Huge difference between Northern and Southern caravans?

[Jedmeister]

Can anyone who knows more than me please advise:

- Is it the case that Southern caravans are doable while Northern are risky, due to the South employing guards who actually get involved and have decent gear?

Whenever I tried caravans recently, the Caravan Hands stand around or even move back as I get slaughtered by inflated numbers of enemies.

Meanwhile, I just risked a Southern caravan and it was a completely different experience - geared guys jumping in and fighting on my side, a much better battle and experience.

[Runner]

Both are doable, but southerners employ conscripts as guards, while in the North they use caravan hands, so it's usually easier to escort southern caravans.

[turtle225]

Southern guards are much stronger, but the danger of caravan contracts comes more from the randomness and unpredictability rather than value of your guard/support.

Had a caravan contract through the south in my current run around day 10 and got attacked by 6 Nomad mods. Had to abandon after the 4th as I had lost half my team and all the guards by that point, and two more mobs were approaching.

Granted it was a northern caravan so I didn't get stud Conscripts on my side, but either way it was too many battles for me to reasonably fight that early.

[Jedmeister]

I know what you both are saying and, Turtle, I have also fallen victim to multiple waves crashing into the caravans, both Northern and Southern....

The difference is, with the Southern caravans we handled 'it' (meaning similar numbers and difficulty, over multiple waves) with ease, while the Northern caravans were a death sentence.

Basically, the Southern guys have each seemed worth two of the Northern caravan hands in combat thanks to actually having some chain and weaponry.

Furthermore, the Southern guys are active and get stuck in, greatly extending my line and helping to quickly outnumber foes, while in the North it is almost like they are bugged in comparison, refusing to fight at all and then just getting slaughtered if they do get hit.

Might just be anecdotal with small sample sizes at this stage, sure (a handful of caravans for either side), but the experience seems reproducible and is something I am going to act on - Southern caravans actually feel achievable and profitable.

[Hasefrexx]

Yes, it's how it goes. If you need meat shields with North you can form a line with them (they stay right in fron tof the caravan) and once the enemy aggros one of the AI guard the others will start attacking too. Don't try against say barbarians as the AI will happily sit and eat thrown weapons.

Southerners are definately much more helpful but they also like to rotate YOUR men meaning that somebody that you're trying to keep safe might very well end up dying because in the South they like their guards guarding and fighting.