The lack of naval battles in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a common frustration for players. While the game focuses on land warfare, the Calradic Empire’s geography, with its rivers and coastal regions, begs for naval engagements. This article explores the current limitations, discusses modding possibilities, and offers insights into how naval combat could realistically be implemented to enhance the visual and strategic depth of Bannerlord 2.
One of the biggest letdowns for many Bannerlord 2 players is the complete absence of naval battles. The game world, Calradia, is dotted with rivers, lakes, and coastlines that geographically invite naval conflict. The strategic potential of controlling waterways, raiding coastal settlements, and transporting troops by sea is completely untapped.
The Current State of Water in Bannerlord
Currently, water in Bannerlord 2 serves primarily as an aesthetic element. Troops can cross rivers at fords or bridges, but there’s no concept of naval units, ship combat, or even rudimentary boat travel. This limits strategic options and makes coastal regions less significant than they could be.
Why Naval Battles Matter
Naval battles could add several layers of depth to Bannerlord 2:
- Strategic Diversity: Controlling sea lanes and river passages becomes crucial for trade, troop movement, and preventing enemy incursions.
- Visual Spectacle: Imagine witnessing large-scale naval engagements with ships ramming, boarding actions, and archers firing volleys across the water.
- Economic Impact: Coastal raiding and naval blockades could severely impact enemy economies, forcing them to divert resources.
- New Unit Types: The introduction of naval units like marines, archers specialized for ship combat, and even siege engineers capable of deploying naval artillery would add variety to army compositions.
Since TaleWorlds hasn’t implemented naval combat natively, the modding community is the best hope for seeing this feature in Bannerlord 2. Several mods are in development that aim to address this, but the challenges are significant.
The Technical Hurdles
Implementing naval battles requires overcoming several technical hurdles:
- AI Navigation: Creating AI capable of effectively maneuvering ships, engaging in combat, and boarding enemy vessels.
- Ship Models and Animations: Developing detailed ship models and realistic animations for sailing, ramming, and combat.
- Pathfinding on Water: Implementing a pathfinding system that accounts for water currents, obstacles, and ship-specific movement.
- Performance Optimization: Ensuring that large-scale naval battles don’t cripple performance, especially on lower-end systems.
Existing Modding Efforts and Their Progress
While a fully functional naval combat mod is still a work in progress, there are promising projects in development. Some mods focus on adding basic boat travel and troop transport, while others aim for more ambitious implementations of ship combat. Keep an eye on Nexus Mods and the TaleWorlds forums for updates on these projects.
A Hypothetical Modding Approach
Here’s a possible approach that modders could take to implement naval combat:
- Basic Boat Travel: Start by adding basic boat models that players can purchase and use to transport troops across water.
- Simple Ship Combat: Implement a rudimentary ship combat system where ships can ram each other or engage in ranged combat with archers and ballistae.
- Boarding Actions: Add the ability for troops to board enemy ships and engage in melee combat.
- Naval Sieges: Allow players to besiege coastal settlements from the sea, using ships to bombard walls and landing troops.
- AI Improvements: Gradually improve the AI’s ability to navigate ships, coordinate attacks, and defend against boarding actions.
If naval battles were implemented in Bannerlord 2, players would need to adapt their tactics and strategies. Land-based combat knowledge would only get you so far.
Exploiting Chokepoints and Terrain
Just like on land, terrain would play a crucial role in naval battles. Chokepoints like narrow straits or river mouths could be used to ambush enemy fleets or create defensive bottlenecks. Coastal cliffs and islands could provide archers with elevated firing positions.
Ship Types and Roles
Different ship types could fulfill different roles on the battlefield:
| Ship Type | Role | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galleys | Fast, maneuverable vessels ideal for raiding and flanking. | Speed, maneuverability, boarding potential. | Low armor, vulnerable to ranged attacks. |
| Carracks | Heavily armored warships designed for direct engagements. | High armor, strong ramming power, can carry a large number of troops. | Slow speed, poor maneuverability. |
| Cogs | Transport ships used for moving troops and supplies. | High cargo capacity, relatively cheap to build. | Poorly armed, vulnerable to attack. |
| Longboats | Shallow-draft vessels perfect for riverine warfare and coastal raids. | Can navigate shallow waters, high boarding potential. | Low armor, limited cargo capacity. |
Combining Naval and Land Forces
The most effective strategies would involve coordinating naval and land forces. For example, a player could use a naval force to land troops behind enemy lines, launch a surprise attack on a coastal settlement, or disrupt enemy supply lines.
Beyond gameplay mechanics, visual fidelity is crucial for making naval battles immersive. The sight of waves crashing against hulls, sails billowing in the wind, and ships exploding in flames would be truly captivating.
Environmental Effects
Realistic water physics, including waves, currents, and spray, would add a layer of authenticity to naval battles. Weather effects like storms and fog could also play a significant role, affecting visibility and ship handling.
Ship Detailing
Detailed ship models with realistic textures, rigging, and damage models would be essential. Ships should show visible signs of wear and tear, such as splintered wood, damaged sails, and scorch marks from fire.
Combat Visuals
Impactful visual effects for cannon fire, explosions, and boarding actions would enhance the excitement of naval combat. Troops should realistically climb onto enemy ships, engage in melee combat, and fall into the water when killed.
As a long-time fan of the Mount & Blade series, I’ve always been disappointed by the lack of naval combat. The potential for strategic depth and visual spectacle is immense, and I believe it would greatly enhance the overall Bannerlord 2 experience.
The Strategic Layer
In my opinion, implementing naval combat needs to be strategic. Imagine a world map where naval units can patrol trade routes, enforce blockades, and project power across the seas. Sea battles could also lead to the capture of ships, which could then be added to your own fleet or sold for profit.
Fleshing Out Coastal Factions
Naval warfare also allows for the creation of unique naval-based factions. Think Viking-style raiders that sail across the sea to plunder weaker kingdoms. Or merchant republics that rely on naval trade and diplomacy to expand their influence.
The Need for Patience
While I’m eager to see naval combat in Bannerlord 2, I also understand the technical challenges involved. It’s better to wait for a well-implemented system than to rush out a buggy and unpolished feature. I have faith in the modding community to eventually deliver on this front.
By addressing the absence of naval warfare through modding and detailed visual design, Bannerlord 2 can reach its full potential, creating a more immersive and strategically rich experience for players.