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I personally like Vaegar cavalry and Nord infantry, but recently I have been using a Rhodok heavy crossbow warband with either cavalry to accompany me or Nord infantry to hold the enemy away from the crossbows. please excuse spelling errors, its late 
For heavy cavalry, Swadian Knights or Sarranid Mamelukes are about equal in open battle, but as of version 1.127 my favorite heavy cavalry are slaver chiefs. They are the new top of the manhunter troop tree. They are more fragile than knights or mamelukes, but they carry steel shields and heavy military hammers, making them excellent for taking prisoners and earning you ransoms. None of the three are really effective in sieges, either attacking or defending, since they lack ranged weapons. The best part about slaver chiefs is that they are neutral troops, so they can be used against any faction without morale loss.
For infantry, Nord huscarls are the alpha and omega, tough, well-armed and armored plus they throw axes. Most carry heavy shields so they can get in close and dish out some punishment. Rhodok sergeants are probably the next best infantry.
For archers, Vaegir marksmen are just that, marksmen with a high rate of fire. Rhodok sharpshooters are crossbowmen, so their rate of fire is slow, but their bolts really pack a wallop. They are excellent for siege defense, but in a field battle their slow rate of fire can become a liability.
For infantry, Nord huscarls are the alpha and omega, tough, well-armed and armored plus they throw axes. Most carry heavy shields so they can get in close and dish out some punishment. Rhodok sergeants are probably the next best infantry.
For archers, Vaegir marksmen are just that, marksmen with a high rate of fire. Rhodok sharpshooters are crossbowmen, so their rate of fire is slow, but their bolts really pack a wallop. They are excellent for siege defense, but in a field battle their slow rate of fire can become a liability.
Are those Sarranid horse archers worth it for field battles? They are certainly annoying for me when I fight them. Also are infantry and archers mainly good only for seiges? I usally just go for horses during my games.
Never really noticed Sarranid horse archers; maybe you're thinking about Khergit horse archers? Never use them myself. I see them more as an annoyance to be swatted, like a mosquito.
Infantry and archers have uses beyond sieges, indeed many veteran players go with an unmounted set-up exclusively. They rely on terrain and somewhat intricate tactical manuevering to foil their enemies. The game allows you to use your infantry to pin the enemy in place, while your cavalry sweeps around for a flank or rear attack.
Sorry for the newb question. But how does one go about recruiting manhunter troops? The only way I can think of is to capture as prisoners or rescue from imprisonment.
I tried to build an army using the best of every faction.
Then I realised, with 80 Swadian Knights, you don't really need anything else.
Then I realised, with 80 Swadian Knights, you don't really need anything else.
I find that the main advantage of an all-mounted force is that you can choose your battles on the campaign map. Chasing inferior Khergit forces with infantry will be quite frustrating, and the stronger enemy stacks will attack you at will.
With that in mind I limit my field stacks to combinations of heavy cavalry (that i sometimes let dismount and fight as heavy infantry) and ranged units as this allows me to outrun any enemy stacks save the fully mounted ones. Real infantry is useful and interesting to use in combat, but with a high % of infantry I will have a hard time forcing battles.
With that in mind I limit my field stacks to combinations of heavy cavalry (that i sometimes let dismount and fight as heavy infantry) and ranged units as this allows me to outrun any enemy stacks save the fully mounted ones. Real infantry is useful and interesting to use in combat, but with a high % of infantry I will have a hard time forcing battles.
You are correct. Manhunters can only be added to your party if you rescue them from their captors or capture them if an enemy lord has some in his army, then recruit them from your prisoners(not ideal). But as of 1.127, manhunter groups respawn throughout the game, there are always sea raiders, mountain bandits, forest bandits, etc that are hauling some manhunters around as prisoners. Free the Manhunters, level them up to slaver chiefs and they will repay your kindness with plenty of your own prisoners to sell.
Vonyx..80 Swadian Knights are a death-dealing menace, unless you are fighting against Swadia. Their morale begins to drop and they end up deserting you.
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