TaleWorlds have offered up another look at Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, and this time they’re digging into the game’s single-player. Rather than break down the immensely detailed sandbox as a whole, they’re going piece by piece, explaining specific new features here and there to give folks a detailed look at what the game will be.
For more on feudal warfare, check out everything we know about Mount & Blade 2.
First up is the influence system. Influence is a currency you can gain by serving the kingdom, rounding up bandits, capturing enemies, and that sort of thing. The influence you gain can then be spent to ask an allied lord to join your cause. That cost is determined by the power of their party, and they’ll hang on to all the influence they gain by doing deeds. Of course, if that influence starts to run out the army will start to disband.
This all means means that naturally kings will have an easier time getting armies together for whatever battles they’re interested in waging, but prominent lords with loads of influence will also have an advantage. TaleWorlds say “we feel that the new influence and army gathering systems better simulate the historical feudal system. When the player becomes part of a kingdom, they have obligations to their liege. This system allows players to pay for the benefits of being a lord by supporting their liege and fellow lords in military campaigns while building up influence within the realm to serve their own purposes.”
You can get loads more detail on how it all works in the official post. It’s an interesting change for Mount & Blade, and one that looks to be making a meaningful impact on its historical simulation. It’s also nice to finally get a bit more detail on how single-player will work.