Battle Brothers is Overhype Studios' turn-based mercenary company sim, released on 24 March 2017 and now published by Hooded Horse. You hire named men with backgrounds, eight attributes, and permanent death, take contracts across a procedurally generated world map, and try to be strong enough when the late-game crisis arrives. Four expansions extend it: Beasts and Exploration, Warriors of the North, Blazing Deserts, and the free Of Flesh and Faith.
Battle Brothers features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Noble house territory | Base game, viable from day one | High-value contracts, noble-tier equipment, war loot during the crisis | Hedge Knight |
| 2 | Greenskin camps | Base game, mid to late company | Orc cleavers and armor, camp clearing payouts | Hedge Knight |
| 3 | Undead crypts | Base game, mid company onwards | Ancient armor and weapons, crypt loot caches | Sellsword |
| 4 | The northern barbarian lands | Warriors of the North DLC | Barbarian equipment, origin-specific campaigns, legendary location bosses | Sellsword |
| 5 | The southern city states | Blazing Deserts DLC | Southern weapons and armor, arena winnings, new contract types | Sellsword |
Noble house territory: Starting Area
The three noble houses hold the map's richest settlements and their contracts pay best. If the noble war triggers as your crisis, siding with one or two houses turns the whole campaign into large-scale battles with strong loot.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Base game, viable from day one |
| Key Rewards | High-value contracts, noble-tier equipment, war loot during the crisis |
| Recommended Build | Hedge Knight |
| Key Equipment | Billhook |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Fatigue as the action budget. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Greenskin camps.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Greenskin camps: Early Game
Goblin and orc camps generate raiding parties, and during a greenskin invasion they besiege cities and can permanently destroy settlements if that option is enabled. Orc weapons and armor are among the best loot in the base game.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Base game, mid to late company |
| Key Rewards | Orc cleavers and armor, camp clearing payouts |
| Recommended Build | Hedge Knight |
| Key Equipment | Billhook |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Permadeath and permanent injuries. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Billhook if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Undead crypts.
Undead crypts: Mid Game
Crypts and ruins hold undead and their gear. During an undead scourge, defeated human enemies can rise as zombies mid-battle, which changes how you handle a fight you thought was over.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Base game, mid company onwards |
| Key Rewards | Ancient armor and weapons, crypt loot caches |
| Recommended Build | Sellsword |
| Key Equipment | Billhook |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Warbrand becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Eight attributes with level-up rolls for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
The northern barbarian lands: Late Game
Requires Warriors of the North, which adds a barbarian faction, new contracts, legendary locations and bosses, plus Nordic banners and several company origins including Lone Wolf, Peasant Militia, and the Davkul cultists.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Warriors of the North DLC |
| Key Rewards | Barbarian equipment, origin-specific campaigns, legendary location bosses |
| Recommended Build | Sellsword |
| Key Equipment | Warbrand |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Warbrand should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- Late-game crises mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into The southern city states.
The southern city states: Endgame
Requires Blazing Deserts, which adds a desert region inspired by the Middle East, three southern starting scenarios, primitive firearms and grenades, and an arena where you send brothers to fight beasts or gladiators for money.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Blazing Deserts DLC |
| Key Rewards | Southern weapons and armor, arena winnings, new contract types |
| Recommended Build | Sellsword |
| Key Equipment | Warbrand |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Squire for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Noble house territory → Greenskin camps → Undead crypts → The northern barbarian lands → The southern city states. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More Battle Brothers Guides
- Battle Brothers Battle Brothers Overview
- Battle Brothers Best Builds
- Battle Brothers Tier List
- Battle Brothers Walkthrough
- Battle Brothers Beginner's Guide
- Battle Brothers Tips & Tricks
- Battle Brothers Weapons Guide
- Battle Brothers Combat Guide
- Battle Brothers Boss Guide
- Battle Brothers Crafting Guide
- Battle Brothers Classes & Characters
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