Best army formations (simple setup that actually wins battles)

[Chris]

Hey commanders 👋
If your army keeps losing even with good troops, the problem is usually formation + balance, not just unit tier.

Here’s a quick setup that works well in most field battles:

Quick formation tips (TL;DR):

Infantry in shield wall to hold the line

Archers slightly behind + on high ground

Cavalry on the flanks (not front)

Horse archers on skirmish / wide flank

Keep a balanced ratio (don’t go full cav or full archers)

Simple army composition (early–mid game):

40–50% Infantry

25–35% Archers

10–20% Cavalry

Optional: 5–10% Horse Archers

This alone fixes most “I lose to smaller armies” problems.

I put together a full guide with best formations, positioning and examples for different battle types here (field, siege, defense):
👉 https://cheatspire.online/mount-blade-2/melhor-formacao-exercito-bannerlord-2/

[Nightskies]

Hey,

I'm pure Vlandian, using about 70% crossbowmen, with 10% Pikemen and 20% Cavalry. Should I put infantry in a formation, and put the archers in a formation near them? My problem isn't losing to smaller army problems. I need the best army formations to beat larger armies!

Thanks, ChatGPT

[Chris]

Originally posted by Nightskies:

Hey,

I'm pure Vlandian, using about 70% crossbowmen, with 10% Pikemen and 20% Cavalry. Should I put infantry in a formation, and put the archers in a formation near them? My problem isn't losing to smaller army problems. I need the best army formations to beat larger armies!

Thanks, ChatGPT

O "problema" de só usar bestas é que elas acabam muito rapido, você vai ter vantagens em campos abertos ou em batalhas defencivas.

A grande questão é que você não vai conseguir sustentar a batalha por muito tempo, então aconselho mesclar alguns arqueiros ( imperial ou Aserai).

Sua tatica funciona, a questão sera batalhas grandes com tropas de elite, mas em defesas (cidades e castelos) e batalhas mais isoladas você tem a total vantagem.

A ideia é você perder o menor numero possivel de tropas, para quando eventualmente criar um clan(Reino) Você por si só ja será muito forte, mesmo com 300-400 soldados.

Principalmente se adotar essa outra estragia minha > https://cheatspire.online/dicas/como-iniciar-mount-blade-2-chegar-ao-trono/

( Sim eu usei o ChatGPT kkkk)

[Flyingscot]

I hate to say it, and I hope Lezalit can forgive me, but the best answer really does come down to Huscarls and Fians. 35/65 split. Most of your losses will come from the infantry otherwise I would say 25/75 for the sheer firepower, but play around with the ratios and find what feels best for you.

Shield damage reduction banner for your infantry captain, missile accuracy banner for the archer captain.
Archers in Loose, Infantry in Square.

They will eat forces 5 or 6 times your size.

The only input from you is to move the infantry into the bulk of the enemy line so they get surrounded, which exposes the enemy infantry's backs to the archers.

[Chris]

Originally posted by Flyingscot:

I hate to say it, and I hope Lezalit can forgive me, but the best answer really does come down to Huscarls and Fians. 35/65 split. Most of your losses will come from the infantry otherwise I would say 25/75 for the sheer firepower, but play around with the ratios and find what feels best for you.

Shield damage reduction banner for your infantry captain, missile accuracy banner for the archer captain.
Archers in Loose, Infantry in Square.

They will eat forces 5 or 6 times your size.

The only input from you is to move the infantry into the bulk of the enemy line so they get surrounded, which exposes the enemy infantry's backs to the archers.

É uma boa estrategia, mas a minha proposta é letalidade e menos perdas... já testei essa formação, em grander guerras você acaba perdendo muita infantaria.

Minha estrategia se baseia unir os melhores, mas é claro que você pode adptar.

Mas confia, Mais atacaque a distancia menos combate.

[Flyingscot]

Originally posted by Chris:

Originally posted by Flyingscot:

I hate to say it, and I hope Lezalit can forgive me, but the best answer really does come down to Huscarls and Fians. 35/65 split. Most of your losses will come from the infantry otherwise I would say 25/75 for the sheer firepower, but play around with the ratios and find what feels best for you.

Shield damage reduction banner for your infantry captain, missile accuracy banner for the archer captain.
Archers in Loose, Infantry in Square.

They will eat forces 5 or 6 times your size.

The only input from you is to move the infantry into the bulk of the enemy line so they get surrounded, which exposes the enemy infantry's backs to the archers.

É uma boa estrategia, mas a minha proposta é letalidade e menos perdas... já testei essa formação, em grander guerras você acaba perdendo muita infantaria.

Minha estrategia se baseia unir os melhores, mas é claro que você pode adptar.

Mas confia, Mais atacaque a distancia menos combate.

Yeah, no. This simple setup loses fewer troops than any other option. Hands down.

Enemy has 2000 troops? Ok, my 400 will lose 10. Maybe 12. A few more if I'm carrying around too many untrained units, but even then if they're Battanian Hero or higher they're still going to delete enemies.

Huscarls are the toughest nut on the field to crack. Cavalry get bogged down in their square.

If the cavalry try to attack the Fian formation, they melt before they make contact, and when they do make it through the rain of arrows, there's big choppy swords waiting for them.
The only cavalry with a chance of doing damage are Farises, and they are still going to die in the attempt.
The only enemy archers with a prayer are crossbows with their extra range, and that tends to get soaked up by the infantry's nigh unbreakable shields long enough for the Fians to close the range.

Enemy infantry surrounds the square when the lines meet, exposing their flanks and rear to my bowmen. Bye.

This formation is basically cheating, it's so easy mode.

Don't get me wrong. I use combined arms armies, big fan, and a huge proponent, but right now they are NOT the current meta.

[Chris]

Originally posted by Flyingscot:

Originally posted by Chris:

É uma boa estrategia, mas a minha proposta é letalidade e menos perdas... já testei essa formação, em grander guerras você acaba perdendo muita infantaria.

Minha estrategia se baseia unir os melhores, mas é claro que você pode adptar.

Mas confia, Mais atacaque a distancia menos combate.

Yeah, no. This simple setup loses fewer troops than any other option. Hands down.

Enemy has 2000 troops? Ok, my 400 will lose 10. Maybe 12. A few more if I'm carrying around too many untrained units, but even then if they're Battanian Hero or higher they're still going to delete enemies.

Huscarls are the toughest nut on the field to crack. Cavalry get bogged down in their square.

If the cavalry try to attack the Fian formation, they melt before they make contact, and when they do make it through the rain of arrows, there's big choppy swords waiting for them.
The only cavalry with a chance of doing damage are Farises, and they are still going to die in the attempt.
The only enemy archers with a prayer are crossbows with their extra range, and that tends to get soaked up by the infantry's nigh unbreakable shields long enough for the Fians to close the range.

Enemy infantry surrounds the square when the lines meet, exposing their flanks and rear to my bowmen. Bye.

This formation is basically cheating, it's so easy mode.

Don't get me wrong. I use combined arms armies, big fan, and a huge proponent, but right now they are NOT the current meta.

Perfeito! Vou fazer um teste com sua formação e depois adptar na minha.
E que meus testes eu fiz batalhas onde eu so tinha feridos, no max 2-10 mortos.

O que eu não citei que antes de iniciar um Reino, eu faço o maior numero de filhos possivel ( https://cheatspire.online/dicas/como-iniciar-mount-blade-2-chegar-ao-trono/ ) Dai eu faço um micro gerenciamento ( que é bem chato) de ir deixando os membros do meu clan com a mesma formação de tropas ( os que não servem eu deixo na guarnição ou em caravanas).

E para evitar perdas de tropas por parte do Clan, em guerras eu chamo todos os meus membros do clan, para o meu exercito.

[L. Grossman]

Shield formation prevents damage both ways, so always attack when contact is made. spread formation on infantry when other infantry is in range of thrown weapons. Square against cavalry then attack when they get stuck in square. shield against archers till they run out of ammo. Line and spread for offensive infantry formations. Most importantly retreat often to regain ranged ammo and shield strength. I never use more than 2 types to keep numbers high and near 100. using 1 formation is a recipe for disaster. currently using God Chosen archers which can shield wall and take on cavalry as well being decent infantry. Way more to it ,Use infantry in shield to draw fire and move to enemy keeping archers 20 feet behind them. Then switch infantry to spread when in thrown range and attack. turn off infantry fire at will if to many hang back. Use rivers, bridges, hills, and edges of map to your advantage.

[Hugh G Rection]

I run just archers (fians) in two groups

One group spread out and advances to enemy , once enemy breaks ranks and attacks other group marches down their exposed flank and dumps arrows into them as they run towards the other block that's walking away from them .

Easy button .

[Rhapsody]

Can't go wrong with noble infantry and noble archers. I sometimes grab a bunch of cavalry from garrisons when I feel like it and it's fun to put them to use, but I can't see running any cavalry as the core of my party in foreseeable future.

[Dutch81]

I use my Vlandians with somewhat later pike & shot formation and use them together, in fact with them I only field 2 formations. One mixed foot and the other all my cavalry. Simple and very effective. I use the infantry defensively for as long as possible and just before the enemy formation contacts them my cavalry charges them from the side, then we put the crossbows away and charge. Battle ends in another victory.

[redhongkong]

as long as u understand the rules, u will do okay
1horse deal more dmg on flatland
2archer and horse deal less dmg in forest
3smaller army bait opponent to where u wanna fight the battle