Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
November 21, 2025
Central hub answering common newcomer and midgame questions.
Quick answers for the questions you ask most, with links to the deeper guides when you want every detail.
Navigation
Jump to a section below or skim everything:
Getting started
How do I set up my first hours? Follow the checkpoints in the Ultimate Beginner Guide: recruit a few troops, clear starter quests, then farm looters to level Steward and Riding. Keep difficulty at what lets you learn controls without wiping.
What’s the fastest way to move on the map early? Mount everyone you can, avoid prisoners, and follow the checklist in Party Speed Explained. Snow and forests slow you unless you’re using the right culture perks.
Money & economy
How do I make money safely? Rotate the loops from Making Money Fast: looters → arena bets → short trade hops with butter/hides/tools. Don’t buy a workshop until you have a 15–20k buffer.
Are caravans worth it? Check ROI numbers and routes in the Economy & Trade Guide. Aserai culture makes caravans cheaper; otherwise delay until you can escort or afford losses.
How do I earn big money midgame? See the builds in Smithing for Profit and reinvest into pack animals to keep speed up while hauling crafted gear.
Combat & tactics
Why do I keep losing melee fights? Revisit posture, blocks, and feints in Combat & Battle Tactics. Fight tournaments to practice with no risk and pick perks that boost swing speed.
What orders should I learn first? Set infantry to Line, archers to Loose, cav to Line, then practice drag-selecting angles. The presets in Battle & Skirmish Tactics give you two scripts—defensive hill and aggressive push—to memorize.
Armies, formations, sieges
How do I stop cavalry from shredding me? Brace spears in Shield Wall and countercharge with your own cav into their flank. The matchup notes in Army Formations Counters cover timing cues.
What’s a reliable formation setup? Use the templates in Formations & Battlefield Tactics: infantry shield wall on high ground, archers in Loose behind, cav ready on the wing.
How do I take or defend a castle? Start with trebuchets, keep archers in Loose for suppression, and rotate fresh infantry into breaches. Full walkthrough in Siege Warfare Fundamentals.
Companions, clan, kingdom
Which companions should I hire first? Grab a surgeon and scout early; then follow Clan & Kingdom Management to assign them roles and grow clan tier.
When should I start my own kingdom? After clan tier 4, one secure fief, and steady income. The checklist in Starting Your Own Kingdom covers policies, vassal recruiting, and early diplomacy.
Gear & smithing
What gear actually matters early? Get a good shield, a fast one-hander, and midweight armor; buy horses for upgrades before fancy helmets. The shopping priorities in Economy & Trade Guide and money loops from Making Money Fast keep you funded.
Is crafting worth the grind? Yes—once you unlock key parts, the profits in Smithing for Profit can fund armies and caravans.
Technical help
My FPS tanks in big battles—what should I change? Apply the presets in Performance & Stability Tips: lower shadows, reduce battle size, and cap max corpses on CPU-bound rigs.
Where can I find everything else? Use the Wiki Navigation Hub for quick jumps to every major system.