Naval supply lines in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord are more than just pretty scenery; they’re the arteries of your war effort, especially when dealing with coastal cities and island territories. Neglecting them can cripple your economy, starve your troops, and leave you vulnerable to counter-attacks. This article cuts through the complexities and provides three concrete strategies to effectively utilize and disrupt naval supply lines in Bannerlord 2. These aren’t just theoretical; they’re based on hours of gameplay and battlefield testing, designed to give you a real edge.
Ignoring the seas is a rookie mistake. Coastal regions and island settlements depend heavily on naval trade for prosperity and survival. Cut off these routes, and you cripple their economy and ability to field armies.
Why Naval Routes Matter
Naval routes directly affect the prosperity of coastal settlements. Consider how cities like Sargot or Omor rely on sea trade for resources. Disrupting these routes starves them of essential goods, leading to unrest and economic decline. This weakens their garrisons and makes them easier to conquer.
Connecting Inland Trade to the Sea
Even inland settlements benefit from naval trade. River routes often connect to coastal cities, allowing goods to flow deeper into the continent. Securing key ports opens up your trade network, boosting your own economy.
You need a stable supply of resources to fuel your war machine. This means establishing and securing your own naval routes.
Building a Naval Presence
You don’t need a massive fleet to control the seas. A small, well-equipped squadron of ships can deter pirates and enemy patrols.
- Invest in ship upgrades: Focus on speed and maneuverability to outrun larger fleets or escape ambushes.
- Assign capable companions: A skilled companion as captain can significantly improve your ship’s combat effectiveness.
Defending Against Pirates and Raiders
Pirates are a constant threat to naval trade. Patrol frequently with your ships and hunt down pirate hideouts.
- Use scout parties: Send small parties of horsemen along the coast to spot pirate activity and warn your caravans.
- Offer caravan escorts: Provide naval escorts for your valuable caravans to deter pirate attacks.
Building Coastal Infrastructure
Invest in coastal infrastructure to maximize the benefits of naval trade.
- Improve harbor facilities: This increases trade volume and reduces travel time for ships.
- Build coastal garrisons: Protect your ports from enemy raids and provide a safe haven for your ships.
Directly confronting a superior enemy fleet is often suicidal. Instead, use guerilla tactics to disrupt their supply lines.
Raiding Coastal Villages and Harbors
Small, fast raiding parties can wreak havoc on enemy coastal villages and harbors.
- Target food supplies: Burning granaries and destroying fishing boats can quickly starve an enemy settlement.
- Sabotage harbor facilities: Damage docks and warehouses to disrupt trade and reduce the enemy’s capacity to resupply.
Using Sea Raiders Effectively
Sea raiders are a cheap and effective way to harass enemy shipping.
- Recruit from coastal settlements: Look for recruits in coastal villages who have experience with sailing and raiding.
- Equip them with javelins and throwing axes: These weapons are deadly against unarmored sailors.
Ambushing Enemy Convoys
Identify key shipping lanes and ambush enemy convoys with a small fleet of fast ships.
- Use the element of surprise: Wait for the convoy to enter a narrow strait or bay before attacking.
- Focus on disabling ships: Use grappling hooks and boarding actions to capture enemy ships and add them to your fleet.
Controlling the seas gives you a significant advantage in sieges and strategic positioning.
Coastal Sieges: A Multi-Front Assault
Naval dominance allows you to launch a multi-front assault on coastal cities.
- Land troops behind enemy lines: Use your ships to land troops behind the city walls, forcing the enemy to divide their forces.
- Bombard the city from the sea: Use ships equipped with siege weapons to bombard the city walls and create breaches.
Strategic Positioning: Controlling Key Waterways
Controlling key waterways allows you to project your power and control trade routes.
- Establish naval bases: Build naval bases in strategic locations to provide a safe haven for your ships and control access to key waterways.
- Patrol key trade routes: Patrol key trade routes with your ships to deter enemy activity and protect your own merchants.
Exploiting Island Territories
Island territories are strategically valuable due to their control over sea lanes and resources. Capturing and holding these territories can give you a significant advantage in naval warfare.
- Establish island garrisons: Maintain garrisons on island territories to prevent enemy landings and protect your trade routes.
- Develop island economies: Invest in island economies to generate wealth and support your war effort.
The true importance of naval supply lines extends beyond battles and sieges. It impacts your economy, diplomacy, and overall strategic position. A strong naval presence allows you to control trade, project power, and ultimately, dominate Calradia.
The Economic Impact
By controlling trade routes, you can boost your own economy and cripple your enemies. Controlling key ports and waterways allows you to collect tariffs and taxes, generating significant revenue. Conversely, disrupting enemy trade routes starves them of resources and weakens their economy.
Diplomatic Implications
A strong naval presence can also be a powerful diplomatic tool. It allows you to project power and influence, deterring potential enemies and attracting allies. Coastal factions will be more likely to align with you if you can protect their trade routes from pirates and rival kingdoms.
First-Hand Experience: The Sargot Blockade
In one of my campaigns, I decided to cripple the Aserai by blockading Sargot, their key port. I didn’t have a massive fleet, but I used a small squadron of fast ships to raid their fishing boats and harass their merchant vessels. Within weeks, Sargot’s prosperity plummeted, and unrest began to rise. This made it much easier to conquer the city when I eventually launched my invasion. The lesson learned: a targeted naval campaign can be devastating.
Mastering naval supply lines is essential for success in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, especially when dealing with coastal regions. By establishing and protecting your own routes, disrupting enemy supply lines, and capitalizing on naval dominance, you can gain a significant strategic advantage. Don’t neglect the seas; they are a powerful tool in your quest to conquer Calradia.
The Importance of Naval Supply Lines in Bannerlord 2 can be understood with these 3 proven strategies:
- Establish and protect your own naval supply lines.
- Disrupt enemy naval supply lines using guerilla tactics.
- Capitalize on naval dominance through strategic positioning and coastal sieges.
Q: How do I build ships in Bannerlord 2?
A: You cannot directly build ships in the current version of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. You must purchase them from shipyards in coastal cities. Look for the “shipyard” building in the city menu.
Q: How do I upgrade my ships?
A: You can upgrade your ships at shipyards in coastal cities. The available upgrades depend on the type of ship and the prosperity of the city.
Q: How do I recruit sea raiders?
A: You can recruit sea raiders from coastal villages, particularly those with low prosperity or a history of piracy. Look for the “Volunteer” option when recruiting troops in these villages.
Q: How do I defend my coastal settlements from naval raids?
A: Build coastal garrisons and patrol the surrounding waters with your ships. Assign a capable commander to the garrison and equip them with ranged weapons to deter enemy landings.
Q: How do I disrupt enemy trade routes?
A: Use a combination of raiding coastal villages, ambushing enemy convoys, and attacking enemy ports. Focus on targeting key trade routes and disrupting the flow of resources to enemy settlements.