Creative Assembly shipped Medieval II in November 2006 and folded the Kingdoms expansion plus every later patch into the free Definitive Edition on 20 November 2018. The Grand Campaign covers 1080 to 1530 across 112 regions and roughly 225 turns, with 21 factions of which only England, France, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and Venice are playable on turn one. Kingdoms bolts on four more campaigns: Britannia, Teutonic, Crusades and Americas.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
British Isles
Key resources: London trade income, Scottish and Irish settlements, an uncontested home fleet Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Feudal Knights upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
France and the Low Countries
Key resources: Paris, Bruges and Antwerp, high farm income, short internal marching distances Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Feudal Knights upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Iberia
Key resources: Toledo, Zaragoza and Lisbon, plus the crossing to Moorish Africa Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Feudal Knights upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Italy and the Papal States
Key resources: Rome, Florence and Milan, cardinal appointments, the shortest road to Papal favour Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Longbowmen max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Anatolia and the Levant
Key resources: Constantinople, Antioch and Jerusalem, Crusade targets, eastern trade goods Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Longbowmen max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (British Isles to France and the Low Countries)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Feudal Knights once accessible
Mid Game (Iberia)
- Push Feudal Knights to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Longbowmen
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Italy and the Papal States to Anatolia and the Levant)
- Max out Longbowmen. This is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Iberia farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Decide your castle to city ratio before turn 30. Castles are the only settlements that train real professional units, cities pay for them. Two cities per castle keeps a 20 unit stack funded without going into deficit around turn 60.
- Farm Iberia during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition Guides
- Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition Overview
- Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition Best Builds
- Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition Tier List
- Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition Walkthrough
- Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition Beginner's Guide
- Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition Tips & Tricks
- Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition Weapons Guide
- Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition Combat Guide
- Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition Boss Guide
- Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition Maps & Locations
- Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Total War: MEDIEVAL II Definitive Edition, check out these related guides:
- Sid Meier's Civilization V Crafting Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Crafting Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Crafting Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
