The On the Edge scenario gives you a limited time (one year) to build defenses against enemies while trying to establish the highest level of development for your city. In addition to managing resources and infrastructure, you must deal with raiders who can burn your settlement to the ground.
How to Quickly Upgrade Town and Survive Raids in Manor Lords (On the Edge)
To survive raids on Manor Lords, you must plan your economy and focus heavily on trade. But not all territories are equal; Depending on the fertility of the land and the availability of resources, you must decide between grazing and agriculture. It is crucial to build your city close to resources and the main road, as trade is crucial for the rapid development of your city.
While these steps are similar for all scenarios, On the Edge throws you into other lords and raiders, making city building even more challenging.
Plan the development of your city
Follow our build order guide to address your villagers’ basic needs and prepare for more complex activities. Since you have no time to waste, upgrade your settlement to a village by building five Burgage plots (houses). Planning is essential, so leave room for a church, a tavern, and a market so they are in the same “neighborhood.”
Acquire weapons for your Militia
Since the On the Edge stage includes very active enemies, you should get weapons as soon as possible. You will need a level 2 city and a fortification plot upgraded to level 2 and assign craftsmen to produce bows. While creating your weapons is a goal, you can obtain weapons for your militia (armed villagers) through trade faster. Focus on trading from the beginning, to have enough wealth (money) to Buy at least 20 pieces of weapons. (hand weapons, bows, polearms, etc.).
Hire mercenaries to hunt bandits.
Destroy the bandit camps found on the map to acquire additional resources at Manor Lords. You should deal with them as soon as possible, as they will steal your resources. If you don’t have enough soldiers, you can always hire mercenaries, which will cost you wealth. Mercenaries roam the kingdom looking for work, but you can only hire them in your territory. Hiring mercenaries is a good idea since no workers are lost in battles.
Related: Top 5 Things I Wish Were in Manor Lords Early Access
Prepare your army to fight against the raiders.
By the end of the first year, you should have enough weapons stocked to take on the raiders. Be sure to have enough helmets and armor so that your soldiers can be more efficient in battles. I’m a fan of archers because I want to minimize casualties, since each death impacts your economy (one less worker). The downside to archers is that they won’t shoot at enemies if your melee troops have engaged them. But if you’re pragmatic, you can issue friendly fire orders, giving archers the green light to shoot at enemies at the cost of hitting your troops.
While defending yourself against raiders and other lords is crucial, don’t forget that a victory condition is building the city to the highest level. Therefore, keep your attention on the economy, especially after defeating the raiders (and the lords if they are part of a scenario).
For more information on Manor Lords, check out Best Ways to Improve Influence in Manor Lords in the Pro Gaming Guides.