Mounts & Horse Types

November 21, 2025

Differences between saddle horses, desert horses, warhorses, and camels.

Steppe Horses

Horses are the lifeblood of any army in Calradia. They provide mobility on the campaign map, devastating charges in battle, and carrying capacity for your loot. However, managing your animals is a mechanic in itself.

This guide covers the different types of mounts, how to manage them, and which ones you should seek out.

Horse Classes

In Bannerlord, animals are categorized into specific classes. It is crucial to know the difference, especially for upgrading troops.

  1. Pack Animals: (Mules, Sumpter Horses, Camels)

    • Purpose: massive carrying capacity.

    • Combat: Cannot be ridden in battle (usually).

    • Upgrades: Cannot be used to upgrade cavalry troops.

  2. Mounts: (Saddle Horses, Steppe Horses, Desert Horses, Hunters)

    • Purpose: Riding and upgrading Tier 2-3 cavalry.

    • Stats: Average speed and health.

  3. War Mounts: (Chargers, Warhorses, Destriers)

    • Purpose: Riding and upgrading Tier 4-5 Heavy Cavalry.

    • Stats: High health and charge damage.

  4. Noble Mounts: (Wadar Hotblood, Cossian, Pureblood)

    • Purpose: The best stats in the game. Rare and expensive. Can be used for upgrades (but don't do it!).

Breeds and Stats

Different cultures produce different breeds, each with strengths:

  • Desert (Aserai): Highest Speed. Great for map movement and skirmishing.

  • Steppe (Khuzait): Highest Maneuverability. Perfect for horse archery and turning tightly.

  • Vlandian / Imperial: High Charge and Health. Best for smashing into infantry lines.

Horse Stats Comparison

The Herd Penalty

A common mistake is hoarding too many horses.

  • Mechanic: If you have more animals than men to manage them, you incur a "Herd" speed penalty on the campaign map.

  • Solution: Keep a balance. Usually, 1 horse per footman (for riding) + 1 pack animal per person is safe. If you see your speed drop, sell your cheap Sumpter Horses.

Horse Armor

Unlike the horse itself, Horse Armor is equipment.

  • Trade-off: Heavier armor provides more defense (up to 60-70+) but significantly reduces the horse's speed and maneuverability.

  • Advice: For heavy cavalry, armor is vital. A dead horse means a dead knight. For horse archers, lighter armor is often better to maintain distance.

Upgrading Troops

To upgrade a footman to a cavalry unit, you need a horse in your inventory.

  • Low-tier upgrades require a standard Mount (e.g., Desert Horse).

  • High-tier upgrades (e.g., Knight to Banner Knight) require a War Mount (e.g., Imperial Charger).

Tip: Breed your own horses using the Animal Husbandry perk in the Riding tree to save money, as War Mounts can cost 1000+ denars each.

Camels

Camels are a niche mount found in the Aserai lands.

  • Pros: Very tall (harder for infantry to hit the rider), high charge damage.

  • Cons: Slow, cannot wear horse armor.

  • Use: Fun for roleplay or specific caravan guard builds, but generally outclassed by Warhorses for serious combat.

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