Newbie questions

[Febus]

Hi,

I am a newbie to that wonderful and amazing game.

I have a few questions and I would like to use that thread for them.

Let's start with basic ones:

1) For my character if I start not being a noble I cannot have a banner, is there a way later in the game to get a banner in such a case ?

2) The choice of faction
Swadian looks like the most balanced and easiest way to start. I like Nords but the sea raiders are way too dangerous. Any advices or tips regarding the factions (I already red the guides) to start with ?

3) To get quick reputation nothing better than winning a competition with other knights (joute or tournoi). My problem is Swadian are doing those competition on horses and for me I cannot afford it but I am pretty good when walking. So is it a non sense to select Swadian and then go to compete to competition in Nords or another city and get reputation there instead of my faction ?

Thank you for your help

 

[Fehnor]

1: Yes
2: Explore! Every game is different.
3: Once you join a faction, follow the marshal into battle. There's other ways, (hold feasts, don't capture enemy lords). None of these methods are particularly quick.

Edit: For 3, keep in mind that if horses are used, you will be loaned one. All the tourney equipment is separate from your personal equipment. You can compete in any city you are not at war with.

 

[Febus]

I did I joined the marshall in battle and it was a major issue for my group because I entered the campaign without enough cash so I got quickly harrased and my troops suffered a lot. I was also lacking good armor and solid training. In one word I was unprepared.

By the way I may try the Nords and non noble.

But then what are the best way to get money ?

Because quest sometimes are not really beneficial...

 

[Fehnor]

Do some trading, and use the cash to buy shops from guild masters in cities.

 

[ChaosSoldier1]

Tournaments are good money if you know when to block and how to fight. It's pretty much how I got really rich.

 

[Sathariel]

Raiding villages can make you lots of cash when you sell all the loot.
Just make sure to only raid the villages from factions you are at war with.

 

[sandoval]

I've always wondered how newcomers are supposed to win tournaments. Not only are tournaments difficult to win with a low level character, but there is always a lot of luck needed. So what is the secret? Do you all play at ¼-difficulty? Or do you safe and reload after a lost fight? I'm really curious.

 

[Golradir]

Autoblock and ctrl+h when i was young 

 

[Cleomenes]

Autoblock and ctrl+h when i was young 

Thats what you do all the time 

 

[annallia]

For the Nords and your problem with Sea Raiders the best bet is to stay in the Sargoth/Thir portion of their territory. There are occasional bands of raiders there but most of what you will run into are looters.

Best way to make money early game for me has always been to take prisoners. Get a companion or two and equip yourself, and companions with maces. Set your companions in their own group tell your normal troops to hold position at the start and go riding after looters or whatever form of bandits your are fighting with just you and your companions. Take the prisoners to Thir and find the slave trader (do this for looters only as they are only 30ish coins from a ransom broker but 50 from the slave trader) anything else find a ransom broker and sell them there.

Another way (though some would find it... sketchy) is to go to a lord of a faction you dont intend to join and ask if they have any jobs for you to do (I find it best if done with the King or anyone who holds a town rather than a castle/village) and see if you can get them to let you collect taxes from said town for them. Now for a town you could collect the taxes and still go back to finish the task and collect around 2k (varies) or do what I like to do and skip town never to return unless with an army and keep all the money for myself (around 8-10k usually).  From there start setting up enterprises. It may seem like a waste dropping 10k on a enterprise in a town, however that 500ish income you get weekly afterwards makes it all worthwhile.

After you have leveled up some, got your companions to a decent level and fair armor head out to Wercheg/Rivacheg area and start hunting them sea raiders. If you have a decent looting skill (is it a party skill? if so a companion will work for that) the loot from the raiders will usually bring in a decent profit if you are getting armor rather than shields and axes, any prisoners you take sell for a decent price at the ransom brokers as well.


Swadians in my opinion are the worst faction to start with just above the Khergits. Khergits I say because their armies are... limited, Swadians I say because they are constantly at war with 2 or more factions which makes for a chaotic start.

 

[JosieJ]

This game rewards the patient: carefully laying the groundwork before you join a faction will save you some trouble later on.

Start slow: fight looters and keep your band small and mobile.  Mounted units are fastest--Khergit units are cheap, and all get a horse at tier 2.  Khergit Lancers aren't as strong as, say, Swadian Knights, but they're cheaper and easier to train.  If you're going to trade awhile--which I recommend--they make excellent guards.  Trade around and buy enterprises in towns as you get enough money.  Enterprises are an excellent way of keeping the money rolling in without doing much work.  As you're trading, you could also fight bandits--looters at first, then other types of bandits, working up to Sea Raiders.  Sell any prisoners to Ransom Brokers and sell any loot you're not using (although Sea Raiders drop pretty strong armor that you'll want to use for awhile).  Recruit and level up companions, giving each a few points in Training so that you can train up an army in a short period of time.  While you're doing all this, you can join any tournaments you come across.  You may also want to do a few quests for lords and kings--in all factions, but especially in one you might want to join.  Additionally, whenever you see lords in dungeons, break them out--this is an excellent way to build up relations with lords, and as long as you're independent, you never have to worry about sneaking into a hostile castle or town. 

Once you're strong enough and have enough enterprises to cover your troop costs, you can disband your Khergit "caravan guards," join a faction, and start building up a more mixed army suitable for both field battles and sieges.  By laying the groundwork beforehand, once you join a faction, it won't matter that the fief you're granted upon joining is the poorest village belonging to the faction, since you won't be stuck relying on it for income.  You should also have good relations with many lords, both inside and outside your faction, and hopefully with the faction head as well, which should benefit you when additional fiefs are assigned.  You'll also have good renown and a strong army, and be able to quickly level up troops to replace those lost in fights, which will put you in a good position to aid your fellow vassals in field battles and sieges.