To my knowledge, the desired death count is ~4-5/ year at this point. However, there will likely need to be balancing over time since missions may not behave as expected.
Does TW have any plans to make lords escape from a battle that is not going well? Not only it makes sense for it to be this way but it would also lessen the amount of deaths of the lords in missions. It would add field battles more strategic depth because we can try to circle the enemy to not let them escape. And if an animation of surrender could be added, enemies that are circled in and acknowledged that they have lost the battle, they can put their weapons down and surrender to not die for a lost cause. Lords could surrender as well if they think that there is no escape. Lords with valor and honor can fight until they get neutralized but not all of them should do it like this.
Generally, Lords should manage the battle from afar and if they understand that they are going to lose the battle, they should take all their fast elite troops with them so that they won't be caught by the same party again and they can escape, leaving the loot and the expendable soldiers behind.
And if you can let us do this for ourselves with not just a "try to escape" button but with a chance to escape in a mission, taking all our horsemen with us and leave the footsoldiers, that would be amazing.
With this system, since Lords won't lose all their army, they could come back to the action quicker. The outcome of the battles wouldn't be all the same, sometimes you get the Lord as a prisoner and sometimes you cannot. Strategy of the field battles would be deeper. Game might be more balanced because lords could replenish their party quicker, and they wouldn't die at the current rate which is too high.
I know TW doesn't have a plan like this, don't mind me asking at first but please think about this.This seems to fix so many things.