Delving Deep into Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord – A Comprehensive Guide
You’ve chosen to explore Calradia in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord? Good choice. This world is filled with chaos and strategy. Expect clashing swords and political plots. Do not worry, brave adventurer! This guide will help you with everything in Bannerlord. From combat tactics to managing your kingdom, we have it all covered. How to find a spouse? Yes, even that. Get ready. It is going to be an adventure.
Gameplay Mechanics and Features: The Nitty-Gritty
Let’s examine the heart of Bannerlord: gameplay mechanics. This part details what makes the game exciting. Factions vie for dominance. Your choices affect everything on the battlefield.
Factions: Picking Your Poison (or Power)
Calradia is a mix of cultures. Choosing a faction is more than picking a color on a map. It defines your style and challenges. Let’s explore the major factions:
Strongest Faction? The Eternal Debate
The question remains: who is the strongest faction in Bannerlord? Discussions can get heated, similar to debates about pineapple on pizza (spoiler: it doesn’t belong). Opinions differ, so let’s analyze the data.
Many claim the Western Empire has a strategic edge. They are like a middle child of empires. Not flashy like the Southern Empire or as gruff as the Northern Empire. They sit well. Think of them as Switzerland, if Switzerland fared poorly in war while wielding heavy cavalry.
But do not underestimate the Western Empire. Their strength varies. Early rankings from forums in February 2023 listed the factions from weakest to strongest: Southern Empire, Northern Empire, Sturgia, Western Empire, Battania, Khuzait, Vlandia, with Aserai on top. You see the Western Empire in the middle. This illustrates the dynamic nature of the game where shifts are common.
Regarding the Aserai, they’re often considered “the strongest overall.” Why is that? Their adaptability matters. Veteran Infantry are versatile soldiers. They have shields for arrows, swords for combat, polearms for cavalry, and javelins for ranged attacks. They fit most battlefield situations, just like that one friend with many tools.
The “strongest” faction depends on your style. For strategic positioning and flexibility, the Western Empire is strong. If you prefer adaptable armies, choose the Aserai.
Vlandia: Knights, Crossbows, and Norman Vibes
Now let’s talk about Vlandia. Those thundering hooves and splintering lances belong to them. Vlandia draws inspiration from the Normans who conquered England and changed Europe. Their focus is on heavy cavalry and glorious armor.
Why are Vlandia strong? They possess powerful lancer cavalry. These aren’t ordinary horses. They boast armored knights charging with couched lances. It serves as a destruction train moving through enemy lines. Plus, you can recruit them early in the game.
However, Vlandia is not just about cavalry. They have formidable crossbowmen. Not your grandfather’s weapons but powerful units available early in the game. Need to control foes? Vlandian crossbows perform excellently, serving their purpose almost like snipers.
Their infantry is not to be neglected either. Each Vlandian option carries polearms, effective against cavalry. This formation allows them to act as an aversion to charging horsemen, creating a line of defense.
Historically, Vlandians take cues from the Normans. This includes figures like William the Conqueror and Robert Guiscard. They were mercenaries who settled in Calradia, creating their kingdoms. It’s akin to a startup trying to conquer its parent company.
The name “Vlandia” likely nods to Flanders. Thus, playing Vlandia connects you with Norman military history and ambition. Just try not to conquer England.
Aserai: Desert Warriors and Jack-of-All-Trades
The Aserai might be “the strongest overall” faction. Their strength lies in their versatility. The Veteran Infantry forms Aserai’s backbone, able to adapt to varied circumstances. Their diversity makes them formidable military opponents.
The Aserai represents players who enjoy flexibility. They lack the cavalry shock of Vlandia or the Empire’s discipline but compensate with resilience and effectiveness over time. Masters of desert warfare, their units provide infantry, cavalry, and ranged strength.
Battania: Forest Masters and Guerrilla Warfare
Battania caters to those who prefer stealth and ambush tactics. Based on the Celts, Battanians thrive in woodland areas and excel at guerrilla warfare. They avoid open fields favoring terrain advantages.
Playing as Battania offers unique perks at game start. You receive a movement speed bonus plus extended sight scope in forests. These features facilitate maneuverability, helping you chase or evade foes efficiently. Towns you control offer extra militia production for added defense early on but this causes projects to slow down.
If you desire a mobile playstyle, Battania suits you well. They excel in controlling battleflow in forests while remaining elusive to heavy cavalry on open fields.
Destroying a Faction: The Long and Winding Road
So you aim to erase a faction entirely? That’s ambitious indeed. Remember this; factions in Bannerlord show remarkable resilience. You cannot conquer all their territories and expect them to fold easily.
Your real challenge lies within clans. As long as clans (noble families) endure within a faction, it survives.
the lifeblood of factions. As long as they exist, they can rebuild.
There’s one exception: the conspiracy quest war. If you decisively defeat a kingdom, its clans scatter. They join other kingdoms. This is forced migration, not destruction. Normally, losing fiefs won’t eliminate a faction.
A kingdom is destroyed when it has no vassals (clans) and no fiefs for 14 days (by default). They must be stripped bare and unable to recover for two weeks. This takes long-term military pressure and political moves. Destroying a faction is a marathon, not a sprint. Prepare for the long haul for total domination.
Units: Building Your War Machine
Armies in Bannerlord are not faceless masses. They have diverse units, each with strengths and weaknesses. It is crucial to understand unit types. Let’s explore the strongest units and troop types.
Strongest Unit in the Game: The Apex Predator
The search for the “strongest unit” is complex. For raw power and battlefield impact, the Vlandian Sharpshooter often ranks first. These are elite crossbowmen with amazing range, accuracy, and armor-piercing bolts. They can decimate enemy infantry and cavalry from afar.
Next are the Vlandian Banner Knights. Vlandia excels at heavy cavalry. These are the peak of knightly might, combining lance charges with heavy armor and excellent melee skills. They crush enemy formations easily, akin to a tank division.
The Imperial Elite Cataphracts cannot be overlooked. Despite being fractured, the Empire fields powerful units. Cataphracts are armored shock cavalry. They smash into enemy lines, causing chaos. They are the most armored cavalry and durable in melee combat.
Other noteworthy units include the Khuzait Khan’s Guard (powerful horse archers), Aserai Mameluke Heavy Cavalry, and the Imperial Bucellarii (mobile cavalry). The best unit often depends on the situation. Yet, the Vlandian Sharpshooter and Banner Knight maintain their high ranking for battlefield dominance.
Best Troop Types for Each Class: Filling the Ranks
Beyond the strongest units, consider the best troop types in each class (infantry, cavalry, ranged). For shock troops, the Imperial Elite Legionary is top-notch. They have excellent armor, especially for head and body, making them durable in battles. Like Roman legionaries, they hold the line well.
The Battanian Fian Champions stand out for archers. They are elite longbowmen with incredible range and accuracy. They rain arrows from afar, decimating enemy ranks before contact. They act as snipers on the battlefield, targeting key enemies.
For heavy cavalry, the Vlandian Banner Knights and Imperial Cataphracts are great choices, with Banner Knights focusing on offense and Cataphracts on defense. The Khuzait Darkhan/Khan’s Guard offers versatility, mixing ranged fire with melee capability. They can harass with arrows and charge in for kills.
Ultimately, a balanced army is essential. Do not stockpile one type of unit. Combine infantry, cavalry, and ranged units to adapt to diverse terrains and enemy forces. Think of your army as a balanced meal, not just dessert (unless that dessert is Vlandian Banner Knights).
Army Size: How Many Can You Muster?
Scale is vital in Bannerlord. Leading massive armies into epic battles is core to the gameplay. But how large can these armies be?
Maximum Army Size: The Thousand-Man Limit
You can lead a thousand soldiers into battle. Imagine the chaos and the scale of it all. The game sets a maximum battle size of 1000 units. This means combats from both sides combine won’t exceed 1000. This limit helps performance, preventing your computer from overheating during sieges.
Army size limits distribute based on percentages. If two armies clash equally, each brings about 500 troops. If one army is larger, it contributes more troops while the smaller one brings less. For example, a larger army may have 600 units, while a smaller one has 400, still totaling 1000. This system gives larger armies advantages without completely ignoring smaller forces.
You can adjust the battle size limit in the game settings. If your system is powerful, you can push for larger battles. However, be prepared for potential performance drops at high settings. Think of this as overclocking your CPU for medieval warfare. Use caution.
Tactics: Brains Over Brawn (Mostly)
While elite troops are helpful, tactics are crucial in Bannerlord battles. A well-led force can often defeat a larger enemy. Ignoring tactics is like bringing a spoon to a sword fight – possible but unwise.
Importance of Tactics: Late-Game Domination
The Tactics skill is one of the hardest to level up, yet among the most essential, especially later in the game. Battles grow larger and more complex as you progress. Simply charging in will lead to defeat (and maybe slaughter).
A high Tactics skill allows advanced battle formations and effective troop deployment. It can turn chaotic brawls into organized military operations. Consider this as transitioning from checkers to chess on the battlefield.
Leveling this skill is tricky because it increases through auto-resolved battles where you face disadvantages. Yes, you must *lose* battles to improve this skill effectively. It feels counterintuitive, but the game rewards strategic thought even in loss. Embrace loses and learn from them; your Tactics skill and battlefield skill will improve.
Best Battle Formation: Tight and Deadly
Tight Formations often excel in battle. They enhance the effectiveness of shield wall and square formations, regarded as best for infantry and cavalry. Shield walls defend against ranged attacks and frontal assaults. Square formations repel cavalry from all sides.
The Tight Formations perk in the Tactics skill tree enhances these formations. Your infantry and cavalry become even deadlier and more resilient in tight formations. They gain secondary bonuses for defense or attack. It’s like giving formations tactical adrenaline.
While other formations exist, Tight Formations provide strong foundations for battles. They create solid defensive lines with infantry and enable effective cavalry maneuvers for flanks or counter-attacks. Mastering Tight Formations is crucial for battlefield success in Bannerlord.
Settlements: Towns, Castles, and Raiding
Calradia isn’t just a battlefield;
it’s a land of settlements and resources. Controlling them is vital for power and war. Let’s explore towns, castles, and the art of raiding.
Taking Over Towns and Castles: Claiming Your Prize
Settlements in Bannerlord come in two types: towns and castles. You fight over these strategic locations which determine control over areas. Taking over towns and castles is essential for mercenaries, clan leaders, and kingdom founders.
Towns are economic hubs. They generate more revenue than castles and often have larger garrisons. Castles serve as military strongholds, easier to defend. Taking a town seizes the economic heart of a region. Capturing a castle secures its military routes.
Both towns and castles can be besieged. Sieges require siege engines, defenses, and close combat. Capturing a settlement consolidates your power and expands your influence in Calradia.
Raiding Villages: Pillaging for Profit (and Chaos)
Villages are the unseen contributors to Bannerlord’s economy. They provide food, resources, recruits to towns and castles. Still, they are vulnerable to raiding.
Raiding villages is often profitable. Enemy nobles or bandits raid your villages to disrupt economy and steal supplies. You can raid enemy villages to weaken them and enrich yourself. Raiding is a quick loot method but damages relations with the village and settlements, causing unrest long-term. Think of it as short-term gain for long-term pain, or being a medieval jerk for profit.
Best Starting City: Location, Location, Location!
Choosing a good starting location affects your early game. If you seek a solid city, Sanala is often cited as a top choice. Why choose Sanala? Several reasons.
First, it has four food-producing villages. Food is king in Bannerlord; an abundant supply is crucial for prosperity. These villages boost Sanala’s prosperity, making it stable and wealthy. A prosperous city means more taxes, better development, and happy citizens. It’s like beginning with an economic engine.
Second, Sanala sits in the middle of Aserai territory. This is strategically advantageous. Other kingdoms must go out of their way to reach you. You can develop defenses and economy. It’s like setting up in a peaceful neighborhood at first.
While other cities might have merits, Sanala’s economic potential and strategic location make it a prime starting city in Bannerlord. It offers a strong foundation for your early ventures for long-term success. Just don’t get too complacent; Calradia is unpredictable.
Skills and Character Progression: Leveling Up Your Hero
Your character in Bannerlord has skills affecting combat, diplomacy, and management. Leveling these skills is vital for growth.
Leveling Up Tactics: Patience is a Virtue (and a Skill Booster)
Tactics skill is tough to level but incredibly valuable. The primary way to boost Tactics is through auto-resolving battles where you are outnumbered. This rewards strategic thinking and risks, even against odds.
You must force yourself into underdog situations. Rely on your tactics to minimize losses. Let the game simulate outcomes. The more you’re outnumbered and minimize losses in auto-resolve, the more Tactics experience you gain. It’s like learning poker against better opponents; you improve by facing adversity.
Don’t hesitate to autoresolve battles against outnumbering foes like bandits. It’s a safe way to gain Tactics experience for tougher battles.
Clan Tier: Reaching the Pinnacle (and Then What?)
Your clan’s Tier signifies overall power in Calradia. Increasing tier unlocks benefits like larger parties and political clout. Tier 6 is the highest currently in Bannerlord. It shows your clan is a major player.
When you reach Tier 6, there’s no further use for renown. Renown increases clan tier, earned through victories, quests, and tournaments. After Tier 6, renown becomes a bragging right. It’s anticlimactic, like reaching the top of a mountain with nowhere left to climb. Future updates might introduce new uses for renown beyond Tier 6.
Max Skill Level: The Hard Cap
For skills, there’s a hard cap of 1023. This is the highest skill level achievable in Bannerlord. Reaching this cap in multiple skills requires dedicated training focused on skill development.
While possible to reach the cap, it’s not necessary for success. You can succeed with skills below the cap. The skill progression journey offers more satisfaction than merely reaching the max level. Think of the cap as a peak—a goal for dedicated players but not essential for enjoyment.
Economy: Making Denars and Making War
Warfare is costly. Armies need food, equipment, and payment. A strong economy is crucial for success in Bannerlord. Let’s explore key economic activities—caravans, workshops, and less legal methods of acquiring wealth.
Caravans: Trading Routes to Riches (and Risks)
Caravans are mobile trading parties traveling between settlements, buying and selling goods for profit. Owning caravans generates passive income in Bannerlord. They offer several benefits.
First is steady profits. Caravans provide consistent denars once running smoothly. It’s like a mobile ATM constantly dispensing cash (if you ignore bandit threats). Second, caravans enhance local economies. By trading goods, they boost prosperity for you and settlements (unless bandits intervene).
Third, they offer investment opportunities. Profitable caravans allow reinvesting into expanding networks, upgrading troops, or starting workshops. It’s like using initial capital to build an economic empire.
However, caravans face risks. They are targets for bandits, especially in dangerous areas. A caravan lost to bandits means financial loss. Consider trade routes, bandit activity, and escort options for safety. It’s balancing profitability with security, like running a medieval business.
Workshops: Crafting Cash in Cities
Workshops are businesses in towns that produce goods sold in local markets for daily income. Owning workshops is a less risky way to earn money in Bannerlord. Workshops
Workshops provide a steady source of income. Their success depends on the town’s prosperity and safety.
Various workshops produce goods. Examples include pottery and breweries. Profitability changes based on workshop type, the town’s economy, and market conditions. Some workshops remain highly profitable. Research helps you identify those in demand.
Workshops are a safer investment than caravans. They stay in one place and avoid bandit attacks. However, town issues affect profitability. A besieged town sees economic decline. This impacts workshop earnings. Location is essential, similar to real estate.
Ways to Get Rich Fast: Quick Denars, Quick Risks
Sometimes, you need denars *fast*. Bannerlord has quicker methods to acquire wealth.
Hunting bandits is effective early on. Defeating bandits yields loot for gold. This action also enhances your combat skills and boosts party experience. It’s like pest control, but more rewarding. Just beware of well-armed bands.
Tournaments offer quick cash and renown. Victories lead to denars and valuable items. Combat skills help make tournaments safer and more profitable. They function as medieval fight clubs but come with better prizes.
Trading can be lucrative if you understand it. Buy low in one town and sell high in another. Knowledge about trade routes and market dynamics can make you a medieval merchant. It feels like a stock market game with fewer papers but many horses.
Stealing: The Shadowy Path to Profit
If you prefer a less noble approach, stealing offers wealth opportunities. You can pickpocket in towns. Many items are “stealable.” Some convert directly to gold; others are for future sales.
Stealing carries risks. Capture harms relations with the town. It can also lead to imprisonment. This high-risk strategy requires caution and stealth.
Prisoners: Ransom and Recruitment – Capitalizing on Captivity
In battles, taking prisoners is common in Bannerlord. But they offer not just a burden; they hold potential income.
Ransoming prisoners is straightforward. After battles, bring them to a tavern to ransom for gold. The amount varies by prisoner tier. Nobles fetch higher ransoms than common soldiers. Think of them as walking piggy banks.
You can also recruit prisoners. Many can be coerced into joining your army. This helps replenish forces quickly after battles. Yet, be cautious as their loyalty might be lacking compared to other troops. It’s like using mercenaries for efficiency.
However, nobles and lords cannot be recruited. The option is unavailable. They serve solely as ransom material, preventing you from gaining loyal vassals from captured lords.
