But, with every culture in Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord having various high-tier options to cut down the enemy in melee, pepper them with arrows, or knock them down with a thunderous charge, which troops do it the best? Look no further - here’s our ranking of the most effective units on the battlefield, by their role.
10 Honorable Mention - Aserai Master Archer
With a strong Bow skill of 160, the Aserai Master Archer outperforms most other archer units in the game, including the commonly-used Imperial Palatine Guard, and its Sturgian and Khuzait counterparts.
However, the Master Archer’s main downfall is a lack of survivability in melee combat. Its armor is weak, and its melee weapon and one-handed skill are nothing to write home about. Outside of wide-open field battles (which notably are very common in Aserai terrain), they struggle compared to more armored and durable archer units.
9 Honorable Mention - Imperial Elite Cataphract
Just shy from taking the top spot as the best melee cavalry in the game, the Elite Cataphract is a juggernaut on the battlefield. It’s got some of the best stats in the game, with 260 skill in Polearm, and 200 in Riding and One-Handed.
Combine that with some insane survivability from the heaviest armor in the game (both on the soldier and the horse), as well as great offensive capabilities in the form of a lance and sword, and players can do no wrong in fielding these in their ranks. Of course, they even have an added bonus that, given the Elite Cataphract’s prevalence in the many imperial armies of Calradia, they tend to be easier to acquire by recruiting them as prisoners.
8 Camelry - Ghulam
There isn’t a lot of choice in fielding camel cavalry in Bannerlord, but the Ghulam is by far the best option, even matching the performance of some tier 4 and 5 horse riders. Unlike their Jawwal Bedouin cousins, Ghulam units have decent armor and can usually take a couple of hits before going down.
Their weakness is their offensive stats – with only 110 Polearm skill and 90 One-Handed skill, and some pretty average weaponry, their killing power is rather lackluster compared to other tier 4 mounted units. Still, they make for a rather unique and fresh addition to the player’s army.
7 Two-Handed Infantry – Sturgian Heroic Line Breaker
Entirely living up to their name, Heroic Line Breakers are designed to crush and pummel the enemy infantry into submission. Their two-handed axes are devastating in melee, and can reduce a shield to splinters in a matter of moments. They also boast throwing axes, which act as an opening barrage on the enemy’s lines.
Unfortunately, Heroic Line Breakers have some disappointing armor stats, with their Sturgian tier 5 counterparts all clad in significantly stronger gear. This makes them vulnerable to archers, and results in them performing poorly in sieges, limiting them to a niche role on the battlefield.
6 Crossbowman – Vlandian Sharpshooter
Edging out the Imperial Sergeant Crossbowman by a sliver, the Sharpshooter packs a powerful punch. Best used in fortifications where they can refill ammunition (as in the field they only carry one pouch of 18 bolts), these marksmen can ravage a besieging army before they even reach the walls.
Consider their decent combat stats and massive shield, and these ranged units can hold their own in melee combat. They’re no top-tier infantry unit, however – they’ll be quickly picked off unless supported by heavier troops.
5 Polearm Infantry – Imperial Elite Menavliaton
Wielding a lengthy menavlion, these anti-cavalry troops specialize in bringing mounted troops crashing into the dirt. Their extended reach is highly effective in striking cavalry before they strike first, and although the menavlion can’t be braced like other polearms, it tends to be more consistent than the high-risk high-reward nature of bracing.
The Elite Menavliation also performs well in combat with other infantry, something many anti-cavalry units struggle with. These guys won’t be replacing a player’s main-line infantry anytime soon, but they’re well-suited to supplement it.
4 Horse Archer – Khuzait Khan’s Guard
It’s no surprise that the Khuzaits possess by far the strongest horse archer in the game. The Khan’s Guard is a monster of a unit, with an absurdly high 260 Bow skill and 220 Polearm skill.
Boasting two quivers totaling 48 arrows, heavy armor, and a long glaive to pick off enemy cavalry and infantry, this unit can inflict some serious damage in even relatively small numbers. Their only weakness (alongside most horse archers in the game) is a sub-par performance in sieges, but their impressive combat ability in the field more than makes up for it.
3 Cavalry – Vlandian Banner Knight
While similar to the Imperial Elite Cataphract, the Banner Knight has the advantage in two distinct ways. First, they have an extra 20 skill in One-Handed, giving them the edge in close-quarters fighting like sieges. Second, their lance is couchable, meaning they can inflict devastating one-hit kills on every unit in the game as long as they have the speed for it.
While the Elite Cataphract may be equipped with more armor, a Banner Knight charge is like a bulldozer, carving its way through enemy lines. Armor is pretty irrelevant when being hit with a 200-damage couched lance attack.
2 Archer – Battanian Fian Champion
Ever the king of the ranged units, Battanian Fian Champions are devastating archers. Not only do they have a pretty ridiculous Bow skill of 260, but they carry two quivers totaling 64 arrows, making their potential battlefield impact massive, especially in prolonged conflicts.
When it comes to melee, they’re more than capable of defending themselves, with great armor and a highlander sword that lets them unleash their 220 Two-Handed skill. Put simply, deploy a line of these troops and watch them annihilate anything and everything standing in their way.
1 Shield Infantry – Imperial Legionary
The power behind the Imperial Legionary is that it’s a great all-rounder, capable of breaking a cavalry charge or decimating enemy infantry in melee combat. They are clad in some of the best infantry armor in the game, and come equipped with a sizeable shield, providing some great survivability.
As for offense, they are equipped with both a one-handed weapon for sieges and close combat, and a polearm to take out cavalry. These guys are tough to kill, and perform well in almost every battlefield situation, making them a superb pick for main-line infantry.
Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord is available now on Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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