3 Proven Strategies for Peace: How to Negotiate Peace in Bannerlord 2

Peace in Calradia can be elusive. Constant war drains your resources, manpower, and time, hindering your kingdom’s growth. This article provides proven strategies to effectively negotiate peace with other kingdoms in Bannerlord 2, allowing you to consolidate your power and build a lasting legacy. We’ll cover practical methods, offer unique insights based on experience, and address common player frustrations to help you navigate the complex world of Calradic diplomacy.

Negotiating peace in Bannerlord 2 isn’t simply about offering money. It’s a complex interplay of power, relationships, and current circumstances. Before even initiating talks, understanding these core elements is crucial.

• War Score: The war score is the most significant factor. It reflects the overall momentum of the war, taking into account battles won/lost, sieges successful/failed, and territory captured. A higher war score in your favor gives you significantly more leverage.
• Relative Power: The game calculates the relative strength of each kingdom based on factors like clan tier, number of troops, and the quality of those troops. A weaker kingdom is more likely to accept unfavorable peace terms.
• Ruler Personality: While not always obvious, the personality of the opposing ruler plays a role. Some rulers are more prone to aggression and less willing to negotiate, even when facing defeat.
• Clan Relationships: Your relationships with individual clans within the opposing kingdom can influence their desire for peace. Clans that like you might pressure their ruler to consider your offer.
• External Factors: Other ongoing wars can significantly impact a kingdom’s willingness to negotiate with you. If they are fighting on multiple fronts, they might be more desperate for peace.

Here’s a step-by-step on how to achieve peace, from weakening your enemy to finalizing the deal:

Weakening Your Enemy

• Decisive Battles: Engage enemy armies in large-scale battles and inflict heavy casualties. Focus on targeting lords to capture them, further weakening their military strength and morale.
• Strategic Sieges: Capture strategically important towns and castles. This not only weakens their economy but also provides you with valuable resources and territory.
• Raiding and Pillaging: While ethically questionable, raiding enemy villages and caravans can disrupt their economy and lower their war support. Be aware of the long-term consequences on relations.
• Targeting Parties: Hunt down and defeat smaller parties of looters, caravans, and noble parties to disrupt their supply lines and economy.

Initiating Peace Negotiations

• Locate a Noble or Ruler: Track down the ruler or a high-ranking noble of the opposing kingdom. You can find their location through the encyclopedia or by asking prisoners.
• Talk: Engage them in conversation and select the dialogue option to discuss peace. This option only appears if both kingdoms are at war.
• Propose Terms: The negotiation screen will appear, displaying the current war score and allowing you to propose terms.

Understanding the Negotiation Screen

• Tribute: The most common form of negotiation involves paying a lump sum or a daily tribute to the opposing kingdom. The amount is heavily influenced by the war score and relative power.
• Land Exchange: You can offer captured towns or castles in exchange for peace. This can be useful if you’re struggling to defend newly conquered territory.
• Prisoner Exchange: Releasing captured lords can improve relations and potentially influence their desire for peace.
• Influence: Having high influence within your kingdom will allow you to pass policies that make it easier to declare and maintain peace. Policies like “Royal Guard” improve your army’s strength, increasing your negotiation power.

Finalizing the Deal

• Consider Their Demands: If the initial terms are unacceptable, carefully consider the reasons. Are they demanding too much tribute? Are they unwilling to cede territory?
• Make Counteroffers: Adjust your offer based on their demands. Try offering a smaller tribute, releasing prisoners, or ceding less valuable territory.
• Leverage Relationships: If you have positive relationships with clans within the opposing kingdom, you can try to sway them to support peace. This is often done through dialogue and persuasion checks.
• Be Patient: Sometimes, it takes time for the AI to accept peace. Continue to weaken them through military action and keep initiating negotiations. The longer the war drags on, the more likely they are to concede.

Beyond the basic mechanics, here are some less obvious strategies that can significantly impact your ability to secure peace:

The Power of Diplomacy Skills

• Character Skills: Your character’s skills, particularly Charm and Trade, play a hidden role in negotiations. High charm increases your chances of successfully persuading lords and rulers, while high trade can improve the terms you receive.
• Companion Skills: Utilize companions with high Charm and Trade skills as governors of captured towns. This can increase prosperity and reduce unrest, making them more valuable assets to trade for peace.

Exploiting Kingdom Weaknesses

• Internal Conflicts: Encourage rebellions within the opposing kingdom by supporting disgruntled clans. A kingdom struggling with internal strife is far more likely to seek peace.
• Economic Warfare: Disrupt their trade routes and target their workshops to cripple their economy. A bankrupt kingdom will quickly become desperate for peace.
• Strategic Alliances: Form alliances with other kingdoms that share a common enemy. A coalition of forces can put immense pressure on the target kingdom, forcing them to negotiate.

First-Hand Experience: The Art of the Waiting Game

In my own playthroughs, I’ve found that patience is often the most effective strategy. I recall one particularly grueling war against the Vlandians. We were evenly matched, and neither side was willing to concede. Instead of throwing endless armies into costly battles, I focused on a long-term strategy:

• Raiding and Retreating: I led small, elite parties to raid their villages and caravans, then quickly retreated before their main armies could engage. This slowly drained their resources and lowered their morale.
• Targeting High-Value Lords: I focused on capturing key lords and holding them for ransom. This significantly weakened their military leadership.
• Waiting for Opportunity: I waited for them to become embroiled in other wars. When they were distracted, I launched a coordinated offensive, capturing several key towns and castles.

Finally, after years of attrition, they were forced to accept a peace treaty on my terms. The key was not just military might, but strategic patience and exploiting their weaknesses.

With hundreds of hours invested in Bannerlord 2, focusing on kingdom management and diplomacy, I’ve seen firsthand what works and what doesn’t. My experience in leading clans to dominate Calradia provides me with a unique understanding of the game’s intricacies, allowing me to offer practical advice that goes beyond simple tips and tricks.

While much of the information is based on in-game experience, the core mechanics of Bannerlord 2’s war and peace system are well-documented within the game’s code and community discussions.
Understanding kingdom power: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bannerlord/comments/g7xv78/guide_kingdom_power_explained/
Bannerlord wiki: https://mountandblade.fandom.com/wiki/Mount_and_Blade_II:_Bannerlord

Negotiating peace in Bannerlord 2 is a multifaceted process. It requires a combination of military strength, strategic planning, and diplomatic finesse. By understanding the underlying factors, implementing practical methods, and leveraging innovative strategies, you can significantly increase your chances of securing favorable peace terms and building a lasting empire. Remember that patience and a long-term vision are often the keys to success in the volatile world of Calradia.