Procedural generation

[Fuyuhiko]

Does this game have some random components? like randomly generated character to make each playthrough unique (im aware the combat maps are random). thanks!

[ÄmJii]

I believe all the troop skill/stats are slightly randomized on each playthrough: Sometimes Vaegir Marksman may have extra point in Ironskin, sometimes that extra point goes to Riding. Sometimes Hurcarls have extra point in Athletics, sometimes that extra point goes to Inventory Management.
Overall it's really minor randomness and not worth the restarts until RNG goes your way.

Read more here:
http://mountandblade.wikia.com/wiki/Troop_stats

[ULTRA]

Some lords' personalities are randomized, sometimes their age is randomized (affecting their prestige basically), units' stats are slightly random, which factions are at war at the start is randomized, etc.

Pretty much every playthrough can be played exactly the same way, though

[Tuidjy]

It depends on the mod, but usually:
- unis stats are randomly adjusted up and down
- some units get a few skill points distributed randomly, which is sometimes very significant
- about half the lords' personalities are randomized
- some familial relationships are randomized, and ages are (a bit sloppily) changed to reflect that

It does not sound like much, but sometimes the RNG produces a faction full of dependable, intermarried lords who get together, and that faction becomes a juggernaut.

In Native (unmodded game) it does not matter too much, because by level 10-15 you can be either tougher than the toughest warrior or a better leader than the most renowned lord. By level 40+ you can be both. So you are powerful enough to do your thing, no matter what or who.

In other mods, those little random changes can produce a very different game. There are mods where troops go up to level 60, with weapon proficiencies to match, and lords get to lead hundreds of men stiffened by a retinue of few dozen elites. If the RNG rolls those lords with a mix of upstanding and martial personalities, and bumps their already awesome troops a bit further up, that faction will be a much greater threat to your supremacy than one filled with debauched and quarrelsome idiots.