Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a fantastic game, but the AI during battles can be frustrating. This article addresses common AI issues and provides practical solutions to improve your battlefield experience. We’ll delve into tactical adjustments, formation tweaks, and command strategies that can help you overcome the Bannerlord 2 AI pain points in battles.
The AI in Bannerlord 2 isn’t always the sharpest tool in the shed. Units can make questionable decisions, formations can crumble unexpectedly, and cavalry charges can turn into chaotic messes. This leads to unnecessary losses and frustrating defeats, even when you have a numerical advantage. Some commonly cited issues include:
- Poor unit positioning.
- Ineffective use of terrain.
- Cavalry charging into spear walls.
- Archers firing at targets behind friendly lines.
- Lack of cohesion in formations.
The key to mitigating AI shortcomings lies in effective command and control. Bannerlord 2 provides a robust system of formations and tactical orders, but understanding how to use them is crucial.
Grouping and Positioning Units
- Divide your army into distinct groups (infantry, archers, cavalry). Use the F1-F6 keys to assign units.
- Position infantry in a shield wall formation (F1, then 1). This provides a strong defensive line.
- Place archers behind the infantry line (F1, then 2) and set them to loose formation (F2, then F4). This allows them to fire more effectively and avoids friendly fire incidents.
- Keep cavalry in reserve (F1, then 3) until the opportune moment to flank or charge. Avoid blindly charging them into enemy spears.
Utilizing Terrain Advantages
- High ground is your friend. Position your archers on hills or slopes to increase their range and visibility.
- Use forests and obstacles to your advantage. These can break up enemy formations and provide cover for your troops.
- Avoid fighting in open fields against superior cavalry. Force the enemy to engage on your terms in more constricted areas.
Issuing Effective Orders
- Use the “Advance” command (F1, then F3) to slowly move your infantry forward while maintaining formation. Avoid the “Charge” command unless you want a chaotic mess.
- Use the “Hold Fire” command (F2, then F1) for archers when enemies are engaged in melee. This minimizes friendly fire.
- Use the “Follow Me” command (F1, then F5) to lead your cavalry to a specific location for a flanking maneuver.
My Personal Experience
I’ve found that actively managing my formations makes a huge difference. Instead of letting the AI dictate the battle, I constantly adjust positions and issue orders based on the evolving situation. For example, I always keep my cavalry slightly behind my main infantry line and use the “Follow Me” command to lead them around the enemy flank when they are fully engaged. This prevents them from charging headfirst into spears and maximizes their effectiveness. I once turned a losing battle against superior numbers into a victory by carefully positioning my archers on a hill and using my cavalry to repeatedly disrupt the enemy flanks.
While the vanilla game offers some control, mods can significantly enhance AI behavior. Several mods address specific AI shortcomings and offer more nuanced control over your troops.
Popular AI Improvement Mods
- Realistic Battle Mod: This mod overhauls combat mechanics, including AI behavior, making battles more tactical and realistic. It improves unit decision-making, formation cohesion, and overall AI competence.
- Better AI: As the name suggests, this mod focuses specifically on improving the AI, making them more responsive to player commands and better at utilizing tactics.
- Bannerlord Tweaks: This mod allows you to customize various aspects of the game, including AI behavior, giving you fine-grained control over unit actions.
Mod Installation and Compatibility
- Download mods from reputable sources like Nexus Mods. https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord
- Use a mod manager like Vortex to install and manage your mods. This simplifies the process and helps avoid conflicts.
- Check mod compatibility before installing. Read the mod description and comments to ensure it’s compatible with your game version and other mods.
My Personal Experience
I personally use the “Realistic Battle Mod” and have noticed a significant improvement in AI behavior. Units are more responsive to commands, formations are more cohesive, and the AI seems to make smarter tactical decisions. The mod also makes combat more challenging and rewarding, as you need to think strategically to succeed. One time, after installing this mod, I was impressed by how my infantry intelligently used cover and braced for incoming cavalry charges, something they rarely did in the vanilla game.
| Mod | Description | Key Improvements |
|---|---|---|
| Realistic Battle Mod | Overhauls combat mechanics and AI behavior. | Improved unit decision-making, formation cohesion, realistic combat. |
| Better AI | Focuses specifically on improving AI responsiveness and tactical acumen. | More responsive commands, better tactical utilization. |
| Bannerlord Tweaks | Allows customization of various game aspects, including AI behavior. | Fine-grained control over unit actions. |
A well-rounded army composition is crucial for success in Bannerlord 2. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different troop types and creating balanced armies can significantly improve your performance on the battlefield.
Building a Balanced Army
- Infantry: Form the backbone of your army. Use a mix of shield-bearing troops and two-handed weapon users for a balanced attack and defense.
- Archers: Provide ranged support and can inflict heavy casualties on enemy formations.
- Cavalry: Used for flanking, charging, and chasing down routing enemies. Different types of cavalry excel in different roles (e.g., heavy cavalry for charging, horse archers for skirmishing).
- Consider troop tiers. Higher-tier troops are generally more effective but also more expensive to recruit and maintain.
Adapting to Enemy Composition
- Scout enemy armies before engaging. Use scouts or your own character’s scouting skill to determine the enemy’s troop composition.
- Adjust your tactics accordingly. If the enemy has a lot of cavalry, focus on creating a strong defensive line with spearmen and bracing for charges. If the enemy has a lot of archers, use terrain to your advantage and close the distance quickly.
Leveraging Troop Strengths
- Use infantry to hold the line and engage the enemy in melee. This frees up your archers and cavalry to focus on other targets.
- Use archers to soften up enemy formations before engaging. Focus fire on key targets like enemy archers or heavily armored units.
- Use cavalry to flank and disrupt enemy formations. Charge into the enemy’s rear or sides to create chaos and break their morale.
My Personal Experience
I’ve learned that a balanced army is far more effective than an army composed of solely high-tier troops. A mix of infantry, archers, and cavalry allows you to adapt to different situations and exploit enemy weaknesses. For example, I once faced an army primarily composed of heavily armored infantry. Instead of relying solely on my infantry to engage them, I used my archers to focus fire on their shields, weakening their defenses before sending in my cavalry to flank them. This tactic allowed me to achieve a decisive victory with minimal casualties. A good strategy is essential to making sure your bannerlord 2 AI pain points in battles is not a serious problem for you.
In conclusion, addressing Bannerlord 2 AI pain points in battles requires a multi-faceted approach. By mastering formations and tactics, tweaking AI behavior with mods, and understanding troop types and compositions, you can significantly improve your battlefield performance and overcome the limitations of the AI.