Mount & Blade 2 Bannerlord: Steps To Become A Mercenary

As a seasoned traveler and battle-hardened warrior, I’ve traversed the vast lands of Calradia, seeking fame, fortune, and camaraderie in equal measure. The journey to Clan Tier 1 begins with amassing 30 Renown, the Bannerlord equivalent of XP, a testament to your renown among Calradia’s citizens.

Bannerlord,” developed by TaleWorlds Software, will become accessible via Xbox GamePass starting February 14, 2023. This game shares similarities with its predecessor, “Warband,” and offers a unique blend of elements from other games such as “Kingdom Come Deliverance,” “Total War,” and “Chivalry 2.” Unlike a typical role-playing game with scripted NPC conversations and an unfolding narrative, the game also functions as a robust strategy title. Players can manage their own clan, expand it into a kingdom, recruit troops, establish businesses and trade routes, acquire supplies through various means, and engage in strategic planning, troop positioning, orders, and formations – elements usually found in a fully-fledged real-time strategy (RTS) game.

In addition to this, the game functions as an authentic medieval warfare reenactment. Players might engage in conflicts involving over a thousand versus over a thousand combatants at times, although not all may be actively involved simultaneously, say around 800. However, the spectacle is visually captivating, as players lead their steeds into lines of infantry as part of a larger army, amidst a whirlwind of action with soldiers and arrows zipping through the air, faithfully depicting the disorder and strategies characteristic of medieval battles.

The question many new players may ask, however, is how do I get into all this? Seems at the start that nobody wants to know their name and especially won’t be letting them into their castle for tea and biscuits. Full-on wars with thousands of combatants seem out of reach but becoming a mercenary allows all of this to take place and is thankfully relatively simple to accomplish.

1 Complete Tutorial

Mount & Blade 2 Bannerlord: Steps To Become A Mercenary

The tutorial can also be skipped by starting a Sandbox game.

To fully immerse themselves in the core gameplay, players must first finish the introductory part or “tutorial” missions, which are actually just a few initial stages designed to familiarize players with the game, including features like hideout missions and enhancements over Warband. These missions offer a glimpse of some newly introduced mechanics.

1. Finish your starting missions and deal with any troublemaking bandits. This action not only advances the story but also provides you with essential gear for future challenges.

2 Recruit Troops

Major cities often have higher-tier units to recruit.
Lower-tier units can often be promoted after killing a single looter in battle.

Right from the opening moments of the game, you have the ability to enlist fighters from towns and villages. To do this, navigate to the drop-down menu for the specific settlement and look for the “recruit soldiers” option. Initially, your group can only consist of up to 20 troops, but as you progress and improve skills like Leadership and Steward, you can rapidly increase that number.

Besides rural areas like villages and towns, recruitment of troops can also occur in tavern districts. These troops, often stronger but costlier, are typically found here. On the other hand, soldiers from the villages might not seem as formidable at first, but with time and battle experience, they can be upgraded to more capable units. So, collect whichever soldiers you can initially, even if they appear less impressive.

3 Get Tooled Up

Win in the arena to get high-end gear.
Smithing can lead to the best weapons but requires some investment.

While players would not be expected to be rolling around at the very start of the story with the best armor in the game and a blade that can cut through steel, it is certainly worth getting together a reasonably good selection of equipment for the main character and also any companions that may have joined the crew.

In Calradia, items in shops may seem costly at first glance, but combat-ready players can gather essential supplies by pillaging fallen foes during battles with looters and bandits. While investing money in vital gear like a main weapon, shield, armor, and horse is advisable, newcomers should avoid squandering their hard-gained denars on the finest weapons available in shops – a common error many beginners make. Instead, players should prioritize outfitting themselves gradually, considering that earning wages and supplies for troops is also crucial in Bannerlord. Therefore, it’s best not to deplete your resources all at once.

4 Reach Clan Tier 1

Winning in the arena offers easy Renown early on.
Fight large groups of looters even if they outnumber you.

To attain this goal, players must accumulate 30 Renown, comparable to the Experience Points (XP) in Bannerlord. This Renown signifies the player’s standing among the people of Calradia, reflecting their level of fame. Players can earn Renown through a range of activities, including completing quests, assisting others, triumphing in tournaments and battles, as well as less honorable deeds such as raiding villages, executing captives, or looting caravans.

In the game Bannerlord, unlike Warband, attacking trade caravans or raiding villages could lead to a full-blown war with the faction involved. This conflict may prove difficult to resolve and could impact your ability to take up mercenary contracts as you won’t be allowed to join factions that are at peace with your current enemy’s allies. Therefore, it’s advisable to exercise caution and consider the potential long-term consequences before engaging in such activities.

5 Approach Any Noble And Request To Join

Any major vassal in a kingdom can be tracked in the Kingdom menu.
Influence earned in fights turns into Denars at the end of each day.

To reach Clan Tier 1, players should interact with a Noble or Lord from their preferred faction by clicking on their character on the Calradia map. In conversation, choosing the option “I’d like to talk about something…” will offer an opportunity for the player to negotiate the sale of their services. The NPC lord will then disclose the compensation and upon agreement, a mercenary contract will be signed with that faction.

Working as a mercenary is much like having a permit for lethal actions. If the target or community is affiliated with the opposition, there are no restrictions. Mercenaries may also team up with larger military forces, where multiple parties or groups have combined their efforts. In these cases, they might participate in sieges, capturing castles and towns as part of the collective army. The pay seems meager, but it pales in comparison to the wealth accumulated from looting and selling battle-acquired goods. A single fight can yield several thousand denars for a mercenary.

6 What To Do Next

Become a Vassal and work your way up the kingdom.
Leave the kingdom at any time without issue.

When you join a faction as a mercenary, you’ll fly its flag during any conflicts that arise. Fighting for your kingdom is an excellent way to earn money, and victories will also increase the king’s favor towards you. If you stay loyal to that kingdom for a considerable time, you can petition the king for the title of Vassal. As a Vassal, you can summon other vassals under your command to raise armies, own territories, participate in decision-making processes, and potentially ascend to the throne.

As a mercenary, you have the freedom to depart from your current realm with minimal impact on your reputation or global standing. It’s advantageous to explore different options and discover your objectives for your kin while also determining which faction deserves your loyalty as a future vassal.

2024-09-03 10:53