Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord

War Sails Expansion launched on November 26, 2025, introducing a host of new content and mechanics to *Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord*. Notable additions included new ships and seaborne village raids, enhancing the naval gameplay experience.

• New Content:
  • Seaborne Village Raids: Players can now raid coastal villages directly from the sea or rivers, adding a new layer to the gameplay.
  • New Ships: The Battanian Barlinnger and Nord Battle Knarr were introduced, expanding naval options.
  • New Naval Party Roles: Roles such as First Mate and Navigator were added for better crew management.
  • Rise of the Rhodoks Mod: A mod that introduced the Rhodoks as a playable culture with unique gameplay elements.
• Gameplay Enhancements:
  • Changes to Naval Battles: Major improvements were made to naval battle mechanics and victory conditions, making engagements more dynamic.
  • Looting Mechanics Updated: Looting now begins immediately if the militia does not resist, streamlining the process.
  • Faster River Travel: River travel speed increased by 50%, enhancing mobility on the water.
• Balance Changes:
  • Reworked AI Army Creation System: AI armies now require more influence, resulting in fewer but stronger forces.
  • Improved Diplomacy Mechanics: Adjustments to war declarations and alliances better reflect the state of the world.
• Seasonal Events:
  • Calradic Campaign Multiplayer Event #85: Scheduled for July 4, 2026, this multiplayer event featured a hack & slash experience.
  • Bretonnie Roleplay Event: Held on June 28, 2026, focusing on immersive medieval battles and roleplaying.

• Modding Support:
  • Closed Beta for War Sails Modding Kit: Launched, allowing modders to create new ships, scenes, and mechanics for the expansion.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord introduced the War Sails expansion on October 2, 2025, which brought significant new content including naval warfare mechanics and the Nords faction. This expansion expanded the world map to include the rugged coastline of Nordvyg and the Island of Beinland, alongside the introduction of various ship classes and customization options.

• New Faction and Features: The Nords faction debuted with the expansion, featuring new naval gameplay mechanics and a unique ship for each faction, totaling 20 unique ships.
  • World Map Expansion: The map now includes Nordvyg and Beinland, enhancing exploration and combat opportunities.
  • Jumne River Area: A new region with mysterious burial pits added to the game lore.
• Naval Gameplay Mechanics: Players experienced new ship management systems, allowing for purchasing, selling, and upgrading ships at ports.
  • Survival Mechanics: Players must now navigate to shore on rafts if all ships are lost, introducing a risk factor to naval engagements.
  • Dynamic Weather Effects: Ships take damage from storms, and movement speed is affected by ship design and weather conditions.
• Gameplay Enhancements: A stealth system was implemented for improved gameplay during missions, alongside a reworked blockade system for sieges.
• Seasonal Events: Featured multiple large-scale community events such as Calradian War #15, allowing up to 700 players to participate in special modes with triple loot and experience rewards.
• UI Improvements: The introduction of a new heir selection popup and enhancements to the town management interface improved user experience.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord introduced a significant New Features Overview on May 3, 2024, enhancing gameplay with features like Fog of War, Retirement, and Formation Targeting. Additionally, the Osric's Bay Siege Event launched on March 2, 2024, offering a large-scale multiplayer experience for up to 500 players.

• New Features: Introduced new gameplay mechanics including:
  • Fog of War
  • Retirement
  • Player-owned Alleys
  • World Map & Mission Weather
  • Formation Targeting
  • Warehouses
  • Multiplayer Taunts
• Multiplayer Events: A series of engaging events included:
  • Calradic War #9 on August 31, 2024, featuring large-scale battles with special rules.
  • Storming the Enemy event on May 3, 2024, which added weather effects and triple loot rewards.
  • Empire Invades on January 27, 2024, a Siege event with up to 500 players.
• Gameplay Enhancements:
  • The Triple Loot & Experience feature for participants of the Osric's Bay event on March 2, 2024.
• Balance Changes: Notable adjustments included:
  • Introduction of friendly and reflective damage in custom game modes on February 1, 2024.
  • Re-enabled punishments for dodging and leaving matchmaking games.
  • Settlement garrison balance improvements introduced on November 25, 2023.
• Modding Improvements: Enhanced moddability of the World Map was rolled out on November 25, 2023, allowing modders greater flexibility in content creation.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord officially launched on October 25, 2022, marking a significant milestone for the game. Following this, the Digital Companion was released on December 16, providing players with a story journal, hand-drawn map, concept art, and music. Additionally, players saw the introduction of Custom Servers and Multiplayer Modding, enhancing the online experience.

• New Gameplay Features:
  • Formation Targeting: Introduced on June 28, 2023, allowing players to target enemy formations during battles.
  • Weather Effects: Also added on June 28, rain and snow now impact movement speed and siege preparation times.
  • Kingdom Destruction Mechanic: Kingdoms can now be destroyed when they lose all fiefs, making clans independent.

• Content Additions:
  • New Armor Pieces: Three new armor pieces—Ornate Scale Armor, Khan's Coat of Plates, and Khan's Plated Bracers—were added on June 28, 2023.
  • New Battle Terrains: Six new battle terrains were introduced, increasing the total to 76 unique battle scenes.
  • Voice-over Content: The main storyline and greeting dialogues received voice-over content at launch.

• Balance Changes:
  • Dismount Mechanic: Reintroduced in Beta v1.2.4 on October 20, 2023, for testing in multiplayer.
  • AI Combat Level Adjustments: Changes to AI combat calculations improved skill distribution among enemies.

• Modding Improvements:
  • World Map Modding: Enhancements to world map modding were made on October 20, 2023, along with reduced mod loading times.

• Quality of Life Updates:
  • The Digital Companion was gifted to all players who purchased the game on PC prior to December 16, 2022, enhancing player engagement with additional lore and resources.