Transistioning from raider gear

[Trappist]

when i play one of my first objectives is to equip squad with raider armour 110/110 type strength. But then i really struggle with the transistion to 250/250+.

How do people approach this? buy in shops or head out exploring camps or shanking leaders?

How many days in should i be by time most of front line is transisitoned?

The problem wiht the raider gear is that you are still very easily ganked, so i need a proper plan to upgrade.

Cheers

[gazomierz]

I would say it's combination of all. You should try to poke leaders/knights for better gear. But it's rather improbable you'd be able to kit out your entire band by just doing that. So I would suggest to buy some armour as well. I usually start with reinforced hauberks. Not as good as scale but very cost effective.

You should have frontline geared up at around day 40. Give or take a few days.

[Trappist]

hmmm im at day 37 in my current game! reroll??

[Tephros83]

Originally posted by Trappist:

when i play one of my first objectives is to equip squad with raider armour 110/110 type strength. But then i really struggle with the transistion to 250/250+.

How do people approach this? buy in shops or head out exploring camps or shanking leaders?

How many days in should i be by time most of front line is transisitoned?

The problem wiht the raider gear is that you are still very easily ganked, so i need a proper plan to upgrade.

Cheers

Some games are going to progress faster than others. Lots of random factors after all. It seems unrealistic to reliably equip the whole front line in 250/250 by day 40, but however far you fall short just keep in mind what you can handle, i.e. if you're weak favor the 1 skull contracts and even then abort if it's not looking good.

It's going to vary. Really 140/180 or 210 is the next step. You usually get 140 helms off of raiders, and the 180 chest pieces aren't too expensive in the shops. Look for small forts with armorers and good relations, and I'd expect to pay about 1200 each. The 210 costs twice as much as the 180, and the 240 scale costs twice as much as the 210. So you get less for your money. Generally, it would be better to make 4 guys go to 180 than 1 guy go to 240. Though if it's a matter of protecting your highest-quality merc, there can be exceptions.

And maybe it goes without saying, but also check the market for damaged upgrades which are cheaper to buy for a discount and repair than to buy an undamaged one. I have had a lot of 180 armor for half price that way (unfortunately I don't tend to see armor higher than that damaged in the market).


I tend to buy more 210/240 armor than I find before the first crisis, but I find more 300+ armor than I buy, but that's going to be largely during or after the first crisis.

Being able to afford things early on is largely a matter of getting your renown up quickly so you can get better pay, and also choosing those likely to have better loot, repairing valuable weapons you don't need, and selling them at a large city.

In terms of finding armor. Put a dagger in the bags of the whole front line, and try to kill the guy with the best armor last (i.e. kill the weak guys and tank the strong guy). Best case scenario is that he's fleeing and you surround him. If he's routed and surrounded you can take as much time as you need to stab him to death without risk of him escaping, and he won't hurt you either if he's fleeing. Early on it's also good to use a flail on some your guys with high melee skill to use lash. Lots of enemies don't wear helmets.

[Teut]

The first armor I buy is the Mail Hauberk, after that I directly upgrade to Scale Coat and the Hauberks go to my archers.

I normally don't buy better Helmets until I'm swimming in money.

Like Tephros said, an even distribution around the frontliners is better than creating one supertank surrounded by squishies.

If the risk isn't to high, try to save leaders for last so you can stab them for gear.

[batteran]

After the "raider gear", I often found 80% or more of my body armors buy at shops. the 20% other are uniques looteds

It's going to be expansive. The tip is to try to focus to have a good relation with a settlement with armorers. It will save a bit of money. I rarelly buy head gear, the looteds ones are usually good.

I usually buy first mail hauberks(150) for front liners, until I have 5-6, and next start to buy at least reinforced hauberks (210) or more, and switch the mail hauberks (150) to back line.

And I buy heater shields as soon I see them. I like them.

[McGrits]

Also manage your ambitions. Try not to get ambitions that you are not ready to complete because then you miss out or delay other ambitios you could have completed in that time. Doing this well and you can get the faction allied ambition and its sweet helmet and armor reward. You definitley want to do this ambiton prior to the 3 heavy armor ambition.

[gazomierz]

Originally posted by Trappist:

hmmm im at day 37 in my current game! reroll??

I wouldn't reroll. Even if you fail you'll learn something new about the game.

And it's not like all your guys have to wear heavy armour by day 40, no way. But you should have couple of guys as your core mercs, and they should carry decent gear by this point.

Focus on developing ~8 bros to start with. Use "fail" recruits to fill to 12 men (at least). It's ok for lower priority guys to keep on using raider gear, it's good enough for them. As you replace fallen chaff for new recruits your band will gradually grow in quality, both mercs and gear.

[Trappist]

thanks guys, top advice