Infantry in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord have a fairly thankless existence. Cavalry get the cinematic charges, archers rack up kills from a conveniently safe hillside, and you get to gallop around feeling important. Meanwhile, several hundred people with shields are actually deciding whether your army survives.
Choosing the best infantry is more complicated than simply finding the unit with the highest armour. Shield infantry, shock troops and anti-cavalry specialists perform very different jobs. A unit that looks terrifying in a melee can disappear remarkably quickly when Battanian arrows start arriving.
For this ranking, I am looking at survivability, melee performance, equipment, battlefield role, ease of recruitment and usefulness in sieges as well as field battles.
My short answer: Imperial Legionaries are still my favourite all-round infantry. Sturgian Heroic Line Breakers are considerably more frightening once somebody else has absorbed the arrows.
Best Bannerlord Infantry at a Glance
| Rank | Unit | Faction | Role | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Imperial Legionary | Empire | Heavy shield infantry | Frontline and sieges |
| 2 | Sturgian Heroic Line Breaker | Sturgia | Shock infantry | Breaking engaged formations |
| 3 | Sturgian Heavy Spearman | Sturgia | Defensive spear infantry | Cavalry defence |
| 4 | Vlandian Sergeant | Vlandia | Heavy shield infantry | Defensive formations |
| 5 | Aserai Veteran Infantry | Aserai | Versatile infantry | Mixed armies |
| 6 | Battanian Oathsworn | Battania | Shield infantry | Rough terrain and support |
| 7 | Khuzait Darkhan | Khuzait | Heavy infantry | Supporting cavalry armies |
| 8 | Battanian Veteran Falxman | Battania | Shock infantry | Flanking and melee damage |
There is an important qualification here. Bannerlord troop performance can change with patches, equipment adjustments and the exact situation in which troops are used. I would treat rankings as a guide to battlefield value rather than sacred Calradian scripture.
1. Imperial Legionary
Best overall infantry
The Imperial Legionary is the boring answer, which is unfortunate because it is also probably the correct one.
They are heavily protected, carry large shields and perform exceptionally well when packed into disciplined formations. More importantly, they are useful in almost every situation Bannerlord throws at you.
Put Legionaries into a shield wall and they can absorb a miserable amount of punishment. Send them into a siege and their armour becomes even more valuable because combat quickly turns into a cramped scrum where mobility matters far less.
Why Imperial Legionaries are so good
- Excellent armour
- Large shields
- Strong one-handed melee capability
- Very effective in shield walls
- Excellent siege troops
- Easy to integrate into mixed armies
- Reliable throughout long campaigns
Their real advantage is consistency.
Bannerlord battles have a habit of abandoning whatever clever plan you made about thirty seconds after contact. Legionaries cope with that chaos better than most infantry.
Weaknesses
They are not particularly fast and they do not have the explosive killing power of specialist shock infantry. Heavy cavalry attacking their flanks can also cause serious problems.
Verdict: If I could choose only one infantry unit for an entire campaign, I would take Legionaries.
2. Sturgian Heroic Line Breaker
Best shock infantry
This is where things become considerably less civilised.
Sturgian Heroic Line Breakers are built to kill infantry. Their heavy two-handed weapons can inflict horrible damage once they reach an enemy formation, particularly when the opposing troops are already occupied.
The obvious problem is the lack of shields.
Sending Line Breakers across an open field towards massed archers is less a tactical manoeuvre and more an elaborate troop disposal system.
How to use Heroic Line Breakers
Keep them behind shielded infantry during the approach. Once your frontline makes contact, move the Line Breakers around the side or push them through gaps in the formation.
This allows them to concentrate on what they are actually good at: hitting people very hard.
They are particularly nasty in:
- Close infantry battles
- Flanking attacks
- Siege breaches
- Fighting heavily armoured opponents
- Breaking formations that are already engaged
Weaknesses
Missile fire is the obvious danger. They also require more attention than Legionaries because their survival depends heavily on positioning.
Verdict: Probably the infantry unit I enjoy using most. They are not a frontline replacement, but as a second wave they can turn a fairly even melee into something deeply unpleasant.
3. Sturgian Heavy Spearman
Best defensive infantry against cavalry
The Sturgian Heavy Spearman deserves more attention than it often gets.
Bannerlord’s strongest cavalry can cause havoc when allowed repeated charges, so having infantry capable of anchoring a formation against mounted attacks is extremely useful.
Heavy Spearmen combine shields, armour and polearms into a genuinely useful defensive package.
They are especially effective when protecting archers or holding terrain that forces cavalry into predictable approaches.
Best uses
- Protecting ranged troops
- Defending against cavalry-heavy armies
- Holding narrow approaches
- Supporting Sturgian shield walls
- Defensive field battles
They are less spectacular against elite infantry than dedicated melee troops, but that rather misses the point.
Verdict: A specialist unit with an extremely useful speciality. If the Vlandians keep turning your archers into hoof marks, recruit these.
4. Vlandian Sergeant
Best disciplined heavy infantry alternative
Vlandia is famous for its cavalry, but its Sergeants deserve considerably more respect.
These are tough heavy infantry with strong armour, shields and dependable melee weapons. They fit naturally into defensive formations and make an excellent frontline for Vlandian crossbow armies.
I particularly like them in sieges. Their protection helps them survive missile fire during the approach, while their melee capability means they remain useful once everyone gets stuck fighting around ladders and gateways.
Strengths
- Strong armour
- Good shields
- Reliable melee performance
- Excellent defensive infantry
- Strong siege performance
- Natural partners for Vlandian ranged troops
Weaknesses
They lack the specialised killing power of Line Breakers and are not quite as convincing as Legionaries as an all-purpose infantry core.
Verdict: Dependable rather than spectacular, which is often exactly what I want from the people standing between me and 40 angry Sturgians.
5. Aserai Veteran Infantry
Best versatile infantry
Aserai Veteran Infantry are easy to underestimate because there is no single area where they completely dominate.
That versatility is actually their strength.
They combine shields, melee weapons and useful throwing capability, allowing them to contribute before the main lines collide. They work particularly well in balanced armies where infantry need to perform several jobs rather than simply stand still and absorb damage.
Strengths
- Good melee ability
- Useful shields
- Throwing weapons provide extra damage
- Flexible battlefield role
- Strong support for mixed Aserai armies
They are particularly satisfying when enemy infantry advance into throwing range before the melee starts. A few well-timed volleys can make the subsequent fight considerably easier.
Weaknesses
They do not have the sheer defensive staying power of the best heavy infantry.
Verdict: Perhaps not the unit around which I would build an entire army, but one I am rarely disappointed to have.
6. Battanian Oathsworn
Best Battanian shield infantry
Battania has a slight problem when discussing infantry because the Battanian Fian Champion exists.
Yes, technically it is an archer. Yes, it is also capable of making a worrying number of melee troops regret their career choices.
For conventional infantry, however, the Oathsworn provides something Battanian armies badly need: a durable shielded frontline.
They work particularly well when protecting Fians and fighting in the rough terrain that naturally favours Battanian armies.
Strengths
- Good shields
- Useful armour
- Strong defensive role
- Effective in forests and broken terrain
- Excellent support for Battanian ranged armies
Weaknesses
They are not top-tier killers and can struggle when forced into prolonged fights against elite heavy infantry.
Verdict: Their value comes from what they allow the rest of a Battanian army to do. Keep the enemy occupied while the Fians conduct their completely reasonable interpretation of archery.
7. Khuzait Darkhan
Best Khuzait infantry
If you are playing Khuzait and concentrating heavily on infantry, I have several questions.
Still, the Darkhan is a respectable heavy infantry unit and provides something useful to armies normally dominated by cavalry and horse archers.
Darkhans can defend positions, protect ranged units and give your mobile troops a solid point around which to manoeuvre.
Strengths
- Respectable armour
- Shields
- Good defensive utility
- Useful for holding objectives
- Provides stability to cavalry-heavy armies
The problem is context. Khuzait armies have access to some extraordinary mounted units, so investing heavily in conventional infantry can feel like buying a Ferrari and then using it to store gardening equipment.
Verdict: Good infantry living in a faction that gives you far more exciting options.
8. Battanian Veteran Falxman
Best high-risk infantry
Veteran Falxmen are fascinating because their potential damage is genuinely frightening.
Their polearms can tear into infantry and cavalry, particularly when they attack from favourable positions. Used as flankers or behind a tougher frontline, they can generate impressive kill counts.
Put them somewhere exposed, however, and things become awkward.
Strengths
- Excellent melee damage
- Dangerous against cavalry
- Strong flanking potential
- Effective once formations become disorganised
Weaknesses
- Limited protection against missiles
- Poor choice for absorbing ranged fire
- Requires careful positioning
- Less forgiving than shield infantry
Verdict: Very dangerous when you use them properly. Very educational when you don’t.
Best Shield Infantry in Bannerlord
For a conventional frontline, I would rank the strongest options roughly like this:
| Unit | Survivability | Melee | Shield Wall | Siege Value |
| Imperial Legionary | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Vlandian Sergeant | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent |
| Sturgian Heavy Spearman | Very Good | Good | Excellent | Very Good |
| Aserai Veteran Infantry | Good | Very Good | Good | Good |
| Battanian Oathsworn | Good | Good | Very Good | Good |
| Khuzait Darkhan | Good | Good | Good | Good |
For pure reliability, Legionaries remain difficult to beat.
Best Shock Infantry in Bannerlord
Shock infantry require a completely different approach.
These units sacrifice some protection in exchange for greater killing power. I would never use them as my entire frontline unless I fancied watching my veteran army become an archery demonstration.
The strongest options include:
- Sturgian Heroic Line Breakers
- Battanian Veteran Falxmen
- Imperial Menavliatons in specialist support roles
The key is timing.
Let shield infantry make contact first. Then send shock troops into the flank, rear or weak section of the enemy line.
A Heroic Line Breaker hitting an enemy shield wall from the front is dangerous. A Heroic Line Breaker hitting the same troops from behind is basically a workplace incident.
Imperial Legionary vs Sturgian Heroic Line Breaker
These two units regularly appear near the top of Bannerlord infantry discussions, but they perform completely different jobs.
| Category | Imperial Legionary | Heroic Line Breaker |
| Armour | Excellent | Very Good |
| Shield | Yes | No |
| Survivability | Excellent | Moderate |
| Damage | Very Good | Excellent |
| Missile resistance | Excellent | Poor |
| Frontline | Excellent | Situational |
| Flanking | Good | Excellent |
| Siege attack | Excellent | Excellent |
| Micromanagement | Low | High |
If you need troops to hold, choose Legionaries.
If you need troops to kill, Line Breakers are terrifying.
The nastier solution is to use both.
Best Infantry Formation
The shield wall remains one of the most useful infantry formations in Bannerlord because it reduces vulnerability to ranged attacks and gives your army a stable defensive centre.
It is particularly effective with:
- Imperial Legionaries
- Sturgian Heavy Spearmen
- Vlandian Sergeants
- Battanian Oathsworn
I prefer placing shock infantry in a separate formation behind the main line rather than mixing everything together.
That gives you much greater control.
Your shield infantry absorb the initial missile fire and cavalry pressure. Once enemy infantry commit, the shock formation can move towards a flank and attack.
It requires a little more management than selecting everyone and pressing F1-F3, but occasionally we should pretend to be generals.
Best Infantry for Sieges
Sieges change the ranking considerably because battlefield mobility becomes less important.
Heavy armour, shields and close-range melee performance suddenly become extremely valuable.
Best siege infantry
Imperial Legionary: Probably the safest overall choice. Excellent armour and shields make them useful during both assaults and defensive fighting.
Vlandian Sergeant: Another excellent heavy infantry option, particularly when fighting around ladders, gates and narrow streets.
Sturgian Heroic Line Breaker: Extremely dangerous once troops get onto the walls, although getting them there safely can be the difficult part.
Aserai Veteran Infantry: Flexible and effective without quite reaching the same defensive level as Legionaries.
Siege defence also rewards shock troops because narrow passages can force enemies directly into their weapons. There are few things more satisfying in Bannerlord than watching an attacking army climb a ladder directly into several angry men carrying two-handed axes.
Which Faction Has the Best Infantry?
If I were building an infantry-heavy campaign, the Empire and Sturgia would be my first choices.
The Empire offers the strongest conventional all-round option through the Legionary and has a troop tree that fits easily into balanced armies.
Sturgia offers more character and specialisation. Heavy Spearmen provide defensive strength while Heroic Line Breakers give you some exceptional offensive potential.
Vlandia sits close behind. Sergeants are excellent troops, but Vlandia’s greatest battlefield advantages generally lie elsewhere.
Battania, Khuzait and Aserai can all field useful infantry, although their faction strengths encourage different approaches.
Best Infantry Army Composition
For a genuinely infantry-focused army, I would avoid filling the entire roster with one elite unit.
A more flexible infantry force might use:
- 50% heavy shield infantry
- 20% anti-cavalry infantry
- 15% shock infantry
- 15% ranged support
The exact numbers depend heavily on who you are fighting.
Against Vlandia, I want more spears.
Against Battania, I want shields everywhere because apparently Calradia has never considered regulating longbows.
Against Sturgia or the Empire, additional shock infantry can help break the inevitable heavy melee.
Are Elite Infantry Worth the Cost?
Usually, yes, but there is a campaign-level problem that stat comparisons sometimes ignore.
You need to replace casualties.
An theoretically perfect army that takes months to rebuild can be less useful than a slightly weaker force that you can replenish constantly.
This is one reason Imperial infantry are so attractive. Their combination of battlefield quality and practical recruitment makes them excellent during long wars where you might fight several battles in quick succession.
Do not judge troops entirely by what happens in a controlled 100-versus-100 fight. Bannerlord is a campaign game. Availability matters.
Final Ranking
My current ranking for the best infantry in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is:
S Tier: Imperial Legionary, Sturgian Heroic Line Breaker
A Tier: Sturgian Heavy Spearman, Vlandian Sergeant
B Tier: Aserai Veteran Infantry, Battanian Oathsworn
C Tier: Khuzait Darkhan, Battanian Veteran Falxman
The Imperial Legionary is my pick for the best overall infantry unit because it asks so little from the player. Legionaries survive, hold formations, perform well in sieges and slot neatly into almost any army.
Heroic Line Breakers are arguably more entertaining. Watching them crash into the side of an occupied enemy formation remains one of Bannerlord’s great little pleasures.
The bigger lesson, though, is that the best infantry army is rarely the one with the highest-ranked individual troop. A shield wall supported by spearmen and a smaller group of shock troops gives you answers to far more battlefield problems.
And in Bannerlord, having an answer when 80 Banner Knights suddenly appear over a hill is generally considered a positive development.
