Battle & Skirmish Tactics: Commanding Victory

In Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, personal combat skill can win a duel, but only superior tactics can win a war. Whether you are leading a small band of 50 men or an army of 1,000, understanding how to maneuver your troops is the key to defeating larger forces.

The Three Phases of Battle

Every field battle generally follows three phases:

1. Deployment & Skirmish: Positioning troops and exchanging ranged fire.

2. The Engagement: Main infantry lines clash and cavalry charges ensue.

3. Cleanup: Chasing down routing enemies.

Formations & Deployment

Your success starts before the first arrow is fired. Using the Order of Battle screen (available in larger battles) or F-keys during deployment is crucial.

Essential Formations

• Line (F3 -> F1): Standard formation. Good for maximizing frontage but vulnerable.

• Shield Wall (F3 -> F2): The most important formation for infantry. Troops raise shields and pack tight.

  • Use when: Advancing under arrow fire or holding a choke point.

  • Drawback: Slower movement speed.

• Loose (F3 -> F3): Troops spread out.

  • Use when: For Archers to ensure everyone has a clear line of sight. Also reduces casualties from siege engines.

• Circle (F3 -> F4) & Square (F3 -> F5): Defensive formations.

  • Use when: Defending against mass cavalry charges. Ideally, place archers inside the square/circle.

• Skein (F3 -> F6): A wedge shape.

  • Use when: Cavalry charges to break enemy lines.

Skirmish Tactics

The goal of the skirmish phase is to thin the enemy ranks and force them to attack you on your terms.

1. The Archer Duel

Always place your archers on high ground. Use Loose formation so the back rows can shoot. If the enemy has superior ranged firepower, hide your troops behind a hill (Reverse Slope Defense) to force them to come to you.

2. Horse Archer Harassment

If you have Horse Archers (like the Khuzait Khan's Guard), use F1 -> F1 (Move to Position) to flank the enemy.

• Do not just F1 -> F3 (Charge) immediately, or they may suicide into spears.

• Move them to the enemy's left flank (their unshielded side) to maximize damage.

The Engagement: Hammer and Anvil

This is the classic military tactic that works perfectly in Bannerlord.

1. The Anvil: Your infantry in Shield Wall formation holds the enemy infantry in place.

2. The Hammer: Your cavalry swings around the flank or rear and crashes into the enemy.

Timing the Charge

Wait until the infantry lines have collided. If you charge cavalry into braced spears, they will die. Wait until the enemy infantry is distracted fighting your shields, then charge the rear.

Terrain Exploitation

• Rivers/Bridges: The ultimate choke points. Force the enemy to cross to you.

• Forests: Death for cavalry. If fighting Vlandia or Khuzait, camp in the woods.

• Hills: Increases range and damage for archers. Also slows down enemy charges uphill.

Advanced Tips

• Delegation (F6): If you are overwhelmed or just want to fight, pressing F6 gives control to the AI. The AI is surprisingly decent at managing formations, especially for Horse Archers.

• Holding Fire (F4): Tell your skirmishers (like Battanian Wildlings) to Hold Fire until the enemy is 20 meters away. Then "Fire at Will" for a devastating volley of javelins.

For more detailed unit roles, check out our Party Composition Basics and Army Command & Formations guides.