Navigating the complexities of large-scale battles in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord can be daunting. This article provides actionable strategies to dominate the battlefield, focusing on army composition, tactical deployment, and leadership skills. By understanding and implementing these tactics, you’ll significantly improve your chances of victory against overwhelming odds.
A well-structured army is paramount. Forget just throwing bodies at the enemy; a balanced force maximizes effectiveness.
Army Composition: The Rock, Paper, Scissors of Bannerlord
- Infantry: Your frontline, absorbing the initial charge. Think heavily armored troops like Battanian Fian Champions or Imperial Legionaries. Their primary role is to hold the line and protect your flanks.
- Archers: Positioned behind your infantry, raining down arrows and weakening the enemy before melee. Battanian Fians are arguably the best, but Vlandian Sharpshooters are a solid alternative. Prioritize high-tier archers with good range and accuracy.
- Cavalry: The hammer. Use them to flank the enemy, break formations, and chase down routing troops. Consider Khuzait Horse Archers for harassment tactics or heavily armored cavalry for devastating charges.
How to Make the Most of Your Cavalry: My Experience
In my campaigns, I’ve found that cavalry benefits the most from clever maneuvering. Instead of a head-on charge (which often gets bogged down in infantry), try splitting your cavalry into two smaller groups. One group can harass the enemy’s flanks, drawing their attention, while the other swings wide for a rear charge. The psychological impact of a cavalry charge from behind is devastating, often causing a chain reaction of morale breaks.
Where you place your troops at the start of the battle significantly influences the outcome.
High Ground Advantage: King of the Hill
Always prioritize high ground. It provides archers with increased range and accuracy, while infantry can hold a defensive position more easily. This is a fundamental advantage in any battle.
Flanking Maneuvers: The Art of Encirclement
Don’t let the enemy dictate the terms of engagement. Position your cavalry on the flanks, ready to exploit weaknesses or outmaneuver the enemy. Look for opportunities to wrap around their lines and attack from the rear.
The Shield Wall: A Classic for a Reason
A solid shield wall, particularly with braced spears, can effectively halt an enemy advance. Use this to protect your archers and create a stable base for your flanking maneuvers. Consider a double line for added protection.
My Preferred Deployment: A Balanced Approach
I typically deploy my infantry in a wide, but shallow, line. This maximizes the frontage, preventing the enemy from easily outflanking me. My archers are positioned directly behind the infantry, with staggered ranks to minimize friendly fire. My cavalry is split into two wings, positioned on either flank, ready to react to the enemy’s movements.
Your personal skills and abilities as a commander can directly impact the effectiveness of your troops.
Tactics Skill: Master of the Battlefield
Invest heavily in the Tactics skill. This allows you to use cunning maneuvers in auto-resolved battles and gives you more control over troop formations and behavior during actual combat. (https://mountandblade.fandom.com/wiki/Tactics)
Leadership Skill: Inspiring Your Troops
High Leadership boosts troop morale, increases party size, and reduces wage costs. A happy army is a fighting army. (https://mountandblade.fandom.com/wiki/Leadership)
Riding and Combat Skills: Leading by Example
While not directly related to command, your personal combat skills can make a difference in the thick of battle. A skilled commander can turn the tide of a fight.
Learning from Losses: My Tactical Evolution
Early in my Bannerlord campaigns, I relied too heavily on brute force. I would simply throw my troops into the fray and hope for the best. This led to many unnecessary losses. It wasn’t until I started focusing on tactics, studying the battlefield, and adapting my strategies that I truly began to dominate. Learning from your defeats is crucial. Analyze what went wrong, identify weaknesses in your army composition or deployment, and adjust accordingly. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different strategies until you find what works best for you.
These are strategies that I have personally developed and have proven successful in my playthroughs, strategies that you may not find elsewhere.
The Decoy Force: Misdirection on the Battlefield
Create a small, highly mobile force (usually cavalry) to act as a decoy. Send them towards one flank to draw the enemy’s attention and disrupt their formation. While they are focused on the decoy, launch your main attack on the opposite flank.
Terrain Exploitation: Using the Environment to Your Advantage
Look for natural chokepoints, hills, or forests that can be used to funnel the enemy or provide cover. Use these features to your advantage, setting up ambushes or creating defensive positions.
Morale Warfare: Breaking the Enemy’s Will
Target high-value units (like enemy lords) early in the battle. Killing or capturing them can have a devastating impact on enemy morale, leading to a rout. Focus your archers on these key targets.
The Importance of Scouting: Knowledge is Power
Before engaging in a large-scale battle, send out scouts to gather information about the enemy’s army composition, terrain, and potential flanking routes. This information will allow you to develop a more effective battle plan.
Utilizing Horse Archers: A Unique Perspective
Many guides treat horse archers as a simple harassment unit, but I’ve found them incredibly versatile when used aggressively. Instead of simply skirmishing, I use them to constantly probe the enemy’s lines, looking for weaknesses and exploiting gaps. Their mobility allows them to quickly shift from one flank to another, keeping the enemy off balance. This requires precise micro-management, but the payoff is significant.
Fostering an Elite Core: Building Experience
Instead of constantly recruiting new troops, I focus on building a core of elite, veteran soldiers. These troops are more disciplined, have higher morale, and are more effective in combat. They also benefit from my leadership skills, becoming a truly formidable fighting force. This takes time and investment, but it’s well worth it in the long run.
These strategies have revolutionized my game; I hope they work the same for you. This article gives advice on the main problems that players face, with some extra insights from my time in Bannerlord 2.
| Strategy | Description | Unit Type | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decoy Force | A small, mobile force that draws enemy attention, diverting them from the main attack. | Cavalry | Misdirection, disruption of enemy formation, creating opportunities for flanking maneuvers. |
| Terrain Exploitation | Using natural features like chokepoints, hills, or forests for tactical advantage. | All | Funneling the enemy, providing cover, setting up ambushes, creating defensive positions. |
| Morale Warfare | Targeting high-value units early in the battle to break the enemy’s will. | Archers, Cavalry | Devastating impact on enemy morale, leading to a rout. |
| Aggressive Horse Archers | Probing the enemy’s lines, looking for weaknesses and exploiting gaps. | Horse Archers | Keeps enemy off balance, creates opportunities for flanking and disrupting enemy formations. |
| Elite Core Fostering | Building a core of elite, veteran soldiers for discipline, morale, and combat effectiveness. | All | Creates a highly effective, formidable fighting force that benefits from leadership skills. |
Mastering large-scale battles in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord requires a combination of strategic planning, tactical execution, and effective leadership. By focusing on army composition, tactical deployment, and leadership skills, you can significantly improve your chances of victory. Remember to adapt your strategies to the specific circumstances of each battle and learn from your mistakes. With practice and patience, you’ll become a formidable commander, leading your troops to glory on the battlefields of Calradia.