|| Wave Survivor Guide (UPDATED V0.27 ) ||

[Johao]

[Image: mountnblade_warband_nord_invasion_mod_gu...4hxiee.jpg]

Learn the art of Genocide....

Since I cant exceed 20000 characters in this thread, its best if I just stop at wave 10, and I wont be doing anymore guides until any fundamental changes happen, but this should give you enough info for the first 10 waves (since thats the average death round).

This guide will help you in your quest to complete the Nord massacre experience. Slashing blindly at Nordic meats might be  fun for awhile, but it's the teamwork and tactics that put out the most fun (and less fustration) in the mod. This isnt your typical "Native multiplayer", communication is essential for the team to get past pesky rangers and huscarls that can wallop you in a second. If you've played cRPG's defend the virgin or the Full invasion mod, this one will be right at home for you.

Group Up!
Stand alone, and the horde cuts you down, stay together, and you're an unstoppable fighting force. A simple tactic would be to get archers behind and pikemen poking through the shieldwall while the shield-soldiers huddled together and hold their ground against the onslaught. Simple but effective tactic that has been used for all co-op mods out there.

Always take cover
Buildings/fences/things that are big are your friends. They protect you from projectiles, make AI move on a grouped lane, and gives you an edge in combat if you know how to utilize it, making bots very unhappy. Staying close to buildings or fences will allow you and your friends to fight on your own terms. Spearmen trying to side-swing you with their range cannot perform these strikes due to building collision, giving swords/axe men a direct advantage in close quarters. For the fact that cheap headshots are their style, its best to hide back and forcing them to move closer, which gives you more of an equal fighting terms with them.

Scavenger's glory
When was the last time you get pelted with throwing axes, javelins, arrows? Are you too far from home base? Never mind restocking, if you are in need of ranged capability, simply get those ammunition lying from dead enemies or projectiles stuck on walls or the ground. You dont need to run back and forth like a headless chicken, just improvise with what you have on the battlefield!

Barricader
Just hate it when you got sideswung/headshotted/swarmed by the horde? Force them to fight on your terms with barricades. Place them strategically in chokepoints where they will be forced to move to your killing zone, making your life, much easier. Who knows, even the deadly berserkers and zweihanders will fall to your intelligent might!

Survival guide to waves:

You respawn every 4 waves.

The enemy spawns a different variation of troop waves, meaning you can have Nord Berserkers or Brutes or Javelineers on your next wave, depending on how lucky you are...

EVERY 4th wave has only 1 type of enemy wave.

Note that Every odd wave will add the newer troop types into their horde.

Waves 1-4: Do note that these waves are easy pickings, and do not need of any range weapons to be taken down effectively.  Wave 2 and 4 is easily doable if you got shields and wave 4's enemies only threat is the Nord seragent. Save the ammo for later waves.

Wave 1 (The Nords are coming!)Shipped from Tihr with an average lifespan of 30 minutes and the promise of rotten bread, they arent even worth your time.:

Peasents
Weapons: Clubs, Practise swords, knifes.
Appearance: Light Tunics, Grassy Rawhide Coats.
Danger level: Effortless
Tactics: They might look like peasoup to you, but they are not. Nord peasents have enough variety of attack types (cut, blunt, pierce) to taken on even decent armoured players, they lack is range(except for the Nord farmers) as long as you got a melee weapon this shouldnt be too hard.
Weapon Length: 40-99

Nord Prisoners  
Weapons: Toothpic- I mean, knife, stick.
Appearance: Grey Ragged Outfits.
Danger level: Even your grandmother can beat the crap out of them.
Tactics: Weaker than Peasents and vegetables, they are only armed with a knife that cant even puncture leather. The only honourable way to kill them is a knee in between their legs.
Weapon Length: 40-63

Nord Levy Milita
Weapons: Heavy practice sword
Appearance: Blue tunics.
Danger level: Medium, use ranged weapons
Tactics: With 5 minutes of training and a suicidal IQ under 2, these militas are armed with two-handed practise swords. While they have the danger of range and blunt damage, a one-handed speed player can easily make mincemeat out of them.
Weapon Length: 117

Wave 2 (Pilgrimage of violence) For those who love pilgrimages that defines blood and misery as their religion:

Nord intruders  
Weapons: Quarterstaffs, Pitch Forks, Stones
Appearance: Blue tunics.
Danger level: Low, use ranged weapons
Tactics: Armed with quarterstaffs, pitchforks and stones. They might have the range, but shields will deflect most of their blows.
Weapon Length: 140, Throwing

Nord priests Weapons: Iron Staffs
Appearance: Priest Outfit
Danger level: Low to medium, use range weapons.
Tactics: The weakest bunch of the 2nd wave, they are however armed with iron staffs, more dangerous for armoured players alike due to their high blunt damage. Their iron staffs still prove to be an efficent weapon against armoured enemies, so keep them if you need a long range tankbuster. Shields and ranged weapons will do their stuffs.
Weapon Length: 140


Nord Invaders are actually fur merchants, not real invaders.
Weapons: Clubs, Fur shields, Stones,
Appearance: Fur Coat
Danger level: Low, go melee.
Tactics: They might be the first shield unit to be encountered, but are weak in melee. They still can overwhelm you in groups so backtrack and counter with a shield. Do not use ranged weapons against these pawns, its useless.
Weapon Length: 70, Throwing


Wave 3 (Nordic leftovers)You like cabbage? Well, this one is a fresh one for you!:

Nord serfs
Weapons: Falchion, stones, boar spear
Appearance: Tribal Armour, Rawhide Coat
Danger level: Low to Medium
Tactics: They're certainly more dangerous, with their spears and falchions and tribal armour, and have more stopping power than a peasent's dagger. While they are stronger, a shield-bearer can easily make short work on them even on a 3-to-1 combat.
Weapon Length: 70-73, Throwing

Nord Milita
Weapons: Short Spear, practice shield
Apperance: Blue Tunic
Danger level: Effortless to Low
Tactics: These guys cant even puncutre calvary players, let alone touch infantry. Since their spears only allow them to attack at one direction that is predictable. But when they hit, it will hurt. Use shields or a fast weapon to counter their spears.
Weapon Length: 120

Nord Recruit
Weapons: hatchet
Apperance: Blue Tunic
Danger level: Low to medium
Tactics: The ritual of weapon stupidity boils down to the recruits. With only a hatchet, they lack any decent range on a melee fight. But these hatchets still hurt alot, so stay your distance and outrange them.
Weapon Length: 47, SHIELD EATER

Wave 4 (Spike Club)I hear these guys are good in penetration:

Nord followers & Sargeant.
Weapons: Spiked Clubs, Nordic War Sword(Sarge), Nordic Shield(Sarge)
Apperance: Blue Tunic, Nasal helmet, Noble Outfit(Sarge)
Danger level: Low to medium
Tactics: Followers have spiked clubs that can do short work of low-levels, but if you have decent range with your one-handed weapon, you should be able to keep them at bay. The only AI to be feared is the shield-bearing sargeant, but he is not well armoured to be considered that dangerous.
Weapon Length: 70, 95(Sarge)

Wave 5 (Getting warmed up) A proper milita for the day, basic teamwork required.

Nord chuffs.
Weapons: bamboo spears
Apperance: Blue Tunic
Danger level: Low
Tactics: Calvary should steer clear of them, while their spears lack proper damage, they can sideswing their spears, and can hurt you in a calvary charge.The bamboo spears have extreme range  so get a shield or corner yourself near buildings/fence to nullify their range.
Weapon Length: 200

Nord Trained Recruit
Weapons: one handed axe, plain kite shield
Apperance: Blue Tunic
Danger level: Medium
Tactics: With added intelligence, these 'trained' can stand up in a decent fight. Their damage still gives them a bigger threat than before. They got plain shields as a passable defense if you need to use one.
Weapon Length: 47, SHIELD EATER

Nord Town Watch
Weapons: spiked club, plain round shield
Apperance: Blue Tunic
Danger level: Low to Medium
Tactics: Like Nord followers but have a shield to protect themselves from arrow fire. Their are not as dangerous as the recruits so you can take them on solo.  They got plain shields as a passable defense if you need to use one.

Weapon Length: 70,

Wave 6 (A Deus Ex Machina) Fear the true Nord raiders!

Nord Brutes
Weapons: Two handed axe
Apperance: Blue Tunic
Danger level: High
Tactics: Even shields are ineffective against their mighty strength. Get a polearm to counter their short range. NEVER go alone against 3 brutes.
Weapon Length: 90, SHIELD EATER

Nord Berserkers
Weapons: Two handed war axe
Apperance: Naked
Danger level: EXTREMELY HIGH, USE RANGED WEAPONS
Tactics: These chuck norrises are fast, they swipe fast, and run fast, and they hurt alot, more than brutes. Counter them with ranged weapons, a polearm, or a one-handed sword. Dont stray too far from your team, every hit counts!
Weapon Length: 92, SHIELD EATER

Hired Javelineers
Weapons: Arming sword, Plain Kite shield, Javelins
Apperance: Padded Leather
Danger level: High, go melee
Tactics: Get your shields! These mercs are no joke. They will hurl javelins that can kill a non-shielded player outright, and they can stand a fair fight on melee. Their thrown javelins can be scavanged as ammo and will be useful in a clinch.
Weapon Length: 95, (Throwing)

Wave 7 (Block out the sun) Cower you Swadian fools! They got flying sharp thingies!

Nord Huntsmen
Weapons: Arming sword, Hunting Bow, Arrows
Apperance: White Tunic, Felt cap
Danger level: Medium, Fight with a shield
Tactics: will be the Swadian's nightmare in open ground. . Get a shield(preferrably heater) or hide behind a building to deflect incoming shots. Calvary should take our these Nord huntsmen first, since they devastate your allies. Take them out as fast as possible before they overwhelm your team.
Weapon Length: (Bow), 95(Arming Sword)

Nord Trapper
Weapons: Hatchet, Light Crossbow, Bolts
Apperance: Leather Armour
Danger level: Low to Medium
Tactics: Not as dangerous as the huntsmen, and they fire at a slower rate, these trappers actually prefer melee more than than their xbows. They have good skills with hatchets however(Overpowered lol), but if you can reach them first, this shouldnt be a problem.
Weapon Length: (Crossbow), 47(Hatchet)

Nord Mounted Farmer
Weapons: Club, Pitch Forks
Apperance: Rawhide Coat
Danger level: Low
Tactics: A blessing for the infantry, ponies that are decent for fast travel. THese mounted farmers are easy to pick off provided you got a long range melee weapon.
Weapon Length: 70-151

Wave 8 (There is Strong, and there is Nord Strong) Now is the time to test your skill, Swadian whelp!

Assassins
Weapons: Short Sword, Dagger, throwing knifes
Apperance: Light Leather, Black hood
Danger level: Very High
Tactics: From round 8, these guys will have a chance to spawn NEAR YOU in any wave(it happens more frequently if most of the team is alive), making your life hell if you're not careful. They hit fast and have alot of health(which is idiotic). Watch yourself.
Weapon Length:47, 95 (Throwing)

Nord Skirmishers & Captain
Weapons: Nordic War Sword, Nordic Shield, War Spear (Captain)
Apperance: Padded Leather, Throwing Axes, Nasal Helmet, Noble Outfit(Captain)
Danger level: Very High
Tactics: These guys can overwhelm you with a shield offensive if you're not careful, fight in tight groups against these shield bearers and you should do fine. Watch for their throwing axes though!
The Captain is a bigger threat as he can distract you from the skirmishers, take him out quickly with a 2h weapon or polearm.
Weapon Length: 95, 150(Captain), (Throwing)

Wave 9 (Troopers ahoy!) Time to let out the big guns. Fight with courage.

Nord Infantry
Weapons: Nordic War Sword, Round Shield, War Spear
Apperance: Strudded Leather Armour, Nord Helmet
Danger level: Medium to High
Tactics: The meat and potatoes of the Nord army. wearing decent strudded leather armour, armed with a sword, spear and a shield. They prove to be equally hard in terms of armour, damage helmet and shield protection. Get 2 handed players to take them out quickly or group up as a team to quickly take them down.
Weapon Length: 95

Nord Pikemen
Weapons: Long Awlpike
Apperance: Chain Shirt, Nord Helmet
Danger level: Medium, use ranged weapons
Tactics: Dont underestimate these Pikemen, while they lack in close quarters, they make up for the high pierce damage of their awlpike. Calvary should steer clear of them. Either use a ranged weapon or get to fight against him in close quarters. They can do overhead swings too!
Weapon Length: 185

Hired Blade
Weapons: Nordic War Sword, Plain Board Shield
Apperance: Brynie, Helmet with Neckguard
Danger level: Medium, go melee
Tactics: Slightly tougher than Nord Infantry, these Mercenaries will do well to protect the horde from arrow fire. Get 2 handed players to take them out quickly or group up as a team to quickly take them down.
Weapon Length: 95

Wave 10 (The professionals) When in doubt, run away like a little schoolgirl.

Zweihander Mercenary
Weapons: Two handed Sword
Apperance: Plate Armour, Winged Helmet
Danger level: NIGHTMARE,Barricade yourself to have a fighting chance.
Tactics: Say goodbye to your miserable life if you get so much as a metre from these genocidists. These Zweihanders might be slow and unshielded, but they take a HELL lot of punch before going down. Even going against them as a team is still as deadly, rely on barricades, 2h weapons, and throwing weapons, and hope you get out of this alive.
Weapon Length: 117

Nord Calvary
Weapons: War Spear, Round Shield, One handed Battle Axe, Javelins
Apperance: Strudded Leather Armour, Nord Helmet
Danger level: Very High, use spears or 2h weapons
Tactics: Your first Cavlary wave, but they ARE NOT a pushover with their strudded leather armour and lances. Hide near fences, objects, slopes, anything to stop them on their tracks.Try to take out the Calvarymen instead of the horses if you can. The saddle horse can be ridden by almost anyone and can outrun any enemy calvary you encounter. Loot their round shields if you need a shield replacement.
Weapon Length: 73-150, (Throwing)

Mercenary Sea Raider
Weapons: Nordic War Sword, Round Shield
Apperance: Chain Shirt, Nord Helmet
Danger level: High, do not underestimate them.
Tactics: These mercenares are unlike the Nord Infantries. Their attack speed is significantly faster than any other troops, and will mow you down easily on a solo fight if you're slow, espacially 2 handers. Fight together as a team in close quarters.
Weapon Length: 95

[Jez]

Awesome guide! Keep up the good work

[Johao]

Is there a hard mode in this mod? I see a difference between servers that one of them is much harder with enemies having more armour and ranged weapons, is that true?

[Jez]

Not yet, that may be a problem with the server, we've had some issues with the warband server stability which has caused some bugs I believe. It may also be a case of server/client sync and the fact that some peasants just dont like to wear clothes!

There will be a hard mode for the higher level players, but this will be done on purpose and you will know when youre in hard mode, peasants will be replaced with Nord Infantry etc.

[Johao]

I have to say, the waves are tough, but not tough enough when there are more players. The even waves(2,4,6) seem to have a fixed spawn or dont have enough numbers to give the players a threat that they have to outmanuver.

I can see countless times that alot of people beat the pants off the earlier waves even at the spawnpoint, which discourages early teamwork, and thus oftenly get decimated in the later waves. There has to be something to prevent players from spawnkilling all the time, and work together.

[Logics]

The reason why the Swadian Village is most played is due to the bot spawns being in one area. The best way to solve this is to do as Jez did on ''The Beach'' and split the spawn points in different areas. This way it will encourage people to use tactics and not camp at the bot spawn point.

[Johao]

Well, Swadian village has been abused to the point where it becomes exp farming, co-op isnt about mindless slashing and winning, but tackling the enemies with tactics. There has to be a limit where a lone soldier can do so little when going solo.

Strengthen Starting Waves: Peasents with fists? They cant even put a dent on shields! Give them sickles, quarterstaffs, clubs, and shields, just like the original recruits in M&B. Give them blunt peasent weapons so armoured players have something to fear before going rambo. Like in cRPG's Defend the Virgin, the first wave are still widely feared for their long range quarterstaffs

Sentinels: There can be heavily armoured crossbowmen with uber armour and wielding a siege crossbow, placed in ships or towers where it is inaccessible by players, will rain bolts down anyone who dare venture into the spawn point. They cannot be bested even on range combat, which will discourage spawnkillers.

Home Base Bonus: There has to be an advantage where staying back home will give an edge towards the players and not seperating from the group(+1 assist exp per kill in home base, just to balance it out). There has to be gizmos and functions scattered around the home base to be proved useful to form a passable defence. Full invasion does that with random purchase boxes and barricade shops.

Distance: My only gripe with Swadian Village is that the distance between the player spawn point is tooooo far that players dont have the patience to sit all day. Action must be delivered fast and easy for the hungry players.

[Logics]

Well, Swadian village has been abused to the point where it becomes exp farming, co-op isnt about mindless slashing and winning, but tackling the enemies with tactics. There has to be a limit where a lone soldier can do so little when going solo.

Strengthen Starting Waves: Peasents with fists? They cant even put a dent on shields! Give them sickles, quarterstaffs, clubs, and shields, just like the original recruits in M&B. Give them blunt peasent weapons so armoured players have something to fear before going rambo. Like in cRPG's Defend the Virgin, the first wave are still widely feared for their long range quarterstaffs

Sentinels: There can be heavily armoured crossbowmen with uber armour and wielding a siege crossbow, placed in ships or towers where it is inaccessible by players, will rain bolts down anyone who dare venture into the spawn point. They cannot be bested even on range combat, which will discourage spawnkillers.

Home Base Bonus: There has to be an advantage where staying back home will give an edge towards the players and not seperating from the group(+1 assist exp per kill in home base, just to balance it out). There has to be gizmos and functions scattered around the home base to be proved useful to form a passable defence. Full invasion does that with random purchase boxes and barricade shops.

Distance: My only gripe with Swadian Village is that the distance between the player spawn point is tooooo far that players dont have the patience to sit all day. Action must be delivered fast and easy for the hungry players.

Strengthening starting waves can be done, and I agree, why would the Nords send naked men at us? So maybe giving them some peasant clothing and farming weapons, such as a sickle may make the mod more realistic in terms of the Swadian and Nord background.


Sentinels -  I do not believe this can be done, as all enemies in a wave must die before the next wave comes, unless these sentinels can be separated from the waves.. However I do not feel it is necessary to have this.


Home Base Bonus - This can be done, with some sort of an ''Object'' that when around can give a boost. It will encourage people to stay in that area, however I do not feel it would work with such little difference, it would have to be something quite larger to grab peoples attention. However it is worth a shot.


Distance - We have new maps under way, infact Jez has been sent a load from all sorts of players with amazing creativity. I am sure he will find some maps that will encourage better team play.

Spoiler: I know that I had sent him a Fort type of map, that has different entry points with the bots spawns scattered and not just in one area. It is based in a forest, if he considers it then that would be a nice add as it will incourage team work and with the spawns scattered, it will make it impossible to spawnkill. Not to mention that adventuring out into the forests wont help, the fog will just blind you from any incoming bots.

That is just an example of one of the many maps we have in store for you guys. Just stay tuned and we assure you we wont let you down. 

[Golradir]

Well, Swadian village has been abused to the point where it becomes exp farming, co-op isnt about mindless slashing and winning, but tackling the enemies with tactics. There has to be a limit where a lone soldier can do so little when going solo.

Well recently beach has been played more, atleast it doesn't get instantly polled back to village. it's fun with the different spawnpoints, but it's a lot of walking for infantry, so that kinda throws m off.

[Jez]

Well, Swadian village has been abused to the point where it becomes exp farming, co-op isnt about mindless slashing and winning, but tackling the enemies with tactics. There has to be a limit where a lone soldier can do so little when going solo.

Strengthen Starting Waves: Peasents with fists? They cant even put a dent on shields! Give them sickles, quarterstaffs, clubs, and shields, just like the original recruits in M&B. Give them blunt peasent weapons so armoured players have something to fear before going rambo. Like in cRPG's Defend the Virgin, the first wave are still widely feared for their long range quarterstaffs

Sentinels: There can be heavily armoured crossbowmen with uber armour and wielding a siege crossbow, placed in ships or towers where it is inaccessible by players, will rain bolts down anyone who dare venture into the spawn point. They cannot be bested even on range combat, which will discourage spawnkillers.

Home Base Bonus: There has to be an advantage where staying back home will give an edge towards the players and not seperating from the group(+1 assist exp per kill in home base, just to balance it out). There has to be gizmos and functions scattered around the home base to be proved useful to form a passable defence. Full invasion does that with random purchase boxes and barricade shops.

Distance: My only gripe with Swadian Village is that the distance between the player spawn point is tooooo far that players dont have the patience to sit all day. Action must be delivered fast and easy for the hungry players.

If you do a bit of research in the forums, the peasants were initially armed as your suggested, blunt weapons, recruit armor etc. This lead to mass complaints that the first waves were too hard! It's a fine balancing act, but I think there will be a sliding xp scale added so the xp you get is based off your level and the level of the enemy you kill (with maybe a minimum of 1xp to keep the higher levels happy?) This would accelerate lower level players whilst at the same time even out the higher levels who 1 hit kill everything.

I agree that there should be a way to keep players back working together, as that is where the most fun is to be had! However currently its very difficult to encourage such gameplay when players have the 'must get a kill mentality', even if it means they get swamped and killed as soon as the next round spawns.

I'm always open to ideas so keep the suggestions flowing! Also please note that this mod is still in its very early stages so not everything is going to be perfect from the start