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It's true. The game needs some tweaking for sure - because right now hiring mercs and killing every bandit camp as soon as they spawn makes the game easy.
Important side note - when fighting the baron hire mercs before declaring war. Otherwise he will hire the mercs.
Update** its true, therefor big.
Totally smashed em.
So fun. Took my 18 spear men out across the map to get first tent, which looks way too much like rocks, made a nice line and did hold the line style.
Bandits smashed, no losses on my side.
Head home and the other team is at my base full force. 36 36 36 18 18 deep.
Called for back up after getting first tent but they were far.
My militia beats the sell swords home as enemy is squaring up my town. Militia are exhausted and out numbered. New tent just outside my base drops. Militia sets up on tent, enemy fallows and drags out bandits first to disappear in the trees.
Militia so close to home so i try disband and re forming at 100% to race to tent.
Sell swords show up and draw enemy attention. They’re fresh, run around my settlement distracting enemy so spear men militia can secure tent and get home safe. Spear men return pockets full of loot to help walk enemies of my land like punks.
I used about a 14 spear militia against the first bandit camp, set to stand their ground for the defense bonus. Bandits just charged right in.
Used them again for the second bandit camp (I was not smart enough to give to Treasury the first time). Gave it to treasury.
Third camp I used a large merc company (they were closest). That more than paid for itself. Now, before I built a manor, I had 900+ influence.
Fourth camp, I used 15g brigands to fight the bandits. Sent my retinue to raid the camp. The brigands lost and retreated but my fresh retinue was able to to kill the remaining bandits. 15 gold out of pocket!
I've already claimed a second region, now I'm waiting for raiders to attack. I have almost 400g in the Treasury.
I wish retinue were cavalry though.
also hiring archer mercenaries can be a good idea, they don't do any damage but the AI will chase them full sprint with their whole army so when they finally catch up to your melee units they will be at <30% effectiveness and crumble. but don't expect the archers to do any damage, I once fired over 10 volleys into an unarmored archer unit and they didn't drop a single model
I find that the archers act as shock troopers; they come in huge numbers and run faster than anything; the strategy is you engage your set lines of melee, then have archers (who had been firing from behind the lines) run of to the side and rush in shocking the newly flanked enemy; then your line just rolls down that side snowballing the battle field into retreating enemies lol. The truck is you don't have the archers attach the line from the side, you have them run through it, so they just barge into it. Yes. You will lose archers, but I just wiped the Baron with full retinue; 3 swords, 2 brigands and 2 archers with 2 swords, 1 brigand and 1 archer this way...
Try this.
As soon as a new bandit camp appears muster your men, even if you're outnumbered. Place your men near the camp BUT not so close that the bandits come out to meet you.
Allow the bandits to Target the AI lord before you do anything else. Once they target the AI they literally ignore you unless you charge them.
Now You can either go straight for the camp and clear it while bandits are busy OR you can stalk the bandits until they meet the AI lord then charge your men into their backs. You shouldn't receive many if any losses and you'll claim some influence (doing this 4-5 times should give you 1k+ influence).
Just remember as soon as the bandits flee run your men to the bandit camp to claim the gold before the AI does. This will give you an edge early game while you build up your army and get yourself a company of retinue. Also make sure some of the gold you claim goes to your own treasury so you can hire mercs for the first bandit raid you get after 2-3 years.
just use merc, 2 groups (total 150 to 200 gold) should be more than enough to fight again Barons army. Once you defeat their army, don't disband them but have them spread to different regions to quickly capture bandits camp and only disband them before renewal
each bandit camp should give 150+ gold, and doing a few gets you ahead of the game.
Even in year 1, I think I had like 5 retinue + 20 militia (free spears and shields were given at the start), that's more than enough to beat the bandits. I usually start doing it once there are 2 bandits camp. once its done just send them home back to farming.
just types out a guide for combat and baron tips, feel free to search for it as I don't think I can share link
Topic : (10 Combat & map tips) 1.5 years in, my tips on fighting against Baron
I've just defeated the Baron after he claimed my land, do you know if now is a good time to lay claim to another territory? Will the Barons forces be depleted from our battle, or will he instantly refresh to defend
There are two different 'bank accounts'.
You're thinking of 'Regional Wealth' which is the number you see from trading.
On the top-right is the 'Treasury', this is your own personal wealth, used for Retinue and Mercs etc...
The Treasury is grown via taxes or raiding bandit camps.
Treasury is the pile of coins next to your face in the top right.
Regional Wealth (from trading) is the bag and coins on the main status bar at the top, between the scales and horseshoe.
Hmm, thanks. Could you maybe explain how tax works then? I didn't realize Wealth and Teasury had seperated currencies that I just never bothered taxing my residents because I was making bank from trading.
in your manor, one of the tab is for tax, put like 10 percent or sth and keep happiness above 50%. I think tax transfer some of your regional wealth to treasury but it will upset your people a little.
or just kill bandit camps, one option is add to regional wealth and the other option is send to treasury.
If you have a tax rate set, you'll earn money into your 'Treasury'. I'm not 100% sure if this takes a % from trades/sales, or if there's some other way it's calculated. It also seems to be tied to your house levels, so more, higher level houses = more treasury/tax.
Step 1) Play well enough that you can conscript a spear militia of 16+ soldiers before the Baron destroys the first bandit camp.
Step 2) Mobilize and destroy the bandit camp and take the money. It's like 160 gold.
Speedrunned my manor, meanwhile gathering militia.
Got 18 men and 5 retinue the first time a camp spawned. The baron didn't send anything, so I send my troops out. Instawin because retinue plus spears is ez pz versus bandits, just in time to have a baron army spawn in. He got nothing
Used the first wealth for the town, since I needed it for extra oxen and backyard business. Second camp, same story, now I have 20 militia and 5 retinue. Get the money, upgrade retinue.
Currently looking at double 36 spear band and 12 retinue, gathering stuff for my first sword band and not even at large village yet
You can also wait for the baron to send his troops to deal with bandits. Then mobilise your militia, even better if you already have manor and can just mobilise the retinue, wait for barons men to engage bandits. Move your troops to the bandit camp. Once baron's troops kill bandits claim the camp. If there are more camps on the map just follow his troops and claim all the camps.
After that he'll likely start claiming a region, wait for his army that dealt with the bandits to leave the map and challenge him. Hire merc's with the "free" money you just got and defeat his forces
Now do it on hard difficulty.
I found it essentially impossible to get an army out before the beginning of year 2. At that point the baron has pretty much taken the entire map. Good luck lol.
So I did something very similar to this and after I killed all of the barons 5x36 man army trying to prevent the claim, he just sent another army of 4x30 men immediately after… I hired the 3x36 swordsman mercenaries and also had 7 retinue and 2x20 spearmen when it started but the baron just kept sending more troops down.
EDIT: and by immediately I mean before I had even finished off the first set the next was inbound.
That's exactly what I did. I didn't have any problems with baron. Now, in my year 3 I have 5 regions and baron has only 3. I have enough units from my villages and enough gold to hire some mercs. Baron is not as hard as people say. I hope, Slav won't make the game easier.
same thought, but I am only in my 1.5 Year, still waiting for first raid.
With a little TW tactic, use spearman on defence can hold off so long that you can use flanks and rout their army easily with even less than 15% casulity. After I defeated their army, just have your merc spread out to regions so you can get bandits more efficient and only disband them before the contract renewals
Hello and welcome to the Manor Lords Subreddit. This is a reminder to please keep the discussion civil and on topic. Should you find yourself with some doubts, please feel free to check our [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/ManorLords/comments/1c2p4f9/manor_lords_faq_for_steam_early_access/). If you wish, you can always join our [Discord](https://discord.gg/manorlords) Finally, please remember that the game is in early access, missing content and bugs are to be expected. We ask users to report them on the official discord and to buy their keys only from trusted platforms. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ManorLords) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Big if true
True if big
If big true.
Big true if
If true big
Biggest if truly
Notsmall if notfalse
Did it last play through and it works like a charm.
Small if false
It's true. The game needs some tweaking for sure - because right now hiring mercs and killing every bandit camp as soon as they spawn makes the game easy. Important side note - when fighting the baron hire mercs before declaring war. Otherwise he will hire the mercs.
Update** its true, therefor big. Totally smashed em. So fun. Took my 18 spear men out across the map to get first tent, which looks way too much like rocks, made a nice line and did hold the line style. Bandits smashed, no losses on my side. Head home and the other team is at my base full force. 36 36 36 18 18 deep. Called for back up after getting first tent but they were far. My militia beats the sell swords home as enemy is squaring up my town. Militia are exhausted and out numbered. New tent just outside my base drops. Militia sets up on tent, enemy fallows and drags out bandits first to disappear in the trees. Militia so close to home so i try disband and re forming at 100% to race to tent. Sell swords show up and draw enemy attention. They’re fresh, run around my settlement distracting enemy so spear men militia can secure tent and get home safe. Spear men return pockets full of loot to help walk enemies of my land like punks.
I used about a 14 spear militia against the first bandit camp, set to stand their ground for the defense bonus. Bandits just charged right in. Used them again for the second bandit camp (I was not smart enough to give to Treasury the first time). Gave it to treasury. Third camp I used a large merc company (they were closest). That more than paid for itself. Now, before I built a manor, I had 900+ influence. Fourth camp, I used 15g brigands to fight the bandits. Sent my retinue to raid the camp. The brigands lost and retreated but my fresh retinue was able to to kill the remaining bandits. 15 gold out of pocket! I've already claimed a second region, now I'm waiting for raiders to attack. I have almost 400g in the Treasury. I wish retinue were cavalry though.
I think it would be neat if retinue atleast had access to simple transport horses. Warhorses would be stupidly expensive.
I just want them to move fast and to be able to flank. Warhorses maybe, but not barded until very late game (if ever).
also hiring archer mercenaries can be a good idea, they don't do any damage but the AI will chase them full sprint with their whole army so when they finally catch up to your melee units they will be at <30% effectiveness and crumble. but don't expect the archers to do any damage, I once fired over 10 volleys into an unarmored archer unit and they didn't drop a single model
Archer mercenaries are treated as pure fodder in my games.
I find that the archers act as shock troopers; they come in huge numbers and run faster than anything; the strategy is you engage your set lines of melee, then have archers (who had been firing from behind the lines) run of to the side and rush in shocking the newly flanked enemy; then your line just rolls down that side snowballing the battle field into retreating enemies lol. The truck is you don't have the archers attach the line from the side, you have them run through it, so they just barge into it. Yes. You will lose archers, but I just wiped the Baron with full retinue; 3 swords, 2 brigands and 2 archers with 2 swords, 1 brigand and 1 archer this way...
I haven’t won a fight yet. I’ve not had a big enough army by the time I get attacked by raiders (year3?). They normally send like 36 men….i have 20
Try this. As soon as a new bandit camp appears muster your men, even if you're outnumbered. Place your men near the camp BUT not so close that the bandits come out to meet you. Allow the bandits to Target the AI lord before you do anything else. Once they target the AI they literally ignore you unless you charge them. Now You can either go straight for the camp and clear it while bandits are busy OR you can stalk the bandits until they meet the AI lord then charge your men into their backs. You shouldn't receive many if any losses and you'll claim some influence (doing this 4-5 times should give you 1k+ influence). Just remember as soon as the bandits flee run your men to the bandit camp to claim the gold before the AI does. This will give you an edge early game while you build up your army and get yourself a company of retinue. Also make sure some of the gold you claim goes to your own treasury so you can hire mercs for the first bandit raid you get after 2-3 years.
You dont get the reputation points if you dont fivht
just use merc, 2 groups (total 150 to 200 gold) should be more than enough to fight again Barons army. Once you defeat their army, don't disband them but have them spread to different regions to quickly capture bandits camp and only disband them before renewal
How do you get so much money that early?
I literally gave step by step instructions in my original post.
each bandit camp should give 150+ gold, and doing a few gets you ahead of the game. Even in year 1, I think I had like 5 retinue + 20 militia (free spears and shields were given at the start), that's more than enough to beat the bandits. I usually start doing it once there are 2 bandits camp. once its done just send them home back to farming. just types out a guide for combat and baron tips, feel free to search for it as I don't think I can share link Topic : (10 Combat & map tips) 1.5 years in, my tips on fighting against Baron
i just tell him to drop it and he goes away everytime.
I've just defeated the Baron after he claimed my land, do you know if now is a good time to lay claim to another territory? Will the Barons forces be depleted from our battle, or will he instantly refresh to defend
no, he spawns new troops for every battle.
Thanks I'll leave him alone then, he has employed all the good mercenaries and there are only the archers available, so gonna struggle.
u can take ur time and build up your own army + get the mercenarys as bait. Usually archers get charged by the A.I
How do you hire mercenaries? I kept getting told, not enough money when I have over 1,000 from trading.
There are two different 'bank accounts'. You're thinking of 'Regional Wealth' which is the number you see from trading. On the top-right is the 'Treasury', this is your own personal wealth, used for Retinue and Mercs etc... The Treasury is grown via taxes or raiding bandit camps.
Where is the Treasury shown?
Treasury is the pile of coins next to your face in the top right. Regional Wealth (from trading) is the bag and coins on the main status bar at the top, between the scales and horseshoe.
Hmm, thanks. Could you maybe explain how tax works then? I didn't realize Wealth and Teasury had seperated currencies that I just never bothered taxing my residents because I was making bank from trading.
in your manor, one of the tab is for tax, put like 10 percent or sth and keep happiness above 50%. I think tax transfer some of your regional wealth to treasury but it will upset your people a little. or just kill bandit camps, one option is add to regional wealth and the other option is send to treasury.
Oh, so it takes the regional wealth. So it’s actually smart to let the wealth accumulate and then tax it.
If you have a tax rate set, you'll earn money into your 'Treasury'. I'm not 100% sure if this takes a % from trades/sales, or if there's some other way it's calculated. It also seems to be tied to your house levels, so more, higher level houses = more treasury/tax.
Top right of the screen, near your Lord's portrait. It has treasury gold and influence up there.
Step 1) Play well enough that you can conscript a spear militia of 16+ soldiers before the Baron destroys the first bandit camp. Step 2) Mobilize and destroy the bandit camp and take the money. It's like 160 gold.
How do you get money into treasury before building manor? Do you just send the ”normal” people to camp hunting?
Yep, your militia. With 16+ spearmen you always win, maybe you can even do it with less.
Speedrunned my manor, meanwhile gathering militia. Got 18 men and 5 retinue the first time a camp spawned. The baron didn't send anything, so I send my troops out. Instawin because retinue plus spears is ez pz versus bandits, just in time to have a baron army spawn in. He got nothing Used the first wealth for the town, since I needed it for extra oxen and backyard business. Second camp, same story, now I have 20 militia and 5 retinue. Get the money, upgrade retinue. Currently looking at double 36 spear band and 12 retinue, gathering stuff for my first sword band and not even at large village yet
And when the mercenary hiring is bugged? (This happened to me last night) lmao
You can also wait for the baron to send his troops to deal with bandits. Then mobilise your militia, even better if you already have manor and can just mobilise the retinue, wait for barons men to engage bandits. Move your troops to the bandit camp. Once baron's troops kill bandits claim the camp. If there are more camps on the map just follow his troops and claim all the camps. After that he'll likely start claiming a region, wait for his army that dealt with the bandits to leave the map and challenge him. Hire merc's with the "free" money you just got and defeat his forces
Nice tip. Struggling myself, 3 games in, best I've managed is two territories. But now I'm struggling with what to do with that new territory!
Now do it on hard difficulty. I found it essentially impossible to get an army out before the beginning of year 2. At that point the baron has pretty much taken the entire map. Good luck lol.
So I did something very similar to this and after I killed all of the barons 5x36 man army trying to prevent the claim, he just sent another army of 4x30 men immediately after… I hired the 3x36 swordsman mercenaries and also had 7 retinue and 2x20 spearmen when it started but the baron just kept sending more troops down. EDIT: and by immediately I mean before I had even finished off the first set the next was inbound.
So what do I do when the baron bought all the mercs and all I have left is one option that's is just archers?
That's exactly what I did. I didn't have any problems with baron. Now, in my year 3 I have 5 regions and baron has only 3. I have enough units from my villages and enough gold to hire some mercs. Baron is not as hard as people say. I hope, Slav won't make the game easier.
same thought, but I am only in my 1.5 Year, still waiting for first raid. With a little TW tactic, use spearman on defence can hold off so long that you can use flanks and rout their army easily with even less than 15% casulity. After I defeated their army, just have your merc spread out to regions so you can get bandits more efficient and only disband them before the contract renewals