⚔️ Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord – War Sails: Release Date, New Features & Full Expansion Breakdown

Prepare your fleets, sharpen your axes, and tighten those sails — Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord has officially gone naval.The long-awaited expansion War Sails is here, launching players into a brand-new frontier where political conquest meets maritime destruction. Released on November 26, 2025, and now available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, this expansion is easily one of the most ambitious updates ever added to Bannerlord.

From ship-to-ship warfare to a Viking-inspired Nord faction, this DLC reinvents the battlefield entirely. If you’ve ever wanted to rule the seas of Calradia, your time has come.

Let’s set sail into everything that makes War Sails a must-play.

🌊 A New Era Begins: Naval Warfare Comes to Bannerlord

For the first time in the franchise, players can command their own fleets and engage in massive sea battles. This isn’t just a visual add-on — it’s a complete overhaul of how war unfolds.

What naval combat offers:

• Realistic wind & water physics

• Boarding from multiple points

• Ramming attacks that destroy oars, hulls & crew

• Long-range fire using arrows, ballistae & flaming projectiles

• Defensive sea formations turning ships into floating fortresses

This is naval combat with Bannerlord grit — brutal, tactical, and deeply satisfying.

❄️ Meet the Nords: The Sea Wolves of the North

One of the biggest additions in War Sails is the introduction of a brand-new faction: The Nords.

Inspired by the warrior cultures of northern Europe, the Nords bring:

• Rugged seafarers

• Fierce melee fighters

• Snow-covered settlements

• Fjords, taigas, and frozen ports

• A unique economy tied to maritime trade and raiding

Players can trade with them, fight them, recruit them, or overthrow them. Whatever path you choose — the North always remembers.

🌍 A Vastly Expanded Map: Seas, Islands & Storms

War Sails expands Calradia beyond anything seen before:

• New northern waters

• Fully navigable open seas

• Coastal territories, rivers, coves & islands

• A dynamic weather system including storms & trade winds

Wind can boost your speed — or wreck your carefully planned invasion. Storms damage fleets, limit visibility, and can change the course of a battle instantly.

Naval routes now shape trade, diplomacy, and warfare across the world.

🚢 Build, Customize & Command Your Fleet

War Sails gives players complete control over naval progression.

Ship Features:

• 18+ historically inspired ship types

• Customizable with:

  • Siege engines

  • Rams

  • Sail types

  • Cargo holds

  • Reinforced hulls

  • Unique figureheads

• Ships vary in speed, turning, durability & crew size

• Capture enemy vessels during raids

• Build new ships at specialized shipyards

Your fleet becomes your kingdom’s lifeblood.

⚒️ A New Arsenal for Sea Warriors

War Sails expands the character system with:

• New Nord hairstyles, braids & tattoos

• Viking-inspired axes, shields, spears & armor

• Nautical skills improving:

  • Navigation

  • Fleet leadership

  • Ship maintenance

Recruit new companions — sailors, raiders, navigators — each bringing valuable perks.

Troop trees now include mariners, elite fighters built for water-based combat.

🏴‍☠️ Embark on a Full Naval Campaign

A new cinematic questline teaches players how to survive and dominate the seas.

You’ll:

• Command your first ship

• Hunt a powerful pirate confederacy

• Build alliances with sea warriors

• Grow your fleet from a single ship to a naval empire

• Conquer coastal settlements and blockade enemy kingdoms

This questline blends classic Bannerlord storytelling with brand-new nautical challenges.

⚙️ Custom Naval Battles — No Campaign Required

For players who just want chaos on the open water, War Sails includes a dedicated mode.

You can:

• Build your own custom fleet

• Select the hero you want to lead

• Pick factions, ships & crew composition

• Choose weather, wind, time of day

• Fight on River, Coastal, or Open Sea maps

Perfect for testing builds — or unleashing pure naval mayhem.

🎵 Audio Overhaul: Hear the Sea Come Alive

War Sails comes with a fully enhanced audio experience:

• New Nordic & Mediterranean-inspired tracks

• Crashing waves

• Piercing winds

• Creaking timbers

• Battle cries echo across the deck

Bannerlord has never sounded this cinematic.

⚔️ Final Verdict: War Sails Is Bannerlord at Its Boldest

Mount & Blade II has always been about building your legacy — and now that legacy stretches across oceans.

War Sails is:

• Bigger

• Bolder

• More tactical

• More atmospheric

• And absolutely essential for anyone who loves Bannerlord’s world

Whether you want to conquer kingdoms, become a feared pirate, lead a Nord rebellion, or build the strongest naval empire in Calradia, this expansion delivers everything players hoped for — and more.

Hoist your sails. Ready your crew.

The seas are calling — and glory waits beyond the horizon. 🌊⚔️