The medieval era is a colorful setting full of wars, plagues, huge financial gaps, all caused by heaps of political intrigue. The complex political landscape of the time is something that Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord has taken to heart when it crafted a historical mock-up of the medieval age as its game world.
The feudal playground of Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord is every bit as treacherous and dangerous as their real-world inspirations. You'd do well in weighing your options in whose side you want to take, who you want to betray, and who you want as your enemies. Hence, here are all of Bannerlord's factions, ranked by how powerful they are.
Updated February 14, 2023, by Christopher Argentino: With Mount & Blade 2 officially released to the public, it's time to look at the best factions in the game. With the new troops we have compared to the original release and all the new ways to increase your treasury, what are the best factions in the game? Nobody wants to find themselves stuck between hordes of bandits when they can't muster up a strong army. So make sure you pick the right place to start because those first moments in the game are crucial to making your way to becoming the true Bannerlord.
8 Southern Empire
The Southern Empire, like the Northern Empire, sought to gain dominion over what remained of the Calradic Empire. Instead, the widow of the deceased emperor of the once-intact empire rules it. As such, it's in a bad spot and typically has the most challenging position among all three splinter empires.
The Southern Empire's ruler is stalwart yet inexperienced, and it's also beset on all sides by its Northern and Western counterparts as well as the Khuzaits and the Aserai but was able to hold them off for the time being with their Imperial Legions.
7 Northern Empire
Being a splinter faction of the once-mighty Calradic Empire, the Northern Empire has certainly seen better days. One can argue that it has one of the most well-protected positions on the map, being situated north of the mountains. It also has a stronger economy compared to non-empire factions.
As for its armies, the Northern Empire, or speaking for all remnants of the Calradic Empire, has one of the most versatile units in the game. Their infantry, save for the early or low tiers, have excellent survivor skills and utility and can also fill in many roles. However, the particular distinct strength of the Northern Empire lies in its siege equipment and archers.
6 Sturgia
Sturgia is the nation or faction located on the topmost part of the world map, which is a healthy spot as all their enemies can only come from the South. You'll even be a bit safer from the Calradic Empire, as a huge body of water stands between you and the two splinter factions.
The primary inspiration for these guys is the Nordic people. Their armies' backbone consists of heavily armored infantry with large shields and is able to form formidable shield walls. Of course, you'll still use their cavalry and archers appropriately to flank the enemy and box them in.
5 Western Empire
The Western Empire is more or less the strongest among the three splinter factions of the Calradic Empire. This group consists of veterans of the former empire who formed their own nation in the civil war.
As such, their options on the battlefield are made for conquest with imposing siege weapons and tried and tested Imperial Legionaries to boot, you can't leave out the amazing Imperial Cathapracts that will turn the tide of any battle. You'll certainly be needing them as they're surrounded on all fronts by their civil war enemies and the younger factions.
4 Battania
Based on real-world Celtic people, Battania is a hardy faction full of battle-worn individuals. You're practically surrounded by four other factions that are not all friendly towards them. Their army's weaknesses are subpar cavalry and lightly armored troops. However, their specialized Noble units can turn the tide of battle quickly.
When using the Battanian you'll also have some of the best archers, the Battanian Fian Champion. Another strength lies in countering cavalries as a lot of their troops carry falxes or polearms. Some of their melee units even carry throwing axes which makes them versatile enough. Still, you might not want to start as a Battanian as a new player since their territory is heavily contested. You'll be frequently in the middle of a war, but maybe it's just what you are looking for.
3 Khuzait
If you fancy emulating Genghis Khan or Attila the Hun, then Khuzait might be the faction for you. It's based on Turkish and Mongolian civilizations, where the mounted archers are top-notch along with another heavy cavalry. As such, the typical Khuzait army consists of plenty of horses.
Their weakness lies in their infantry, specifically the starting or low-tier ones as those lacking access to polearms, making it hard for them to counter cavalry. Meanwhile, their horse archers are also amazing melee fighters, the Khan Guard will become your favorite troop. Like the Aserai, however, the Khuzait have a good spot on the world map—their potential enemies can only come from the West.
2 Vlandia
Vlandia is heavily inspired and influenced by the Normans of Normandy who invaded England, hence they're also appropriately placed as the Westernmost part of the world map. Much like the English or Normans, Vlandia's cavalry is one of the best in-game.
Their heavy lancer cavalry is an unstoppable force on the battlefield, and, when paired with well-rounded infantry, it's easy to win with them. Their weakness lies in ranged units as their bowmen can only use crossbows. Regardless, you can't go wrong with Vlandia's heavy cavalry and red motif. These guys mean business.
1 Aserai
Down south in the world map of Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord lies Aserai, home to the fearsome and resilient camel cavalry and saber wielders. The Aserai are based on Islamic medieval factions. Despite their unique cavalry, the strength of the Aserai lies in their archers and mounted archers which can cause gradually significant damage while their low-tier infantry holds the enemy in place.
This also makes the Aserai a more conservative army when it comes to casualties especially if you play your archers right. As enemies, you'd do well to go for their ranged units as the low-tier infantry can easily be outclassed and outmatched by more specialized troops. Meanwhile, they do have the perfect spot on the world map, as all their potential enemies are only going to come from the north.