So, you're diving into the world of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, huh? Awesome! One of the most crucial aspects of establishing your dominance in Calradia is mastering settlement management. Knowing the optimal build order for your towns and castles can be the difference between a thriving economy and a rebellion on your hands. Let's break down the best settlement build orders to ensure your success.

Understanding Settlement Basics

Before we dive into specific build orders, let's quickly cover the basics of settlement management in Bannerlord. Settlements come in two primary forms: towns and castles. Towns are economic hubs, generating income through trade and production. They usually have a larger population and are more vulnerable to sieges. Castles, on the other hand, are defensive strongholds, designed to withstand prolonged sieges and protect surrounding territories. They have smaller populations but stronger garrisons.

Each settlement has several key attributes you need to manage:

• Loyalty: High loyalty ensures the settlement remains under your control. Low loyalty can lead to rebellions.
• Security: High security reduces the chance of bandit activity and unrest within the settlement.
• Prosperity: High prosperity means the settlement generates more income and attracts more people.
• Food: Sufficient food supply prevents starvation and maintains a healthy population growth.
• Garrison: A strong garrison defends the settlement from attacks.
• Militia: Local troops that supplement the garrison, providing an additional layer of defense.

Your build order should focus on optimizing these attributes based on the settlement's role (economic hub or defensive stronghold).

General Build Order Principles

No matter the specific settlement type, some general principles should guide your build order:

1. Prioritize Security and Loyalty Early: A happy and secure settlement is a stable settlement. Early investments in security and loyalty buildings prevent major headaches down the line.
2. Balance Economic and Military Development: While a strong economy is important, neglecting your defenses can leave you vulnerable. Strive for a balance between economic and military buildings.
3. Consider Local Resources: Take advantage of nearby resources. If your settlement is in a forest region, focus on wood-related industries. If it's in a fertile area, prioritize agriculture.
4. Adapt to Circumstances: Be flexible and adjust your build order based on current needs and threats. If you're facing frequent attacks, focus on defensive structures.

Town Build Order

Towns are your economic powerhouses, so your build order should focus on maximizing prosperity, trade, and food production. Here’s a recommended build order for towns:

Early Game (First 5 Buildings)

1. Garrison Barracks: Why? Security is paramount. The Garrison Barracks provides a base level of security, reducing bandit activity and unrest. This is particularly important in the early game when your settlement is vulnerable.
2. Granary: Why? Food shortages can cripple your town's growth and loyalty. The Granary ensures a stable food supply, promoting population growth and preventing starvation. A well-fed population is a happy population.
3. Fairgrounds: Why? Loyalty is crucial for preventing rebellions. Fairgrounds increase loyalty, making it easier to keep your town under control. It also boosts the town's overall happiness.
4. Marketplace: Why? Boosts trade income. The Marketplace enhances trade, increasing your town's prosperity and income. A thriving marketplace attracts merchants and stimulates the local economy.
5. Smithy: Why? Provides additional income and resources. The Smithy contributes to the town's economy by producing valuable goods. It also provides resources that can be used for other construction projects.

Mid Game (Next 5 Buildings)

6. Walls: Why? Essential for defense. Walls provide a significant defensive advantage, making it much harder for enemies to besiege your town. This reduces the risk of capture and looting.
7. Garrison Armory: Why? Improves garrison quality. The Garrison Armory equips your garrison with better weapons and armor, increasing their effectiveness in defending the town. A well-equipped garrison is a formidable deterrent.
8. Workshop: Why? Additional income and resource production. Workshops produce goods that can be traded or used for other purposes, further boosting the town's economy. Choose workshops that align with local resources for maximum efficiency.
9. Sewer System: Why? Increases sanitation, boosting population growth and reducing disease. The Sewer System improves the town's health and sanitation, leading to increased population growth and reduced disease outbreaks. A healthy population is a productive population.
10. Theater: Why? Further boost to loyalty. The Theater provides entertainment and cultural enrichment, further boosting loyalty and reducing unrest. A happy populace is less likely to rebel.

Late Game (Final Buildings)

• Royal Garden: Maximizes loyalty and prosperity.
• Aqueduct: Ensures a stable water supply, boosting population growth and prosperity.
• Advanced Workshop: Upgrades your existing workshops for even greater production.
• Training Fields: Improves militia quality, providing an additional layer of defense.

Remember to adapt this build order based on your specific needs and circumstances. If you're facing frequent attacks, prioritize defensive structures. If you're struggling with food shortages, focus on agricultural buildings. Use your best judgment and make adjustments as needed.

Castle Build Order

Castles are your defensive strongholds, so your build order should prioritize garrison size, defensive capabilities, and siege resistance. Here’s a recommended build order for castles:

Early Game (First 5 Buildings)

1. Garrison Barracks: Why? Just like with towns, security is paramount. The Garrison Barracks provides a base level of security, deterring bandit activity and ensuring the castle remains under your control.
2. Granary: Why? A stable food supply is essential for maintaining a strong garrison. The Granary ensures your troops are well-fed, preventing desertion and maintaining morale.
3. Training Fields: Why? Improves militia quality. Training Fields increase the effectiveness of your militia, providing an additional layer of defense in case of attack. A well-trained militia can significantly bolster your defenses.
4. Prison: Why? Capturing and holding enemy lords is a key part of warfare. The Prison allows you to securely hold prisoners, preventing them from escaping and rejoining the enemy ranks.
5. Walls: Why? Essential for defense. Walls provide a significant defensive advantage, making it much harder for enemies to besiege your castle. This reduces the risk of capture and looting.

Mid Game (Next 5 Buildings)

6. Garrison Armory: Why? Improves garrison equipment. The Garrison Armory equips your garrison with better weapons and armor, increasing their effectiveness in defending the castle. A well-equipped garrison is a formidable deterrent.
7. Siege Workshop: Why? Allows you to construct siege engines. The Siege Workshop enables you to build siege engines, which are essential for attacking enemy castles and towns. This gives you a strategic advantage in warfare.
8. Guardhouse: Why? Increases security and reduces crime. The Guardhouse improves security within the castle, reducing crime and unrest. A secure castle is a stable castle.
9. Medical Tent: Why? Heals wounded soldiers. The Medical Tent provides medical care for wounded soldiers, reducing casualties and increasing the overall strength of your garrison. Healthy troops are more effective in battle.
10. Blacksmith: Why? Produces weapons and armor. The Blacksmith contributes to the castle's economy by producing weapons and armor. It also provides resources that can be used for other construction projects.

Late Game (Final Buildings)

• Outer Walls: Provides an additional layer of defense.
• Moat: Further enhances the castle's defenses.
• Ballista Workshop: Allows you to construct powerful siege defenses.
• Royal Guard: Enhances the garrison's strength and loyalty.

Again, adapt this build order based on your specific needs and circumstances. If you're facing frequent sieges, prioritize defensive structures. If you need to expand your territory, focus on building a Siege Workshop.

Key Considerations and Tips

• Governor Skills: Your governor's skills can significantly impact settlement development. Choose governors with skills that complement your build order, such as stewardship (for economic development) or engineering (for defensive structures).
• Policies: Implement policies that support your settlement's development goals. For example, the