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.
These tips go beyond the basics. They're the strategies experienced players use to play more efficiently, the hidden mechanics most people miss, and the optimizations that compound over a full playthrough. If you're just starting, check our beginner's guide first.
Essential Tips
1. Know which content comes from where
Know which content comes from where. Beasts and Exploration adds beasts, taxidermist crafting, and hidden locations; Warriors of the North adds barbarians and origins; Blazing Deserts adds the south, firearms, grenades, and arenas; Of Flesh and Faith is free and adds the Oathtakers and Anatomists origins.
2. Of Flesh and Faith costs nothing, so install it regardless
Of Flesh and Faith costs nothing, so install it regardless. Its two origins carry unique mechanics, story events, and equipment, and it was described as the most detailed pair of origins added since the feature arrived.
3. Attribute stars at hiring predict a brother's ceiling far better than his current numbers
Attribute stars at hiring predict a brother's ceiling far better than his current numbers. A beggar with three stars in melee skill outperforms a retired soldier with none, given enough levels.
4. Fatigue is the real constraint in every fight
Fatigue is the real constraint in every fight. Before you buy heavier armor, check whether the wearer can still act twice a turn, because a brother who cannot swing is worse than a lightly armored one who can.
5. Choose the noble war as your first crisis when learning
Choose the noble war as your first crisis when learning. It gives you the most time to build up, and its battles pay well without the settlement-destroying pressure of a greenskin invasion.
6. Retreating is a legitimate tactic and the game is designed around it
Retreating is a legitimate tactic and the game is designed around it. Losing a contract costs money and reputation; losing four veterans costs the campaign.
7. During an undead scourge, human enemies can reanimate mid-battle, so do not walk your line past bodies you have not finished with
During an undead scourge, human enemies can reanimate mid-battle, so do not walk your line past bodies you have not finished with.
8. Beasts and Exploration makes all beasts, including those from Blazing Deserts, drop crafting materials for taxidermists
Beasts and Exploration makes all beasts, including those from Blazing Deserts, drop crafting materials for taxidermists. That turns beast hunting from a side activity into an income stream.
9. Polearm brothers in the second rank are the cheapest way to add damage to a small company, because they contribute without needing the defensive statline a front-line fighter requires
Polearm brothers in the second rank are the cheapest way to add damage to a small company, because they contribute without needing the defensive statline a front-line fighter requires.
10. Nimble and Battle Forged pull in opposite directions
Nimble and Battle Forged pull in opposite directions. Pick one per brother based on his rolled defenses and stick with it, since a half-armored brother gets the worst of both.
Advanced Strategies
Build Optimization
The difference between an average build and an optimized one is massive. See our builds guide for full breakdowns.
For Sellsword (A-Tier):
- Focus on Fatigue as the action budget combinations for maximum output.
- Core gear: Warbrand
- Stat priority: Offensive stats first
For Hedge Knight (A-Tier):
- Versatile approach that handles any situation.
- Core gear: Billhook
- Stat priority: Balanced stats
Mechanic Interactions
Understanding how Battle Brothers's systems interact is where the real optimization lives. Our combat guide covers this in detail.
Fatigue as the action budget + Permadeath and permanent injuries: Every action costs fatigue, and heavy armor raises the cost of everything. Combined with Permadeath and permanent injuries, dead brothers stay dead and injuries can permanently reduce attributes.
Eight attributes with level-up rolls + Contracts and faction relations: Each brother has eight attributes, and every level-up offers randomized increases plus one perk pick. When paired with Contracts and faction relations, settlements offer dynamically generated contracts of varying difficulty, and taking sides changes how factions treat you.
Late-game crises scaling: One of three crises escalates the campaign: a noble war between the map's three houses, a greenskin invasion of goblins and orcs, or an undead scourge. Players report the crisis being foretold around day 50 to 70 and starting around day 80 to 100, and you can pick which one comes first at campaign setup.
Equipment Efficiency
| Equipment | Best Use Case | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Warbrand | Front-line damage without the fatigue bill of a greataxe | A two-handed sword with strong single-target damage and a sweeping attack for grouped enemies. |
| Billhook | Second-rank fighters and breaking enemy shield walls | A reach weapon that attacks from the second rank and can pull enemies out of their formation. |
| Warhammer | Armored knights, and any fight where your damage is bouncing | The armor-breaking answer for heavily plated enemies, where cutting weapons stall. |
| Greataxe | Killing high-value targets before they get a second turn | Enormous damage and enormous fatigue cost, capable of removing an enemy in a swing. |
| Crossbow | Early companies and for removing enemy archers | Higher per-shot damage than a bow with a longer reload, so its value is picking off specific threats rather than sustained fire. |
Location Efficiency
Noble house territory (Base game, viable from day one): 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.
Greenskin camps (Base game, mid to late company): 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.
Undead crypts (Base game, mid company onwards): 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.
The northern barbarian lands (Warriors of the North DLC): 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.
The southern city states (Blazing Deserts DLC): 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.
Mistakes Even Veterans Make
- Putting heavy armor on a brother who cannot pay its fatigue cost every turn.
- Fighting every contract to the end instead of retreating from a fight that has turned.
- Investing level-ups in a brother whose attribute stars cap him out early.
- Assuming barbarians, arenas, or taxidermist crafting are in the base game when each needs a specific DLC.
- Triggering a greenskin invasion as your first crisis before your company can field a full line.
Pro Quick Tips
- Know which content comes from where. Beasts and Exploration adds beasts, taxidermist crafting, and hidden locations; Warriors of the North adds barbarians and origins; Blazing Deserts adds the south, firearms, grenades, and arenas; Of Flesh and Faith is free and adds the Oathtakers and Anatomists origins.
- Of Flesh and Faith costs nothing, so install it regardless. Its two origins carry unique mechanics, story events, and equipment, and it was described as the most detailed pair of origins added since the feature arrived.
- Attribute stars at hiring predict a brother's ceiling far better than his current numbers. A beggar with three stars in melee skill outperforms a retired soldier with none, given enough levels.
- Start with Hedge Knight, switch to Sellsword when ready
- Invest in Warbrand above everything else
- Clear areas in order: Noble house territory → Greenskin camps → Undead crypts → The northern barbarian lands → The southern city states. See our maps guide
- Fatigue as the action budget + Permadeath and permanent injuries together are stronger than either alone
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 Weapons Guide
- Battle Brothers Combat Guide
- Battle Brothers Boss Guide
- Battle Brothers Maps & Locations
- Battle Brothers Crafting Guide
- Battle Brothers Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Battle Brothers, check out these related guides:
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- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Tips & Tricks: strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Tips & Tricks: strategy game with similar mechanics
