Mount and Blade II Bannerlord does not just let you build an army. It quietly asks what kind of commander you want to be.
Every faction’s troop tree reflects culture, terrain, and battlefield philosophy. Some reward discipline and formations. Others thrive on aggression, speed, or raw intimidation. If you recruit blindly, you end up with an expensive mob. If you recruit with intent, you end up with a force that wins ugly battles.
This guide breaks down every major troop tree in Bannerlord as of 2026, explains how they actually perform in campaign and large battles, and highlights where each one shines or quietly disappoints.
How Troop Trees Work in Bannerlord
Troop trees in Bannerlord follow a shared structure, but their outcomes vary wildly.
Most factions begin with a basic recruit that branches into infantry, ranged, and cavalry paths. From there, units specialise further, usually peaking at Tier 5 or Tier 6.
What matters in practice is not just stats, but how a unit behaves under pressure.
Key things that actually matter:
- Armour coverage and survivability in prolonged fights
- Weapon reach and attack speed in formation combat
- AI behaviour, especially with cavalry charges and skirmishers
- Upgrade cost versus battlefield impact
- How well units scale into late game armies
A Tier 6 unit that bleeds denars every battle but dies to archers is a bad investment. Bannerlord is cruel like that.
Empire Troop Tree
The Empire is the most flexible faction in Bannerlord, and sometimes that is its problem.
Imperial troops are built around combined arms warfare. Infantry holds. Archers punish. Cavalry exploits gaps. Nothing is flashy, but everything works.
Imperial Infantry
Imperial Legionaries remain one of the best shield infantry units in the game.
Why they work:
- Heavy armour with full body coverage
- Large shields that hold formation under missile fire
- Reliable thrusting weapons in tight formations
They are not fast and they are not exciting, but they anchor battles better than almost anything else.
Imperial Ranged Units
Imperial archers are competent rather than dominant.
Strengths:
- Solid armour compared to most archers
- Decent accuracy and survivability
- Good performance in sieges
Weaknesses:
- Outperformed by Battanian and Khuzait ranged units
- Lower damage output in open field skirmishes
Imperial Cavalry
Elite Cataphracts remain a gold standard for shock cavalry.
What makes them dangerous:
- Extremely high armour
- Long lances with devastating charge damage
- Excellent staying power in prolonged engagements
They are expensive, slow to recruit, and absolutely worth it if you can afford them.
Vlandian Troop Tree
Vlandia is where Bannerlord goes all-in on feudal warfare.
If you like knights, crossbows, and disciplined infantry lines, this is home.
Vlandian Infantry
Vlandian sergeants are solid but unremarkable.
They excel at:
- Holding ground
- Supporting crossbow lines
- Fighting defensively in sieges
They struggle when forced to chase faster enemies.
Vlandian Crossbowmen
Vlandian crossbows are lethal in the right conditions.
Why players love them:
- High armour penetration
- Excellent against heavily armoured troops
- Strong defensive posture in sieges
Why players lose patience with them:
- Slow reload times
- Poor performance while repositioning
- Vulnerable if flanked
They reward preparation, not chaos.
Vlandian Cavalry
Vlandian knights are devastating on the charge.
Key traits:
- Powerful couched lance damage
- Strong armour
- Excellent morale
They suffer if trapped in prolonged melee without room to cycle charges.
Sturgian Troop Tree
Sturgia feels like it should dominate infantry fights. In practice, it demands careful handling.
Sturgian Infantry
Sturgian heavy infantry hits hard but lacks consistency.
Strengths:
- High damage output
- Strong axes against shields
- Excellent in close terrain and choke points
Weaknesses:
- Lower shield coverage than Imperial troops
- Vulnerable to missile fire
- Requires aggressive command to shine
They feel best when used offensively rather than defensively.
Sturgian Ranged Units
Sturgian archers remain the weakest among major factions.
They exist to support infantry, not carry battles.
Sturgian Cavalry
Sturgian cavalry is serviceable but not elite.
They work best as support units rather than primary shock forces.
Battania Troop Tree
Battania plays by different rules.
This faction thrives on terrain, ambushes, and ranged dominance rather than brute force.
Battanian Infantry
Battanian infantry is flexible but lightly armoured.
They excel at:
- Skirmishing
- Forest combat
- Supporting ranged units
They struggle in open-field slugfests.
Battanian Fian Champions
Fian Champions remain one of the strongest units in the entire game.
Why they are terrifying:
- Exceptional longbow damage
- High melee skill for archers
- Deadly at both range and close combat
They are expensive, rare, and worth building entire armies around.
Khuzait Troop Tree
Khuzaits turn Bannerlord into a different game.
If you like mobility, harassment, and battlefield control, this is the faction.
Khuzait Horse Archers
Khuzait horse archers dominate open terrain.
Why they break AI armies:
- Constant movement
- Sustained ranged pressure
- Ability to kite slower troops indefinitely
They require micro-management but reward skill more than any other unit type.
Khuzait Lancers
Khuzait heavy cavalry complements horse archers well.
They exploit weakened formations and finish fights quickly.
Aserai Troop Tree
Aserai forces are versatile and surprisingly durable.
Aserai Infantry
Aserai infantry balances armour, shields, and mobility.
They perform well in:
- Sieges
- Desert terrain
- Mixed-arms armies
They rarely dominate but rarely disappoint.
Aserai Ranged Units
Aserai archers sit comfortably in the middle of the pack.
They are reliable and cost-effective.
Aserai Cavalry
Aserai cavalry blends speed and survivability.
They are excellent at chasing routed enemies and disrupting flanks.
Best Troop Trees by Playstyle
Choosing a faction is really choosing how you want battles to feel.
If you like disciplined warfare, choose Empire or Vlandia.
If you enjoy terrain control and ranged dominance, Battania delivers.
If you want constant movement and harassment, Khuzait is unmatched.
If you prefer brutal infantry fights, Sturgia rewards aggression.
If you want balance without extremes, Aserai fits comfortably.
Late Game Army Composition Tips (2026)
By the late game, faction purity matters less than synergy.
Effective late game armies often include:
- Imperial Legionaries as a frontline core
- Battanian Fian Champions for ranged dominance
- Elite cavalry from Vlandia or the Empire
- Horse archers for battlefield control
Mixing cultures is not heresy. It is efficiency.
Bannerlord Troop Trees Quick Reference by Faction (2026)
Empire
- Infantry strength: Excellent frontline durability with heavy armour and strong shields
- Ranged strength: Good all round performance but not top tier for raw damage
- Cavalry strength: Excellent heavy shock cavalry with high survivability
- Standout units: Imperial Legionary, Elite Cataphract
- Best use case: Balanced armies that scale smoothly into the late game
Vlandia
- Infantry strength: Solid defensive infantry that supports ranged units well
- Ranged strength: Very strong crossbows with high armour penetration
- Cavalry strength: Powerful charge focused cavalry
- Standout unit: Vlandian Banner Knight
- Best use case: Sieges and structured defensive field battles
Sturgia
- Infantry strength: High damage output with aggressive melee potential
- Ranged strength: Weak compared to other factions
- Cavalry strength: Average, better as support than shock
- Standout unit: Sturgian Heavy Axeman
- Best use case: Infantry pushes, choke points, and close terrain fights
Battania
- Infantry strength: Light, flexible units suited to skirmishing
- Ranged strength: Exceptional longbow dominance
- Cavalry strength: Weak and situational
- Standout unit: Fian Champion
- Best use case: Forest combat, ambushes, and ranged focused armies
Khuzait
- Infantry strength: Weak and rarely the focus
- Ranged strength: Strong mounted archery with constant pressure
- Cavalry strength: Excellent speed and battlefield control
- Standout unit: Khuzait Khan’s Guard
- Best use case: Open field battles, harassment, and mobility warfare
Aserai
- Infantry strength: Well balanced with decent armour and mobility
- Ranged strength: Reliable mid tier archers
- Cavalry strength: Fast and flexible with good staying power
- Standout unit: Aserai Faris
- Best use case: Mixed terrain battles and adaptable army compositions
How to Use This Section Effectively
This list is not about ranking factions from best to worst. It is about fit. Bannerlord rewards commanders who lean into what their troops want to do rather than forcing every army into the same shape.
If a faction keeps letting you down, it is usually because you are asking it to fight the wrong kind of battle.
Final Thoughts on Bannerlord Troop Trees
Bannerlord’s troop trees are less about power rankings and more about identity.
Every faction can win wars. Some just make it easier to survive the mistakes you will absolutely make along the way.
If you are losing battles, it is rarely because your troops are bad. It is because your army does not agree with how you command.
Fix that, and Bannerlord opens up fast.
