Waffle's Ways of the Warband (Single Player Combat Guide)

Hey everyone, whether you're brand new to Mount and Blade: Warband or a very experienced and advanced player, this guide will give you tips to not only dominate your enemy in battle, but do it efficiently and with the least amount of casualties.

Waffle's Ways of the Warband - Introduction

This guide will apply to Native Warband, as well as mods for Warband. This guide will provide knowledge and tips/tricks for combat in singleplayer Warband. I hope you enjoy the guide, and learn a few neat tricks that can help you become a great fighter and leader.

In the guide, we'll be discussing tactics for basic land battles, to land battles with rivers, as well as sieges. You'll learn where to place your troops where, what proper commands to give them, and how to utilize them the best to the best of their ability.

A note on some of the screenshots: Some of these screenshots were taken using the Native Expansion modification. I recommend you download it, it is very fun. The majority of screenshots here are from Native, however.

Waffle's Ways of the Warband - Sieges

In this section of our guide, we'll be covering sieges. We'll split this into two parts, defending, and attacking.

- DEFENDING YOUR CASTLE

When you're defending a castle, there's really no commands that you can give to your troops that will help them kill better. When you spawn, you'll notice that the enemy has either a siege tower or a ladder. The better of the two is the ladder, because only one man can come up at a time. With siege towers, up to 3 enemy men can charge forward into your men.
One basic rule for any defensive siege is to never have your troops charge. What you want to do is have your infantry and cavalry stand closer together. This will provide tighter ranks, and make it much harder for your enemy to slip through. If you have a two handed weapon, you'll want to make sure that have a gap to attack through at the side of the ladder. This way, with your skills, you'll be able to chop down nearly every enemy that walks up and jumps down into your castle.
As always, your archers will do their thing. Depending on the castle, they will possibly be able to shoot at the sides of the enemies as they walk up the ladder. If you have a bow and/or crossbow, it's recommended that you also join your archers, especially if you're very good in archery. You can do just as much damage, if not more, to the enemy while firing down upon them.

Now that you understand the mechanics, let's talk about troops and gear.

Regardless of what modification you're using, archers/crossbowmen are very powerful in sieges. It's recommended that you have them at the top of the spawn list, so that large amounts of them can reign down on your enemies. Average and heavy infantry are also very good. Preferably, try to get infantry that have shields. This will allow them to absorb damage from enemies arrows and survive longer in melee combat.
As far as your gear, if you are the melee type, then a heavy two handed sword is recommended. As stated, try to find a gap on one of the sides of the ladder and overhand your enemies as they walk up the ladder. For the archers out there, including myself, it's better to have a bow. If the proficieny is leveled high enough, and you have a good bow, you can oneshot enemies just about every time. They're quicker and more efficient that crossbows. Be sure to have two of your four weapon slots filled with arrows. Of course, have a bow. For your fourth slot, I'd go with a heavy two handed weapon.

Now that you understand what troops are best suit for defending castles, and what gear is best for you, let's move on to attacking castles.


- ATTACKING A CASTLE

When you're attacking a castle, you're going to want a siege tower. This will let your troops go up 3 at a time and you'll attack and kill the enemy quicker. If your combat skills are good, then it's a smart idea for you to lead the charge up the tower. Try to take out the enemies higher tier troops. For example: You see a Nord recruit and a Nord Huscarl. Take out their Huscarl, it will save you from losing more men than necessary.
Make sure that you have your archers hold their position in the spawn. This will let them do their job as archers, shooting at the enemies behind the wall. They're better shooting a crossbow than swinging a sword. To have them hold their position, press 2 > F1 > F1.

Now that you've got how to attack and what your troops should do, let's move on to gear and troops.

If your melee skills are decent, then as I said earlier, it's smart for you to be up in the front ranks, charging in first. A Shield and long arming sword are recommended. Steel shields are able to absorb more damage from melee attacks, but board shields can provide full body protection. Since you'll be in melee range of your enemies, we'll go with the steel shield. Our long arming sword has good damage and range, allowing us to take enemies from farther distances.
For those still favoring the bow and arrow, again me, you should hang back with your archers. If you've got experience with archer and can make long distance accurate shots, then that's what you should be doing. Once your melee troops have taken the walls however, it's smart to move up into the action with them, however, keep your archers where they are, we don't want them to be killed.
As far as troops goes, any troops do. It's very good if you can get powerful infantry like Rhodok Sergeants and Nord Huscarls. They should be at the top of your spawn list. Behind them should be good archers, such as Vaegir archers, or Rhodok Crossbowmen.

That's just about everything you need to know for sieges. I hope you've learned something new from this section of the guide.

Waffle's Ways of the Warband - Land Battles

Hi, hoped you've enjoyed reading thus far. In this section, we'll be talking about good strategies for land battles against each faction.
NOTE: The strategies I'm providing here don't involve having an all cavalry army. They involve utilizing all types of troops in battles. Let's get into it, shall we?

Your basic land battle is simply a flat grassland, with maybe some hills and trees. We need to make sure we utilize these. Here are some good rules to follow:
- If you've got a bow or crossbow, and have a small amount of troops, but you're facing a large group of enemies and don't want to be taken prisoner, then simply circle them and shot them one by one like the screenshot below.

- Have your archers on hills whenever possible. They'll be more effective and harder to attack.
- It's good to have your infantry behind some rocks or trees. This will make enemy cavalry less effective.
- When you notice enemy cavalry charging, have your infantry tighten their ranks. This will make enemy cavalry charges less effective, and will also help your troops take them out quickly.
- Have your cavalry follow you at all times. This will give you better protection and will get them out of the way of your archers and infantry. Take them around the enemy and flank them from the sides or behind.

- In battles with rivers, never cross the river. Try to put your troops right on the edge of the river, so that as your enemies cross, they will be slowed and at a ground disadvantage.
- A very useful tool is the minimap and troop command list. To bring this up during battle, simply press the backspace button. Here, giving commands to troops is easier than pressing a bunch of keys. Use this in battle to not only find where your enemy is, but to give orders to troops quicker and easier. NOTE: Once you're in combat with the enemy, it's recommended you don't pull this up. It will slow you down and hinder you.


Now, let's discuss strategies against each faction.

THE SWADIANS
Against the Swadians, you need to remember that they have argueably the best cavalry in the game. Their Knights can trample over enemies and withstand damage, but they can be brought down easy, with the right tactics.
You want your infantry and archers to stand close together and hold a position preferably on a hill. This will provide good protection against their cavalry. With your cavalry, you'll want to flank their knights and infantry, doing your best to cut them down. If you've got their attention, then you can have your infantry charge in to help and cut them off from leaving.
THE NORDS
The Nords don't have cavalry, so they're quite slow on the battlefield. They have amazingly powerful infantry and average archers. You will want your infantry to hold position with your archers. Have your archers in a good spot on a hill to pick them off. With your cavalry, do your best to flank them from behind. A well done cavalry charge in the rear can take down even their huscarls, but you may want to send in your infantry as reinforcements to make it easier for you.
THE SARRANIDS
The Sarranids have good cavalry, average infantry as well as average archers. They're basically the all around faction. They can be big trouble, trust me. Their archers are better than the nords and swadians, so they have better accuracy and range. With your own archers, try to focus on them and pick them off. While they're doing this, have your infantry, in loose formation ( F2 + F3) protect them from the front. While they're in loose formation, they'll be less vulnerable to arrows/bolts. Let your archers do their job, while you and your cavalry slowly go around and flank from the side. Try to focus on their infantry and cavalry, as they're the bigger threat.
THE RHODOKS
Never forget that the Rhodoks have the best crossbowmen, and argueable, the best ranged units in the game. They don't have cavalry either, just like the Nords, so they are also the slow but deadly faction. Have your infantry and archers as well as your cavalry in loose formation. This will reduce casualties by their powerful archers. I would recommend having your archers posted on a hill, doing their best, while you have your infantry advanced slowly closer to the enemy. While your infantry moves in, flank with your cavalry, and try to take them from two angles. You'll corner them in and have them retreating quickly.

THE KHERGITS
The Khergits are an all cavalry faction, making them fast. You need to make decisions quickly if you don't want to be torn to pieces. They have powerful horse archers that are extremely accurate. You'll want your archers and infantry to hold position and in tight formation, because the Khergits also have good lancers that can charge into your ranks quick and take out many troops. Making sure that your cavalry is following you, ride around the map picking off enemies one by one and helping your infantry/archers when you can.
THE VAEGIRS
The Vaegirs have the best archers in the game, beating the Nords and Sarranids by a long shot. Their infantry is below average in my opinion, but their cavalry is a force to be reckoned with. Make sure that you have all of your soldiers spread thin in loose formation, making them less vulnerable to their arrows. With your infantry, slowly advance them forward and with your cavalry, flank from the side, just like what we did with the Rhodoks. Charge them from two sides and cause chaos.

Well, that's it guys. These are the strategies that I have used since I began playing. I hope that you've not only enjoyed reading, but that you learned some new tactics and mechanics.

Waffle's Ways of the Warband - All Cavalry Tactics

So, there is a way to win almost any battle without archers or infantry. For those who prefer fast paced battles with cavalry slamming into everything, I have good news for you. You can create an all cavalry army and dominate Calradia.

NOTE:
Using all Cavalry is considererd cheating by some, and will get boring after a while (from my experiences anyways).
Now, on to the information.

When picking your cavalry, you really want to think about who has the best. Sure, Swadia has powerful Knights that can survive nearly every encounter, exiting with nothing but scratches and bruises, but let's not forget the other factions. The Nords and Rhodoks are out of the equation, because they have no Cavalry, at least in Native. The best Cavalry is considered to be Swadia and the Sarranids. Swadia has amazing heavy Cavalry starting with the Man-at-Arms and the Swadian Knights. They're extremely powerful and can take many hits before going down. The Sarranid Mamluke is just as good, though. They can take a beating and still get the job done.

Now, for those who aren't into Heavy cavalry, there is some light Cavalry in the lands of Calradia. You'll want to look towards the Khergits. Not only do they have the fastest units in the game, but their powerful horse archers are amazingly accurate and lethal. You can certainly encircle the enemy and rain down arrows on their pathetic souls, or you can take the Khergit lancers and charge straight at their ranks. Either way, the Khergits are a great option if you're looking for fast moving, and lethal cavalry. They won't survive too long when surrounded by infantry, however.

Moving on to the Vaegirs, one of the least respected factions in the game. Not sure why, but they do end up dying first in my games. Anyways, their cavalry is widely considered the weakest, when compared to the Swadian Knight or Sarranid Mamluke. It should be noted that the Vaegir Knights often carry Bardiches, two handed weaopns, which are quite effective from their horses. However, they will at times carry two Bardiches, rather than a backup shield. One should also take into consideration that the Vaegir horses are often much more maneuverable and swift than the Swadians or Sarranids.



For those who aren't loyal to just one faction, you can always take cavalry from each of the factions. For an army of 100, I'd recommend taking 20 Swadian Knights, 10 Sarranid Mamlukes, 30 Vaegir Knights, and 5 Khergit Lancers with 35 Khergit archers. Before your initial charge, sit back, let your Khergit archers pick up a few kills. When the enemy is close enough for you, have your Khergit archers hold their position, as they can die easily when engaged in melee. Try your best to have your Vaegir Knights lead the charge, as they have the most maneuverable horses compared to the Swadians and Sarranids, and with their two handed bardiches can pack a punch in the opening charge. Your Swadian Knights and Mamlukes will be there to take the hits and engulf the enemy, surrounding them and racking up the kills. When your enemy undoubtedly breaks, your lancers, being swift and faster than the rest of your cavalry, will be able to chase them down and hit them straight in the back. Your archers will also pick off any stragglers, and you'll leave the battlefield bloodied and with a grin on your face.

ADVICE FOR YOUR KHERGIT ARCHERS:
Before you fight your enemy or go into battle, click "Party" and then click on their unit name/card. Where it says that they are "cavalry", it is recommended to change this to "archers", or possibly create a new unit, naming it "horse archers". You can change this by simply clicking on their troop type button (ex. Cavalry), and then it will bring up a list of option. Again, either click archers or create a new unit type. Hope this makes sense, I wasn't too sure how to explain this properly! You'll get it once you're in game.

As always, enjoy, guys! Remember that using all cavalry isn't practical, and in sieges, you may have some issues, especially with your Vaegir and Khergit troops! Now, go conquer Calradia!

[Cxbo]

@stun, I didn't once talk shit about knights? I think you're a tad delusional. You must be a miserable person to shit all over a decade old guide for a game that hardly anyone plays anymore lol.

[stun]

Terrible guide, totally misunderstanding why swadian knights and mamlukes are actually so good. There's no reason to mix in the worthless vaegirs or to dilute your troop pool with archers that don't contribute to the protective bulk of horses.
It's incredible that you talk shit about knights in sieges when the whole reason they're good is that they have the best 1h+shield setup in the game by an unbelievably wide margin (crush on block + 1h + short enough to actually use: all things mamlukes also have but split between two weapons, though scimitars>longswords considerably). Lancers are just generic lancecav but MaA fill that role anyway so it's pointless.

[Callsign Royal]

not sure if it's just my steam being screwed but text over images is terribly hard to read. However from the section that didn't have that (attacking a Castle) this guide seems very comprehensive and useful.

[Edain]

No love for the Vaegirs? Besides having some of the coolest armor, their archers will destroy the enemy, plus they have decent cavalry and infantry.

[—dash]

@felix34ever , that's actually a GOOD thing, it'll give your archers time to pick the enemy off.

[felix34ever1]

At attacking a castle a seige tower is much slower and u get spawned like 50 feet away so i recommend ladders more especialy that Seige towers becouse u dont even have to deplay them like in multiplayer

[Cxbo]

Khergits are okay for defending thanks to their arrows. As for attacking, they're pretty bad.

[Trouble Pig]

wen i use khergit for sieges i line them up wiv my archers coz most hav bows and charge wen they out of arows

[Cxbo]

Glad to have helped!

[Trouble Pig]

khergit last fo eva if u take out the archers supporting the infantry