Mount and blade passage of royal secrets with fire and sword. Mount and Blade with Fire and Sword

Once you decide to fight for fame and fortune, then be prepared for numerous battles. They require solid preparation - you must be confident in both your combat skills and the strength of your squad.

Types and features of weapons

Each type of weapon includes several items of the same type, and if you have developed skill with this type of weapon, you can use any of them. What type of weapon you choose is up to you, but some items require special handling.

• One-handed weapon. This type of weapon maintains the perfect balance between strong blows and solid attack speed, and in addition, it allows you to take a shield in the other hand and cover yourself with it. Some one-handed weapons have a very short range, such as sabers and épées. The size of such a weapon makes it practically impossible to parry enemy attacks.
• Two-handed weapon. It has a longer range and deals more damage. Such weapons are intended more for attack than for defense: the enemy can be killed with one or two blows, but for this you will have to give up the shield. The most notable two-handed weapon is the claymore. It has excellent range and impact power, but is limited to mounted use.
• Polearm weapon. Such weapons are very long and give the owner an advantage over the enemy, whose weapon has a short range. Most types of such weapons are capable of breaking shields to shreds.
• Luke. The bow allows you to hit a target from a long distance. The speed of shooting from a bow is much higher than from a firearm, and if you develop the “Powerful Shot” skill and skill in handling bows, then in terms of the amount of damage caused you will not be inferior to a skilled shooter with a firearm. Good bows can only be used with a minimum value of the Power Shot skill.
• Firearms. This is the ideal weapon for those who prefer to fight at a distance, but don't want to mess with bows. Firearms must be manually reloaded after each shot by simply pressing the attack button a second time. Most firearms are restricted for use while mounted.
  • Exist double-barreled options such weapons. Their main advantage is the ability to fire 2 shots in a row, which comes at the cost of a long reload. While reloading a double-barreled weapon, you must not move, otherwise it will be interrupted.
• Grenades. The weapon is unique in its kind because it allows you to fight at a distance and kill several enemies at once with one grenade. Grenades vary in size, which corresponds to the amount of damage they deal.

Injuries

There are three types of injuries:

• Slashing. Applied with sharp blades such as sabers and axes. Slashing weapons do the most damage.
• Stabbing. Inflicted by point-point weapons such as spears, piercing swords and arrows. Piercing weapons are best at penetrating armor.
• Crushing. Inflicted by weapons that strike and break without causing open wounds, such as clubs and hammers. Crushing damage can also be done by a horse by trampling an enemy. With a blunt weapon, you can beat the enemy until he loses consciousness, but at the same time he will remain alive, and then you can take him prisoner. Like piercing weapons, blunt weapons penetrate armor well.

If you have enabled the “Show Damage” option, then with each hit you will be shown the damage you have dealt or received, which can be very useful in training.

The amount of damage you deal and receive depends on several factors. First of all, of course, it depends on the damage indicator of your weapon - it varies from half to maximum. For example, if a club deals 20 damage, that means it will deal between 10 and 20 damage each time it hits. If you are proficient with this weapon, the damage will be closer to the maximum. The damage dealt is also increased by your skills: Slam affects melee weapons, and Slam/Throw affects long-range weapons.

The game "Fire and Sword" uses a physics model that takes into account the speed of your weapon and the direction in which it is pointed when calculating damage. The result of these calculations will be designated as “additional speed”. If you move to the left relative to the enemy, you will deal more damage with a blow from right to left (in the direction opposite to the enemy's movement). Most types of weapons will deal more damage in the mid-strike stage: for example, a spear will pierce an enemy better not on the first hit, but after you apply some force. Your bonus speed can be positive (then the damage will be increased) or negative (then the damage will be reduced), and it can double the damage of your hit or negate it.

The extra speed is extremely important for ranged weapons. During the flight, the ammunition will lose its initial speed and, therefore, cause much less damage.

It is also important where you hit the target. Usually the blow lands in the place you are looking at, so if you want to hit the legs, aim for the bottom, and if you want to hit the head, aim for the top. A hit to the legs will generally do less damage than a hit to the head.

Enemy armor reduces the damage you deal. After processing data about your skills, weapon quality and impact speed, the game will display “base damage”. Armor has a protection parameter that reduces this damage: from cutting damage the value from half to the maximum of the protection parameter is subtracted, from piercing or crushing damage - from a quarter to half. For example, if the armor’s defense parameter is 20 and a cutting blow is dealt to it, then it will be 10-20 units weaker. If a piercing or crushing blow is applied to such armor, it will be weaker by 5-10 units. In addition to direct protection from damage, armor also provides some percentage protection.

Melee

In close combat, you need to properly use a shield or place blocks. The condition of the shield must be constantly monitored, because even the strongest of them can only withstand a limited number of blows.

If you do not have a shield, then you can only parry enemy attacks with weapons using the right mouse button. At a time, you can parry only one blow from one side (from above, from the side, etc.). If you are fired upon by a long-range weapon, you will not be able to block these attacks. In order to block an attack, you need to carefully monitor the enemy and what kind of blow he is about to deliver, and then immediately block.

It usually takes time to strike - you need to attack in such a way as to bypass the enemy's defense, be it a shield or a weapon. You should not attack chaotically and hope for luck - this will only lead to you getting wounded. The main thing in battle is patience. Wait for the enemy to lower his shield or stagger back, then step forward and deliver your blow.

Fight at a distance

Archers and marksmen with firearms cannot carry shields, as they must hold the weapon with both hands. To fire a long-range weapon, face the target and hold down the left mouse button. A crosshair will appear on the screen - a large white ring that will gradually shrink. If you shoot with a bow, then you need to release the left mouse button at the moment when the ring shrinks to a minimum: after waiting too long, you will get tired of holding the bow, and your hands will begin to tremble. In order to get more time to aim, you need to develop archery skills. When using firearms and grenades, you can aim as long as you like because you don't have to keep the bow drawn at all times.

Grenades are affected by gravity - meaning the further you are from the enemy, the higher you need to aim to hit them. Here you will find it very useful to zoom in on the camera (hold down the Shift), because this way you will see where the fired projectile will hit, and you will be able to correct the course. The grenade flies slower than arrows and bullets and describes an arc. It has a shorter range.

If you shoot from a bow at an enemy who has a shield, and he sees you, then he can simply cover himself with his shield, and your shot will not hit him. The shield can be broken by methodically shooting at it, but this will take a lot of arrows, so in this case it is better to use two-handed swords or axes.

The invention of firearms influenced the development of a new tactical maneuver using shooters - the so-called linear formation. Firearms take a very long time to reload, but with a simultaneous salvo from several shooters, they can inflict quite significant losses on the enemy. It is better to place shooters on hills, which provide a tactical advantage over enemy troops.

Fight with a horseman's spear

Horseman's spears and most other polearm types can be used for a mounted special attack. To do this, you need to accelerate your horse to high speed, take the spear under your arm and pierce the enemy with it at full gallop.

What does this require? First of all, your horse must be able to accelerate to medium speed or more, since this blow will not be possible on a lame mule. Also, your horse must be agile enough so that it can, if necessary, perform a maneuver and help you hit the target more accurately. Well, of course, you will need a polearm: a horseman's spear, a pike, a pitchfork and much more will do. It is preferable to take a longer weapon, since although a short weapon deals more damage, with a long weapon you can reach the enemy before he hits you. DO NOT PRESS THE ATTACK BUTTON! The pike strike is automatic if you have the right weapon and enough speed. As you approach the enemy, you will need to turn your horse to hit the enemy with your spear.

Fight on horseback

When attacking an enemy on foot with a one- or two-handed weapon (not a polearm!), it is best to strike at the moment when you are driving past, and not when the enemy is slightly ahead. While riding a horse, you will only be able to wield two-handed melee weapons with one hand, which will reduce your attack speed and damage output. Spears in mounted combat are used a little differently - when you are ready to strike, you can direct the tip in any direction using the mouse.

Enemies can also be trampled by a horse, which can be very useful in battle. If a horse hits an enemy with its hoof at a decent speed, it will cause crushing damage and can knock out the enemy, so you will be able to capture him. If the enemy has a shield, then the horse can push him with his shoulder, and at this moment you can strike before the enemy closes again. Please note that if the enemy on foot is armed with a pike, you won’t be able to attack him just like that, because he will reach you first. If your horse receives a strong blow to the chest with a spear, it will stop, and if you are also surrounded at that moment, then you can find yourself in very great danger.

Fight with horsemen

It’s good to advise how to trample an unfortunate infantryman with a horse, but what to do if the infantryman is you? The strength of a war horse is its speed. Therefore, in the fight against the rider, you need to use any features of the terrain: hollows, steep hills, rocks that will prevent the horse from accelerating. It is best to engage in battle with mounted warriors in the forest or in shallow water. The second important point is the use of polearms. Having received a strong blow from a spear in the chest, the horse will stop or even fall. The main thing is to calculate the moment when the horse rushes towards the tip of the spear; it should be placed as far as possible in order to inflict maximum damage at the maximum safe distance. If you wait too long, you won't have time to properly position your spear or the horse will stop early and its rider will attack you. If you put out your spear too early, the blow will fall into thin air, the horse will not stop, and you will be knocked down and trampled.

Wagenburg

If the army pursuing you outnumbers yours, and the fortress is still several days away, you can set up a camp and build a Wagenburg - a defensive structure made of carts. It is not so easy to take it unceremoniously; it will allow a skilled commander to save soldiers, and will also force the attackers to suffer serious losses or completely discourage the enemy from attacking you. But be careful: the enemy you are pursuing may also build a Wagenburg, especially if his army is smaller than yours or he has many archers.

Attacking such a defensive structure head-on is pure suicide, especially if the defense is held by a squad of good shooters. But Wagenburg is extremely vulnerable from the rear, which must be remembered by both attackers and defenders. To defeat the enemy who has taken refuge in Wagenburg, you need to quickly transfer shock troops behind enemy lines or occupy the high ground around Wagenburg, if the terrain allows, and with the help of your best shooters, reduce the number of defenders of the improvised fortress.

Sieges

Having gathered a large army, you can try to besiege one of the enemy cities. When you decide to besiege a city or fortress, you will need to choose one of the following actions:

• Prepare ladders for assault. You can attack the enemy fortress using ladders, but in this case you should remember that you will suffer the main losses from the shooters on the walls. Therefore, at the forefront of your attack, it is better to place warriors who are reliably protected and equipped with good shields. After you capture the walls, place your shooters on them to destroy enemy reinforcements. The time it takes to build stairs depends on how high your engineering skill is.
• Call the defense commander to a meeting. It may happen that the enemy is exhausted and ready to surrender, or maybe a selfish military leader will agree to open the fortress gates for you for a lot of money. In any case, it is worth sending a parliamentarian for negotiations.
• Poison the water in the city. If you're willing to do anything to win, try poisoning the city's water source. Not a very ethical act, but it helps to significantly reduce the forces protecting the city.
• Blow up a wall with a mine. For a good engineer, the walls of the fortress are no obstacle - a little gunpowder and skill will make a huge hole in the wall. After this, feel free to attack those who have taken refuge inside.
• Wait until tomorrow. By waiting a day or two during the siege of a fortress, you can achieve capitulation, especially if the besieged's supplies are running low.
• lift the siege. If you fail to take the fortress, you can lift the siege and go replenish the army.

“There are rumors that if our merciful king starts a war with Turchin, the prince-voivode will come to the Crimea with fire and sword, and these rumors are welcome throughout Ukraine and the Lower Region, for if we don’t walk in Bakhchisarai under his leadership, then under whose else?

- Let's take a walk, true god! - the Kurtsevichs responded.

Henryk Sienkiewicz, “With Fire and Sword”

• Man is tempered in the crucible of history
• Give me a plot of land in Poland
• Checker, vodka, horse Mikolkin
• Do dragoons dream of sniper rifles?
• We are writing a letter to the Turkish Sultan

1654 Europe is again at a crossroads. In the race of great powers, first one or the other takes the lead. Now the Swedes dictate their rules to the enlightened world, but until recently the strongest union was the proud union of Poles and Lithuanians - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Now they are going through difficult times. Our neighbors have become very dangerous - not just Sweden. The Kingdom of Moscow has recovered from the disastrous turmoil and is rapidly gaining strength. The Zaporozhye Sich is glowing with an unhealthy heat. The Crimean Khan is planning to expand his possessions.

The smell of gunpowder is becoming more and more noticeable over Eastern Europe. The turning point is about to come and the world will be transformed.

You and I know who ended up on the horse and who was under his hooves. But the mosaic of history could have turned out differently if there had been one more ambitious person on Earth in those days...

The authors of the new Mount & Blade took on fertile material. Correctly approach the image of a free governor in the era glorified by Sienkiewicz, and the result will not be a game - candy! Tweak the mechanics of the original, patch up the artificial intelligence, deepen the process everywhere, and the wrapper will favorably emphasize the charm of the content. If everything works out.

This is probably what a GPRS navigator looks like for migratory birds.

The old "Hero's Story" was about the pseudo-European Middle Ages. A universal topic that everyone can understand. But the fictional Calradia never dreamed of the intensity of passions inherent in Eastern Europe in the mid-17th century. The chosen period provides plenty of fodder for a fascinating and emotional narrative. From now on, behind the game action there is a real story that fills every little thing with meaning. There are no more alien, abstract names on the map. Now you can visit familiar Novgorod and Minsk, Vyborg and Warsaw, Moscow with its Place of Execution and St. Basil's Cathedral. Or, say, Bakhchisarai, which has faded into the shadows of the past, but is memorable at least according to Pushkin.

The key features of the game remain the same. Our hero still starts the game as an unknown tramp, while traveling he slowly gains experience and acquires loyal associates and simple associates. Mainly for hard cash, which still needs to be earned by fighting off robbers and overcoming other difficulties of a wandering life. As time goes on, there is more money in the wallet, and, accordingly, more fighters in the squad. As the army grows, so do the claims. Our ward dreams of ending his career as a close associate of one of the great rulers. Or even the great ruler himself, and with a noble army under his command.

And here the new game compares favorably with its predecessor. In A Hero's Tale, the taste of great achievements was insipid: from small skirmishes to big battles, the hero grew in level, accumulated wealth and possessions... but the game world greeted his successes with only silent acceptance. In "Fire and Sword" the player's achievements are given more visual, tangible weight.

The game quickly inclines the hero to choose a side. The young leader will disperse the petty bandits, provide the peasants with the desired goods, and will soon take on the instructions of a big man - some master or boyar. And here there is no escape from the call of History. Soon we will have to choose a side, decide who is dearer to us: Bogdan Khmelnitsky or Jan Kazimir, Alexei Mikhailovich or Stepan Razin, who is aiming for his place, and maybe even the Lithuanian tycoon Radziwill. You can also enlist in the service of the Turks and Swedes, however, in these cases the game will be plotless. But three campaigns should be enough to enjoy every little detail. It takes about sixty hours to complete the entire story tree.

The magic word "progress"

Another miracle of modern tactical thought: a circle of carts.

The game is no longer in the Middle Ages, but in modern times. Some things are irrevocably a thing of the past - for example, knightly tournaments. And the places are not right for them. In these parts, from time immemorial, men favored tavern fights.

Overall, progress has brought more than it has taken away. Gunpowder weapons became widespread throughout the world. It is capable of striking down an armored Reitar and has completely driven crossbows out of use.

The approach to capturing cities and fortresses has changed. Engineering thought has finally matured to the point of using ladders in quantity during an assault. Laughter is laughter, and the tactical depth of assaults has noticeably increased, because now you can attack in several directions. In addition, you can place a powder charge under the wall. And then try to break through the gap created by the explosion. Or give up trying to take the enemy by storm and poison his wells. Without water it is impossible to withstand a long siege.

However, guns, pistols and military tricks are all men's pastimes. While the stronger sex was learning to destroy each other's hunters, women were doing the real thing. How they learned to sing by the 17th century is something that needs to be heard. Here it is, the soul of the game: in the bewitching voices of the female choir, singing about the joys and sorrows of those times. Gives me goosebumps! And even if nothing else from the soundtrack is remembered, you want to listen to these songs and listen to them again.

He had one joy: war, war

“Your grace, as I see it, there are few campaigns with the grassroots that have glorified you.”

- A small war - a little glory, a great war - great glory.

The secret to the success of an epic game is the right balance of elements, interpenetrating mini-games. If they are selected in the right proportions, when mixed, gold is obtained. The previous Mount & Blade suffered from unevenness: dense here, empty there. The combat system was developed much better than anything else. The developers of “With Fire and Sword” tried to achieve greater balance and tighten up the weak points.

West is West, East is East, and together they... come together, and how!

What any game in the series would be GTA no missions? We dare say a much less memorable experience. To some extent, the three plots of “With Fire and Sword” take the game to a new level. They just still lack significance.

The developers have done a great job to make the world of the game historical and authentic. The costumes and weapons were painstakingly recreated. Historical realities are observed: behind every boyar or nobleman there is a real historical figure. And in this beautifully tailored, truthful world, the hero now even has a purpose for being. One thing is missing, but an important one - the breath of living history. It is enough for a tactical game, but for a story game it is formulaic and flat. Alas.

Much has improved. Updated graphics. Opportunities have expanded. A quick battle mode has appeared. Life in Eastern Europe is more fun than in good old Calradia. And it became more pleasant to wave a saber, to lead a detachment, and to advance big politics. There is somewhere for the free soul to roam.

Only, in essence, the old fairy tale in a new way remained a tactical action movie with a set of side “fun”. Of course, in dizzying battles you forget about the details. Maybe because they remained details? It's a bit of a pity for the unrealized potential. After all, the groundwork for more is great. Create a powerful, full-blooded plot, balance other elements of the game with battles - and this will be a five-year event at a minimum. Practically " Space Rangers"with passions for Sienkiewicz.

How much your humble servant would give for just one built-in mini-game “write a letter to the Turkish Sultan”! Nobody promised, but I thought - what if? Who knows, maybe in the future... After all, the original Mount & Blade was once born from one man’s dream of the perfect game. A game that will have everything he wants.

In the meantime - while your swords are drawn, and forward, on a dashing horse, to defeat your enemies! Don't relax too much, Sultan!

	ADVANTAGES	FLAWS
Fun 8	three branched campaigns, combat, varied gameplay	monotonous tasks, uneven elaboration of components
Graphic arts 7	textures and animations have improved	old angular engine
Sound 8	singing of the Moscow Ethnographic Theater	general dullness, no voice acting of dialogues
Game world 8	changing world, historical accuracy	flat dialogues, cardboard drama
Convenience 9	intuitive character control	tactical command, minor flaws

Looking around our native land

The map of Eastern Europe is dotted with various settlements. Let's look at them in detail.

City

Lord's Hall. People of noble blood and their guests come here to receive them. They are approached for instructions, to carry them out, or in search of the right person from the same country.

Tavern. Hot spot. In total, there are usually three or four people in the tavern: the innkeeper, the mercenary and a couple of other visitors.

Innkeeper. You can contact the owner of the establishment for lodging and entertainment. It costs much more than just spending a night in the city - as much as twenty-five thalers. But strength is restored at lightning speed. And for a tidy sum you can sign up for all visitors and increase your reputation.

On a note: in the city, your squad requires only half of the usual payments. So, restoring strength here is not only safer, but also more economical than in an open field.

Mercenary. There are a variety of them in taverns. Local and newcomers, experienced and still green, numerous and unique. But everyone is ready to join your squad for a reasonable fee.

Satellite. Special mercenaries are also looking for a worthy commander in taverns. We will talk about them in detail later.

Bookseller. You can purchase valuable goods from these traveling hustlers for a hefty sum. Reading books at rest and during long sieges has a good effect on the hero.

Mediator. A man who can sell your captives into slavery for good money. If the moral aspect doesn’t bother you, this is a good way to get rich.

Traveler. Knowledgeable comrade. If you are looking for a person around the world and cannot find him, for a reasonable fee the traveler will indicate his current location.

Visitor. Just a regular who came to have a good time. If he is in the mood, you can offer him a fist fight. And bet for a victory for a small amount. It’s not for fun to hit each other.

Let's say that the result of the dispute did not suit you, or your friend was simply not a good person. You can seriously quarrel with a visitor and show the adversary in the backyard how much he can do, already with a weapon in his hands. Just don't be surprised if he calls a couple of friends to help!

On a note: If a regular is not very eager to fight, it’s worth trying to get him drunk first. But keep in mind: you won’t meet drunk customers in the taverns of the Crimean Khanate. Alcohol is, after all, prohibited for Muslims.

Market. Here some get rich, while others leave their savings. For greater convenience, goods are distributed among four merchants. The most savvy can also walk around the market and find out what profitable deals can be made today.

Fortress

The same city, only much less populated and somewhat better fortified. Taverns and markets are not kept in fortresses, but they are still allowed to stay. And even to the noble gentlemen staying in the fortress, if you ask politely, they will let you in.

Village

The pub is crowded today. So, the fight will be great!

The common people have a simple life. What can be done in the village?

Walk around the center. Sometimes you need to look around the village and find someone. Most often you will be interested in the local elder. You can talk with him about the state of affairs in the village, buy livestock, and recruit recruits. And sometimes there is a job for a compassionate guest.

Visit the market. The rural market is different from the urban one. Peasants sell food and the simplest household items. And they do not pay in specie, which they have never had before. They prefer natural exchange. Although they will not refuse your money.

Force the peasants to give up supplies. If your threats are convincing enough, the peasants will part with part of their supplies. But if you give in, you will feel what the anger of the people is like.

Steal livestock. If you can’t come to an agreement with the headman, why not just take away the desired cow without asking? The main thing is not to get caught.

Loot and burn the village. If you break the resistance of the peasants, you can make a lot of money. Please note that this terribly worsens relations with the village and the country that owns it. The burned village will be empty for some time, and then will return to its former life.

Mercenary camp

The best way to quickly put together a large squad is to visit one of the five camps scattered around the map, one for each country. There are five types of fighters available for recruitment. After you pay for the services of a certain class of mercenaries in the camp, others will no longer be available to you until the previous ones leave you for some reason. Until then, in the camp it will be possible to join the ranks of selected warriors and purchase more effective weapons and equipment for them.

This is how the sons of the fatherland mature

A character is made up of characteristics, skills and the ability to wield various weapons. There are only four characteristics: strength, agility, intelligence, charisma. They give small advantages and determine how much the hero can develop his skills. And this is where the significance of any character lies. The development limit of a skill is equal to the characteristic to which it is assigned, divided by three without a remainder.

Each level brings one stat point and one skill point.

It is important: When selecting skills, keep in mind that they are divided into personal and squad. A personal skill affects who has developed it. Squad skills affect the entire group. If there are two people in a group with a squad skill, it does not stack. It is assumed that the most capable person is involved in this matter. So there is no point in developing each of the squad skills for more than one squad member.

Characteristics and skills

Force

The main thing it is needed for is to carry more advanced equipment. The best weapons and armor require high strength. The fact that each point in strength gives one health point is a nice bonus. Finally, a strong hero hits harder.

Iron skin. Increases health by 2. From the “if there is nowhere to put it” category. But you can never have too many points, and to feel the difference, you need to significantly develop your skill. Go ahead.

A strong beat. Increases damage from all melee weapons by 8%. If you want your hero to be in the front ranks of the army and encourage fighters to perform great deeds by personal example, this is your skill.

Powerful throw. It also increases damage, but from throwing weapons and by as much as 10%. For those whose weapon of victory is a well-balanced hatchet, this skill is valuable. Moreover, a certain level of skill is needed in order to use the best throwing weapons.

Powerful shot. The increase in damage for this skill is the highest - 14%. Although the draw of some bows simply does not allow the damage to increase beyond a certain level. If you are planning to become an archer, take it.

Dexterity

The mounted fighter is a case where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Important for equestrians, since thoroughbred horses are demanding of this characteristic. It will also be useful for others: each point brings 5 ​​units of skills and speeds up the hero’s attacks by 0.5%.

Weapon ownership. Increases the limit to which weapon skills can be increased. Each invested unit increases it by 40. We take it when we approach the top bar in any skill. If, of course, we plan to further develop it.

Shield mastery. Shield damage is reduced by 8%. The hero blocks attacks faster and easier. Let the strength of the shield be restored in each new battle, but there is little joy when it shatters into pieces in the heat of battle. Therefore, the skill is most useful for everyone who uses a shield.

Athletics. Running faster. The benefit is doubtful. You need to invest too many points to gain a tangible advantage over other infantrymen. And the horseman will overtake you and overtake you anyway.

Horseback riding. A hero with this skill gallops faster and can handle more thoroughbred horses. The advantage of horsemen is enormous in any battle except assault. One of the most useful skills.

Shooting on horseback. Who wouldn't want to shoot more accurately, more painfully, and not fall out of the saddle? Those who would not like to invest in other skills. And for a horse archer - just right.

Collecting trophies. Squad skill. Increases profit from any loot by 10%. There will be more of it, in addition, things will be of better quality. A nice, though not vital, skill.

Intelligence

Compared to other characteristics, this one is noticeably more significant. After all, for increasing intelligence, the hero receives additional skill points. In addition, intelligence is associated with many skills.

Education. Allows honored heroes to share their knowledge with young ones once a day. Everyone who is below the character's level receives a little experience (a higher skill means more is transferred). Quickly pays for the invested points. It should be developed as early as possible and to the limit. If satellites also join in the training, the experience of your army will grow by leaps and bounds.

Tracking. Squad skill. Allows you to see on the map traces of recently passed units. And when developing a skill, some information about them. All this is more curious than useful. So it’s quite possible to save points and take a companion with this skill into your squad.

Tactics. Squad skill. Increases your advantage in battle. But only for every second point in skill. The usefulness of this greatly depends on the settings for the scale of battles. One fighter out of a hundred is not enough. One out of twenty is already significant.

Finding the way. Squad skill. Speeds up movement around the map by 3%. Very often, these few percentages turn out to be critical in the question of “who will catch up with whom.” It is better not to rely on companions, but to develop this important skill on your own.

Vigilance. Squad skill. Expands the visibility of the group on the global map by 10%. It can be useful to spot the enemy from afar, but there are many more useful things.

Oh, what could I throw away so that I don’t have to throw anything away, and so that there’s still room left...

Logistics. Provides six additional spaces for items and equipment. If you manage to do without this skill, honor and praise to you. And if there are always not enough places, don’t skimp, spend a point.

Dressing wounds. Speeds up squad healing by 20%. Without this skill, you will have to constantly stop to rest. And the safety of city walls may be too far away. So it's a necessary skill. It is only important to decide: to develop it in your hero or to find a knowledgeable companion. Fortunately, there are skilled healers among them.

Surgery. Squad skill. For each point, any warrior in the squad has a 4% chance of not dying when receiving a normally fatal wound. A very useful skill, and the further you go, the higher its importance. After all, you will have more and more troops.

First aid. Squad skill. Each unit is five percent of your health restored after the battle. Dressing wounds is probably more useful if you're not fighting a lot of fights back to back.

Engineering. Squad skill. Helps build siege engines and strengthen your possessions. Moderately useful.

Belief. Helps in negotiations, persuasion, intimidation. Depending on the playing style, it will be completely useless for some, but will bring great benefits to others. One thing is for sure - at first it is worth focusing on more important skills for survival.

Charisma

Each point in charisma increases the maximum squad size by one.

Leadership. Increases maximum squad size by 5, increases morale and reduces maintenance costs by 5%. A lot of useful things in one skill.

Trade. Squad skill. Your transactions become 5% more profitable. In addition, you will learn about profitable trading offers faster. It is worth getting a knowledgeable companion - a merchant, and saving your points for other important skills.

Skills

There are plenty of all kinds of clubs, axes, spears, swords, axes and other murder weapons in the game. They differ in attack speed and damage caused (and ranged weapons also differ in accuracy and ammo reserves). Weapons are divided by damage type into piercing, cutting, crushing. The type determines the timing of the swing and the method of avoiding the blow.

On a note: wounds from blunt weapons are less likely to be fatal. If you want to take many prisoners, arm your troops with clubs.

In addition, instruments of war are also divided into classes of development. If the hero knows how to swing a halberd, that means he can handle a reed just as well. We improve our weapon skills in two ways.

At each level we are given 10 points. We can put them all into one skill, but then we will soon reach the bar set by the Weapon Mastery skill. In addition, the higher the skill, the more points it costs to further advance in it. Therefore, choose several areas of development. One class of weapon for close combat, one for ranged combat and, if desired, a backup option for special cases.

Do you want to be a glorious hussar and faithfully serve the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth? Train hard!

In addition, skills increase with their successful use. We killed a dozen enemies with a saber - we learned how to hit harder and faster. So the skill rises even above the allowed maximum.

One-handed weapon. There are plenty of varieties of it in the game, it’s impossible to list them all. The key and common advantage for all of them is that you can take a shield in your second, free hand. And it significantly increases the fighter’s chances of survival.

Two-handed weapon. Too big to handle with one hand. Although there are examples that are handy to use this way and that. Usually the swing of such a weapon is long, but the impact force is significant.

Polearm weapon. Extremely dangerous if handled skillfully. One on one, you can simply keep an enemy with a short blade away from you at a dangerous distance. Some spears allow a mounted warrior to ram an opponent. It can be either one-handed or two-handed.

Luke. If someone thinks that bows are morally outdated, let them tell the Tatar raiders about it. And in the 17th century, bows still had an important advantage over other ranged weapons: speed. Circling around the enemy on horseback and showering them with a hail of arrows is a time-tested tactic.

Firearms. Gunpowder is power! Shotguns and pistols hit far, quite accurately and very powerfully. Such a weapon has only two problems. Small: you can’t shoot some guns on horseback - the risk of falling off your horse is too great. Big: Reloading takes forever.

Throwing weapons. For lovers of exotic things. A well-thrown knife or dart hits the enemy no worse than any other weapon. But the reserves for each battle are too small and the distance over which they fly is too small. It is usually easier to cut down an enemy in hand-to-hand combat.

And all for one!

As we have already mentioned, you can meet companions in taverns. There are a total of sixteen of them roaming the lands of the game. Each one has a character, a history, and preferences. Some people don't get along with each other. Many people have painful issues. A wise commander will respect the pride of his subordinates so that they do not quarrel with him and with each other.

After all, the trouble is worth it. Many companions are skilled fighters, others are talented managers and healers. There are a lot of useful squad skills in the game; you can’t pay enough attention to everything alone. This is where satellites come in handy. A well-chosen team will mitigate the shortcomings of their boss.

Companions cannot die in battle. Unless they lose consciousness. And if it turns out that your companion leaves you, say, if you are captured, do not despair. Look again and you will find it in one of the taverns.

So, it's time to introduce you to these fine ladies and gentlemen.

Mr. Zagloba. An old nobleman, boastful, loud and quarrelsome. Servant to the king, father to the soldiers. He does not like it when his salary is delayed and he is poorly fed. Level 3. Iron Skin 5. Power Strike 3. Weapon Skill 75.

It is important: in the campaign dedicated to the Swedish invasion of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Pan Zagloba is an obligatory companion. You will need to find it immediately. In this, as in the search for other companions, your best assistants are travelers in taverns.

Tepes. A scion of the Transylvanian rulers, a distant descendant of Prince Vlad, nicknamed Dracula. Weighed down by family glory. Level 5. Leadership 3. Training 2. Riding 2. Many military skills each 1. Weapon skill 60.

Father Spasokukotsky. A priest who was defrocked for drunkenness and scandals. He wields a long pike and an equally long tongue equally well. Does not tolerate those who lose. Level 4. First aid 3. Surgery 2. Trade 1. Wound dressing 1.

Cossack Mamai. He appears to everyone as a distant descendant of “that same” Mamai. The embodied spirit of the Cossacks. He despises commanders fleeing the battlefield. Level 10. Power Strike 3. Horseback Riding 3. Athletics 3. Weapon Skill 135. Mamai is an obligatory companion in the Zaporozhye Sich campaign, but not from the very beginning.

Karlsson. Drunk Swedish Landsknecht. He even drank away his personal weapon, but the cuirass remained with him. Level 5. Many military skills of 2. Weapon skill 70 (Polearmed - 130).

Fedot. A fugitive archer from the Kremlin hunting order. Doesn't believe in fairy tales. An ardent defender of the common people, he will not allow them to be robbed and oppressed. Level 6. Athletics 2 Pathfinding 2. Pathfinding 2. Many combat skills each 1. Weapon skill 50 (Guns - 100)

Two things are most terrible in Rus': rebellion and angry women.

Elisha. The youngest boyar son. Tragically ill... allergic to alcohol. His service in Rus', of course, did not go well. Joined the willing people. Does not deal with robbers and those who do not remember debts. Level 2. Horseback riding 4. Athletics 1. Weapon skill 50.

Bakhyt. Tatar executioner, dismissed due to reduction. Fate was often unkind to him. But he performs his service steadfastly as long as he is fed properly. Level 7. Powerful Strike 4. Holding Prisoners 2. Weapon Skill 40 (Two-Handed - 130)

Olgerd. Orthodox Litvin from the Smolensk region. A nobleman, he led squadrons in attacks more than once. During the war, his lands passed into the hands of the Moscow Tsar, but he himself remained loyal to the nobility. Level 3. Many combat and military skills of 1. Weapon skill 60.

Victor de la Buscador. The origin is dark, but it is clear that he is a nobleman. He was the commander of Radziwill's mercenary infantry. He left the service for love, but the beauty turned out to be flighty. Well equipped and armed. Level 9. Tactics 4. Leadership 2. Combat skills 1 each. Weapon skill 125.

Kick it. Tatar troublemaker. He incited part of the Nogai horde to oppose Khan Giray. Now he stays away from his native lands. Very demanding, irritated by any violation of discipline. Level 6. Horsemanship 3. Athletics 2. Weapon skill 80.

Sarabun. Kyiv doctor. Tries to use patients according to the methods of the French engineer Boplan. Contrary to what was expected, he copes well with the duties of a squad healer. Opponent of robbery. Level 5. Wound Dressing 4. Surgery 3. First Aid 3. Weapon Skill 50.

Oksana. The most natural Ukrainian girl. Poltava Vorozhka. She wanders because in her old place she was accused of causing cow deaths. Her craft forbids her from killing people. Level 3. Trade 2. Many skills of 1. Weapon skill 40.

Ingri. Swedish sutler. Cynical, unprincipled, bitchy... but what a housewife! After a shipment of wine that “smelled of horse urine,” he no longer supplied goods to the Swedish army. Level 5. Logistics 4. Trade 4. First Aid 2. Weapon Skill 65.

Varvara. Russian woman, originally from Novgorod. He enters the burning huts and stops galloping horses. Heavy on her hand - she accidentally killed her husband with a rolling pin. After which she fought off the guards and went to fight. Level 5. Trade 2. Healing skills 2 each. Weapon skill 50.

Fatima. Tatar, slender as a gazelle and dangerous as a leopard. Former bodyguard of the beloved wife of the Turkish Sultan. The Sultan once strangled his wife and sent Fatima for sale. She escaped, cutting out the guards. Does not tolerate cowardice or dishonesty. Level 8. Powerful throw 4. Athletics 4. Combat skills 1 each. Weapon skill 90.

On behalf of the noble master

Why do those in power live in the world? Of course, to provide our hero with tasks! Without them, life would be monotonous. They are a good source of money, experience and reputation. If we exclude introductory and story quests, there are eight types of quests left.

Deliver the letter. Messengers are difficult in Eastern Europe. Noble gentlemen will often ask you to convey a message to someone. This is a simple matter. Most likely, the right person can be found in his own domain. You hand over the letter personally, and the job is done. If the comrade you are looking for is not at home, it is worth asking around other lords and travelers in taverns. And you don’t have to think about the difficulties of the way back. The reward for such a task is presented by the recipient.

Kill the robber. Here you will have to work hard. True, you don’t need to spend a long time looking for your adversary all over the world. The employer reports in which locality he was last seen. This is where the horse should be directed. On the spot we rely only on ourselves. Passers-by are unlikely to tell you where to look for the scoundrel. Look out for a nervous person who can't find a place for himself. The robber will probably be hiding in the nooks and crannies or propping up the wall of some building. Convict him of crimes. The bandit will have to run away from you in battle. Nobody needs him alive, so you can shoot him in cold blood on the spot and return to your employer for a well-deserved reward.

In the villages, to the delight of all peasants, the famous cabbage has now grown.

Collect a debt from a nobleman. In high circles, the bad habit of taking money and not returning it is no less common than among ordinary people. Helping to clear out debt is a costly endeavor, but a rewarding one. First you need to find the debtor. He is usually ready to return the money... but not all of it. You have to pay the rest out of your own pocket. But it's never too late to haggle a little! And also - to put pressure on the debtor’s conscience. This will worsen your relationship, but will bring you closer to completing the task.

Explore villages. The only thing that's easier is delivering letters. The nobleman names three settlements. You just need to get to each of them, and then return to the employer with a report.

Provoke a war. The task is simple in essence, but requires difficult moral choices. A warlord who wants to start a small, victorious war is looking for a sacrificial lamb for this purpose. You can help him. He sets requirements for the daredevil. You need a fighter suitable for them. He is sent to the enemies with a letter testifying to the treachery of their sovereign. The daring envoy dies, hostilities begin, and you leave the governor with a reward.

Train peasants in the village. A safe and well-rewarded task. You need to arrive at the named village, spend a little time training the villagers and conduct a training fight with them on poles.

Bring a squad of fighters. Clear as day. The ruler needs warriors. You supply him with these warriors. They are usually easiest to recruit from a mercenary camp.

A duel with a lord who insulted a lady. The only task that is given not by the high lords themselves, but by their wives. It happens that a lady in a conversation complains about an offender who is spreading bad rumors about her. The slanderer must be found and challenged to a duel. If you successfully defend her honor, the lady will show you her favor and, on occasion, will plead for you with her husband.

It happens that not only big people, but also ordinary peasants need help. The village headman also sometimes gives us some work to do.

Bring the cattle. It's not a complicated matter. It doesn’t matter how the cattle will be obtained. You can steal it from a richer village, you can buy it. The main thing is to drive the cheerfully mooing little cows into the village safe and sound and hand them over to the headman.

Deliver goods. To get the most out of an assignment, it helps to know the market conditions. Knowledge of history also helps: the realities of time and place are strictly observed. Where did salt come from on most Russian tables? Right. So, the prices for it will be lower there.

Deal with the robbers. Dashing people got into the habit of robbing peasants returning from city fairs. This is a good opportunity for you to profit from trophies and earn a reputation.

Great glory

It was foreshadowed by signs in the heavens, and excited human faces, and the flashing of swords, and the howling of dogs near the huts at night, and the neighing of horses that smelled blood. War!

Henryk Sienkiewicz, “With Fire and Sword.”

It’s better to lay down a violent head on the battlefield than such a situation!

Sooner or later, repetitive tasks become boring. There are also unique, original assignments in the game, but they are only enough for the first time. Soon the moment comes for real exploits. When your reputation in one of the three “story” countries reaches ten, you can begin completing story missions for that state.

To start the script about Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, it is enough to turn to any noble gentleman and agree to take his side. From now on, the fate of Poland should be discussed with all the Poles encountered until one of them offers to find Pan Zagloba. And once you find him, Zagloba will know what to do.

Scenario Zaporozhye Sich begins with a request from a subject of the Zaporozhian Army. A Cossack village was attacked by bandits, help is needed. When they are driven out, the mortally wounded old man will tell you about a certain Black Hetman. Questions from the Cossack governors will show that your friend Jacques de Clermont knows something about the Hetman. So the wheels started turning.

Plot Kingdom of Moscow It's a little more difficult to get started than the other two. The first order is given by an arbitrary Russian commander. You will have a conversation with him about False Dmitry, and for additional information you will be required to help in a raid on the Poles. Destroy any three villages of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the boyar will point to the person you need.

It's time and honor to know

Not everyone likes to storm the heights of political Olympus. Tired of the worries of camp life, you can always retire. All you have to do is “take action” in the camp menu and then “terminate the life of an adventurer”. That's it: fanfare, end of the road.

This is interesting: Experienced players sometimes compete with each other in speedrunning games. The developers decided to make fun of them. The fastest way to complete the game is to select the “Leave” option in the dialogue before creating a character.

The retirement screen provides a neat list of all your accomplishments. It depends on them who the hero will retire from military affairs. In the worst case, he will eke out a miserable existence. At best, he will become a loyal hand of the sovereign and focus on governing the country. If the result you see upsets you, it will not be too late to come to your senses and achieve a better life for your character.

We hope that our tips, coupled with the training built into the game, will be enough to get back on your feet and get stronger. The world of “Fire and Sword” awaits its heroes. Wherever fate takes you, let the sword and fire be your help in times of need, noble lords!

Details Created: March 02, 2010

Ev_Reshif, one of the first players Mount & Blade with Fire and Sword, an active member of the Sich community, shares his experience in completing tasks in the initial stage of the game

So, the main character (GG) enters the huge world of Mount & Blade, living its own life, full of dangers and adventures, with Fire and Sword. The first character the GG met was Chevalier Jacques de Clermont, a rather interesting and extraordinary personality. You shouldn’t refuse a conversation with a Frenchman: firstly, the GG will learn a lot of interesting things about the situation in Eastern Europe, secondly, Clermont can give some useful advice on where to start, and thirdly, you can practice shooting with a firearm weapons and try yourself in close combat with an experienced fighter.

After talking with the Chevalier, the first task appears - talk to the headman of the nearby village of Zamoshye. We go into the village, look for the headman - a person doing nothing on the mountain to the left. You can take as many as three tasks from this elder, or you can refuse or choose, for example, just one. I advise you to do everything, since they are designed precisely to gradually introduce the GG into the world of O&M.

So the headman's first task: destroy a detachment of robbers who are not allowing peaceful peasants to live. We are looking for robbers in the nearest forest - they will be highlighted in a special blue color. A small fight with robbers is a good opportunity to practice horse shooting, wave your trusty saber, and generally feel like M&B (on horseback and with a blade), and of course, collect some trophies. The GG returns to the headman and receives a well-deserved reward - something from the rations (but for the first time this will do).

The headman's next request- convince the Smolensk governor to reduce taxes from poor peasants. GG goes to Smolensk. Here, I would advise novice players to look into a tavern, chat with the visitors, walk along the city streets, visit the market square - you will see and learn a lot of interesting things. So the GG meets with the governor so that he does not offend the peasants of Zamoshye with excessive taxes. In principle, theoretically, there are three ways to do this: 1. simply convince - but it’s unlikely to work, because the GG’s fame is still practically zero, and throwing skills into the persuasion skill when creating a character is stupid, “combat” skills are much more important; 2. improve your relationship with him by completing small tasks - delivering a letter, punishing an adversary robber, returning escaped peasants, etc.; and the third option is to stupidly pay the governor out of your pocket; this dubious pleasure costs 200 money. At the beginning of the game this is a fairly large amount, but fortunately the GG has some goods in his inventory that can be sold. Again, we return to Zamoshye - we receive some money and goods from the headman.

And the third quest of the village elder– buy and bring three bags of salt to the village. At first glance, everything is simple, but no - a bag of salt costs probably 350 rubles, and it will be difficult to find salt. The task is intended to teach the player trading skills. In general, you will have to run around a little, my advice is that it is better to run around the villages; although there are fewer goods there than in cities, they are usually cheaper. Subsequently, in trading, if anyone is not too lazy, it will be possible to make normal profits. We return to the headman - we receive 900 money.

Another tip that you should always remember when playing O&M is all tasks, dialogues, information, messages, letters, etc. you need to read and remember carefully, because, as a grizztsa, M&V O&M does not like it when this matter is scrolled through diagonally, especially since the information obtained during the dialogue is not displayed directly in the quest body and not always. You have to live in this world.

Now advice on the initial Mount & Blade quests with Fire and Sword, the so-called “special tasks”, which can be issued by lords at the request of the GG. In principle, these are NOT storylines yet, but they allow you to determine for yourself at the very beginning of the game which faction is closer to you. “Special tasks” are several mini-plots where the GG will need to make a certain choice, as a result of which relations with one state will improve, but with another they will sharply go negative; in almost every mini-plot the GG gets his hands on a big jackpot, there is a temptation and the opportunity to pocket other people’s money, but of course making enemies for himself in the process. In general, gamers who plan to play freeplay for a certain faction or go through a specific storyline need to be careful and attentive when completing special tasks.

1. GG meets Zaporozhye Colonel Zolotarenko, who will issue the task of delivering a captured Tatar to Ataman Gomon to the city of Sich and will even give a couple of Zaporozhye infantrymen to help. The prisoner, of course, is trying to convince the GG that the vile Cossacks will deceive him, even a compromising letter will show. You can shove a load of lard into his mouth and deliver it to Gomon - then relations with the Zaporozhye Army will improve. Or you can release the Tatar for money or take him to Perekop, in the latter case relations with the Crimean Khanate will improve.

2. Quest “Seven Samurai”. The first Crimean lord he comes across will ask the GG to protect the village of Sivash from robbers, for which the detachment must have at least 6 fighters. We go to Sivash and talk to the headman. When the robbers appear, the GG talks to their leader, and it turns out that these are Zaporozhye Cossack foragers. If the GG decides to fight them, then relations with the Khanate will grow and the happy peasants will share their simple belongings. Or you can not interfere with the Cossacks, then the GG will lose -1 honor for an uncompleted quest, but relations with the Cossacks will improve quite well.

3. “Secret cache in Dunaevtsy”- the task is issued by any Zaporozhye lord. You need to pick up the treasury in the village and deliver it to Bogdan Khmelnitsky, to do this you need to tell the village headman the password - the battle cry of the Don Cossacks. GG asks the Cossacks about the battle cry, but the password turns out to be incorrect. Here you can think a little and remember a little history, or you can simply ask the lords of each faction. As a result, a lot of money will fall into the hands of the GG to start the game. If you squeeze the treasury of the Zaporozhye Army for yourself, then Khmelnytsky will become the sworn enemy of the GG. If you complete the quest, then relations with the Zaporozhye Army, personally with Bogdan and with a couple of Cossack colonels will improve significantly.

4. "The Elusive Convoy". Advice: to complete this quest, it will be useful in the Fedot detachment (where you can find him from travelers in taverns for 30 money). The quest is given by the first lord of the Moscow Kingdom you meet. You need to go with a letter to Moscow to the city mayor, receive goods and take them to Ataman Vasilyev in Cherkassk. The GG does just that, although you can send the head along with the ataman and sell the whole thing. In Cherkassk, Naum Vasiliev was dissatisfied with civilian goods - he was waiting for weapons from Moscow. Therefore, he gives the GG two fighters and orders the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth caravan to be plundered with weapons. This convoy is leaving Krakow and needs to be intercepted before the caravan reaches Bakhchisarai. This is where I strongly advise you to save. You can be cunning and wait for the convoy at Perekop - like, where will it go? But the caravan passes along a route simply filled with all sorts of bandits, and there is a very high probability that it will not reach Perekop. Personally, I immediately rode from Cherkassk without being distracted by anything and waited for the convoy, cutting circles behind Kazykermann. We rob the caravan - we return to Naum Vasiliev for a reward, after which relations with Crimea deteriorate a little and significantly with Poland.

5. One of the lords met asks the GG to deliver a horse to the ruler of his state. Having accepted the order, a fairly strong detachment of robbers will attack the GG along the way. You can give them the royal horse and leave in good health, or you can fight. If the GG delivers the horse, then relations with the faction will improve, but if the task is failed, then relations will go into the negative.

6. Mission “Recruiting Clermont”. Issued by the first available lord of Sweden. It is necessary to recruit a Frenchman into the service of the Swedish king. It all seems simple - the Chevalier hangs around Smolensk all the time, but that’s not the case: just try to find him! The lord’s hint “Travel through the cities” is somehow not encouraging, but the deadline for the quest is as much as 14 days. I will only say that Jacques de Clermont is located not far from the Swedish possessions. In order for a Frenchman to follow the GG, a detachment of at least 10 warriors is needed. GG meets with Carl Gustav and receives the promised reward.

7. The first lord of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth proposes to burn and plunder the village of Maslov Brod to intimidate the Cossacks. GG begins to ruin, the headman asks to take pity on the poor peasants. If you don’t do this immoral crime, then Bogdan Khmelnitsky personally will be very grateful.

8. When relations with the Moscow Kingdom will be 5+, we are still talking with the same Chevalier Clermont, who will give GG a letter of recommendation to Trubetskoy. Trubetskoy will be given the task of ruining three villages of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Personally, I don’t like such quests, but oh well, let’s cast aside all doubts and go ahead to the villages! But again, not everything is so simple: for some reason the peasants do not want their huts to be burned down and their livestock to be slaughtered. And in each village the GG is waiting for a fairly decent (by the standards of the beginning of the game) detachment of cosiners, half of which are very good shooters from self-propelled guns. Well, the villages are burning, the task is completed. Relations with the Moscow Kingdom are increasing, Trubetskoy gives GG a reward, but relations with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and specifically with the owners of devastated villages are going into the negative.

We remind you that you can ask questions about completing Mount & Blade with Fire and Sword on our forum!

Details Created: March 16, 2010

Test it by taking possession of a still warm sword
And having put on the armor, how much, what how much?!
Figure out who you are - a coward or the chosen one of fate,
And taste the real fight.

V.Vysotsky

Attention! The following text contains “spoiler” information, that is, direct hints about completing the story quest in the game. Current for version 1.015.1

As soon as the relationship of the Main Character (GG) with the Zaporozhye Army rises to +10, the first Zaporozhye lord he meets issues a task to protect the village from robbers. We go to the village, fight with the bandits, and to start the game there is a fairly strong detachment there. After the victory, the GG is called by an old man, we talk to him, but the old man is mortally wounded, and while dying he utters the key phrase: “I see that you are not an enemy of the Cossacks... Black Hetman! Find him, save Ukraine!”

Advice: before passing the quest, take an oath to Bogdan Khmelnitsky (fame requirement 50+), because without being a lord of any faction, fame, money and, most importantly, experience are hard to earn.

We ask all the subjects of the Zaporozhye Army "Who is the Black Hetman?" We set off for Smolensk in search of the Chevalier Clermont. The Frenchman remembers from which of the Zaporozhye colonels he heard this phrase.

We talk with the colonels indicated by Clermont, but Zaporozhets refuses to talk. The quest " Running errands" It becomes clear that in order to further penetrate into the secret of the Black Hetman, it is necessary to improve the relationship with this colonel. You can also go to Clermont with a presentation like “The colonel is silent,” the Frenchman will answer that “The Sichs don’t reveal their secrets to just anyone, try to win his trust.” We carry out small tasks for the colonel, such as: deliver a letter, collect taxes, punish a murderous adversary, etc. or helping in battle. When the relationship with the colonel becomes 25+, he will become a friend of the GG - and, finally, the Cossack answers the GG’s question. We learn that the Black Hetman is an ancient pernach, forged from meteorite iron. According to legend, the ruler who possesses it will never know defeat. The colonel recalls that he heard about the Black Hetman from a captured cornet from the retinue of Prince Janusz Radziwill. “Serve the Zaporozhian Army,” the Sich leader asks, “ Find Radziwill and find out where the Black Hetman is.”

Janusz Radziwill is a contender for the throne of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. We are looking for the prince (by traveling around the cities of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth or asking a traveler in a tavern for 30 thalers). We ask Janusz about the Black Hetman, but the prince replies that this is a family secret of the Radziwills. Janusz is ready to tell it to GG if he helps Radziwill win the throne of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It is necessary to take an oath to the prince (renown requirement 200+) and rebel against Jan Casimir.

Janusz Radziwill joins the squad. We talk to him to see if there are any orders. The rebellious prince will order to capture the city - the temporary capital, saying, “It’s not the prince’s time to run around Poland with such thugs.”

Advice: first talk to all the lords of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with an offer to join the rebellion (before each conversation it is better to save and try all options). I think 8-12 people can be persuaded.

We capture the city of one of the nobles of the Republic of Poland, who refused to support the applicant, you can use the help of the rebel lords (with the support of the applicant for the throne, the GG becomes a marshal, and can order the lords and distribute the conquered possessions). Radziwill leaves the detachment for the captured city, and he is not visible on the map, and in order to talk to him you need to go directly to the fortress.

We ask the prince for a task. We receive an order capture Kyiv, which by this time becomes the city of the Republic of Poland. The detachment there is quite strong, so again you can use the help of the rebel lords.

We return to the noble prince, we receive a new task, as if there is a conspiracy in captured Kyiv and it is necessary talk to the Kyiv head– Janusz’s devoted man. In a conversation with the head of GG for 5 thousand. Thaler finds out that Radziwill secretly removed sarcophagi from the ancient monastery several years ago princes of the Olgovich family who lived in Kyiv in the 12th century... And here the phrase “Black Hetman” is pronounced. It seems that Radziwill is not as simple as it seems...

We talk with Janusz, but he says that he is not yet the king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and gives a new task - capture the Tatar Murza. After the capture of the Crimean Lord, GG receives a letter that the Tatars intercepted from a Moscow spy. The letter contains information about the mystery of the “Black Hetman” and indicates that he was taken to the family tomb of the Radziwills and mentions that the solution may be found in Templar archive in Riga.

We hand over the captured Tatar lord Janusz and once again ask about the “Black Hetman,” but Radziwill again refuses, GG says: “Then, prince, don’t be offended if I find out everything myself.”

We are leaving for Riga. We ask the mayor for access to the town hall, where the ancient Templar records are actually kept. The head demands permission from the Lord Owner of Riga or “If the city were yours...”. The GG has a choice - either to obtain the lord’s permission, through the “Nude” swing of relations, or simply to capture Riga. The first option is long and lazy, especially since at the moment there was a war with Sweden, it would also take 30 thousand money to make peace, so we choose the second. Again, we take a couple of detachments of rebel lords to help (the garrison in the city is very decent) and capture Riga. Being a marshal, we leave the city in our possession. Once again we talk with our heads - without any problems we get access to the archives and find out how the Radziwills are connected with the Black Hetman - their family originates from the ancient Magi. As a result, the task appears " Ancestral tomb of the Radziwills".

We are talking with Janusz, but while he is a contender, he refuses to answer. We decide to place the prince on the throne of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Having become king, Radziwill avoids answering, and with each question, relations with him drop by -20. We understand that the prince is hiding something. We ask the Polish lords where the Radziwill family crypt is, to get an answer, you need a +35 relationship with one of them.

Let's go to Nesvizh (if anyone doesn’t know, it is in this Belarusian town that the family palace and tomb of the Radziwill princes are located). Referring to Janusz, we talk with the headman. The village headman says that some old Russian prince was recently interested in sarcophagi, who was killed by deserters prowling near Nesvizh. We talk with the armada of robbers. You can fight them, but it will be hard to win - there are 215 of them, pumped up fighters. The second option is for 5 thousand. money we find out that the surname of the old prince Boryatinsky and we get a family ring. The Boryatinskys are somehow connected with the Black Hetman.

We are looking for the Lord of the Moscow Kingdom Yuri Boryatinsky. You need to meet him on the map - for some reason he refuses to talk in the city. The prince is not trusting, if relations with him are in the negative, you will have to fight him and take him prisoner. If the ratio is >0, then we give away the ring. It turns out that the Boryatinskys are descendants of the Olgovich princes. Their family kept an ancient " Raven's book"in which all the secrets are set out. But the young prince sold this book to a visiting merchant. We are looking for a bookseller in the taverns and for 7,000 thalers we buy a “special book.” Raven’s book is written in an ancient language; to read it you need intelligence 15. If by this time intelligence is not pumped up, then we ask all the lords who can read the ancient writings. One of the lords remembers that there is one in Novgorod. monk Paphnutius.

We go to Novgorod and talk with the monk. You need to accompany Paphnutius to the village where he left his dictionaries and books and wait a little while he is busy translating.

After reading “The Book of Ravens” we almost completely penetrate into the secret of the Black Hetman. All that remains is to find out who can use it and how. The quest " Cossack legends» We ask everyone about who might know Cossack legends. One of the lords of the Zaporozhian Army will remember that a Cossack sang about something similar Mamai. This is one of the satellites, we are looking for him in the taverns of Zaporozhye cities. To take Mamai into the detachment, we pay the innkeeper his debt of 5,000 thalers (well, Mamai likes to party widely). We ask the Cossack about the Black Hetman. Mamai advises contacting the colonel Barabash. Barabash is a contender for the throne of the Zaporozhye Army. We find him and talk. Barabash tells the GG what the power of the pernach is - being in the hands of the hetman of the Zaporozhye Army, it makes him almost invincible.

Now that it becomes known that Pernach has definitely captured Radziwill, we decide again talk to the Nesvizh elder, he clearly didn’t say something. In Nesvizh, the GG is waiting for an ambush - a strong detachment of Polish soldiers. After the victory, the captive volunteer says that Radziwill, with the help of the Black Hetman, is trying to win over the Zaporozhye colonels to his side. We also read the decree of King Janusz the First that the GG is a traitor and bandit who plundered the Radziwill family tomb, and the lords of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth have been assigned a reward for his head (the relationship with the RP becomes -40).

Next you need capture Janusz Radziwill. There are two options: Mamai advises coming to Radziwill’s castle under the guise of a mercenary, the second is to defeat him in the field and capture him. We go to Janusz's castle, but he recognizes the GG - a short fierce battle with Radziwill and his personal guard - about 5 cuirassiers, victory and the legendary Black Hetman in the GG's inventory! This thing has 50 slashing damage. Then you still need to escape from the city. If Janusz is defeated in the field, then soon after the nobleman’s capture the prince dies of a heart attack and his grave appears on the map.

We return to Barabash. The colonel says that only in alliance with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth can Ukraine achieve prosperity and proposes to raise a rebellion against Bohdan Khmelnytsky. “But Khmel is as cunning as a fox, so first you need to talk with the Zaporozhye Colonels, show them the Black Hetman, and only when more than half of them come over to our side, can you oppose Khmelnytsky openly.”

You can refuse and Mamai will advise become a subject of the Zaporozhye Army– Bogdan will certainly make the owner of the Black Hetman a marshal. If by this time the GG’s relationship with the lords is high (I had +38 sympathy), then the GG immediately becomes a marshal, or raise relations with the faction and with the lords and in a quick election the GG will be elected marshal.

If we agree support Barabash in the fight for the throne of the Zaporozhye Army, you will have to talk with the colonels for the future of Ukraine and persuade them to join Barabash. Most of them agree to follow the one who has the Black Hetman in his hands, but the first lord advises to talk with Khmelnytsky himself, maybe everything is not really as the old hetman says? We find Bogdan and talk to him. Khmelnitsky tells GG that Barabash sold himself wholeheartedly to the damned Poles and, to prove his words, offers intercept the messenger, who is carrying a loyal message from Barabash to the Polish king. You can not believe it and refuse, or you can agree. Then you need to intercept the indicated caravan (Tip: it's better to save here) Moreover, this is not a simple convoy, but an entire army of 216 selected Polish soldiers, who still need to be tracked down and caught up. If the GG does not have time to intercept the convoy, then the quest will be failed, and there will be no opportunity to return to Bogdan. Having broken the caravan, a letter compromising Barabash falls into the hands of the GG. After reading it, you can leave the rebellious hetman and return to Khmelnitsky, or continue talking with the Zaporozhye lords and then start a rebellion.

A thread if the GG rebelled and made Barabash hetman of the Zaporozhye Army. Barabash announces war against the Muscovite kingdom. Taking advantage of the position of the marshal, the GG destroys the MC. After the complete defeat of the Moscow Kingdom, a message appears that Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich fooled the Cossack elders, and half of the Zaporozhye lords with all their possessions went over to the side of the Moscow Center. It will be necessary to suppress the rebellion and destroy the emerging state of the Rebels - the Moscow Kingdom.

Branch if you follow Khmelnitsky - after the GG becomes a marshal, Bogdan issues a station wagon and orders destroy the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Taking advantage of the position of the marshal, the GG destroys the RP. After the complete defeat of the Republic of Poland, a message appears that King Jan Casimir fooled the Cossack elders and half of the Zaporozhye lords with all their possessions went over to his side. It will be necessary to suppress the rebellion and destroy the emerging state of the Rebels-Rzeczpospolita.

Further, it does not matter who became the hetman of the Zaporozhye Army - Khmelnytsky or Barabash. Some time after the victory, the hetman calls the GG to himself and announces that he is supposedly a descendant of an ancient princely family and intends to create a new state - Grand Duchy of Rus'. You need to conquer the one who remains (CM or RP). But since there is peace between the Zaporozhye Army and the Moscow Kingdom/Rzeczpospolita, it is necessary to cunningly provoke a war. The hetman, so that the Cossack elders would not rebel, suggests that the GG leave the Zaporozhye Army and capture one enemy city, then the enemies themselves will declare war on Zaporozhye, and the hetman will be “out of business” in front of his nobles. In this case, we will lose all our possessions acquired by sweat and blood and will have to capture the city of MC/RP alone. After the capture, war is declared between the Zaporozhye Army and the enemy state and the hetman takes the GG back with the presentation of the marshal's baton.

Second option: you can refuse betrayal and, being a marshal, attack your enemies openly. The quest " War on two fronts». (This is an option for avid hardcore players ) . In this case, ALL Zaporozhye lords with their possessions go over to the side of the enemy, i.e. in the state of the Zaporozhye Army there remains only the hetman and the marshal, i.e. GG.

After the destruction of the Moscow Kingdom/Rzeczpospolita we talk with the hetman. A new state appears - the Grand Duchy of Rus'. Now, in order to overcome the noble freemen, to be anointed to the throne and become a true ruler, to create a new dynasty - a new imperial family, the hetman needs to be crowned. The hetman tells the GG about the ancient crown of Vytautas, which, in fact, needs to be found and delivered to the ruler. The quest " Crown of Vytautas" Yes, first the Black Hetman, now the ancient crown, which disappeared 300 years ago, every day there are new mysteries. But now in the GG detachment there is an expert on ancient legends and traditions, Cossack Mamai! He remembers that he heard from one kobzar about this crown, and that it is supposedly kept in one of the monasteries. Mamai asks for one and a half thousand money and leaves to find out more precisely. A few days later, Mamai returns and tells where exactly the ancient relic is kept. We talk with the hetman, ask to allocate an army, but he says that his position is fragile and he can’t fight with the clergy, besides, the nobility must be told that this crown has always been kept in the hetman’s family and was waiting in the wings. We go to the indicated monastery, where, dressed in a monastic robe (even barefoot, fortunately at least we managed to carry the right weapon), the GG alone penetrates the monastery catacombs. Monks are excellent at keeping and protecting their secrets. (Tip: don’t forget to save) . If the pumped up guards “overwhelm” us, then the GG will be executed and the game will end (although a beautiful piece of paper will appear on which it will be written that among the local residents there is still a legend that in 1655 a bloody battle took place near this monastery, and it was here According to rumors, the great warrior GG died). Having defeated all the guards, we find the ancient relic and deliver the crown to the hetman. The Hetman becomes the Grand Duke. The GG receives the task of capturing everyone who has not yet been captured. From sea to sea, such is the will of the new Grand Duke...

After only one state remains on the map - the Grand Duchy of Rus', a sorcerer appears, who takes the Black Hetman to keep it in a secret place, and thanks the GG for what he has done for Rus'... Yes, our GG turned out to be the chosen one of fate, having taken the most direct part in deciding the destinies of entire peoples of Eastern Europe...

You can discuss the passage of the game Mount and Blade "With Fire and Sword"