Early game start up help?

[HazmatCat]

Hi, first post : )

Just wanted a little bit of advice on how to start nicely, because I keep getting killed by the 30+ groups of bandits/raiders who seem to be everywhere on my map. I can survive with about 10 men because I can outrun them, but once I start getting 20+ they catch me before I can run into a castle/town. And I mean, how do I progress with only 10 men? And training them to top tier infantry will take a long time in training fields...

If i'm missing something obvious on how to do this well please tell me : )

cheers,
hazmat

 

[dynasyhan]

get more men 

 

[Subitai]

Hi, first post : )

Just wanted a little bit of advice on how to start nicely, because I keep getting killed by the 30+ groups of bandits/raiders who seem to be everywhere on my map. I can survive with about 10 men because I can outrun them, but once I start getting 20+ they catch me before I can run into a castle/town. And I mean, how do I progress with only 10 men? And training them to top tier infantry will take a long time in training fields...

If i'm missing something obvious on how to do this well please tell me : )

cheers,
hazmat

Have you bothered to read the forum?  Just a few threads down on the main page is this: 

http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,278925.0.html

 

[Zapper]

I suggest you what have been suggested to me: win something like 4-5 tournaments, and only THEN start recruiting soldiers

 

[dynasyhan]

hopefully held tournaments are close by to where you're at so you won't run into more bandits with fewer soldiers!

 

[Netmonkey]

Try to find as many companions from taverns as you can. Try to recruit troops that you can quickly upgrade to cavalry. Get a bow and shoot the bandits from horseback. Tournaments are ofc nice if you can find any (it's pretty messed up that you can win tournaments from lvl 1 onwards but as it is, it's the easiest money in the game). When you have money, upgrade your own and your companions' gear gradually.

I'd recommend places around Suno and Uxkhal where there are forest bandits. Don't engage mercenary bands early on and don't go to Sarranid or Khergit areas because there are desert bandits and steppe bandits there which move quite fast. Once you have like 60-80 well upgraded men and some levels, I'd recommend going to around Tulga and Ichamur, because Steppe bandits yield a lot of exp and money from ransom brokers and they will attack you in the early stages so you don't have to catch them.