The 'way' to play WB.

[Phier]

First, use the no saving without quitting option. Suddenly you are not so sure attacking that army or storming that castle makes sense.

Secondly, ditch the horse. Things are a lot more scary on the ground. I have an all Khegit army guy which is basically hitting a swarm the enemy button. Its fun for a bit but no strategy really required or all that possible.

With foot you can use the terrain and cover more and you don't want to get to far from your men in the open if you are on foot.

Third, first person view. I tried first person view while mounted and its a bit disorienting, but on the ground its basically an FPS with swords.

If you find WB too easy single player give this a whirl for a bit, its a very different experience.

[Zerosliver]

Not to mention to put combat speed on normal, damage received on friends and yourself to 100%. AI on good. It's hard, definatly in tournaments where you have to solo 6 people because your team got owned.

Edit: I find first person boring to watch, I wana see my knight in full armour =)

[Claudius Gothicus]

Fighting with your Vaegir/Nordic Shield wall is really exiting, but also scary as hell specially when confronting Sarranids

[Kamos]

I prefer being a demigod.

[Shaio]

^ I've been using and commanding foot armies for a long time, there is no way in hell I'm getting off my horse thou.

I also assumed everyone played with auto-save on.... I mean you can skill alt f4 and avoid a save in those situations where your just being repeatably ass raped by steepe bandits, over and over again every time you get released.

[Kamos]

Yes I always role play my character is a demigod time traveler who activates his abilities by pressing alt+f4.

[Shaio]

^ I tend to alt f4 after the 4th or sixth time the bandits capture me without a chance of even controlling my party of main map.... hitting alt f4 and loading from last time you were released is sometimes only way not to simply watch your character get dragged around the steepe for 6 hours on end, seriously how do they attack you before you get a chance to see you character on the main map? I mean the games paused if your not moving for s sake.

Thats the only time i ever avoid an auto save, i suppose you've never lost a battle, got captured, let it save.. escaped, after being dragged into steppe, and then found out that steepe bandits move faster then your character even when hes by himself, and just repeatably capture you every single time you escape cuz u only get a chance to make about 2 steps? And then you naked with, no compaions, no items, no money oh and, steepe bandits still capture you every time.

You know sorta event that makes you restart the game.

and they always take your horse the fist time so you have no chance of soloing there party.. ing bastards, its not that bad if you've still got a horse, if I've got a horse i never need worry because I'll eventually escape, fight, and kill all of them, probably sooner rather then later.

[Phier]

You LEAVE Khergit and now in WB Sarranid territory ASAP until you get a nice little army of at least 30. I recently managed to start out ok in Khergit territory and build my army but I think that was just luck.

In my current Nord game, I've yet to lose a fight, though I came obnoxiously close when I was the same speed as a much larger Vaegir force, I forgot I was carrying a bunch of iron for trade,

I have given up on first person though, because using a two handed axe in combat means you bob up and down quite a bit which gets rather annoying. It might be realistic but that doesn't translate well from reality to game playing.

One nice thing about playing on foot is you really get to hack things with two handlers, something you don't get with the penalty while mounted. Down side is you NEED a shield in WB since their missile fire is much more accurate, and thrown weapons are kinda fun but awful compared to a bow or xbow.

[Shaio]

^ Yeah polearms are fun on foot to, I've been playing tearc atm so I'm riding round killing people with a pistol.
Might play a different mod.... Not many choices for war-band yet.

[Armatus]

I won't give up my vaegir warbands, we just need a few mercs is all.

[Shaio]

Vaegir are actully quite good, kickass archers, decent knights, decent footmen, probably about the most balanced of the factions in game.

What battle sizes do you guys play on?

[hellheaven1987]

Secondly, ditch the horse. Things are a lot more scary on the ground. I have an all Khegit army guy which is basically hitting a swarm the enemy button. Its fun for a bit but no strategy really required or all that possible.

You are playing "Mount&Blade", what the heck is this no horse nonsense?

[Shaio]

Yeah craziness, i mean i fight on foot among my troops alot, but i usually always have a horse with me, its fun riding round behind the enemy, dismounting your cavalry and yourself, and giving charge order.

Besides nothing beats the absurdly awesome feeling of killing some guy from the back of a charging horse with a stab from a two handed sword of some kind, directly to the face.

[Phier]

I won't give up my vaegir warbands, we just need a few mercs is all.

Sissies with poofy hats. Huscarls > all.

You are playing "Mount&Blade", what the heck is this no horse nonsense?

Does that mean you have to use a sword too? I think not. Mounts are just training wheels.

Besides nothing beats the absurdly awesome feeling of killing some guy from the back of a charging horse with a stab from a two handed sword of some kind, directly to the face.

Being on foot with a 2h axe and cleaving a horse and horseman in two, killing both with one swing beats it

I like to go all foot or all horse. When I"m all horse, its my jerk mongol army, raiding villages and the like, when its all foot I'm more noble.

[iamme]

I actually think that on foot is easier with the new couched lance rules.

I also command my troops alot, although the commands are about the same for each battle.

Ex. Cavalry follows me archers hold on top of a hill then cavalry charges when infantry is close to enemy.

Sounds simple but it is a LOT of button pressing.

[hellheaven1987]

Does that mean you have to use a sword too? I think not. Mounts are just training wheels.

Blade can means anything that has one sharp edge. I do think you should not use range weapons on horse though.

[Marie Louise von Preussen]

Phier's basically right. Do not, under any circumstances, stay for any amount of time in Khergit or Sarranid territory if you don't have an all cavalry band with you.

[Vanoi]

I use a horse alot but i like to fight more on foot, the only problem with that is when i run too far away from the battle. only other reason i use a horse is to chase down those who retreat

[Shaio]

Phier's basically right. Do not, under any circumstances, stay for any amount of time in Khergit or Sarranid territory if you don't have an all cavalry band with you.

Noone ends up there without a cavalry force on purpose, although high level archers are just as good.

I really like horseback, i turned couched lancing to the hard setting, and then almost stopped using it after i found out how much more fun trying to stab people in the face with my spear was.

besides any mounted attack going at decent speed in mount n blade is incredibly deadly, hits to the head also tend to be incredibly deadly in any situation in mount n blade, you almost get couched lance damage levels getting perfect face stabs while on horseback.

as for foot moments, personally i love just having me and my companions be only cavalry in my army, riding round behind infantry blob after its engaged my infantry, dismounting, and wading in with two handed weapons from behind.

[Claudius Gothicus]

Sissies with poofy hats. Huscarls > all.

Huscarls on the left, Rhodok Sergeants on the right and Marksmen shooting from behind.

MULTICULTURALISM FOR THE WIN!!