New and have a few questions!

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-zorph-

Recruit
So I am relatively new to the game, and I play using Floris' Mod Pack (http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,137590.0.html) to enhance the Native experience, but not change the game much.

Anyways, I have a few simple questions that I can't really find the answer to anywhere...

So I wish to become a vassal (and eventually king?) of the Swadians, but I don't know how to do it because the King just keeps saying I have to prove myself in battle.  I can't get experience for my troops to rank up because all the bandits/looters run way faster than me. 

I really don't know what to do, I am just kind of running around.  I have like 53 troops in my party, so yea... Where/what do I go and do now?

I want to fight for the Swadians and stuff, but my troops are too low on the tree's to fight the factions...

Also, one of the count's offered for me to be a mercenary for the Swadians but I refused because I thought it would interfere with my Vassalage...

Ugh so what do I do now? Also how do I own a castle ?
 
So I wish to become a vassal (and eventually king?) of the Swadians, but I don't know how to do it because the King just keeps saying I have to prove myself in battle.  I can't get experience for my troops to rank up because all the bandits/looters run way faster than me.
To train your troops, attack forest bandits that have a smaller party than you. (I managed to get 10 men at arms in under a week, and alot of footmen) Then go to the king, do a few quests for him, then become his vassal.


 
You'll have to raise your renown a bit before you can join a faction. Winning tournaments are a real easy way to do that, and also to make money. When I start a game, I usually pick up about 10-15 guys and run from town to town doing the tournaments. Once I have some good gear and weapons, I'll start fighting the various bandits - when you have good stuff, they're pretty easy to defeat by yourself. Just do this for awhile and your renown will go up.

It may have actually been beneficial for you to mercenary for the Swadians, since that's an easy way to raise relations with the various lords. Coming to their aid or completing quests for the Marshall is good for you.

Being King will be a different road altogether. I don't think it's possible to be King of the Swadians, but it's possible to start your own faction and be king. I wouldn't recommend trying that until you're well learned in the game though.

Owning fiefs is as easy as signing up to a faction (if you're male). They'll usually give you a sign bonus of a village, and as your faction conquers territory, you'll be in the lotto for who gets it when the King gets around to handing out land. The more you do to capture the land, the higher your chance to get it. If you capture territory all by yourself, your chances are really high - and you can even ask for it to be rewarded to you. It won't always be given to you, but that increases your chances slightly and is based on many things (such as how much land you own compared to other lords).

Try not to run around with a large army for awhile - at least until you get a fief to start paying for your troops. Higher level troops will suck up your funds quickly, and with no income to speak of, you'll be poor in no time. Get used to the fighting and outfit your character as soon as possible in the best gear you can manage. Start out with the basic stuff so you can get nice rounded defensive and offensive stats, then start building up to higher quality stuff once you start raking in the money.
 
You can always dismiss some troops if you're too slow.  The fastest way to level yourself, companions, your renown, and your bank is to cut every troop you have out of your party and fight groups of bandits.  Obviously if you're just starting out, that isn't feasible vs. the tougher groups, but you'd be okay sticking to looters until your party members level a bit, or until they had some basics like shields and nomad armor.

Speaking of companions... you do have 7-10 companions right?  The first thing I do when I start a game is go from town to town trading for profit and finding the companions I want.  I prefer the following ten, as that seems to be the maximum amount I can keep without them getting angry and storming off:

Artimenner
Katrin
Matheld
Nizar
Alayen
Basheshtur
Borscha
Rolf
Ymira
Bunduk

The other companions I find I just recruit, take their equipment, and promptly send them to spread the word about what a great king I'd make.  When they get back, they get kicked out or sent on a reconnaissance mission.

Eventually, I try to set my companions up with siege xbows, military picks/ elite scimitars/ war axes/ and heavy chargers of some kind.  To start off, I just set them up with whatever non-thrusting one handed weapons I can find, preferably nomad sabres, fighting axes, scimitars, those 103 speed maces along with nordic shields looted from sea raiders.  I do think it's worth it to invest in heavy or siege crossbows once they reach 9 and 10 strength.  I tend to give them 9 strength for 3 power strike, then take agility to 12 promptly for 4 riding.  From there it's a matter of saving up enough cash to buy lame chargers, and have either myself or a companion with wound treatment fix the chargers up.

Once you have 10 companions with heavy chargers, sea raider helmets/armor, fighting axes, and some crossbow proficiency, you're pretty much set to take on big groups of whatever bandits and come out ahead.  Once your companions are in something like their late teens in levels, you'll want to make sure they all have the trainer skill maxed out for whatever their individual cap is.  On my own companions, I start levelling trainer as soon as they are past level 5 in order to push up any fresh recruits I pick up ASAP.

The key to maintaining a combat worthy army of elites is your companions.  Lots of 'trainer' on everyone who can have it, lots of surgery / wound treatment / first aid on yourself, or on a companion that you can keep away from harm.... (I always train at least 'surgery' for myself).
 
StinkyMcGirk said:
You can always dismiss some troops if you're too slow.  The fastest way to level yourself, companions, your renown, and your bank is to cut every troop you have out of your party and fight groups of bandits.  Obviously if you're just starting out, that isn't feasible vs. the tougher groups, but you'd be okay sticking to looters until your party members level a bit, or until they had some basics like shields and nomad armor.

Speaking of companions... you do have 7-10 companions right?  The first thing I do when I start a game is go from town to town trading for profit and finding the companions I want.  I prefer the following ten, as that seems to be the maximum amount I can keep without them getting angry and storming off:

Artimenner
Katrin
Matheld
Nizar
Alayen
Basheshtur
Borscha
Rolf
Ymira
Bunduk

The other companions I find I just recruit, take their equipment, and promptly send them to spread the word about what a great king I'd make.  When they get back, they get kicked out or sent on a reconnaissance mission.

Eventually, I try to set my companions up with siege xbows, military picks/ elite scimitars/ war axes/ and heavy chargers of some kind.  To start off, I just set them up with whatever non-thrusting one handed weapons I can find, preferably nomad sabres, fighting axes, scimitars, those 103 speed maces along with nordic shields looted from sea raiders.  I do think it's worth it to invest in heavy or siege crossbows once they reach 9 and 10 strength.  I tend to give them 9 strength for 3 power strike, then take agility to 12 promptly for 4 riding.  From there it's a matter of saving up enough cash to buy lame chargers, and have either myself or a companion with wound treatment fix the chargers up.

Once you have 10 companions with heavy chargers, sea raider helmets/armor, fighting axes, and some crossbow proficiency, you're pretty much set to take on big groups of whatever bandits and come out ahead.  Once your companions are in something like their late teens in levels, you'll want to make sure they all have the trainer skill maxed out for whatever their individual cap is.  On my own companions, I start levelling trainer as soon as they are past level 5 in order to push up any fresh recruits I pick up ASAP.

The key to maintaining a combat worthy army of elites is your companions.  Lots of 'trainer' on everyone who can have it, lots of surgery / wound treatment / first aid on yourself, or on a companion that you can keep away from harm.... (I always train at least 'surgery' for myself).
Eh, never been a huge fan of having tons of companions.
..Ymira?? god she's been the craziest, whiniest ***** for me!

Anyways, if you want to be king of swadia, you gotta make your own kingdom. Soo first what i suggest is to make friends with all the swadian lords (do quests for them, etc.), then you need to make sure you have a high renown and a good army. To do this, just recruit guys, (use cheats to upgrade them to the highest class  :wink:), and run around killing other, smaller armies. Eventually, once you get large enough to easily kill any looters/sea raiders/forest bandest/etc. you may want to declare war on some other faction like the Sarranids so you can have more of a challenge, and you can take them over after you're done with swadia. Once you've got a good sized army, find some way to provoke the swadians. (Charging one of their caravans a toll is my preferred method.) After the swadian settlements and lords start appearing in red, attack the swadian castle with the lowest garrison you can find. (it'll probably around the lower 100s) Once you've captured it, just keep strengthening your army and conquering other swadian castles. Once you've got a castle or two, run around to those swadian lords that like you because of the quests you previously did. Ask to talk to them in private, ask how they feel about king harlaus, and if they're dissatisfied try to persuade them to join you. Eventually, you'll have conquered all of swadia, and picked up several vassals along the way.
 
masterunicorn said:
..Ymira?? god she's been the craziest, whiniest ***** for me!

Yeah, but she's free.  I consider her whining to be the price I pay...

...

It's a better deal than the one I get in real life.

On a serious note, though, I'd take someone else if they'd fit into the rotation, but I can't disrupt the delicate 'one like, one dislike' dynamic I have going on.  Besides, she only vocalizes her complaints once, then it's just a matter of not looting the country side followed by shoving my army like fodder against the garrison of a town.  She's also pretty skill packed for her low level.  It's just irritating to look at that character sheet, see the 20's in proficiencies, and tell her to sit in the corner and play with her crossbow until she's ready to pillage with the big boys.
 
Ok, so one of the two guys above started on this but didn't go into too much detail. First off welcome to the forum, take a chance and try out the search function and there should also be an unofficial ask Qs thread with 50+ pages on the first few pages.

Anyways, to your questions. First off lower your army. Only cruise with enough guys to fight your targeted opponents. More men mean you move slower. Your map speed is dependent on riding skill of units with horses or athletic skill of people without horses. There is also that ability which slightly increases speed too. Plus more men cost more dough.

Next you're gonna wanna keep winning battles and tournaments to get your renown to 100 (maybe 150) to become a vassal. At 50 you can sell yourself to be a mercenary. This is a good option to work with the kingdom. Join fights with their lords and get favor with them and renown by participating in huge battles.

For being king there are several options you can take. The hardest is to just go out and capture a castle/town. This will make that faction of course go hostile with you. Second choice is to help a claimant out. Third is to revolt against a lord you are a vassal to. This is what I do, when you capture a castle/town yourself and the king gives it to someone else you revolt, keep your fiefs, and get that specific fief.

When king there are several factors that make a faction attack you. Your army size, renown, right to rule, and who's original land you have taken. I also suggest using the diplomacy mod because it makes end-game more interesting!
 
-zorph- said:
So I wish to become a vassal (and eventually king?) of the Swadians, but I don't know how to do it because the King just keeps saying I have to prove myself in battle.  I can't get experience for my troops to rank up because all the bandits/looters run way faster than me.
I really don't know what to do, I am just kind of running around.  I have like 53 troops in my party, so yea... Where/what do I go and do now?
If you find a bandit hideout and sit there for a while they'll eventually (after a couple days) come to you. You can't officially become king of the Swadians, best you can do is make your own kingdom by conquering them and name it Swadia.
I want to fight for the Swadians and stuff, but my troops are too low on the tree's to fight the factions...
Invest heavily in trainer skill for you and your companions, and go kill bandits.
Also, one of the count's offered for me to be a mercenary for the Swadians but I refused because I thought it would interfere with my Vassalage...
It doesn't mess up your chances to be a vassal.
Ugh so what do I do now? Also how do I own a castle ?
You either need to be given one as a vassal, or conquer your own as an independent.
 
Getting some companions and then getting the quests (handed out by local lords owning towns close to those camps, the bartenders know who they are)  that lets you attack camps is a good way for me to get established. The forest bandits are not too tough, neither are the searaider camps but you have to watch out for the searaider parties.... Also the bandit hunting quests are good. Town elders give out those quests (troublesome bandits etc). All these quests are high exp and your companions will level up fast along with you.   
 
So, as for the map party speed, as already said:
1. Keep your party small and your morale high
2. Keep a couple horses in your inventory, it will help to reduce the speed penalty since you will be carrying at least some food, not to mention if you like to carry trade goods around. No mater how much trade goods you carry, never have more than 7 horses in your inventory, the bonus for speed seems capped at around 7 horses.Loot is weightless so pack as much as you want.
3.Pick one of your INT-spec companions (like your medic for example, he gets 2 skill points per INT point invested) and boost his 'pathfinding' skill, it helps.
4. The more high-tier troops in your party, the faster your party travels.
5. The more cavalry in your group, the fasteer they are. Later in the game, a smallish all-cavalry party can zip around at 9+ speed.Once you get your very first castle/town, you can form an cavalry-only search&destroy super-fast party and kick those steppe/desert bandit's butts with ease  :wink:
6.Equip all your companions with horses. Give them masterwork light crossbow (in addition of their normal melee weapons), they will be able to rack kills while you wait for the enemy to charge at you. When in melee, they will swap the x-bow for their melee weapon if needed.And during sieges they will snipe the defenders too.
I am a master archer and I like to put those semi-ranged companions in a separate group. During the sieges I command them to 'follow me' and we form a very deadly and tough (immortal, obviously) ranged group, very effective.
Hope these tidbits of advice were of some help.
 
Ok thanks everyone for the replies, but I have a couple more questions.

What do relations with the specific Lords/Counts do? Does it affect anything?

Also, how do I know which faction I should join as a mercenary/vassal.

I have like 142 renown because I have been doing tournaments, so I guess I can become a mercenary now; so how do I determine the best faction to fight for?
 
-zorph- said:
What do relations with the specific Lords/Counts do? Does it affect anything?
It has a lot of effect, it determines which lords might support you for fiefs, if they're likely to let you date their daughter, if they're likely to join you if/when you rebel, and other stuff too. It's not the only factor, personality type and other things come into play, but it helps a lot.

Also, how do I know which faction I should join as a mercenary/vassal.

I have like 142 renown because I have been doing tournaments, so I guess I can become a mercenary now; so how do I determine the best faction to fight for?
Join who you like, you seem to want to become a Swadian vassal, so you might as well become a Swadian merc and use Swadian troops, though being an enemy of the Swadians can be useful in that you can let captured Swadian lords go and improve your relations more easily than just doing quests for them.
 
Try to joining a faction you like or one that haves many fiefs.

And your relation ships with lords /boyars/jarls(or whatever that faction uses for name for his lords)/king is needed to marry the daughter of him and useful when you have a own kingdom to persuade them.
 
-zorph- said:
I have like 142 renown because I have been doing tournaments, so I guess I can become a mercenary now; so how do I determine the best faction to fight for?

You should just go for personal preference. The most powerful faction is always the one with the human. (Except Khergits) :razz:

You seem to like Swadians, so keep asking their lords for tasks until one asks you to become a mercenary. Then you can join in on the lord battles which will give you a crapload of renown, so then you can go to the king, become a vassal and get your first fief.

With lords, it's good to have a high relation with them as it means when a new fief is conquered, it's more likely to be given to you. It'll also help if you decide to do a claiment quest or start your own kingdom, as it'll be easier to get them to join your faction.
 
Charlie Brooker said:
-zorph- said:
I have like 142 renown because I have been doing tournaments, so I guess I can become a mercenary now; so how do I determine the best faction to fight for?

You should just go for personal preference. The most powerful faction is always the one with the human. (Except Khergits) :razz:

You seem to like Swadians, so keep asking their lords for tasks until one asks you to become a mercenary. Then you can join in on the lord battles which will give you a crapload of renown, so then you can go to the king, become a vassal and get your first fief.

With lords, it's good to have a high relation with them as it means when a new fief is conquered, it's more likely to be given to you. It'll also help if you decide to do a claiment quest or start your own kingdom, as it'll be easier to get them to join your faction.

Ok so how do I become a mercenary? I've talked to several Lords and none are offering me the mercenary option. What dialogue choice do I pick for them to offer it?
 
-zorph- said:
Charlie Brooker said:
-zorph- said:
I have like 142 renown because I have been doing tournaments, so I guess I can become a mercenary now; so how do I determine the best faction to fight for?

You should just go for personal preference. The most powerful faction is always the one with the human. (Except Khergits) :razz:

You seem to like Swadians, so keep asking their lords for tasks until one asks you to become a mercenary. Then you can join in on the lord battles which will give you a crapload of renown, so then you can go to the king, become a vassal and get your first fief.

With lords, it's good to have a high relation with them as it means when a new fief is conquered, it's more likely to be given to you. It'll also help if you decide to do a claiment quest or start your own kingdom, as it'll be easier to get them to join your faction.

Ok so how do I become a mercenary? I've talked to several Lords and none are offering me the mercenary option. What dialogue choice do I pick for them to offer it?

"Do you have any tasks for me?"

It isn't clear cut whether you'll get the offer, and the noble in question must be at war.
 
StinkyMcGirk said:
-zorph- said:
Charlie Brooker said:
-zorph- said:
I have like 142 renown because I have been doing tournaments, so I guess I can become a mercenary now; so how do I determine the best faction to fight for?

You should just go for personal preference. The most powerful faction is always the one with the human. (Except Khergits) :razz:

You seem to like Swadians, so keep asking their lords for tasks until one asks you to become a mercenary. Then you can join in on the lord battles which will give you a crapload of renown, so then you can go to the king, become a vassal and get your first fief.

With lords, it's good to have a high relation with them as it means when a new fief is conquered, it's more likely to be given to you. It'll also help if you decide to do a claiment quest or start your own kingdom, as it'll be easier to get them to join your faction.

Ok so how do I become a mercenary? I've talked to several Lords and none are offering me the mercenary option. What dialogue choice do I pick for them to offer it?

"Do you have any tasks for me?"

It isn't clear cut whether you'll get the offer, and the noble in question must be at war.

Ok cool. Thanks a lot! This game is so much fun, but not all of the features/happenings are so evident at first. It's all hidden to us new players unfortunately.
 
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