Mount & Blade Bannerlord - Sturgia Strengths & Weaknesses (Overview)

[@southernscots-irish4]

Sturgia is based on the Kievan Rus. The actual Kievan Rus culture was highly effected by Norse culture due to it being a combination of Slavic and Norse Culture. Meaning the Sturgians you can easily play as norse or slavic without being historically incorrect.

[@simongloutnez589]

Or lithuanian, or finnish, etc. Etc.

[@southernscots-irish4]

@@simongloutnez589 Lithunia and Finnish is pushing it a little bit but yeah would be possible

[@Dare_To_Game]

That's a fair point. And, in lore, they are a combination of the Sturgians and Nords, so it feels like Taleworlds was very aware of what they were doing here.

[@Xoruam]

One way you can immediately tell, is that they're using terms such as Boyar or Druzhinnik/Druzhina, which are an obvious reference.

[@southernscots-irish4]

@@Xoruam yeah, and it hurts me every time he says druzhinnik. He pronounces it so terribly that it hurts

[@animewarrior3]

Kermit talking about bannerlords showing up in my recommend was not something i expected. But I'm glad it did

[@lukavidakovic2385]

Heroic line breaker just sounds badass

[@DestroyerOfOgis]

Based

[@Dare_To_Game]

They are badass.

[@ParryThis]

Great video. I love Sturgia as a faction. Offers a very unique, and sometimes quite challenging playthrough.

[@Dare_To_Game]

Couldn't agree more!

[@alexsmith6322]

This is my personal crusade and the hill that I will absolutely die on but something cannot be more or less unique or very unique. Unique is or isn’t, there are no degrees of uniqueness.

[@MrEpeeFencer]

Did you just give yourself a compliment from your second channel? That's pretty lame.

[@ParryThis]

@@MrEpeeFencer No, I supported my friend. Nico is not the channel manager for Parry This, he is one of the content creators.

[@Ok_waffle]

It's a tiny bit more challenging at the start but after that it's smooth sailing, I have 700k only in 200 days.

[@Entertainment_Station_ES]

Sturgia strengths: everything Weaknesses: FOR STURGIA!

[@Bannanaaan]

Ewww Sturgian

[@Ok_waffle]

​@@Bannanaaan aww Is it mad because it's cavalry can't do anything?😊

[@Bannanaaan]

@@Ok_waffle Blud commenting on an 11 month old clearly sarcastic comment😊😊

[@Ok_waffle]

@@Bannanaaan "Blud"

[@Bannanaaan]

@@Ok_waffle shut up😭😭

[@corsair831]

Interesting video, thanks! I always find with Sturgia that a 75/25 inf/noble cav split works the best, with 1/3 of the infantry being line breakers. If you get more cav you weaken the shieldwall in my experience and the cavalry can break through it as you said. If you keep the shieldwall ~~5-6 ranks deep even the heaviest cavalry will get stuck and killed, if you don't have enough infantry to do that, cavalry can become a pain

[@gre3nishsinx0Rgold4]

In my current khuzait playthrough. The Sturgians rolled over like a fur blanket so I agree with that weakness of their territory being wide. Almost in a line. Speaking of trading. I could never grasp what is profitable. Head of a khuzait caravan going to battania and vlandia doesn't always give me the prices I'm expecting.

[@kylekelly1167]

Sometimes it can be hard to find profitable trade routes. It's all about good timing lords parties of 1000 thousands of more tend to buy up all the food making skyrocket for less than a day sometimes before the villages or cavanns drop of food.

[@Dare_To_Game]

When i let the AI play out, the Sturgians usually are eaten up by the Khuzaits and the Vlandians after they have absorbed the Battanians.

[@DIEGhostfish]

@@Dare_To_Game I am battanian but married into the southern Sturgians, I am desperately trying tonkeep my lord from going to war with my inlaws.

[@blackbeatsentertainment]

I agree, rolling with the west empire and I’m trying to only use Empire troops unless I need the numbers last minute behind enemy lines and at one point we were fighting them and Valandians and still held both sides. Sturgians sucked against our cavalry too. They kept trying to do a line hold too but I used that to my advantage because I just used modern military tactics and flanked them in waves till our infantry closed in. They even spread out once and just stood there trying to hit our horses and we just ran through them freely. I just became a vassal and was surprisingly given a two handed sword and I’m just cutting these guys down. A lot of them are low lvl too, and they like to be split up so it’s hard for them to do anything against around the empire, bringing three armies with either 200, 300, 400 or 600 sometimes. They even gave me a castle out there (wish they didn’t) and it was all fine till they tried to attack it surprisingly with 300 troops. But we ended the war right before it kicked off. But next time I get on I’m gonna build up the garrison and all.

[@Reaniman99]

I definitely think sturgias noble line should have a tier 6 infantry unit instead of cav.

[@hannes0000]

yes,some unique strong heavy shock infantry

[@alex2005z]

Would make a lot more sense, for a faction whose main strenght is shock infantry.

[@kitfitforpurpose470]

I'm just relieved you can say sturgia, sturgian properly.

[@Dare_To_Game]

What other way is there to say it?

[@kyze6734]

Glad im not the only one the amount of bannerlord streamers that cant pronounce the names of ppl and places properly is mad 🤣

[@DeutzFarmer96]

Still loving the Bannerlord content. This is great stuff, and i find it both enjoyable and useful.

[@Dare_To_Game]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@samknight4078]

These videos are awesome. Just binged your other ones then saw you posted this!

[@Dare_To_Game]

Thank you. I am glad you enjoy them.

[@carinasmirnoff1780]

I have effectively utilized Sturgian Cavalry, you just have to do it right. The skirmishers have to be controlled, especially if you want to try to use them against khuzait or aserai mounted archers, but it can be done.

[@Dare_To_Game]

Yeah, if you are capable of controlling them in a very specific way, you can make it work.

[@TheIceTrey]

Sturgia is my next playthrough so this’ll be good

[@Dare_To_Game]

I enjoy a good Sturgian playthrough, i definitely recommend it.

[@dragour8723]

Obviously the culture is Baltic with a heavy influence of the Kievan Rus, but in the Calradia lore the Vlandian's defeat the Empire and Battania, Battanian refugees flee north to Sturgia and then the Nords sail south and conquer much of the western snowy region. Later the Sturgians become the Vaegir who are the medieval Kievan Rus with great archers (thanks to the Battanians joining them) (Also Vlandia then splits with the Empire region becoming Swadia and the western regions become Rhodok)

[@htmn4712]

Wait, Bannerlord takes place BEFORE Warband?

[@dragour8723]

@@htmn4712 yeah Bannerlord is a prequel to Warband. It is more dark age Europe where Warband is more medieval Europe too

[@Dare_To_Game]

I've done so many Vaegir playthroughs in the day. I think the first ever Warband playthrough i did was Vaegir pure.

[@WhiteBoy-mq9nt]

“Obviously baltic” lmao no they are not. They are flat out kievan rus. You are way over analyzing this and in the end just completely wrong. The devs even straight up state that they were made to represent the Kievan Rus.

[@AsaelTheBeast]

@@htmn4712 The fact that nobody uses fullplate- and that there are straight up bronze and brass bits of armor- really hints at it being a prequal.

[@DestroyerOfOgis]

Sturgia is based because: - Heroic Line Breakers - Sturgian Heavy Axemen - Sturgian Heavy Spearmen - Druzhinnik Champions - Raganbased - Grandpa Godun - Chad players - Cool af armoury and weaponry - Based Svana - Brutal aesthetic (Vlandian blood bath)

[@Dare_To_Game]

Very fair assessment.

[@DestroyerOfOgis]

@@Dare_To_Game A mistake I saw is that you said that the Vlandians have the best cavalry in the game. They have the worst cavalry after the Battanian cavalry (almost worse than that) and the Imperial Cataphracts are horrendous in cavalry charges. The Druzhinnik Champion is the best cavalry by far. I don't know why people have remained with the "Sturgia weak" thoughts even though they have the best cavalry and infantry in the game.

[@MrEpeeFencer]

@@DestroyerOfOgis Sturgia has good troops but they still always lose because the AI is retarded. And Imperial Cataphracts are definitely better than the Druzhinniks.

[@DestroyerOfOgis]

@@MrEpeeFencer I agree with every point except the cavalry. Imperial Cataphracts are the only dangerous Empire troop though, and they're #2 cavalry.

[@noctusfury6918]

Don't forget *Based Siga* and also *Sea Raiders* and finally the *Skoldabrotva Mercenary Clan* as they are excellent and are the closest you get at Varangian Guard. There are also mods that improve the troop tree.

[@Elbasilius]

I love the infantry factions since I used to play age of mythology back in 2000's. When I first saw Sturgia I was so excited untill I started playing a year a go and they pretty much got wiped by any other faction specially late game. but now they're pretty in a good shape i would say

[@jackgeary6928]

Nice vid. Easy to understand tactics suggestions.

[@Dare_To_Game]

Glad it was helpful!

[@AurioDK]

I always find horse archers, especially Khans to be the main threat with any faction, they will just run circles and shoot, plus the fact that their glaive kills in one hit without the need to charge. I faced about 40 Khans in my last battle, while I won with vastly superior force they gave me the go around for far too long.

[@elite_rock_god2292]

Tight circle or square formation. TIGHT formation so No arrows get through and just let them shoot until they run out of arrows, luckily the horse archer units never loose all arrows at the same time so a few will run out first and charge your formation a few at a time and get crushed

[@deedubya88]

If you want to ruin a horse archers day, bring crossbows for when they are dicking around the edges, and bring assault infantry for when they charge.

[@HenryKobyla1407]

Now i am ready for my next playthrough. I want to try a Sturgian pure playthrough.

[@Dare_To_Game]

I recommend it. Some of my funnest playthroughs have been Sturgian pures.

[@intertonality9846]

I was about to make a comment about your voice, then I saw your PFP. Well played

[@Lexi-vl5eh]

I cant wait until you do your wives guide for sturgia. I want to see all those big sturgian beauties ranked.

[@Dare_To_Game]

You and me both!

[@DestroyerOfOgis]

Svana is #1 in Calradia.

[@uncorr6982]

In my current Sturgian playthrough Sturgia have lost most of its towns because of unfortunate situations while it had to fight against Battania/Vlandia/Empire and Khuzaits simultaneously, so Khuzaits got 3 towns an a castle and Battania got the capital and a castle. If it continues this way, I'll have to restart(

[@jonathanrich9281]

When doing a single-culture Roleplay run, assuming you expand into territories held by other nations, there’s a hefty loyalty penalty in all the places you conquer. How do you deal with that, especially if you only recruit companions and wives from your own culture?

[@Dare_To_Game]

Slow expansion, and i focus on happiness and loyalty in any skills i can choose to affect it, as well as kingdom policies that improve loyalty.

[@kavcav]

Came back after a long break was playing on max difficulty with some mods and got shit on for like 2 hours tell I finally got a foot hold of high teir troops and better gear for me fel like I was getting 1 tapped by rocks then my armies broke down every battle

[@teddys5775]

AH the one ive been needing to fix all my sturgia only games

[@Dare_To_Game]

Sturgia only is quite fun.

[@teddys5775]

@@Dare_To_Game yeah but I always forget spearmen and die to cav charges

[@stargatefan10]

When i kniw i want heavy infantry, there is no substitute for being a Sturgian.

[@Dare_To_Game]

This is true. The imperial infantry can be quite good, but Sturgia rules the infantry world.

[@NM-gw8dd]

i use these heavy infantry as my main troops that i target to form an army around

[@Whiterobot12]

as a sturgia player, i never realized there were strengths!

[@meemigemeemes7875]

Did you never used the spear or axeman?😂

[@thisguyagain7857]

I can get behind everything about a role playing angle except the companions. Gotta have 1 of every other Kingdom.

[@richday8859]

I started as vlandian lord on realistic difficulty. For some reason we wiped out batanian very easily. But when we go on the north, Sturgian infantry is just relentless...

[@joshsearson4510]

Im concerned about starting a sturgia run, cause everytime i run into them, i roll em with my cavalry

[@tgF321jikko]

People seriously underestimate how good varyags and varyag veterans are for their price. I run them as the back bone of my infantry until I'm rich then they all get to be Druzniks

[@joshuastone6616]

Great video, but it's super confusing that you beat the map and used it to explain everything. You should have used the base factions locations, not everything empire.

[@devon8438]

Ive never fully committed to a playthrough that wasnt sturgian or very norman-twisted vlandian

[@ivanrado3430]

I just started on the playing Bannerlord and previously playing warband. This is like completely different for me, at least. Like in Mount&Blade Warband, Viking Conquest there is few things you need to win the skirmishes. If you play as Nordic, put infantry in the shield wall, archer on the higher ground, and wait for the enemy to come close, as the enemy comes close, realse the javelins and archer's to fire and after the contant is made by infantry move 10 paces bit by bit until frontline is dead and then charge. Simple, easy to remember. Now, all this micromanaging of the troops seems like too damn much. I just want to hack and slash through like a damn berserker, but now i need to pay attention to 10 different things. And all horse archer things, how to control them, control cavalry, flanking, etc. Im not even sure how smart AI is. Does AI understand that if you have a shield wall of all the infantry in, it should put spearmen first, axmen second and line brackers behind? It's still very confusing. And critic for the Sturgia is definitely the archers. In the first game, Nordic had the best archers. Strong armour with shield and sword. So they can be infantry when out of ammo. And no cavalry is needed here tbh. Dhruznik should be just some heavyweight mobile infantry with 200 athletics 260 throwing and 260 two-handed. And 180 one-handed. Give them shit ton of armour, with a huge axe, 2 sets of throwing axes, and a shield. GG. Also, one more thing that I would change about the army is to remove the cavalry. F the cavalry just full beast on foot soldiers. Have two lines for archers. One similar to Fian Champion but with huge two handed axe and lower stats. And other tree with better bow and arrows, but shield and one handed axe. This way, full on foot soldiers equipped with axes, shields and throwing weapons. With little to no archery. Only way to beat them is to never fight them directly.

[@torix069]

video helped me a lot, good video

[@jcoronado241]

They always get beat the heck up early and somehow hang out long past what youd think

[@AteszGaming000]

I just started a Sturgia campaign, picked up some men in Empire, Traded and then went into the Sturgia areas up North. I got more men, Traded, rinse and repeat before raiding a Village on the East

[@Yatalus]

How do you effectively put the skirmisher in their own Formation? When i try it with Javelin Pref. it still mixes them and puts Druzhinnik in that group aswell because both count as Cavalry. Same problem i have with separating the Linebreaker from my normal Shield Units.

[@DIEGhostfish]

Making groups more easily specified would be nice. I would use Druzniks as Dragoons IF I could separate them from my Banner Knights, Cataphracts and Aseri

[@kyleevans5182]

When sticking entirely to one faction, how do you deal with the loyalty penalties when taking foreign cities?

[@MrEpeeFencer]

You have to do a lot of city management. Make sure it's secure with sufficient garrison/militia. Build up the fairgrounds etc. And do quests for notables in the city and the bound villages. It can be a pain in early on since you can't build anything if the loyalty is too low, so you just have to do quests to improve relations. Keep an eye out for anything that's negative in the stats for the city, and then go fix whatever is causing it to be negative.

[@austintoney471]

Always assign a companion governor of the same culture as the city you conquer, it should stop that loyalty drop even when you're building

[@mathiasH9108]

You said you liked using the horse raiders as skirmishers. Could you make a video on how to actually use skirmishers in general? I tend to ignore them since it's a hassle always sorting units and such

[@Dare_To_Game]

Perhaps, but really it just comes down to controlling them in specific flank charges. I do this by lining them up out on the wide flank, and then charging them across the enemies bow, but not comanding charge. Then they just engage and retreat, which keeps them from quickly being outclassed and dying.

[@mathiasH9108]

@@Dare_To_Game I will give that a try- Love the thought of the main lines clashing and skirmishers wrecking the flanks with Javlins, axes etc

[@Ahartic]

Sturgia can hard counter any cavalry in the game, I love a massive stack of Varangians, Heavy infantry, Mounted varangians and battanian fains and vlandian crossbows, That comp will delete any cavalry and most Mounted archers. Their only problem is population and their leadership early game is pretty awful, but overall they have definitely been the most fun do far

[@marloyorkrodriguez9975]

I played a Sturgian but became a Battanian by taking Corein as a wife, so yeah me my brother and my retainers became early Gallowglasses.

[@gunguy4619]

you dont need archers when you have their infantry

[@eveei]

still needs buff in sp, field battles are a massacre on sturgian side if the ai is in control

[@Argentoratum68]

Legionnary are still the best heavy infantry in the game. They will steamroll heavy axeman without much difficulty

[@Pugtail]

Was listening to you talk and just happened to glance down at your profile picture and my brain immediately made the connection and now I can't listen to you without laughing lmao

[@Dare_To_Game]

And you can't unsee that. So, from now on, if you ever watch any of my other videos (And i've made a few). It's all you'll be able to think about.

[@LazyAlligator]

stugrian pros: shieldwall .... now lets go to cons.

[@kaplield4565]

I've been stuck fighting a sturgisn death wall for days now. I try everything, flanking with heavy cav, archery, both. I've tried splitting my forces and surrounding them. I've tried just dog piling them. Nothing works, the sturgian ball of death just decimates my entire force despite us being evenly leveled and exact same numbers.

[@v3giannhs768]

Try put ur infantry shield wall 20m front of ur archers in loose formation archers find high ground and do attack with ur cav and back them up for defend every a while or go in the back of the units ur infantry fighting depends on ur strong troops too

[@jensenraylight8011]

This!, same, 400 vs 400 against Raganvad army , but somehow all of my troops always get screwed, despite changing flanking strategies and utilize archer in multiple different ways. their infantry shield wall was tight, i can't disorganize their formation at all. it always end with 0-100, which is very infuriating of course this is after i fought against 400 vs 600 Dumat army siege and clean it up with 400 vs 500 attack afterward, which makes me lose a lot of elite men. i really don't want to lose my territory especially when the troops size is equal

[@casedecker]

hahaha hahaahahaaa AAHHHHAHAHAHA

[@requiemaeternam3406]

Tier 4 minor Clans make Better Archer than the Sturgians they loose only on armor but get same or more bow skill with Better bow and costs less, with Sturgia i try to fill my Archers with as many Chosen Wolfs as i can, they fit a lot in style and are really good and cheap.

[@staroyouno]

Battianian archers are the best in the game

[@requiemaeternam3406]

@@staroyouno got the world twice with Fians, i'm tired of using em, minor clans are the best archers not noble anyway.

[@staroyouno]

@@requiemaeternam3406 I'm having to restart again as the whole map turned and completely destroyed me and killed all my clan members.

[@staroyouno]

Thinking off using Sturgias troops and horses with fians for support but not sure as I don't really like having different types of troops

[@requiemaeternam3406]

@@staroyouno Batannia Is the only Kingdom that doesn't Need horses at all. I got the world using 40% wildings 10% t4 falxmen and 50% Fians, i thought Khuzhait would make up a stand but they were the worst against this army Comp.

[@steelebennett4788]

I know the sturgians are Kievan Rus beveause the Druzhnik(дружник) means companion or vigilante

[@shaun9161]

“Smash them in the rear” lol😂

[@dylancaplea7017]

bro who ever says that you will win are high I struggle fighting of three looters now I mean I just started my campaign but still

[@Summercamp1sland]

I go 66% heavy axe and 33% heavy spear

[@jerrypocalypse1180]

Any strategies for ensuring a composition for your army? I always end up with a wacky mix after a while with a few troops from here and there even when I'm trying to stick with one faction's troops. Do you just discard those troops? And recruit from towns/villages to replace your losses?

[@TheBrownCoyote]

Yeah, if you must; hire mercenaries or recruit other faction troops to bolster your army but remove them or donate them to allied lords, or towns/castles and recruit from the cultural faction you want from towns and villages, and mass upgrade and train them by using looters to your advantage

[@demoulius1529]

Disagree with your 'axemen are best heavy infantry'take. Imperial legionaires are just as strong if not stronger and got a spear to defend themselves against enemy cav. Theyre not reliant on other units to protect them and can kick ass and take names. Only drawback is they can have various melee weapons and the sword is kinda crappy.

[@Vitalty_26]

How can u have 800 troops by yourself?😨

[@IIBuxy]

cheat mode do be active for these videos, so don't mind it, the 800 troops got nothing to do with the guide~

[@Dare_To_Game]

Yeah, this account has over a billion influence, and controls the whole world, so it is not comparable to an average playthrough.

[@dev1Zed]

Which playthrough do you enjoy the most?

[@kyletree713]

It's the combat ai not the troops. I've seen low lvl take down a max troop easy. the game dumbs them down when fighting each other but more for your troops also the campaign ai doesn't have a goal so their just doing random stuff...

[@Austin183i3]

I would like to see a unique role play instead of Playing one faction to get the troops and other stuff what about 2 factions and have a role play there like let's say their father was a sturgia and their mother was a Valentine and their kid wanted to Unite both factions into one I would like to see that but i don't Imagine people doing that but it would be nice if someone did

[@nomad2915]

My Rp rn is almost that, maybe you want to play it on your own. I'm playing: Mother = Empire (far away from sturgia front) and helping them as an mercenary, to weak vlandia. While Moving home to get some more soldiers, i marry one sturgia lady and go back to the merc Business. Father = Sturgia and i will join them after they have lost a lot bcs obvi my dude is afraid about his wife and his fathers homeland. Anyway, he will do a lot and die or retire for his son later on. Maybe you enjoy playing a bit like that.

[@Austin183i3]

@@nomad2915 👍

[@salkey3987]

YEET

[@Dare_To_Game]

YOTE

[@DestroyerOfOgis]

vlandian

[@Carl007Jr]

Aserai the most neglected and terribly made faction by TaleWorld. They aren't even close to any other faction, can be easily outclasses by all other factions, and can only beat other factions with sheer dumb luck with javelins, extremely careful tactics that no other factions would have to use on the same level, and relying on perks for the player and captains. TaleWorld needs to majorly buff all Aserai troops and armor.

[@Dare_To_Game]

They definitely seem to lack the love from the devs that many other factions clearly got.

[@XeNeXX]

Swear they have a pretty competitive troop tree though, they have average top tier troops all Across their tree except 2 handed infantry, 2nd best archers, 2nd best ranged cav only behind khuzait khan and regular one. Strong heavy inf, strong cav. Am I wrong?

[@DIEGhostfish]

@@Dare_To_Game They get the best followers but those can spawn anywhere they'd just waited to spawn slightly more in their own turf.

[@PoketMon1008]

Sturgia let me tell you it's a weak force to reckon with because you have smaller numbers of forces. No fun since Sturgia only limits to less than a thousands of troops. No fear than that also Sturgia only limits to a 500 to only 600 troop count. Not to mention Sturgia has little Cities/Towns and tiny Castles that are very little in amount and their ownerships and their principalities or the amounts of territories they own. Also Sturgia is weak because not only you have weaker Battanians/ your also bordered to the North with the North Empires/Western Empire/Eastern Empire/and the Norman's to the West and threats of Vlandia. Most strongest countries already with largest forces are: Khuzaits/The Empires/Aserais/and Vlandia. Apparently you may think the Vikings were strong by in fact they were but why the Kievan Rus still managed to survive like today's Russia? Weird and coincidental since Sturgia and Kievan Rus had started in simple towns and cities and if they expanded territorial wise and work hard together are they now a force to beckon with. Kievan Rus are or would be a today's powerful force. But Mount and Blade Warband/Fire and Steel/or Viking Sagas? No better than the Mount and Blade 2 BannerLord.😅 As a Different Asian I prefer playing rhe Khuzaits or Aserais.😂

[@ghostcat5303]

Yeah they ain't vikings they're based on the medieval Rus peoples

[@Dare_To_Game]

Yes, armor style and basic combat structure reflect the Keivan Rus.

[@taylorsharpe505]

Drew jinn ick

[@TheKillingFloor15]

You sound like Kermit the frog for sure lol

[@Dare_To_Game]

Yeah, that's what they say.

[@natedogg1088]

Player always wins huh? Try having your cav outnumbered against the western empire. The AI isn't exactly Sharp... But in difficulty above freebooter, it's not dumb either. Don't know legit formation tactics? Don't crank the difficulty too much.

[@SeemsLogical]

So by making these faction guides you're essentially promoting virtual racism?

[@themis828]

By making this comment, are you proving that you would incite hate, hate speech and division of the people?

[@prestowolf-fw3ue]

Idk if it’s just me but sturgian troops are over powered I almost one like a 100 vs 500 battle after the battle there were about 50 of the enemies left I forgot what faction it was

[@Dare_To_Game]

They have the best armor, on average, of any faction, so they can take a lot more punishment than a lot of other troops.