Sooner or later, Calradia gets familiar enough that you start looking for Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord overhauls that change the entire world, from its map and factions to its story and mechanics.
These mods turn Bannerlord into a different game. You can fight across Westeros or take part in samurai battles in feudal Japan, as well as visit two of my favorite settings, Warhammer Fantasy and The Lord of the Rings.
Realm of Thrones
Realm of Thrones turns Bannerlord into a full Game of Thrones world simulator, replacing Calradia with Westeros and Essos, their political houses, and their intrigues. It goes far beyond replacing textures: there is a new map, hundreds of characters from Martin’s world, and more than twenty factions, from the Free Folk to Dothraki hordes.
With Realm of Thrones, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord lets you join the War of the Five Kings, defend the Wall, or seize the Iron Throne. Each faction has distinctive troop trees, including spearmen, Night’s Watch rangers, and Ironborn raiders.
- More than 20 kingdoms with distinctive troops and strategies
- Hundreds of voiced characters with quests and events
- A new map covering Westeros, Essos, and neighboring lands
- Realistic Battle Mod compatibility
- Support for a collection of 120+ additional mods
✅ How gameplay changes: Forget ordinary feudal warfare. Politics matters as much as military strength: you need to scheme, forge alliances, and betray them at the right moment. Sieges of Winterfell and King’s Landing feel like epic battles from the show rather than routine assaults on identical castles. I recommend the RBM patch for even harsher combat.
Tales from the Age of Men
Tales from the Age of Men is another Lord of the Rings conversion, but its lower profile makes it appealing if you want something more niche. It takes place around the year 3000 of Middle-earth’s Third Age, as Mordor’s shadow grows and Gondor becomes a crucial defensive power.
The mod draws on Tolkien’s chronology to create a sense of historical Middle-earth rather than just a fantasy conversion. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord with Tales from the Age of Men lets you experience the tension before Sauron’s return.
- Third Age events focused on the rise of Mordor
- Gondor as the region’s central defensive power
- A distinctive campaign rooted in Tolkien’s timeline
- An atmospheric sense of impending war
✅ Why install it: Unlike other LOTR mods, it emphasizes defensive warfare and a growing threat rather than sweeping conquest. The pressure of dark forces and the need to hold your ground create a different pace of play. I recommend it if you want to experience the lead-up to The Lord of the Rings, with hope still alive and darkness already at the door.
The Old Realms
The Old Realms is a major Warhammer Fantasy overhaul that turns the game into a dark fantasy war simulator with entirely new factions and thematic rules. It is one of Bannerlord’s largest fantasy projects, with active development and regular updates making it particularly significant.
- A Warhammer Fantasy setting with distinctive factions
- A new world with its own identity and rules
- A total conversion rather than cosmetic changes
- Regular patches
✅ How gameplay changes: Forget noble knights: Warhammer Fantasy means dirt, magic, daemons, and all-out war for survival. Factions play radically differently, from greenskin hordes to the human Empire’s gunpowder and magic. I recommend it if you are tired of conventional medieval settings and want something truly dark and brutal. Battlefield tactics matter, but so does understanding each race’s unique mechanics.
Empires of Europe 1700
Empires of Europe 1700 moves Bannerlord into the early modern era, replacing medieval feudal battles with conflicts between 18th-century state armies. Muskets, cannons, and line tactics replace swords and bows, on a map spanning Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Eurasian steppe.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord with Empires of Europe 1700 offers a different kind of warfare, decided by infantry volleys, cavalry maneuvers, and artillery support. It is an excellent choice for a historical overhaul on a worldwide scale that differs fundamentally from vanilla.
- A setting in the 1700s
- Territory stretching from Europe to North Africa and the Eurasian steppe
- An emphasis on firearms and gunpowder-era tactics
- Available on Steam Workshop for convenient installation
- Geopolitical conflicts between major empires
✅ What it does: Battle tactics change completely. Shield walls and head-on cavalry charges give way to infantry formations, protected flanks, and careful artillery use. Battles become slower and more methodical without losing tension. If you enjoy historical strategy and want to command armies in the age of Peter I or Frederick the Great, this is an easy recommendation. Allow time to adjust to the pace: these are not conventional melee brawls.
Eagle Rising
Eagle Rising moves Bannerlord into antiquity, replacing its medieval setting with conflicts between Roman legions, Hellenistic kingdoms, and barbarian tribes. The map spans the Mediterranean from Gaul to Persia, while combat is rebuilt around ancient warfare: phalanxes, elephants, and sieges of fortified cities.
One of the most developed historical conversions, it immerses you in the world of ancient empires. With Eagle Rising, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord becomes an empire-building simulator in the spirit of Rome or Carthage.
- An ancient setting with Roman and Hellenistic factions
- Formations such as the hastati testudo and triarii phalanx
- An expanded Mediterranean map with historical regions
- Combat reworked for spear-and-shield warfare
- Large battles with war elephants and chariots
✅ Why try it: Ancient battles demand different thinking. A phalanx is strong head-on but vulnerable on its flanks. Light infantry wears enemies down, while heavy cavalry can break an unsupported spear formation. Sieges of fortified cities become lengthy and bloody. I recommend it if you are tired of medieval warfare and want the age of legions and Alexander the Great’s conquests. Expect to relearn troop command during the first few hours.
Anno Domini 1259 Continued
Anno Domini 1259 Continued revives the classic Warband mod as a Bannerlord total conversion set in 13th-century Europe and the Mediterranean. It is essentially a hyperrealistic medieval overhaul, with a custom map stretching from England to the Holy Land, authentic feudal kingdoms, and detailed economic and warfare systems.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord with Anno Domini 1259 Continued lets you build dynasties amid the Mongol invasions, Crusades, and baronial wars. Its roster reflects historical military development, including longbows, knightly orders, and urban militia infantry.
- A custom map set in 1259
- Deep troop progression, heraldry, and historical events
- Reworked economy, sieges, and diplomacy
- A realistic depiction of medieval Europe without simplification
✅ How gameplay changes: This is not a sandbox where you quickly raise an army and crush everyone. Economics and politics are central: manage your lands badly, and a lack of money will tear your army apart. Historical events such as the Mongol invasion force you to adapt and change strategy on the fly. I recommend it for a medieval Europe as close to reality as possible, focused on long-term planning and dynastic politics.
Kingdoms of Arda
Kingdoms of Arda is an ambitious Bannerlord conversion set in Tolkien’s Middle-earth, bringing its wars, factions, and atmosphere together in one large project. Custom regions, weapons, armor, and a detailed world based on Tolkien’s lore create a deeply immersive setting.
Unlike other LOTR projects, Kingdoms of Arda focuses on reconstructing the whole world rather than adding individual elements. It is one of the largest mods worth following.
- A fully reworked Middle-earth with custom regions and factions
- Singleplayer and multiplayer support
- Distinctive weapons, armor, and world assets created from scratch
- An emphasis on total world conversion rather than isolated additions
- Close attention to Tolkien’s lore and atmosphere
✅ What it does: This is more than medieval warfare with elves: the entire experience is reshaped around Middle-earth. Factions act according to the books’ lore, and battles recall the trilogy’s epic clashes. If you are tired of shallow fantasy mods, this is worth your attention. I would recommend it if you want a full campaign in Tolkien’s world rather than simply fighting humans with orcs.
Burning Empires
Burning Empires takes you to AD 374, at the dawn of the Hunnic invasions and the late Roman Empire’s decline. It turns Bannerlord into a large-scale Migration Period simulator, from Britain to the borders of Asia, where Roman legions, Germanic tribes, Sarmatian riders, and the predecessors of Attila’s hordes collide.
- An expanded map from Britain to the steppe, with dozens of regions
- Historical factions, including the Western and Eastern Roman Empires, Huns, and Goths, with authentic troops
- Combat without firearms, emphasizing cavalry charges
✅ How it changes gameplay: Burning Empires lets you experience defending Rome against barbarian hordes. Roman troops remain strong, but resources are scarce, frontiers are crumbling, and allies are unreliable. Nomadic tribes play differently, favoring quick raids over protracted sieges. I recommend it if you want an unusual historical period and are ready to manage an empire in crisis.
World Empires At War
World Empires At War is a lesser-known total conversion centered on large conflicts across the campaign map. It presents itself as a sweeping overhaul rather than a small content addition.
- A large total conversion focused on empires
- Gameplay centered on warfare and conquest
- One of Bannerlord’s major overhauls
- Suited to players looking for a strategic conversion
- A world map with numerous factions
✅ How gameplay changes: World Empires At War broadens the scale, pushing you to think about global imperial struggles rather than local conflicts. If you want an overhaul focused on managing large territories, I recommend trying it, especially after exploring the main conversions and looking for something else.
Shokuho
Shokuho is Bannerlord in feudal Japan’s Sengoku period. It leaves European medieval and fantasy settings behind for samurai conflicts, with factions and fighting styles governed by different rules.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord with Shokuho becomes a clan warfare simulator shaped by samurai discipline, ashigaru tactics, and bushido rather than knightly duels. It is one of the most interesting total conversions for anyone drawn to medieval Japan.
- A Sengoku-jidai setting with Japanese clans
- Samurai-era warfare with distinctive combat mechanics
- A total conversion with a new map of Japan
- A worthwhile alternative to fantasy and European historical mods
- An authentic depiction of feudal Japan’s culture and warfare
✅ What it changes: Japanese warfare differs greatly from its European counterpart. Samurai form a skilled, high-morale elite, while ashigaru provide mass infantry with spears and arquebuses. Battles become more positional, with morale and the proper use of each unit type taking priority. I recommend it if you want a break from Western medieval warfare and a chance to experience Japanese feudal conflicts with their distinctive aesthetics and philosophy.
Installing total conversion mods
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord total conversions are not simple plugins you can stack on top of one another. Most rewrite the game completely and need a clean installation and correct load order.
Step-by-step instructions:
- Check your game version: many overhauls only support specific patches, such as 1.2.12. Roll back through Steam Betas if necessary.
- Install core dependencies: almost every overhaul needs Harmony, ButterLib, and UIExtenderEx. Without them, the mods will not run.
- Use Module Unblocker to unblock mod DLLs that Windows blocks by default.
- Follow the load order: load the overhaul after libraries but before cosmetic additions.
- Do not mix overhauls: use one at a time. Realm of Thrones plus Shokuho means crashes and broken saves.
- Read the mod description: it lists requirements, conflicts, and recommended settings.
Total conversions are temperamental, almost never compatible with one another, and need the right load order. If you have never installed mods or have forgotten the details, read the full installation guide.
Which Bannerlord total conversion should you choose?
Your choice depends on what you want to play. For political intrigue and familiar characters, Realm of Thrones delivers an immersive Game of Thrones experience. Tolkien fans should choose between Kingdoms of Arda and Tales from the Age of Men, which focuses on the Third Age.
History fans have three strong options covering different periods: Eagle Rising for antiquity, Anno Domini 1259 for realistic medieval warfare, and Burning Empires for the late Roman Empire. Empires of Europe 1700 offers firearms and line tactics instead of melee combat. For something further afield, Shokuho takes you to samurai Japan, a rare setting for Mount & Blade.
For fantasy fans without a particular attachment to another universe, I recommend The Old Realms. Warhammer Fantasy is reliably dark, brutal, and packed with distinctive mechanics.
Total conversions change Bannerlord’s foundations, but what should you add on top? Simply throwing in armor, town, and weapon mods can stop the game loading or wreck its balance. My complete Bannerlord collection guide shows how to build your own setup and play the way you enjoy.
If I missed a worthwhile total conversion, or you have recommendations, send them my way: I will test them and may add them to the list. To bring these ideas together, use my Bannerlord mod collection guide to plan the rest of your setup.
