Best Units In Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord

Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord sees players take to the field with hundreds of individual troops at one time. These combatants range from peasant recruits equipped with colorful robes and their father’s pitchfork to elite heavily armored shock troops that can ravage the battlefield.

But, with every culture in Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord having various high-tier options to cut down the enemy in melee, pepper them with arrows, or knock them down with a thunderous charge, which troops do it the best? Look no further – here’s our ranking of the most effective units on the battlefield, by their role.

Updated On November 17th, 2024 By Joshua Leeds:

Armies in Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord are made up of all sorts of units that you’ll need to split into different control groups to properly utilize. This list has been further expanded to give more affordable options for the early game but also better advice on how to use your very diverse armies later in the game.

25 Vlandian Pikeman

• Polearm – 130
• Two-Handed – 130
• Athletics – 130

The Vlandians are known for their anti-cavalry units, and the Pikeman is a great option to counter them. While they don’t have the same flexibility as other options later on this list, Pikeman excels specifically at devastating cavalry charges, and their one-handed sword is great for cleaning up any riders whose horses were killed.

Overall they have okay armor, but won’t last long against ranged units as they lack a shield. Vlandian Pikeman are great defensive units when you face your enemy in open fields, though that will usually be a situation you want to avoid.

24 Imperial Palatine Guard

• One-Handed – 130
• Bow – 140
• Athletics – 130

While crossbows are usually the way to go, Imperial Palatine Guards are great opens for bow-using ranged units. These units have a short bow that makes them excel in quicker reloads and firing at enemies at a medium to close range.

These units are great for defending fiefs, and the majority of them in your army should be used as such. While they do have an okay one-handed sword as a backup, these units should always stay behind anything with a shield.

23 Aserai Vanguard Faris

• Polearm – 200
• One-Handed – 170
• Riding – 170

The Aserai Vanguard Faris are some of the best units in the Aserai faction, being heavily armored riders that excel while mounted or on foot. Despite the small appearance, the shield they carry can take an incredible beating, along with their armor.

These units also come with multiple javelins a piece, and it’s best to kite enemies a bit to weaken them before charging in with their spears. Should a rider get knocked down, their sword and shield combat can be just as deadly against most infantry.

22 Strugia Heavy Axeman

• One-Handed – 130
• Throwing – 130
• Athletics – 130

The Strugians are known for their powerful infantry, and Axeman is the more affordable backbone of their army. They carry the staple large shield that makes them ideal against charging up to ranged units in the field or those guarding a fief.

They wear medium armor that doesn’t slow them down but still protects well against anything that gets through their shield. They also carry multiple throwing weapons that help give them a further edge against same-tier infantry of other factions.

21 Aserai Mameluke Heavy Cavalry

• Riding – 130
• Bow – 130
• One-Handed – 130

The Aserai don’t have many mounted archers, but the Aserai Mameluke Heavy Cavalry is the upgraded version of the only ones they do have. Their short bows are ideal for strafing, and their light armor keeps the horses moving quickly.

While still on the lighter side, the armor of these units has better ratings than the Aserai Mameluke Cavalry. While they do have a backup one-handed sword, it’s just about never recommended to send them into battle to use it, mounted or on foot.

20 Battanian Veteran Falxman

• Polearm – 130
• Athletics – 130
• Throwing – 120

The Battanian Veteran Falxman is an ideal anti-cavalry unit that is a good bit more affordable than other options on this list. While they have a decent Polearm and skill to use it properly, they also start each battle with throwing axes, a staple in many Battanian troops.

While they only get two throwing axes, these are great openers should they have to fight other infantry, while also giving a ranged option in case they are dealing with mounted archers.

19 Ghulam

• Polearm – 110
• Riding – 100

There isn’t a lot of choice in fielding camel cavalry in Bannerlord, but the Ghulam is by far the best option, even matching the performance of some tier 4 and 5 horse riders. Unlike their Jawwal Bedouin cousins, Ghulam units have decent armor and can usually take a couple of hits before going down.

Their weakness is their offensive stats – with only 110 Polearm skill and 90 One-Handed skill, and some pretty average weaponry, their killing power is rather lackluster compared to other tier 4 mounted units. Still, they make for a rather unique and fresh addition to the player’s army.

18 Sturgian Heavy Spearman

• One-Handed – 140
• Polearm – 140
• Athletics – 125

If you are looking for a solid anti-cavalry unit, the Sturgian Heavy Spearman is one of the better choices. They wield a steel spear, which can be braced to deal devastating damage to incoming charges. Unlike other polearm infantry, they also carry a shield, which is a blessing when going up against archers and infantry in close-quarters combat.

While they may not be the most effective anti-cavalry troop in the game, these footmen will get the job done and are particularly effective when fighting the powerful horse archers of the Khuzait.

17 Sturgian Druzhinik Champion

• One Handed – 200
• Polearm – 170
• Riding – 170

Strugian Druzhinik Champions dominate in mounted combat despite Strugians not being known for their powerful cavalry. These units are fairly expensive and rare to come by but are heavy cavalry units whose armor, shield, and polearm will make quick work of an enemy’s mounted units.

They also have a one-handed sword which can help deal with infantry they charge into, and keep them viable in combat should the horse fall before the rider. These units have a hefty shield and armor, already making them hard to take down before adding the speed of a horse.

16 Imperial Bucellarii

• One-Handed – 130
• Bow – 130
• Riding – 120

The main benefit of the Imperial Bucellarii is that they are a decent horse archer unit that isn’t Khuzait. They actually have 10 more Bow skill at 140 than their Khuzait counterpart, but lose 10 Riding to their nomad cousin and are far less armored. They also suffer from a reduced arrow count and slightly reduced damage.

Regardless, if players want to field horse archers from a different culture, or if they are at war with the Khuzaits and can’t recruit new troops, these riders are an ideal replacement.

15 Sturgian Heroic Line Breaker

• Two-Handed – 150
• Athletics – 150
• Throwing – 130

Entirely living up to their name, Heroic Line Breakers are designed to crush and pummel the enemy infantry into submission. Their two-handed axes are devastating in melee and can reduce a shield to splinters in a matter of moments. They also boast throwing axes, which act as an opening barrage on the enemy’s lines.

Unfortunately, Heroic Line Breakers have some disappointing armor stats, with their Sturgian tier 5 counterparts all clad in significantly stronger gear. This makes them vulnerable to archers, and results in them performing poorly in sieges, limiting them to a niche role on the battlefield.

14 Aserai Master Archer

• Bow – 160
• One-Handed – 130
• Athletics – 130

With a strong Bow skill of 160, the Aserai Master Archer outperforms most other archer units in the game, including the commonly-used Imperial Palatine Guard, and its Sturgian and Khuzait counterparts.

However, the Master Archer’s main downfall is a lack of survivability in melee combat. Their armor is weak, and their melee weapon and one-handed skill are nothing to write home about. Outside of wide-open field battles (which notably are very common in Aserai terrain), they struggle compared to more armored and durable archer units.

13 Imperial Sergeant Crossbowman

• One-Handed – 130
• Crossbow – 130
• Athletics – 130

Well-armored, and more than capable of defending themselves in combat, the Imperial Sergeant Crossbowman is an ideal unit for field battles. They can deal deadly piercing damage to enemy lines as they close in, before charging into the frontline as a strong melee combatant.

Cavalry has a tough time trying to deal with them, and these heavy crossbowmen will generally help to dispatch any kind of threat the archer line might be facing. Of course, it also helps that they are widely available, as all Imperial units are, across the continent of Calradia.

12 Khuzait Darkhan

• One-Handed – 130
• Polearm – 130
• Athletics – 130

While the Khuzait are known for their vast and powerful cavalry, the Darkhan is the perfect counter to a cavalry. These units come with a strong polearm and shield, along with a strong one-handed weapon to clean up whatever is left.

They do also come with a shield that has good durability, but its size keeps it from being an outstanding addition. Their armor is on the lighter side, as is normal with Khuzait units, so their overall survivability isn’t very high; though they will take down some mounted units before falling themselves.

11 Aserai Veteran Infantry

• One-Handed – 160
• Polearm – 130
• Athletics – 130

A unit that is often underrated, Aserai Veteran Infantry used to be rather weak in early access but has since been given a boost to make them one of the better infantry options. While not quite as heavily armored as their competition, they do boast the highest One-Handed skill of all tier 5 infantry at 160.

This makes them a presence to be feared in close-quarters combat, and as a front-line unit in field battles, they can prove to be exceptional. In sieges, they may suffer due to their lack of leg armor but will more than make up for it after gaining entry to the fortress.

10 Vlandian Voulgier

• Two-Handed – 130
• Polearm – 130
• Athletics – 130

The Vlandian Voulgier is a bit of a glass canon, as they don’t have much in terms of defense and only okay armor overall. That being said, these units excel at fighting just about anything, thanks to their signature weapon the Voulge.

This weapon is great against cavalry and infantry, being even more effective against infantry. Its long sweeping attacks from a safe distance make it to where your units don’t have to worry about their light armor, just as long as the enemy doesn’t have too many archers.

9 Khuzait Heavy Horse Archer

• One-Handed – 130
• Bow – 130
• Riding – 130

As one would expect from a culture like the Khuzait, their tier 5 horse archers are one of the best in the game. They are heavily armored, and strong in both ranged and melee combat.

Beyond this, the ability for a player to spam these units can prove dangerous, as they are upgraded all the way from a Khuzait Nomad in the main troop tree. This makes them easy to acquire, without the need for noble recruits, allowing players to devastate the battlefield with large numbers of these hard-to-catch horse archers.

8 Vlandian Sergeant

• One-Handed – 130
• Polearm – 130
• Athletics – 130

The Vlandian Sergeant is the pinnacle of Vlandian infantry and outclasses most other top-tier infantry units throughout the game. Their one-handed mace and two-handed spear give them options against any enemy, but their main selling point is their armor.

The Vladnian Sergeants have some of the strongest armor out there, letting them take a beating before going down. While their shield may not be the best, attacks that get through won’t do any noticeable damage to these tanks.

7 Imperial Elite Menavliaton

• One-Handed – 130
• Polearm – 130
• Athletics – 130

Wielding a lengthy menavlion, these anti-cavalry troops specialize in bringing mounted troops crashing into the dirt. Their extended reach is highly effective in striking cavalry before they strike first, and although the menavlion can’t be braced like other polearms, it tends to be more consistent than the high-risk high-reward nature of bracing.

The Elite Menavliation also performs well in combat with other infantry, something many anti-cavalry units struggle with. These guys won’t be replacing a player’s main-line infantry anytime soon, but they’re a great supplement to it.

6 Imperial Legionary

• One-Handed – 130
• Polearm – 130
• Athletics – 130

The power behind the Imperial Legionary is that it’s a great all-rounder, capable of breaking a cavalry charge or decimating enemy infantry in melee combat, but never masters one thing. They are clad in some of the best infantry armor in the game and come equipped with a sizable shield, providing some great survivability.

As for offense, they are equipped with both a one-handed weapon for sieges and close combat and a polearm to take out cavalry. These guys are tough to kill and perform well in almost every battlefield situation, making them a good pick for main-line infantry.