This article tackles the core frustration many players experience in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord – the limited troop variety within each faction and the tedium of repeatedly facing the same units. We’ll explore practical solutions to diversify your armies, overcome strategic stalemates, and inject fresh life into your Bannerlord campaigns, drawing on personal experience and community-driven methods.
Many players find that after a certain point, battles in Bannerlord become predictable. The limited troop trees within each faction lead to armies composed of the same core units, making combat feel repetitive and diminishing the strategic depth. This is compounded by the game’s focus on tier-based progression, often incentivizing players to mass-produce the highest-tier units, further homogenizing armies.
Why Faction Armies Feel Samey
The relatively small number of unique troop types within each faction’s troop tree is a primary cause. While there are variations, the core composition often boils down to a few key infantry, archer, and cavalry units.
This issue is further exacerbated by:
- Limited Geographical Variation: Even within a faction’s territory, troop types rarely vary significantly.
- Easy Access to High-Tier Units: The game mechanics often encourage players to quickly upgrade to the highest-tier troops, leading to a prevalence of elite units in late-game armies.
Lack of Unique Units
This homogenisation also contributes to the lack of unique units and, in many cases, makes the whole experience feel less unique.
One of the most straightforward ways to address troop variety is to actively recruit mercenaries and train companions in diverse roles. This adds much-needed flexibility to your army composition.
Leveraging Mercenaries for Tactical Advantages
Mercenaries offer access to troop types that aren’t readily available within your chosen faction’s troop tree. Their main benefit is how quickly they can turn the tide of battle.
Here’s how to effectively utilize them:
- Identify Weaknesses: Assess your army’s shortcomings. Do you lack heavy cavalry, skilled archers, or durable infantry?
- Scout Taverns: Visit taverns in different regions and look for mercenary bands offering troop types that address your needs.
- Consider Cost-Effectiveness: Compare the cost of hiring and maintaining mercenaries against the benefits they provide. Some mercenaries are overpriced for their capabilities.
- Strategic Deployment: Use mercenaries to fill specific roles in your army. For example, use heavily armored mercenaries as shock troops to break enemy lines or fast-moving cavalry to harass enemy flanks.
Training Companions for Specialized Roles
Companions can be trained into powerful, specialized units that significantly enhance your army’s capabilities. This requires some initial investment but offers long-term benefits.
- Choose Companions Wisely: Select companions with backgrounds and skills that align with the roles you want them to fill. A companion with high scouting skill might be trained as a mounted skirmisher.
- Equip Appropriately: Outfit your companions with gear that complements their roles. A companion intended to be a heavy cavalry unit should be equipped with heavy armor, a lance, and a powerful warhorse.
- Level Up Strategically: Focus on skills that enhance their combat prowess and survivability. For a companion serving as an archer, prioritize skills like archery, riding, and athletics.
The Bannerlord modding community has created a wealth of mods that significantly expand troop variety. This is arguably the most effective long-term solution for addressing this pain point.
Exploring Popular Troop Overhaul Mods
Several mods introduce new factions, expand existing troop trees, and add entirely new troop types. Some popular options include:
- Banner Kings: Overhauls the feudal system and adds new troop types based on culture and social class.
- Eagle Rising: Set in the late Roman Republic, introduces legions and more.
- Calradia Expanded Kingdoms: Expands the number of kingdoms and factions, each with unique troop trees.
Installing and Managing Mods Effectively
Installing mods can seem daunting, but it’s a straightforward process:
- Use a Mod Manager: A mod manager like Vortex simplifies the installation and management of mods.
- Read Mod Descriptions Carefully: Ensure that the mods you install are compatible with the current version of Bannerlord and with each other.
- Pay Attention to Load Order: The order in which mods are loaded can affect their functionality. Refer to the mod descriptions for recommended load orders.
Even without mods, you can inject variety into your game by setting personal rules and focusing on roleplaying. This approach requires more self-discipline but can be surprisingly effective.
Imposing Troop Composition Limits
Limit yourself to recruiting specific troop types based on the region you’re in or the lord you’re serving. For example, if you’re serving a Battanian lord, focus on recruiting Battanian Fian Champions and limit your reliance on other troop types.
- Create Scenarios: Develop backstories for your character that explain their troop preferences.
- Enforce Restrictions: Strictly adhere to your self-imposed rules. This requires willpower but can significantly enhance the challenge and immersion.
- Reward Creativity: Find creative ways to overcome challenges using your limited troop roster.
Fostering Strategic Innovation
This can be done by creating challenging scenarios in which the player has to make careful decisions to succeed in battle.
As a long-time player of the Mount & Blade series, I was initially disappointed by the limited troop variety in Bannerlord. I missed the unique units and diverse army compositions that characterized previous games. My early campaigns felt repetitive, with battles often devolving into predictable slugfests.
I initially relied on mercenaries to diversify my armies, but this proved to be a costly and unsustainable solution. I then experimented with different companion builds, training them as specialized units to fill specific roles. This was more effective, but it still didn’t fully address the underlying issue.
It wasn’t until I started exploring mods that I truly found a solution. Mods like “Banner Kings” and “Calradia Expanded Kingdoms” completely transformed my game, introducing new factions, unique troop trees, and a level of strategic depth that I hadn’t experienced before.
My biggest takeaway is the importance of experimentation. Don’t be afraid to try different approaches and find what works best for you. Whether you rely on mercenaries, companions, or mods, there are ways to overcome the troop variety pain points in Bannerlord and create a more engaging and rewarding gaming experience.
| Tip | Description |
|---|---|
| Strategic Scouting | Always scout enemy armies before engaging. Identify their strengths and weaknesses and tailor your army accordingly. |
| Terrain Awareness | Use terrain to your advantage. Archers excel in elevated positions, while cavalry are more effective on open ground. |
| Flanking Maneuvers | Outmaneuver your opponents by flanking their lines. This can disrupt their formations and create openings for your troops. |
| Target Prioritization | Focus your attacks on high-value targets, such as enemy archers or cavalry. |
The limited troop variety in Bannerlord 2 can be a significant pain point, leading to repetitive battles and a diminished sense of strategic depth. However, by actively recruiting mercenaries, training companions, and exploring mods, you can overcome these challenges and create a more diverse and engaging gaming experience. Remember to experiment with different approaches and find what works best for you. The key is to be proactive and find creative ways to diversify your armies and inject fresh life into your Bannerlord campaigns.