Polearm & Spear Guide

November 21, 2025

Spear bracing, pike walls, and polearm mastery.

Polearms are the kings of the battlefield in Calradia. Whether you are stopping a Vlandian Banner Knight charge with a braced pike or cleaving through peasant levies with a swinging glaive from horseback, mastering the polearm is essential for any warlord. This guide covers the mechanics of reach, the deadly art of couching, and the best weapons to forge or buy.

The Power of Reach

In Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, range is safety. Polearms allow you to strike enemies before they can touch you.

  • Infantry: A long spear allows you to poke enemies over the shoulders of your shield wall.

  • Cavalry: A long lance lets you strike enemy infantry without getting bogged down in the melee.

Couched Lance Mechanics

Mechanics Breakdown

There are two special mechanics unique to polearms that deal massive damage: Couching and Bracing.

Couching (Lances)

Available only on horseback with specific lances (look for the "Couch Lance" icon in the weapon tooltip).

  1. Ride fast until a lance icon appears above your health bar.

  2. Press X (default) to lower the lance.

  3. Ride into an enemy.

  4. Result: Massive damage (often 300+) based on relative speed. You do not need to click to attack; simply colliding does the work.

Bracing (Spears/Pikes)

Available on foot with specific spears/pikes (look for "Spear Brace").

  1. Stand still.

  2. Press X (default) to crouch and brace the spear against the ground.

  3. Face an incoming horse.

  4. Result: If a horse runs into the point, it takes massive damage and rears up, stopping the charge instantly. This is the hard counter to heavy cavalry.

Spear Bracing Formation

Weapon Types

Not all polearms are the same. They generally fall into three categories:

1. Thrust-Only Spears

  • Pros: Fast, defensive, often braceable.

  • Cons: Low damage if not moving fast or bracing.

  • Best Use: Garrison defense and anti-cavalry formations.

  • Examples: Vlandian Pike, Menavlion (some variants).

2. Swinging Polearms (Glaives/Voulges)

  • Pros: Massive cutting damage, breaks shields, AOE potential.

  • Cons: Slower, often cannot couch.

  • Best Use: Horseback skirmishing and shock infantry.

  • Examples: Long Glaive (Khuzait), Rhomphaia (Battania), Voulge (Vlandia).

3. Lances

  • Pros: Couchable, extreme burst damage.

  • Cons: Useless in close quarters or sieges.

  • Best Use: Open field cavalry charges.

  • Examples: Heavy Knight Lance, Cataphract Lance.

Glaive Combat

Combat Tactics

Stopping Cavalry Charges

If you are leading infantry:

  1. Order troops into Shield Wall (F3 -> F2) or Square (F3 -> F4).

  2. Ensure you have spearmen mixed in (usually automatic).

  3. The AI will attempt to brace if stationary.

  4. Player Tip: As a captain, manually bracing in the front line can save your formation from being trampled.

The "Horse Glaive" Meta

One of the most popular player builds is the "Horse Glaive" (using a Long Glaive or similar).

  • Ride past enemies on their right side.

  • Swing your glaive horizontally.

  • The speed of your horse adds to the damage.

  • This can one-shot almost any unit and is easier to aim than a thrusting spear.

Siege Warfare

Polearms shine in defense. Stand to the side of a ladder or broken gate. As enemies climb up or rush in, use overhead swings (if using a glaive) or thrusts to kill them while they are stuck in animation. The Rhomphaia is particularly devastating here due to its reach and cut damage.

Conclusion

Whether you want to be a disciplined pikeman or a wild horse lord with a glaive, polearms offer the highest damage potential in the game. Check the trade goods in Khuzait lands for the best glaives, or Vlandia for the best lances.

For more combat tips, see our Battle & Skirmish Tactics guide.