Any tips for fighting vs 2 or more?

[Chris35]

Hey guys, in M&B 1 i could handle a few AI peeps at once and partly own them. It was fun.

Now in Bannerlord and especially in 1.2 i don't even get to swing my sword once, since the enemie's timing of attacks always break any moves like i'm permenent frozen.
With a shield it's partly possible to block shots but still when i start to counter any try will be cancelled by an AI hit.

Speed, longer weapons may improve it a bit, but i search for a way to battle enemies under equal circumstances. In Custom battles eg. all seem to have equal movement speed, where i have zero chance to fight 2 guys at once on foot vs foot.

Any hints how to fight vs bigger groups? This sucks so far, while 1on1 isn't a problem of any kind.

Cheers

[Action Man]

Strafe so they approach you in a line rather than side by side. Bait them into a swing, then counter. If they're going for a vertical attack, move to the right side (more space since everyone is right handed). If they're attacking horizontal, back up. Start up your swing before theirs ends.

Practice parrying. You can parry the attack (you'll see some sparks fly if you did it) then counter.

[justfaded]

Make them clump up and then keep circling to their left (so you're circling to your right). Once you're in that position, only the guy at the very left (your right) can hit you left swings. Everybody else will get their swings stuck on the people next to them or miss you with stabs and overheads. This works regardless of ai combat difficulty.

This actually trivializes most fights. Using this method, you can spam solo clear alley fights and level athletics extremely fast.

[Burba]

If your fighting a bunch of guys at once you have to pull off sort of a fighting retreat. If you stop moving you will get surrounded and die. You also have to stay aggressive though. Time is not on your side when out numbered. You have to start picking them off quick.

[Shambeh-Bambeh]

Originally posted by Action Man:

Strafe so they approach you in a line rather than side by side.

this.

[ShadowFox]

Shorter weapons are better imo for 1v4 type fights. Get an axe and a shield and you can back peddle and chop chop chop them down

[justfaded]

Why is everybody saying backpedal? Just circle, it works ridiculously well. Probably too well.

[kristianjakob]

Originally posted by justfaded:

Why is everybody saying backpedal? Just circle, it works ridiculously well. Probably too well.

Hmm, not so sure about that.

In the absence of any actual combat skill, on my part, I used to just run circles around the NPCs in the arena. With the lastest beta, that is most certainly not working.

So, I have had to update my tactics to a very awkward combination of running away and doing backswings. It seems to be the only thing I can do to trick the AI into not blocking me.

[LKAI]

Try to get in shield bashes or weapon hilt smashes to make one lag behind the other, the more blocks you can do, the longer they're stunned for you to hit or force a chamber block parry when they recover.

[justfaded]

Originally posted by kristianjakob:

Originally posted by justfaded:

Why is everybody saying backpedal? Just circle, it works ridiculously well. Probably too well.

Hmm, not so sure about that.

In the absence of any actual combat skill, on my part, I used to just run circles around the NPCs in the arena. With the lastest beta, that is most certainly not working.

So, I have had to update my tactics to a very awkward combination of running away and doing backswings. It seems to be the only thing I can do to trick the AI into not blocking me.

Did they change ai combat behavior in the beta?

[kristianjakob]

Originally posted by justfaded:

Originally posted by kristianjakob:

Hmm, not so sure about that.

In the absence of any actual combat skill, on my part, I used to just run circles around the NPCs in the arena. With the lastest beta, that is most certainly not working.

So, I have had to update my tactics to a very awkward combination of running away and doing backswings. It seems to be the only thing I can do to trick the AI into not blocking me.

Did they change ai combat behavior in the beta?

Recently, they have changed the behavior so they will block an aweful lot more than what they used to.

[justfaded]

Originally posted by kristianjakob:

Originally posted by justfaded:

Did they change ai combat behavior in the beta?

Recently, they have changed the behavior so they will block an aweful lot more than what they used to.

Is that an actual documented change in the beta or something you feel is happening?

[kristianjakob]

Originally posted by justfaded:

Originally posted by kristianjakob:

Recently, they have changed the behavior so they will block an aweful lot more than what they used to.

Is that an actual documented change in the beta or something you feel is happening?

No, that should be an actual thing. There have been some posts about it before. It happens in battles too and is probably supposed to increase survivability. Though, in practise it seems to mostly put the weaker side into permenant dodge mode until they are eventually overwhelmed.

[Grizzly]

dont die

[Hugh G Rection]

Originally posted by kristianjakob:

Hmm, not so sure about that.

In the absence of any actual combat skill, on my part, I used to just run circles around the NPCs in the arena. With the lastest beta, that is most certainly not working.

So, I have had to update my tactics to a very awkward combination of running away and doing backswings. It seems to be the only thing I can do to trick the AI into not blocking me.

Shield bash and kick are extremely useful in the arena. I go to tournaments first thing every play through to level up some skills and get some gear and gold without having to feed a party. I cheese the fights by kicking when they block and bashing when they attack . Either option opens up an opportunity to attack . Once you attack you usually can press the attack but if they start blocking just kick , if they start attacking block them until you have their timing down and bash em . Rinse repeat.

Obviously in group fights you kite all the NPCs to fight each other then you fight the probably mortally wounded victor .

[ShadowFox]

Originally posted by justfaded:

Why is everybody saying backpedal? Just circle, it works ridiculously well. Probably too well.

Because sidestep is slower and they can end up surrounding you. If you backpedal they end up in a line and much easier to kill