Greetings Warriors of Calradia!

In this War Sails developer blog, we’re turning our prow toward the untamed North to introduce the Nords. We will trace their backstory, culture, and highlight what defines the kingdom — covering architecture, equipment, troops, and more. Stick until the end to get a glimpse at the pirates that will prey on Calradia’s waters. As always, please note that some details may still change as we get closer to the release.

Join us in watching the new trailer showcasing the Nords!

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In Calradia’s far-northern reaches, long before a single crown united the Nordvyg, each settled fjord kept to its own — relying on the sea for survival. The local chieftains had their longships sail south bearing walrus ivory, whale oil, and fish to sell – then return to the fjords laden with plunder and captives.

Until recently, southerners could take comfort that the half-dozen so-called "kings" of the Nordvyg each controlled little more than a shrine or slave market surrounded by a wooden palisade. A generation ago, however, Volbjorn the Hungry returned from a decade in the empire's Vaegar Guard with great riches. He used this wealth to bend the northland to his will, forcing its chieftains through blood and bribery to pledge themselves as his jarls.

Today, his son rules, and though the bonds holding this new realm together are weak, they may be strengthened by turning their vassals' attentions to conquest. Volbjorn’s son, Halthdar the Golden of clan Throsniring, now rules from Thronderlag. He is a seasoned warrior who would otherwise be beloved by all who followed him into battle and feasted alongside him, but he is a king in a land still unhappy to be a kingdom. Many blame him for his father’s sins and would gladly return to the old days when they answered to no one.


Halthdar “the Golden” Throsniring In-Engine Cinematic


On the map, Nord lands run from the Jumne River in the east across Nordvyg to the isle of Beinland in the west, with four towns — Hargard, Thronderlag, Gretysfjord, and Hvalvik. Hargard, for example, stands on a rocky bank of the Jumne River, founded by Nordic tribes from the western fjords several generations ago. Today, it serves as the meeting place of Nords, Vanni, and Sturgians, all harvesting the wealth of the river valley to sell to the peoples of the south.


Hargard Town

Here and throughout the North, life follows the old ways — longhouses serve as home and council hall, shipwrights turn pine and oak into longships, and each clan keeps its own sagas. Across the land, the Nordvyg is built of timber and turf, with mossy thatch, curved roofs, and dragon-headed beams. The walls of Nord towns and castles follow the lay of the hills, their lines bending with the land. Timber or stone towers rise above sturdy palisades, the logs set atop foundations of solid stone.

Nord Gatehouse Levels Concept Art

Past the palisades, the tavern greets friend and stranger alike — nets on the beams, a hearth at its heart, and long tables carved with the marks of many feasts. Higher still rises the keep, where the jarl’s high seat faces the hall, and chambers lie just beyond a screen of wood and wicker.


Nord Tavern and Keep

Yet beyond these halls lies the true breadth of the Nord realm — the northern frontier, where the land itself shapes every path and battlefield. Along the coasts, rugged peaks rise steeply above the waves; inland, dense green forests close around the road; and farther still stretch wide, stony fields with only scattered trees.


Northern Battle Terrains


Nord warriors arm themselves for the sea and the hard ground alike. Their round shields may be plain, painted, or decorated. They wield hand or long axes, and spears in the shield wall, with javelins and throwing axes to hurl before the clash. Straight-edged swords hang at their sides, while the finest among them carry the Atgeir — a long-hafted blade for the strongest arms. Their armor ranges from padded coats and tough leather to mail shirts, with cloaks thrown over the shoulders against harsh weather. Helmets are made to give clear sight and easy breath, for a man must keep his wits when the deck creaks beneath him.

Nord Shields Concept Art

A Nord warband begins with the Younglings — men barely old enough to grip a shield, armed with little more than a hatchet and courage. From there, the path divides.

Those who take up the bow train as huntsmen of the woods and coasts, growing into seasoned archers in mail, able to loose volleys across a clearing or a ship’s deck.

Those who stand in the shield wall start as Drengr, before branching into the axe or spear traditions. The axe path leads from hard-bitten warriors to the fearsome Berserkr or the mighty Skjaldbrestir. The spear path climbs toward the wolf-cloaked Ulfhedinn, wielders of the deadly Atgeir.


Regular Nord Troops In-Engine Cinematic

As in every land, warriors of higher standing follow their own road to war. They begin as Aettlingr, young fighters trusted with their first shield, and rise to Thegn, proven arms in their jarl’s service. From there, they serve as Jarlsmenn and Hirdmenn, each step bringing finer mail, sturdier steel, and shields worthy of their rank. Only the fiercest and most loyal earn the honor of bearing the decorated round shield of a Huscarl.


Noble Nord Troops In-Engine Cinematic

At this point, forgive us for jumping out of in-universe “talk,” but there was no other option! With the arrival of naval battles, we are also adding new troops — mariners. For these warriors, the roll of a deck and the creak of timbers are second nature, and unlike others, they suffer no penalty when the fight moves to sea or river. Among the Nords, every warrior is a mariner, giving their warbands greater readiness for battle on the water. The Khuzaits have no such troops, while others field only a handful of dedicated mariners. Soldiers untrained for ships see all their skills diminished when battle shifts to the deck and sail. Mariners fight well on land too, though their lighter gear — suited for speed aboard ship — can leave them at a disadvantage against heavier foes ashore.

When the fighting moves inland, Nord captains rally their warriors beneath new battle banners. Their flags follow the classic Viking shape — a quarter-round cloth hung from a crossbar, fringed along the curve, and crowned with a carved beast’s head. As with other cultural banners, each design brings its own effect in land battles — some reduce the horse’s charge damage, while others rattle enemy morale.


Nord Battle Banner Cinematic


When you launch a new War Sails playthrough, the culture choices will now, of course, include the Nords. As a seafaring folk, they sail faster on rivers and in coastal seas, as well as acquire more loot from raiding villages, villagers, and caravans. That said, their armies suffer from greater cohesion loss when on land.

Next, you will be greeted by the appearance selection screen. A host of new options — 19 in total, including fresh beards, hairstyles, and tattoos — await you here to help shape a face fit for the high seas and battlefield alike.

New Tattoos, Hairstyles, and Beards

After choosing the Nord culture and your appearance, you will be greeted by the family background screen adjusted to the Nordic ways — one of several game systems we have integrated Nords into. Your choices here draw from Nords' history and tradition, making each starting path feel true to their lore. We extended the same care to other game systems, such as child education, which now includes Nord-specific prompts and outcomes. As with every culture, joining the Nord kingdom earns you a gift from the king, and victory in their tournaments brings culture-specific rewards. We also introduced 14 new Nord-themed banner icons — with the Nord faction emblem remaining exclusive to the Nords.

New Nord Banner Icons


Once you take to the seas, it won’t be long before you cross paths with pirates. They roam the waterways much like looters on land, sailing in bands of two or three light and medium ships, and haunting busy ports in search of unprepared travelers. A hard fight can leave their hulls splintered and crews bloodied, yet given time, they always return replenished to menace the trade routes again. In the southern waters, you may encounter Corsairs — their look drawn from the pirates of the Barbary Coast, with new gear crafted to match. Their ranks rise from Corsair to Corsair Warrior and finally Corsair Chief. In the northern waters, you will face Sea Raiders, the shipborne version of their land counterparts.


Corsairs In-Engine Cinematic

And that wraps up another War Sails developer blog! Drop any questions you might have in the comments below, and join us on our socials where we continue to share development updates.

Greetings Warriors of Calradia!

Our “Setting Sail” dev blog revealed the expanded Calradia coming with War Sails as well as the new campaign gameplay mechanics — and your questions quickly followed. Below you’ll find answers to some of the most common ones since our last Q&A.

Got something else you’re curious about? Drop your questions below — we’ll be picking some for the next Q&A!

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• There will be two separate world maps - the existing one for the base game and the new one for War Sails. The latter will contain changes relevant to naval gameplay and the new Nord faction discussed in our last blog.

• No, bridges won’t disrupt your naval voyage.

• Four towns and ten castles, though the exact number of castles may still change slightly as we balance the experience.

• The harsh environment of the North makes it harder to produce surplus grain, leaving the Nords to rely more on fish. Several villages across the map also had their production changed to accommodate the new Warlus Ivory and Whale Oil trade goods, as well as to boost fish yields, bringing them on par with grain as another staple food source of Calradia. All of these will introduce new trade opportunities in combination with naval voyages.

• They will no longer be there in the War Sails map.

• To open the seas, some land also had to give way. Two major crossings — once narrow land bridges — have been removed. The southern corridor between Quyaz and Ortysia, and the northern pass linking Omor to Varnovapol. This allows for travel into two massive bodies of water, which would otherwise be blocked off.

• Each party is responsible for acquiring and maintaining its own ships. However, armies may set sail even if not all linked-up parties have ships, as long as some parties in the army have them. Additionally, a low ship vs troop ratio penalizes the army’s campaign movement speed.

• Shipless parties “on route” to join the army try to link up on land or move to the last known army embarking position if the army is already naval. Once the army disembarks, they attempt to link up via land again. Parties in this limbo state also take care of their urgent needs, like acquiring food or avoiding significant threats.

• The army creation menu contains information about which summonable parties have ships — allowing you to make informed decisions that impact your army’s effectiveness on waterways.

• Yes, it includes both cavalry and horse archers. This system benefits factions like the Nords, who rely more on mariner troops, while limiting cavalry-heavy factions like the Khuzaits. The AI follows the same restrictions as the player.

• The Boatswain skill will reduce the negative effects, though the storms themselves aren’t predictable. These dynamic weather events will move across the sea and deal damage to ships caught in them. Players will be able to spot storms forming thanks to visual cues like dark clouds and thunder during a brief buildup phase. While you can’t forecast their paths, careful navigation and good ship stats can help you pass through safely or avoid them entirely.

• You need to be at the port yourself — ships can only be summoned to the port you're currently in.

• Arrival time depends on distance, but it's shorter than regular travel time. Certain perks can reduce it even further.

• No, ships will automatically leave the port when the town changes hands, regardless of who owns them. However, they will not be interactable — you will need to visit another port to summon them.

• They take place in coastal waters for seaside towns, and river battles are triggered for riverside towns.

• For each journey, the AI will weigh a land-only route against one that uses waterways. It will compare their travel time — which is impacted by many factors like equipped ships, mounts, troop counts, inventory weight, etc. It will then estimate the damage the water route would inflict on the vessels. If the ships’ current condition (plus a safety margin for unforeseen trouble) can withstand that wear, the party will choose the route that includes water; otherwise, it will stay on land.

• AI nobles aim to maintain enough ships to transport their party efficiently, with many factors taken into account. When evaluating a suitable party ship composition, they will target to have a capacity that comfortably exceeds the maximum party troop size to allow for flexibility (like taking prisoners or losing a ship). On the other hand, they will avoid compositions with too large of a skeletal crew — to prevent movement speed penalties. They also prefer balanced ship compositions with light, medium, and heavy ships, and those that align with their own culture. For example, a large party might get one of each ship type before acquiring a fourth one, while smaller ones may field just one or two. In practice, this means AI parties favor type variety and slightly overcompensate to stay mobile, though they’re also mindful not to significantly impact their clan’s treasury with their ship purchases.

• War Sails makes use of several systems and improvements that benefit from the performance and capabilities of newer hardware. Focusing on current-generation platforms allows us to make design decisions that lead to a better overall experience across all platforms.

• Yes — tariff income has been significantly rebalanced to diversify town income sources. Previously, tariffs made up only a tiny fraction of a town’s income (around 2%), but they will now contribute about 30% on average and can reach over 60% in trade-heavy towns like Danustica. This change will encourage players to consider trade routes and town specializations more carefully, making settlement management and project choices more meaningful.

• We’ve experimented with newer .NET versions, and plan to continue during less busy periods.

• Yes.

Greetings Warriors of Calradia!

Welcome to the War Sails developer blog series. We’re excited to share our progress on the features taking shape, though as with all things in development, please note that details may shift as we navigate our course towards the release of the expansion in Early Fall 2025.

With War Sails, Calradia’s horizons have grown — quite literally. Today, we want to take you behind the scenes of the world map expansion and share how we’ve reshaped the land and sea to support the introduction of the newly added Nords faction and naval gameplay. We’ll also be diving into the systems that shape life at sea — from the flow of ship movement to the tactics of naval blockades, and the stormy hazards that test every voyage across Calradia’s waters.

The world map in War Sails now stretches beyond its former borders with an expansion to the north. We can divide these additions into three parts, starting with a new rugged long strip of a south-facing coastline — the Nordvyg proper. Passing through this terrain often means crossing rocky mountains and pushing through valleys filled with dense forests, not to mention the icy, cold winters.

Nordvyg proper

To the west of Nordvyg and across the sea, we find a recently colonized Island of Beinland — the land of bones. This refers to either the walrus ivory that drew the original settlers there or the remains they left along its desolate shores.

Island of Beinland

To the east of Nordvyg, you may find yourself wandering through the Jumne river area, where mysterious burial pits left by some long-forgotten people lie scattered along the riverbanks. The river runs south, eventually reaching Khuzait lands, allowing Nords to raid and trade along the shores of lakes Laconis and Tanaesis.

Jumne river area

Adapting Calradia for naval travel meant more than opening the seas — it required reshaping the very veins of the continent. Certain rivers have been widened to support inland navigation, allowing ships to reach far beyond the open sea, while bridges have been reconsidered to maintain vital overland routes. 

Widened rivers

Several towns have also been relocated closer to water, weaving them into the expanding maritime trade network. For settlements now hugging rivers and coasts, danger sails closer — rival ports are now just a voyage away. To meet this new maritime threat, both parties and armies can now travel by water, gaining access to naval movement and combat. Armies, in particular, are restructured into fleets once they set sail — retaining much of their land-based functions, though with some changes and limitations.

Parties with ships and fleets play a major role in supporting sieges of coastal settlements — not by storming towns from the sea, but by enforcing naval blockades that cut off reinforcements, trade, and escape. When a force besieges a coastal settlement and has ships available, a blockade is automatically formed once the siege camp is established.

Naval blockade

Maintaining a blockade introduces new risks and decisions. Enemy naval parties may attempt to aid the defenders — the besieging player must then choose to engage in a naval battle or withdraw. Victory keeps the blockade intact; defeat lifts both the blockade and the siege; withdrawing preserves the land siege, but allows enemies to reinforce the town by water.

The player can also attempt to reinforce a besieged town from the water — either by breaking through the blockade at the cost of some troops, or by attacking the fleet directly to lift it. Likewise, if trapped inside, they may try a costly breakout or sally out straight for the enemy ships.

Your naval journey begins at any town with access to the sea or a river. From these ports, you can purchase or sell ships, repair and upgrade them — all for the right price in denars. Ships can also be given to your clan — either through the port, which requires a few days and a small escort of troops for delivery, or instantly by speaking to the clan members directly, where you can also take command of any ships they currently control.

Ship management

Once your ships are ready, you're free to set sail in any direction across Calradia’s expanding waters. You can then return to any town with naval access or disembark at suitable landing areas — though some coastlines, such as sharp cliffs and rugged shores, are not accessible for landing. Disembarking and boarding take time based on your party size and inventory weight, so consider this when pursuing enemies or trying to escape quickly.

After landing, however, you may find yourself busy raiding and sieging enemy settlements, eventually wandering far off from your ships. To set sail again, you can either head back to your anchored ships or make for the nearest coastal town and summon your ships to meet you there.

How swiftly you cut through the seas on the campaign map in War Sails depends on a range of factors, from ship design to shifting winds. A party’s base speed is determined by the ships it commands — their hull types and any upgrades they have. Ships with shallow drafts — like the Nordic longships — gain a speed bonus in coastal and river waters but are slower on the open sea. Open waters themselves offer a speed boost, while going over crew or cargo limits and operating with too few crew members leads to slower movement. Larger fleets also suffer penalties, mirroring the mechanics of land parties.

Movement speed over water is dependent on typical wind direction and local currents, which is represented visually by the direction of the waves and an arrow indicator. Ships going against the wind on the campaign map will automatically be shown with lowered sails.

Ship movement on the campaign map

To give an example, sailing downstream along a river is noticeably faster than going upstream, and not all rivers have the same flow strength. The seas, too, have defined flows — these do not shift over time and are set through a flowmap that influences movement speed across the water bodies.

Flowmap in the scene editor (not visible while playing)

Life at sea in War Sails wears down even the sturdiest hull. Ships take gradual damage when navigating the open sea and when under harsh weather conditions. This damage is influenced by weather strength, ship size, and a vessel’s innate seaworthiness — a stat that helps reduce the toll the seas take.

Previously mentioned wind effects are further intensified when sailing through storms. Storms are circular, dynamic weather events that move across the open seas with various degrees of strength and sizes, all the way up to hurricanes. They can form at open sea, and then continue to grow — or dissipate when crossing land terrain.

Storms

Traveling into a storm is dangerous, but with the right ships and distance from the storm’s eye, it's possible to ride the outer edge and gain speed without taking damage. Managing your ship’s condition is vital — damaged ships must be repaired at port, and poor planning can leave your vessels battered or even destroyed long before the enemy arrives.

But what happens if you lose all your ships at sea? If you're not captured by the enemy, you and your surviving troops will make a desperate journey on rafts to the nearest shoreline — but not without cost. Along the way, some units may die or get incapacitated due to starvation. The same applies if you escape captivity while still at sea — you'll drift alone to shore on a raft.

And that’s a wrap! We will be answering your questions in another War Sails Q&A next week, so drop them in the comments below. In the meantime, join us on our socials where we continue to share development updates and chart the course ahead for War Sails.

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Greetings warriors of Calradia! Before we dive into this edition of #CommunityTales, we would like to invite you to the next official Multiplayer event.

Come join us this Saturday for the fifteenth official large-scale event with up to 700 players on the same server.

Two awesome folks you already know will be joining us - Simo (YouTube) and Captain Fracas (YouTube). They will lead their factions in an epic showdown.

We will be switching between Battle and Siege modes during the event. Players are encouraged to form protective formations around their leaders and follow their orders.

Playing in the event will also grant you three times the Loot & Exp that you would normally get.

⚔ Are you ready for war? ⚔

📅 Date & Time: Saturday, 14th of June, 20:00 CET / 2 PM ET

🎯 Event Type: Siege & Battle

📍 Server Name: [EVENT] Calradian War #15 - Simo vs Captain Fracas - 3x Loot & Exp

👥 Players: Up to 700 warriors

Don’t miss it—victory awaits!

Without further ado, let’s jump right in!

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Mini but mighty by 2hiei

Can't quicksave during battle by Less-Hedgehog6303

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"I'll eat your liver!" by chuckee85

Night Siege by ♛ 𝕽𝖔𝖈𝖍𝖔 ♛

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I Played as Historical Vikings for 100 Days by sortnir

Fighting As A Legionary In BANNERLORD by Resonant

Life of a Samurai Begins by Jackie Fish

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The Bannerlord Native League #7 is drawing to an end. The divisions will be scheduling their final matches, and we`re very excited to see all the teams from all divisions that will come on top this time around!

Congratulations to Imperial Eagles and Destiny Masters for reaching the grand finals in Division A! Follow the tournament for the news about the date of the finals.

The BNL administration team has done wonderful work with the organization and maintenance of this tournament, and we hope to see many more iterations of the Bannerlord Native League.

For those unfamiliar with BNL, it is a community skirmish tournament where teams are split into divisions - with multiple teams in each division. Usually, one match is played per week against the other teams. This leads to some epic competitive fights with teams on similar footing, with more skilled players in higher divisions!

The next Calradic Campaign event will be announced in the #announcements channel on M&B Discord server a week before the date of the event.
The date of the fifty-eighth event in their Bannerlord series is scheduled to be the 21st of June.

Join for some hack and slash on their Calradic_Campaign server using their Module. If you would like a quick overview of the CC events, check out this video - What is the Calradic Campaign?

The Bretonnie Roleplay Events are highly immersive weekly multiplayer community events organized by the Le Royaume de Bretonnie \[BRE] clan. Their next Sunday event is on the 15th of June at 20:30 CET.

This recurring event focuses on strict formation and roleplaying rules in an effort to re-create massive medieval battles with more than 500 players on the server at once. The story continuously unfolds and is impacted by the results of the battle events and roleplay scenarios. This narrative is further supported by the Mod Pack which contains custom maps and items.

It is required to participate with or as part of a clan to join the event, so if you’re already in one - sign up with your clan here. Still searching for a clan? Then make your way to the Clans board and find your new home!

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If you would like to suggest content for the next #CommunityTales, make sure to tag @Mount_and_Blade on X or @mountandblade on Facebook with the #CommunityTales. Alternatively, you can reach out on our forums to Piconi or Dejan.

Greetings Warriors of Calradia!

Thank you all for your understanding and support following last week’s announcement about the delay of War Sails. Today, we want to answer some of the questions you had since our last Q&A with many more details to come in the following weeks.

Got something else you’re curious about? Drop your questions below —we’ll be picking some for the next Q&A!

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• Yes. Characters can swim, dive, climb back on board, and they’ll drown under certain conditions.

• Yes, you will be able to keep mounts in inventory on ships, but unlike on land, they will take up ship inventory space instead of providing it. They also won’t provide a speed bonus.

• Yes, you will be able to sail on rivers in War Sails, allowing you to reach certain towns and strategic points. Combat on rivers will also be supported, with scenes designed to reflect the narrow, terrain-restricted nature of river warfare.

• Yes! You’ll be able to buy trade convoys from coastal town merchants. You will also have the option of going for the standard or armed convoys, with the latter having more troops to protect against pirates. These convoys will travel from one coastal town to another, trading goods and generating profit, but they will be vulnerable to various threats along the way, so protection matters.

• Characters from the new Nord faction will have distinct Scandinavian-inspired accents in campaign conversations (similar to the current unique voice-over content per culture). New voice presets will also be added to character creation, and they will be available to all cultures.

• We’re making some visual and characteristic tweaks to Sturgia so that they will stand apart from the Nords, but we don’t want to make the changes so drastic that they feel alien to players who’ve gotten used to their current design. For example, one of the Sturgian cultural bonuses, as well as some Nordic-inspired Sturgian banner icons will be changed. Likewise, various Nordic items previously used by Sturgian troops and nobles (shields, weapons, armor, and helmets…) will be redistributed, and new shields will be added.

• We’re not introducing a new attribute, but War Sails will add three new naval-oriented skills, each bound to already existing attributes. Please bear in mind that some of these details may still change:
  
  • “Mariner” - Enhances your personal combat prowess during naval engagements and bolsters your effectiveness in leading troops and employing tactics in sea battles - bound to Vigor and Endurance.
    
  • “Boatswain” - Governs the well-being and discipline of your ship's crew, as well as the vessel's overall combat readiness, including rigging and supplies - bound to Social and Intelligence.
    
  • “Shipmaster” - Improves your navigational abilities, the effectiveness of naval siege engines under your command, and the speed and quality of ship repairs and upgrades - bound to Control and Cunning.

• No. There won’t be pathfinding or traversability changes due to seasons on the world map.

• Yes. The Campaign mode will support both the base game's main storyline as well as the new naval questline.

• You won’t get a free ship from the start, but you will find that smaller ones are quite affordable.

• Ports are separate scenes accessible both through the settlement menu and from within the town scenes, much like the tavern scenes.

• Technically, there will be no limit to the number of ships you can own on the campaign side, but each ship will require a certain number of troops to operate. Falling short of that number will proportionally slow down the party’s sailing speed. Additionally, as you go above a certain number of ships, you will start to incur naval campaign speed penalties.

• You will be able to own a single fleet consisting of multiple ships. Parties in your clan and kingdom can likewise have their own, allowing you to maintain a strong presence across the seas.

• It’s planned to be only accessible via the initial character creation screen.

• Yes! The system will make a broader variety of traits easier to acquire during gameplay.

• Yes, modders should be able to activate and control it in many cases, though what’s possible may still depend on the specific use case.

• Existing XSLT-based mods should remain functional, though, as with any content patch - mods may require a version compatibility update not related to the XSLT system / XML editor. Should compatibility issues arise, players can use the Steam Betas system to roll back to a previous game version and keep their current modded playthroughs running.

• For most modding cases, no. The new XML editor will allow you to override or extend base game XMLs by simply writing standard XML. It will merge entries based on unique attributes (like id or type) defined in the schema. This will work for items, skins, actions, etc. XSLT will still be supported and may be needed for more complex operations like removing elements or structural transformations not handled by the merge system.

Greetings Warriors of Calradia,

We’re excited for each of you to set sail in War Sails, the upcoming expansion for Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. However, after taking a hard look at where things stand, it became clear we won’t be ready by the originally planned release date of June 17th.

The title is currently on track for an early Fall 2025 release window.

We came to this decision after a lot of thought (and a few long meetings), because we need more time to reach the level of quality you rightfully expect. The extra development period will give us more time to apply additional polish, and continue making progress on the improvements to the base game that are already in motion – We believe this short delay will ultimately lead to a better and more enjoyable experience for all players.

The team is currently working on a revised timeline, and we’re aiming to share the new release date with you in the upcoming weeks.

In the meantime, we’re excited to keep you updated — with regular developer blogs, behind-the-scenes glimpses, fresh gameplay footage, and brand-new War Sails content as we head toward launch.

Thank you for your patience and support.

The TaleWorlds Team

Greetings warriors of Calradia!

Before we dive into this edition of #CommunityTales, we would like to invite you to the next official Multiplayer event.


Come join us this Saturday for the fourteenth official large-scale event with up to 700 players on the same server.

We`re having a special treat, as two renowned content creators in the Bannerlord community, Pixelated Apollo (YouTube) and Artem (YouTube), will lead their factions in an epic showdown.

We will be switching between Battle and Siege modes during the event. Players are encouraged to form protective formations around their leaders and follow their orders.

Playing in the event will also grant you three times the Loot & Exp that you would normally get.

⚔ Are you ready for war? ⚔

• 📅 Date & Time: Saturday, 26th of April, 20:00 CET / 2 PM ET
  
• 🎯 Event Type: Siege & Battle
  
• 📍 Server Name: [EVENT] Calradian War #14 - Pixelated Apollo vs Artem - 3x Loot & Exp
  
• 👥 Players: Up to 700 warriors
  
  Don’t miss it—victory awaits!
  
  Without further ado, let’s jump right in!
  

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  Artisan's Atelier
  
  Lord of the north by pacienciaaa&克白
  
  
  Empress of Calradia by Cypripediun
  
  

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  Knightly Vistas
  
  Too slow by mellowtonin
  
  
  Battanian Folk by Ulfkarl
  
  

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  Crafting Marvels
  
  
  

  It's Sword of Long by riinagaja
  Unleash your inner blacksmith and design weapons from dainty daggers to towering greatswords with a crafting slider that now stretches from –50% to +50%. This mod also offers an optional physics patch for one‑handed blades over 110% length, readjusting swing speeds and handling so large weapons remain usable.

  
  

  

  Mission Duel by 将和
  Turn every battlefield into an arena: with this mod, you can challenge a single enemy hero to a one‑on‑one duel, or opt for an epic 5v5 team duel where you pick up to five heroes against theirs. Victorious champions can seize enemy gear, grab some coin, and even earn a bonus attribute point, as well as have a number of the defeated side’s troops switch allegiance in the aftermath.

  
  

  

  Enhanced Troops Reforged by Ulfkarl
  Building on the original mod, this update enriches troop visuals with carefully selected, period‑inspired gear that gives each faction a distinct, cohesive look. It deepens immersion and variety while trying to preserve balanced gameplay and full save compatibility.

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  Chronicles in Motion
  
  Bannerlord Tips You Have to Know by Collier
  
  
  
  
  I Survived as STURGIA for 300 Days by Krowns
  
  
  
  
  The Start - Bandit King by Knightly
  
  
  
  

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  Chivalrous Assemblies
  
  
  Bannerlord Native League #7
  
  After six seasons of wonderful work with the organization and maintenance of the tournament, the Bannerlord Native League organizers have treated us with its seventh iteration!
  
  BNL #7 signup period has stared and lasts until 2nd of May, 23:59 CET.
  
  Thinking of joining? Sign-up as a team or if you do not have a team, you may also sign up as a free agent in the hopes of playing as part of an existing team..
  
  For those unfamiliar with BNL, it is a community skirmish tournament where teams are split into divisions - with multiple teams in each division. Usually, one match is played per week against the other teams. This leads to some epic competitive fights with teams on similar footing, with more skilled players in higher divisions!
  
  
  
  
  Bannerlord Calradic Campaign #58
  
  The next Calradic Campaign event will be announced in the #announcements channel on M&B Discord server a week before the date of the event.
  
  The date of the fifty-eighth event in their Bannerlord series is scheduled to be the 3rd of May.
  
  Join for some hack and slash on their Calradic_Campaign server using their Module.
  
  If you would like a quick overview of the CC events, check out this video - What is the Calradic Campaign?
  
  
  
  
  Bretonnie Roleplay Events
  
  The Bretonnie Roleplay Events are highly immersive weekly multiplayer community events organized by the Le Royaume de Bretonnie [BRE] clan. Their next Sunday event is on the 27th of April at 20:30 CET.
  
  This recurring event focuses on strict formation and roleplaying rules in an effort to re-create massive medieval battles with more than 500 players on the server at once. The story continuously unfolds and is impacted by the results of the battle events and roleplay scenarios. This narrative is further supported by the Mod Pack which contains custom maps and items.
  
  It is required to participate with or as part of a clan to join the event, so if you’re already in one - sign up with your clan here. Still searching for a clan? Then make your way to the Clans board and find your new home!
  
  

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  If you would like to suggest content for the next #CommunityTales, make sure to tag @Mount_and_Blade on X or @mountandblade on Facebook with the #CommunityTales. Alternatively, you can reach out on our forums to Piconi or Dejan.

Greetings warriors of Calradia!

We’re thrilled to announce a major expansion to Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. War Sails will be arriving on PC and consoles (PS5, Xbox Series X/S) on the 17th of June, 2025!

Watch the announcement trailer to get a first look at the intense naval warfare and epic battles that await.

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Wishlist now to stay updated and be ready to set sail on launch day!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2927200/Mount__Blade_II_Bannerlord__War_Sails/

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Sail the high seas, lead mighty fleets, and forge your legacy in War Sails, the epic single-player expansion for Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. Bringing naval warfare to Bannerlord for the first time, War Sails lets players command powerful ships, engage in thrilling sea battles, and master maritime conquest.

Embark on daring naval adventures with new mechanics, territories, and challenges. Customize your fleet, conquer settlements, and carve your legend on the high seas!



Chart your course to the Northern Kingdom, home of the fearless Nords—legendary seafarers and masters of close-quarters combat. Explore a land of jagged peaks, vast taigas and freezing fjords, where scattered settlements rise like ships from the sea. A bold adventurer may trade their goods, recruit their warriors, join their ranks or challenge their rule. Will you join the North or seize its riches?



War Sails introduces a unique and immersive naval warfare system that has been inspired by accounts of actual medieval sea battles. Featuring realistic wind and water physics, ship-to-ship combat lets you board enemies from multiple points, ram them, or attack from afar.

Captains can seize opportunities by boarding already engaged ships, prepare for an incoming attack by creating a floating fortress or take a risk to tie down several enemies at once - giving their allies an edge elsewhere. They may ram an enemy ship to sink it - or at least throw men off board, shatter oars and compromise buoyancy. Well-placed arrows and ballista fire can also tear through sails, further crippling mobility.



Calradia has been reimagined with a northern region, a settled island, coastal waters and open seas. The dynamic weather system was also refined to include storms and trade winds. Ships move faster when riding the gales, but beware—attrition can unravel even the best-laid plans.

The naval systems and Nord faction integrate into Bannerlord’s world, reshaping trade, warfare, and diplomacy. Ship production and new trade goods add regional variety. Coastal towns may grow rich from this — if they can fend off pirates and naval invasions.

Sieges have also been adapted to naval warfare. Armies will have to bring along a fleet and set up a blockade, if they want to stop supplies and reinforcements arriving over sea.



Players can choose from 18 ship types modelled after historical vessels, each with unique handling, shaped by realistic wind and wave physics. They can be customized with siege engines, cargo holds, sails, rams, and more. Shipyards build and stock vessels based on their town’s culture and development. Players can also capture ships and figureheads in battle.



The character system has been extended with Nord hairstyles, beards, and tattoos. Three nautical skills were added that enhance navigation, tactics, and stewardship. There are also many new items including spears, swords, axes, shields, and armor.

Troop trees now include mariner troops that are more effective at sea. Players can also recruit new companions with maritime backgrounds.



A new questline introduces players to the seas of Calradia through cinematics, scripted missions, and classic Mount & Blade gameplay. Learn how to command your ship, then take it into battle against a pirate confederacy. Lead a growing fleet of newfound allies as you face a range of nautical challenges.



The sounds of the sea come to life with new Mediterranean and Nordic-inspired musical tracks. Experience rich soundscapes with piercing winds, crashing waves and creaking ships. Feel the heat of battle as steel clashes and sailors cry out.

You can also check out the following FAQ page for more information.

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We also want to give you a general update on Bannerlord - what we’ve been doing and what is yet to come.

After the full release in October of 2022, we published a number of updates that not only addressed important issues across the various platforms but also introduced additional features such as weather and weather effects, fog of war, sally out ambush, formation targeting, warehouses, alleys, and many more. Much like during our early access period, we’ve continued to expand and refine the game with your feedback and support. We’re truly grateful to have such a dedicated community, who’s been with us every step of the way.

As we mentioned in our post-release plans, we were open to exploring DLC as one way of introducing additional content. And while that remained true, we realize that our communication has not met the level you had grown to expect from us. The naval battle system being introduced with the newly announced War Sails expansion proved to be a technical and gameplay challenge. We had also been working on another project that was planned as a more story-driven DLC. While this was an interesting new approach, it ultimately didn't meet the quality we aim for. Rather than talking about and releasing something we weren’t happy with, we made the tough decision to cancel its launch. These hurdles caused a delay in our communication and we sincerely appreciate your patience during this time. The good news is that instead of shelving the work, we will be repurposing the new gameplay mechanics from this canceled project as content for the base game.

This involves the introduction of a robust stealth system that will allow you to infiltrate dungeons and hideouts, rescue prisoners, and dispatch enemies without ever raising alarms. The enemy AI will now detect sound and motion, becoming alerted by your actions through progressive levels of cautiousness. To succeed, you will need to not only carefully consider your position and movement, but also your environment - utilizing the elevation, darkness of the night, and natural cover to achieve your goals covertly. While these may be enough in some cases, you’ll find other stealth tactics like distractions and concealing corpses just as useful. Honing your effectiveness will further be possible through gear and the roguery skill. We’ll be sharing more stealth details in a future deep dive so stay tuned!


Stealth kill

We are also working on several features that we're planning to bring to the base game alongside the War Sails expansion. For one, we want to improve our trait system so that players will be able to better develop their characters. To this end, we are working on a feature that will prompt you with random events during your journeys. Ideally, this will not just offer a new avenue of character development but add further life to the world of Calradia.


Random events

Town and castle projects will also undergo changes. These adjustments will improve the balance between projects with impactful effects and those with limited or situational effects and add new types. This should allow for better control over the management of your fief.

Another point of interest is the passage of time and the cycle of life in the game. While we think that Bannerlord manages to achieve a happy medium between this progression and not rushing players… we also feel that additional choice in this regard would make for a rather fun alternative to the vanilla experience.

We’re also making it easier to communicate with nearby enemies by introducing the Parley feature, allowing you to enter into a conversation without getting your head cut off!


Parleying with an enemy from a distance

The community-requested Character Import & Export feature is in the works, allowing you to adjust various aspects like equipment, perks, skills, attributes, name, culture, gold,... by editing the character file in the Game Saves folder and importing it via the console window cheats.

Alongside these, we continue to work on the combat experience, which includes the addition of new weapon types like slings. Spear bracing is being refined with better targeting, smoother animations, and spearmen using their spears by default - making them more effective against cavalry charges.


New Weapon Type - Sling

A variety of AI enhancements are also being added such as more accurate usage of melee weapons, improved pathfinding and reduced zig-zag movements for mounted AI, improved ranged AI accuracy against moving targets, and increased firing rate through better avoidance of friendly troops. Beyond that, we’re addressing various siege AI issues, preventing archers with a targeted order from getting too close to the enemy, and more.

We’re likewise working on a number of adjustments to support our modders better. This includes allowing attack while crouched (looking at you - mods with guns), further opening up the AI agent attack and weapon selection decision-making processes, making the interpolated mission atmosphere moddable, providing audio modding support for FMOD Banks and Events, as well as opening up campaign time to customization. To make modding even more accessible, we’re creating an XML Editor, removing the need to manually edit XML files to add, remove, or modify items, heroes, factions, settlements, and more. Those that will prefer to continue doing it manually, will also see that process simplified, where using the XSLT system will no longer be necessary.

And that brings us to the end of today’s announcement. On behalf of everyone at TaleWorlds, we want to express our heartfelt thanks for your incredible support and dedication over the years. We can’t wait to share even more in the coming weeks. Until then, stay tuned and take care – we'll see you soon!

Greetings warriors of Calradia!

We’ll be breaking the seal this Thursday and sharing some important news, so stay tuned for that!

We would also like to invite you to the next official Multiplayer event.


Come join us this Saturday for the twelfth official large-scale event with up to 700 players on the same server.

We`re having a special treat, as two renowned content creators in the Bannerlord community, Captain Fracas (Twitch / YouTube) and Benoni (YouTube), will lead their factions in an epic showdown.
For Battles, we will be using maps initially made for Captain mode. In the last Battle mode map, we will have a special rule “Protect the King” - if either Captain Fracas or Benoni falls in battle first, their faction instantly loses. Players are encouraged to form protective formations around their leaders and follow their orders.

Playing in the event will also grant you three times the Loot & Exp that you would normally get.

⚔ Are you ready for war? ⚔

• 📅 Date & Time: Saturday, 22nd of March, 20:00 CET
  
• 🎯 Event Type: Siege & Battle
  
• 📍 Server Name: [EVENT] Calradian War #12 - Captain Fracas vs Benoni - 3x Loot & Exp
  
• 👥 Players: Up to 700 warriors
  
  Don’t miss it—victory awaits!
  
  Without further ado, let’s jump right in!
  

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  Artisan's Atelier
  
  Robert the Redeemer by RepresentativeBell45
  
  
  Karakhergit's Selun Begüm by Bikey
  
  

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  Knightly Vistas
  
  Mud and blood by Vanilla Dice
  
  
  Long journey by nakhrin
  
  

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  Crafting Marvels
  
  
  

  Better Bandit Troop Trees by BCMINISOOP
  This mod expands bandit troop progression, adding higher-tier units and alternate upgrade paths. Bandit parties are larger and more diverse, featuring specialized roles like heavy melee fighters, cavalry, and ranged units. Looters can now evolve into more formidable bandits, and all bandit troops are available in Custom Battles.

  
  

  

  Unblockable Thrust by nekoceng
  You can bypass standard directional blocking of thrust attacks using this mod. Thrusts can only be stopped by shields, parrying, or chamber blocking, as normal blocks will result in a crush-through effect. This change encourages more dynamic combat, rewarding precise movement, quick reactions, and proper defensive techniques.

  
  

  

  BetterMPHealth by KAMBY
  Stay informed and plan your Multiplayer fights with precision. Offering a clearer view of your survivability in battle, this Multiplayer mod enhances the UI by displaying numerical health values for your character, shield, and mount on top of the existing health bars.

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  Chronicles in Motion
  
  The Bannerlord $0 Army by Resonant
  
  
  
  
  HORSE RACES and CHARIOT RACES in Bannerlord by Artem
  
  
  
  
  Can I BEAT BANNERLORD with 1000 TROOPS but NO RECRUITING? by Koifish
  
  
  
  

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  Chivalrous Assemblies
  
  
  Bannerlord Native League #6
  
  The Bannerlord Native League #6 is drawing to an end. The divisions are already scheduling their final matches, and we`re very excited to see all the teams from all divisions that will come on top this time around!
  
  Congratulations to Imperial Eagles (IE) for taking the gold in the grand finals (watch here), and well done to all the teams that participated!
  
  The BNL administration team has done wonderful work with the organization and maintenance of this tournament and we hope to see many more iterations of the Bannerlord Native League.
  
  For those unfamiliar with BNL, it is a community skirmish tournament where teams are split into divisions - with multiple teams in each division. Usually, one match is played per week against the other teams. This leads to some epic competitive fights with teams on similar footing, with more skilled players in higher divisions!
  
  
  
  
  Bannerlord Calradic Campaign #56
  
  The next Calradic Campaign event will be announced in the #announcements channel on M&B Discord server a week before the date of the event.
  
  The date of the fifty-sixth event in their Bannerlord series is scheduled to be the 5th of April.
  
  Join for some hack and slash on their Calradic_Campaign server using their Module.
  
  If you would like a quick overview of the CC events, check out this video - What is the Calradic Campaign?
  
  
  
  
  Bretonnie Roleplay Events
  
  The Bretonnie Roleplay Events are highly immersive weekly multiplayer community events organized by the Le Royaume de Bretonnie [BRE] clan as seen in Benoni’s videos. Their next events are this Friday, 21st of March, and Sunday, 23rd of March, both at 20:30 CET.
  
  This recurring event focuses on strict formation and roleplaying rules in an effort to re-create massive medieval battles with more than 500 players on the server at once. The story continuously unfolds and is impacted by the results of the battle events and roleplay scenarios. This narrative is further supported by the Mod Pack which contains custom maps and items.
  
  It is required to participate with or as part of a clan to join the event, so if you’re already in one - sign up with your clan here. Still searching for a clan? Then make your way to the Clans board and find your new home!
  
  
  
  
  Persistent Bannerlord NA re-launch
  
  The Persistent Bannerlord mod is bringing large-scale multiplayer action back to North America! This evolving, player-driven server lets you claim castles, manage economies, and wage wars as factions progress through different “ages,” unlocking new tools and strategies over time. With thousands of players already engaged and a strong history in various Warband Persistent mods communities, the NA launch on March 22nd, at 5 pm EDT, is shaping up to be a massive event - join in on the fun!
  
  For more information check out their main community discord, or the NA part of it.
  
  
  

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  If you would like to suggest content for the next #CommunityTales, make sure to tag @Mount_and_Blade on X or @mountandblade on Facebook with the #CommunityTales. Alternatively, you can reach out on our forums to Piconi or Dejan.