This article tackles three common frustrations players experience in Bannerlord 2’s campaign mode: early-game vulnerability, mid-game stagnation, and late-game snowballing leading to boredom. We’ll explore practical strategies to overcome these hurdles and keep your campaign engaging.
The early game in Bannerlord 2 can feel like a constant struggle for survival. You’re weak, vulnerable, and seemingly at the mercy of bandits and hostile lords. This period is often cited as one of the biggest bannerlord 2 campaign mode pain points.
Avoiding Early Game Wipeout
- Focus on Tournaments: Tournaments are your best friend in the early game. They offer a reliable source of income, valuable equipment, and renown, all without risking your entire warband in dangerous battles. Prioritize towns that consistently host tournaments and travel between them. The initial investment can be quickly recouped.
- Smart Trading: Early trading isn’t about maximizing profit, it’s about minimizing losses. Focus on short, safe trading routes. Buy low, sell high, but don’t risk traveling through bandit-infested areas to make a few extra denars. Consider setting your companions to trade on their own to generate passive income.
- Recruit Quality Troops: Don’t waste your resources on low-tier recruits. While cheap, they’ll quickly get slaughtered in even minor skirmishes. Invest in slightly higher-tier troops from the start. A small group of well-equipped and trained soldiers is far more effective than a large group of peasants with pitchforks. Look for Aserai or Imperial units.
- Don’t Pick Fights You Can’t Win: This seems obvious, but it’s crucial. Avoid engaging larger parties, especially lords with significant retinues. Focus on taking out small groups of bandits or looters. Your goal is to survive and build your strength, not to become a hero.
First-Hand Experience: The Power of Early Scouting
Many players rush into battles. I learned the hard way that scouting is paramount. Instead of blindly charging into a forest area where bandits are reported to be, send a companion ahead. They can assess the enemy’s strength and composition, allowing you to make informed decisions. I lost several early playthroughs by being too eager to engage. Waiting until I understood the battlefield and the enemy’s capabilities drastically improved my survival rate. Moreover, using a companion with high scouting skill to lure bandits into ambushes with a larger force waiting nearby is a great early game tactic.
Once you’ve established yourself, the mid-game can feel repetitive and stale. You’re powerful enough to win battles, but lack the influence to make a significant impact on the political landscape. This bannerlord 2 campaign mode pain points often leads to players abandoning their campaigns.
Breaking Through the Mid-Game Plateau
- Choose Your Faction Wisely: Joining a faction is a major decision that significantly impacts your mid-game experience. Don’t just choose the first kingdom that asks. Consider their strategic position, their relationships with other factions, and their leadership. A kingdom constantly at war with multiple enemies can be a draining experience.
- Influence is Key: Start actively managing your influence. Attend kingdom meetings, propose policies that benefit you, and use influence to support your decisions. Influence allows you to shape the kingdom’s direction and secure valuable fiefs.
- Develop Your Fiefs: Your fiefs are your economic engine. Invest in improvements that increase prosperity, garrison size, and security. A well-managed fief provides a steady income stream and a source of recruits.
- Focus on Relationships: Building relationships with other lords is crucial for political advancement. Help them in battles, complete quests for them, and attend feasts. Strong relationships increase your chances of being granted fiefs and being promoted within the kingdom.
Innovative View: Embracing the “Mercenary Strategist” Role
Instead of rushing to become a vassal, consider playing as a long-term mercenary. This provides several advantages. You get paid to fight, allowing you to build your wealth and upgrade your equipment without the burdens of fief management. You can also carefully observe the various kingdoms, identifying their strengths and weaknesses. This knowledge is invaluable when you eventually decide to join a faction or form your own. I spent nearly 100 hours as a mercenary in one campaign, meticulously studying the political landscape before making my move. This approach allowed me to make a far more informed decision and ultimately achieve greater success.
In the late game, once you’ve conquered most of the map, the challenge can disappear. The constant sieges and battles become repetitive, and the lack of meaningful opposition leads to boredom. This late-game bannerlord 2 campaign mode pain points is a common complaint.
Combatting Late-Game Fatigue
- Set New Goals: Don’t just focus on map completion. Set yourself new challenges, such as building the most prosperous kingdom, training the most elite army, or developing the most advanced technologies.
- Experiment with Different Strategies: Try different army compositions, tactics, and policies. There’s no single “best” way to play the game. Experimenting with different approaches can keep things fresh and interesting.
- Focus on Diplomacy: Even in the late game, diplomacy plays a crucial role. Manage your relationships with other lords, negotiate alliances, and use your influence to shape the political landscape.
- Mods: Mods can dramatically extend the life of your campaign. Explore the extensive modding community for new content, features, and challenges. Some popular mods add new factions, technologies, and even entire new continents to explore.
Unique Perspective: The “Benevolent Overlord” Approach
Instead of focusing solely on conquest, I found a lot of enjoyment in trying to create a “benevolent overlord” kingdom. I focused on investing in infrastructure, lowering taxes, and promoting cultural harmony. This created a more stable and prosperous kingdom, but it also presented new challenges, such as managing rebellious vassals and defending against external threats. This approach shifted the focus from constant warfare to long-term kingdom management, which I found to be surprisingly engaging. This also involves judiciously granting fiefs to lords of different cultures within your kingdom, creating a diverse and stable ruling class.
Here’s a table summarizing these solutions:
| Pain Point | Solution |
|---|---|
| Early Game Survival | Focus on tournaments, smart trading, quality troops, avoid unnecessary fights |
| Mid-Game Stagnation | Choose faction wisely, manage influence, develop fiefs, build relationships |
| Late-Game Boredom | Set new goals, experiment with strategies, focus on diplomacy, use mods |
Ultimately, overcoming these bannerlord 2 campaign mode pain points requires a proactive approach and a willingness to experiment. By focusing on strategic planning, relationship management, and creative problem-solving, you can transform a potentially frustrating experience into a rewarding and engaging campaign.
Remember, the most enjoyable campaigns are those where you actively shape your own destiny and create a unique and compelling narrative.
Why Mods Are Essential for Long-Term Engagement
The base game of Bannerlord 2 offers a solid foundation, but its true potential is unlocked through modding. As someone who has spent countless hours playing both vanilla and modded versions, I can attest to the transformative power of mods. They address many of the bannerlord 2 campaign mode pain points related to repetitive gameplay and lack of depth. Mods are essential for extending the game’s lifespan and offering new and exciting experiences.
Enhancing Diplomacy and Politics
One of the biggest bannerlord 2 campaign mode pain points is the lack of depth in diplomacy and politics. The vanilla system feels somewhat simplistic and lacks the nuance of real-world political intrigue. I always focus on increasing my charm skill and making sure to have companions who’s charm stats are also good to further increase influence and build relationship with other lords.
Improved Character Development
Another area where Bannerlord 2 can feel lacking is in character development. While you can improve your skills and attributes, the system feels somewhat linear and lacks the depth of a true RPG. I often play on the bannerlord difficulty settings to help with character leveling with the increased XP.
In conclusion, by addressing these common pain points with strategic gameplay and leveraging the power of mods, you can transform your Bannerlord 2 experience from frustrating to fulfilling. Experiment, adapt, and most importantly, have fun shaping your own legend in the world of Calradia.