From Press Release:
ANKARA, Turkey (May 22nd) — TaleWorlds Entertainment today announced the release of a major new patch for both MOUNT & BLADE II: BANNERLORDand War Sails, its naval expansion [WS v1.2 / BL v1.4]. The updates introduce a wealth of new content and improvements across both titles, marking the latest milestone in TaleWorlds’ ongoing commitment to expanding and evolving both Bannerlord and the War Sails experience.
The War Sails expansion launched in November 2025, and player feedback has played a central role in shaping the direction of post-launch development. This update reflects that ongoing dialogue, and TaleWorlds would like to thank the community for their continued support and input. That support has been echoed by the games press, with many outlets praising the expansion’s ambition and impact on Bannerlord’s core experience:
- “An essential return” — IGN France
- “A major step forward” — WCCFTECH
- “It looks awesome” — PCGamesN
- “Very ambitious and sprawling” — Rock Paper Shotgun
- “It forever changes how the game is played” — Try Hard Guides
War Sails has been lauded by critics as “a major step forward” (WCCFTECH) and a “sprawling and ambition” addition to Bannerlord.
SEABORNE VILLAGE RAIDS (War Sails)
The centrepiece of the War Sails update v1.2 is the introduction of Seaborne Village Raids – a brand new feature that brings the brutal coastal assault tactics of the Viking era to both the Campaign and Mission gameplay.
Players and AI lords can now launch or defend raids on coastal settlements directly from the sea or rivers, requiring shallow draft ships and a crew of at least 15 troops. Village militia will assess the balance of power and either stand and fight – triggering a seaborne village raid mission – or yield, allowing looting to begin immediately. The feature deepens naval strategy, increases lord activity at sea, and introduces new fleet considerations that add fresh layers to campaign planning.
Seaborne Village Raids play out across 16 newly designed coastal scenes that offer a distinct and replayable mission experience for War Sails players. This headline addition arrives alongside a broad range of further updates and improvements to both War Sails and Bannerlord, including:
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Updates
- HIDEOUTS – Improved hideout gameplay with more flexible stealth options and distinct rewards for stealth and assault approaches.
- DIPLOMACY – Overhauled diplomacy featuring smarter wars, deeper alliances, trade agreements, and meaningful consequences that reflect the evolving political landscape.
- BATTLES & SIEGES – Refined combat with more forgiving outcomes, smarter AI, and improved unit balance.
- ARMY CHANGES – Armies now require a more substantial force to form and will disband more quickly if too weak to attack, resulting in fewer but stronger armies on the map. This also leaves more noble parties free to respond to threats, strengthening settlement defence – while auto-resolved sieges now take twice as long, giving reinforcements time to arrive.
War Sails Updates
SEABORNE VILLAGE RAIDS – Coastal villages can now be raided directly from the sea or rivers, with village militia either standing their ground or yielding – triggering different outcomes across both Campaign and Mission gameplay.
INCREASED NAVAL ACTIVITY – Enemy nobles now actively target coastal ports and sea lanes during wartime, while rebalanced AI drives greater naval travel across all factions – increasing the frequency of meaningful encounters at sea.
NAVAL BATTLE MISSION CHANGES – Naval battles have been refined for a smoother, more engaging experience. Players can now delegate control of their ship to the crew, freeing them to move and fight independently.
NEW ROLES & WANDERERS – Two new naval party roles bring more options to crew management, alongside three new Nord wanderer types.
2 NEW SHIPS – The Battanian Barlinnger, a slower, sturdier vessel built for larger engagements with strong ranged capabilities, and the Nord Battle Knarr, a reinforced ship designed to carry ballistae and larger crews.
NEW BODY ARMORS & HELMETS – Two new body armours – the Reinforced Mail Coat and the Nordic Long Heavy Mail – arrive alongside nine new Nord helmets, including the Nordic Spectacle Helmet and the Brass Vendel Helmet.Watch the full Development Update Video for a complete breakdown.
The patch is available now for all PC players via Steam, with a console release coming soon. Whether you’re a returning commander or yet to set sail, now is a great time to experience everything War Sails has to offer. TaleWorlds remains committed to the ongoing development of both Bannerlord and War Sails, and the team looks forward to sharing more in the months ahead.MOUNT & BLADE II: BANNERLORD and War Sails are available worldwide on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GoG.
For more information, follow the game on X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook, or visit the official TaleWorlds Entertainment website.
ABOUT MOUNT & BLADE II: BANNERLORD
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord combines action, RPG, and strategy in a sandbox world where every player creates its own story in the fictitious continent of Calradia. This follow-up, prequel to Warband, takes place 200 years before the Calradia we know from previous games. The Calradian Empire is on the verge of collapse, and several factions fight to control the remains of the old empire that once dominated the entire continent. In front of them, other factions try to take advantage of the chaotic situation to gain power. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord was released on Early Access on March 30th, 2020, and since then has gathered universal acclaim by players and reviewers alike for its deep gameplay and engaging sandbox experience, having received numerous updates with new gameplay features over the course of these months. Most recently, the War Sails expansion brought naval warfare to Calradia for the first time, allowing players to command powerful ships, engage in sea battles, and lead mighty fleets across the high seas. War Sails was released in November 2025.
ABOUT TALEWORLDS ENTERTAINMENT
TaleWorlds Entertainment is an independent video game development company, founded in 2005. Having grown from the initial two founders, TaleWorlds now employs over 120 developers, including a self-publishing team. Mount & Blade has received numerous accolades since its release, including multiple placements in PC Gamer Magazine’s “Top 100 PC Games of All Time” list.
