This article cuts straight to the chase, providing actionable methods to skyrocket your workshop income in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. We’ll bypass the fluff and deliver practical advice, informed by in-game experience and data analysis. Learn how to select the right locations, manage production effectively, and outsmart the Calradian economy.
Choosing the right location is the single most impactful factor in workshop profitability. Forget blindly investing in what seems good. Deep dive into each town’s economy before you sink your denars.
Assessing Town Prosperity and Production
- Check the villages: Click on villages connected to the town. See what they produce. If a town has multiple villages producing the raw material for a specific workshop (e.g., wool villages for a Weavery), that workshop will likely thrive.
- Observe goods availability: Spend a few in-game days in the town. Watch the market. Is there a constant supply of the raw material you need? Are finished goods in high demand? Low supply and high demand means profit. High supply and low demand mean loss.
- Consider town security: A town constantly raided or at war will have a fluctuating economy. Look for towns deep within friendly territory or ones with strong garrisons.
Avoiding Workshop Over-Saturation
Don’t build a Weavery in a town that already has three. Competition will decimate your profits. Look for gaps in the market. If a town produces lots of grain, consider a Brewery, even if it doesn’t seem initially obvious.
Personal Experience: The Tale of Two Breweries
I once placed a Brewery in Ortysia, thinking its central location would guarantee success. It flopped. Then, I placed one in Pen Cannoc, a seemingly unremarkable town further from the map’s center, but with several grain-producing villages. It became my most profitable workshop. Why? Lower competition and a reliable supply chain.
The Calradian economy isn’t static. What’s profitable today might be a loss tomorrow. Adaptability is key.
Monitoring Market Trends
- Regularly check town markets: Visit each town with a workshop at least once every few weeks (in-game time). See how prices have changed. High raw material costs or low finished goods prices are warning signs.
- Use the Encyclopedia: The in-game Encyclopedia (accessed via the ‘N’ key) allows you to check which towns produce specific goods. This helps you identify alternative workshop locations or production changes.
Switching Production Strategically
- Don’t be afraid to change: If a workshop is consistently losing money, don’t stubbornly stick with it. Switching to a different product can salvage your investment. It costs a small amount to change workshop type but can pay off handsomely in the long run.
- Consider local events: A town recently besieged might have a shortage of specific goods. Temporarily switching to produce those goods can be incredibly profitable.
Unique Perspective: The Temporary Smithy
Early in the game, Smithies are often unprofitable due to high iron prices. However, after a major war, when many weapons are destroyed, switching a losing workshop to a Smithy for a short period can reap huge rewards. Demand for weapons surges, driving up prices. Once the market stabilizes, switch back to something more sustainable.
Beyond location and product, internal management matters.
Avoiding Unnecessary Costs
- Governor perks: Governors with the “Industry” perk increase workshop production and reduce costs. Assigning a skilled governor to a town with your workshops can significantly boost profits.
- Focus on efficiency: While you can’t directly control workforce wages, keeping the town prosperous and secure will help maintain a stable workforce and avoid disruptions.
Leveraging Policies
- Prosperity-boosting policies: Policies like “Fairgrounds” and “Royal Tax” increase town prosperity, which, in turn, boosts workshop output and profitability.
First-Hand Experience: The Governor Gambit
I once inherited a town with two struggling workshops. By assigning a companion with high Steward skill and the “Industry” perk as governor and enacting the “Fairgrounds” policy, I turned those workshops from losers to winners in a matter of weeks.
The AI isn’t perfect. Exploit its weaknesses.
Capitalizing on Warfare
- Follow the armies: Armies consume vast amounts of supplies. Identify towns along major war routes and set up workshops that produce food, weapons, or armor.
- Invest in besieged towns: If a town is about to be besieged, buy up all the cheap raw materials. After the siege, prices will skyrocket, and you can either sell the raw materials for a profit or use them to produce finished goods at a higher margin.
Disrupting Competitors
- Raiding caravans (use with caution): This is a morally questionable strategy, but raiding caravans carrying goods produced by competing workshops can temporarily reduce supply and increase demand for your products. Note: This will negatively impact your relations with the affected factions.
Wikipedia
| Workshop Type | Raw Materials | Finished Goods | Best Locations (Example) | Potential Profit (Daily) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weavery | Wool | Cloth | Epicrotea, Zeonica | 150-300 | Requires multiple nearby wool-producing villages. Profits can fluctuate based on war. |
| Smithy | Iron Ore, Hardwood | Weapons, Armor | Dunglanys, Ortysia | 50-250 | Highly dependent on iron ore prices. Can be very profitable during wars. |
| Brewery | Grain | Beer | Pen Cannoc, Quyaz | 100-200 | Relatively stable profit. Less affected by war than other industries. |
| Wood Workshop | Hardwood | Bows, Shields | Rovalt, Omor | 80-180 | Requires multiple nearby wood-producing villages. Profits can fluctuate based on war. |
Note: Profit margins are estimates and can vary significantly based on in-game conditions.
By focusing on location, adapting to market changes, managing costs, and exploiting AI weaknesses, you can transform your workshops from money pits into engines of profit in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. Remember, consistent monitoring and strategic thinking are crucial for long-term success.