It's a chance to improve on Warband. It's not like they're going to make the graphics the same. Many people looked forward to M&BII (ever since 2012) because they knew it could be improved upon in sensible ways. It had every chance of being a spectacular, glorious masterpiece that would have unequivocably left Warband in the dust. Yet instead it ended up being a convoluted, incompetent, crashy mess. Perhaps there's a way of implementing WB-style animations so that it's smoother? I don't think most people would object to that.
I recorded some duels in Bannerlord...
If that's what it takes for duels to be shorter, I don't think it's for a good reason.
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Also, two more ideas for a WB-style mod:
Switching items
BL's item switching has been problematic for 3+ years. I think it actually got worse at one point. It seems unreliable, and at the very least tedious and annoying. I don't think there were any problems with Warband's system; it worked really well, and it's not something I ever contemplated as being in need of a change.
Ladders/ramps
I can understand why ladders underwent a change, but since they're so clunky and slow now, something else could be included as well, especially for Skirmish/Battle. If ramps can be made to be raised in WB's style, then this might fill the same function that WB's ladders served; they used to work more like ramps anyway. Without these (or faster-style ladders) maps like San'di'boush or anything similar won't play out in the same way.