Among the many enemies encountered in the gritty tactical RPG Battle Brothers, Brigand Raiders stand out as one of the most common and dangerous threats in the early to mid-game. These human foes represent the heart of banditry and lawlessness in the game’s harsh medieval-inspired world. They are stronger than simple thugs, more coordinated than poachers, and often carry weapons and armor that can challenge an unprepared mercenary company. Understanding how Brigand Raiders behave, their strengths, and the best tactics to counter them is key to surviving the ruthless battles of Battle Brothers.
Who Are Brigand Raiders?
Brigand Raiders are part of the human enemy faction known as brigands, a collection of criminals, deserters, and outlaws who roam the world pillaging towns, ambushing caravans, and raiding noble holdings. Raiders in particular are former soldiers or hardened bandits with combat experience, making them more formidable than the lower-tier Brigand Thugs. They commonly appear in groups, often accompanied by thugs or ranged poachers, and become a core enemy group in the early contracts your mercenary company will take.
Traits of Brigand Raiders
- Mid-tier enemy: Stronger than thugs but weaker than hedge knights or leaders.
- Common weaponry: Spears, swords, axes, maces, and occasionally flails.
- Armor level: Usually equipped with light to medium armor such as padded surcoats or mail shirts.
- Shield users: Many Raiders carry shields, making them more resistant to ranged attacks.
- Occasionally use two-handers: Raiders can sometimes appear with two-handed weapons, posing a greater threat.
They are organized and capable of using shieldwall tactics or focusing attacks on weaker brothers. Despite being bandits, their military past or experience in combat gives them enough discipline to fight intelligently, and underestimating them can result in early-game disaster.
Combat Strategies Against Brigand Raiders
Engaging Brigand Raiders requires a mix of careful positioning, target prioritization, and equipment management. While they are not the most elite human enemies in Battle Brothers, their combination of decent armor, reliable weapons, and group coordination makes them dangerous, especially if your company is still under-equipped or low level.
Tips for Early Encounters
- Bring shields and helmets: Most Raiders carry slashing or crushing weapons, and good headgear can save a brother from a critical blow.
- Use terrain: Fighting on high ground or using chokepoints reduces the effectiveness of enemy numbers.
- Break their shields: If a Raider is holding a strong shield, use flails, axes, or the ‘Split Shield’ skill to neutralize it.
- Isolate and focus: Try to surround one or two Raiders at a time to eliminate them quickly before they can support each other.
- Beware of two-handed weapons: Prioritize any Raider carrying a two-handed axe, sword, or flail as they can cause devastating damage if left unchecked.
Their armor can soak up a lot of damage, so keeping a balance of armor-piercing and fatigue-efficient weapons like spears or flails is ideal. Flails are especially useful against Raiders who wear helms, as flails ignore shields and can land headshots that bypass high body armor.
Loot and Rewards
One of the major reasons why Brigand Raiders are a favored target early in Battle Brothers is the quality of their gear. Unlike beasts or undead, human enemies often drop usable equipment that can immediately improve your roster. Raiders are known to carry high-tier early game gear such as mail hauberks, nasal helms, and tier 2 weapons like arming swords, military picks, and hand axes.
Common Drops from Brigand Raiders
- Mail shirts and padded surcoats
- Nasal helmets and kettle helms
- Round shields and kite shields
- Hand axes, maces, swords, flails
- Occasional two-handed weapons
Because of this, contracts involving Brigand Raiders are a good way to quickly gear up your brothers. Even damaged equipment can be repaired and equipped or sold for decent crowns, supporting your mercenary company’s growth in the dangerous early game economy.
Raiders in Contracts and Events
Brigand Raiders often appear in various contract types offered by towns and noble houses. You’ll typically face them in tasks like clearing out bandit camps, protecting caravans, or hunting down raiders who attacked a settlement. In some cases, Raiders are accompanied by stronger units like Brigand Marksmen or Brigand Leaders, further increasing the challenge.
Situations Where Raiders Are Common
- Defend Settlement: A nearby camp of Raiders is threatening a town and must be cleared.
- Ambush Caravan: Raiders may try to intercept caravans your company is escorting.
- Track Raiders: Contracts that require you to follow footprints leading to a Raider hideout.
- Random Events: Brigands may ambush your camp or appear on the world map as patrol threats.
While these contracts can be challenging, they are also some of the most profitable. The mixture of crowns, loot, and reputation makes raider-hunting a staple of early game progression. However, always scout their numbers before attacking an overconfident charge into a large bandit camp can end a promising campaign.
Brigand Raider Variants and Scaling
As your company grows stronger and the days pass, enemy forces scale with you. Brigand Raiders may appear with higher-quality weapons and better armor, or be joined by advanced enemy types such as Marksmen or Brigand Leaders. In some cases, Raiders may even carry famed or named weapons, increasing both their threat and the value of defeating them.
Late Game Raider Threats
- More frequent two-handers like greatswords or greataxes.
- Improved armor like reinforced mail or scale coats.
- Increased synergy with ranged support from poachers or marksmen.
- Presence of rare or famed equipment.
At this stage, tactical discipline becomes even more important. Use of nets, initiative control, morale mechanics, and fatigue management will make the difference between victory and a bloody rout. By now, your mercenaries should have perks and gear that allow for aggressive and creative combat tactics to handle the growing threat.
Why Brigand Raiders Matter in Battle Brothers
Brigand Raiders are more than just stepping stones in Battle Brothers they represent the turning point where players transition from fighting untrained thugs to facing serious threats. They teach players to respect tactics, weapon choices, armor balance, and formation management. Mastering encounters with Raiders is often the first sign that your company is becoming capable of taking on larger challenges, including orcs, undead, and noble warbands.
Additionally, the equipment they drop is often critical to surviving mid-game threats. A company that has successfully farmed brigands for gear is likely much more stable and better prepared for what’s to come. Whether you encounter them through contracts, random patrols, or storyline events, Brigand Raiders are essential enemies in shaping your campaign’s success.
In the brutal world of Battle Brothers, Brigand Raiders are one of the most iconic and dangerous human enemies in the early and mid-game. They offer not only a balanced combat challenge but also valuable rewards in the form of equipment and experience. By learning their patterns, exploiting their weaknesses, and gearing up through victories, players can take one step closer to building a legendary mercenary company. Whether you’re hunting them for profit, reputation, or vengeance, understanding the Brigand Raider is a key part of mastering Battle Brothers.
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