[Mount & Blade 2]Complete guide to early stage strategy! Even beginners can enter the middle stage immediately with the fastest money strategy, optimal equipment, strongest noble knight, and strategy summary[Banner Reload]

Mount & Blade II Banner Reload is an epic open-world strategy action game set in the Middle Ages. Players start as a simple traveler, leading a group of knights across the battlefield, aiming for an ambitious goal of capturing territory and building a kingdom. However, in the early stages, many beginners struggle with lack of funds and difficulty of battles. The reality is that it is extremely difficult to hire soldiers and equip equipment when the initial capital is only a few hundred denars.

In this guide, we will thoroughly explain practical methods to break through those early walls as quickly as possible. It covers everything from stable money strategies using pigs and sheep, long-distance tactics centered on light crossbows, use of noble-class knights in vacant clans, and simple F6 command to full-fledged unit coordination. If you practice this, you will be able to secure over 10,000 denars in funds in just a few days, build a stable army, and advance smoothly to the middle stage. Build a solid foundation to enjoy large-scale battles, which is the real thrill of the game.

The quickest way to resolve financial difficulties in the early stages: Pig/sheep slaughter processing route

The most important thing in the early stages of Mount & Blade 2 is securing funds. If your initial funds are only a few hundred denars, you will not be able to hire soldiers or purchase equipment. Therefore, we strongly recommend the “Livestock Slaughter Processing Money Plan'' that does not require any fighting and can safely generate high profits. This method involves buying pigs and sheep cheaply in cities, slaughtering them in your inventory, converting them into meat and hides, and selling them at a high price. If you succeed, you can quickly increase the initial few hundred denars to more than 3,000 denars.

Specific steps and optimal route

1. After completing the tutorial, aim for the city “Likaron” or “Poros” in the empire. These cities specialize in pigs and sheep, and prices are extremely low. Pigs are priced at around 20 denars per head in Likaron, and sheep are similarly low in Poros. If you don't have a horse, travel on foot and avoid marauders found along the way. I'll buy the horse later.
2. Once you enter the city, open the “Trade” tab in the bottom right corner. Check the price of pigs and sheep and purchase up to the limit of your available funds. For example, you can buy 25 pigs with an initial price of 500 denars. Livestock will affect the weight you carry, but there is no problem in the early stages.
3. Select the pig on the inventory screen (I key) and click “Slaughter”. Each pig yields 1 Meat and 1 Hide. A sheep has 2 meat and 1 hide. This processing will be completed immediately and no battle is required.
4. Sell ​​meat and hides in the same city or in a neighboring city. Meat sells for more than 50 denars and hides for close to 100 denars, making more than double the profit per animal. You can expect a net profit of more than 1000 denars in one loop.
5. Once you have more than 2000 denars, you can purchase draft horses to increase your carrying weight and carry more livestock. A round trip between Likaron and Poros will cost you 5,000 denars in one day.

Points to note and risk avoidance

• If the market price collapses due to mass sales, move to a nearby city. Mixing grains and fish and selling it will stabilize it.
• If you encounter a bandit on the way, run away without fighting (press T key repeatedly). Do not hire foot soldiers to keep movement speed above 4.
• Even with price fluctuations, this method is still the most efficient in the early stages. As an alternative, we recommend running the arena in parallel.

If you repeat this financial strategy, the initial financial difficulties will be completely resolved. Next, use that money to get the best equipment.

Required equipment after securing funds: Unrivaled combination of light crossbow and horse

If you save more than 2,000 denars through financial means, you will immediately strengthen your equipment. The strongest equipment for beginners is “light crossbow”, “bolt”, “riding horse”, and “horse armor”. This allows for hit-and-away tactics and makes raider hunting much easier. The total cost is less than 1000 denars.

Details of recommended equipment and where to get it

• Light crossbow: The aim is stable for a long time and does not spread even when held, so even beginners have a high accuracy rate. The damage is high, and if you aim for the head, you can defeat the looter in one hit. The price is between 200 and 300 denars. It can be purchased in the first town of the Vlandian cultural area (for example, Shallglas). If it's not for sale, we'll go around to nearby cities.
• Bolt: A crossbow bullet. Stock more than 18 shots. Prices are cheap.
• Riding horse: For increasing movement speed and shooting on horseback. The price is around 200 denars. It can be purchased in cities with horse specialty villages.
• Horse Armor: Increases the durability of your horse. The first is optional.

After equipping, set the crossbow in your right hand in your inventory. Ride your horse and start the battle.

Tips for equipment operation

Crossbows are best used when stopped and fired. Accuracy decreases while moving, so you'll have to guide the enemy, stop, shoot, and then retreat with your horse. When shooting from horseback, place the enemy on the left side (you cannot shoot on the right side). This allows you to wipe out a 20-man raider squad without any soldiers.

A must-see shooting tactic for beginners: Earn experience points and loot safely with a crossbow

Once you have your equipment, you can earn experience points and additional funds by hunting raiders. The “retreat shooting tactic'' that takes advantage of the characteristics of the crossbow is the key. Even if you are not good at action, you can win consistently.

Basic tactical steps

1. If we find the looters, we will pursue them. Place it on the horse in the battle screen.
2. Stop when the enemy is far away and shoot at the head or neck. If you can kill them in one hit, it will be much more efficient.
3. When approached, use F1 to specify a retreat point and leave. Shoot from a distance again.
4. When you run out of ammo, retreat, wait a few seconds, and it will be automatically refilled.
5. After annihilation, collect the loot (F key). Prisoners are sold in cities.

For enemies with shields, divide your troops and fire crossfire alternately from the left and right. This will allow you to clear the early battles with ease.

Additional money plan for people who are not good at action: parallel arena and blacksmithing

If you are not satisfied with just slaughter money, add arena and blacksmithing.

Arena money plan

Join the city arena. If you win with the maximum bet, you will get 700 denars + prizes. In team battles, use your allies as decoys to repeatedly perform shield bashes (E key). You can also earn skill experience points at the same time.

Blacksmithing scheme

Buy wood to create charcoal, then forge and sell weapons. In the early stages, you can earn tens of thousands of denars by making a javelin. Unlocking recipes will further increase efficiency.

This brings us to 10,000 denars. Next is the formation of the strongest soldiers.

Strongest soldiers in the early stages: 10 noble class knights from vacant clans.

If the funds exceed 10,000, we will hire a noble class knight from a vacant clan. This soldier has very high performance even in automatic actions, and can be unrivaled in the early stages. If the village management item is a vacant clan castle/city, you can recruit from there.

Employment method

This applies to noble sons of vacant clans. We will arrange 10 people in the village and pay attention to the wages (several hundred denars/day for 10 people). Noble soldiers are much stronger than commoners and have a better upgrade tree.

With 10 people, you can easily defeat a 50-man raider squad.

F6 simple automatic battle: win without commanding

After the battle begins, select the knight and press F6 (Charge). AI will take the optimal action. Players earn experience points by shooting from behind with a crossbow. This is a very reliable feature for beginners.

Once you get used to the operation, full-scale command: Retreat fire and cross fire

Repeatedly specify retreat with F1. For enemies with shields, press F2 to spread them out and create a cross formation.

Knight + archer cooperation: the ultimate annihilation strategy

Make a decoy with a noble knight, place an archer (crossbowman) at the back and shoot. The player guides the enemy with a shield. The enemy is now completely annihilated.

Summary: Follow this flow to stabilize the beginning and move on to the middle.

If you practice the flow from pig and sheep money strategy to light crossbow, vacant noble knight, F6 or full-scale command, even beginners will be able to achieve the fastest and most stable skill. By focusing on money management and the quality of your soldiers, you can smoothly transition to the mid-game. Enjoy the deep combat and strategy of this game.