Mount&Blade/Swadians: Difference between revisions

As one of the two original factions, the Swadians have a more developed troop tree than any faction other than the Vaegirs. Swadians are very adaptable, but the correct use of a varied party is still the key to victory. Swadian Knights are the strongest mounted units in the original Mount&Blade, with the Sarranid Mamlukes added in Warband being comparable (Warband also buffs other factions' top cavalry slightly to be more balanced with Swadian Knights, though they don't quite lose their dominance). They are extremely powerful cavalry, though they are slightly slower than some other horsemen and their lack of athletics combined with their use of one of the heaviest armors in the game means a de-horsed Knight is in trouble if his friends aren't close by, as he will not be able to run away from the group of enemies he will likely be surrounded by. Swadian crossbowmen are slightly less skilled than their [[Mount&Blade/Rhodoks|Rhodok]] counterparts, but wear heavier armor and have a higher agility for faster attacks with their melee weapon. While not poor or weak units by any means, Swadian crossbowmen are probably the least desirable line of ranged attackers in the game in open combat, and are better as defenders in a castle garrison than filling your moving army's need for archers. Using another faction's ranged attackers should be considered, although Swadians can still fill this purpose just fine if desired. Swadian infantry are very versatile. They are not as tough as [[Mount&Blade/Nords|Nord]] infantry but wear better armor than other foot units and are likely to survive combat for longer. While not as effective against cavalry as Rhodok spearmen, a group Swadian Sergeants' combination of swords and polearms allows them to be a threat to any unit type.