Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord is a RTS/RPG war game by TaleWorlds Entertainment. Developers wanted to create a game with a heavy focus on realistic medieval combat tactics, castles and strongholds that were true to each culture, and even an in-game economy governed by the laws of supply and demand.
Those who love things regarding the history of cultures will feel like they truly fighting their way across a fictional Holy Roman Empire during medieval times.
Architecture and Combat
Developers took to the history books to research how different countries fought and what weapons they carried into battle. They took into account the angle of an axe swing or the angle you must use to ensure your arrow meets its target. They want players to enjoy the authentic feel of fighting on a medieval battlefield.
A lot of creativity went into the designs for the Khuzait building as they took their inspiration from the nomads of China and Mongolia. Because they were nomads, Ali Eser, Illustrator and Concept Artist for Bannerlord, said they had to design a lot of the architecture themselves since nomads didn’t typically have large dwellings.
The countries featured in Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord are the Aserai, Battania, Khuzait, the Northern Empire, the Western Empire, the Southern Empire, Sturgia, and finally Vlandia.
Time Appropriate Clothing
Ali is currently working on designing clothing unique to each of the cultures in Calradia. Some games will make certain player choices have an effect on what the citizens in their territory will wear, but so far there is no word on if Bannerlord will give players that kind of influence. We know that the soldiers of each castle will have armor unique to their culture.
Combat Realism
In an effort to enhance the realism of battle, control points will move across the map forcing players to think tactically about the best vantage point to attack from or where to stage a proper ambush.
Players can wield a number of different weapons to great effect. Hitting soldiers in the knees will get them limping, and landing a blow to the chest with a bastard sword will make your enemies cough up blood. If you manage to spear an enemy rider’s horse directly in the chest, see the animal crumple to its knees and the rider catapulted from his mount.
Historically accurate weapons of war (siege towers, battering rams, trebuchet/catapult) gives gamers the genuine feel of being the Lord of a medieval army.
The Concept of Castles
To make things more realistic when it came to building strongholds, Ali ensured the designs were only based on things that could be built in the real world with the equivalent technology. He had to make sure that the walls he drew up were those that could be built in real life and with tools available during the medieval time period.
It was also necessary for designers to think about what technologies each culture had at their disposal during the medieval time period. Focus was also less on looks and more about the functionality of a stronghold as well. In
What realistic aspect are you most excited to see in Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord?
