Battle Brothers - A Playthrough

He's dead. Only three brothers remain on the field, facing off against three brigands.



Make that two, Hoggart's cowardly form retreats. Abandoning his two men to their fates. We won't let them get away. Wilfried readies his crossbow.



He takes aim at the brigand not wielding a shield and fires.



The bolt struck true.



He drew his pocket knife and wait for the signal to surround the last opponent.



Berengar raises his shield and pushes forward to challenge the enemy.



Robert, with his two handed ax follows just behind, eager to split this bastard into half.



The last man put up a valiant fight, blocking a few blows and even landing a hit on Robert.



But it was for naught.





It was my first day in charge.

Each weapon has a different property and attack skill when equipped.




A mace type of weapon has a stunning attack.
While a Spear weapon's main advantage is improved accuracy but they tend to have lower damage.
Each weapon has different properties and it's important to swap according to the role you want the weapon to perform.

Here's a brief explanation on the character sheet in Battle Brothers

Head Armor: If you are hit on the head, the head armor points will take the brunt of the damage - some weapons can ignore armor. Hits to the head have increased chance of serious injury.
Body Armor: Same as above, except it protects against damage to the torso.
Health: Your maximum health - the higher it is, the more damage you take and the least likely you will get injured when hit.
Action Point: You spend these to move and act
Fatigue: At the beginning of combat, this starts at zero. Every turn you lose 15 fatigue, moving, attacking, and other actions increases your fatigue - your men cannot move if they've maxed out their fatigue. The heavier your equipment are, the lower your fatigue capacity would be.
Morale: The state of morale when combat starts. This is very important - a high morale rewards to hit chances - a low morale will lower them - get it low enough - and your men will flee - and this is fatal if they're locked in melee. Most positive events increases morale - it can happen inside or outside combat - killing an enemy, rallying cry etc. The opposite is true - death of comrades, a serious injury, being surrounded can dampen a morale.
Resolve: This is a saving roll to gain and lose morale when events happen. The higher it is, the more likely you can trigger gains in morale or avoid loss of morale.
Initiative: How soon can this unit move - the heavier your gear - the lower your initiative.
Melee/Ranged Attack: Chance to hit using melee/ranged weapons.
Melee/Ranged Defense: Chance to evade incoming melee/ranged attacks.
Chance to Hit Body/Head: When you successfully hit - the 1d100 roll will determine where it lands.
Vision: How many tiles can you see ahead - important for scouting ahead at night - or for bow snipers.

Background and traits can be varied and it's best explained when we encounter in game. Backgrounds are very diverse and affect the statistic spread. Unique trait like the one you see here affects some skills. Berengar is a 'Battle Brother' this background grants starting bonuses to their combat skills. His trait is 'Pessimist' - a negative trait - The glass is always half full - granting a penalty of -5 resolve.

On the final note - the stars on each attribute denotes favored attribute and grants bonuses when increasing such skill at level up. Berengar, as you can see has 2 stars on Health and 1 star on both Fatigue and Resolve.

Let's look at Robert now



Robert seems like a solid melee character
2* MeleeAtk
1* MeleeDef
1* Resolve

His two traits are both positive and negative - he is bloodthirsty - ensuring that he always perform fatalities if a weapon allows it. Decapitation and other violent finishing blows greatly lowers morale which is good. But he has blurry vision which lowers his vision by 1. No big deal.

Whew. Enough explaining about the game for now, let's go see the world map.



Wow. It's huge, isn't it? Where are we? The white banner with golden cross is our Company's banner. We're just outside Waidhof, where we're about to collect our payment.





Why not? We could use the work.



Off we go then, to recruit fresh bodies for our band.



Well. This is our recruitment pool. As you can see some are rather expensive. The number on the left is the amount of down payment while the number on the right is the daily pay. Arrows denote the level-ups you get upon hiring this man since this one is more experienced than others he demands 2410 gold. A bit too much for me. We need to go lower.

Now here comes the nasty meta for the game: You don't know their attributes until you've hired them. So be sure to pay attention to their background.



This man is a poacher. Hence I'll assume he's a good archer. We'll take him since having good archers can provide us with deadly first strikes. 395 gold is paid, I hold my breath and...



This sonuvabich came with a shitty bow. Hiring cost includes gear as well, so don't always assume an expensive hire is skilled. It could be the gold-plated sword they're carrying! But overall, I'm OK with his stat spread. He even comes with armor and hood. I'll take a closer look later.

For now, we'll head to another big city to find better recruits (hopefully).



Sommersborg is a 'large city' and prices are usually way more expensive there - it's probably a good idea to pick up cheap commodity in outlying villages to unload in bustling metros like this one.

Waidhof, the village we are in produces quality wood, some dried fruit and nuts, as well as venison.



We look at the actual worth of the goods and found the price tag very reasonable.



Our purse slightly lighter, we load our carts and set off towards Sommersborg.

Arriving at Sommersborg, we're scared away by the horrible mark-up of goods for sale. But found our goods can fetch a modest profit when sold.



With a little above 2,000 gold, I decide to spend part of the profit on a war dog.




A war dog can be great at catching a fleeing enemy. But don't count at it being a decent combatant. It dies very easily.
We also look at the recruitment pool.



So many elite mercs in the big city. Too expensive for us to afford.



This fellow looks like an honest chap. Let's get him as our third archer.
As we scroll down the list, we found another interesting individual.



Let's take this poor fellow. If anything, he'll be like a team mascot.
Now time for a review.



OK.
1* RangedAtk - that's fine
1* MeleeDef - not too good..no point putting him on melee - he DOES have a rather high MeleeAtk skill (57) but critically low Resolve (29!)
1* Initiative - Initiative isn't a very good attribute to invest in.

I'm pretty annoyed to discover that Hakon actually held his breath during the interview to hide his beer belly. This fat fuck is going to cap his fatigue much quicker but at least the extra fat can slow down a blade or two. He is also easily scared - giving him a -5 penalty to his resolve. Which means putting him in front is a bad idea.

I rate this hire 6 out of 10. There are worse hires out there.
I won't even waste time explaining Robert the Missing Pecker's appeal at all.



Suffice to say, he'll be a decent arrow bait.

With those recruits in tow, we have six in our band and return to the Waidhof to report for duty.




Yeah, time to kill this guy. But I want some insurance. Let's find more meat bags.



This guy will do.
We also pick up a butcher.



We also pick up a new short bow to replace Lienhard's shoddy bow as well as additional medical supply.




To add insult to injury, I also discover that Lienhard is a pretty cowardly (Resolve 25) with 2* on MeleeDef (lol) and 1* on both Resolve (Oh well) and Initiative (It's shite). Insyallah we'll get lucky rolls to propel this guy to decent melee skill.

Meanwhile, Sigbold the Daytaler (medieval laborer) isn't that shoddy for 90 gold…



*** on Fatigue
* on Resolve
MeleeAtk 56
Good hitting meat.

OK. Enough wasted time, let's move towards Hoggart's camp

It's now or never - we'll avenge our fallen company and take this fucker's head.

*

It's a foggy midday noon - the company shouts at Hoggart to come out.
But received only an arrow in reply.



Robert Missingadick took it straight on the chest.
'You okay, Robert?' Berengar asks.
The eunuch gurgles something like 'Maherfawker' before spitting blood.



Well. He's fucked. The brigands, identifying him as 'the least man-like of the band' charges forth at his direction.



That's fine, we got 4 shooters waiting to fire…
A stray shot or two - and Leinhard kills one!



Wilfried's bolt did not miss, striking the brigand poacher on the side.



Berengar leads the band forward, the butcher alongside him.



Robert Lungisfucked is told to move north to divert enemy's attention.



Robert - the manlier one charges forth with his spear and shield trying to scare away the brigand poacher.



Moments later, a high-pitched cry was heard.



It was the other Robert. There'll be less confusion since there's one less Robert on the field now. Hoggart grins. The Weasel appears confident of victory, while Berengar and his accompanying butcher is starting to waver. The faggots. This is no time to waver.



A hatcher caught Gunther the Butcher right on the artery.



The sight of blood shook his resolve - his morale is breaking and he's bleeding.
Berengar takes a swing with his ax.



And cut a leg muscle. Lienhard notches another arrow and lets it loose-



The shot tore off one of the poacher's ear. Hakon the Arrowmaker finishes the job.



However, Hoggart's not done - he stepped forth and swings at Gunther.



The butcher died instantly. Berengar, lets out a terrified scream and begins to flee.



As he fled, a hatchet caught one of his artery, leaving a blood trail as he distances himself away from combat.
Lienhard, however refuses to break and nailed another brigand with his bow!



Hoggart lost his confidence as he's down to just himself and one men. He grimly approaches Lienhard, falchion and shield in hand.



Wilfred fired a bolt at Hoggart - struck the bastard on the chest - but his armor stopped the worst of it.
Sigbold meanwhile raised his club and smacked the nearest thug twice -



the laborer claims his first kill!



But Hoggart's not done - he stabs at Lienhard and gravely injured the poacher's ribs.
Wilfried, readied another bolt and struck the Weasel's unprotected neck.



He's bleeding. Not long for the world now…
Lienhard puts away his bow, finding no side arm, begins to punch away at Hoggart. But the armor absorbs all the blow.



Hoggart, realizing he's probably fucked - turned his back to flee the scene.



We could've let him go - but how else we'd get our pay? And he nearly took down three of our men. That bastard's going down.



The White Company descends upon the Weasel and beat the shit out of him. His lifeless body is then beheaded as proof of the deed, as the band surveys the carnage and scavenge the battlefield for loot - a cry can be heard from one of the bodies. It's Robert Missingadick…he's still alive.

'Can you get up?' Wilfried asked his badly wounded comrade.
'Muh..elbow..is fucked.'
'Doesn't look too bad. Get up. We'll patch you up in camp.'



It was a lie. The eunuch will never swing a sword right ever again. A quick burial was given to Gunther and the band begins marching to Waidhof village.

The band suffered a few serious injuries.
The wounds are bandaged, but it'd take several days before they have fully recovered.
We could accelerate the healing process if we visit a temple - but the price is to steep for a starter band. Not to mention that not all lives are of equal measure.



Robert the Eunuch's lung is pierced - it will take around 4-7 days to unfuck it. His elbow is permanently fucked, of course.



A cut artery would severely lower Berengar's odds of survival. Otherwise, he's fine and can still swing a great ax.



Lienhard's first date with a blade didn't go well. His ribs are exposed - but he should be safe - as long he stays at the back plinking those arrows. Despite the wounds, we can't afford to rest - there are wages need paying and mouths to feed. The coin must continue to flow.



A simple cargo delivery shouldn't be too challenging for our small band.



This amount of coin can pay and feed the men for a few days. We accept.



Our goal is Fuhrtmark. It's a few days travel to the south west. Following the road is safer - but will take more days. We'll move through the forest instead to save time. I'm sure a short jaunt through the forest and swamp wouldn't be too dangerous.



Dire wolves. In larger packs, they're deadly. In small groups, they must not be underestimated. Fast, furious, their bites can overwhelm an unprepared soul.



They're fast and on top of poor Robert within moments of combat.
The men rallied and arrows flew from the rear.



One of the wolves was hit on the leg.
Robert the Dickless tried to raise his shield. It was the best he could do considering he is without functioning lungs and a proper elbow. But it wasn't enough.



The jaws of the beast tore a chunk of his torso and he fell. This time for good.
Hakon's grip on his bow wavers slightly. How could this go so wrong? All he wanted to do is sell good bows, retire, buy a few ships in Chris Robert's master piece of a space game and play all night long. Sigbold the Laborer had no time for that kind of daydream and swung his weapon.



A wolf died. The remaining two gives a slight whine but remain focused on the kill. The wounded wolf ignored the arrow on its leg and leaped at Berengar.



The hapless brother couldn't react in time and was taken down bloody as he fell, his grip on the wardog's leash came loose and the canine bit back in vengeance.




As blades surround the wolves, their survival instincts kicked in and they chose to flee.
To no avail.



There's no saving Robert. The poor man's career ended amidst a delivery job.



As for Berengar, he survived but the wolf tore part of his lungs. His retirement prospects does not look bright.

Berengar's alive, but found little to cheer about. The permanent loss to his lung capacity means he tires more quickly.



I might have to 'retire' him soon. Heh.
His colleagues have gained sufficient experience to level up.



Every time a mercenary levels up he rolls for every stat and you can keep only 3. This roll is pretty terrible.



I chose keep the health, fatigue and melee defense increase.
And we get to increase a tier 1 perk.

The choices available are:
Fast Adaptation: Flat +8% chance to hit for every miss, resets on hit.
This isn't a bad skill for beginners. But seasoned veterans it can be quite pointless. It's not a bad perk, but you'll get diminishing returns as your mercenary gets better at landing hits. Do take note that if you do a multi-hit attack, the misses do stack until a hit is landed!

Crippling Strikes: 33% lower damage threshold to deal injuries. This isn't a bad perk, inflicting a serious injury does a morale penalty check and can mess with an opponents combat effectiveness.

Colossus: 25% increased hitpoint and lower chances of suffering injuries. This is a useful perk for starting mercenaries, since you lack coin for good armor. But keep in mind it's still dependent on how 'healthy' your mercenary is. Giving it to a 40 HP mercenary would only gain you 10 bonus points. That's not a lot.

Nine Lives: The first killing blow is ignored. Quite useful if you want to keep someone alive. But keep in mind the man who spent his ninth life will come back in near-death state, his nerves near broken and still retain his serious injury. The next one be likely to kill him. There are no in-combat heals.

Bags and Belts: 2 extra bag slots. Not very useful. You start with 2 slot by default.

Pathfinder: -1 AP cost per tile moved to a minimum of 2 AP per tile, fatigue cost of movement halved. Not a big deal, until you walk into thick jungle, swamp, cliffs, and snow.

Adrenaline: Unlocks a skill that makes you go first next round. Situational, but can mean a HUGE alpha strike if pulled off at the right moment or you simply want to escape or catch up to a distant enemy.

Recover: Unlocks a skill that reduces accumulated fatigue by 50%. Crucial for long engagements.

Student: +20% XP gain, +1 perk at 11th level. Accelerated growth - I only give this to promising recruits. Terrible recruits are not worth cultivating and should be put to early retirement program.

Sigbold the Laborer does not favor any combat skill - therefore I gave him something that gave fast returns - Fast Adaptation.



Robert the Manlier is more promising.



I took Melee, Health and Fatigue bonuses for him and the Scholar perk for faster leveling.



Lienhard the Poacher is also of a very average prospect. We need to fix his low Resolve if we want to keep him.



I don't see much of a future for him, hence Fast Adaptation it is.



Wilfried, is a more dedicated Marksman and deserves more attention.




The fight is over, wounds bandaged, the wolves are skinned for pelts, the dead was buried and the brothers gathered at the campfire to discuss their goal.



It was then decided that the band needed allies. Friendlier towns offer cheaper goods and better paying contract - with word of mouth, the company's fame would spread even wider. Dousing the flame, they resume their journey towards Fuhrtmark.



Another fine business concluded.

Fuhrtmark has a temple, a quick check with the healer revealed an exorbitant price to treat Lienhard's ribs.



Wound treated at the Temple can heal overnight, almost like magic. But I'm not willing to blow half a week's pay on a single mercenary's health.

A quick check at the city's recruitment pool reveals even more expensive sellswords.



The marketplace isn't much better.



Why so expensive? Upon speaking with the local traders, we found out why.





I tried to haggle with the employer, but our band is just too small time, unworthy of respect. Oh well. We accept the meager contract and set off to recruiting a few fresh bodies to the band before heading out...



Turns out there were plenty of cheaper hires if you look hard enough - I picked up a brawler, and a pair of cripples. Ironically, one of the cripple is also named Robert. We arm them the best we could and prepare to march towards the Brigand's Lair east of Fuhrtmark. *Best of Luck to Robert III.

The company camped outside the brigand's hideout for a bit to heal their wounds. No sense rushing to our deaths.



Fortunately, we did not get ambushed prior to our attack.




Thick, dense vegetation impede movements. Best we stay put and let the enemy come to us. They don't have a ranged weapon anyway.
As one of the thugs got past a tree, Wilfried shot a bolt at him.



More thugs emerge from the forests, Berengar and the two cripples rushes forth to meet them as the rest gather around a small hill.




Lienhard adds another arrow on the wounded thug. This time grazing the neck.




A second bolt from Wilfried ended his suffering.
Hakon's next arrow pierces another thug's hand, ruining his swordplay.



Berengar took a beating. Gernot the Cripple was told to reinforce Berengar.



Robert the Cripple drags his woodcutter ax and readies himself for a big round swing.



Checking no friendly around him, Robert finally swings - missing the well-armed brigand while beheading a nearby thug!



'Did you see that?!' the cripple cheered. The nearby brigand respond with a blade to his chest and Robert's fight ended.



The archers continue to fire from the small hill, inflicting minor injuries as the thugs advance towards Berengar and his sole partner in the front.




A few blows later, Gernot's shoulder was dangling limply - he lets out a shriek of pain and wants out.
Wilfried kept his nerves in check and landed a perfect bolt, killing the assailant thug.



This wasn't enough to calm Gernot's nerve, when his turn came, he lowered his cleaver and turned the other way - catching a flail on his back.
The second cripple fell immediately and Berengar is all alone.



Hakon lets out a good shot at the well-armed Brigand's side.




Nothing could be done for Berengar. He's out of breath from holding up his shield, he can't even run even if he wants to.
The battle beneath the small hill went much better for the White Company, Dietrich landing a cut on a thug's arm, forcing the lowlife to flee.



Lienhard is also giving his best - landing a shot that grazed a thug's neck.



The fleeing thug was later slain by Robert the Manlier. Only two brigands left.



Hakon adds a pierced hand to the thug's pain, handing Berengar a lifeline.



Berengar obliges - bringing down his cudgel with a satisfying thud.



'One left! Come on, brothers!' Berengar shouted in defiance. The well-armed brigand stepped forth and swung, Berengar lowered his shield to protect his torso, only to realize too late that the blade's intended journey was towards his neck. So be it, he whispered.



The brigand let out a cry of triumph, before deciding to leg it - but Wilfried's bolt would have none of that.



Nine bodies and two heads litter the field when the fight ended.
Almost miraculously, the two cripples lived through that ordeal.



The headless body of Berengar was given a burial and the party marched on.

The two cripples added two new health problems to their list.



The blade pierced Gernot's heart - and his health suffered as the result.



Robert's foot is truly fucked, and he takes longer to move around.
At least the loot is not bad.




There's been enough blood.



Hakon the Arrowmaker levels up.



I dunno why I picked Student with this guy - I guess it's because he's 'OK' with a bow.



Not sure if this will pay off, we return to the city to collect our pay.



The news of our good deeds has improved prices in town and we enjoy slightly cheaper service at the temple.



Lienhard gets a much needed treatment to his ribs.




The cripples get none.
A visit to the marketplace shows smiling merchants, more willing to release their goods at cheaper prices.



We've done a good job and deserve a break.

In order to avoid confusion, Robert (the good one) is given a title.



A quick check on our two walking gallery of battle scars reveals their combat effectiveness has been sharply reduced.



The Lesser Robert, on top of his maimed leg, suffers from a cut arm.
His fellow cripple, Gernot fare no better.



A weakened heart and a split shoulder. It's best if he just raise the shield up high and save every breath he can to keep it raised. For every moment could be his last. The big city marketplace has a wider selection but horrid prices. We could really use some tools to repair our damaged equipment, but the insane mark-up scared us away.



We'll have to make do without those tools for a while longer and set our sight to a small farming village of Markdorf to the south.



Upon our arrival, we were disappointed to learn no tools were available.



But freshly baked bread is affordable. A varied meal keeps the men somewhat happier.
Now, it's time to look for work.





We haggled a bit more, and the man acknowledged our reputation by giving a TINY bit of more.



Whatever. Every bit of gold will help. 30 coins will keep the two beggar employed for another one and a half days. The Tomb of the Mad King does sound dangerous - and so off we go to the recruitment pool, looking for prospective candidates.



Markdorf is a thriving community of farmers. Some even haul their beloved pitchfork to the interview claiming it's a family heirloom of sorts. Farmers are hardy folk, one that can make a switch easily to a hard, violent life of a mercenary.



Rabe joins us, but upon hiring admits he has a brittle bone (-10 HP). That's okay. I'm impressed by how skilled he is on Melee and Ranged. It's almost as if he's bred for fighting. His pitchfork will also keep him in the backlane behind the safety of our shieldwalls.



Sigbold the farmer is more ordinary, but not terrible. His stamina is incredible and he's very healthy to boot. We'll get him something to wield.



This will do.



Alright. We're set.

Upon our arrival, our company found no trace of aynone guarding the relic.



How nice. We're due for some good fortune. One of the new recruit was told to pry the weapon loose.



Today is a good day.



The Khopesh is a wicked weapon, capable of inflicting terrible wounds and make its victim bleed over time. Robert the Manly calls dibs. We return to Markdorf and bullshit the townsfolk with tales of heroism. They partied like we liberated the world from a greater evil itself.




We're more delighted by the free coin and sudden availability of much needed Tools. It's still pricey, but we take it anyway.

With no work left in Markdorf, we left the village after an evening feast and journey southwards towards a small fishing village, Washington - or some shit like that.




The folks of Washington is less welcoming, prices were high and the marketplace is stocked with the barest of goods. Raiders have set upon this place and terrified the village. The villagers seeing our armed band retreated into their homes before a Steward comes forth beckoning us towards his office.



Graverobbers? Lower than dogs. We'll take good care of these pests. For a price.



We successfully bargained for a bit more.



The steward carefully counted all seventy coins as advance payment before dropping them into a sack and pushed it across the table. The contract was signed.



The White Company is on the move again.



Thanks, Robert. Let's be on our way.

It was midday when we reach the cemetery.



'Th-that's no graverobber,' Gernot stammers.
'Well, technically they are. They defile the graves...and ate the corpses.' Wilfried helpfully explains.
'You're bluffing.'
It's time to find out.



Nachs are almost as fast as dire wolves but they wear no armor. We shouldn't be in any threat since we outnumber them. Arrows and bolts were unleashed as they rushed forward.




Hakon claims first kill.




This is too easy. But suddenly one of the Nachs walked over one of its fallen comrade and devours it!



'Fucking shite. How-'



It changed its form and the nachs charged forth, viciously clawing at Gernot.



Gernot barely held on, the contents of his ribs exposed for all to see.



A second blow was blocked by his shield. He lives on. But for how long?



'Hang in there, mate.'
More bolts and arrows were fired form the backline.



Dietrich charges forth with his spear and takes one down!



Robert the Less Manly landed a swing that sent another fleeing.



Hakon fires rapidly, hoping to land a hit on the changed nach - but it hardly does any damage.



The next round, Dietrich claims another kill with his spear as Gernot miraculously blocked six attacks in a row.



'What the - it's EATING ANOTHER ONE!'



It grew larger still. Its wounds have healed! We suddenly realize the horrific consequence that would came to be if we allow the other little shits to do the same.



'KILL THE SMALLER ONES FIRST!' Robert the Manly commanded. One of the pitchfork from the back successfully killed one, while Robert's Khopesh decapitates another.



Gernot is safe, for now.
'Surround the last one and KILL IT! Do not let it feed!'




A barrage of pitchfork, arrow, bolt and blade landed on the enraged beast, but it remains standing.
Finally, Robert's Khopesh struck and it bleeds.



'It's over! Fall you beast!' Robert the Manly shouted as he withdrew his Khopesh. Suddenly a gaping maw greeted him. And there was only darkness.



'THEY ATE HIM! BY THE BLESSED HOLY MOTHER. IT ATE HIM WHOLE!'



Dietrich could see struggles from within the creature and thrust his spear once more-



The beast finally howled in defeat, and out came Robert, tainted by all the vile digestive liquids. A moment longer and he'd feed the beast and be excreted through its bowels.



The company gasped for breath before celebrating their victory. How could they not? For today they've faced a true evil and triumphed.

Cash. The sole goal of this company's continued existence. It's night when the company arrive in Weissenhaven - soon the village will learn of their heroics and the terror will dissipate, for a time.



Another contract is available for negotiation.



A caravan run involves long hours on the road escorting a cart hauled by a donkey and its handlers.



We can't really be picky about jobs at the moment. We accept the terms of the contract.
Hemmeln is a day and a half journey to the north east by road. We'll wait till morning before we tell the caravan to move out.



Morning comes and the marketplace finally opens.



We purchase a shipment of amber and tell the caravan that the company is ready to move.



It was a long, boring journey. A small pack of direwolves was the only source of excitement throughout. But seeing our superior number, the dogs wisely kept their distance and the journey went smoothly for the rest of the way.





The traders are happy with fresh goods and offers good prices. We pick a loaf of bread and a couple bandages to help stop any bleeding in combat.



It was noon when a work offer came from one of the village's elders.




We accept the contract and set forth to tracking those thieves.



They didn't make it far when we caught up.




It's time to earn our pay.

The engagement started poorly - our marksmen missed all their shots as the thieves close in.



Gernot is once again, their primary target.



The brigand has split into two and sent a weaker pair to attack the other flank.



We'll capitalize by quickly wiping them out before rushing to Gernot's aid.



Lienhart's arrow finally found its target - piercing a lung in the process.



Hakon too, started to land his shots - piercing one of the thieves' arm.



Robert's Khopesh claims another victim.



Gernot's getting into the fight - hacking at one of the thief's arm, severing a sinew.



Robert, a fellow cripple finished the job.



Rabe's pitchfork claimed another life.



The thieves are outmatched on every front. Wilfried's bolt pierces a lung.



But Gernot is under constant onslaught, and it did not take long for one of the thugs to land a blow, fracturing his arm.



Lienhard finishes off the last thug on the other flank. Now the company can converge.



A pitchfork drove through another thug, ending his struggle.



Three left. Robert's blade obliges, making it two.



The sight of a cripple slaying one of their own demoralized the thugs. Sigbold the Laborer stepped forth and smashes his shield, knocking the thug away from Gernot.





Gernot now only has to survive against one thug instead of two.
His odds improved when Robert's Khopesh instilled terror on the last thug.



The thug tried to flee, but Gernot hacked him on the back, slaying him.
The last thug's fate is sealed with a pitchfork on the chest.





No one was injured, save for Gernot. Well done!

Gernot's battle effectiveness is reduced once more with a fractured arm and a cut side - at 17 MaxHP, it wouldn't take much to kill him.
His fellow cripple, Robert is in a better shape and has gained enough experience to level up.



A name change is warranted. That leg of his will never heal.



When it comes to choosing a perk for poor Robert, there can be only one.



Yeah. Not much for life's expectancy. But we'll see how he goes.
The greater Robert too, has leveled up.



For someone as promising as this, the second tier perk should go to Gifted - for more skill points.




At 69 Melee skill, he's the best we've got in the company.



The market opens and prices have further improved. We pick up another pitchfork.



And decide to grant our team mascot a title.



You can rekt him but he'll keep standing.
The lads get a day off in the village as we look for more employment.




A delivery is more flexible than a caravan. We're free to take any route to the destination.



It should take less than a day if we follow the road south.
The men is called to gather and the White Company is on the move again.

No ambushes happened while we were traveling to our contract destination.



A small group of brigand who attempted to do so was outmaneuvered in the swamps. We leave the road trail and take a shortcut through the hills north of the village.



Progress is slow in rough terrain, but we're making good time.



Sigh. Luckily it wasn't anything important. I'll let you off this time.



The drama ended and we reach Weilersheim safely to hand over the package.



It was a very small amount, barely able to pay the company's wages for 2 days. But our reputation for reliable work has spread in Hemmeln and the village grew friendlier.



Weilersheim has a fletcher working in town, ammunition is cheap. We pick up five-quiver worth of arrows.




And some high quality wood to trade. With our purse somewhat lighter, it's time to look for employment once more.




The price seems right for an easy delivery. We accept this contract.



We are familiar with the village, and will head due west, stopping by Seeburg to resupply along the way.



The lads are especially happy today, for our ambition has been fulfilled.




Barely a week after I took over, the White Company's service is starting to get recognized.



With this comes better paying contracts, and even higher challenges.
Hopefully we can maintain this momentum.

I was mistaken, Seeburg was no village. Rather, it's a small keep. Prices are moderate and they produce basic necessities to maintain the garrison.



The high quality lumber we purchased fetched a decent profit.



And we found a well-priced supply of tools to repair our equipment.
The extra coin also went towards better equipment.




Three worn Padded Leather armor is going to bolster our front line - we pay the coin and ended with barely a day's wage in our purse.
Satisfied with our purchase, we left the Keep and crossed the stream westwards, towards Markdorf to collect our pay.




Markdorf's marketplace hardly offer good prices on anything, we unload the peat bricks we've been carrying for a while for a tiny profit. The traders claim they couldn't afford to sell their goods any cheaper due to the brigands plundering the trade route.



Sounds like a job for the company.




Hmm. Only 310 gold to kill people? Lives are cheap.
We'll take them.
We hire another farmer before setting forth towards the brigand's camp due west of the village.

Both parties were surprised upon arriving at the battlefield.



The raiders certainly did not expect a band twice their number to visit them. The Company on the other hand, is pleasantly surprised to have this advantage, but it would be bad to underestimate these well-equipped raiders.



Having no ranged options, the smaller brigands have no choice but to advance, catching a few arrows as they approach.
As they got closer, they have to contend with being surrounded and face threats from all sides.




They seem well-trained, capable of swapping positions - but we have the numerical advantage to make up for it.



All those dodging finally ended as Anton the newcomer buried a pitchfork to one of the raiders' chest. He lost a cattle to one of them, payback felt good.



The rest of the raiders were quickly overwhelmed, the blades are landing frequently, morale is low with enemy from all sides.
All they could do is have their shield raised to keep themselves alive.



Gernot wouldn't have any of that and hacked away on the shield with his ax.



Eventually, one of the shield broke and three blows later, the armor gave way.



The last one, battered and terrified cried for mercy, but received none.




Sorry. Nothing personal. It's just business. Well, maybe not for Anton. You raided his village.



It was a good battle experience, no one was even hurt!

The dead brigands armor are far too ruined to be of use, but two of their pole-arms survived the carnage. We also seized a sack of half eaten dried fruits, a purse full of coins and other minuscule amount of supplies.




Take him in, the company always need more bodies on the field.



Wow. Ejnar the Vagabond is born for combat. All of his kills are guaranteed fatalities. Eager with sword and bows, the young man possess insane reserve of stamina. We toss him a spare Pitchfork and welcome him into the Company.
It's time to dole out promotion for the boys.



Against all odds, Gernot survived long enough to gain promotion - and with that his pay is doubled.
Focusing solely on defensive training and fatigue, his role remains unchanged.



Let us hope Nine Lives would be sufficient to keep his fortune up.



Sigbold the farmer, gains a modest increase to his resolve, fatigue and melee training.



With his lack of enthusiasm for melee training - it's best to just hand him Fast Adaptation to land those hits quicker.



Rabe, a fellow farmer is more focused - and should be granted Student.



Hopefully he survives to be a veteran.



Hakon the Arrowmaker hits level 3, improving his marksmanship, fatigue and resolve further.
His melee training would not be wasted - Quick Hands is granted to allow him to swap armaments at no cost during battle.



The new Pike, a more effective polearm, was handed over to Rabe.



Lienhard may not have talent in marksmanship, but he continues to grow well.



I improve his aim, fatigue and resolve.



I grant him Quick Hands as well to swap weapons on the go.



Sigbold the Laborer gets tougher.
Picking Gifted at level 3 isn't a bad idea - It grants another set of stat increase.



We're somewhat seasoned now and have the full 12 mercs to deploy as a company, it's time to set our sights to a new ambition.



A Battle Standard is proposed. It won't be cheap but it's worth getting.



We pocket the coin and plan our next move.