Norsca tech tree (Total War: Warhammer)

The Norsca tech tree consists of technologies which can be researched by Norsca to improve their units and economy. Their tech tree has three independent sections: a small buff tree for unit stats, a small monster tree (which also enables monster hunts), then a large conquest tree that gives miscellaneous normal techs, as well as techs to help you conquer certain races, and furthermore powerful special techs for conquering race capitals.

Buff Tree[]

Monster Tree[]

Conquest Tree[]

Buff Tree Technologies[]

Tech	Prerequisite	Effects	Description
War Tools“Weapons and armour are not the only apparatus of war - so too are the tools used to forge them.”		Recruitment cost: -10% for Marauder Infantry units	With blades in their hands, the tribes of the north are unstoppable. Every sinew cleaved, every head taken, every enemy gutted, increases the glory of the Dark Gods. Yet swords do not was ashore like driftwood, and axes are not found under stones. In order to arm the vicious warriors of the north, an army of smiths forge a mountain of weapons, their blades sharp and unbreakable and ready to be put to the bloody work required by the Ruinous Powers. The best tools forge the best weapons, and with a ready supply of well-crafted weaponry the Northmen grow ever more powerful.
Bladeworker's Hammer“Without their aptly-formed instruments of death, the Northmen would be much less effective killers.”	War Tools	Weapon strength: +10% for Marauder Infantry units	A warrior is only as good as his blade. The Metal is heated and hammered and tempered by skilled craftsmen to form swords that slash bellies open like wineskins and axes that hack limbs from bodies with a single blow. For the bloodthirsty warriors of the north a blade exists to spill blood to honour the Dark Gods, and those unspeakably alien deities accept no excuses when it comes to killing in their names. Only the strongest hammer, solid and even-hitting each time it strikes the malleable metal, forges blades fit for Marauders whose greatest joy is the destruction of their enemies.
Axemaker's Stone“Sharper throwing-axes forged in larger numbers mean more dismemberment and decapitation on the battlefield.”	Bladeworker's Hammer	Ammunition: +10% for all Marauder missile units Missile damage: +15% for all Marauders Missile units	With a good throwing axe, a warrior can split an enemy's skull from two dozen paces. The more throwing axes a Marauder carries, the more lives he can take for the Dark Gods, mowing down enemies before they get close enough to strike him. A good axe has an edge that parts flesh with ease, and a good edge requires work with a sharpening stone. Using such stones, sharper axes are produced with greater speed, giving warriors an advantage from afar, and more opportunities to cut down all who stand against them, dismembering their foes in praise of the Ruinous Powers.
Butcher's Captives“Give a captive a sword and he becomes an expendable sparring partner.”	Axemaker's Stone	Melee attack: +5 for all Marauder units Melee defence: +5 for all Marauder units	There is more than one use for a captured foe. Though the alters of the shrines are ever thirsty for more blood to be spilled on them, those captives fit and strong enough are put to a different purpose. Crudely armed, they are then used for sparring, or target, practice. For the savage, hardened warriors who inhabit the northern wastes, this is sport and pleasure in one, and may even increase a warrior's skill, before they tire of the inferior opponents and go looking for something more... substantial to fight. And in the unlikely event captives are not killed during the practice, they can always be sacrificed to the Gods later.
Horsemaster's Clinchers“The correct expertise and equipment enables the Marauders' swift, blood-fed steeds to be ridden at their greatest speeds.”	Bladeworker's Hammer Crafter's Barding	Charge bonus: +10% for all Marauder Chariot & Marauder Cavalry units Speed: +10 for all Marauder Chariot & Marauder Cavalry units	A mounted warrior has many advantages: greater speed to rush into battle, greater height to strike from, and the brute power of his mount, making him able to chase down and trample more enemies. But for the mount to be effective they must be shod, hooves hardened and protected with metal shores that in their turn increase the steed's ability to inflict damage on those they run down. A badly-fitted shoe can be the undoing of a rider, ending their chance to bring glory and bloodshed for the Gods before the fight has even begun. A well-fitted shoe requires the right tools, wielded by experts.
Metalworker's Anvil“A piece of armour is no harder than the anvil upon which it is fashioned.”	Bladeworker's Hammer	Armour: +5 for Marauder infantry units	Even among those who live for slaughter, armour has its place. A warrior who can survive the slash of an enemy's blade or the blow of their hammer lives to fight another day, and earns more chances to offer up the lifeblood of his enemies to the Gods. Armour that does not dent or split or Buckle must be well-made, and well-made armour needs solid and carefully-crafted anvils. A Marauder whose armour is fashioned with skill wades through the enemy without being distracted by his foes' attempts to wound him - for he is the one doing the wounding!
Crafter's Barding“With the right armour, a Marauder's mare can trample several enemy lines before taking significant damage.”	Metalworker's Anvil	Armour: +5 for all Marauder Chariot & Marauder Cavalry units Melee defence: +5 for all Marauder Chariot & Marauder Cavalry units	As for a warrior, so for his steed. When a Marauder lays into his foes, his armour lets him absorb their blows and strike back without distraction. When he rides into battle, his mount must have similar protection, lest the enemy cut the beast out from under him. Covering the mount's vitals with barding protects it, so the ruthless warrior riding on its back or in the chariot behind may strike deeper into the enemy lines, cutting down and trampling all who stand in his way, the better to soak the land in their blood to glorify the Gods.

Monster Tree Technologies[]

Tech	Prerequisite	Effects	Description
Monster Hunter“For those who dwell in the shadow of Chaos, monster hunting is a most savage pleasure.”		Unit experience: +1 for Warhounds and Norscan Ice Wolves unit recruits Unlocks level 1 Monster Hunts	The wastes of the north are home to beasts that would give soft southerners bed-wetting nightmares. Only the strongest creatures survive in this harsh environment, and there is no room for weakness. Kill or be killed is the law of the north, from the greatest mammoth thundering across the tundra to the smallest blood-sucking parasite oozing across the cold ground in search of warm blood. Many creatures have been warped by proximity to the Realm of Chaos, making them more fearsome still. To hunt the fierce beasts of the north, to overcome and slay them, is both grim sport and an offering to the Dark Gods, for the Ruinous Powers revel in all slaughter, be it of man or monster.
Chaos Surge“Nowhere else but under the shadow of Chaos are such brutish and degenerate killers nurtured and bred.”	Monster Hunter	Charge bonus: +10% for all Norscan Troll, Norscan Ice Troll and Fimir Warrior units	The northlands exist in the shadow of terrible energies. When the world was young, mysterious beings known only as the Old Ones sited a gateway to the stars above the World's poles. Unknown to them this portal drew other, less benevolent entities, now worshiped as the Dark Gods. A cataclysm occurred, unseen by mortal eyes, and the gateway was destroyed. But not entirely. There remains, in the farthest north, a place where all reason, all life, breaks down: the Realm of Chaos. Those strong enough to serve its fickle rulers and endure the changes it carves into living flesh share a fraction of that unearthly power, and those best suited to do so are monstrous creatures who know no other Gods and have always called the northlands home.
Chaos Surge“Prolonged exposure to the dark energies of the bitter, frozen north creates the toughest and most monstrous freaks.”	Chaos Surge	Weapon strength: +10% for all Norscan troll, Norscan Ice Troll and Fimir Warrior units Recruitment cost: -10% for all Norscan Troll, Norscan Ice Troll and Fimir Warrior units.	For those monsters of the north who have always basked in the terrible energies emanating from the Realm of Chaos, its dark strength comes to flow through them, enlivening their flesh even as it warps and twists it, making them faster and fiercer still. Such unnaturally enhanced abominations are more than willing to join the fight to spread the domain of the Ruinous Powers across the world; they make eager recruits to an army that seeks to bring death and destruction to all who oppose it.
Blood-fuelled Hunger“For some abominations of the north, a mere whiff of blood is enough to lose all restraint.”	Monster Hunter	Melee attack: +5 for all skin Wolf, Ice Wolves and Norscan Warhound Units Weapon Strength: +10% for all skin Wolf, Ice Wolves and Norscan Warhound Units	Blood is the offering the Gods crave most, blood shed in their names. For creatures that live to hunt and rend and devour, blood is an intoxicant, and if they revel in it freely they reach heights of frenzied aggression. When the wolf and the hound smell the metallic tang of blood, few can stand in their way, and they will follow the scent with mindless frenzy until the chase is done, and they sink their fangs into the flesh of their prey.
Baying to Morrslieb“The eerie green glow of the Dark Moon calls out all manner of feral monstrosities from the Norscan Wilderness.”	Blood-fuelled Hunger	Melee defence: +5 for all skin Wolf, Ice Wolves and Norscan Warhound Units Recruitment cost: -10% for all skin Wolf, Ice Wolves and Norscan Warhound Units	When the Old Ones' northern polar gateway collapsed, and the Realm of Chaos broke through, some of the arcane structures of the gates themselves intruded into the mortal realm. Star-metal rained down and Warpstone formed in the sky, and became a sticky-green, weird moon, which men have named Morrslieb. Certain creatures of the north feel drawn to this corrupted moon, and when these sharp-toothed hunters bay at it, raising their heads to give blood-curdling howls in its baleful light, they feel its energy course through their flesh and sinews, urging them to greater ferocity and destruction in the name of the Dark Gods.
One with Beasts“A hunter without knowledge of his quarry is like a warrior without knowledge of his enemy.”	Monster Hunter	Recruitment cost: -10% for all Norscan Giant, Frost-Wyrm and Mammoth units. Unlock level 2 Monster Hunts	Though the Hunter's skills are not the same as the warrior's they have much in common and the final aim, that of spilling blood, is shared. The Gods accept the offering of bestial blood as eagerly as that flowing from thinking foes - especially when the beast in question is a fearsome monster such as a Manticore or Frost-Wyrm. To hunt a beast, it is necessary to know that best, its environment, behaviour, diet, etc. After all, you wouldn't want to find yourself facing a most problematic target on unfamiliar, awkward terrain and be at the top of the menu to boot, would you? Therefore, the study of the vicious and twisted creatures of the northern wastes is vital for any who dare stalk them.
Master of Beasts“To kill the beast, you must think like the beast.”	One with Beasts	Recruitment duration: -1 turn for all Norscan Giant, Frost-Wyrm and Mammoth units. Unlock level 3 Monster Hunts	For a master hunter, knowledge of his prey is not enough. Yes, he knows its ways - where it rests, what it feeds on, what its defences are - but more than that he must learn how the creatures he would stalk and kill see the world, to come to know what they fear and how they will react to being hunted. All weaknesses are uncovered, all behaviours understood. Only then does the true hunter, who makes all the world his prey, walk through the wilds with confidence, certain that whatever monsters or wild beasts he may encounter, he can overcome and slay them, and dedicate their deaths to the Ruinous Powers.

Conquest Tree Technologies[]

Tech	Prerequisite	Effects	Description
Sea Marauder's Tools “Whether fighting at sea or on land, the longship Marauders are the most seasoned veterans of the Norscan tribes.”		Leadership: +5 for all Marauder units	To find new lands to plunder, the armies of the north cross the sea, braving storms and monsters, enduring the elements and the tedium of cramped travel without a chance for a decent fight. Those who build, command and sail the longships are as tough as any of the Marauders they carry, and are smart and resourceful enough to read the signs of the sea, and deal with its capricious moods. They possess the tools and tricks of navigation that allow them to make safe passage through the roughest waters. Thanks to their skills, ever more grim-faced northern warriors swarm south, eager to make the world run with blood to appease their Dark Gods.
Corpulent Sails “When the Marauders’ eagerness for despoilment is nurtured, vast distances can be covered between raids.”	Sea Marauder's Tools	Campaign movement range: +10%	For the Northmen, sailing a longship is a means to an end. They take to the seas to raid, to bring death and destruction in the name of the Dark Gods and to steal as much plunder as they can carry. The northerners are in a hurry to reach new shores ripe for reiving as soon as possible and for a ship with sails that belly like the gut of an overweight Dwarf, distance is no challenge. The longship cuts through the water, speeding on to the next destination, the next chance to spill blood and bring ever greater glory to the Gods.
Longer Hulls “Sailing into the unknown is always easier with more space for supplies..”	Corpulent Sails	Immunity to High Seas attrition Income from sacking settlements: +10%	A ship is only as good as its hull. A longer, larger ship hull is more stable in the water, less liable to fall prey to the gales and currents of the open sea. And the larger the ship, the more can be carried. This means more warriors travel on each ship, eager to make landfall and get to the business of despoilment and pillage. Larger ships means more supplies can be carried too, and so the armies of the north roam farther afield to find new lands to raid and ravage in the name of the Ruinous Powers.
Stronger Oars “Once you’ve rowed the breadth of the Middle Sea a few times, relentless slaughter does little to tire you…”	Corpulent Sails	Vigour loss reduction for Marauder Infantry units	When the winds are not favourable, it is time to row. A mere whim of the weather will not stand in the way of the Marauders' manic drive to bring devastation and bloodshed to every shore. If they must, then even hardened warriors take to the oars and bend their own strength to drive the longship forward. With oars made strong and long the lack of wind barely slows the ship - and the hulking warriors who pull on the oars grow stronger and hardier still, making them even more ready for the coming battles.
Champions of War “Every new war brings the Marauders bloody, gore-drenched glory in battle, whether in victory or in death.”	Corpulent Sails	Income from post-battle loot: +10% Unit experience: +2 for all Marauder unit recruits	Life is War: War is Life. For the tribes of the north, the lands to the south exist only to be plundered and despoiled, their peoples hacked and gutted for the pleasure and amusement of the Ruinous Powers, their riches carried off to increase the wealth of the north. Some marauding warriors may fall to the weapons of those foolish enough to stand up and defend their homes, and their deaths too will please the Gods. For those Northmen who survive to claim more kills and bring back ever greater plunder, the whole world is a prize for the taking.
Marauders of the West“The opulent, pompous kingdoms of men and Dwarfs sit on a vast wealth that waits to be taken.”	Champions of War	Increased sacking income: +50% from Bretonnian, Southern Kingdoms & Dwarf settlements Public Order: +1	The western lands enjoy levels of peace and prosperity unknown in the brutal north. Their climate is mild, their soil fertile, their animals easy prey. More than that, the men and Dwarfs of the west have accumulated great wealth, from trade and craft and mining. The marauding northern tribes fall upon the lands of the west and take their treasures, carrying off their grain and gold. Any southerners who dare oppose the march of these northern barbarians find themselves struck down without mercy, their deaths becoming blood offerings to the Ruinous Powers.
Raiders of the East“To the east lies lands ripe for plundering – the treasuries and loot piles of Empire-men, Vampires, and Greenskins.”	Champions of War	Increased sacking income: +50% from Empire, Vampire Count & Greenskin settlements Public Order: +1	So many and varied lands, of such different temperaments, are to be found in the east. For the northern tribes, all lands are new targets to be reived and plundered. The boundless riches of mankind's complacent Empire offer copious loot to fill the coffers of the north. The necromantic secrets of the Vampire Counts of Sylvania, once revealed, are turned to serve the cause of the Dark Gods. And the Greenskins are foes whose ferocity and tenaciousness match those of the Trolls and Northmen themselves, much to the joy of the experienced warriors who delight in slashing their way through them.
Destruction of Bretonnia “Svengar’s defeat at L’Anguille was an age ago - the Bretonnian Dukes shall soon fall!.”	Marauders of the West	Bonus vs. Large: +3 when fighting against Bretonnia Leadership: +5 when fighting against Bretonnia Double experience gain for units when fighting against Bretonnia	The noble Knights and decadent Dukes of Bretonnia are everything the men of the north despise. They are effete and soft, obsessed with appearances and holding to ideas of 'chivalry' and 'honour' incomprehensible to battle-hardened Northmen who know only combat and privation. Northern Marauders guffaw at facing foes who would rather sing or talk or pray than fight - and then remove their heads to take as trophies. The Bretonnians have bested the Trolls and Norscans in the past, but the power of the Dark Gods has grown since then. Now, the northern tribes are taking the fight to these feeble, prancing fools.
Secrets of Grain & Grape “The lavish lands of Bretonnia’s capital provide powerful steeds, fertile lands, and tradable resources in abundance.”	Destruction of Bretonnia	Income from trade: +500% trade agreement tariffs Charge bonus: +15% for cavalry units Growth: +25	No wonder the men of Bretonnia grow fat and lazy! Their lands overflow with wheat and wine and placid livestock, food is abundant and fine cloth and other trade goods lie about barely guarded, ready for the taking. To the eye of warriors trained from birth to fight for everything they can take Bretonnia's downtrodden and docile peasants are little better than animals, fit only for sacrifice to the Dark Gods. Their horses, however, are strong and well-proportioned, bred on generations of plenty, and make fine mounts to take into battle!
Demise of Tilea “The peaceful principalities of the southernmost men need to be shown the true savagery of the north!.”	Marauders of the West	Missile resistance: 10% when fighting against Tilea Leadership: +5 when fighting against Tilea Income from post-battle loot: +10%	Those farther south think themselves safe from the wrath of the north, but they are wrong. The Tilean Peninsula is fertile and rich, and the Tileans' reputation as great traders means their lands overflow with wealth. Once the southerners fall to the blades of the northern tribes, their riches make fine plunder. Let the Tileans look up from their petty squabbles and run for the cover of their city walls, for the armies of the north are coming!
Secrets of War & Coin “Whether it is material wealth, or just good ideas, all manner of assets can be stolen from organised men.”	Demise of Tilea	Global recruitment capacity: +2 Upkeep: -20% for land units Research rate: +10%	Pillage is not just about victuals and trophies. The coin accumulated by the rich merchants and mercenary captains of Tilea buy materials for building settlements and useful equipment for battle, for not all weapons of war can be forged or pillaged. The settlements themselves, once occupied, are used to grow the armies of the north. The men of Tilea are also renowned for their ideas. Much of this pointless noodling makes little sense to one whose life is devoted to combat, bloodshed and the worship of the Dark Gods, but they also have knowledge of war and tactics of use to the north, and in turn this knowledge will further the Dark Gods' cause.
Ravaging of the Dwarfs “Entrenched in their Holds, the stunties fiercely protect their lucrative mines, offering both a good fight and valuable plunder.”	Marauders of the West	Weapon strength: +10% when fighting against Dwarfs Vigour loss reduction for cavalry units Leadership: +10 during subterranean intercept battles	The Dwarfs understand combat. Here are a people the Trolls and Northmen take particular pleasure in going to war with! The armies of the north winkle them out of their holds and underground fastnesses, and the resulting battles bring fierce joy to even the most jaded Marauder. When these short, tenacious warriors are slain, their steaming innards and free-flowing lifeblood make fitting sacrifices to the Ruinous Powers, and the treasures of their mines and crafting halls become the plunder of war.
Secrets of Mining & Machinery “The closely-guarded knowledge of Dwarf construction and resource excavation techniques will be mysterious no longer!”	Ravaging of the Dwarfs	Construction cost: -25% for all buildings Construction time: -1 for Province Capital/Settlement buildings Income from all buildings: +50%	As well as being worthy opponents in battle, the Dwarfs are skilled artisans. As their lands are conquered, the secrets of their weapon-smithing and construction techniques flow back to the north, along with the riches from their mines and trading links. The treasures once hoarded by the bearded ones in their underground hidey-holes become further booty to spread the cause of Ruinous Powers, and their holds make fine and defensible bases from which the belligerent northerners can raid even farther afield.
Ruination of the Vampire Counts “Clogging up the land with soulless vessels, the Vampires and their necromantic allies are a scourge to be eradicated.”	Raiders of the East	Attrition: -25% casualties suffered due to Vampiric Corruption attrition Melee defence: +5 when fighting against Vampire Counts Double experience gain for units when fighting against Vampire Counts	The time has come for those who have lived too long to finally meet their end. The Vampire Counts are proud and arrogant, and think themselves immune to the final death, but they are learning otherwise. Mortals fear warped magic and Vampiric corruption but these Unliving abominations do not frighten warriors bathed in the currents of chaotic magic and chosen as agents of the Dark Gods. The Vampire Counts say they want blood, and live to take it, but their own immortal blood makes a glorious and lasting offering to the Ruinous Powers.
Secrets of Necromancy “The Vampires and Undead, while despicable, are masters of subterfuge and know the secrets of mortal convalescence.”	Ruination of the Vampire Counts	Skin Wolf Werekin Hero capacity: +2 Enemy Hero action success chance: -20% Casualty replenishment rate: +20%	Though the Vampire Counts have little in the way of plunder, their arcane knowledge may still serve the Ruinous Powers. They understand the ways of preserving and using the dead, and of raising armies that do not tire or falter, mindless warriors who will not stop until hacked into useless lumps of decaying flesh. Their lore also honours the Skin Wolves, and that knowledge is of use when dealing with the were creatures who lend their claws and fangs to the fight, and travel with the armies of the north.
Razing of the Empire “The soft men of the Empire think themselves the pinnacle of civilisation – time to bring them down a notch!”	Raiders of the East	Lord Aura size: +50% when fighting against The Empire Melee attack: +5 when fighting against the Empire Upkeep: -10% for Marauder units	The Empire is so sure of itself. The oldest nation of mankind, the centre of the world, a great and prosperous land of rolling hills and deep forests. Yet they are in the front line when it comes to the march of the Ruinous Powers. They claim to be great warriors but have grown soft, and become obsessed with matters the Northman have no time for, such as 'taxes' and 'elections'. They argue about which of their dead heroes should serve as a God but when the armies of the north sweep down upon them the argument ends in slaughter, as their screams and violent deaths become a sacrifice to the only powers that matter.
Secrets of Steel & Magic “Despoil the Empire’s heartland, rip the Colleges of Magic from their foundations – only then will their secrets be revealed.”	Razing of the Empire	Magic resistance: 10% Enemy siege holdout time: -3 Weapon strength: +25%	When the Empire falls to the might of the north their knowledge, as well as their wealth, becomes fuel to drive the relentless progress of the Ruinous Powers. The northern tribes are used to wild magic, but the staid practices of magicians in the south can still be put to the service of the Dark Gods. The arms and armour of the Empire's warriors are turned against those who made them, and their cities and castles never hold out long against the might of the north.
Slaughtering of the Greenskins “The Greenskins’ love for war almost matches that of the Norscan tribes – let savagery be met with savagery!”	Raiders of the East	Immunity to Barren Wasteland attrition Physical resistance: 10% for Marauder Infantry units when fighting against Greenskin Tribes Missile damage: +15% when fighting against Greenskin tribes	The Greenskin tribes embrace all forms of violence and love to ravage across the 'civilised' lands if they can stop fighting each other for long enough. It is a lifestyle the tribes of the north understand, but that does not stop the northern armies raiding deep into the south to fight the Orcs and Goblins on their own territory. The depravations of the barren 'Badlands' pose no problem for those used to the pitiless and freezing wastes of the north, and the battle is a bloody clash against cunning and vicious opponents. Though the Greenskins do not bleed as men do, their deaths still please the Ruinous Powers.
Secrets of Gork & Mork “The primitive Greenskin gods are hard to make sense of, but their mystical secrets are valuable to any warmonger.”	Slaughtering of the Greenskins	Immunity to all attrition Income from post-battle loot: +50% Winds of Magic power reserve: +20	The Greenskins are foul and base creatures, but they see the world in terms the northern tribes understand: for each, the only way of life is to fight until there are no more foes left to kill. The Orcs and Goblins have gathered some useful loot, which the men and Trolls of the north are happy to claim. And the Greenskins are creatures of magic; their magic energises the northern armies, helping them feed the vile appetites of the Dark Gods by bringing ever-greater slaughter. Waaagh!