Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord – How to Get Level Up Your Troops Fast

Looters are abundant in mount and blade Bannerlord, so you want to find a large party of loots 30-100, it all depends on your party size. Smaller parties of looters will be more difficult to engage with.

Once you have found the looters, engage in combat with them. You want to select the send troops button instead of manually going into the battle. This will level your troops up easier, and quicker. Looters don’t generate much revenue, but you can generate early game renown by going to a lords keep and putting the prisoners in his dungeon, it’s about 2 looters for 1 renown.

Smaller parties work too, but not as effectively.

Be warned looters will wound your troops but not kill them, which is a big reason why they are good for leveling up your units.

Forest Bandits are capable of being used the same way as looters, you will take serious casualties instead of being wounded though. In my experience usually 2-4 people will be killed.

If you are ok with taking casualties then engage Forest Bandits. Otherwise stick to looters.
Forest bandits also generate a bit more renown if you give them to a lord, they also give a good amount of early game money.

Forest bandits spawn in smaller parties, the most I’ve seen is generally 40-50 party size. Average is 4-20