Tactics guide
This guide explains what the Tactics skill and every Tactics perk really do: how auto-resolved battles are decided, which perks help your troops in battles you fight yourself, what the army, siege and governor perks change, and which perks behave differently from their tooltips. It is for game version v1.5.7. Most Tactics perks change the auto-resolve simulation, which is in the base game. The battle halves for captains (troop speed, damage dealt and taken, morale loss) live in the SandBox module. NavalDLC extends the agent damage, agent stats, army management, battle morale, military power, party impairment and security models, and extends and replaces parts of the bandit density, combat simulation, party size limit, party speed and troop sacrifice models. Most Tactics perks carry the tooltip line "Land only" and do nothing at sea, the Tactics skill does nothing in naval battles, and a few perks show "Reduced effect at sea". StoryMode extends the bandit density and party size limit models in the story campaign.
For exact formulas, edge cases and links to the game code, see the deep dives: Battles (auto-resolve advantage and damage, battle morale, troops lost getting away or breaking a siege), Combat agent stats (troop movement speed), Combat damage (captain damage perks), Party and map (party size, army speed, cohesion and influence costs, disorganization), Sieges (bombardment and destroyed engines), Settlements (security) and Characters and politics (influence and hideout crew size).
Who holds the perk. Each half is read from one hero, and the role decides who:
- Party leader: the leader of the party. Most auto-resolve halves are read here.
- Captain: the hero leading a formation in battle. The bonus goes to the troops of that formation, not to the captain himself (the morale halves are the exception, noted below).
- Army commander: the leader of the army.
- Governor: the governor of the town or castle.
- Engineer: the hero in the Engineer role of the besieging party.
- Party member: any hero in the party counts, companions included.
- Personal: the hero's own character.
What the verdicts mean.
works: does what the tooltip says, or more; broader effects are noted.differs: narrower, different or extra conditions or values compared with the tooltip.unused: never read by the game.ui_only: only shown in the interface.
No Tactics perk is unused or ui_only.
What unlocks what
Every 25 points of Tactics opens a new pair. You pick one perk of each pair; the other is locked for that hero. Tactics 275 has a single perk.
| Tactics | Perk A | Perk B |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Loose Formations: your infantry takes less auto-resolve damage from archers | Tight Formations: your infantry deals more auto-resolve damage to riders |
| 50 | Decisive Battle: damage and troop speed on plains, steppes and deserts | Extended Skirmish: damage and troop speed in snow and forests |
| 75 | Horde Leader: +10 party size; slower army cohesion loss | Small Unit Tactics: +1 troop in hideouts; speed for small formations |
| 100 | Coaching: more damage, in auto-resolve and in battle | Law Keeper: more damage against bandits |
| 125 | Improviser: no disorganized morale penalty; fewer losses breaking a siege | Swift Regroup: shorter disorganization; fewer troops left behind |
| 150 | Call To Arms: faster army members; cheaper calls to your army | On The March: weaker enemy walls in auto-resolve; stronger walls as governor |
| 175 | Make Them Pay: +25% bombardment damage to enemy ranged engines | Pick Them Off The Walls: chance to double casualties when you destroy an engine |
| 200 | Elite Reserves: tier 3+ troops take less auto-resolve damage; formation takes less damage | Encirclement: damage when you outnumber the enemy party; cheaper cohesion boosts |
| 225 | Besieged: damage when defending a siege; influence for capturing settlements | Pre Battle Maneuvers: influence from battles; advantage from out-skilling the enemy |
| 250 | Counter Offensive: damage when defending or outnumbered | Gens d'armes: cavalry damage to footmen; town security |
| 275 | Tactical Mastery: damage for every Tactics point above 200 (no alternative) | — |
How auto-resolve battles use Tactics
When a battle is auto-resolved ("send troops"), the game simulates it hit by hit. Two numbers matter.
Side advantage = (1 + flat adds) × (1 + sum of percentage bonuses)
- Starts at 1: computed for each side's leading party.
- Flat adds: Pre Battle Maneuvers.
- Percentage bonuses: the leader's Tactics skill (+0.1% per point), the −10% siege attacker penalty, and a few perks from other skills.
Damage of one simulated hit = base hit × (1 + sum of all perk percentages + morale term)
- Base hit: 40 × a random roll between 0.5 and 1 × the power ratio of the two troops softened (raised to the power 0.7) × the striking side's advantage, rounded down.
- Perk percentages: every Tactics damage perk in this guide whose conditions hold for this hit, added together and applied once. Percentages do not multiply each other.
- Morale term: a striking side below 50 morale and a struck side above 50 morale both lower the damage.
The damage perks only apply when both the striking and the struck troop come from mobile parties. Almost all of them are "Land only" in the tooltip and do nothing when the striking party is at sea; each perk below says so.
Tier 1 (Tactics 25): Loose Formations or Tight Formations
Loose Formations
- Primary, −10% damage to your infantry from ranged troops (party leader;
works). In auto-resolve, every hit an enemy ranged troop lands on one of your infantry troops does 10% less damage. The perk is land only, as its tooltip shows: nothing when the enemy party that shoots is at sea. - Secondary, −25% morale loss for line, loose, circle and scatter (captain;
differs). The tooltip reads as if the formation's own troops suffer a smaller penalty. What the game does: when a troop of this captain's formation falls while the formation is in line, loose, circle or scatter, the morale your side loses from that casualty is 25% smaller. The captain's own fall counts too. Land only, as the tooltip shows. It does not apply when the fallen troop is only knocked out and your party's surgeon has the Medicine perk Health Advice, because that perk already cancels the whole loss.
Tight Formations
- Primary, +10% damage by your infantry to cavalry (party leader;
works). In auto-resolve, your infantry troops deal 10% more damage to any mounted troop. Land only, as the tooltip shows. - Secondary, −25% morale loss for shield wall, square, skein and column (captain;
differs). Same mechanism as Loose Formations, for the other four formations: the morale your side loses when one of this formation's troops falls is 25% smaller. Land only, as the tooltip shows.
Which one? Tight Formations raises your infantry's damage to mounted troops; Loose Formations lowers the damage your infantry takes from ranged troops. The secondaries differ only in which formation orders they cover.
Tier 2 (Tactics 50): Decisive Battle or Extended Skirmish
Decisive Battle
- Primary, +5% auto-resolve damage on plains, steppes and deserts (party leader;
works). Applies whenever your party stands on plain, steppe or desert terrain when the hit is simulated. Land only, as the tooltip shows. - Secondary, +5% movement speed on plains, steppes and deserts (captain;
works). Troops in the captain's formation run 5% faster when the battle map is plain, steppe or desert. It applies to every troop of the formation, with or without a shield. Land only, as the tooltip shows.
Extended Skirmish
- Primary, +10% auto-resolve damage in snow and forests (party leader;
works). Applies when your party stands on snow or forest terrain. Land only, as the tooltip shows. - Secondary, +2% movement speed in snow and forests (captain;
works). Troops in the captain's formation run 2% faster on snow and forest battle maps. Land only, as the tooltip shows.
Which one? Pick by where you fight: Decisive Battle for open ground, Extended Skirmish (the bigger damage number) for forests and snow.
Tier 3 (Tactics 75): Horde Leader or Small Unit Tactics
Horde Leader
- Primary, +10 party size (party leader;
works). Ten more troops in your party, always. - Secondary, −5% army cohesion loss (army commander;
works). An army loses cohesion every day; the armies you lead lose 5% less. The tooltip shows "Reduced effect at sea".
Small Unit Tactics
- Primary, +1 troop for the hideout crew (party leader;
works). You can bring one more troop into a hideout attack. The usual limit is 40 (15 in some cases). - Secondary, +5% movement speed in small formations (captain;
works). Troops in the captain's formation run 5% faster while the formation has at most 15 troops. The tooltip says "less than 15", but exactly 15 also counts. Land only, as the tooltip shows.
Which one? Horde Leader's +10 party size applies always; its cohesion half needs you to lead an army. Small Unit Tactics adds one hideout troop and speed for formations of at most 15.
Tier 4 (Tactics 100): Coaching or Law Keeper
Coaching
- Primary, +3% auto-resolve damage (party leader;
works). All simulated hits by your party do 3% more damage. Land only, as the tooltip shows. - Secondary, +1% damage by troops in your formation (captain;
works). Every hit by a troop of the captain's formation does 1% more damage, melee and ranged alike. Land only, as the tooltip shows.
Law Keeper
- Primary, +10% auto-resolve damage against bandits (party leader;
differs). Your party's simulated hits against a bandit party do 10% more damage. A bandit party never gets it, which the tooltip does not say. Land only, as the tooltip shows. - Secondary, +4% damage against bandits by troops in your formation (captain;
works). Hits by the captain's formation on troops of bandit culture do 4% more damage. Land only, as the tooltip shows.
Which one? Coaching applies to every fight; Law Keeper has bigger numbers but only against bandits.
Tier 5 (Tactics 125): Improviser or Swift Regroup
A party can become disorganized for a while (6 hours by default). Disorganized troops start battles with 20% less morale, unless they are attacking a siege.
Improviser
- Primary, no morale penalty for being disorganized (party leader;
differs). The perk is meant for any hero in the party, but the game only checks the party leader, and the leader's own character still starts with the 20% lower morale; only the troops are spared. The tooltip says "Land only", but this check ignores it: the penalty is also cancelled in naval battles. - Secondary, −25% troops lost breaking into or out of a besieged settlement (party leader;
works). Only the player can break into or out of a siege, so this only helps your own party. The tooltip shows "Reduced effect at sea", which applies when you break in through the port from the sea or break out through the port.
Swift Regroup
- Primary, −15% disorganized duration (party member;
works). The perk is meant for any hero in the party, and any hero holding it is enough. It shortens the disorganized state that follows a raid or a siege assault. Land only, as the tooltip shows. - Secondary, −50% troops left behind when escaping (party leader;
works). When you choose to get away from a battle by leaving troops behind, you leave half as many. Only the player's party; land only, as the tooltip shows.
Which one? Swift Regroup halves the troops you leave behind when getting away and shortens disorganization after raids and siege assaults; Improviser cancels the disorganized morale penalty and cuts losses when breaking into or out of a siege.
Tier 6 (Tactics 150): Call To Arms or On The March
Call To Arms
- Primary, +10% speed to parties called to your army (army commander;
works). Every party in your army that is not yet attached to your party moves 10% faster, so they catch up sooner. Your own party gets nothing. Land only, as the tooltip shows: it follows whether the army leader's party is at sea. - Secondary, −15% influence to call parties to your army (army commander;
works). Calling a lord costs 15% less influence. It adds up with Leadership's Inspiring Leader in the same multiplier.
On The March
- Primary, −20% fortification bonus to enemies (army commander;
works). In an auto-resolved siege, the defenders' advantage from their walls drops by 20% when any besieging party belongs to an army whose leader has the perk. It applies once, however many parties qualify. Land only, as the tooltip shows: besiegers camp on land, never at sea. - Secondary, +20% fortification bonus to the governed settlement (governor;
works). The walls of the town or castle you govern count 20% more in an auto-resolved siege. The governor has to be in the settlement.
Which one? Call To Arms helps an army commander gather parties; On The March helps a besieging army commander in auto-resolve, or a governor defending a town or castle.
Tier 7 (Tactics 175): Make Them Pay or Pick Them Off The Walls
These perks work during the bombardment phase of a siege, before the assault.
Make Them Pay
- Primary, +25% damage to defender siege engines (engineer;
works). Shots from your siege camp at the defenders' ranged engines do 25% more damage. Land only, as the tooltip shows. - Secondary, +25% damage to besieging siege engines (governor;
works). Shots from the town you govern at the besiegers' ranged engines do 25% more damage. The governor has to be in the town.
Pick Them Off The Walls
- Primary, 25% chance to double defender casualties (engineer;
differs). This is not about bombardment hits in general. When the besiegers destroy a defender siege engine, the engine's crew may take casualties (2 troops by default). If that happens, the perk rolls a 25% chance to double them. Land only, as the tooltip shows. - Secondary, 25% chance to double besieger casualties (governor;
differs). The same for the defenders: when the town you govern destroys a besieger engine and its crew takes casualties, a 25% roll doubles them. The governor does not need to be in the town.
Which one? Make Them Pay adds 25% to every shot at enemy ranged engines. Pick Them Off The Walls only acts when an enemy engine is destroyed and its crew casualty roll succeeds, and then doubles those casualties with a 25% chance.
Tier 8 (Tactics 200): Elite Reserves or Encirclement
Elite Reserves
- Primary, −20% damage to tier 3+ units (party leader;
works). In auto-resolve, your troops of tier 3 and above take 20% less damage. Land only, as the tooltip shows: nothing when the striking party is at sea. - Secondary, −5% damage taken by troops in your formation (captain;
works). Every hit on a troop of the captain's formation does 5% less damage. Land only, as the tooltip shows.
Encirclement
- Primary, +5% damage to outnumbered enemies (party leader;
works). Your party's simulated hits do 5% more damage when your party has more healthy men than the party being hit. The game compares the two parties, not the two whole sides, so in a big battle it depends on which enemy party your troop happens to hit. Land only, as the tooltip shows. - Secondary, −10% influence cost to boost army cohesion (army commander;
works). Boosting your army's cohesion costs 10% less influence.
Which one? Elite Reserves protects your tier 3+ troops in auto-resolve and the captain's formation in battle; Encirclement adds damage when your party has more healthy men than the party being hit, and cheaper cohesion boosts for an army commander.
Tier 9 (Tactics 225): Besieged or Pre Battle Maneuvers
Besieged
- Primary, +10% damage while besieged (party member;
works). When your party defends against a siege assault, its simulated hits do 10% more damage. Land only, as the tooltip shows. The perk is meant for any hero in the party, and any hero holding it is enough. - Secondary, +50% influence from winning sieges (personal;
differs). Only the influence for capturing an enemy settlement goes up by 50%. Successfully defending a siege gives no bonus. The hero who gains the influence must have the perk. Land only, as the tooltip shows.
Pre Battle Maneuvers
- Primary, +25% influence from winning battles (party member;
works). The influence your clan gains from a won battle goes up by 25%. The perk is meant for any hero in the party, and any hero holding it is enough. - Secondary, "+1% damage per 100 skill difference" (party leader;
differs). Larger than the tooltip. The game adds 0.01 to your side's advantage for every single point your Tactics is above the enemy leader's, not 1% per 100 points. It is added to the starting advantage of 1, before the Tactics skill bonus. It needs both parties to be mobile parties with a hero leader, your Tactics to be higher, and your party not to be at sea ("Land only" in the tooltip).
Worked example. Your party leader has Tactics 200 and Pre Battle Maneuvers; the enemy leader has Tactics 120, so the difference is 80 points:
Your party leader has Tactics 200 and Pre Battle Maneuvers; the enemy leader has Tactics 120. A field battle on land, auto-resolved.
| Step | Source | Stage | Change | Running value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | Side advantage in simulated battles | base | 1.0000 | |
| 1 | Pre Battle Maneuvers | add | +0.8000 | 1.8000 |
| 2 | Simulation advantage | factor +20% | +0.3600 | 2.1600 |
| Result | Side advantage in simulated battles | 2.1600 |
With these inputs, side advantage in simulated battles is 2.1600.
Pre Battle Maneuvers adds 0.8000, far more than the tooltip's 1% per 100 points, and the Tactics skill then adds 20% on top. Your side's advantage is 2.1600, and every simulated hit of your side is multiplied by it before the damage perks.
Which one? Pre Battle Maneuvers' secondary grows with every point your Tactics is above the enemy leader's, and its primary raises battle influence; Besieged helps when you defend a siege assault or capture a settlement.
Tier 10 (Tactics 250): Counter Offensive or Gens d'armes
Counter Offensive
- Primary, +10% damage against an attacking enemy (party leader;
works). In an auto-resolved field battle, your party's hits do 10% more damage when your party is the defender. Land only, as the tooltip shows. - Secondary, +10% damage while outnumbered (party leader;
works). Your party's hits do 10% more damage when your party has fewer healthy men than the party being hit (party against party, not whole sides). Land only, as the tooltip shows.
Gens d'armes
- Primary, +2% damage to infantry by cavalry in your formation (captain;
differs). The damage part works as written: hits by mounted troops of the captain's formation on enemies fighting on foot do 2% more damage (land only, as the tooltip shows). Not in the tooltip: holding this perk also raises the hero's own power in auto-resolve by 0.06. Every perk whose first half is a captain bonus does this, by an amount that grows with the perk's tier. - Secondary, +1 daily security (governor;
works). The town or castle you govern gains +1 security a day. The governor has to be in the settlement.
Which one? Counter Offensive adds auto-resolve damage when your party defends a field battle or is outnumbered; Gens d'armes helps the mounted troops of a captain's formation in battle, plus +1 daily security for a governor.
Tier 11 (Tactics 275): Tactical Mastery
- +0.5% damage for every Tactics point above 200 (army commander;
differs). Only hits by the army leader's own party get it; the other parties of the army do not. The tooltip shows "Reduced effect at sea". Below Tactics 201 it does nothing.
Tactical Mastery = 0.5% × (army leader's Tactics − 200)
- Army leader's Tactics: the skill of the hero leading the army, which has to be you if your party is to benefit.
Worked example. You lead an army on land with Tactics 275, Tactical Mastery and Coaching. One of your own party's troops hits an enemy:
You lead an army on land with Tactics 275, Tactical Mastery and Coaching. A troop of your own party hits an enemy troop; both sides are at morale 50 and the base hit before perks is 20. Inputs: random 0, striker power 1, struck power 1, striker advantage 1.
| Step | Source | Stage | Change | Running value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | Damage of one simulated troop hit | base | 20.0000 | |
| 1 | Coaching | factor +3% | +0.6000 | 20.6000 |
| 2 | Tactical Mastery | factor +37.5% | +7.5000 | 28.1000 |
| Result | Damage of one simulated troop hit | 28.1000 |
With these inputs, damage of one simulated troop hit is 28.1000.
75 points above 200 give +37.5%, and Coaching adds +3% on top, so the hit does 28.1000 instead of 20.0000.
Skill effects
These come from the Tactics skill itself, no perk needed.
- Simulation advantage, +0.1% per point (party leader;
differs). Each side's leading party adds 0.1% per point of its leader's Tactics to its side's advantage: +20% at Tactics 200 (see the Pre Battle Maneuvers example). It does nothing in naval battles, which the description does not say. - Fewer troops sacrificed when getting away, −0.1% per point (personal;
works). Read from your own character's Tactics. When you leave troops behind to escape a battle, you leave 0.1% fewer per point. It also cuts the troops you lose breaking into or out of a besieged settlement, which the description does not mention.
Stacking auto-resolve damage perks
All damage perks that apply to the same hit are added together. A party leader with several of them gets the sum.
Worked example. Your party leader has Tight Formations, Decisive Battle, Coaching and Encirclement. One of your infantry hits an enemy rider on a plain, and your party is larger than the enemy party:
Your party leader has Tight Formations, Decisive Battle, Coaching and Encirclement. One of your infantry troops hits an enemy cavalry troop on a plain; your party has more healthy men than the enemy party, and neither is at sea. Both sides are at morale 50 and the base hit before perks is 20. Inputs: random 0, striker power 1, struck power 1, striker advantage 1.
| Step | Source | Stage | Change | Running value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | Damage of one simulated troop hit | base | 20.0000 | |
| 1 | Coaching | factor +3% | +0.6000 | 20.6000 |
| 2 | Decisive Battle | factor +5% | +1.0000 | 21.6000 |
| 3 | Encirclement | factor +5% | +1.0000 | 22.6000 |
| 4 | Tight Formations | factor +10% | +2.0000 | 24.6000 |
| Result | Damage of one simulated troop hit | 24.6000 |
With these inputs, damage of one simulated troop hit is 24.6000.
The four percentages are added together and applied once, so the hit does 24.6000 instead of 20.0000.
What the skill level itself does
The game also reads your Tactics level directly, without any perk. Effects that depend on any skill level are listed once in the skills guide.
| What it affects | What the level does | Level needed | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI clan hero score for leading a new lord party | AI clans pick who leads a new lord party by the score 3 × Tactics + 2 × Leadership + Scouting + Steward + One Handed + Two Handed + Polearm + Riding (raw levels of the candidate). | — | — | works |
| AI governor choice score of a hero | AI clans pick a governor by the score 0.3 × Tactics + 0.9 × Charm + 0.8 × Engineering + 2 × Steward + 1.2 × Trade + Leadership (raw levels). | — | — | works |
| Team AI tactic options in field battles | The attacking side gets +2 tactic options at Tactics 20 and another +2 at Tactics 50 (the best party leader's Tactics on that side). | Tactics 20 and Tactics 50 | Mission: field battle; party: attacker side | works |
| Team AI tactic options in field battles | The defending side gets +3 tactic options at Tactics 20 and another +3 at Tactics 50 (the best party leader's Tactics on that side). | Tactics 20 and Tactics 50 | Mission: field battle; party: defender side | works |
| AI clan strength value of a hero as a commander | A hero's value as a commander (AI clan strength and marriage barter value) adds Tactics + Steward + Trade + Leadership. | — | — | works |
| Success chance of sending troops into a hideout | The chance that sending troops into a hideout succeeds is (Tactics + Roguery) ÷ (325 + Tactics + Roguery). | — | Hero: main hero | works |
| Tavern keeper companion recommendation score | For this recommendation type the score is the candidate wanderer's Leadership + Tactics. | — | — | works |
Who the perks work for
Who counts as you, a relative or a wanderer, and why some halves skip one of them, is explained in the Skills guide.
Every other Tactics perk half and skill effect works for every hero: you, relatives and wanderers.
| Perk | Half | Works for | Where the hero has to be |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improviser | secondary | only you | party leader |
| Swift Regroup | secondary | only you | party leader |
| On The March | secondary | relatives and wanderers, not you | governor |
| Make Them Pay | secondary | relatives and wanderers, not you | governor |
| Pick Them Off The Walls | secondary | relatives and wanderers, not you | governor |
| Gens d'armes | secondary | relatives and wanderers, not you | governor |
| Decrease the sacrificed troop number when trying to get away | — | only you | anywhere: the hero's own bonus outside battle |
All Tactics effects
Every effect site of the Tactics perks, skill effects and skill level. Values are what each site applies; a value that grows with skill is shown at the perk's required skill (skill effects and skill levels: per skill point). ×N marks N identical sites.
| Perk | Half | Game number | Stage | Value | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loose Formations | primary | Damage of one simulated troop hit | factor | -10% | Mission: simulation; role: party leader; troops: infantry | works |
| Loose Formations | secondary | Morale loss of the casualty's side when an agent falls | factor | -25% | Formation: line or loose or circle or scatter; role: captain | differs |
| Tight Formations | primary | Damage of one simulated troop hit | factor | +10% | Mission: simulation; role: party leader; troops: infantry; victim: mounted | works |
| Tight Formations | secondary | Morale loss of the casualty's side when an agent falls | factor | -25% | Formation: shield wall or square or skein or column; role: captain | differs |
| Decisive Battle | primary | Damage of one simulated troop hit | factor | +5% | Mission: simulation; role: party leader; terrain: plain or steppe or desert | works |
| Decisive Battle | secondary | Agent max movement speed multiplier | factor | +5% | Role: captain; terrain: plain or steppe or desert | works |
| Extended Skirmish | primary | Damage of one simulated troop hit | factor | +10% | Mission: simulation; role: party leader; terrain: snow or forest | works |
| Extended Skirmish | secondary | Agent max movement speed multiplier | factor | +2% | Role: captain; terrain: snow or forest | works |
| Horde Leader | primary | Party member size limit | add | +10 | Role: party leader | works |
| Horde Leader | secondary | Army daily cohesion change | factor | -5% | Role: army commander | works |
| Small Unit Tactics | primary | Maximum troops the player brings into a hideout | add | +1 | Mission: hideout; role: party leader | works |
| Small Unit Tactics | secondary | Agent max movement speed multiplier | factor | +5% | Role: captain | works |
| Coaching | primary | Damage of one simulated troop hit | factor | +3% | Mission: simulation; role: party leader | works |
| Coaching | secondary | Blow damage after attacker amplifications | factor | +1% | Role: captain | works |
| Law Keeper | primary | Damage of one simulated troop hit | factor | +10% | Mission: simulation; role: party leader; victim: bandit party | differs |
| Law Keeper | secondary | Blow damage after attacker amplifications | factor | +4% | Role: captain; victim: bandit | works |
| Improviser | primary | Agent initial battle morale | factor | +20% | Role: party leader | differs |
| Improviser | secondary | Troops lost breaking into or out of a besieged settlement | factor | -25% | Party: main party; role: party leader | works |
| Swift Regroup | primary | Disorganized state duration (hours) | factor | -15% | Role: party member | works |
| Swift Regroup | secondary | Troops sacrificed to get away from an encounter | factor | -50% | Party: main party; role: party leader | works |
| Call To Arms | primary | Party map speed | factor | +10% | Party: in army; role: army commander | works |
| Call To Arms | secondary | Influence cost to call a party to an army | multiply | ×0.85 | Role: army commander | works |
| On The March | primary | Fortification advantage in simulated sieges | factor | -20% | Mission: simulation; role: army commander | works |
| On The March | secondary | Fortification advantage in simulated sieges | factor | +20% | Mission: simulation; role: governor; settlement: under siege | works |
| Make Them Pay | primary | Bombardment damage of a ranged siege engine shot | factor | +25% | Role: engineer; settlement: under siege; siege side: attacker; siege engine: target ranged engines | works |
| Make Them Pay | secondary | Bombardment damage of a ranged siege engine shot | factor | +25% | Role: governor; settlement: under siege; siege side: defender; siege engine: target ranged engines | works |
| Pick Them Off The Walls | primary | Crew casualties when a siege engine is destroyed | multiply | ×2 | Role: engineer; settlement: under siege; siege side: attacker | differs |
| Pick Them Off The Walls | secondary | Crew casualties when a siege engine is destroyed | multiply | ×2 | Role: governor; settlement: under siege; siege side: defender | differs |
| Elite Reserves | primary | Damage of one simulated troop hit | factor | -20% | Mission: simulation; role: party leader; troop tier: at least 3 | works |
| Elite Reserves | secondary | Blow damage after victim reductions | factor | -5% | Role: captain | works |
| Encirclement | primary | Damage of one simulated troop hit | factor | +5% | Mission: simulation; role: party leader | works |
| Encirclement | secondary | Influence cost of an army cohesion boost | factor | -10% | Role: army commander | works |
| Besieged | primary | Damage of one simulated troop hit | factor | +10% | Mission: simulation; role: party member; settlement: under siege | works |
| Besieged | secondary | Influence gained by a clan through GainKingdomInfluenceAction | factor | +50% | Role: personal | differs |
| Pre Battle Maneuvers | primary | Influence gained by a clan through GainKingdomInfluenceAction | factor | +25% | Role: party member | works |
| Pre Battle Maneuvers | secondary | Side advantage in simulated battles | add | +0.01 × tactics difference | Mission: simulation; role: party leader | differs |
| Counter Offensive | primary | Damage of one simulated troop hit | factor | +10% | Mission: simulation; role: party leader | works |
| Counter Offensive | secondary | Damage of one simulated troop hit | factor | +10% | Mission: simulation; role: party leader | works |
| Gens d'armes | primary | Blow damage after attacker amplifications | factor | +2% | Role: captain; troops: mounted; victim: on foot | works |
| Gens d'armes | primary | Hero power modifier in simulation | add | +0.06 | Mission: simulation | differs |
| Gens d'armes | secondary | Daily security change of a town or castle | add | +1 | Role: governor | works |
| Tactical Mastery | primary | Damage of one simulated troop hit | factor | +37.5% at skill 275, +0.5% per point | Mission: simulation; party: in army; role: army commander | differs |
| Simulation advantage | — | Side advantage in simulated battles | factor | +0.1% per point | Mission: simulation; role: party leader | differs |
| Decrease the sacrificed troop number when trying to get away | — | Troops lost breaking into or out of a besieged settlement | factor | -0.1% per point | Hero: main hero; role: personal | works |
| Decrease the sacrificed troop number when trying to get away | — | Troops sacrificed to get away from an encounter | factor | -0.1% per point | Hero: main hero; party: main party; role: personal | works |
| Skill level (any skill) | — | Agent effective skill in battle | base | skill value | — | works |
| Skill level | — | AI clan hero score for leading a new lord party | add | +3 × tactics skill + 2 × leadership skill + scouting skill + steward skill + onehanded skill + twohanded skill + polearm skill + riding skill | — | works |
| Skill level | — | AI governor choice score of a hero | add | +0.3 × tactics skill + 0.9 × charm skill + 0.8 × engineering skill + 2 × steward skill + 1.2 × trade skill + leadership skill | — | works |
| Skill level (any skill) | — | Skill a hero inherits on coming of age | base | +1 per point | — | works |
| Skill level | — | Team AI tactic options in field battles | add | +2 × min(1, floor(skill / 20)) + 2 × min(1, floor(skill / 50)) | Mission: field battle; party: attacker side | works |
| Skill level | — | Team AI tactic options in field battles | add | +3 × min(1, floor(skill / 20)) + 3 × min(1, floor(skill / 50)) | Mission: field battle; party: defender side | works |
| Skill level | — | AI clan strength value of a hero as a commander | add | +tactics skill + steward skill + trade skill + leadership skill | — | works |
| Skill level (any skill) | — | Heir selection points of a clan member | add | +5 | — | works |
| Skill level | — | Success chance of sending troops into a hideout | add | +skill / (325 + skill) | Hero: main hero | works |
| Skill level (any skill) | — | Maximum troops lost on an issue's alternative solution | multiply | ×max(0.2, min(0.8, trunc(issue required skill / skill) × 0.1)) | Hero: player clan | works |
| Skill level (any skill) | — | Days an issue's alternative solution takes | add | +2 × min(10, trunc(issue required skill / skill)) | Hero: player clan | works |
| Skill level (any skill) | — | Failure risk of an issue's alternative solution | add | -0.005 per point | Hero: player clan | works |
| Skill level (any skill) | — | Troops required for an issue's alternative solution | multiply | ×max(0.2, min(1.2, issue required skill / skill)) | Hero: player clan | works |
| Skill level (any skill) | — | Skill is high enough for a perk reset | override | on | Hero: player clan | works |
| Skill level (any skill) | — | Gold cost to reset the perks of a skill | add | +40 per point | Hero: player clan | works |
| Skill level (any skill) | — | Persuasion success multiplier | factor | min(0.2, floor(skill / 250) × 0.2) | Hero: main hero | works |
| Skill level | — | Tavern keeper companion recommendation score | base | +1 per point | — | works |
Practical tips
- Party leader halves stay with the leader. Almost every auto-resolve perk and the skill's advantage bonus are read from the party leader, so they help only the party that hero leads.
- If your Tactics is well above the enemy leader's, Pre Battle Maneuvers adds 0.01 advantage per point of difference.
- Captain halves need a captain. Assign the hero with the perk as the captain of the formation you want to help; he does not get the speed or damage bonus himself.
- If you besiege often, Make Them Pay applies to every shot at enemy ranged engines, while Pick Them Off The Walls needs a destroyed engine and two successful rolls.
- Horde Leader's party size never turns off, at sea or on land.
- At sea, most Tactics effects switch off. The skill's advantage bonus does nothing in naval battles, and most perks are "Land only" in the tooltip, so they do nothing while the striking party is at sea.
- If you often get away from lost encounters, Swift Regroup halves the troops you leave behind (on land).