Exactly my strategy as well, but replace sword/axe with morningstar. That thing is a beast.

I've gotten a bit better. Even won a jousting tournament at Praven, although I really need to couch the lance instead of jabbing people with it left and right. But the more I get the hang of it, the more I'm impressed with weapon physics in this game.

I also found a two-handed weapon I currently love - a huge saber. I still prefer to keep out of range and pop targets with a crossbow while keeping eye over my troops, but if I have to get in the thick of it, this thing is absolutely covered in blood of dead foes within seconds. And on foot during castle assaults, it's just what the doctor ordered for cutting through the crowd blocking the walls :D

And this mercenary life ain't too bad, something I could really get used to. Things have really started going well for me when I gathered enough troops to take on various nobles and imprison them. Ransom money is great, although most of my income still comes from hauling iron around. I'm on great terms with Swadia, but I'm really hesitant to get too close: I really chose a badly-positioned employer. They've sort of recovered, but the fact that they're in the middle of everyone makes it hard for them not to get absolutely swamped when wars break out.

One thing I'm still getting a feel for is how to build up armies. I've started relying more on mercenary troops rather than building up recruits. Recruits do build well if you have a party with good training skill, but it takes ages for them to become combat-adequate. Which for all purposes means that up until they're at veteran level, they are turned into meat in every battle... Most types of mercs, by comparison, seem to be a lot more resilient from the get-go, and I don't have to replace them constantly or avoid serious battles while waiting for training. I'm getting the sense that in the long run, maybe they just are more economical than raising those village fools into knights? :hmmm:

Glad you're using the tourneys. They're a great way to hone your skills.

For your army, mercs are a necessity. As you said, they are immediately useful. About anywhere from a third to half of my army is composed of mercenary soliders at any given time. However, I am particular about the type of soldiers I hire, concentrating on swordsmen and crossbowmen. My companions and I form the backbone of our cavalry, and the recruited soldiers' heavy cavalry units are superior to their mercenary counterparts (especially Swadian Knights), so I am not going to waste my money on caravan guards.

Since I am going to dedicate a portion of my recruits to becoming cavalry, I use my mercenary swordsmen as the core of my infantry; in sufficient numbers to allow my recruits to gain experience while keeping them relatively safe. However, when I recruit a new group of initiates, I always make sure to head to a training field for a few days to bump them up a few levels before we meet the enemy.

I've never been a big freelancer, as I find that the monetary rewards are far greater if you pick a side. In my current campaign, I am Marshal of Swadia, commanding the ongoing campaign against the Kingdom of Vaegirs, which has yielded me a substantial increase in the quantity of real estate owned, and as such a tremendous increase in income from taxes. :up:

I should say, I've mostly been a freelancer in name only - I'm now up to 5 months in Swadian service, and don't really have plans to stop soon. One plus is that if I do feel like stopping, it resets my relations with other factions and opens the door for me to change suits if things don't go my way. I would probably join Swadia quite readily if they were not constantly sandwiched between at least two different hostile sides. Twice in the game they've been down to 2 cities, never a good sign, and even now they're far less than their starting size and strength.

And yes, your army makeup does make good sense. Especially with ranged troops and infantry, it seems to me that merc units are the best choice. With recruited guys, what I've mostly been doing is just taking on Swadians and taking them through to knight level, which takes a long long time and most sadly don't make it. That way, however, I can keep refilling and have at least a semi-cohesive force. I don't like having a smosgabord of every colour of troops in my band - gets confusing and makes any attempt at charging the enemy totally chaotic.

The latest patch for Warband is out. :salute:


http://www.taleworlds.com/

Here is my new tactic, go to Sarranid country, get 6-7 guys recruited and kill the desert bandits (dont take missions to attack the bandit base). Desert bandits come on horses always, easy pickings if you got lance. Take the horses and sell them, profit + soon you got 6-7 mamlukes to **** **** up so to speak. :03:

I've taken on 25+ bandits with no losses, got 6-7 companions too. 2 as medic, just win battles and they are happy.

Any tips for a newbie who just got sucked into this game yesterday?

Right now im sort of fashioning myself after a mongol. Horse archer. Not sure how that will work out for me, but it seems like a fun concept. Ranged firepower and mobility!

For me, horse archery was fun.

Especially if you have some horsemen supporting you. One thing you can do is just ride to their flank and shoot, because, since they're usually bunched up missing range won't be such an issue.

If I can suggest a weapons loadout, get a pole-arm (something to joust with) a sword (longer is preferable) and then your bow. Though you won't have a shield, I found it helpful to have different weapons for different situations (Ranged, Mounted, Dis-mounted).

Also, once you're able to get a few men behind you, as a horse archer I found having your infantry stay on high ground and wait (I used a mod that gave you formations.. forget what it's called) and then I'd take a few of my cavalry around behind my enemy while they were running up to my infantry.

Cheers!

Krauter

Also, if you can get TheSouthernRealms Mod I would highly suggest it. It adds a ton of new lands, features and units to the game and makes it a lot more pleasant to play.

I find that archery is absolutely deadly when massed, but virtually worthless solo, which is why I never use it. I keep a fair number of archers/crossbowmen in my army at any time, and they do a real job on the enemy infantry, but I am more of a charge-in-and-smash-'em kind of player, focusing on one-handed, two-handed and polearms.

As I understand it, throwing is like archery on steroids, although at a much shorter range. However, since you have to be fairly close to hit with even a bow on horseback, it might serve as a good proficiency to augment your abilities against armored troops should you wish to persue a ranged character.

I was going to start tying up some ends in New Vegas this evening, but talking about M+B has changed my mind. I just might have to break out the morningstar tonight.

New expansion - muskets and a storyline!

http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/01/20/mo...n-has-muskets/

Excellent, I've been waiting to hear news of this one for a while. It's set in the late Renaissance, my favourite era (Though I still think the Thirty Years' War would be the perfect setting for a game using the M&B engine).

Just a shame the trailer doesn't show anything interesting...

Looking forward to this! :yeah:

This is even worse than TW series going BANG BANG with ETW & NTW. But that's just me. :shifty:

You know that thought did occur to me. The joy of M&B is the mechanics of the melee and ranged with pointy stick's in mounted combat. Oh, and couched lances. :O:

There's plenty of melee combat in the mid-17th century, not only guns...