Build, Trade, and Conquer Your Medieval Realm
“Manor Lords” is one of the most anticipated medieval strategy games of recent years — combining realistic city-building, resource management, and tactical combat into one deep simulation. To succeed, you’ll need to balance economic growth with military power, ensuring your villagers thrive while defending your domain from rival lords.
This guide breaks down every stage of gameplay — from humble beginnings to ruling a powerful kingdom — with actionable tips.
Part 1: Getting Started — Establishing Your First Settlement
Step 1: Understanding the Starting Resources
When you begin your Manor Lords campaign, you start with:
- A small group of families
- Limited tools, food, and timber
- A build zone near a regional border
Your first goal is sustainability — ensuring your villagers don’t starve and that housing and basic production start quickly.
Step 2: Setting Up Your Base Layout
- Place Your Storehouse and Granary near the center. This minimizes walking distance for villagers, improving logistics efficiency.
- Build Burgage Plots (Houses) close to resource production sites.
- Always keep roads organized — a grid or radial layout helps with expansion and avoids crowding.
Pro tip: In Manor Lords, road placement affects travel time. A well-planned road network boosts economic flow, which is key for long-term prosperity.
Step 3: Securing Food Production
There are multiple food sources:
- Hunting Camp: Quick start but limited game in forests.
- Forager Hut: Excellent in early spring for berries.
- Farming: Long-term stable production; requires plowed fields and oxen.
Combine short-term (hunting) and long-term (farming) methods to maintain balance.
Part 2: Manor Lords Farming & Economy Management Guide
Step 4: Developing Agriculture
Farming is the backbone of your medieval economy.
- Assign Oxen and Tools — without them, your villagers can’t plow fields effectively.
- Crop Rotation — alternate wheat, barley, and fallow fields to prevent soil exhaustion.
- Build a Windmill and Bakery once grain production stabilizes to produce bread. Bread is one of the best trade goods and a reliable food source.
Step 5: Resource Production and Trade
Manor Lords has a multi-tiered resource chain:
- Timber → Planks → Construction
- Iron → Tools → Weapons
- Wool → Clothes → Happiness boost
Trading is essential when certain resources are scarce. Build a Trading Post and use surplus goods like planks or hides to trade for tools or oxen early on.
Trade Route Optimization
- Choose short routes first (low upkeep).
- Prioritize importing iron and exporting planks in early game.
- Use the “Automatic Trade” setting once production stabilizes.
Pro tip: High trade volume increases regional wealth, which can later fund your army and infrastructure.
Part 3: Town Expansion & Happiness Management
Step 6: Upgrading Burgage Plots
Each Burgage Plot can be upgraded by adding extensions:
- Backyard Gardens: Grow vegetables or raise chickens.
- Workshops: Produce secondary goods like clothing, candles, or leather.
- Taverns: Boost happiness and consume ale (which you can trade).
To unlock Tier 2 housing, ensure your population has:
- Access to multiple food types
- Clothing and religion
- Low crime and taxes
Step 7: Balancing Population and Labor
- Keep unemployed villagers available for seasonal work (e.g., harvest or construction).
- Use the Job Priority system to allocate workforce smartly — farming > food > construction > luxury.
- Over-taxing reduces happiness; moderate taxes keep your economy stable.
Part 4: Manor Lords Military Strategy Guide
Step 8: Preparing for Conflict
Once your economy is stable, shift focus to defense and army management.
Build:
- Barracks: Train militia units.
- Armory: Produce or store weapons.
- Blacksmith: Turns iron into swords and tools.
- Manor House: Command post for your lord, where you recruit retinues.
Each region has limited manpower, so choose wisely which families join the army.
Step 9: Army Composition & Equipment
A balanced army is crucial:
| Unit Type | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|
| Militia Spearmen | Cheap, good vs cavalry | Weak armor |
| Archers | Great at range | Vulnerable up close |
| Heavy Infantry | Durable, strong in melee | Expensive upkeep |
| Cavalry | Excellent for flanking | Costly and slow to train |
Pro tip: Use terrain advantage — forests hide troops, while high ground increases arrow damage.
Step 10: Battle Tactics & Formation
Combat in Manor Lords is tactical and realistic, influenced by morale and formation.
- Use shield walls to block cavalry charges.
- Archers behind infantry provide ranged support.
- Flanking causes morale collapse in enemy lines.
- Avoid sending troops piecemeal; wait until formations are ready.
Part 5: Territorial Expansion & Diplomacy
Step 11: Claiming New Regions
As your influence grows, use Regional Influence Points to claim adjacent territories.
This unlocks:
- More farmland
- New resource nodes (iron, clay, stone)
- Additional population growth potential
Defend your borders — rival lords will occasionally challenge your claims.
Step 12: Building Castles and Fortifications
Later in the game, construct wooden palisades and stone walls to secure your capital.
Position towers near choke points or rivers for natural defense.
Advanced Tip: Combine walls with archers and boiling oil for superior protection during sieges.
Part 6: Advanced Tips & Optimization
Step 13: Efficient Logistics
- Centralize warehouses to reduce transport time.
- Use carts and oxen for large material movements.
- Build bridges and roads strategically — they directly impact trade speed.
Step 14: Seasonal Planning
Each year is divided into four seasons:
- Spring: Farming and sowing
- Summer: Construction and trade
- Autumn: Harvest and storage
- Winter: Consumption and defense
Adjust production and labor allocation by season for maximum output.
Step 15: Managing Happiness and Religion
Religion increases loyalty and reduces crime.
Build churches early and taverns later to maintain morale.
Unhappy citizens lower productivity and may migrate to rival regions.
Part 7: Endgame Strategy — From Lord to Monarch
Once your city is thriving and your armies are seasoned, focus on regional domination:
- Form alliances with neighboring lords to trade safely.
- Expand strategically — prioritize regions with iron or trade hubs.
- Establish a royal army with retinues and mercenaries.
To win the campaign:
- Control the majority of regions.
- Maintain the highest prosperity rating.
- Keep your people happy while expanding influence.
Bonus: Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Expanding too fast before stabilizing food supply.
- Ignoring happiness — revolts can cripple your progress.
- Neglecting oxen — they are vital for construction and farming.
- Over-trading essential goods, leading to shortages.
- Sending untrained militias to battle too early.
Conclusion: Master the Balance of Power
Manor Lords isn’t just about building — it’s about managing people, economy, and warfare in perfect balance.
To thrive:
- Plan your city layout for efficient logistics.
- Maintain sustainable food and trade systems.
- Train a disciplined army and use terrain wisely.
- Expand strategically through economy first, conquest later.
By mastering both economic management and military tactics, you’ll transform your humble village into a medieval powerhouse — proving yourself as the true Lord of the Manor.
