Welcome to Manor Lords, a deep and strategic medieval city-building and survival game that challenges players to manage resources, trade, and military conflicts while ensuring their people thrive. This guide covers everything you need to know to not only survive but flourish, from fundamental resource management to expanding your dominion. Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your strategy, let’s dive into the key mechanics and best practices to master Manor Lords.

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The Basics: Food, Fuel, and Shelter

Your first priority in Manor Lords should always be securing the fundamental resources: food, fuel, and housing. If you fail to manage these, your people will die, and your settlement will collapse. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Logging Camp – Your First Essential Building

Wood is crucial in Manor Lords—not just for constructing buildings, but also for firewood, which is needed during the cold months. Build a Logging Camp immediately to establish a steady supply of logs.

2. Fast Food: Hunting and Berries

In the early game, hunting wild animals and gathering seasonal berry deposits will be your quickest sources of food. Berries are only available in specific seasons, so plan accordingly. Over time, you’ll need to transition to more sustainable food sources.

3. Farms and Crop Rotation

To ensure long-term survival, build a Farmhouse and attach large plots of farmland. Focus on wheat production early since it can be processed into flour and then bread—a reliable food source. Utilize crop rotation to maintain soil fertility and optimize food yield across multiple seasons.

4. Housing and Growth

Homeless people are unhappy, and your town will only grow if there is space available. Build residential plots and leave room for expansion slots, as these allow for future upgrades such as bakery, brewery, or workshops.

Approval rating matters!

• 50% approval: Gain one family per month.
• 75% approval: Gain two families per month (optimal growth rate).

To improve approval, provide a variety of goods, food, and firewood and manage tax rates efficiently.

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Resource Management and Economy

5. The Marketplace – Distribution Hub

A well-placed Marketplace ensures that families working in different industries can sell and distribute goods efficiently. Consider the distance between production buildings and the marketplace—longer travel times will slow down supply chains.

6. Trade: Making Money and Expanding

Trading is one of the fastest ways to generate wealth in Manor Lords. Identify a profitable goods chain such as:

• Mining clay → Making clay tiles → Selling tiles
• Harvesting linen → Weaving fabric → Selling garments
• Smelting iron → Forging weapons → Selling arms

Set up Trading Posts to either import necessary materials or export excess goods. Major trade routes cost money to establish but offer higher prices and long-term economic benefits.

Regional Wealth vs. Personal Wealth:

• Regional wealth: Generated from trade and resource production.
• Personal wealth: Earned from taxes and used for diplomatic actions, hiring mercenaries, and expanding your influence.

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Defensive and Military Strategies

7. Establishing Military Power

The world of Manor Lords is dangerous. Bandits will attack, and you’ll need an army to defend your land. To build a militia, you need:

• Recruits (gained by growing your population)
• Weapons (crafted in workshops or imported through trade)

Hiring mercenaries can be a quick solution, but they cost personal wealth and must be paid monthly.

8. Tactical Combat Tips

• Positioning Matters: Place your spearmen in front, archers behind, and cavalry on the flanks.
• Unit Variety is Key: While there are limited troop types, use different units effectively to counter enemy formations.
• Eliminate Bandit Camps: This not only generates wealth and resources but also secures your borders.

Bonus Tip: Always clean up after battles! Use a church or corpse pit to bury the dead—otherwise, sickness and unrest will spread in your settlement.

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Expanding Your Territory

9. Claiming New Regions

Once you’ve stabilized your first settlement, it’s time to expand. You can claim new regions by:

1. Spending Influence: Peacefully annex unclaimed land.
2. Forcing Out Bandits: Clear the land and take control.
3. Competing with Rivals: Some factions may contest your claim, leading to conflict.

Once a new region is secured, establish a Ser’s Camp to begin development. Start with the basics (Logging Camp, Housing, Food Production) and then scale up as needed.

10. Connected Infrastructure

Building roads between settlements speeds up resource transport and trade efficiency. Plan road networks carefully to minimize travel time for workers and military units.

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Final Tips for Success

11. Choosing the Right Start

At the beginning of the game, you’ll customize your character and select a starting scenario:

• City Builder (No Combat) – Focus on town management.
• Balanced Mode (Moderate Combat) – A mix of growth and warfare (recommended for new players).
• Warlord (Frequent Combat) – More emphasis on military strategies.

If you’re unsure, pick Balanced Mode on an easier custom difficulty to learn the mechanics before tackling harder challenges.

12. Upgrading Buildings and Supply Chains

• Early Upgrades: Prioritize brewery, bakery, and blacksmiths for additional income and food diversity.
• Efficient Supply Chains: Monitor production—if bread production slows, move workers between the mill and oven as needed.
• Keep Expanding: More land = more resources, and more resources = greater wealth and power.

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Conclusion

Mastering Manor Lords is about balancing survival, expansion, and strategy. By ensuring your people are well-fed, your economy is thriving, and your military is strong, you’ll create a flourishing medieval empire.

Now that you have the essential strategies, go forth and rule wisely!