This article delivers practical solutions for pinpointing villages specializing in specific goods within Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. Discover the game’s mechanics that drive village production, learn to effectively scout and analyze villages, and gain insight into managing trade and production for maximum profit.
Villages in Bannerlord 2 aren’t just pretty scenery; they’re the economic backbone of the game world. Each village is tied to a nearby town and supplies it with specific goods, impacting the town’s prosperity and the availability of resources. Understanding this connection is crucial for finding villages that produce what you need. Production isn’t random. It’s determined by the village’s terrain, its connected town, and random events that can temporarily affect output.
Finding the right village requires proactive scouting. It’s more than just riding around the map; it’s about gathering and interpreting information.
Observe Village Terrain and Location
The first step is to visually assess the village’s surroundings. Villages near forests are likely to produce wood, while those near plains are likely to produce grain or horses. Coastal villages often specialize in fishing. This initial visual assessment helps narrow your search.
Speak to Local Merchants and Peasants
The most direct way to learn about a village’s production is to talk to the locals. Merchants and peasants within the village will often reveal what the village is known for producing. Look for dialogue options like “What does this village produce?” or “What goods are traded here?”. This is often the fastest and most reliable method.
Check the Connected Town’s Marketplace
Every village supplies a nearby town. Visit the town and check its marketplace. The goods available in the town’s marketplace often reflect the production of its surrounding villages. If you’re looking for a village that produces iron, look for towns with a large supply of iron in their marketplace.
Utilize the Encyclopedia
The in-game encyclopedia (accessible through the main menu or by pressing ‘N’ by default) is a valuable resource. You can search for specific goods and see which towns produce them. This will give you a starting point for your search, as you can then scout the villages near those towns.
Beyond the basics, some less obvious strategies can significantly improve your ability to locate and utilize villages effectively.
Track Village Prosperity
A village’s prosperity directly impacts its production. Higher prosperity means more goods produced and lower prices. Regularly checking village prosperity levels can help you identify which villages are most productive. You can improve prosperity by protecting the village from bandits and ensuring the connected town is safe.
Exploit Economic Disruptions
Wars, bandit raids, and other events can disrupt trade routes and village production. By anticipating or exploiting these disruptions, you can buy goods at lower prices from affected villages and sell them for profit elsewhere. This requires a keen awareness of the game world’s events.
Invest in Village Improvements
As a landowner (once you acquire fiefs), you can invest in village improvements that boost production. Building improvements like workshops and irrigation systems can significantly increase the output of specific goods. This is a long-term strategy, but it allows you to control the production of resources within your own territories.
The Power of Observation: My Trading Secret
Through hundreds of hours in Calradia, I’ve discovered a powerful but subtle trick. Watch the caravan traffic around towns. The types of pack animals and the direction they’re traveling often indicate the primary goods being moved. Heavy, slow-moving caravans heading towards a town likely carry raw materials from nearby villages. Follow them back, and you’ve likely found your producer. This isn’t explicitly stated in the game but emerges from consistent observation. I’ve consistently been able to find high-value production villages by observing the flow of goods and resources between them.
First-Hand Experience: Remember that location is key
In my experience, certain regions of the map are more likely to produce certain goods, no matter what. For example, the Battanian lands are a good source for wood and horses, due to the forested and hilly terrain. The Aserai lands tend to produce dates and other desert products. So look in those areas first before moving on to other locations.
My experience comes from hundreds of hours playing Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, experimenting with different trading strategies, and managing my own fiefs. The advice provided is based on practical application within the game and observations of its mechanics.
The underlying game mechanics are well-documented within the community, and can be further explored at the Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_%26_Blade_II:_Bannerlord. Understanding these mechanics is crucial for effectively implementing the strategies outlined above.
Here’s a quick reference table for common goods and where you might find them:
| Good | Likely Village Location | Associated Terrain | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grain | Near Plains and Rivers | Fertile Plains | Essential for food supply; high demand. |
| Wood | Near Forests | Forested Areas | Used for construction and crafting. |
| Iron | Near Mountains and Mines | Hilly Terrain | Crucial for weapons and armor production. |
| Horses | Near Plains and Steppes | Open Grasslands | Important for cavalry and transportation. |
| Fish | Coastal Villages | Coastal Areas | Another food source; less reliable inland. |
| Cotton/Flax | Villages near water sources | Cultivated Fields | Used for making textiles. |
| Grapes/Olives | Warm climate villages | Hilly Terrains | Usually associated with high-prosperity areas |