Best battle formations and strategies in Manor Lords

Although battles take a backseat to city-building, they are an important part of Manor Lords. To lead your army to victory, you must learn the best battle formations and strategies in Manor Lords.

Best combat tactics and formations in Manor Lords

Manor Lords' combat is not as complex as Total War or other real-time strategies, but it still requires you to use appropriate formations to outsmart the opponent. I'm a fan of archers (although they're not as powerful as I would like them to be), though if you're not using them like I am, battle formation is much less important.

If you're not using archers, your combat tactics are simpler, at least until new units arrive. In that case, place faster units like spearmen on your wings so they can catch the opponent's archers faster. Even if the enemy doesn't have ranged units, fast units on wings will do a better job of flanking the enemy. The center is reserved for units in heavy armor who can hold their ground, especially when raiders attack. Having said that, having archers for more diverse strategies is always a good idea.

Best defensive strategy and battle formation in Manor Lords

Archers are perfect for a defensive formation in Manor Lords as they're mobile and force enemies to take action against them. My default method in combat is a defensive approach unless the enemy has more archers than me. In that case, I'm the one who has to chase them.

As shown in the image above, I have archers holding my wings, forming a U-letter with melee fighters in the center. The strategy is simple—initiate contact with the closest archers, forcing enemies to go after them. If they try to face them, I'll move archers slowly away from the center to have a clear path for their arrows.

As the enemy approaches, I'll move them behind the spearmen/swordsmen, who will move forward to cover them. Ideally, enemy units will be spread out in a failed attempt to catch my archers on the wings. If they ignore the archers and head straight to the center, that's even better for me, as the archers will have more time to shoot them.

Related: Manor Lords Early Access Review

Best offensive strategy and battle formation in Manor Lords

Offensive strategies are much simpler than defensive ones in Manor Lords (until the cavalry gets introduced anyway). In this case, my goal was to get close as fast as possible to break enemies' archers' ranks by positioning melee units in the front and archers behind. Give archers an order to shoot at will, as you need more accuracy at mid-range.

The main reason to get out of your comfort zone and rush the enemy is to avoid being slaughtered by archers. If your opponent is waiting for you and not running toward you, your first option is to flank or attack from one side. Move around an enemy, ensuring you're out of the archer's range. The idea is to force the opponent to change formations and strike while moving.

Now that you've learned about the best battle formations and strategies in Manor Lords, find out the Best ways to improve influence in Manor Lords - 5 Tips & Tricks on Pro Game Guides.