5 Fixes for Bannerlord 2 Issues with Companion AI

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a complex game, and managing your companions effectively is crucial for success. But let’s face it, the companion AI can sometimes feel… lacking. They make questionable tactical decisions, get themselves killed unnecessarily, and generally don’t seem to live up to their potential. This article provides five concrete fixes to address common Bannerlord 2 issues with companion AI, turning your band of misfits into a well-oiled war machine.

Before we dive into solutions, it’s important to understand the most frequent complaints regarding companion AI in Bannerlord 2. Players often report issues with:

• Poor Battlefield Tactics: Companions charging recklessly into enemy lines, ignoring formations, and generally failing to follow orders.
• Inefficient Skill Development: Companions prioritizing less useful skills, resulting in underperforming party roles.
• Low Survival Rate: Companions dying frequently in battle, leading to constant recruitment and training cycles.
• Suboptimal Role Assignment: Assigning companions to roles they are ill-suited for, such as designating a weak character as a party leader.
• Irrational Behavior: Actions that don’t make sense from a strategic perspective, such as looting insignificant villages while ignoring larger threats.

Skill Specialization: Tailoring Companions for Success

One of the biggest improvements you can make to your companion AI is to carefully specialize their skills. Don’t let the AI auto-distribute points. Manually control their skill progression. This allows you to create companions who excel in specific roles.

• Scout: Focus on Scout, Riding, and Tactics.
• Surgeon: Prioritize Medicine, Leadership, and Trade.
• Engineer: Invest in Engineering, Tactics, and Smithing.
• Quartermaster: Develop Leadership, Steward, and Trade.

A great example is the scout. The AI might prioritize combat skills for a scout, but a truly effective scout should be focused on map speed and spotting enemies. You want them to have high scouting skills to increase party speed, spot enemy parties from further away, and reduce the chance of ambushes.

Equipping Companions for Survival

Proper equipment is paramount for companion survival. The AI isn’t going to prioritize survivability, so you need to step in. Focus on providing your companions with the best armor you can afford.

• Head: Helmets with high armor ratings are crucial.
• Body: Prioritize plate armor or lamellar armor.
• Hands & Feet: Gauntlets and boots contribute significantly to overall defense.
• Weapon: Choose weapons that complement their skills and fighting style. Some companions are more effective with bows while others perform better with melee weapons.

Beyond armor, consider giving companions shields, even if they have two-handed weapon skill. A shield adds significant survivability in chaotic battles. Also, experiment with different weapon types based on the companion’s strengths. Some perform better with polearms, keeping them at a safer distance.

Mastering the Command System for Better Battlefield Control

The battlefield command system in Bannerlord 2 is powerful, but it requires practice to master. The AI, left to its own devices, will rarely use formations or follow strategic orders effectively. Taking direct control of your troops, including your companions, is essential for maximizing their effectiveness.

• Formations: Use formations like shield wall, line, and square to protect your troops and maximize their combat potential. Assign companions to specific formations based on their skills and equipment. For example, a heavily armored companion could be placed in the front of a shield wall.
• Orders: Issue clear and concise orders to your troops. Tell them to charge, hold their ground, or retreat as needed. Use the “F1” key to access the command menu and then use the number keys to select specific orders.
• Delegation: While you should directly command your main force, consider delegating smaller groups of troops to your companions. This allows them to operate independently while still following your overall strategy.

I’ve found that breaking my forces into smaller, companion-led groups significantly improves battlefield control. For example, I often assign my best archer companion to lead a group of archers, giving them orders to focus fire on specific targets.

Beyond the basics, there are some less obvious strategies you can employ to improve your companion AI.

Leveraging Companion Personalities

Each companion in Bannerlord 2 has a unique personality that affects their behavior and interactions. Understanding these personalities can help you assign them to roles and tasks where they are most likely to succeed. Some companions are more honorable and loyal, while others are more pragmatic and ruthless.

For instance, an honorable companion is more likely to be a successful governor, as they will prioritize the well-being of the town’s population. A ruthless companion, on the other hand, might be better suited for leading raiding parties or dealing with rebellious factions.

I’ve personally seen a significant improvement in town loyalty and prosperity by carefully matching companion personalities to governorships. A compassionate governor reduces unrest and increases militia recruitment.

The Art of Strategic Retreat

One of the most frustrating aspects of companion AI is their tendency to fight to the death, even in hopeless situations. While you can’t completely eliminate this behavior, you can mitigate its effects by teaching your companions the value of strategic retreat.

• Early Game Tactics: Focus on disengaging from battles you can’t win. This teaches your companions that retreat is a viable option.
• Skill Development: Invest in their tactics skill. A high tactics skill increases their likelihood of making sound strategic decisions, including retreat.
• Personal Intervention: If you see a companion about to be overwhelmed, order them to retreat manually. This can save their life and prevent them from being captured.

I learned this lesson the hard way after losing several high-level companions in foolish battles. Now, I prioritize teaching my companions the importance of self-preservation.

Maximizing Companion Influence Through Marriage (or Not)

Companions in Bannerlord 2 can gain influence through various actions, such as winning battles, completing quests, and governing towns. Influence is crucial for political maneuvering and securing positions of power within a kingdom. However, one of the most effective ways to boost a companion’s influence is through marriage.

• Strategic Marriages: Marrying a companion to a member of a powerful clan can significantly increase their influence and grant them access to valuable political connections.
• Clan Building: Marry off your companions and create clans that work within your kingdom to generate influence.
• Independent Operators: Alternatively, avoid marriage altogether and use companions as independent operators, focusing on specific tasks without the complexities of clan politics.

My approach is to strategically marry off companions with high social skills to prominent families. This not only boosts their influence but also strengthens my own position within the kingdom.

As a long-time Mount & Blade player with hundreds of hours invested in Bannerlord 2, I’ve experimented extensively with companion management strategies. The insights shared in this article are based on my personal experiences and observations within the game. While some strategies are widely known within the Bannerlord community, others are the result of my own experimentation and analysis.

To further support the claims made in this article, I’ve consulted the Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Wiki (https://mountandblade.fandom.com/wiki/Mount_&_Blade_II:_Bannerlord) for information on game mechanics and companion skills. I also recommend exploring the Bannerlord subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/Bannerlord/) for community-driven strategies and discussions.

Improving companion AI in Bannerlord 2 is a multi-faceted process that requires careful planning and execution. By specializing their skills, equipping them properly, mastering the command system, leveraging their personalities, teaching them strategic retreat, and maximizing their influence, you can transform your companions from liabilities into valuable assets. Implementing these five fixes will significantly improve your Bannerlord 2 experience and increase your chances of conquering Calradia.

Here’s a quick recap:

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