Read some impressions about Mount & Blade: Warband - scheduled to be released in March 2010 - from the Paradox Interactive Convention in Sweden.

<p style="margin-left:50px;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;border-color:#ffffff;padding-left:5px;">You'll also have to practice your skills on a brand new faction: the Sarranid Sultanate. Inspired by medieval Arab cultures, the Sultanate are warriors whose villages exist in new desert climates. The inclusion of the Sultanate significantly expands the map of Calradia, providing new towns and villages to explore and hopefully add to your growing kingdom.

<p style="margin-left:50px;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;border-color:#ffffff;padding-left:5px;">Speaking of battle, one of the most significant adjustments that's been made to the game is the inclusion of multiplayer sieges. Up to 64 players can engage in sieges, with allies able to split the command of their forces amongst their friends with simple button commands. For instance, one person may be put in charge of siege weapons, while another would direct control archers. You won't be restricted to the randomized maps that are included in Warband; players will be able to create their own and earn additional cash for their characters by fighting and defeating opponents in these massive multiplayer battles.

Spotted at: This other site with them walkthrus and stuff