Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord doesn’t currently feature naval combat in the traditional sense, but that doesn’t mean your campaigns are devoid of maritime perils and opportunities. This article explores three potential “naval” disasters and events you might encounter and offers practical solutions to overcome them. The key takeaway is adapting to the limitations of the game and using what’s available to your advantage.
While true naval battles are absent, water still plays a significant role in Bannerlord. The most common “naval” encounter involves crossing rivers, often under pressure from enemy forces. Coastal raids, while not strictly naval, represent another area where maritime activities influence the strategic landscape.
River Crossings: A Tactical Nightmare
River crossings are a frequent cause of campaign-ending losses, especially early on. Poorly planned river crossings against a superior enemy force can result in devastating casualties.
Avoiding the Ambush
- Scout Ahead: Before committing to a crossing, send out scouts. Use companions with high Scouting skill to maximize their range and effectiveness. Look for enemy parties lurking near the riverbanks.
- Choose Your Location Carefully: The map displays varying depths of rivers. Opt for wider, shallower sections, even if it means a longer detour. This reduces the amount of time your troops are vulnerable.
- Consider the Terrain: Look for crossing points with favorable terrain on the other side. A hill to retreat to, or dense forest to provide cover, can significantly improve your chances if ambushed.
Fighting Through the Crossing
- Shield Wall Formation: If forced to fight during a crossing, immediately form a tight shield wall formation. This minimizes casualties from archer fire and buys time for your troops to reach the other side.
- Prioritize Archer Defense: Archers are especially deadly during river crossings. Order your archers to target enemy archers first. Even a small number of ranged units can significantly disrupt an enemy ambush.
- Heroic Charge: If significantly outnumbered, a desperate charge can sometimes break the enemy’s lines. Focus your charge on a weak point in their formation and hope for the best. This is a high-risk, high-reward strategy.
Coastal Raids: Burning and Pillage
While you can’t build ships to conduct dedicated coastal raids, enemy factions, particularly those bordering the sea (like the Sturgians), can launch raiding parties that impact coastal villages.
Protecting Coastal Territories
- Strategic Garrison Placement: Place strong garrisons in castles and towns near the coast. A well-equipped garrison can deter raiding parties or at least buy time for your main army to respond.
- Patrol the Coastline: Regularly patrol the coastline with a fast-moving party. Prioritize speed over numbers; a small, highly skilled force can quickly intercept and eliminate raiding parties.
- Village Development: Invest in village development, especially in coastal areas. Buildings like walls and militia training grounds can increase village defenses and make them less attractive targets for raiders.
While Bannerlord lacks true naval combat, viewing rivers and coastlines through a more strategic lens reveals opportunities for unique tactical approaches.
Exploiting River Chokepoints
Rivers don’t just pose a threat; they can also be used to your advantage. Chokepoints created by rivers can be excellent defensive positions.
Defending River Crossings
- Fortify the Bank: If defending against an enemy attempting to cross a river, choose a location with high ground on your side of the bank. Place your archers on the high ground and your infantry in a shield wall formation at the river’s edge.
- Use Terrain to Your Advantage: Look for natural bottlenecks or chokepoints near the river crossing. Use terrain to funnel the enemy into a kill zone.
- Flanking Maneuvers: Hide a small force on one flank of the river crossing. When the enemy is fully engaged, launch a surprise flanking attack to disrupt their formation and rout them.
Raiding and River Tactics
- Feigned Retreat: Lure an enemy army to attack your smaller raiding party across the river, then retreat and watch them get cut down mid-crossing. This is especially effective if the enemy army has low morale and leadership.
- Supply Interdiction: Ambush enemy supply caravans as they attempt to cross rivers. This can cripple their war effort and force them to retreat.
- Map Awareness: Pay attention to river crossings. Knowing where they are, their depth, and the terrain around them is crucial for both offense and defense.
It’s worth spending time on the campaign map, getting familiar with these critical locations.
Guerilla Warfare on the Coast
Treat coastal areas as regions ripe for guerilla tactics. Disrupting enemy supply lines and harassing their villages can weaken their war effort.
Hit and Run Tactics
- Small, Fast Parties: Use small, fast-moving parties to raid enemy villages and disrupt their economy. Avoid direct engagements with larger armies.
- Exploit Terrain: Use the rugged coastline and surrounding forests to your advantage. Set ambushes and harass enemy parties from concealed positions.
- Target Supply Lines: Focus on raiding enemy supply caravans traveling along the coast. This can starve their garrisons and weaken their war effort.
Coastal Ambush
- Coordinated Attacks: Coordinate attacks on multiple villages simultaneously to spread the enemy’s forces thin.
- Night Raids: Conduct raids at night to minimize casualties and maximize surprise.
- Disrupt Trade: Target coastal trade routes to disrupt the enemy’s economy and weaken their war effort.
I have spent countless hours playing Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, experimenting with different strategies and tactics on the battlefield. My insights are based on personal experience and a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics. While naval battles are not a core feature, the principles of strategic thinking and tactical adaptation remain crucial for success. For basic information on the game mechanics, refer to the Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_%26_Blade_II:_Bannerlord
The table below summarizes the strategies.
| Challenge | Solution | Tactical Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| River Crossing | Scout, choose location, shield wall | Minimizes casualties, buys time, disrupts enemy attack |
| Coastal Raids | Garrisons, patrols, village development | Deters raiders, provides early warning, strengthens defenses |
| River Chokepoints | Fortify the bank, use terrain, flanking | Creates defensive strongholds, funnels enemy attacks |
| Coastal Guerilla | Hit and run, exploit terrain, target supplies | Disrupts enemy economy, weakens war effort, gains advantage |
Q: Are there naval battles in Bannerlord 2?
A: No, Bannerlord 2 does not feature traditional naval battles. The focus is on land-based combat and strategic campaign management.
Q: How can I deal with river crossings in Bannerlord 2?
A: Scout ahead, choose your crossing location carefully, use shield wall formations, and prioritize archer defense.
Q: How can I protect my coastal villages from raids in Bannerlord 2?
A: Place strong garrisons in coastal settlements, patrol the coastline with fast-moving parties, and invest in village development to increase defenses.
Q: Can I use rivers to my advantage in Bannerlord 2?
A: Yes, rivers can be used as chokepoints for defensive positions. Fortify the riverbank, use terrain to funnel the enemy, and launch flanking maneuvers.
Q: Are there any naval units in Bannerlord 2?
A: No, there are no naval units in Bannerlord 2. However, you can use the environment to your advantage and prepare river crossing.