When talking to potential companions, exit out before buying their services to check their profile in your encyclopedia, as it will list their skills - and whether or not they're more approving of good or bad deeds (which they'll call you out on if given the chance).Always check out taverns for possible companions - they are supercharged soldiers that can be equipped just like you, and will also gain levels and skills, and can lend their abilities (like scouting and medicine) to fill in the gaps your character isn’t trained in.If you move your troop types around by dragging and dropping, the first few groups listed will come along with you, but they'll be capped around 10 people. Speaking of bandit camps, be sure to consult your party screen before entering.Without fast moving cavalry, your team can quickly get cut down by arrows and javelins unless you prepare accordingly! In general, it's unwise to raid a bandit camp early on until you have units have been upgraded to equip shields.Sometimes, waiting nearby for awhile may prompt bandits to leave and pillage the countryside, weakening those left defending the hideout. Always take note of how big enemy forces are before deciding to engage - including those dwelling within Bandit Hideouts, as you'll only be able to take in a small portion of your team into them.Press X to change your weapon handling - like swapping between one or two-handed approach, or using appropriate lances to couch them and impale enemies when charging into them (swap your camera angle to first person if you're having trouble with this).
Tournaments are a great way to make money once you get the hang of combat, and lets you learn how to use each type of weapon.Caravans may tell you about a place they are going to sell materials for a resources - if they are about to enter said town, you likely won’t get a chance to make that profit, but if they are just leaving, you can beat them to the destination and steal their profit.You'll start in the same area regardless of your chosen culture or upbringing, Don't worry too much about who to align yourself with right off the bat - tour the regions and see which place feels right for you, and know that you can sell your sword to whoever you like and change sides when it suits you (as long as you don't mind making a few enemies along the way).Worst case - you can check the party menu after completing the quest and dismiss any extra weak mercenaries. Best case - you'll lose some men in the coming battles an the upkeep will reduce. If you're taking on a mission to escort someone, resolve a dispute, or take out bandits, be sure to bulk up on recruits, even if the upkeep is a lot. It's better to over-prepare than under-prepare.Once you start fighting other factions, expect them to use plenty of tactical maneuvers on you!.Once you get the hang of things, try practicing maneuvers against opponents you know you can beat to see how to position your infantry and archers, while having cavalry follow you on flanking runs. Tactical commands can be daunting for new players - but don't worry, bandits don't have tactics either, they'll always charge straight at you.Cut your teeth on small bandit parties until you're ready to join a faction, and then follow them into war against other teams. When first starting out, don't try to play gutsy and attack caravans and villages just yet - or you'll get factions pissed at you long before you're in a good position to take sides or hold your own against an army.You can only carry so many weapons into battle, so make sure you have the right stuff equipped for the right scenarios (don't take lances into bandit hideouts, or short weapons with no reach on a huge cavalry charge).If your enemy won't let you get an attack through, press E to kick or shield bash to break their defense.Combat can be tricky to get the hang of for new players - you'll need to get used to seeing which way an enemy is preparing to strike and react accordingly to block - and keep yourself from getting overwhelmed whenever possible.Sometimes if your speed is almost even, it will take forever to chase them down unless they're also looking for a fight - and waste valuable time, or let them regroup with others to bolster their numbers before turning to face you. Before engaging an enemy when spotting them on the map - compare your speed to theirs.Stock up on extra horses when possible - it'll increase your movement speed on the map if all of your units can ride between battles.Trying to do everything on your own will get very hard otherwise. Be sure to take on the main quest to speak to 10 nobles (aka the leaders of each faction), even after the tutorial has ended, as it will speed up your renown and notoriety by getting to know each of the factions, and you’ll be able to pick a faction to fight for all the quicker.