1. Avoid Fighting Alone
Fighting alone puts you at a disadvantage, especially when a crippled foreign trader you have hit 20 times stubbornly clings to life. Human companions can do considerable damage especially when they flank your foe but should not be relied upon since you cant leash them or keep them in one place. Leashed dogs work well to boost your damage in close engagements, and foreign traders are more likely to attack you instead of dogs if you attack first (as in not commanding your companions to attack before attacking them yourself). Personally, I advise against unleashed dogs as they die easily, and though the loot from foreign traders is more than enough to compensate for dogs, dogs are limited in supply since villages sadly do not resupply their animals (hopefully added in the near future).
Adventurers in the wild do not affect the population of villages, so they are a sustainable source of manpower. Hiring adventurers from the wild also prevents reputation loss with villages if one dies, though the chance that they will die is low since the foreign traders will prioritize you if you were the first to attack (this needs to be tested more). Adventurers may ask for lots of food or even some weapons. The loot from foreign traders should be more than enough to cover the cost of weapons, and if you are going after foreign traders, you are likely at the point of having hundreds of dried meat cuts to spare in your cellar(s). After killing foreign traders, adventurers will not act like you have committed murder (I have not tested this with adventurers found in villages).
From experience, combined with metal armor, grandmaster or master in your preferred weapon(s), 3 dogs should be enough against 5 to 7 traders, and it is possible for all of them to survive or even come out unscathed.
2.Metal Armor Saves Lives
Although they impose a relatively hefty weight penalty (10% to 15% with most your body parts covered, and if worn with fur or other light armor), metal armor provides much better protection against point and edge damage. Though I've seen people recommend fur(light) armor, unless you have fine or superior bear furs, I find it difficult to run only fur armor when up against human opponents (especially groups) as it does not provide good enough protection against point and edge damage, making you vulnerable against commonly used weapons (most arrows, hand axes, spears, knives, swords).
Metal armor will also save you from being flanked. As most blows do not penetrate metal armor, if you were hit from out of sight, the likelihood of suffering a fatal injury is significantly reduced. This will give you a chance to reposition and move if necessary.
You do need all of the metal armor pieces, but a decent or above iron spectacle helm, habergeon or long hauberk, and mail cowl should cover all of the vital parts. Though costly, it is better than risking death, and they will help greatly against bandits and Njerpez.
3. Take the Opportunity to Scout
Unlike bandits, foreign traders are friendly at first. Scout amongst the group to identify the archers, the ones with potentially more dangerous weapons, armor. If you are able to, trade their arrows away, you can bring some mediocre furs and trade them for their bows or arrows to disarm some traders, though they may not always have their bow and arrows for sale. This is also a good chance to understand what you are up against, if you feel that you cannot confidently beat the foreign traders, retreating is always an option. And once you have finished scouting:
4. Formulate a Battle Plan
Pick out the one you want to take out first and stalk them. Take advantage of the natural environment to find a set of trees that not only allows you to do one on one combat, but also prevent them from flanking you. Trees can also stop arrows before they hit you, and spruce trees outright block line of sight, keeping you safe from archers (but also putting ranged users at a disadvantage). You gain a huge advantage if you attack any entity that is facing away from you, and will have a good chance (likely, but not guaranteed) to kill your foe in one hit if you aim for the head with a high skill level in your weapon.
Though not necessarily part of the battle plan, I recommend going for their legs as they will waste turns trying to get up, and you will be at a speed advantage if they attack from the ground (you can attack faster than they do). This can be used against multiple opponents too, just counterstrike aim their legs and they should stumble and fall.
5. Overconfidence/Boredom can and will kill you
This is just general, sound advice for before, during, and after the fight. Even if you are clad in masterwork metal armors, have full skills, and have an army, you are not invincible. A lucky shot is all it takes to end all your hard work. Foreign traders are relatively common in some regions, so I recommend taking time to fully recover from injuries before engaging them if you have already dispatched another band of them recently.
Though it can be argued that foreign traders are one of the strongest human foes you can face in the game, their behavior is simply rushing at you, allowing you to cheese them by running away until they are tired and then fire arrows at them. This behavior is not shared among all foes, especially wolves who, because of the speed of wolves combined with the fleeing mechanic, will hit and run you until you die or they give up.
Though, take my advice with a spoonful of salt. I only recently survived for a whole year, and have only killed 2 bands of foreign traders.
That is all I have to say for now, good hunting fellow adventurers!
Edit: After going after my third band of foreign traders, I managed to kill 4 but died. My advice should be taken with a bag of salt.
Topic: Advice for Killing Bands of Foreign Traders (Read 1723 times)