This guide covers how to set up your Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord dedicated server on Legion Hosting, configure startup variables, set up game modes and map rotations, configure factions, and connect to your server. Bannerlord offers competitive and team-based medieval combat across multiple game modes including Siege, Captain, Skirmish, Team Deathmatch, Duel, and Battle. For admin controls, modding, player management, and troubleshooting, see Mount and Blade II Bannerlord Admin Setup.

1. First Start

1. Log in to GPanel and select your Bannerlord server.
2. Go to the Startup tab and review the configurable variables (see the table in Section 2).
3. Set AUTH_TOKEN to your Bannerlord dedicated server authentication token. See the TaleWorlds guide for how to generate one.
4. Server name, game mode, and other settings are configured in the config file (see Section 3).
5. Return to the Console tab and click Start.
6. Wait for the console to confirm the server has started. The first launch generates configuration files and may take a minute to initialize.

2. GPanel Startup Variables

The following variables are available in the GPanel Startup tab. These are passed to the server on each start.

3. Server Configuration File

Bannerlord servers use a text-based configuration file that contains one command per line. The server executes each line sequentially on startup. Stop your server before making changes.

File Location

The config file is located in the Native module directory:

Modules/Native/<gamemode>_config.txt

For example, tdm_config.txt for Team Deathmatch, siege_config.txt for Siege, or skirmish_config.txt for Skirmish. Open the file using the Files tab in GPanel or connect via SFTP.

Key Configuration Commands

Example Configuration (Team Deathmatch)

ServerName Legion TDM Server
AdminPassword YourAdminPassword
GameType TeamDeathmatch
WelcomeMessage Welcome to the Legion Hosting TDM server!
MaxNumberOfPlayers 60
MinNumberOfPlayersForMatchStart 2
CultureTeam1 vlandia
CultureTeam2 battania
NumberOfBotsTeam1 0
NumberOfBotsTeam2 0
MapTimeLimit 600
EnableAntiCheat true
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_tdm_map_001_spring
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_tdm_map_003
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_tdm_map_004
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_tdm_map_005
enable_automated_battle_switching
start_game_and_mission

4. Game Modes

Bannerlord supports six multiplayer game modes. Set the mode using the GameType config command or the GAME_TYPE startup variable.

5. Map Selection and Rotation

Maps are added to the server's rotation pool using the add_map_to_automated_battle_pool command in the config file. Each game mode has its own set of compatible maps.

Team Deathmatch Maps

Siege Maps

Skirmish Maps

Captain Maps

Duel Maps

Battle Maps

Map Rotation Example

To set up automatic map rotation, add multiple maps to the pool and enable automated switching:

add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_siege_map_003
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_siege_map_005
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_siege_map_007_battania
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_siege_map_009
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_siege_map_012
enable_automated_battle_switching
start_game_and_mission

The server will cycle through these maps in order after each match completes.

6. Culture and Faction Settings

Bannerlord features six playable factions (cultures) that determine the troop types, equipment, and visual appearance for each team. Set factions using CultureTeam1 and CultureTeam2 in the config file.

CultureTeam1 vlandia
CultureTeam2 khuzait

7. How to Connect

Option A -- In-Game Server Browser

1. Launch Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord.
2. From the main menu, select Multiplayer.
3. Ensure the standard mods/modules are activated when prompted.
4. Select Custom Server List (or Dedicated Server List depending on your game version).
5. Use the search bar or scroll to find your server by name.
6. Select your server and click Join. Enter the game password if one is set.

Option B -- Direct Connect

1. Launch Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord.
2. From the main menu, select Multiplayer.
3. Open the console with Alt + ~ (tilde key).
4. Enter the following command using your server's IP and port from GPanel's Network tab:

   open <your-server-ip>:<port>

5. Enter the game password if prompted.

8. Round and Match Settings

Fine-tune the match experience with these settings in your config file:

Related Articles

• Mount and Blade II Bannerlord Admin Setup
• How to Find Your Server IP and Port
• How to Upload Files via SFTP
• Server Startup Guide

Need Help?

If you run into issues with your Bannerlord server that are not covered here, open a support ticket and include your server IP, the game mode you are running, and any relevant error messages from the GPanel console.