kaeldragor
Knight
So, I've been fiddling with Warband lately. And we likely have a few more small patches before things truly get stable, but it seems that in the mean time there are things just not explained by the manual. Contrary to what the complainers out there have said, Warband isn't "just graphics and multiplayer".
My testing shows a rather robust and significantly improved singleplayer experience, if one prone to the occasional bug at the moment.
One item of particular interest that I couldn't find covered properly anywhere else had to do with Companion Missions. So I'll be covering what I know in this first post here. Feel free to contribute, ask questions, or correct me, as needed below.
First, Companion Missions are launched from the companion conversation menu ("ask them about something") and seem to have only two flavors: Gathering Intelligence and Gathering Support.
Gathering Support - mention you want to be a ruler - seems to always net you (3) Right to Rule points. Each companion can only do this for you once. That means a possible total of (4
Right to Rule points just from your companions. These missions take 20 days to complete, each. To raise this support, each companion has an idea of what you should promise, and spreads rumors to match. Note that one other companion always disagrees with the idea had by the companion going on the mission. This may impact party dynamics, details to follow...
Gathering Intelligence - ask if they have any connections - allows you to scout enemy nations and determine the % of lords that are a) disgruntled and/or b)restless. I'll add details below as it becomes more clear exactly what these values mean from a strategic standpoint, but it seems reasonable that at the least it is a good way to see how likely you are to convince lords to abandon their liege. It also seems that each subsequent mission regenerates these numbers. I don't believe they are "based on real events", but rather randomly generated within certain parameters (likely due to personality, political and controversy issues within that nation). In other words, if I'm correct, DON'T send a new mission if the numbers are currently favorable. Of course, I could be wrong. This is where a manual on the topic would be helpful.
TIP 1: Space your missions out a little. Companions seem unable to RETURN to the party if another companion is "returning first" that day. In other words, I recommend you time your missions such that only one companion is coming back on any particular day. Otherwise they with "queue" up and be delayed returning to the group, neither completing their missions, nor helping you in combat or with skills.
I'll edit this as I gather more solid information.
Intelligence Missions and the Nations they target:
Alayen - Vaegirs
Artimenner - Khergit
Baheshtur - Khergit
Borcha - Khergit
Bunduk - Rhodoks
Deshavi - Nords
Firentis - Swadia
Jeremus - Khergit
Katrin - Swadia
Klethi - Vaegirs
Lezalit - Swadia
Marnid - Nords
Matheld - Nords
Nizar - Swadia
Rolf - Rhodoks
Ymira - Rhodoks
*NOTE: It seems no one can Gather Intelligence in Sarranid lands?*
Support Missions, summary of intent and who objects:
Alayen - promise to enforce the hierarchy of lords (Borcha objects)
Artimenner - promise to pay all debts (Rolf objects)
Baheshtur - allow free travel across lords' lands (Alayen objects)
Borcha - announce a general amnesty for crimes (Lezalit objects)
Bunduk - allow appeals directly to the throne (Deshavi objects)
Deshavi - wipe out all bandits and criminals (Ymira objects)
Firentis - enforce one law for all the land (Matheld objects)
Jeremus - undermine previous emperors and traditions that lead to the throne (Nizar objects)
Katrin - claim to have the "mark of kings" on your hand (Artimenner objects)
Klethi - promise nobles they can get away with anything (Jeremus objects)
Lezalit - announce planning conquest of other lands too (Katrin objects)
Marnid - favor commerce above politics / war (Klethi objects)
Matheld - promise nobles they can settle disputes with combat (Marnid objects)
Nizar - come up with an epic tale about your glory (Bunduk objects)
Rolf - lie about your lineage (Firentis objects)
Ymira - form a Council of Lords and Commons (Baheshtur objects)
*NOTE: So far, the objections seem to result in a small but basically inconsequential morale hit to that NPC*
Obviously it'll take a bit of testing to confirm some of this, but hopefully people searching for this information can now find it.
My testing shows a rather robust and significantly improved singleplayer experience, if one prone to the occasional bug at the moment.
One item of particular interest that I couldn't find covered properly anywhere else had to do with Companion Missions. So I'll be covering what I know in this first post here. Feel free to contribute, ask questions, or correct me, as needed below.
First, Companion Missions are launched from the companion conversation menu ("ask them about something") and seem to have only two flavors: Gathering Intelligence and Gathering Support.
Gathering Support - mention you want to be a ruler - seems to always net you (3) Right to Rule points. Each companion can only do this for you once. That means a possible total of (4
Right to Rule points just from your companions. These missions take 20 days to complete, each. To raise this support, each companion has an idea of what you should promise, and spreads rumors to match. Note that one other companion always disagrees with the idea had by the companion going on the mission. This may impact party dynamics, details to follow...Gathering Intelligence - ask if they have any connections - allows you to scout enemy nations and determine the % of lords that are a) disgruntled and/or b)restless. I'll add details below as it becomes more clear exactly what these values mean from a strategic standpoint, but it seems reasonable that at the least it is a good way to see how likely you are to convince lords to abandon their liege. It also seems that each subsequent mission regenerates these numbers. I don't believe they are "based on real events", but rather randomly generated within certain parameters (likely due to personality, political and controversy issues within that nation). In other words, if I'm correct, DON'T send a new mission if the numbers are currently favorable. Of course, I could be wrong. This is where a manual on the topic would be helpful.
TIP 1: Space your missions out a little. Companions seem unable to RETURN to the party if another companion is "returning first" that day. In other words, I recommend you time your missions such that only one companion is coming back on any particular day. Otherwise they with "queue" up and be delayed returning to the group, neither completing their missions, nor helping you in combat or with skills.
I'll edit this as I gather more solid information.
Intelligence Missions and the Nations they target:
Alayen - Vaegirs
Artimenner - Khergit
Baheshtur - Khergit
Borcha - Khergit
Bunduk - Rhodoks
Deshavi - Nords
Firentis - Swadia
Jeremus - Khergit
Katrin - Swadia
Klethi - Vaegirs
Lezalit - Swadia
Marnid - Nords
Matheld - Nords
Nizar - Swadia
Rolf - Rhodoks
Ymira - Rhodoks
*NOTE: It seems no one can Gather Intelligence in Sarranid lands?*
Support Missions, summary of intent and who objects:
Alayen - promise to enforce the hierarchy of lords (Borcha objects)
Artimenner - promise to pay all debts (Rolf objects)
Baheshtur - allow free travel across lords' lands (Alayen objects)
Borcha - announce a general amnesty for crimes (Lezalit objects)
Bunduk - allow appeals directly to the throne (Deshavi objects)
Deshavi - wipe out all bandits and criminals (Ymira objects)
Firentis - enforce one law for all the land (Matheld objects)
Jeremus - undermine previous emperors and traditions that lead to the throne (Nizar objects)
Katrin - claim to have the "mark of kings" on your hand (Artimenner objects)
Klethi - promise nobles they can get away with anything (Jeremus objects)
Lezalit - announce planning conquest of other lands too (Katrin objects)
Marnid - favor commerce above politics / war (Klethi objects)
Matheld - promise nobles they can settle disputes with combat (Marnid objects)
Nizar - come up with an epic tale about your glory (Bunduk objects)
Rolf - lie about your lineage (Firentis objects)
Ymira - form a Council of Lords and Commons (Baheshtur objects)
*NOTE: So far, the objections seem to result in a small but basically inconsequential morale hit to that NPC*
Obviously it'll take a bit of testing to confirm some of this, but hopefully people searching for this information can now find it.
