How Do I Start Out...?

[Azrooh]

I love this mod and how it works, but I just can't seem to get off the ground. I start, hire some peasants, hunt some weak bandits, get their armor to sell, and am then accosted by more bandits (literally) every few steps. I can either attack them and die, or pay them until I run out of funds, at which point I die.
Then they capture me, I ride back, and sell what I have left for approximately the same amount I started with. The cycle then starts again.
Anybody have any tips..?

 

[Puritan]

I love this mod and how it works, but I just can't seem to get off the ground. I start, hire some peasants, hunt some weak bandits, get their armor to sell, and am then accosted by more bandits (literally) every few steps. I can either attack them and die, or pay them until I run out of funds, at which point I die.
Then they capture me, I ride back, and sell what I have left for approximately the same amount I started with. The cycle then starts again.
Anybody have any tips..?

I save and reload. Alot. Especially for bandit quests.

It also helps to keep asking lords for work till one gives you the collect taxes quest. Assuming the villiage isn't cinders, you should be able to collect enough buy a decent maille shirt (40+ body protection). Thus armored, you will have a greater chance surviving...

 

[izackarthur]

my advice is SAVE a lot. Save before everything that way you always have the chance to do it again,

 

[Mystery]

I usually start by looking for companions while trading.  It seems like it take a bit for the prices to get stabalized but early on a Flax (Licidfeath for as low as 85 shillings) to Emain Macha (usually over 1000 shillings) helps a lot.  Same with a salt run from Eburacurum (what ever York is called) to Din Eidyn.  Salt can be sold in a lot of places, but those two runs are usually relatively free of bandits.  The Flax run is my favorite.

Finding Aelfir with his 7 trade always helps. 

Avoid the south east, it is full of Danes and Franks and if you burn the bodies they just keep coming.

 

[Azrooh]

I usually start by looking for companions while trading.  It seems like it take a bit for the prices to get stabalized but early on a Flax (Licidfeath for as low as 85 shillings) to Emain Macha (usually over 1000 shillings) helps a lot.  Same with a salt run from Eburacurum (what ever York is called) to Din Eidyn.  Salt can be sold in a lot of places, but those two runs are usually relatively free of bandits.  The Flax run is my favorite.

Finding Aelfir with his 7 trade always helps. 

Avoid the south east, it is full of Danes and Franks and if you burn the bodies they just keep coming.

Alright, thanks.

Also, to the other two, I only use realistic saves + everything turned to its hardest - anything else just feels like cheating.

 

[Adorno]

... I only use realistic saves - anything else just feels like cheating.

That's because it is, don't listen to them 
Make sure you have a fast party. Only hire a few recruits at a time and let them level up while getting points in pathfinding.
Avoid the entire area south of London/Lundenwic As Mystery said.
Don't do big trade runs while being weak or you will be too slow to outrun bandits.

 

[iamahorse]

I like ingratiating myself with a certain lord and his associated villages. While doing this I'll do random odd jobs like hunting bounties and animals, easy guild master quests (looter quest I'm looking at you), and whatever else leads to easy money (the above mentioned trade routes, for one).

Getting armor is actually very easy if you are willing to walk the 'evil' path. Raid for cattle, embezzle other lords' money (even kings', if you do not plan on joining their factions!) etc. etc.  My only scruple with this is that I like to roleplay and I find it hard to believe that a king will trust some random sellsword with gathering his taxes unless he at least knows the guy (so I need a high rep. or have a noble background, even the the nobility has to stem from that relative region).

If you're more so the power-gamer type then just do the above. Screw honor, might makes right.

 

[Mugatu]

I started in Arigalla (Ireland) and havent had much problems with bandits - just recruit as many villagers and max out your party limit ASAP - Then trade Iron and Salt. Once you have a fulll party every bandit should be running from you (except dena raiders of course - so stay out of southern england)

 

[Ser Pounce-A-Lot]

I started in Arigalla (Ireland) and havent had much problems with bandits - just recruit as many villagers and max out your party limit ASAP - Then trade Iron and Salt. Once you have a fulll party every bandit should be running from you (except dena raiders of course - so stay out of southern england)

An advice too late for me.
As a foreign priest travelled far to Southern england, I suffered greatly before the shield wall of those vicious pirates and Franks.

 

[Vaanshir]

I did a Lone Man Trading Run for a while, getting a good amount of coin under my belt, but now that I want to fight and get my stats up seeing as I dodge all combat, I can't survive long enough with the low ranked units against the Bandits cause the weaker ones don't seem to spawn after a month of being wiped out...

 

[Mugatu]

I did a Lone Man Trading Run for a while, getting a good amount of coin under my belt, but now that I want to fight and get my stats up seeing as I dodge all combat, I can't survive long enough with the low ranked units against the Bandits cause the weaker ones don't seem to spawn after a month of being wiped out...

1. Pick up as many villagers as you can and head to a training camp
2. Fight the low levels but don't upgrade them until they are all available for upgrades
3. Once they can all be upgraded, upgrade them and fight bandits to get more experienced troops
4. Dont be shy to interviene in battles that are against bandits or deserters

 

[Vaanshir]

Oh I am doing that, but its getting annoying, though fighting Spys give a good bit of EXP for a Sparring Match... 18exp each...

 

[Mugatu]

Dont fight Spies, they cant upgrade.

Fight your lowest level units only until they can all be upgraded - There is a bonus exp to the unit you fight.

And if your really having trouble just pick up mercs (not spies) to help you out.

PS - Melee is better then Archer Units as far as I know. Especially in the early stages. They take more hits and they do much more damage.

Dismount your horse and help flank the enemy units when they collide with yours. The whole point is to have an army that can withstand the enemies blows so you can get to level 3 units quickly.