With War Sails, Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord has received a DLC almost three years after its release, which we took a look at.
With Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord, the medieval strategy sandbox franchise received a sequel in fall 2022 that has been very popular with players to date. Around 87% of the more than 220,000 reviews on Steam have been positive so far. That speaks for itself, especially since the modding community is also on board, constantly providing the title with new content or its own improvements and customizations. Almost three years later, Bannerlord has now received a DLC called War Sails, which finally makes it possible to sail the high seas. There is also a new faction in the north and expanded mechanics for exploration. We had the opportunity to check out the DLC and will tell you what we think.
The Nords
Until now, Mount & Blade 2 players could only travel and explore the vast continent of Calradia by land. That has now changed with the “War Sails” DLC, which was released on November 26, 2025. The DLC not only introduces the “Nords,” a new faction in the north of the continent, but also introduces naval battles and general navigation at sea. However, the expansion is not just more of the same, but also offers its own campaign.
We see this immediately when we start the game. The base game is separate from the DLC, with its own updated map and the new campaign. This makes perfect sense, as it gently introduces us to naval warfare and general ship management without overwhelming us with the sandbox world. The beginning of the campaign is similar, as we slip into the role of a lonely adventurer separated from his family. But instead of traveling the mainland in search of our family, a Nordic captain takes us under his wing.
Sea battles
However, before we learn how to handle the ship, we have to sit through a few dialogues. Unfortunately, this may seem a little too long for some, meaning that the dialogues don’t get the attention they deserve. However, once we get to the heart of the expansion, the ships, we quickly realize that it’s not as difficult as we thought. As with navigating on land, we simply click where we want to go. While moving, we make sure that no enemy factions or corsairs come too close to us until we have established ourselves.
If we do get involved in a battle, we are taken to the naval battle map and have to prove our military skills. As is typical for Mount & Blade, we command our army ourselves and mingle with our people. The naval battles unfold just as we would imagine them to. At the beginning, volley after volley of arrows fly around our ears – and those of the enemy ship – while the ships slowly approach each other and the melee fighters get ready. Once we are close enough, grappling hooks are thrown to board the enemy ship. Unlike land battles, the fight usually ends with the annihilation of one side. After all, it’s not so easy to get away with a boarded ship.
Controls
However, the sequence remains the same from battle to battle. First the ranged fighters, then the boarding. Unfortunately, there is relatively little variety here, and it depends on personal preference whether you like this or find it annoying. What we don’t mind, however, is the ship’s controls, which are easy to learn. The sails can be raised and lowered to adjust the speed, and the crew can be put to work rowing. However, it can be a disadvantage if we send too many troops to the oars – after all, they will then be missing from the fight because they are otherwise occupied.
Once we have won a few battles and gathered a decent amount of loot, we can upgrade our ships. This includes better/larger ships, of course, but also better equipment for the ship itself, such as rams or ballistas. While this is not quite as extensive as the equipment options for our character, it does offer some variety.
New rivers
The game world also offers a little more variety with the updated map of Calradia, as the existing continent has been given more opportunities for travel by ship. This means that we can not only sail around the mainland, but also penetrate deeper into the interior thanks to rivers and other coastlines. Cities now also have ports, so we can easily dock and enter cities to trade, for example.
In addition, the skills have been expanded to include maritime skills. More specifically, these are the sailor, the boatswain, and the ship’s captain, who influence naval combat skills, fleet management, logistics, navigation, and ship equipment. Improving these skills is particularly useful if we rely heavily on ships or want to reinforce our land troops with naval forces.
Conclusion
“Mount & Blade 2 has received a meaningful expansion in War Sails, which adds a new dimension to the basic gameplay. Unfortunately, it’s not perfect, and depending on your expectations, you’ll have to turn a blind eye to some things in order to enjoy it. These include the mostly repetitive nature of the naval battles, which don’t offer much in the way of variety. As a result, the naval battles lack real tactical depth. Overall, however, the DLC has the potential to keep players captivated for several hundred more hours.“
- Story/Atmosphere: 70/100
- Game Design: 80/100
- Scope: 80/100
- Balance: 70/100
- Presentation: 80/100
The review key for the PC was kindly provided to us by TaleWorlds Entertainment.
