The Kingdom of Rhodoks is ruled by King Graveth, while the claimant to the throne is Lord Kastor of Veluca.
In Mount&Blade: Warband, unlike in the original Mount&Blade, the Rhodok lords are called Counts.
The Kingdom of Rhodoks is unique in that it is an elective monarchy. Their national animal is the bear, which is depicted on their emblem and on the banner of their king, Graveth.
History
The Rhodoks were originally part of the Kingdom of Swadia, but successfully fought a war for independence. Their origin is reflected in their troop types and choice of territory. The Rhodoks' pikemen and crossbowmen were fielded in mountainous terrain to defeat the Knights of Swadia, as they lacked cavalry and thus relied on pike and crossbow to prevail over the Knights.
Bunduk recounts how a war veteran named Grunwalder came "over the hills" after the war and taught the Rhodoks the art of war to defend themselves against the Swadians, effectively becoming an ancestral hero to the Rhodok people. Grunwalder would die in the rebellion he started, but his memory would live on as the Rhodoks swore never to bow to any king again. The Rhodoks built Grunwalder Castle at the place where Grunwalder fell in battle as a celebration of his contributions.
Artimenner recounts, when the player nears Culmarr Castle, that the count of that fortress used its geographical advantage to levy heavy taxes on all nearby caravan routes, and used this as leverage to be elected King of the Rhodoks. All rulers of the Rhodoks thenceforth were elected kings, the latest of which is King Graveth.
Rulers
King Graveth
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Lord Kastor of Veluca
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Vassals
Note that the vassals listed below are only the ones present at the start of the game. Later on, other vassals may join or leave, and they may gain or lose land or fiefs. This is particularly common when an entire kingdom is conquered and all the vassals from that kingdom defect on a random basis to the remaining factions.
Tactics
- Main article: Kingdom of Rhodoks Tactics
Strengths
- Excellent spearmen for resisting cavalry charges and holding the line.
- Outstanding crossbowmen.
- Excels at defending castles and towns.
- Very good at sieges.
Weaknesses
- Lacking in cavalry.
- Poor offensive infantry.
- Infantry units (besides the sergeant) semi-consistently spawn without shields.
- Lowest strategic maneuverability out of all factions.
Summary
The Rhodoks rely heavily on well-equipped and hardy militias, unlike the levied footsoldiers and heavily armored knights of their Swadian and Sarranid neighbors.
The Rhodoks are fond of the spear and the crossbow, and their armies are largely composed of spear-armed foot soldiers and professional crossbowmen, both equipped with large Board Shields to offer full protection from volleys of arrows. The top-tier of the Rhodok infantrymen are their Sergeants, armed with Glaives and Military Hammers to give them a great advantage in offensive and defensive engagements. The Rhodok military tree somewhat resembles that of the Nords considering the absence of cavalry, instead choosing to place an emphasis on heavy hitting top tier infantry. Furthering this comparison, despite Rhodok infantry not quite matching the strength of Nord Huscarls, any disparity is quickly bridged when you take the supremacy of the Rhodok Sharpshooter over the Nord Veteran Archers into account, and the Glaives of Rhodok veteran spearmen can even the odds if you have enough.
Rhodok troops are mainly effective against cavalry. Melee battles don't tend to favor their infantry units, but a powerful corps of crossbowmen can soften up the enemy before an infantry charge. Rhodok units are best used in a defensive role in field battles, with infantry in front of ranged units. A corps of Sergeants and Sharpshooters in any army tends to be just fine, especially against Swadian units. Additionally, Rhodoks have more health and speed than any other faction units, and can devastate enemy armies when in the right formation. If you plan on besieging or defending any castles or cities, Rhodok units excel at this role. Coupled with the very mountainous terrain of the Rhodok territory, and their troops excellent defensive capabilities, Rhodok towns and select castles are the hardest of any faction to besiege.
Troop Tree
| Troops of the Rhodoks | ||
|---|---|---|
 Looter
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| Mountain Bandit
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Tribesman
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Spearman
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 Crossbowman
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Trained Spearman
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Trained Crossbowman
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Veteran Spearman
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Veteran Crossbowman
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Sergeant
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Sharpshooter
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Territory
The capital of the Kingdom of Rhodoks is Jelkala. The Kingdom of Rhodoks contains the following towns, castles, and villages:
| Territory of the Kingdom of Rhodoks |
|---|
| Towns Jelkala • Veluca • Yalen |
| Castles Almerra Castle • Culmarr Castle • Ergellon Castle • Etrosq Castle • Grunwalder Castle Ibdeles Castle • Jamiche Castle • Maras Castle |
| Villages Buvran • Chaeza • Chelez • Dirigsene • Dumar • Emer • Epeshe • Fedner • Glunmar • Ibdeles • Ilvia Istiniar • Jamiche • Pagundur • Reveran • Ruldi • Saren • Sarimish • Serindiar • Veidar(M&B) |
Note that, over the course of the game, other kingdoms may besiege and take over these lands, and the Kingdom of Rhodoks may gain more. However, these places are the only places from which you can recruit Rhodok troops.
Trivia
- While the Rhodoks were added as a proper faction only between versions 0.808 and 0.894, they are first referenced as a possible troop tree - consisting of Rhodok Tribal, Hunter, Warrior, Veteran, Warchief - as early as version 0.704.
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