CK3 x Bannerlord 0.9.0-beta

Fight your Crusader Kings III battles in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. First public release (beta).

Install: download CK3xBL-Setup-0.9.0-beta.exe below and run it. No .NET install or admin rights needed. Then add "CK3 x Bannerlord Battles" to your playset in the Paradox Launcher and start Bannerlord once by hand. Full guide: docs/INSTALL.md.

Requirements: Crusader Kings III 1.20.x, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord v1.4.8, Windows 10/11 x64, your own copies of both games (no game files included).

The exe is not code-signed, so SmartScreen may warn (More info, then Run anyway). Verify the download against SHA256SUMS.txt:

c1d938bfa62d99d80d4a087c596cf70a8d475c9f38b02a86ec8b6d120902de84  CK3xBL-0.9.0-beta-manual.zip
5615e0fbb37a795a45788fb2976036c06c292a8b1e31cffc7771a5be24e64d8d  CK3xBL-Setup-0.9.0-beta.exe

The first public release. Built for Crusader Kings III 1.20 and Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord v1.4.8 (Steam), on Windows 10
and 11.

Added

• Battles in Bannerlord. Field battles you take part in, or that belong to your war, can be fought in Bannerlord. CK3
  pauses itself and asks; "Let my commanders decide the day" keeps CK3's own resolution.
• Your armies and your people. Levies and men-at-arms by type and culture, scaled to Bannerlord's battle size; you as your
  own character (or as your army's commander when you are away); commanders and knights of both sides as named heroes; faces
  rebuilt from your save; coats of arms on the banners; a battle map chosen for the CK3 terrain, climate and season.
• A seamless switch. Bannerlord waits preloaded, hidden and muted. A freeze frame of CK3 turns into a title card that
  dissolves into the battle; a result card brings you back.
• Results back in CK3. Losses per army and men-at-arms type, wounds, maimings, deaths and captures by CK3's own odds,
  prestige for your own kills, and prestige, glory and prowess for heroes who did well.
• The battle clock. CK3's own combat fights the result out over about 12 days, so war score, the battle summary and the
  aftermath are native. A second Bannerlord clash is offered when the loser is reinforced.
• Knights and commanders. Knight effectiveness, commander traits, accolades, artifacts and personal traits shape the
  heroes, their retinues and their side, within caps.
• Achievement-friendly Normal mode. Results enter CK3 through the mod's hidden buttons on CK3's modder hotkeys; the console
  and debug mode are never used. A Dev mode with the console is available for modders.
• Tray app. Launch CK3 in either mode, see the battle and Bannerlord state, abort hotkey Ctrl+Alt+Shift+End, Set game
  folders, Start with Windows, About with install checks and "Copy diagnostics".
• Installer. One self-contained setup exe, per user, no administrator rights, no .NET install needed; detects Steam, GOG and
  Epic installs; upgrade, repair and a clean uninstall. A manual zip for those who prefer copying files.
• Documentation for players, modders and contributors.

Known issues

• The installer, the installed layout, and GOG and Epic detection are new and tested with automated tests only.
• Fixes made after the last play test still need an in-game check: playing as yourself when no army of your side has a
  commander, the wording of a second clash, war score when a leaderless loser is steered, bridge start-up, and leaner battle
  clock logging.
• Most knight and commander effects are tested in code but not yet in game.
• Achievements were checked in game on CK3 1.20.0.3; a re-check on 1.20.0.4 is pending.
• The exe is not code-signed: SmartScreen and some antivirus programs warn, and Windows 11's Smart App Control, when it is
  on, blocks the installer and the programs it installs with no override.
• Bannerlord must be started once by hand after installing, so it can show its first-start notices.
• Banner charges are the nearest Bannerlord icon of the right kind, not exact copies.
• The mod's texts are English only.