Picking the best faction in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord sounds simple until you actually start a campaign. Then you realise you are choosing between cavalry aristocrats, woodland longbow enthusiasts, steppe horse archers and an Empire that has helpfully split itself into three pieces before you even arrive.
There is no faction that dominates every part of Bannerlord. Geography matters. Troop availability matters. Your preferred style of warfare matters even more. A faction that feels absurdly powerful in an open field can become painfully ordinary once somebody puts a stone wall in the way.
For this ranking, I am looking at the complete campaign experience: troop quality, strategic position, economy, recruitment, field battles, sieges and how forgiving the faction is when your beautifully planned campaign inevitably turns into three simultaneous wars.
Bannerlord Faction Tier List
| Rank | Faction | Rating | Greatest Strength | Main Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Empire | S Tier | Exceptional combined arms | Difficult strategic position |
| 2 | Vlandia | S Tier | Heavy cavalry and crossbows | Less effective on difficult terrain |
| 3 | Khuzait | A Tier | Mobility and horse archers | Sieges |
| 4 | Battania | A Tier | Elite archery | Strategic position and cavalry |
| 5 | Aserai | B Tier | Versatility and economy | Few overwhelming specialities |
| 6 | Sturgia | B Tier | Infantry warfare | Mobility and geography |
The gap between these factions is considerably smaller than the letters make it look. A well-commanded Battanian army can dismantle an Imperial force, while a badly handled Vlandian cavalry army can spend an entire battle charging enthusiastically into trees.
Skill remains rather inconveniently important.
1. Empire: Best Overall Faction
The Empire gets my top position because its troop roster has an answer for almost everything.
Technically, of course, there are three Imperial factions: Northern, Southern and Western. They share the same culture and troop tree, so from a military perspective it makes sense to consider them together.
Imperial armies are built for combined-arms warfare. You have heavily protected infantry, capable archers, excellent cavalry and enough flexibility to alter your army composition without travelling halfway across Calradia looking for specialist recruits.
Why the Empire Is So Strong
The Imperial Legionary remains one of the most dependable infantry units available. Put a large group into a shield wall and they can absorb a frankly unreasonable amount of punishment.
Then there is the Imperial Elite Cataphract.
These are heavily armoured cavalry designed for exactly the sort of battle where you point at an enemy formation and decide you would prefer it to stop existing. They are excellent flankers, powerful shock troops and considerably more durable than lighter cavalry.
Imperial armies also work extremely well in sieges because their effectiveness is not dependent upon horses or specialist terrain.
Empire Strengths
- Excellent heavy infantry
- Elite Cataphract cavalry
- Strong armour across high-tier units
- Effective in both sieges and field battles
- Large recruitment area
- Excellent combined-arms armies
- Easy to supplement with troops from neighbouring cultures
Empire Weaknesses
The problem is not really the army.
It is the map.
Imperial territory occupies the centre of Calradia, which means borders. Lots of borders. Depending upon which Imperial faction you join, you can find yourself fighting rival Imperials while simultaneously being attacked by whichever neighbouring kingdom has decided today looks like a lovely day for territorial expansion.
That central position creates opportunities, but it also creates headaches.
Best For
Players who want a flexible army and enjoy commanding infantry, archers and cavalry together.
Verdict: The safest military choice for players who want to experience everything Bannerlord offers.
2. Vlandia: Best Faction for Heavy Cavalry
If your tactical philosophy begins with “have we tried charging them again?”, Vlandia is probably going to feel like home.
Vlandian armies combine powerful shock cavalry with some of the game’s best crossbow troops. That combination is remarkably effective because the crossbows encourage enemies to advance while your cavalry prepares to ruin their afternoon.
The Vlandian Banner Knight
Banner Knights are the headline attraction.
A properly organised cavalry charge can smash infantry formations, scatter ranged troops and turn an organised enemy line into several much less organised groups of people running in different directions.
The important word there is “properly”.
Repeatedly ordering cavalry to charge through dense infantry without reforming is an excellent method of converting expensive Banner Knights into expensive corpses.
Pull them back, reform the line and charge again.
Vlandian Crossbows
Vlandian ranged troops deserve nearly as much attention.
Sharpshooters provide powerful long-range support and perform particularly well against heavily armoured opponents. Their shields also give them more staying power than conventional archers when the battle becomes messy.
Vlandia Strengths
- Exceptional shock cavalry
- Excellent crossbowmen
- Strong western strategic position
- Powerful offensive armies
- Excellent performance on open terrain
- Straightforward troop composition
Vlandia Weaknesses
- Cavalry effectiveness drops in forests and mountainous terrain
- Elite mounted armies become expensive
- Infantry is useful rather than spectacular
- Siege battles remove much of the cavalry advantage
Vlandia’s geography is another quiet advantage. Its western position means it is less exposed than the Imperial factions, and successful expansion tends to push the kingdom eastwards rather than opening borders in every direction.
Best For
Aggressive players who enjoy cavalry warfare and decisive field battles.
Verdict: Probably the easiest faction with which to become terrifying very quickly.
3. Khuzait: Best Faction for Horse Archers
There is fighting an enemy army, and then there is being followed around a field by hundreds of mounted archers while slowly reconsidering every decision that brought you here.
Welcome to fighting the Khuzaits.
Khuzait warfare revolves around mobility. Their armies can harass, encircle and exhaust slower opponents before committing to close combat.
Khan’s Guard
The Khuzait Khan’s Guard is one of Bannerlord’s standout elite units.
These are not fragile archers who become helpless when somebody gets close. Khan’s Guard combine excellent mounted archery with formidable melee capability, which makes them useful throughout an engagement.
A large formation can circle infantry, attack exposed flanks and pursue routing troops with brutal efficiency.
Why Mobility Matters
Campaign movement is also strategically important.
Being able to catch weaker armies and avoid stronger ones sounds rather obvious, but it changes an entire campaign. Khuzait forces are particularly good at choosing favourable engagements rather than accepting whatever battle the enemy offers.
Khuzait Strengths
- Outstanding horse archers
- Excellent campaign mobility
- Superb open-field performance
- Khan’s Guard are exceptionally versatile
- Excellent pursuit capability
- Strong cavalry options
Khuzait Weaknesses
- Less impressive infantry
- Mounted advantages disappear during sieges
- Horse-heavy armies can be expensive
- Requires more active battlefield management
This is why I cannot quite put the Khuzaits above the Empire or Vlandia overall. Their strongest advantages are spectacular, but also situational.
Take away the horses and things become considerably less funny.
Best For
Players who enjoy mobility, manoeuvring and controlling the pace of battle.
Verdict: Potentially the most dangerous faction in open warfare when commanded properly.
4. Battania: Best Faction for Archers
Battania is weird.
I mean that affectionately.
Its overall strategic position can be awkward and its cavalry is hardly going to make Vlandia nervous. Yet Battania has access to one unit that can completely reshape how you build an army.
The Battanian Fian Champion.
Why Fian Champions Are So Good
Fian Champions combine superb long-range archery with surprisingly dangerous melee capability.
Position them correctly on elevated terrain and enemy armies can lose frightening numbers of troops before reaching your line.
Their effectiveness becomes particularly noticeable when you use terrain intelligently. Hills, forests and defensive positions allow Battanian armies to create horrible approach routes for attackers.
Battania Strengths
- Fian Champions are among the game’s best ranged troops
- Excellent forest warfare
- Strong skirmishing options
- Powerful defensive armies
- Troops suit rough terrain
- Very satisfying tactical playstyle
Battania Weaknesses
- Limited heavy cavalry
- Difficult strategic geography
- Vulnerable on open terrain
- Elite ranged armies require careful positioning
Battania’s biggest problem is surviving long enough to enjoy its strengths.
Its territory sits between several powerful neighbours, including Vlandia and the Empire. AI-controlled Battania can therefore find itself squeezed surprisingly early in a campaign.
Joining them can feel less like selecting a faction and more like volunteering for crisis management.
Best For
Players who love archers, defensive battles and using terrain rather than simply throwing troops forward.
Verdict: One of the most rewarding factions tactically, but less forgiving strategically.
5. Aserai: Most Underrated Faction
The Aserai suffer slightly in faction rankings because they do not have an obvious gimmick.
Vlandia has cavalry.
Battania has Fians.
Khuzait has horse archers.
The Aserai have… competence.
Which does not sound terribly exciting until you are 60 hours into a campaign and realise competence is actually rather useful.
Aserai Armies
Their roster offers respectable infantry, archers, cavalry and mounted ranged troops. This allows you to construct genuinely flexible armies without depending heavily upon foreign recruits.
The Aserai also benefit from their southern geographical position and strong economic potential. Trade can become particularly valuable for characters operating across their territory.
Aserai Strengths
- Versatile troop roster
- Good cavalry
- Useful ranged options
- Strong trading opportunities
- Defensible southern position
- Excellent choice for economic campaigns
Aserai Weaknesses
- Fewer truly dominant units
- Long distances between some settlements
- Lower-tier troops can feel unimpressive
- Requires a more balanced army composition
The Aserai become stronger the longer you play them. They rarely provide the instant battlefield gratification of a Banner Knight charge or Fian arrow storm, but their versatility makes them excellent for sustained campaigns.
Best For
Players interested in trading, kingdom building and balanced armies.
Verdict: Better than their reputation suggests, particularly for long sandbox campaigns.
6. Sturgia: Best Faction for Infantry Fans
Someone had to finish last.
That does not make Sturgia bad.
Sturgia specialises in tough infantry combat, and there is something immensely satisfying about watching a dense shield wall absorb an enemy attack before pushing forward.
Unfortunately, Bannerlord is a game where strategic mobility and powerful ranged troops matter enormously.
That creates problems.
Sturgian Infantry
Sturgian troops perform well in close combat, particularly when formations are used correctly. Shield walls can absorb missile fire and create a strong base around which more aggressive troops operate.
They are particularly enjoyable in sieges, village battles and rough terrain where enemy cavalry cannot exploit its mobility.
Sturgia Strengths
- Strong infantry
- Effective shield formations
- Good close-range combat
- Useful shock troops
- Strong thematic army composition
- Enjoyable siege warfare
Sturgia Weaknesses
- Limited strategic mobility
- Vulnerable to strong ranged armies
- Awkward geographical position
- Long territory can be difficult to defend
- Field battles against horse archers can become deeply irritating
Sturgia becomes considerably more effective when the player commands its armies directly. The AI is not always brilliant at exploiting infantry-heavy formations, whereas a player can deliberately select favourable terrain and protect vulnerable flanks.
Best For
Players who enjoy shield walls, infantry tactics and battles that eventually become enormous axe fights.
Verdict: Challenging, atmospheric and much better under player control than its campaign performance sometimes suggests.
Which Bannerlord Faction Has the Best Units?
Looking at factions individually can be misleading because several cultures have one exceptional unit that outperforms the rest of their roster.
| Category | Best Faction | Standout Unit |
| Heavy Infantry | Empire | Imperial Legionary |
| Heavy Cavalry | Empire / Vlandia | Elite Cataphract / Banner Knight |
| Archers | Battania | Fian Champion |
| Horse Archers | Khuzait | Khan’s Guard |
| Crossbows | Vlandia | Vlandian Sharpshooter |
| Infantry-focused armies | Sturgia | Sturgian high-tier infantry |
| Balanced armies | Empire | Mixed Imperial roster |
This is also why recruiting exclusively from your chosen culture is rarely optimal.
My favourite armies usually become thoroughly multicultural disasters. Imperial infantry hold the centre, Battanian Fians provide ranged support and cavalry from Vlandia or the Empire handles the flanks.
Nobody agrees culturally, but everybody agrees that the enemy needs to go.
Best Faction for Beginners
For a first serious campaign, I would choose either the Empire or Vlandia.
Vlandia is arguably easier strategically because its western position reduces the number of directions from which disaster can arrive. Its troop tree is also intuitive. Crossbows shoot things. Infantry holds things. Knights charge things.
The Empire requires slightly more campaign awareness but teaches combined-arms warfare extremely well.
I would avoid starting with Battania unless you actively want the challenge. It is enormously fun, but watching neighbouring kingdoms slowly consume your faction while you are still learning how workshops work is character building in all the wrong ways.
Best Faction for Each Playstyle
| Playstyle | Recommended Faction |
| Beginner | Vlandia |
| Balanced warfare | Empire |
| Heavy cavalry | Vlandia |
| Horse archers | Khuzait |
| Foot archers | Battania |
| Infantry | Sturgia |
| Trading | Aserai |
| Sieges | Empire |
| Open-field battles | Khuzait |
| Defensive warfare | Battania |
| Kingdom building | Empire / Aserai |
| Tactical challenge | Battania / Sturgia |
Does Your Starting Culture Matter?
Yes, although perhaps not in the way new players expect.
Choosing a culture does not permanently lock you into that kingdom. You can begin with one cultural background, recruit troops from another region and eventually swear allegiance to whichever ruler appears least likely to lose all their castles this week.
Your cultural choice should therefore complement your intended campaign rather than simply matching your favourite troop tree.
If you want a heavily role-played campaign, keeping your character, army and kingdom culturally consistent can be great fun. If you simply want the strongest possible army, Calradian multiculturalism is your friend.
Recruit the good troops wherever you find them.
Is There Really a Best Faction in Bannerlord?
Not absolutely.
The Empire earns my number-one position because it has the most complete military roster. Vlandia arguably offers the easiest route to battlefield dominance, while the Khuzaits can become frighteningly powerful in the hands of somebody who understands mounted warfare.
Battania possesses arguably the most desirable ranged troops in the game. The Aserai are superb for players who combine warfare with economic development. Sturgia provides an enjoyable infantry campaign that rewards deliberate command.
That variety is one of Bannerlord’s better qualities.
A faction ranking tells you which kingdom has the strongest overall package. It cannot tell you which campaign you will enjoy most.
Final Ranking
- Empire: Best overall
- Vlandia: Best heavy cavalry faction
- Khuzait: Best mobile faction
- Battania: Best ranged faction
- Aserai: Best economic all-rounder
- Sturgia: Best infantry-focused challenge
If I wanted the easiest campaign, I would probably take Vlandia.
If I wanted the strongest all-round military roster, I would take the Empire.
If I wanted to spend several hours riding around infantry formations while firing arrows at increasingly miserable people, Khuzait. Obviously.
