Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord News

Greetings warriors of Calradia!

As development on Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord steadily proceeds, we are constantly looking at how best to allow players to interact with the game’s many features. One big change in this regard is the way that we are handling sieges. Sieges are key events in Mount & Blade games, and we are making great efforts to improve this aspect of the game in Bannerlord.

As we discussed previously, sieges in Bannerlord encompass a lot more than simply waiting until the attacker is ready to initiate an assault (as is the case with Warband). There is an active back and forth between the besiegers and the besieged as they seek to gain an advantage over one another or hamper each other’s progress, even on the world map. This raised some important questions that we had to consider. Should these changes be abstracted in images and text or should there be something more tangible? And to what extent should the level of control be for players?

We felt it would be best to provide players with a relatively high level of access and visual representation to make the initial stages of a siege more engaging for both attackers and defenders. When a settlement is besieged, a siege camp is set up by the attacking force, with individual tents being placed down for each attacking lord. Following this, both sides have the ability to construct siege engines to be used in both a bombardment phase that takes place on the world map and the final assault that takes place in a scene. Each settlement has a limited number of slots assigned to it, which players can select between and choose which siege machines to build and in which order. This should be given some tactical consideration as siege machines will automatically target whatever is closest to them.

The besieging force has the option to build siege towers and battering rams, which are only brought to the front to be used during the assault phase. They also have an assortment of ranged siege engines at their disposal, which can be used to attack the enemy’s machines, soldiers, and walls during the world map bombardment phase, weakening the enemy before the battle begins. Each ranged machine performs differently and has varying levels of success depending on what the player is trying to achieve -- so while a ballista may excel at whittling down the enemy troops, they are ineffective against walls. Meanwhile, trebuchets can be used to dominate the defender’s machines and walls, but they are expensive to produce. Of course, players could always choose to conserve their supplies and refrain from building any machines at all, and instead, opt to starve their enemy out without taking any casualties. Likewise, defenders can choose to hunker down and avoid building any machines while they wait for a relief force to break the siege. However, this would leave the attackers free to bombard the walls of the settlement without reprisal.



Players now have complete control on the deployment of siege engines on the campaign map. The game shows hit point bars on siege engines and wall sections so players can follow the development of the ranged duel, can pull back damaged machines to reserve, and put them back to the frontline when needed. These new additions make the campaign part of the sieges much more interactive and interesting, turning them into an event that engages players from start to finish. No longer is it simply a case of bringing greater numbers and waiting for the assault to commence (although, that is still a possibility). Now, there are other aspects to consider and tactics to develop, which helps to make each siege stand out and feel unique.

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Greetings warriors of Calradia!

As you know, Bannerlord’s closed beta is well underway! Throughout the beta, we have been introducing new content while working alongside our community to gather feedback, find and fix bugs, polish technical aspects of the game, etc.

Meanwhile, gamescom is just on the horizon. This year’s event is shaping up to be our biggest one ever, with both multiplayer and singleplayer set to be shown in the public and business areas of the trade fair respectively. As we have discussed in previous blogs, these kinds of events are a huge undertaking and require a lot of planning and preparation to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible!

We know that many of you can’t wait to get your hands on the game, and we are aware that only a small fraction of you will be able to play it at gamescom. Likewise, we know that many of you are hoping to get into the beta and test the game out, but haven’t been invited or had a chance to apply to take part just yet (don’t worry, your chance will come!). So, with that in mind, and with this being the 100th dev blog in the series, we thought we would do something a little different and try and make the wait a little more bearable by showing you some raw footage of the Skirmish game mode directly from last week’s beta test. There are no fancy cuts or edits, so expect to see your fair share of bugs (and some terrible skills from our community manager...), however, we hope you enjoy the video nevertheless!

https://youtu.be/xJ7SCHZWevI
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Greetings warriors of Calradia!

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a rags to riches adventure that encourages players to forge their own path through Calradia to climb to the top of the social ladder. How, or even if, they get there is completely down to their own choices and actions within the game. In previous Mount & Blade games, this rise to power revolves around a single character, but with the introduction of permanent death and clans in Bannerlord – two new features that work hand in hand to create a deeper, more immersive experience – some of the focus needed to shift slightly away from the exploits of an individual character. This is where the topic of this week’s blog steps to the fore: renown.

Veterans of our previous games will already be familiar with renown, but for those of you that are unaware, please allow us to explain. Renown is a system that represents how famous or well-known someone is in Calradia. In Warband, it was a kind of score that kept track of players’ accomplishments and opened up new avenues of gameplay for them – once they had made a name for themselves.

With Bannerlord, the key difference is that renown is now attached to clans rather than characters. Clan members can earn renown for their clan by performing a number of actions, such as completing quests, winning battles, or competing in tournaments. By acting in the name of their clan, they are effectively increasing the fame of the clan as a whole.

Gaining renown in Bannerlord will see the player’s clan progress through different tiers, which opens up access to greater capabilities and additional parts of the game over time. For example, to act as a mercenary for a faction, the player’s clan needs to reach the second tier before their offers will be given any consideration. Likewise, renown is also key when it comes to pledging vassalage to a kingdom. It acts as proof of the player’s capabilities and shows that they are ready to be involved in the grander events that are unfolding around them.

But, as with everything we are trying to achieve with Bannerlord, we weren’t content with simply repurposing an existing system without taking a closer look at how it could be improved to bring more to the game. With each tier that the clan reaches, they are rewarded with an additional party slot, an increased companion limit, and additional caravans that can work under the clan’s tutelage. Additionally, the player will be treated differently depending on the renown of their clan, such as with the order of battle.

This progression gives players breathing room to explore the game and take some risks, even in the face of death, because an eligible heir will be able to continue his or her parents legacy with the clan’s reputation intact. And, just to be clear, renown isn’t something that players will need to chase after to progress. Simply by playing the game, players will naturally accumulate renown over time through the different actions they perform.



We think that these changes to renown make for a more engaging gameplay system which works alongside and compliments the other new systems that feature in Bannerlord while providing players with a real sense of progression as their clan rises from obscurity to being known throughout Calradia!

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Greetings warriors of Calradia!

With the closed beta underway, we thought it would be a good time to discuss some elements of the multiplayer side of the game in some more detail. In this week’s blog, we will take a look at the multiplayer class system.

So, what is the class system? To put it simply, the class system is a selection of predefined loadouts that you can choose from before spawning. In Bannerlord, these classes are divided into three distinct categories: infantry, ranged, and cavalry.



Our aim is to ensure that each class is a viable choice, allowing players to choose their preferred unit type while playing. Each of the classes has its own strengths and weaknesses, meaning no single class is particularly effective in every scenario. Some classes are clearly stronger and better equipped than others, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they will perform at a higher level in all instances, and of course, they also come at a much higher cost which limits your options when it comes to respawning. We feel that this approach puts a stronger emphasis on coordination, communication, and synergy in our team-based game modes, and encourages players to experiment and react to the events that unfold during a match.

Bannerlord also features a perk system that allows players to slightly change their loadout if they so desire, tailoring their class choice to their own particular playstyle or perhaps to counter the class selection of the opposing team. This change allows players to jump straight into the action, safe in the knowledge that they aren’t at a major disadvantage to their opponents in terms of equipment.

One connected system that has carried over from Warband’s multiplayer, but has been slightly reworked, is the money system. In Bannerlord, we refer to money as points. Instead of using points to purchase gear for your character, you spend these points on selecting a class. Some of our game modes feature a respawn system, so how you manage those points throughout the course of a round will determine which classes you have access to, and the number of respawns that you have available.



With these changes, the entire focus of the gameplay is put onto player skill and teamwork, rather than whoever has the superior equipment or loadout. We think these changes will go a long way in preventing a snowball effect, in which the winning team just gets stronger with each consecutive round win. In Bannerlord, every round starts on a somewhat level playing field, which should provide for a more exciting back and forth between the two teams throughout the course of a match.

While creating the class system, we decided that it was important that each class should reflect the faction they are from, not just in terms of their appearance, but also with the equipment they use and the roles they perform. And, as such, the strengths and weaknesses of the classes take into account the strengths and weaknesses of the faction as a whole. This design approach for our factions influences the kind of strategies and tactics that are effective, both for and against, each individual faction, leading to a more dynamic multiplayer experience where no two matches feel the same.

Overall, we think these changes to the multiplayer class system will make for a fairer, more accessible multiplayer experience that promotes teamwork and communication, and centres the gameplay on the skill-based directional combat system that is at the very core of Mount & Blade games. It ensures that, at a glance, you can see exactly who your opponent is, and what their abilities and limitations are while eliminating the possibility of obscure meta builds from becoming prominent and ensuring that the game remains somewhat balanced.

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Greetings warriors of Calradia!

Picture the scene. You find yourself deep in enemy territory. After seizing an enemy stronghold, you pause for a respite. The campaign has been long and costly, and supplies are running low... And then, on the horizon, you see your worst fears realised. At first, a low rumble and a blur of colour, but then, slowly, the standards and banners of the enemy army come into focus. Your army is ill-prepared for a field battle, and so, you dig in.

The situation seems hopeless. You are vastly outnumbered and time is not a commodity that you possess. Morale is wavering and your troops look to you to make a decisive decision. Do you hold your position and pray that reinforcements arrive before the walls are breached, or worse, you starve to death? Do you sally out to meet the attackers head-on in a brave, but ultimately, suicidal final charge?



While we have already talked about certain siege mechanics in previous blogs, we didn’t discuss the different ways and trade-offs that are involved in any amount of detail. So, in this week’s blog, we’ll try to present players’ options related to sieges in a more comprehensive manner.

Sieges in Bannerlord are dangerous affairs for both the besieged and the besiegers. If you are defending, you already may be facing bleak odds. The enemy may be bombarding your walls with trebuchets with the hope of creating a breach to exploit, or may be preparing an assault with siege towers and battering rams. You may be running out of food and losing your soldiers to starvation. But even in the direst situations, you have a number of options. You can keep waiting behind your walls, hoping that you will be able to beat off the assault or that a relief force will arrive soon and drive away the besiegers. Or alternatively, you may use your tactics skill to break out of the siege with relatively little loss and save yourself and the majority of your army from annihilation. Lastly, you may try to parley with the besiegers in the hope that they will allow you to pass through the siege lines unmolested in return for handing over the walls.



If you are outside and have come to the aid of a besieged castle, you again have options. You can attack the besiegers right away, and in general, the forces in the town will sally out to join the fight, and together, you may hopefully overwhelm the attackers. Another option is to stay mobile outside of the siege camp, harassing the enemy, attacking foragers and reinforcements in the hope that the enemy will run out of provisions before they can take the castle. If neither of those options has a good chance of success, you can also make use of your tactics skill and force your way through the siege, this time going into the castle rather than out, bringing much-needed supplies and troops as part of the relief effort!

All in all, understanding the available options in dealing with sieges is hugely important and may mean the difference between successfully defending and enlarging your domain, or sitting out the rest of the war in a cold and damp dungeon.

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