Suggestions for starting a new game?

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Hello!

I played native expansion on the first mount and blade, and i enjoyed that a lot, so i installed it on warband....
The problem is that i keep dieing to bandits, i can't seem to be able to get a decent start, so i am asking advices from skilled players to a noob one  :oops:

Also, i am trying to play with brutality mode OFF (mmh, can you explain what it does, as well? Thanks)
 
Zapper said:
Hello!

I played native expansion on the first mount and blade, and i enjoyed that a lot, so i installed it on warband....
The problem is that i keep dieing to bandits, i can't seem to be able to get a decent start, so i am asking advices from skilled players to a noob one  :oops:

Also, i am trying to play with brutality mode OFF (mmh, can you explain what it does, as well? Thanks)

Keep your party numbers small so you can run fast...easy to avoid bandits then.

Brutality thread:
http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,219798.0.html
 
Yeah, but.....how to upgrade units, keeping a small number of units? Since bandits groups are composed by, like, 20-30 units, i can't defeat them without the outnumber advantage
 
I start usually in Sargoth. Most of the bandit groups are between the borders with Nord and Veagirs, so you can run between several villages before running into bandits. Once you have seen some action you should have a small, but decent group to move outside that area into the sea raiders controlled no-man land.
 
I usually start in Swadia....

I totally can't figure out how to get my units experienced without fighting bandits. And if i fight bandits, i most likely die.
 
Zapper,

This is an old quote and also pertains to the older version of NE 1 version back but still relevant...easier than typing, but take it for what it's worth to you.

Quote
My 1st moves in NE are to spend the 1st coupla game months finding and recruiting the Non Player Companions and also running from Tournament to Tournament and winning lots of prize denars.    Then when my dudes are all  jacked up....THEN i recruit regulars of some sort.

I also spend allot of time Honing my skills in the arena.  When I 1st started WB... I was jealous that other guys could go in there as a Noob and beat 40 opponants.  I was determined to also be able to do it. 

So for a long time, that's all I did  (GrindFest if you will) fight in arena untill I could at least 7 times out of 10 actually win on a consistent basis.  But it was also fun and worth it.

Other tips:
* Early on using the SPACE BAR to pause your movement.  Then you can adjust or RE-adjust the path (if need be ) to avoid being caught by Mercs. So basically pay attention to what's around you and also MICRO manage your movements via pausing and reseting your path. Lastly if a person is FAST moving around the map with "Ctrl + SPACE".....THEN they will definately GET Caught by mercs if not careful.

** 1st thing I'd buy ASAP after 1st tourneyment is Ivory Arrows and Royal Long bow.  Or, allot of guys just get a long lance on a horse and kill everything...but that get's old.

***  If you're playing N.E.  you're probably like most of us (at least I think so)  MAX damge, best AI for all and probably about 90% performace or higher Difficulty.    Basically, Play the hardest for the most fun if you're good enough.
   
1) Obviously starting as Horse archer and also Lancing (or spearing type) from a safer distance is a good way to stay alive in the begining.    Usually when you tire of doing those things most people will eventually try out being a foot soldier for more of a challenge.

2) To get my companions EXP up quicker :  I usually designate them in my party as thier own group:  For example "Heros" or "Bodyguards".  Since they can't die...I'll always start a battle with myself and companions only and if we can't handle it, then i'll call in some reinforcements.    If the enemy  then breaks and runs...I'll tell the everyone to "HOLD Position" so my heros can get the EXP only. 

**  If you play on WOUNDING System...your heros will always be recovering from some sort of injury but at least they don't die.

3) "Destroying bandit lair quests" for a Lord is a VERY good way to get EXP in the begining.  You get about 3000exp and some cash every time you do it.  In the early stages of your character...you can gain levels like MAD very quickly.  If you're skilled enough to win in the arena...then a new player can do this almost immediately.  Mabe with some equipment upgrade 1st but seriously no problem in the very early levels.  Unless you take a random arrow to the head...keep moving with at least 4 of your companions and isolate the enemy. 

** I've noticed the Bandit respawns are directly proportional to either How Experienced Level My player is or How Big my Party is prior to entering.  So in other words, early attacks by myself on these encampments had few respawns of "Bad Guy's"  then when lets say you're at level 30 or higher (at that point there's more OF THEM to kill).  So that's always encouraging to just GO FOR IT.

For example...Boyar Meriga is always needing help with Sea Raiders.    Hamezan for desert bandits and such and such.  If you can find a bandit lair...then SOMEONE is willing to pay you to RID them of it. 

You know stuff like that.  "O"
 
Mmh, but should i recruit them all? Wasn't there a limit to recruitable companions?
Also, they require renown, and i can't gain it without kiling something.....And i can't seem to win tournaments: in the older mount and blade they weren't a problem, but now i really can't win.
 
Zapper said:
Mmh, but should i recruit them all? Wasn't there a limit to recruitable companions?
Also, they require renown, and i can't gain it without kiling something.....And i can't seem to win tournaments: in the older mount and blade they weren't a problem, but now i really can't win.

2010 Mount & Blade was fun but too easy.  I remember complaining to myself when WB first came out but then I saw how other guys in Multiplayer had made the adjustment.  So I said to myself "if they can do it...so can I".  Then I practiced allot. 

Did you read when I wrote in the spoiler:
When I 1st started WB... I was jealous that other guys could go in there as a Noob and beat 40 opponants.  I was determined to also be able to do it.
  Call me boring but I worked very hard to attempt to master combat so I could win in the arena as a starter character and IT'S still very hard to do.  All it takes is one mistake and you're gone. 

I sympathize with you man.  It's been said many times on this forum that  Native Expansion is for advanced players. 

I am by no means calling you a noob.  (Too many people throw that word around)  I mean, everybody gets their but handed to them in this mod sooner or later.  But it's well known that NE is difficult for a reason.  Just look at how Soul created "Brutality Mode" ... It was to make it even harder. 

I don't know what to say other than, once you get used to the level of difficulty...you can't play other mods that are too easy.   

Prophesy of Pendor is another mod that is VERY, VERY tough as well...I'd say for sure more so but I still believe N.E. rocks in it's own way. 

You gotta up your game, also don't expect to play N.E. with the same goals of conquering ALL like you can in Vanilla...at least not in the beginning. 
 
Well, i was starting to think that the increased difficulty of this game respect to the old one was only an impression....glad to see that it's not like that...
And yeah, at a certain point, in old mount and blade, i was able to kill an army only by myself, when my army was still far from the battle, and that obviously became quite boring at a certain point, but i am not saying that this mod is crap or something like that, viceversa is very nice: it adds a lot more realistic stuff to gameplay, i suppose i only have to get used to the game like i did in the old game...
 
I would still recommend starting in Sargoth(Nord), from there you can easily run in a circle, passing along Fenada -> Vayajeg -> Ambean -> Mechin -> Chide(optional) -> Tahlberl -> Jelbegi -> Ryibelet(optional) -> Gisim -> Thise 3 nord villages along the coast -> Rizi -> Hean -> Jelbigi again -> Kwynn and if you still need more troops you can either go again or wait a few days and then do this.

If you do this you hardly run into any bandit group so you can make yourself a nice warband of 30-40 recruits. Perhaps up to 60 with 2 runs and then when you aid patrols and other lord who are fighting the bandits and get your men some needed xp.

If your lucky you might be able to assist a lord or a patrol fighting a group of bandits with a load of prisoners and hire yourself some prisoners afterward. In my game i got very lucky and ended up very early in the game with 3 swabian priests and not long after another 2, making it 5. With those priests you whack most bandit groups and get yourself a large amount of prisoners you can sell. As lord of Praven (i became vassal of Nord and managed to get myself the fief of Praven) i now get free priests every week or every few days and can get up to 25 in total.
 
i start in swadia because bandits there are weakest. actually they are tough in melee, but they have no ranged weapons and no shields and that makes them susceptible to ranged tactics. i recruit 20 swadians, 30 max, and train them on the training field to swadian militias. it's slow, it's boring but it's safe. some militias carry crossbows so i just find a nice small group of forrest bandits and order my troops to hold position. i ride ahead and circle around them - usually half of them turn after me and the other half continue to run towards my troops. the militias with crossbows will take out some of the bandits and then the bandits' morale will drop and they will run away. if they reach your militias you are fvcked.

don't upgrade your militias to footmen too fast because footmen have no crossbows and they suck against bandits. just upgrade them little by little or hire some mercs to help with the jump from militias to squires or something
 
I started in Swadia too but I didn't join its faction because Swadia always seems to get pounded by 4 other factions at a same time, in all games I played.  :mrgreen:
 
dynasyhan said:
I started in Swadia too but I didn't join its faction because Swadia always seems to get pounded by 4 other factions at a same time, in all games I played.  :mrgreen:
that's why it's never boring when you play for swadia  :mrgreen:
 
Well, i always play swadia because...meh....Nords are too much nordish, for my own taste (lol), i don't play khergit because they are too much oriental, and the serranid cause they look like too much arabian style for me.....So, since i got tired to be attacked in my town by a big army of 1000+ enemies, and receive no help from my allies, i guess i will re-start trying rhodoks or vaegirs.
 
A small piece of advice for early level jumps: Bandit camps are always spawned before the quest is given, and if a bandit camp exists, whomever owns that territory will always offer you the bandit camp quest. So finding a camp first and then asking for the quest will save you a lot of time compared to getting the quest then spending weeks of game time looking for it. That 3000XP is a huge help early on.

I'm also considering changing the XP granted in the arena and training grounds, and making training grounds no longer force you to wait for any period of time (since the XP gained is basically nothing). I'm also considering adding an "expert trainer" NPC, so to speak, that will let players trade money and renown for XP to reduce the extremely long and dull grind once you are at levels 25+. For instance, a specialized trainer who will take 80,000 denars and 500 renown to grant you 80,000XP, or something like that. Just something I was thinking about.
 
Zapper said:
Well, i always play swadia because...meh....Nords are too much nordish, for my own taste (lol), i don't play khergit because they are too much oriental, and the serranid cause they look like too much arabian style for me.....So, since i got tired to be attacked in my town by a big army of 1000+ enemies, and receive no help from my allies, i guess i will re-start trying rhodoks or vaegirs.

Have you played since the troop rebalance? Rhodoks now much more reflect their "militia" origins as rebels from Swadia, so their troop lineup looks more similar to Swadia, with the focus more on light and fast troops that would be suitable for small rebellions.
 
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