Ranged: Best Troops Of Each Type 2

Discover the best ranged troops in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord! We break down the top archers, crossbowmen, and throwing units to help you dominate the battlefield.

Alright, let's talk about the best ranged troops in Bannerlord. When you're building your army, having solid ranged support can make a huge difference, whether you're mowing down enemies from afar or holding a defensive line. We'll cover the top picks for archers, crossbowmen, and throwing units.

Best Archers

For your main faction archers, keep an eye out for the Aserai Master Archer and the Imperial Palatine Guard. They both hit hard with bows, boasting a 160 damage stat, and they're not completely helpless if things get close, with a respectable 130 in one-handed weapons. If you're looking for other strong bow options, the Khuzait Torguud, Forest Bandit, and Sturgian Veteran Bowman are solid choices, though they don't quite match the top two.

Now, if you want to talk about the absolute king of archers, it's the Battanian Fian Champion. Seriously, this guy is in a league of his own. With a massive 260 in Bow, 220 in Two-Handed, and 170 in Athletics, he's a beast both at range and in melee. No other primary archer unit even comes close to these stats.

The only real downside to the Fian Champion is that they're a bit of a pain to recruit. You start by finding Battanian Highborn Youths in Battanian villages, but they're rare. Then, you've got to grind them up through battles to gain experience and level them up through their special troop tree. It takes some effort, but trust me, it's worth it.

Best Crossbows

Crossbow troops are a bit more straightforward, with fewer options and less variation than archers. The top dog here is the Hired Crossbow. They've got a 140 crossbow stat and are pretty decent in close combat with 120 in one-handed and athletics. You can usually find these mercenaries chilling in taverns in major towns, or you might get lucky and capture one from a defeated mercenary group. Just give it a few days, and you can recruit them into your party.

Outside of the mercenary pool, the Vlandian Sharpshooter and Imperial Sergeant Crossbow are your next best bets. They're pretty comparable to the Hired Crossbow, with 130 in both one-handed and athletics. If you're finding those a bit hard to get, or just want something easier to obtain with slightly lower stats, consider the Mercenary Crossbowman, Vlandian Hardened Crossbowman, Boar Champion, or the Imperial Crossbowman.

Best Throwing

For troops that can dish out damage with throwing weapons and still hold their own in a fight, check out the Sturgian Line Breaker and the Mountain Bandit Boss. The Line Breaker leans more into two-handed combat with a 150 stat, while the Bandit Boss focuses on throwing with a 150 stat (the Line Breaker has 130 throwing). Other decent throwing options include the Sturgian Heavy Axeman, Battanian Wildling, and the Aserai Mameluke Palace Guard.