Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord - Ultimate Battanian Fian Champion Guide

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord does not use a seasonal system. The latest major patch is v1.4.5 for PC, with console updates following suit. Recent updates have focused more on naval battles (War Sails DLC), diplomacy, AI behavior improvements, and auto-battle balance adjustments (such as the removal of cavalry bonuses), rather than significant performance adjustments for specific troop types. This article is based on the current version.

On the vast battlefields of Calradia, there exists a versatile soldier capable of sweeping away enemies from a distance and cutting down enemy troops with a two-handed sword in close combat. Their name is the "Battanian Fian Champion." Recognized by many players as the strongest, this archer-infantry unit possesses the power to turn the tide of battle simply by being in your warband. However, their strength stems from their origin as special "noble troops," and their training requires knowledge and significant Denar. This article thoroughly explains everything from the secrets to consistently mass-producing Fian Champions to the tactics that unleash their full potential.

What is the "Battanian Fian Champion"? The Unrivaled Strongest Archer-Infantry

The "Battanian Fian Champion" is a noble troop's final Tier (Tier 5) unit that can be recruited in Battanian cultural areas. The greatest feature of this troop type is its ultimate hybrid performance, possessing top-class melee combat abilities despite being an archer. Its stats are astonishing, reaching 260 in bow skill and 220 in two-handed weapon skill. These figures are comparable to, or even surpass, those of dedicated infantry units, setting them apart from other archers.

At long range, arrows fired from their longbows can shatter enemy shield walls, posing a threat even to heavily armored cavalry. Even if they run out of arrows or the front line is disrupted by an enemy charge, they draw their two-handed swords and fight bravely. This versatility is the strength of the Fian Champion, allowing them to adapt flexibly to any battle situation. Even in the latest v1.4.5 environment, the core performance of this unit has not seen significant nerfs, and they continue to reign as one of "Calradia's strongest troop types."

Fian Champion Training Route and Troop Tree

Fian Champions are trained via a "noble troop" route, which differs from the standard soldier tree. Recruitment opportunities are limited, and training costs are high, but the rewards are immense.

Overview of the Training Tree

Training begins by recruiting "Battanian Highborn Youth" from notables in Battanian cultural villages. From there, three upgrades lead to the creation of the strongest archer-infantry.

Characteristics and Evaluation of Each Tier

• Strengths: Throughout their training route, they exhibit extremely high potential as archers. Especially at Tier 4, the "Fian" stage, they already possess firepower comparable to other nations' final Tier archers. The final form, Fian Champion, combines a long-range, high-damage bow with two-handed sword skills on par with veteran infantry, allowing them to engage in combat at all ranges. Equipped with two quivers, they also boast high sustained combat capability.
• Weaknesses: The biggest drawbacks are the difficulty of acquisition due to being noble troops and their high maintenance costs. Additionally, since they do not carry shields, caution is required in engagements against enemy archers, as they are prone to taking damage unless formations like loose formation are adopted.
• Optimal Battlefields: Their most favored battlefields are terrains with undulations and cover, such as forests and hilly areas. Especially when combined with Battanian cultural bonuses (50% less movement penalty in forests), they become "Forest Devils," harassing enemies in the woods and engaging in one-sided ranged combat.

How to Build a Fian Champion Warband: Recruitment and Alternatives

To form the strongest Fian Champion warband, there are two methods: the official recruitment route and an "exploit" that utilizes a specific skill.

Official Route: Recruitment from Notables

The most basic acquisition method is to directly recruit from notables in settlements with Battanian culture. The efficient procedure is as follows:

1. Locate Battanian Cultural Settlements: Head to Battanian territories, marked in green on the map. Villages attached to castles, in particular, tend to have a higher spawn rate for noble troops than other villages.
2. Improve Relations with Notables: Complete quests given by "notables" in villages and towns, or defeat hostile factions, to increase your relation with them. Higher relation values increase the chances of recruiting more, and higher-tier, noble troops at once.
3. Recruit "Battanian Highborn Youth": When a blue "!" mark appears on a notable's icon, it's a sign that noble troops can be recruited. Once you find "Battanian Highborn Youth," recruit as many as your Denar allows. Recruitment costs vary per soldier, but noble troops are more expensive than regular soldiers.

This method is reliable, but it depends on the disposition and relation values with notables, so consistency in numbers requires patience and time.

Exploit: Conversion from Prisoners

The most efficient way to mass-produce Fian Champions is by utilizing a perk from the Leadership skill. The "Disciplinarian" perk, obtainable at Leadership skill 125, has a powerful effect that allows "bandit" type units to be converted into the regular soldier tree.

Furthermore, "Forest Bandits" that appear in forests around Battanian territory can be converted into the Fian troop tree through the effect of this perk. This means that by capturing a large number of "Forest Bandits" as prisoners and adding them to your warband, you can directly acquire "Battanian Highborn Youth," who are otherwise difficult to recruit. This significantly reduces recruitment effort and costs, enabling the early formation of a Fian Champion warband. While it depends on playstyle, many players rely on this method.

Practical Application: Fian Champion Operational Tactics

You've carefully trained your Fian Champion warband. Now, let's introduce the operational methods to maximize their true potential.

Basic Tactics: Ranged Combat Utilizing Terrain

The foundation of Fian Champions lies in one-sided ranged combat from advantageous terrain. Once battle begins, first move your warband to a position overlooking the enemy, such as a high ground or hilltop. The standard procedure is to select the warband, then issue a move command with "F1" → "F2," and form a "Loose Formation" with "F3" → "F3." Spreading out minimizes damage from enemy arrows while allowing them to utilize their long range to thin out enemy numbers before they can reach you.

Advanced Tactics: Master of the Forests

The place where Fian Champions shine brightest is the forest. Thanks to Battanian cultural bonuses, they can move nimbly through forests, using trees as natural shields. Even if enemy cavalry charges, they can be riddled with arrows as their momentum is lost due to the trees. If enemy infantry approach, simply fall back a little to create distance and resume firing. This kiting tactic, repeated in the forest, boasts unrivaled strength.

Comparison with Other Faction Units

Why Fian Champions are considered the strongest becomes clearer when compared to other nations' Tier 5 ranged units.

• Vlandian Sharpshooter: Calradia's strongest crossbow unit. While their single-shot power and shield-piercing ability are immense, crossbows have a slow rate of fire, and they are not proficient in close combat. In a ranged exchange, the Fian's rate of fire and flexibility are superior.
• Imperial Palatine Guard: An excellent infantry unit, but their ranged attack is limited to throwing spears with a short range, so they cannot fulfill the role of an archer. Fians can unilaterally wear down this unit from a distance.
• Aserai Master Archer: A versatile unit that can also operate as horse archers, but Fian Champions surpass them in pure bow skill and equipment quality.
• Khuzait Khan's Guard: Renowned as the strongest horse archer unit. They overwhelm Fians in mobility, but Fians have an advantage in accuracy from horseback and melee combat ability when dismounted. A direct comparison is difficult due to their differing roles, but breaking through a Fian warband dedicated to defense is an extremely difficult task.

Thus, Fian Champions can be described as a unique and unparalleled existence, achieving a very high level of balance between pure ranged combat ability and close combat ability when the need arises, unmatched by others.

Summary

The Battanian Fian Champion is undoubtedly the strongest archer-infantry unit in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. Their overwhelming long-range firepower and melee combat abilities, comparable to veteran infantry, make them an extremely powerful core for a player's warband.

While their training comes with challenges unique to noble troops, by utilizing the official route of building relations with notables or employing the "exploit" of mass-producing them from "Forest Bandits" using the Leadership skill perk "Disciplinarian," forming an army of the strongest archers is not a dream. By leveraging terrain and issuing appropriate formations, they will defeat any foe. For those aiming to unite Calradia, Fian Champions will undoubtedly be your most reliable trump card.