Noob help

[Quasi]

Hello. Iv seen two terms used " Honor" and "Renown" amongst vet players here. I am wondering what, if any the diference how they are applied in single player mode. Also, in the Sweeden quest line, iv saved my game and tested this several times - Is it just me or does Clermont seem to disapear once requested to find him? Lastly, Iv read, buy merc, raid villiage, get gold, join a faction. Is this correct? It seems i always get public enemy number one with a minimum amount of troops ( 57ish) to fight off the large mobs ( 2 factions) chasing me. My carts for gold become open game, gold dwiddles, faction seems to fall apart ect. All in all this seems like a bad tactic, or is it just me? :) Thank you.

[Turtler]

Reknown is how famous and effective you and your reputation are. It governs how many people you can command, your likliehood to get in as vassal to a lord, ability to persuade other lords to your cause, and chances of being assigned or given a fief.

http://mountandblade.wikia.com/wiki/Renown

Honor is more like a Karma Meter. It is a measure of how honorable or dishonorable you are known to be. It governs relations with other lords (and n ot always for the better; the Dishonorable hate Honorable people and vice versa), your chance of avoiding a bounty on your head, chances of being appointed Marshal, and ability to seal mercenary contracts.

http://mountandblade.wikia.com/wiki/Honor

So by the strategy you have adopted, you would be gaining reknown (for winning battles and doing whatever), but losing honor (for raiding villages). Which might affect how you are being treated.

I personally would abstain from raiding villages and instead focus on questing and trading to build up my finances, and then using the finances to get my top level gear. I would also avoid getting early mercenaries and go it alone save for with companions. But that's just me.

I hope that helps.

[Quasi]

Thank you much for the help. Also, for any new comers, Clermont can be found if you go the Sweeden route! Its believed that thier isnt a quest line via Sweeden, and i gues their isnt via villiage, but thru find Clermont, which then leads to more, there is.

@Turtler or any others that may respond. In response to:

"I personally would abstain from raiding villages and instead focus on questing and trading to build up my finances, and then using the finances to get my top level gear. I would also avoid getting early mercenaries and go it alone save for with companions. But that's just me."

The only thing i havent figured out with this method is, how do you quest and avoid raiding villiages? Isnt it not a requirment at some point, once you join the faction to either raid a cart or 3 villiages? I supposes thats different than constantly raiding villiges though!?

As far as avoiding paying for merc and purchase companions, i guess i didnt think i could win battle with only 3-7 in my group/army vs having the 30+ mercs...? Thanks again :)

[Turtler]

To the best of my knowledge, the "Burn Villages" mission is an exclusive starting point for the Polish and/or Russian main story quests. I do not believe it is ordered by any other lord, even the dishonorable ones. And I certianly haven't experienced it in many, many playthroughs that do not touch on them, but have been able to enlist in armies without it.

I also had no trouble enlisting in the Swedish army (amongst others) without having a quest like that.

Regarding the numbers, I think it depends. Ultimately you are going to ened more people when youa re actually fighting wars. But in terms of stomping the average outlaw group, you can do that with proper manuevering and equipment, even by yourself. A hill can soak up a lot more musket balls than your mercenaries, after all.

[Quasi]

One last question for the night... I have a a couple people ( King Carl Gustaf an d Elector fredrick) who have suddenly disappeard. Iv asked all the lords ect and the msg i get is " I dont know where King Carl Gustaf" is. I spoke to these guys earlier and recieved missions, so why are they now gone? Are they dead?

[Turtler]

It's all but impossible to kill lords in W&B games unless set it that way. It's possible they're captured or out in the wilds and will return eventually. Or it's also possible they've disappeared from the game (a damn common problem) and you'll need to reload a save to get them back again.

[Quasi]

Hmm, yeah, i traveled to every corner of the map and found all the little war zones where Sweed was at, not a one could tell me where those two were. Ok, seems iv been bugged... Thanks again!

[katzenkrimis]

Originally posted by Rogue_Justice:

One last question for the night... I have a a couple people ( King Carl Gustaf an d Elector fredrick) who have suddenly disappeard. Iv asked all the lords ect and the msg i get is " I dont know where King Carl Gustaf" is. I spoke to these guys earlier and recieved missions, so why are they now gone? Are they dead?

That happens sometimes. But it's temporary. Keep asking and after a few days they will be found. It seems to happen if they are captured and thrown in jail. Then everyone is at a loss as to where they are.

[Quasi]

Figures.. Ah well, i had started over assuming it was permenant. Wasnt too bad though, gave me a chance to try new tactics :) Thanks for the help!

[alation13]

I am no pro at this game but I found that when I raided other villages as a neutral then the lord who owned it would try and hunt me down, also I found that it seemed to enable other lords free reign over looting my first fief. Doing the Moscow line of quests where you are required to raid 3 villages seems to annoy the nobles, but if you have a positive honour then they still don't raid yours. Well that is my experience but my first fief may not be raided because it is in a pokey little corner as far away from any hostile factions as it can be.

[Quasi]

What is the best way to earn renown? I do the quest ( Moscow ect) and its just building rrelations with that Lord,King ect. I do see i get renown through helping villages - acrtually i noticed i get more through helping villages than fighting at this point! Fighting for renown seems pointless as its typically me and my companions vs 100+ or maybe some deserters for 2 renown. Currently i am about 100 turns in and only 30 renown, guess i am making sure thats about right... I wouldnt want to much to be given away as i enjoy figuring things out, just want to make sure i heading in the right direction. Thak you.

[alation13]

If you are just using your companions vs 100+ enemies you should be getting MUCH more than 2 renown per battle, since that is a max 15 vs 100+ I would easily expect you to be getting easily 20+ renown per battle as long as you survive and win. You get much of your renown from winning battles against greater numbers. I try to use as many "elite" troops as I can and and pick on armies twice my size. Renown grows very slowly but I am amazed that if you are doing such large battles you only have around 30 renown by day 100. I am on day 250 or so and have around 1000 renown.

[Quasi]

Oh no no, i have stayed clear of those fights..I was suggesting that the only other renown id think i could get worth while would come from those vs 100 fights, but i havent tried them yet as i didnt figure i could win at my current level (7). But yea, i could see that being a very viable way to gain renown. Sounds like i am not fighting enough though.

[alation13]

I was going to say, to win fights that hard you would need to have all the game setting set to very easy. I like playing normal, having my army and myself take 100% damage instead of the 25% damage from very easy makes the game much harder.

The game is rather slow at the start and you have to really pick your fights, but slowly build up your army, picking bigger and bigger fights. I like to use a 100% horse army so that I can flee from the battles I know I can't win and easily catch the enemies I know I can beat. At about 100 or so renown you can offer youself as a merc to pretty much any lord you are neutral to. That will get you access to much better troops in the cities and forts. At 200 renown you can become a vassal to one of the kings and be granted a fief. As your renown and your "income" increase you will suddenly notice you are getting more and more renown quite easily.

To me the most important skills that you NEED to give your main character are, Leadership, Horse riding, Pathfinding, Shooting from horseback, Training, Inventory management, prisioner management, and if you want all the companions you need persuasion as 2 will often be wanting to leave. As you can see you may need a rather high intelligence character to get enough points.

[Quasi]

Ok, sounds good. Not sure if i did this right or not. I followed the Tsar quest line and ave just now broke off to the rebel Tsar portion with Stepan Razin - Claimant to the throne. I still have my 36 troops, 6 of them companions i believe and with only 30 something renown lol. I feel a bit light...

[alation13]

LOL, you may have a little trouble with the constant attacks by the Tsar now. ;)