Getting captured in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord can be incredibly frustrating, setting you back significantly in your campaign. You lose troops, resources, and, most importantly, time. This article focuses on practical strategies to minimize your risk of ending up as a prisoner and keep your momentum going. The key to avoiding capture lies in understanding the game’s mechanics and adapting your play style accordingly.
A head-on, glorious charge is tempting, but sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. Learning when and how to retreat effectively is crucial.
Recognizing Unfavorable Engagements
Before engaging any enemy party, assess the situation. Consider the size of your army versus theirs, the composition of their troops, and the terrain. Are you outnumbered two to one by heavily armored Cataphracts on flat ground? That’s a fight to avoid. Check their leadership skills; a skilled tactician commanding even a smaller force can be dangerous.
Utilizing the Campaign Map to Your Advantage
The campaign map isn’t just a pretty backdrop; it’s a vital tool for survival. Use it to identify potential threats and plan your movements accordingly.
- Scouting: Invest in scouts to increase your map visibility and detect enemy parties early.
- Terrain: Avoid bottlenecks or areas where you can be easily ambushed. Stick to open ground where you can maneuver effectively.
- Knowing Enemy Patrol Routes: Observe enemy movement patterns to anticipate their actions and avoid crossing paths with larger forces.
The Nitty-Gritty of Retreating
When retreat is necessary, execute it swiftly and decisively.
- Order a Retreat: Press the ‘R’ key to initiate a retreat during a battle. Be aware that your troops will suffer casualties as they disengage.
- Sacrifice the Weak: If possible, position weaker units (like recruits) at the rear of your formation to act as a buffer, absorbing damage while your stronger troops escape.
- Use Terrain to Cover Your Escape: Retreat towards forests, hills, or rivers to slow down the enemy pursuit.
A fast-moving army is harder to catch. Prioritize speed on the campaign map to avoid being cornered.
Understanding Movement Speed Factors
Several factors affect your party’s movement speed.
- Party Size: Larger parties move slower. Recruit only as many troops as you need for your current objectives.
- Troop Type: Infantry slows you down. Cavalry and mounted archers are faster. Consider a cavalry-heavy force for increased mobility.
- Encumbrance: Carrying too much loot or prisoners significantly reduces your speed. Offload excess baggage at towns or castles.
- Horses: Having enough horses for your infantry increases their speed.
Optimizing Your Party Composition
Strive for a balanced party that prioritizes speed without sacrificing combat effectiveness.
- Cavalry Focus: A significant portion of cavalry can give you the edge in both combat and map speed.
- Mounts for Infantry: Ensure your infantry have mounts to keep up with your cavalry. Even pack animals will help.
- Reduce Baggage: Avoid carrying unnecessary items. Sell excess loot regularly.
Perks That Enhance Speed
Certain character perks can significantly boost your party’s movement speed. Invest in skills like Scouting, Riding, and Leadership. These perks often provide bonuses to party speed, map visibility, and morale.
Sometimes, the best way to avoid getting captured is to avoid fighting in the first place. Diplomacy plays a crucial role in maintaining peace and minimizing conflicts.
Maintaining Positive Relationships
- Assist Villages: Help villages being raided by bandits. This improves your relationship with the local lords and reduces bandit activity in the area.
- Complete Quests: Fulfilling quests for lords and ladies improves your standing with them and their faction.
- Release Captured Lords: Releasing captured lords after a battle grants you honor and improves your relations with their faction.
Understanding War Declarations
Pay attention to political events in Calradia. Monitor faction relations and be aware of impending war declarations. Avoid being caught in enemy territory when war breaks out.
Using Truce and Peace Negotiations
If you find yourself at war, consider negotiating a truce or peace treaty. Paying a tribute might be preferable to suffering repeated losses and potential capture.
Investing in the right skills and assets can significantly improve your chances of survival.
Investing in Scouting and Tracking
Scouting is arguably the most important skill for avoiding capture. A high scouting skill allows you to detect enemy parties from a greater distance, giving you more time to react and evade them. Tracking allows you to follow enemy movements and anticipate their actions.
Building and Upgrading Workshops
Workshops provide a steady income, reducing your reliance on looting and raiding, which can attract unwanted attention. More importantly, owning workshops in towns allows you to establish a presence and gather information about local events.
Utilizing Companions Effectively
Companions can be assigned roles within your party to provide various benefits. Designate one companion as a scout to boost your party’s map visibility. Another companion can be assigned as a quartermaster to manage your inventory and reduce encumbrance.
I’ve lost count of the times I’ve nearly ended up as a guest in some lord’s dungeon. One particularly harrowing experience involved getting ambushed by a Vlandian war party while escorting a caravan. I was severely outnumbered and outmatched. The key to my escape was splitting my forces. I ordered my cavalry to harass the enemy flanks while I retreated with the caravan towards a nearby forest. The delay bought me enough time to reach the trees, where I was able to use the terrain to my advantage and eventually escape.
Another time, I made the mistake of engaging a superior enemy force in a siege. I thought I could hold the walls, but I was wrong. The enemy breached the defenses, and I was forced to fight my way out. I lost many men, but I managed to escape capture by using a combination of tactical retreats and well-timed counterattacks. The experience taught me the importance of knowing when to cut my losses.
These experiences have shaped my approach to the game. I’m now much more cautious, and I prioritize speed, scouting, and diplomacy above all else.
Here are some frequently asked questions about avoiding capture in Bannerlord 2:
html
- How do I increase my party’s speed on the campaign map?
- Reduce party size, use cavalry and mounted troops, minimize encumbrance, and ensure your infantry have mounts.
- What skills are most important for avoiding capture?
- Scouting and Tracking are crucial for detecting and evading enemies. Leadership also helps maintain morale and party speed.
- How can I improve my relations with other factions?
- Assist villages, complete quests, release captured lords, and avoid hostile actions.
- What should I do if I’m outnumbered in a battle?
- Retreat strategically, use terrain to your advantage, and sacrifice weaker units to buy time for your stronger troops to escape.
- How does encumbrance affect my party’s speed?
- Carrying too much loot or prisoners significantly reduces your party’s movement speed. Offload excess baggage at towns or castles.
Avoiding capture in Bannerlord 2 is a multifaceted challenge that requires a combination of tactical prowess, strategic planning, and diplomatic finesse. By mastering the art of retreat, optimizing your party’s speed, maintaining positive relationships, and investing in the right skills and assets, you can significantly reduce your risk of ending up as a prisoner and maintain your momentum in the game. Remember, a cautious and calculated approach is often the key to long-term success in Calradia.
This article addresses the core problem of getting captured in Bannerlord 2 by providing 5 practical solutions: mastering tactical retreat, optimizing party speed, fostering diplomacy, making smart investments, and learning from battlefield experiences.