Armor Does Something
🟡 Updated this yearPreview

🔍 Analysis
- 👍 2.8% endorsement rate — high engagement, a strong quality signal
- 🏆 #99 of 678 Gameplay mods in this game by downloads
📋 About This Mod
Dipping back into Bannerlord for a bit, friends. Thought I'd go ahead and dust this old thing off and at least get an ultra lite version of it running again.
To start off, I do not have War Sails, and do not plan on getting it any time soon, since it absolutely wrecks this potato's FPS. I wouldn't be surprised if all of the modules happen to work with War Sails right out of the box, though Nord items may go unadjusted. I can not confirm (WS) functionality at the moment though, so if you try it, please let me know one way or the other so I can update this for everybody else!
Anyway, here's what's up in very specific terms.
This is split into three modlets, all of them are in the main zip. Hopefully that will help everybody who runs other mods with compatibility some, or let you mix and match what you want. They are designed to all be used together, but it's not necessary. Here is what they do.
ADS2 Ranged Submodule:
This is the heart of things and it makes all ranged weapons including rocks (except other thrown) do cutting damage across the board.
In addition, bolts and lead sling ammo will knock opponents down.
This is a considerable buff to armor against ranged, though ranged should still cut down peasants with ease. Also, as crossbows are sorta the underdog against the Battanian MG42s, hence the knockdown. Let me know if this ends up being too exploitable: I haven't tested to see it knocks enemies off ladders...
ADS2 Damage Submodule:
This adds a flat 25% damage resistance to all (human) units.
The concept behind this change is that anything that allows units to live longer increases their ability to cross a field while under fire and still arrive while alive. That makes it a "soft" nerf to ranged units (as it does help them, too) but I mainly like that it makes fights take a little longer. If you find this mod to be too overpowering in the ranged nerf, leaving this out might help a tiny bit.
On the flip side, if you only want to give infantry a tiny edge, using this by itself will help more of them get across the field of fire and still have a chance to take out the enemy in melee. Of course, for that to happen they have to still be able to do that in the first place, and this also won't make them catch up to horses...
ADS2 Armor Submodule:
This reduces helmet armor across the board by 10 points for helmets that had at least 20 to start with.
This is basically a small concession to players who want to play archer mains with this mod as a challenge, and a way to introduce a bit of a "weak spot," though, 10 points of armor isn't really a whole lot.
Overall, mods that make it harder for the player to amass high tier (in particular highly armored) troops might be a good way to keep the balance from tipping too hard when you use this. I haven't tried it, but something along the lines of "True Army Costs," perhaps.
Anyway, enjoy, let me know your feelings on the balance of things using this. I might consider upping the damage of ranged weapons a tiny bit to compensate a little more for the damage they lose against armor, etc.
Armor Does Something is a Bannerlord gameplay mod split into three submodules that rebalance ranged combat and armor. It makes all ranged weapons deal cutting damage, adds knockdown to bolts and sling ammo, and grants all human units a flat 25% damage resistance. Designed for players who want longer, more tactical fights.
✨ Key Features
📊 Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Huge community trust: 3,244 endorsements and 114k downloads show it's a proven favorite.
- Modular design lets you pick and choose which parts to install, great for modded setups.
- The knockdown effect on bolts and sling ammo adds a fun tactical twist to ranged combat.
⚠️ Cons
- Author explicitly states no War Sails support and can't confirm compatibility—risky if you own that DLC.
- The 25% flat damage resistance applies to all human units, which might make fights drag if you prefer fast-paced combat.
- Third submodule's exact features aren't detailed in the description, so you're flying blind on that part.
For Bannerlord players who feel ranged weapons are too dominant and want armor to actually matter. If you enjoy longer, more methodical battles and don't mind a bit of knockdown chaos, this is for you. Skip it if you're on War Sails or want quick, arcadey fights.
💡 Beginner Tips
- Since it's split into modlets, install only the Ranged submodule if you want a lighter change—no need to go all-in.
- If you use other gameplay mods, test each submodule individually to see which ones conflict before combining.
- Check the mod's forum posts or comments for player reports on War Sails compatibility before enabling it with that DLC.
📊 Mod Details
- Game
- Bannerlord Mods
- Author
- Grendel
- Version
- 1.1
- Downloads
- 114,063
- Endorsements
- 3,244
- Category
- Gameplay
- Created
- 4/4/2020
- Updated
- 12/18/2025
🔧 How to Install Bannerlord Mods
Use Vortex or manual. Enable mods in launcher. Harmony required.
📖 Full step-by-step install guide for Bannerlord →
Visit the official mod page for specific installation instructions for this mod.
🎮 Need cheat codes or console commands? Check ur gaming wiki for Bannerlord commands, item IDs, and more.
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