Kingdoms Overview

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord makes you pick sides fast—who you back determines your early trade routes, who raids you, and which troops you can actually field. Commit to one faction at a time so you’re not splitting focus across warring priorities, the same way Newport advises picking one meaningful target for each block of work[1].

Map snapshot and what it means

• Borders matter: Use the Map of Calradia & Regions to spot deserts (Aserai), forests (Battania speed bonus), snow (Sturgia penalties), and open steppe (Khuzait speed).

• Travel tempo: Pair terrain with Party Speed Explained. Khuzait dominate open plains, Battania rule forests, Sturgia slow down in winter.

• Threat lanes: Empires sit in the middle; expect multi-front wars. Border kingdoms (Vlandia, Battania, Khuzait, Aserai) trade a safer rear line for easy raiding targets.

Culture bonuses at a glance

Faction quick-cards

Vlandia (west coast cav empire)

• Roster: Banner Knights, Sharpshooters; infantry is serviceable, cav is king.

• Play it: Field shock cav, protect crossbows. Works great with Best Cavalry Units lists.

• Fight it: Force forests and hills with Army Command & Formations; kill horses to blunt charges.

Battania (forest hunters)

• Roster: Fian Champions, two-handed falxmen.

• Play it: Fight in woods, run loose archers plus shield infantry. Link to deeper Battania notes.

• Fight it: Close fast with cavalry wedges; bring shields.

Sturgia (northern shieldwall)

• Roster: Heroic Line Breakers, heavy axes, weak archers.

• Play it: Winter hits everyone—lean on infantry, short raids, rivers for defense.

• Fight it: Bypass walls; target morale with repeated cav hits.

Khuzait (steppe speed)

• Roster: Khan’s Guard horse archers, lancers.

• Play it: Open plains, wide kiting, Best Horse Archers builds.

• Fight it: Square/loose formations, bait them into forests or cities.

Aserai (southern traders)

• Roster: Fast cav, solid archers, balanced infantry.

• Play it: Start caravans early, exploit desert speed, link with Caravans and Trade Routes.

• Fight it: Deny horses and camels; fight near choke points.

The Empire (north/south/west)

• Roster: Cataphracts, Legionaries, solid archers; three flavors but similar cores.

• Play it: Siege-heavy, central diplomacy. Use Diplomacy & Kingdom Politics to avoid dogpiles.

• Fight it: Break cav with spears, drag them into forests or snow where cav loses edges.

Playstyle picks (join vs. oppose)

• Cavalry enjoyer: Join Vlandia/Khuzait, or oppose them from forests with Battania.

• Archer main: Battania and Empire deliver consistent ranged power; see Best Archer Units.

• Trader/diplomat: Aserai → Economy & Trade Guide; Empire for policy flexibility.

• Siege lover: Empire/Sturgia; pair with Siege Warfare Fundamentals.

Fast-start angles

• Mercenary then vassal: Farm influence via Vlandian battles; swap to vassal for policy sway via Kingdom Policies & Laws.

• Trade-to-war: Aserai caravans → workshops, then pick a border war (Empire or Vlandia) once coffers are set.

• Nomad raids: Khuzait horse archers + Party Speed Explained to raid villages and caravans before committing to fiefs.

Next steps

• Deep-dive the longer Kingdoms of Calradia breakdown.

• If you’re ready to plant your own banner, follow Starting Your Own Kingdom and prep influence with War & Diplomacy Management.

• Recruit smarter with Troop Recruitment & Upgrades and fill gaps using Best Troops by Role.

References

[1] Newport, Cal. Deep Work. Discipline your focus to one priority at a time; apply the same lens when picking a faction to master in your campaign.