Managing prisoners in Bannerlord 2 can be a lucrative, yet risky business. Escaped prisoners mean lost profits and a hit to your reputation. This article offers five actionable strategies to minimize risks and maximize the safety and profitability of your prisoner caravans. These methods go beyond simply assigning guards and delve into troop composition, route planning, and even prisoner perks that significantly impact success.
The first step is understanding the inherent risks. Prisoner caravans are slow, attract bandits, and are vulnerable to enemy lords looking for an easy score. Building a successful, secure caravan requires careful planning and execution.
Choosing the Right Troops
Don’t just throw any troops into your caravan. Your guards are your first and most important line of defense.
- Tier 4 and 5 troops are your best bet. They provide superior combat skills and morale, deterring most bandit parties. Focus on units with high armor and melee skills. Good examples include Battanian Fian Champions, Imperial Legionaries, or Sturgian Heavy Axemen.
- Include a small contingent of fast-moving cavalry. These troops can scout ahead, chase down escaped prisoners, and harass pursuing enemies. Avoid heavy cavalry, as they will slow the caravan down.
- Consider troop perks. Some troops have perks that increase party speed or reduce prisoner escape chance. Check the encyclopedia for details.
Optimize Caravan Size for Efficiency
Caravan size directly impacts speed and vulnerability.
- Balance troop count with caravan size. A smaller, elite force can be more effective than a larger, poorly equipped one. Aim for a troop count that is roughly 20-30% of the caravan’s total size.
- Manage prisoner numbers carefully. Overcrowding increases the risk of escape and slows down the caravan. Invest in pack animals to increase carrying capacity.
- Use mules or sumpter horses. These animals increase your carrying capacity, allowing you to transport more prisoners without overburdening your guards.
Smart routing is critical for minimizing encounters and maximizing travel speed.
Stick to Well-Patrolled Roads
While it might seem intuitive to take shortcuts, stick to the main roads. These routes are usually patrolled by friendly lords and garrisons, deterring bandits.
Avoid War Zones
Check the political map regularly. Avoid traveling through territories that are at war. Even if you are not at war with the involved factions, you are more likely to encounter looters and opportunistic lords.
Scout Ahead
Send a small, fast-moving party ahead of the caravan to scout for potential threats. This allows you to reroute the caravan and avoid ambushes. A single companion on a fast horse can make a huge difference.
Utilize Hideouts to Your Advantage
While normally you want to avoid bandit hideouts, strategically knowing their locations and how to skirt around them can be valuable. Sometimes the bandits will engage each other instead of you, if you play it right. It’s a risky gamble, but can pay off.
Preventing escapes is just as important as fighting off attackers.
Appoint a Companion with High Steward Skill
Companions with high Steward skill can significantly reduce prisoner escape chance. Look for companions with perks that further enhance prisoner management.
Equip Your Guards with High-Quality Gear
Invest in good armor and weapons for your guards. This will increase their combat effectiveness and morale, deterring both attackers and potential escapees.
Utilize Prisoner Perks
Some prisoners have perks that can actually benefit your caravan. Look for prisoners with skills that increase party speed or reduce escape chance. For example, a skilled scout captured from a bandit party might possess valuable tracking abilities. Keep them alive and unassigned to your party, they will still improve your parties skills!
Beyond the basics, here are some strategies I’ve found particularly effective:
Leverage Your Clan Roles
Assign a clan member as a “Quartermaster” and focus their skill development on Steward and Medicine. A high Steward skill, as mentioned before, will improve party management and reduce escape chances. High Medicine will reduce casualties from attacks and prevent prisoner deaths from illness, preserving your profit margin.
Baiting Bandit Parties
This is a risky, but potentially rewarding strategy. Purposely travel near known bandit hideouts with a small, weaker force, drawing the bandits out. Then, position your main caravan nearby to ambush the bandits as they pursue your decoy. This allows you to eliminate bandit threats before they can threaten your main caravan. I wouldn’t recommend this early game though.
Strategic Prisoner Releases
Consider releasing certain prisoners. Releasing lords can improve relations with their faction, which can lead to profitable trade agreements and prevent future attacks. Releasing common bandits can improve your reputation in the surrounding area, reducing the likelihood of being targeted by other bandits.
| Troop Type | Key Skills | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Imperial Legionary | Leadership, Tactics | High armor, disciplined, effective in melee combat, reduces escape chance. |
| Battanian Fian Champion | Archery, Tactics | Ranged support, high damage output, can thin enemy ranks before melee. |
| Mameluke Heavy Cavalry | Riding, Tactics | Fast movement, scouting, chasing down escapees. |
| Companion Quartermaster | Steward, Medicine | Reduces escape chance, reduces casualties. |
These strategies, implemented thoughtfully, will significantly improve the safety and profitability of your Bannerlord 2 prisoner caravans. Remember to adapt your tactics based on the specific challenges of your campaign and the ever-changing political landscape of Calradia.
Managing prisoner caravans effectively in Bannerlord 2 boils down to strategic troop selection, meticulous route planning, and leveraging often-overlooked character skills and perks. This article solves 3 key problems: minimizing prisoner escapes, mitigating risks during travel, and maximizing the financial returns from your captive management. By implementing these strategies, you can transform prisoner caravans from a liability into a lucrative asset, solidifying your power and influence across Calradia.