Bannerlord 2: 5 Smart Moves After Crushing Your Foes

So, you’ve just wiped the floor with a rival army in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord 2. The battle is won, but the war is far from over. Don’t just stand there admiring the carnage – seize the opportunity! This article provides five key actions you should take immediately after a victory to maximize your gains and solidify your position in Calradia. These aren’t just the obvious choices; we’ll delve into strategies that experienced players use to turn a single win into lasting dominance.

The moments right after a battle are crucial. Making smart decisions here can significantly impact your campaign’s trajectory. Forget about resting on your laurels; it’s time to capitalize on the situation.

Loot, Loot, and Loot! (But Do It Smart)

Obviously, looting is essential. But don’t just blindly grab everything. Here’s how to loot efficiently:

• Prioritize High-Value Items: Focus on valuable weapons, armor, and horses. These can be sold for a substantial profit or equipped to your troops.
• Consider Your Carrying Capacity: Overburdening your party slows you down and makes you vulnerable to counter-attacks. Use pack animals effectively and manage your inventory.
• Check for Unique Items: Keep an eye out for rare or well-crafted gear that can be a significant upgrade for your character or companions. Sometimes, defeated lords will carry powerful weapons.
• Don’t Neglect Food: After a big battle, your troops will be hungry. Replenishing your food supply is essential to maintain morale and prevent desertion.

Capture or Release Enemy Lords: A Calculated Decision

This is a pivotal decision with long-term consequences.

• Capture for Ransom/Execution (High Risk, High Reward): Capturing lords allows you to hold them for ransom, providing a significant influx of cash. Executing them can cripple enemy factions but will drastically reduce your honor and relations with other lords. Be warned: Frequent executions can lead to rebellion.
• Release for Honor and Influence: Releasing lords boosts your honor and improves relations with their clan. This can be particularly useful for building alliances and recruiting vassals.
• My Personal Insight: I’ve found that releasing lords early in the game is beneficial for building a positive reputation. Later, when you’re stronger, capturing them for ransom becomes a more viable option.

Heal Your Wounded (Don’t Let Them Die!)

This seems obvious, but it’s easy to overlook in the heat of the moment.

• Check Your Party’s Health: Immediately after the battle, assess the condition of your troops and companions.
• Utilize Surgeons: Ensure you have skilled surgeons in your party to speed up the healing process. Invest in medicine skill for your character or companions.
• Wait in a Safe Location: Find a nearby town or castle where you can rest and allow your troops to recover.
• Pay Attention to Morale: Wounded troops are more likely to desert. Keep morale high by providing adequate food, pay, and victories.

A single victory can be a turning point. Here’s how to leverage your success to gain a strategic advantage.

Follow Up on Weakened Foe

Don’t let the enemy regroup. This is my secret sauce to winning wars quickly.

• Track the Routing Army: After the battle, the defeated army will be scattered and vulnerable. Pursue them and pick off stragglers to further weaken their forces.
• Siege Nearby Settlements: If the enemy’s army was defending a town or castle, now is the perfect time to launch a siege. Their garrison will be weakened, and morale will be low.
• Raid Their Villages: Raiding villages disrupts the enemy’s economy and weakens their ability to raise new troops. Be mindful of the relationship consequences.
• Experience-Based Suggestion: I once wiped out a 600-man army, then immediately sieged and captured a strategically important castle with only 200 men because their garrison was depleted. That single action crippled the entire kingdom’s western front.

Recruit and Replenish Your Forces

A victory is a great morale boost, making it easier to recruit new troops.

• Visit Nearby Villages: Villages are the primary source of recruits. Check for villages that offer high-tier troops (e.g., Vlandian Sharpshooters, Battanian Fian Champions).
• Consider Mercenaries: Mercenaries can quickly bolster your ranks, but they are expensive. Use them strategically when you need a temporary boost.
• Upgrade Your Troops: Invest in upgrading your existing troops to higher tiers. This will significantly increase their combat effectiveness.
• My Preference: I always prioritize upgrading existing troops over recruiting new ones, especially mid- to late-game. Well-trained veterans are far more valuable than raw recruits.

Capitalize on Chaos: Political Maneuvering

War creates opportunities for political advancement.

• Influence Factions Decisions: Influence kingdom decisions through influence points.
• Propose Policies: Advocate for policies that benefit your clan and weaken your rivals.
• Claim Fiefs: After a successful siege, put yourself forward as a candidate to receive the conquered fief. This is a crucial step in building your power base.
• Defect if Necessary: If your current kingdom is failing, consider defecting to a stronger faction. This can be a risky move, but it can also be a game-changer.

Winning battles is only part of the equation. Building a lasting dynasty requires strategic planning and long-term vision.

Building Relations with Other Clans

Positive relations are critical for success

• Participate in Feasts and Tournaments: These events provide opportunities to meet and interact with other lords, improving your relations.
• Complete Quests for Other Clans: Helping other clans improves your standing with them.
• Arrange Marriages: Marrying your family members into other influential clans can forge powerful alliances.
• Unique Insight: I focus on building strong relationships with clans that share similar values and goals. This makes it easier to form lasting alliances and advance my political agenda.

Establishing a Strong Economic Base

A strong economy is essential for funding your war efforts and maintaining a loyal following.

• Invest in Workshops: Workshops generate a steady income. Choose locations and industries wisely.
• Acquire Productive Fiefs: Fiefs with productive villages and thriving trade routes provide a significant economic boost.
• Manage Trade Caravans: Trade caravans can generate substantial profits, but they are vulnerable to bandits and enemy raids.
• My Lesson Learned: I learned the hard way that neglecting my economy can lead to financial ruin. Invest early and often in building a strong economic base.

Developing Your Character and Companions

Your character and companions are your most valuable assets.

• Focus on Key Skills: Prioritize skills that are relevant to your play style, such as leadership, combat, and stewardship.
• Equip Your Companions with Good Gear: Provide your companions with high-quality weapons and armor to maximize their combat effectiveness.
• Assign Roles to Your Companions: Assign specific roles to your companions, such as surgeon, scout, or engineer, to optimize their skills.
• Unique Perspective: I tailor my character and companion development to complement my overall strategy. For example, if I’m focusing on siege warfare, I’ll invest heavily in engineering skills.

Table: Post-Battle Decision Matrix

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a game of strategy and skill. By mastering these post-battle tactics, you can turn a single victory into a stepping stone towards dominating Calradia. Remember, the true measure of a leader isn’t just winning battles, but capitalizing on those wins to achieve long-term success.