Mercenaries and Bandits

Learn about the different types of mercenary and bandit units available in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. Understand their strengths and weaknesses to build the best army for your campaign.

Alright, let's talk about some of the less reputable, but often very useful, troop types you'll encounter in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord: Mercenaries and Bandits. These guys can be a bit of a mixed bag, but knowing who's who can seriously boost your army's effectiveness, especially early on.

Think of mercenaries as your hired guns. They might not have the loyalty of a faction soldier, but they can be found pretty easily and often fill crucial gaps in your early army. You'll find them hanging around taverns in towns, and they're usually a step up from the basic recruits you get from villages.

Mercenaries

Mercenaries offer a decent range of units, from solid infantry to capable cavalry. They're a great way to bolster your forces quickly without needing to build up relations with a specific faction.

Infantry	Ranged	Cavalry
Watchman	Mercenary Crossbowman	Mercenary Scout
Mercenary Guard	Hired Crossbow	Mercenary Horseman
Mercenary Swordsman		Mercenary Cavalry
Hired Blade

Bandits

Bandits are a whole different story. You'll mostly encounter them out in the world, raiding caravans or ambushing travelers. While fighting them is a good way to gain experience and loot, some bandit types, especially the 'Boss' variants, can be surprisingly tough. More importantly, you can sometimes recruit these bandits directly into your army after defeating them in battle, especially if you have the right perks. They can be a bit unruly, but they're often strong fighters and can be a valuable, albeit morally gray, addition to your forces.

Infantry	Ranged	Cavalry
Bedouin Rover	Bushwacker	Desert Bandit Boss
Brigand	Freebooter	Harami
Deserter	Poacher	Highwayman
Forest Bandit		Marauder
Forest Bandit Boss		Mounted Pillager
Hillman		Mounted Ransacker
Looter		Nomad Bandit
Mountain Bandit Boss		Steppe Bandit
Radagos’s Raider		Steppe Bandit Boss
Raider
Sea Raider
Sea Raider Boss
Sea Raider Warrior
Sea Raider Chief

Pro-Tip: Keep an eye out for bandit parties. Defeating them not only gives you loot and XP, but you can often recruit the survivors. Just be aware that some bandit units, especially the specialized ones like Sea Raiders or Forest Bandit Bosses, can be quite potent and might require a bit more tactical thinking to handle, both in combat and in your own army.