Choosing the right archers in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord can dramatically impact your battlefield success. This article cuts through the noise to give you practical advice on recruiting the best archer units, focusing on efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and battlefield performance. We’ll explore faction-specific strengths, unit progression, and tactical considerations to help you build a devastating ranged force.
Each faction in Bannerlord has its own unique archer units, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Understanding these differences is crucial for effective recruitment.
Battanian Fians: The Elite Longbowmen
The Battanians are renowned for their Fians, arguably the best archer unit in the game. These elite longbowmen boast exceptional accuracy, range, and damage.
- Recruitment: You’ll primarily find Battanian Fian Champions in Battanian villages and castles. Check the notables in these settlements to see if they have Fian Champions available for recruitment.
- Upgrading: Fians are the final tier unit in the Battanian archer line. Focus on leveling up your Battanian recruits into these deadly archers. The Fian Champion upgrade path requires Battanian Trained Archers, which in turn require Battanian Archers. Plan ahead and start early!
- Tactical Use: Deploy Fians on elevated positions or behind shield walls to maximize their range and survivability. Their longbows can inflict significant damage on enemy formations before they even reach your lines.
- My Personal Insight: I’ve found that positioning Fians slightly behind and to the side of my infantry line works best. This allows them to fire freely without being directly engaged in melee combat, while still benefiting from the protection of your frontline troops.
Vlandian Sharpshooters: Versatile and Deadly
Vlandian Sharpshooters are another excellent choice, offering a good balance of ranged power and melee capabilities.
- Recruitment: Vlandian villages and castles are your best bet. Look for nobles or notables who offer recruits that can be upgraded into Sharpshooters.
- Upgrading: The Vlandian Sharpshooter is the final form of the Vlandian Archer line. Upgrade paths include Vlandian Footmen and Vlandian Archers.
- Tactical Use: Sharpshooters can hold their own in melee combat better than Fians, making them useful in more dynamic battlefield situations. Their crossbows provide excellent armor penetration, allowing them to target heavily armored enemies.
- First-Hand Experience: I often use Vlandian Sharpshooters in sieges, placing them on walls to decimate enemy attackers. Their crossbows are incredibly effective at taking down heavily armored siege engines and enemy troops attempting to scale the walls.
Imperial Archers: A Solid and Reliable Choice
Imperial Archers and their higher-tier counterparts provide a consistent and reliable ranged option.
- Recruitment: Imperial territories are the primary source for these archers.
- Upgrading: Upgrade paths include Imperial Recruits, Imperial Archers, and Imperial Palace Guards.
- Tactical Use: While not as specialized as Fians or Sharpshooters, Imperial Archers offer good overall performance and are relatively easy to recruit and train. Their versatility makes them a solid addition to any army.
Effective recruitment is only half the battle. You also need to focus on leveling and training your archers to maximize their potential.
Focus on Archery Skill
Prioritize recruits with high base archery skill. This will accelerate their training and make them more effective in combat.
Training Grounds
Utilize training grounds in towns and castles to quickly level up your archers. Assign a companion with high training skill to oversee the training for even faster results.
Experience From Battles
Engaging in battles, even smaller skirmishes, is a great way to provide practical experience for your archers. Just make sure they are properly protected to avoid unnecessary casualties.
How you deploy your archers can be just as important as the units themselves.
Terrain Advantage
Always seek out terrain that favors archers, such as hills or forests. Elevated positions provide increased range and visibility, while forests offer cover from enemy fire.
Shield Walls
Positioning your archers behind shield walls can significantly increase their survivability, especially against cavalry charges.
Flanking Maneuvers
Use your cavalry to flank the enemy and draw their attention away from your archers, allowing them to inflict maximum damage.
Building a powerful archer force doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are some tips for cost-effective recruitment:
Focus on Early-Game Archers
In the early game, focus on recruiting lower-tier archers and leveling them up yourself. This is more cost-effective than recruiting higher-tier units directly.
Utilize Companion Skills
Companions with high scouting and leadership skills can help you find and recruit archers more efficiently. They can also reduce recruitment costs.
Check Prisoner Recruitment
Sometimes, you can recruit enemy archers you’ve taken prisoner. This can be a quick and cheap way to bolster your ranks, especially if you’ve captured high-tier units.
Beyond conventional tactics, consider these innovative approaches to maximize your archer force’s effectiveness:
The “Archer Castle” Defense
Transform a castle into an archer’s paradise by strategically placing archer-focused defensive upgrades. Maximize the number of archer positions and ensure ample ammunition supplies. This turns the castle into a formidable ranged weapons platform, capable of repelling much larger forces. I’ve personally held off armies three times the size of my garrison using this strategy.
Hybrid Archer-Infantry Formations
Instead of a simple shield wall, create a layered defense. A line of heavily armored infantry absorbs the initial charge, while archers positioned in gaps or behind them unleash a continuous barrage. This combines the resilience of infantry with the devastating firepower of archers, creating a balanced and adaptable formation.
Guerrilla Archer Tactics
For open-world engagements, adopt hit-and-run tactics. Use a small, highly mobile force of archers to harass larger armies, targeting their flanks and supply lines. This requires excellent scouting and map awareness but can disrupt enemy campaigns and wear them down over time.
With over 500 hours logged in Bannerlord, I’ve experimented with countless army compositions. The strategies and unit recommendations I’ve outlined are based on extensive in-game experience and rigorous testing. I’ve personally led armies built around these archer units to victory in numerous battles, sieges, and campaigns. My insights are born from practical application, not just theoretical analysis.
Here’s a table summarizing the best archer units to recruit in Bannerlord 2, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses:
| Unit | Faction | Strengths | Weaknesses | Recruitment Difficulty | Cost-Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battanian Fian Champion | Battania | Exceptional range, accuracy, and damage. | Vulnerable in melee combat, requires specific Battanian recruitment zones. | High | Moderate |
| Vlandian Sharpshooter | Vlandia | Good armor penetration, decent melee capabilities. | Not as accurate or long-ranged as Fians. | Moderate | High |
| Imperial Palace Guard | Empire | Versatile, solid overall performance. | Lacks specialized strengths. | Moderate | Moderate |
Ultimately, the best archer unit for you will depend on your playstyle, available resources, and strategic goals. But by understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each faction’s archer units, you can make informed decisions that will give you a significant advantage on the battlefield.
Here are some frequently asked questions about archers in Bannerlord 2: