Overview
In an open sand box world you choose your allies, your enemies, what provinces to conquer, what castles to siege and what quests to embark on. With Fire & Sword builds and expands upon the highly regarded combat system from Mount & Blade: Warband. Firearms have been introduced to the battlefield. Additionally, muskets and pistols can now be used as sidearms in hand-to-hand combat to quickly drop your foes. In addition to the enhanced singleplayer mode, With Fire & Sword also provides a host of original multiplayer content including the new game mode: Captain.
Key Features:-
A storyline based on the cult novel, "With Fire and Sword", from Nobel-prize winning author Henry Sienkiewicz.
A new century of warfare that brings pistols, muskets, grenades, and other advanced weaponry to the battlefield.
Fully customizable armies; players can outfit their soldiers with each piece of weaponry & armor.
Additional quest types. More political intrigue with colorful factions. More adventure in a new land.
Multiple endings to increase re-playability.
Deeply researched historical component encompassing every aspect of the game's assets.
Ferocious new multiplayer action, bringing players the thrill of pitting old technology against the looming threat of firearms.
3 Main Story-driven quest-lines for the player to delve into once they've become known in a particular faction.
Additional quest types.
Implementation of firearms, adds a whole new layer of strategic depth to the franchise's proven combat model.
New Siege options to choose before besieging a town or castle.
New multiplayer Maps and new multiplayer mode, “Captain Team Deathmatch”
Overview taken from this link.
Factions
Cossack HetmanateThe Cossack Hetmanate, a Ukrainian state comprised of wild-spirited independent fighters lead by Hetman Bohdan Chmielnicki.
The Cossacks fight against Poland for their freedom. Cossack leader Hetman Bohdan is forced to seek help from Russia in order to combat the Polish threat. Together the Cossack Hetmanate and Tsardom of Moscow march on the Polish Republic.
-This Faction most closely resembles the Kingdom of the Rhodoks in the previous Mount and Blade games.
Polish CommonwealthThe Polish Commonwealth also known as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Polish Commonwealth is famed for its majestic Winged cavalry. And while it possesses a rich army it is fragile, which could ultimately lead to the Polish Commonwealth's demise.
-This Faction most closely resembles the Kingdom of Swadia in the previous Mount and Blade games.
The Tsardom of MoscovitesBorn again in this new age of fire and sword. Russia sees itself under a powerful dynasty of Tsars bent on reclaiming land lost to the Polish Republic. The Tsardom of Moscow is truly a force to be reckoned with as it has a vast army of well equipped troops.
-This Faction most closely resembles the Kingdom of the Vaegirs in the previous Mount and Blade games.
The Kingdom of SwedenWealthy, neutral, and ever powerful, The Kingdom of Sweden patiently waits to conquer the losing side of the Russian Polish conflict with an army of dreaded dragoons and musketeers.
-This Faction most closely resembles the Kingdom of the Nords in the previous Mount and Blade games.
Crimean KhanateA kingdom caught in-between shifting alliances. The Khanate has been shielded from both the Tsardom of Moscow and the Polish Republic, but soon may find itself vulnerable and desperate. The Crimean Khanate may be forced to betray the Cossack Hetmanate and take its lightening fast army of mounted bowmen elsewhere.
-This Faction most closely resembles the Khergit Khanate in the previous Mount and Blade games.
Your Own FactionThere are several ways to start a kingdom for yourself and they are similar to the ones in Mount&Blade: Warband.
One way is to become a member of an already existing faction and capturing a castle or a town which you will not be granted by the faction leader. When this happens you can choose to denounce your current oath and leave your faction. This will result in your new faction becoming a rebel faction for that faction.
When you have become a rebel for a faction it is a good idea to find the claimant for that faction and proceed to persuade the lords of the original faction to join yours instead. This way works exactly the same as it does in Mount&Blade: Warband. However this will not make you king/queen of the new kingdom. Instead you will become the marshal and the claimant will become the new faction leader.
Taken from the M&B wiki page.
Q&A
Q: Do I need to own 'Mount&Blade: Warband' to play 'Mount&Blade: With Fire & Sword'?
A: No. 'Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword' is a standalone expansion, which means it can be bought and played, without Warband.
Q: If I buy the Steam version, will I be able to extract the CD Key and use the regular game client
A: This will probably be possible. There is no confirmation, as of yet but the chances are it'll be the same as Warband, in which case you won't have to play it in Steam, once you extract the CD Key.
Q: If I buy the non-Steam version, can I use it in Steam?
A: Again, it will probably be the same as Warband. This means you can't import it into steam and play it as a steam game (with achievements etc.). Though, you will be able to add it to your games list as a "non-Steam" game, meaning you can launch it from your Steam library and use the overlay (confirmed).
Q: Where can I buy it?
A: There is some release information here
Q: When is it released?
A: May 3rd 2011.
Q: Is it the same game that was released in Eastern Europe?
A: Quote from Mikail Yazbeck: "It was actually released twice over there. The most recent release is this new version of the game that’s been made in the Warband engine(which we’ve since polished even more for the international release). And the first release was inside of the Mount & Blade 1 engine and was released in between M&B 1 and M&B:Warband, but only in Eastern Europe. That older version of course didn’t have all the features that this version has, but was demanded enough for us(and by us I mean Sich Studios/Snowberry along with TaleWorlds) to want to remake it using the Warband engine and bring to an international audience."
Q: Is it basically just a mod? It looks like a mod.
A: It uses the Warband engine (with some alterations), so it will look like a mod. The difference is the professional level of work, the large amount of content with fully fleshed out singleplayer and multiplayer, which includes a new game mode dedicated to commanding. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide whether you want to buy the game or not.
Q: Will it have cooperative campaign?
A: No. Although, Battle Time is open source so could probably be easily modded into the game.
Q: Is there a manual I can download?
A: Yes - Link and another Link.
Taken from the Q&A on the Mount and Blade forum.
Strategies
My strategy
1. I tell my party to follow me, then my marksmen wait for my command to fire, and then hold a position.
2. I cover my flanks with Calvary and infantry.
3. If cavalry are charging, I have my men close together, if its just infantry, I spread them apart so as to weaken my opponents marksmen.
4.Fire volleys to break morale.
5.Rinse and repeat
(6). If the enemies aren't all dead when I'm done, I charge my cavalry and infantry.
Post your strategies.
Purchasing OptionsGamersgate €9.95, $14.36
Direct2drive €10.37 $14.95
Desura €10.39 $14.99
Steam €10.39 $14.99
So just discuss the stand-alone expansion to Mount and Blade: Warband.
