How do I create a new party in Bannerlord 2?

To create a new party, you need a companion with sufficient leadership skill. Go to the clan tab, select 'Parties', and click 'Create New Party'. Assign a companion as the leader and provide them with troops.

What skills are important for a party leader in Bannerlord 2?

Leadership and Tactics are the most important skills. Leadership determines party size and morale, while Tactics improves their performance in battle. Steward also helps with party size and food consumption.

How do I supply my parties with food in Bannerlord 2?

The best way to supply your parties is to establish a network of supply depots in your fiefs. Ensure these fiefs have food production workshops and utilize caravan routes to transport supplies to your parties.

How do I give orders to my parties in Bannerlord 2?

You can give orders to your parties through the clan tab under 'Parties'. Select the party you want to control and set their patrol area, instruct them to defend a specific location, or order them to follow your main army.

What should I do if my party gets stuck in a loop in Bannerlord 2?

If your party gets stuck, try adjusting their patrol route, moving them to a different location, or briefly giving them the freedom to 'Act on their own'. This can sometimes break them out of the loop.

Conquer Calradia: How to Manage Multiple Parties Effectively in Bannerlord 2

Managing multiple parties in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is crucial for expanding your influence and conquering Calradia. This article provides practical methods and unique perspectives to streamline your operations and maximize your efficiency. Mastering this aspect allows you to project power across the map, defend your territories, and wage war on multiple fronts.

Managing multiple parties efficiently in Bannerlord 2 hinges on a few key principles: delegation, logistics, and strategic oversight. By focusing on these core areas, you can turn a chaotic collection of warbands into a well-oiled machine.

Delegation: Empowering Your Companions

One of the most impactful ways to manage multiple parties is through delegation. Assign companions as party leaders, equipping them with troops and giving them specific objectives. This frees you to focus on your own activities, whether it’s leading your personal army or engaging in diplomacy.

Companion Selection: Choose companions with high leadership skills. Leadership directly affects party size, morale, and cohesion. Good stewards also make excellent party leaders.
Troop Composition: Equip your companion parties with troops suited to their mission. For raiding, light cavalry is ideal. For defense, a mix of infantry and archers works best.
Clear Objectives: Give companions clear and concise orders. Use the party management screen to set their patrol area, instruct them to defend specific castles or towns, or tell them to follow your main army.

Logistics: Keeping Your Parties Supplied

A well-supplied army is a fighting army. Maintaining a steady flow of food and resources to your parties is vital.

Centralized Supply Depots: Establish towns or castles as supply depots. These locations should have workshops producing food and other necessities.
Caravan Routes: Utilize caravan routes to transport goods between your supply depots and the parties operating in the field.
Food Variety: Ensure your parties have access to varied food supplies to boost morale and prevent attrition. Consider investing in improved granaries within your fiefs.

Strategic Oversight: The Grand Strategy

Effective management requires a broader strategic vision. Know where your parties are operating, what their objectives are, and how they contribute to your overall goals.

Map Awareness: Constantly monitor the game map to track the movements of your parties, enemy armies, and potential threats.
Communication: While limited in-game, imagine scenarios and communicate potential dangers or opportunities to your companion parties through assigned patrol routes.
Adaptability: Be prepared to adjust your plans based on changing circumstances. If a major enemy army appears, redirect your parties to reinforce your defenses.

Moving beyond basic management, there are several unique perspectives that can elevate your multi-party gameplay.

The “Roving Garrison” Strategy

Instead of keeping large garrisons in every fief, which drains your treasury, utilize companion parties as roving garrisons.

Reactive Defense: Position your companion parties near your vulnerable fiefs. When a siege is imminent, quickly move them to reinforce the garrison.
Mobility Advantage: This approach gives you greater flexibility and allows you to respond to threats more effectively than static garrisons.
Cost Efficiency: Maintaining a few mobile parties is significantly cheaper than fully stocking multiple garrisons.

The “Harassment Force” Tactic

Employ smaller, faster companion parties to harass enemy trade routes and settlements.

Economic Warfare: Disrupting the enemy’s economy can cripple their ability to wage war.
Diversionary Tactics: These parties can draw enemy forces away from your main offensive, creating opportunities for your primary army.
Raiding for Profit: Let your companions engage in calculated raiding to supplement their income and gain valuable resources.

Understanding Party AI Quirks

Bannerlord’s party AI, while improved, still has quirks. I’ve noticed parties can get stuck in loops, repeatedly traveling between the same two locations. This is especially true if their patrol area is too small or if there are bandits constantly respawning in their path.

Regular Check-Ups: Periodically check the location and activity of your companion parties to ensure they are not stuck.
Adjust Patrol Routes: Modify their patrol routes to avoid areas with high bandit activity or geographical bottlenecks.
Grant Freedom: Occasionally, give your companion parties the freedom to “Act on their own” for a short period. This can sometimes break them out of their routine and encourage them to pursue more productive activities, like joining an army or hunting down smaller parties.

Here are some additional tips and tricks gleaned from extensive Bannerlord gameplay:

Financial Management is Key

Supporting multiple parties can be expensive. Implement strategies to boost your income:

Invest in Workshops: Workshops in prosperous towns generate a steady income stream.
Control Trade Routes: Protect your caravan routes and disrupt enemy trade.
Engage in Profitable Wars: Winning wars yields valuable loot and ransoms.

Skill Specialization Matters

When selecting and equipping your companions, consider their skill specializations:

Scouting: Companions with high scouting skills can track enemy parties and locate valuable resources.
Medicine: Medics reduce casualties and improve party survival rates.
Engineering: Engineers are essential for sieges and constructing fortifications.

Leveraging Character Backgrounds

The background of a companion will influence their aptitudes and skills. For example, a former noble might have higher leadership skill, while a wanderer might have a bonus to scouting. Choosing companions with backgrounds that support their role as party leaders will improve the efficacy of your multi-party management strategy.

Table: Companion Roles and Skill Priorities

Role	Primary Skills	Secondary Skills	Troop Focus
Party Leader	Leadership, Tactics	Steward, Riding	Mixed Arms, Balanced
Roving Garrison	Tactics, Combat	Riding, Smithing	Heavy Infantry, Cavalry
Harassment Force	Scouting, Riding	Tactics, Roguery	Light Cavalry, Skirmishers

Mastering multi-party management in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is essential for achieving long-term success and ultimately conquering Calradia. By focusing on delegation, logistics, strategic oversight, and innovative tactical approaches, you can build a powerful and efficient war machine. Don’t underestimate the importance of understanding the game’s AI and adapting your strategies accordingly. With careful planning and execution, you’ll be leading your armies to victory in no time.