim Mountains and Hellspire Mountains. Alternatively, try to assimilate the clans inhabiting them - after you defeat their armies, the chietains should be more than willing to become a part of your domain.
Once you loot each settlement, don't forget to set your army stance to Encamp Stance mode - this will enable you to replenish your losses after the battle; either way, you'll have to wait a turn before you can burn the conquered settlement. If your units have taken heavy losses in a battle (but you haven't lost entire units), use only half of your movement points each turn and switch the army stance to Encamp Stance mode. Just remember not to do it on your territory - it will significantly decrease the happiness level in the province.
Assuming that Winter Fang, the clan of the second legendary lord, manages to subdue the eastern territories before you've tamed the clans in the west, you can attack him. Once you've defeated the leader of that faction - Throgg, you'll be able to assimilate his faction using your confederation skill, gaining a second legendary lord in the process.
If Throgg hasn't yet conquered the eastern provinces, you can raid the northern borders of the Empire (Nordland faction) and gain some gold by raiding and looting their lands with the right army mode and plundering their settlements - this will provide funds for the development of your settlements. If your army is still consisting mainly of basic units at this point, avoid large-scale battles with Imperial forces - you'll suffer very heavy losses even if you win.
Proceed to build advanced buildings in your capital, especially those needed to recruit better units. You should already have Chieftain's Hall (third level of Sparring Fields) at this point, so build the Smithy and upgrade it to third level (Dark Furnace), build also Chaos Totem. This will grant you access both to the fastest Norsca infantry and the powerful beasts - War Mammoths. Once you build all that, return with your army to your starting province and replace your basic infantry units with Marauder Champions; you could also use a War Mammoth in your ranks.
Later turns
Once you have all of Norsca under control by either eliminating or assimilating the other clans, you can finally focus your full attention on invading the south. Your main objective is to eliminate the Empire and Bretonnia factions, but it would be a good idea to begin with Kislev - it's very close to your lands, and can be a threat if left alone.
Now, focus on destroying the Empire and Bretonnia, don't bother venturing into Vampire, Dwarven, and other territories, as it's not worth it (although capturing some of those settlements will grant you access to end-tier technologies). When looting the lands of men use similar tactics as before - first loot a settlemen, the destroy it in the next turn, offering it to the chaos god of your choice. Remember to set your army stance to Encamp Stance mode often to replenish your forces. Remember that the Encamp Stance mode increases the army replenishing also when the province isn't ruined yet.
As soon as your reach third level of devotion to one of the gods, two of them will send their champions after you. Their armies will appear in Norsca, so have an army ready to intercept them. Though admittedly, it's completely optional, as the enemy armies will begin moving towards your legendary lord if left alone - ignoring all your other armies and settlements.
Having defeated the first two champions, you'll be tasked with taking care of the third one - this time it will be a quest battle at a predefined location. Having defeated the last champion and achieved other victory conditions, you'll have won the campaign. At the same time, the invasion of Chaos will begin, and you'll be given a choice whether to join Archaon in his match or oppose him. You can also choose to end the campaign or continue playing and destroy the rest of the Old World.