Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord - now available on Early Access

Like I said you can mod the mod to allow a ratio lower than 1 or you can program something more complex like a ratio depending on the troop level.

 

Not really. One thing does not necessitate the other.

Let's imagine two kingdoms, each comprised of a ruler and 10 lords. Lords are given a party of 100 troops, and rulers get 200 troops, giving each side a maximum field army of 1200 troops. Each kingdom owns several towns, which can summon 500 militia if attacked, as well as castles, which can summon 300 militia if attacked. Militia can't be removed from fiefs for use in the field -- they can only mobilize in defense of their homes.

The kingdoms go to war -- hopefully based on some system of casus belli, and not just random declaration -- and the rulers clash in a major field battle between both 1200-strong armies. Kingdom A manages to outmaneuver Kingdom B, and deals a solid blow. Kingdom B has two lords killed, four captured, and 800 casualties, while Kingdom A only has one lord killed and suffers 300 casualties. Kingdom B no longer has the ability to be competitive in a field battle, and so retreats to its nearest stronghold on the border to regroup.

Kingdom A has the upper hand, and now has some options. Their 900 remaining troops are enough to capture a castle, maybe two, maybe even a town. But there's only so much fighting the army can do before casualties pile up, money runs low, and cohesion breaks down, so they have to think strategically. Kingdom A may be better off to sue for peace, and persuade Kingdom B to pay tribute in gold, fiefs, etc in exchange for being spared a long siege or other devastation. Maybe property changes hands, maybe agreements are struck -- but either way Kingdom B lives to fight another day.

This is just barely scratching the surface of what is possible. Point being, you can design the game so that it operates in a way that is realistic and believable, and driven by strategy, cause, and effect. Or you can take the easy way out with constantly respawning trash mobs, diplomacy that is illogical and random, and other half-assery. They took the latter route with Warband -- which is forgivable, though still disappointing -- but I don't think I am off base for expecting better from Bannerlord. It's still early yet, so maybe we'll get there.

 

You can also add prisoner deal for truce etc.
Maybe the player would be given a mission to kidnap a baby as a bargaining chip.
Or an outright 'bring me this guy's head' for a huge pile of money.
I also would like the ability to do FoodPanda delivery for the lords who are sieging but never seem to bring enough food.
I wanted to donate but there's no option to do so.

 

Is it possible to speak to an individual vassal in an army, rather than just the leader? pls tell me how

 

Mercenary subfactions seems to get "magic troops" (even high tier) from nothing like lords in Warband. I guess because their troops aren't in villages or cities, but when they add regular troops from the faction they are serving they follow the rules.
Western Empire has just one city but has Beni Zilal, Karakhergit, Embers of Flame, Elefewhatever, Legion of Betrayed, Brotherhood of Woods, Skolder under his service...had also Ghilman, Wolfskins and Lake Rats that I convinced to join Battania. No idea how they pay them: they have only one city!
But regular lords seems to respawn with just 15 recruits struggle to increase them. Anyway Wolfskins after being persuaded were just parties of 20 and went to Battania cities to get only +1 recruit each travel.

 

Played this a little more, things are a bit better.

-Crossbows are affordable now. Hooray.
-But they still have skill requirements out of reach so I can't actually train up the skill. Boo.
-Javelins now cost 50k+ or more. Weird.
-I'm finally gaining charm and leadership. Neat. Riding only goes up with I shoot bows from horseback though, full tilt spear kills do nothing. Weak.

Vlandia made peace with Sturgia but now we are at war with western empire. We are evenly matched. They build up a doomstack of 1000 guys and march. Do they attack the closest castle? No, they siege Jaculan, deep inside our territory. I go there with my 100 guys and suddenly they're like, naw, Jaculan sucks. Only losers siege Jaculan. We're gonna siege Sargot instead. Thats what cool people do. Then they run into the king's army of about 800 guys. E P I C battle ensues. I lose about 10 men and get 4 noble prisoners plus a boatload of loot. Noice.

Now I'm prepping to invade while I can hopefully hang on to their nobles. My caravan is finally bringing in money but only breaking even. Meanwhile my carpenter workshop in Pravend is only making 50 gold a day. I notice there are a couple pig farms nearby so I switch to Tannery. Instantly profit jumps to 500/day. So workshops are worth it still IF you build the right thing, pay attention to nearby production.

 

If you click on the army leader, there should be an option on the menu allowing you to speak to any of the vassals who have joined the army.

 

1. Go to bandit hideout
2. Press F4
3. ???
4. PROFIT

 

Archery is overpowered. A force of roughly 100 strong-ish archers can obliterate any rabble army at least triple in size without taking casualties. Those forest bandits haven't even been upgraded to Fians, as I don't have the Disciplinarian trait yet.

 

It is just that recruits are useless vs mass archery and AI loves to mass them, not level them anywhere and take them into important battles. Once they work on enemy AI and logic, it will be different.

 

I'm fine with arrows instagibbing lightly armoured troops, but its ridiculous how tier 4-5 troops die in 2 arrows despite running around in high-level gear.

 

Remember to manually put them in shield wall, that helps.

 

Forest bandits are very good archers as it is. Obviously against a similarly sized rabble they can clean house, but if the enemy has enough bodies to rush you and not route, if they have proper infantry with shields and if they have cavalry then it's no longer an auto win. Also of course not all terrain is good for archery and they're rubbish in sieges.

 

I've gotten both the Armour Does Something and Training Perk Fix and the combination of them helps massively with the issue.

The fist mod means armoured troops don't get machine-gunned quite as badly as before, and the second one since it applies to the AI too means you face a lot more shielded and at least moderately armoured troops. You'll massacre unarmoured rabble, but you'll be seeing a lot less of them.

 

Arrows historically werent very deadly, their whole purpose was to soften up morally or injure infantry before a charge. Javelins and throwing axes were way more deadly up until armor started to become more common. Horse archery was different because it allowed constant strafing on open grounds.

I havent played Bannerlord yet, but as people are claiming, 2-3 arrows to kill is too little. Id say 2-3 HEADSHOTS could be okay. On troops without helmets.

 

That would make archery really boring for the player, shooting would be a waste of time when you could attack in melee for quick kills instead.

 

I know, a compromise can be made, or specific bows could be more or less powerful. Specific arrows could solve this instead of Warbands traditional damage bonus with better arrows.

Location damage is also not a thing, which makes it even less powerful. Its hard to balance, but IMO Warband's archers were okay; you had to have two headshots for tougher troops, and shields nullified most of their use.

 

Didnt WFaS had a 1 musket shot per kill for unarmored troops and 2-3 for armored?

 

That sounds like mixing things up: impact of using bow and arrow in a battle (which includes accuracy), and the deadliness of an actual hit (does not consider accuracy).

 

I think the main reason why archers are so strong in Bannerlord is that AI armies tend to be made up of recruits and other low tier troops without shields or much armor. If you run a custom battle of infantry vs archers then you'll see that with shields up the infantry only take minor losses before they get close and slaughter the archers in melee.

 

Anything fun you can do with a captured king? I stumbled across Caladog in the woods.

 

I think they're just like any other lord at the moment. Higher ransom maybe

 

Chop Chop!

 

The problem is, melee infantry wont be able to catch up with archers if you micro them properly - and by "micro" only thing you have to do is press "Advance" order.
They will start behaving like skirmishers in total war and kite the enemy.
Shit is hilariously broken

 

They also move more than they shoot which is irritating. You get more dps out of them if you manually control them.