Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord sees players take to the field with hundreds of individual troops at one time. These combatants range from peasant recruits equipped with colorful robes and their father’s pitchfork to elite heavily-armored shock troops that can ravage the battlefield.
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But, with every culture in 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.
Updated March 29, 2023 by Nathan Dawber: With Bannerlord being out for some time now, players have gained plenty of combat experience in the world of Calradia, forming kingdoms, conquering the map, and forging a dynasty that will last a thousand years.
Many will have learned that fielding an army with the best infantry/archers/cavalry in the game isn’t always practical. Sometimes it’s cheaper and more convenient to use the troops that are currently available in that section of the map. As such, it’s usually a good idea to know a few backup units that, while they may be second or third best, will still perform well on the battlefield.
15 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.
14 Polearm Infantry – Sturgian Heavy Spearman
If looking for a solid anti-cavalry unit, the Sturgian Heavy Spearman is one of the better choices. They wield a steel spear, which can be braced to deal devastating damage to incoming charges. Unlike other polearm infantry, they also carry a shield, which is a blessing when going up against archers and infantry in close-quarters combat.
While they may not be the most effective anti-cav troop in the game, these footmen will get the job done and are particularly effective when fighting the powerful horse archers of the Khuzait.
13 Horse Archer – Imperial Bucellarii
The main benefit of the Imperial Bucellarii is that they are a decent horse archer unit that isn’t Khuzait. They actually have 10 more Bow skill at 140 than their Khuzait counterpart, but lose 10 Riding to their nomad cousin and are far less armored. They also suffer from a reduced arrow count and slightly reduced damage.
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Regardless, if players want to field horse archers from a different culture, or if they are at war with the Khuzaits and can’t recruit new troops, these riders are an ideal replacement.
12 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.
11 Archer - 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. Their armor is weak, and their 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.
10 Crossbowman – Imperial Sergeant Crossbowman
Well-armored, and more than capable of defending themselves in combat, the Imperial Sergeant Crossbowman is an ideal unit for field battles. They can deal deadly piercing damage to enemy lines as they close in, before charging into the frontline as a strong melee combatant.
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Cavalry has a tough time trying to deal with them, and these heavy crossbowmen will generally help to dispatch any kind of threat the archer line might be facing. Of course, it also helps that they are widely available, as all Imperial units are, across the continent of Calradia.
9 Shield Infantry – Aserai Veteran Infantry
A unit that is often underrated, Aserai Veteran Infantry used to be rather weak in early access but has since been given a boost to make them one of the better infantry options. While not quite as heavily armored as their competition, they do boast the highest One-Handed skill of all tier 5 infantry at 160.
This makes them a presence to be feared in close-quarters combat, and as a front-line unit in field battles, they can prove to be exceptional. In sieges, they may suffer due to their lack of leg armor but will more than make up for it after gaining entry to the fortress.
8 Horse Archer – Khuzait Heavy Horse Archer
As one would expect from a culture like the Khuzait, their tier 5 horse archers are one of the best in the game. They are heavily armored, and strong in both ranged and melee combat.
Beyond this, the ability for a player to spam these units can prove dangerous, as they are upgraded all the way from a Khuzait Nomad in the main troop tree. This makes them easy to acquire, without the need for noble recruits, allowing players to devastate the battlefield with large numbers of these hard-to-catch horse archers.
7 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.
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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 quickly be picked off unless supported by heavier troops.
6 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 a great supplement to it.
5 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.
4 Cavalry - 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.
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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.
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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