There are a variety of different infantry units in Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord. You can recruit many of them as you make your way through the game, but you have limited amounts available to you to have in your party. As your clan grows in power, you can assign companions to go out on your behalf with units at their disposal, acting on your behalf. To ensure you keep the best infantry units available in your army, which ones should you go after?

Aserai Mameluke Palace Guard

The Aserai Mameluke Palace Guard is a unit you obtain through the Aserai Mameluke Soldier troop tree. It’s the fifth tier of the unit, and it’s a two-handed fighter capable of chopping through legions of enemies in several sturdy blows. You’ll want to make sure you have some archers defending them from any ranged units, or create a shield wall to ensure they have a protections from calvary.

  • One Handed: 80Two Handed: 130Polearm: 80Bow: 60Crossbow: 20Throwing: 130Riding: 60Athletics: 130

Battanian Trained Spearman

Similar to the Palace Guard, the Battanian Trained Spearman are ideal to lead the charge against enemies, as they are capable of diving in with their polearms and driving their foes back. You likely will want a line of shield units protecting them, to ensure they have space to push back your foes, and they can adequately protect against cavalry charges. Unlike the Battanian Veteran Falxman, they have a higher polearm ability, which compliments their primary weapon of choice. They also have shields.

  • One Handed: 130Two Handed: 80Polearm: 130Bow: 60Crossbow: 20Throwing: 130Riding: 60Athletics: 130

Imperial Legionary

Of the faction troops, you can likely find the Imperials the most on the map, making the Imperial Legionary a great choice. You’ll have no trouble ever finding someone who has an Imperial Recruit available for hire, making it a great choice to rely on in your army. Much like the Battanian Trained Spearman, it has a polearm with a shield in its offhand. The two have similar stats, except it does not have as high of throwing ability.

  • One Handed: 130Two Handed: 80Polearm: 130Bow: 60Crossbow: 20Throwing: 80Riding: 60Athletics: 130

Sturgian Shock Troop

For those who want a sturdy shield unit protecting their flank, the Sturgian Shock Troop is an excellent choice. It doesn’t have as powerful of stats as other units on this page, but it does switch between a polearm and one-handed fighting, using a massive shield the entire fight. The larger shield compared to the Imperial Legionary and Battanian Trained Spearman makes the shock troop an excellent choice. If you want a ranged variant, you can train for the Sturgian Veteran Warrior, which throws javelins.

  • One Handed: 100Two Handed: 60Polearm: 100Bow: 45Crossbow: 15Throwing: 60Riding: 45Athletics: 100

Vlandian Voulgier

The final, ideal infantry unit you can start using is the Vlandian Voulgier. It’s capable of handling a two-handed or polearm weapon during a battle, perfect for taking down any bold cavalry riders who get too close or removing weaker infantry units from a battle that lack shields, and it destroys archers. You’ll want plenty of shielded units ready to help protect it when charging into action, but they’re great to have during a siege.

  • One Handed: 80Two Handed: 130Polearm: 130Bow: 20Crossbow: 60Throwing: 80Riding: 60Athletics: 130

If you ever want to reference any of the troops or try to pick out any choices that fit your options and playstyle, all you have to do is open up the encyclopedia by pressing the “N” key on your keyboard. Go to the Troops tab in the available options, and narrow down the options you want to pick for your army. There is a variety to pick from and several special units you can find during your travels.