I Tricked an Entire Nation Into Surrendering to My Army of Just 11 People - Manor Lords

Let's Game It Out
12 May 202427:51

TLDRIn this entertaining playthrough of Manor Lords, a game in Early Access, the player, Josh, humorously navigates through the game's features and quirks. Starting with character customization, he establishes his village in the world of Cryia, where he oversees his villagers and their daily activities. The video showcases the game's mechanics, such as building infrastructure, managing resources, and interacting with the environment. Josh's strategy involves minimal direct conflict, instead using the game's mechanics and the AI's behavior to his advantage. He tricks the game's AI lord, Hild the Bolt, into fighting his battles by leading enemies towards Hild's idle army. Through clever use of the game's systems, he expands his territory without a traditional army, relying on an army of just 11 people. The summary highlights the game's early access state, the player's humorous approach to the game, and the unexpected strategies employed to succeed.

Takeaways

  • 🎮 The game 'Manor Lords' is in Early Access, and the player, Josh, is exploring its features and encountering bugs.
  • 🏰 Customization is a key element in 'Manor Lords', allowing players to choose their character's portrait and coat of arms.
  • 🛣️ The game includes a 'visit mode' for players to walk around their town in third person, although it's still in development and buggy.
  • 🏘️ Players have the ability to manage their village, including building roads and structures, and assigning villagers to tasks.
  • 🌲 Resource management is crucial, with players needing to gather wood, food, and other supplies to maintain their village.
  • 🏡 As the village grows, players must build houses for villagers who want to live in more permanent structures than tents.
  • 🛡️ Defense is also a consideration, with the potential for bandit raids and the need to prepare for conflicts.
  • 🕰️ Time progression is noticeable, with the game starting in spring and progressing through seasons.
  • 📈 The player's strategy involves leveraging the game's mechanics, such as using the in-game army to deal with threats without direct combat.
  • 💰 Economic elements are present, with the player managing resources and finances for the village's development.
  • 📜 Diplomacy is part of the game, with options to negotiate, declare war, or establish peace with other lords.

Q & A

  • What is the title of the video and what does it imply?

    -The title of the video is 'I Tricked an Entire Nation Into Surrendering to My Army of Just 11 People - Manor Lords'. It implies that the video is about a strategy game where the player manages to get an entire nation to surrender using a very small army, which is a part of the game 'Manor Lords'.

  • What game is being discussed in the video?

    -The game being discussed in the video is 'Manor Lords', which is a settlement simulation game that is in Early Access.

  • What is the significance of the coat of arms in the game?

    -In the game, the coat of arms is a customizable feature that represents the player's lord. It can be designed in various ways or the player can import their own custom design, which adds a personal touch to the gameplay.

  • What is the purpose of the 'visit mode' in the game?

    -The 'visit mode' allows the player to walk around their town in third person mode, providing a more immersive experience and enabling them to interact with the environment and villagers more directly.

  • How does the game handle pathfinding and map visibility?

    -The game provides a map where the player can see the region they control. It also highlights the player's properties and allows for 'visit mode' to show owned areas when running around, making it easy to know when the player has left their property and is entering another's land.

  • What is the player's strategy for dealing with bandits and other threats?

    -The player's strategy involves a combination of avoidance, negotiation, and leveraging the game mechanics. They use the game's claim system to declare peace and avoid battles, and they also attempt to lure bandits towards another lord's army to handle the threat for them.

  • What is the significance of the marketplace in the game?

    -The marketplace is a building that provides space for assigned families to set up their stalls. It is important for the economic aspect of the game, as it facilitates trade and can help attract more villagers to the settlement.

  • How does the player address the issue of food and resource scarcity?

    -The player addresses food and resource scarcity by building structures like a hunting camp and a forager hut to gather food. They also consider the strategic placement of these buildings to ensure their villagers have to work for their resources.

  • What is the player's approach to building residential areas for the villagers?

    -The player opts for a non-traditional approach, placing residential plots in unusual shapes and locations to maximize space and create a unique community feel. They also ensure that each plot is individually assigned to villagers.

  • How does the player manage the threat of an approaching army?

    -The player manages the threat by repeatedly declaring peace and sending messages to avoid conflict. When this fails, they form a small militia and attempt to confront the army, although they acknowledge their force is significantly smaller and less equipped.

  • What is the player's final strategy for expanding their territory?

    -The player's final strategy involves following the enemy army around, using their small militia to claim land as the enemy moves, and building housing plots to block in groups of people, effectively expanding their territory without direct combat.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introducing Manor Lords and Early Access Antics

Josh, the host, welcomes viewers to a new episode of 'Let's Game It Out' where he's excited to explore 'Manor Lords,' a game recently released in Early Access. He humorously anticipates encountering bugs and chooses a portrait and name for his character, Lord Sir Swatow, with a custom coat of arms featuring a nuclear blast. The introduction to the game world, Cryia, is filled with commentary on the villagers' habits and the lord's watchful presence. The 'visit mode' is discussed, highlighting the ability to explore the town in third person, with a mention of early development glitches. The video ends with a playful interaction with the villagers and a teaser of the journey to come.

05:02

🛣️ Building the Foundation of Cryia

The narrative shifts to the development of the settlement in Cryia. Josh focuses on constructing various facilities like a logging camp, a woodcutter's lodge, and residential housing for villagers. He emphasizes the importance of managing resources and meeting the community's needs. The humor lies in the intentional awkward placement of buildings and the villagers' resilience despite harsh weather conditions. The paragraph concludes with the realization of a food shortage, prompting the construction of a hunting camp and forager hut to ensure the settlement's survival.

10:03

🏞️ Expanding the Manor Lord's Domain

This section details the strategic development of the Manor Lord's land. Josh opts for a non-traditional approach by placing resource-gathering buildings far from their sources, adding a touch of humor to the gameplay. The construction of a marketplace is discussed, and its immediate deforestation of the surrounding area is highlighted. The narrative takes a turn when bandits steal resources, prompting the construction of a woodcutter's lodge and the recruitment of more villagers. The paragraph ends with the discovery of a bandit camp, adding a hint of conflict to the otherwise peaceful development.

15:04

⚔️ The Battle for Cryia and Diplomatic Farce

The action heats up with the threat of an impending battle. Josh describes his strategy, or lack thereof, as he declares peace and attempts to negotiate with Hild Bolt, a neighboring lord. The humor arises from the mishaps in communication and the accidental initiation of battles. Despite the looming conflict, Josh continues to develop his settlement with a church and a corpse pit. The narrative concludes with a surprise turn of events as another ruler's army is spotted, adding a layer of suspense to the story.

20:06

🏡 Unconventional Defense Strategies

Josh outlines an unorthodox defense strategy against the bandits and an encroaching army. He humorously details how he manipulates the situation to his advantage by leading the bandits to Hild the Bolt's waiting army. The narrative is filled with commentary on the villagers' nonchalant reactions to the threats and the protagonist's opportunistic approach to conflict resolution. The paragraph ends with the protagonist gaining control over a new region without lifting a finger, highlighting the ease and humor in his path to victory.

25:06

🛣️ The Rise of Marketplaces and Territorial Ambitions

The final paragraph sees the protagonist focusing on expanding his territory and renaming the conquered lands with humorous names. He outlines his plans to build a marketplace and further develop the landscape. The narrative takes a light-hearted turn as the protagonist's small group of fighters, despite being outmatched, manages to survive an encounter with a larger force. The video concludes with the protagonist's satisfaction in letting his small army handle conflicts while he oversees the growth of his domain.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Manor Lords

Manor Lords is a strategy video game that involves building and managing a settlement in a medieval setting. In the context of the video, the game is being played in 'Early Access,' which means it is still in development and may contain bugs or incomplete features. The game allows for various activities such as constructing buildings, managing resources, and interacting with the environment and non-playable characters (NPCs).

💡Early Access

Early Access refers to a phase in the development of a video game where the game is made available for sale to the public before it is fully complete. This allows developers to receive player feedback and funding while continuing to work on the game. In the video, the player expresses both expectations and hopes for encountering 'glorious Early Access bugs' to play with, indicating a playful acceptance of the game's unfinished state.

💡Portrait and Name

In the context of the video, choosing a portrait and name is an initial step in character creation within Manor Lords. The player selects an avatar that represents their in-game character, the Manor Lord, and assigns a name to this character. The chosen portrait and name contribute to the role-playing aspect of the game, allowing the player to immerse themselves in the game world.

💡Coat of Arms

A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield, surcoat, or tabard. In Manor Lords, the player has the option to customize their coat of arms, which can be a fun aspect of world-building and character customization. The player in the video chooses to import a custom design featuring a nuclear blast, adding a humorous and anachronistic touch to their medieval-themed coat of arms.

💡Visit Mode

Visit mode is a gameplay feature in Manor Lords that allows players to walk around their town in third-person mode. This mode is used for exploration and interaction with the game environment. The video mentions glitches that are expected in Early Access, such as the player's character getting lost, which adds a layer of challenge and discovery to the gameplay.

💡Pathfinding

Pathfinding is the process of determining the shortest or most efficient path between two points within a game environment. In the video, the player discusses the game's pathfinding system when they decide to build a road to make navigation to their town easier. This is a strategic decision that can affect the gameplay by improving the efficiency of the player's movements and the NPCs' tasks.

💡Outlaws

Outlaws are non-playable characters in Manor Lords that represent groups or individuals outside the control of the Manor Lord's authority. In the video, the player interacts with outlaws, choosing to be friendly towards them in the hopes of establishing positive relations. This decision can have implications for the game's storyline and the player's ability to maintain order and security in their settlement.

💡Bandits

Bandits are antagonistic characters in the game that pose a threat to the player's settlement. They are typically associated with stealing resources and causing disruptions. In the video, the player finds a stash of goods from defeated bandits, which can be sent to the player's people or kept for the treasury, illustrating the dynamic between the player and these adversaries.

💡Marketplace

The marketplace in Manor Lords is a building where villagers can set up stalls to buy and sell goods. It is an essential part of the game's economy and resource management. The player strategically builds a marketplace to attract more villagers and improve the settlement's prosperity. The video shows the player using the marketplace as a tool for development and as a strategic location to manage the flow of goods and people.

💡Battlefield

The battlefield in Manor Lords represents a location where conflicts or wars take place. The player can engage in battles to defend their territory or claim new land. In the video, the player uses the concept of the battlefield to negotiate peace with another lord, Hild the Bolt, and later to strategically win land without direct combat, showcasing the game's strategic depth.

💡Resource Management

Resource management is a core gameplay mechanic in Manor Lords where players must ensure they have sufficient supplies such as food and fuel to sustain their settlement. The player in the video must build various structures like a woodcutter's lodge and a hunting camp to gather the necessary resources. This aspect of the game requires planning and forethought to maintain the settlement's growth and survival.

Highlights

Josh, the player, begins a new game in Manor Lords, a recently released Early Access title.

Customization options are available for the player's portrait and coat of arms.

The game features a third-person 'visit mode' for an immersive experience.

The player establishes a road to improve pathfinding to their town.

The game includes a map view showing the region controlled by the player.

The player interacts with villagers and issues commands, although with limited options early in the game.

The player sends a missive to a neighboring lord, asserting dominance over a region.

The player decides to explore the game world by walking from their town to a neighboring region.

The game exhibits glitches and graphical oddities, expected in an Early Access title.

The player stumbles upon an unexpected game world transition, leading to a game over scenario.

After reloading a save, the player finds their village has survived for 266 days with zero resources.

The player strategizes on building various facilities to sustain their village, such as a logging camp and residential houses.

A hunting camp and forager hut are constructed to address food scarcity.

The player discovers the ability to build a marketplace with no construction cost, leading to deforestation of their land.

The player receives a claim challenge from another lord, Hild Bolt, and attempts to resolve it through negotiation.

A bandit camp is identified nearby, and the player considers how to address this potential threat.

The player's strategy of non-engagement with an approaching army surprisingly results in the army handling bandits for them.

The player forms a small militia of 11 people and manages to control a region without actually fighting.

The player renames the conquered lands with humorous names and plans to build a marketplace, indicating a shift towards economic development.

Despite the small militia's apparent lack of combat readiness, the player maintains a light-hearted and humorous approach to the game.